Ever had a meal with equal parts Asian, Italian and Jewish influences? If not, you apparently do not live in New York City for starters... I had the pleasure of sharing an interesting and delightful meal with my boyfriend at Joe Doe's in the East Village. A former client (and major foodie) recommended this place to me ages ago and I finally made it a point to wander in on Tuesday night.
Decked out in old antiques with a very “homey” feel, we found ourselves immediately at ease. The kitchen is tiny (as is typical with most amazing, hole-in-the-wall restaurants in the city) and can be seen by all patrons. The menu is limited and changes based on the season and what the farmers have available. That’s right, FARMERS; the owners have relationships with local farmers and only serve the freshest items in season! Out of 6 possible entrees, we went for the most exotic—John Fazio Rabbit, wrapped in empanada dough, tomatillo, jalapeno and onion—but were sorely disappointed to learn that the farmer was fresh out of rabbits this week (just an excuse to come back!). However the charming co-owner, Jill, gave us the rundown of the other items on the menu including appetizers such as poached duck egg and warm Turkish Lavash. It was a tough decision…but we settled on the Gin cured Scallops served nearly raw with jalapeno mayo and large homemade croutons to start. Now, I should start by saying that I am a big believer in simple dishes done extremely well. I mean it really should not take multiple hours and mounds of ingredients to get a flavorful meal. It’s simple really, and this dish hit a home run. The scallop nearly melted in your mouth, but not before it gave a citrus flavor followed by a slight bite on the tongue from the jalapeno mayo.
Instead of bread with dinner, Joe Doe’s serves fried chick peas. Sound crazy? I thought so too, but it was the perfect combination of crunchy and salty.
And for the main event…we decided on the Za’atar Spiced Stripped Bass served with red lentils, spicy yogurt and topped with pickled onion AND the Sumac Marinated Beef served with roasted potatoes, spicy steak sauce and fried pickle. Beautifully presented, I nearly didn’t want to disturb the artwork on my plate. However, my hunger pains from bikram overtook me and I had to dive in and take a bite. The fish had a warm, soft taste with a kick of spice. The yogurt sauce added a lemony flavor, but just enough to really bring out the flavor in the fish. Red lentils added a nutty undertone and the pickled onion wouldn’t seem to fit in, but it found its place in adding a sweet and sour punch to the whole bite. Each of course was tasty separately, but together it was magical. The beef was recommended rare, so of course we had to have it at its best. It was “cooked” absolutely perfectly. I can only describe the taste as having the same effect on you as a genuine kiss from someone you love…warm and buzzing all over with a zest of spice at the end. The fried pickle on the side was just plain delectable…enough said (ok, maybe not for everyone, but I am a huge fan of pickles as Kristen and my sister can attest to).
Convinced? Try it out for dinner or go for brunch and get the famous poached duck egg. That will be my next venture to the restaurant that is literally a stone’s throw away from my apartment. Oh and I need to have that rabbit at some point…
http://www.chefjoedoe.com/restaurant.html
No comments:
Post a Comment