Of Lacquered Fish and Melon Gazpacho
Written: Aug 12 '02
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Pros: Truly sublime dishes.
Cons: Very tight quarters.
The Bottom Line: If you are going to subject yourself to this level of discomfort, the food better be good. And it is. In fact, I would call it phenomenal.
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| Epicure's Full Review: 71 Clinton Fresh Food |
New York is all about real estate. New relationships frequently begin with the question: “Where do you live?” Each neighborhood in New York has such a distinct character that a person’s home turf can be a rather telling indication of his/her personality. My husband keeps trying to convince me that the Lower East Side would be perfect for us. Every time we walk by an old, decrepit building, he begins to speculate about the endless possibilities. From time to time, I even receive emails from him at work with links to real estate listings on the Lower East Side. He can name a dozen reasons in the blink of an eye for moving to the Lower East Side. Only one holds any water for me. The epicurean development on Clinton Street. Over the last several years, this quiet little street has exploded into one of the best places in the city to find an exciting, innovative meal. 71 Clinton Fresh Food is the restaurant that started it all.
Before 71 Clinton opened, you might see a limousine parked on Clinton Street once in a blue moon, if ever. After its opening, adoring crowds from near and far, including the limousine set, flocked to this once humble, bohemian street on the lower east side fringe of Manhattan. The 29-year-old, former Jean-Georges sous-chef Wylie Dufresne had definitely caused a stir among the most discriminating palates in the city. Critics loved Dufresne’s creative pairings and intensely fresh flavors. The wait for a weekend table approached four weeks. To get through to the reservationist was a feat in and of itself. I made multiple reservations when I called.
I have to admit that I have a somewhat obsessive personality when it comes to food, which may explain why I made so many trips down to Clinton Street in the beginning. I accompanied every foodie friend who wanted to try it, and it was a requisite destination for all of my out-of-town guests. I remember seeing Dufresne’s curious face on many an evening as he peered out into the dining room from the small space above the swinging kitchen doors. With his long hair pulled back in a ponytail and his unusual triangular sideburns, Dufresne had the look of a rebel artist but for his honest farm-boy face. I imagine he must have felt good, seeing the joyous expressions of so many elated diners. Despite the difficulty of getting a table and traveling to 71 Clinton (public transportation is a bit lacking on the Lower East Side), I always felt happy to be eating at his restaurant.
For all the fanfare that the restaurant receives and for all the trouble involved in securing a table, 71 Clinton could be considered a special occasion restaurant, but for one important factor – the less than ideal seating arrangements. The tables are so close together that you might as well be dining at a long, communal table, and it is near impossible to have a regular conversation with your dining companion. The entire restaurant is quite intimate in size, seating around 30 people in total. An olive green leather banquette with orange piping accounts for half of the seats, and flimsy, gray, plastic chairs (think one step above lawn furniture) accounts for the other half. One wall of the restaurant is painted a bold orange color that matches the piping on the banquette. Another wall consists of weathered bricks, illuminated by hidden lighting behind the banquette. For the most part, the décor is very minimalist, somewhat retro and not at all luxurious. Still, you will see a fair number of well-dressed, well-coifed patrons, sitting there in blessed silence, awed by the food.
Yes, the food is worth it, even though Dufresne is no longer in the kitchen. Chef Matt Reguin took his place late last year. Curious to see how Reguin would carry on the legacy, Mr. Epicure and I made a couple of recent visits to the restaurant. I am pleased to report that Reguin did not disappoint.
“Of Lacquered Fish and Melon Gazpacho” refers to my two favorite dishes on the current menu of 71 Clinton. The menu changes seasonally, but during my last visit, I could have sworn they were the most enthralling dishes that I had ever tasted at this restaurant. Both are appetizers. The restaurant has a short list of appetizers as well as entrees – seven of each, but there is enough diversity among them to play to your every mood.
The Watermelon Gazpacho Soup ($12) sent shivers down my spine. The pretty watermelon, lime-based soup held the most colorful assortment of finely diced red peppers, shallots and cucumbers, mixed with jalapeno, cilantro and dill. I could distinguish the vivid flavor of each ingredient individually, yet they all melded together in a wonderfully sweet, sour, picante liquid heaven. In the center of the bowl sat four pieces of beautifully grilled shrimp. They resembled fish tails or wavy letter T’s. I loved their slightly charred, smoky quality.
The word “lacquered” exactly describes the appearance of the Arctic Char ($12). The deep, rich burgundy glaze made the fish skin look like it was coated in glass. Our server explained the lacquering process as a more intense version of your typical glazing process. The sauce is thicker, and it is actually allowed to harden over the fish. The lacquer had the flavor of sweet raisins. Bits of chorizo provided a splendid contrast.
Another light appetizer of which I am quite fond is the Marinated Hamachi ($11). It consisted of several tender slices of sushi-quality, yellow tail Hamachi set atop a small pile of cubed beets. Finely sliced avocados fanned out along side the Hamachi, creating a presentation that was pleasing both to the eye as well as to the palate.
Reguin’s strength definitely lies in his soups, broths and gravies. On more than one occasion, I have had to surreptitiously tilt my shallow bowl, so I could spoon up all the leftover broth from one of my dishes. In particular, I adore the honey wine broth that bathed the Lavender Crusted Black Bass ($25). The broth tasted of honey, wine and lavender – a truly divine combination. The bass came lightly breaded, infused with the faint fragrance of lavender, which was really more fully captured in the broth.
The Chatham Cod ($23) also made its appearance with an amazing broth that was coconut-based. Served with swiss chard, fingerling potatoes and tomatoes, the filet of cod was flaky yet firm. While the accompanying vegetables were pleasant, it was the milky broth that took this dish up a notch.
Vegetarians need not suffer at 71 Clinton. There are usually a few vegetarian appetizers from which to select as well as one vegetarian main course among the restaurant’s short list of seven. More important than the number is the quality of the choices. I noticed they always seemed as interesting and creative as the rest of the main courses. One night, I heard the woman sitting next to us raving about her Cassolette of Baby Vegetables in Parmesan Broth ($19). On another night, I sampled the Corn and Potato Dumplings ($19), and found them to be quite a revelation. You’d think they would be heavy, based upon the name – both corn and potato in a dumpling, but in reality they are light, almost fluffy. The thinly wrapped, misshapen dumplings held an airy corn filling. When you have them with the parmesan broth, you will be startled by the tarragon top note, then the nutty parmesan and finally the sweet corn. Add chanterelle mushrooms to the mix, and you have a much more complex dish than the name would have you believe.
I thought I had long stopped getting excited about the ubiquitous and frequently overdone molten chocolate cake until I tasted the Warm Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Center ($8) at 71 Clinton. The shape of the cake reminded me of a flower. It had a delightfully crunchy exterior with a generously oozy interior. The warm melted chocolate swirled with fragrant peanut butter made the perfect combination. The scoop of vanilla bean ice cream rolled in peanut brittle was equally enticing.
The Sour Cherry Crumble ($8) was also enormously appealing with its homey granola based crust and tart, juicy filling. The toasted almond ice cream provided a nice complement and medium with which to capture all the excess cherry coulis lingering on the edges of the plate.
I ordered the Chilled Strawberry Soup ($8) one evening, picturing the extraordinary strawberry soup that I had at Washington Park a couple months ago. Big mistake. Once you find perfection, you should immediately cease looking. Washington Park’s heady strawberry puree with a hint of red wine and muscat-verbena ice set the standard by which all other strawberry soups would be measured, and lovely as 71 Clinton’s version was, it could not compare. The base of the soup was more like strawberry juice instead of strawberry puree, and it was filled with a melange of blueberries and baby strawberries, which really stole the show. It was more like a berry dessert served with strawberry syrup rather than a strawberry soup. That is not to say that it wasn’t good, particularly with the refreshing gin and tonic sorbet, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting.
In addition to the sweets, 71 Clinton always features a cheese dessert. We tried the Britton Hill Aged Goat Cheese Pyramid ($8) one night, and found it quite to our liking. Slightly runny in the center, delicate and subtle, the two triangles of goat cheese came with macerated figs and glazed pecans.
I might also mention that 71 Clinton is a fantastic place to order wine by the glass. Priced around $9-$10 per glass, this restaurant offers one of the most thoughtfully put together wine-by-the-glass menus that I have encountered in a long time. You have a choice of probably twenty or so white wines and red wines. Next to each one is a detailed description of the wine as well as recommended dishes that a particular wine would complement. I recall trying a glass of Gewürztraminer from Germany as well as a glass of Shiraz from Australia, and both were excellent.
The servers at 71 Clinton certainly look like products of the young and edgy neighborhood in which this restaurant is located. All of the servers dress in form-fitting black and have a certain offbeat look about them. One night, I heard our server explaining to the table next to us why he was a follower of Wicca. (No, he did not randomly volunteer this information. They asked after noticing an unusual tattoo on his forearm.) On another night, I recall seeing the bartender sporting a black beret (perfect with his goatee) while the long-legged hostess wore flip-flops. A little different than your typical trendy hangout, but don't mistake their quirkiness for incompetence. I thought our servers were very good with providing suggestions and answering questions.
We finished our meal half past midnight. Clinton Street was still bustling with life. As we walked out of the restaurant, I caught sight of a homeless man sitting astride a newspaper dispenser that was pushed up against a stoplight. He started whistling a strange tune as we rounded the corner. A moment later a young man whizzed by on his bicycle, carrying a laughing girl on the handlebars. Down the street, a throng of bar-hoppers clustered outside a local wine bar. Making our way past them, I discovered two more must-try restaurants. I suspect Clinton Street has finally come of age.
*Note: Look for Dufresne’s new restaurant WD-50 opening this fall.
Address: 71 Clinton Street (on the corner of Clinton and Rivington), New York, NY
Telephone: 212-614-6960
Attire: Stylishly casual to stylishly dressy
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Child Friendly: No
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
Epicure
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 100 members
About Me:
I generally avoid temptation....unless I can't resist it.
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