five napkin burger

Let me cut right to the food.

Original 5N burger with caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and fries. Reminiscent of and perhaps inferior to a Double Shack Burger but for double the price. The patty wasn't piping hot like one would expect with a good burger. The garlic aioli did complement the burger well, the lukewarm and soggy fries did not.


The Ahi tuna burger (medium) with wasabi mayonnaise, tempura onion rings all sandwiched between toasted sesame seed buns, and required several salt sprinklings. The wasabi mayonnaise added a good touch of heat and the tempura onion rings were light and crispy. Again, the fries were lukewarm, and come to think of it, the burger as well.


The only redeeming part of the meal were the hot wings, which were supposed to come at the beginning of the meal as an appetizer, but came at the end after two reminders and a dubious look from our waiter. I enjoyed the thick coating of sauce, which wasn't terribly vinegary (like I find many hot wings to be), well balanced with a good dose of heat. The wings were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside but the drumsticks were slightly dry.


What was supposed to be a celebratory lunch marking the end six long weeks of camp counseling ended with the four of us slightly unsatisfied with both the food, the service, and the bill. We were disappointed, yet surprised because our experience had contrasted so drastically with the chain's solid reviews. Maybe we were unlucky, but nonetheless, next time we crave a good burger, we're headed down a few blocks to Shake Shack.

10 downing

After an irresistibly adorable one-hour feature of Winnie the Pooh my friend and I made our way to 10 Downing Food and Wine on the last official day of Restaurant Week. Though during the walk there we were reminded that we had not properly taken advantage of RW I was optimistic that 10 Downing, which merits solid reviews, was sure to compensate for this and end the week nicely. The spacious dining room boasted a beautiful glow from the sunset, aided by the large window panels. It was a refreshing alternative the often dim-lit dining rooms you'd find in these areas.

***We started off with a chilled English pea soup (with buttermilk ice and summer fruit) and an heirloom tomato and watermelon salad (with mint, almonds, radish, and basil oil.) While I did not try the pea soup myself it did not stand out to my friend, who called it refreshing and fruity yet "unexciting" and undeserving of a mention.  My heirloom tomato and watermelon salad on the other hand was delicious-my only complaint was that a few chunks of tomato had a mealy texture. The ice-cold watermelon was crisp and sweet and was coated with tangy tomato dripping, almond dust and a garlic lemony dressing. I've always considered watermelon the fruit to eat as it is, unaccompanied by savory ingredients. Guess I was wrong.

Below is seared wild striped bass sitting on top of a grilled corn potato "hash" adorned with a smear of bland roasted red pepper sauce. My bass was overcooked and dry. The corn and potato hash was hands-down the best component of the night, given my particular aversion to corn. It was smokey, creamy,  savory, and perfectly seasoned- I almost asked for it as a side dish.

The braised short rib with broccoli, bearnaise sauce, and shallot confit featured slightly tough meat and a stone-hard almost inedible baby carrot. But everything else was well seasoned and tasted fine- a hearty dish, subtle in flavor.

Dessert was pleasant. I ordered the the spiced chocolate torte with a grape reduction and chipotle spiked cream. I appreciated that the torte was not overly sweet, though it was a very dense, making the dollop of cream on top seem almost foam like. The chocolate-dipped pistachios dusted with salt  were crunchy and scrumptious.                                

Pictured below is almond and pecan panna cotta with roasted cherries and madeira sauce. The panna cotta was very rich and had an usually strong almond extract flavor. The sauce was slightly tart and nicely balanced out the creaminess.

Overcooked bass aside the dinner went well, at least my part. The service was good though our waitress made us feel slightly uncomfortable as she tried a few times too many to build the check. The dishes were nicely portioned and came promptly. Overall, a good, though not spectacular, ending to a relaxing sunday afternoon.

10 Downing
10 Downing Street

kuta satay house

A Groupon deal and the need to kill two hours led us to dine at Kuta Satay House, a self-proclaimed "eclectic" Asian eatery on the Lower East Side. Situated on a quiet side road, Kuta cozily seats around 40 people, with a tiny outdoor space for dining al fresco when the weather permits. The space is dimly lit and adorned with traditional wooden tables and chairs- a humble yet appropriate setup.

The Jimbaran Spicy Tiger Shrimp (6.75) and the Spicy Chicken Tandoori (4.95) satays stood out to my friend Sam and me. The portions were small (2 small satays per order). The charred shrimp satays, though brushed with a mouth-watering sweet chili sauce, taste fishy and didn't justify the high price. The tender chicken satays were satisfying enough.

Our drinks were incredibly refreshing and well balanced. The "Lycheetini" (10) a cocktail of daiginjo sake, fresh lychee juice, bits of lychee, and fresh lime juice, was strong but balanced. The drink had perfect ratio of alcohol to juice, and remained true to the flavors of Indonesia. The "Kuta Cosmo" (10 - soju, lime juice, cranberry juice) was less strong and had more of a fusion flare, but delicious nonetheless.

The highlight of our dinner though, was the Spicy Duck Udon. For a reasonable $14  you receive  a large bowl of fat udon noodles submerged in a spicy, rich coconut milk and curry broth. Piled on top is a heap of luscious roasted duck, topped with crispy taro chips, and garnished with Asian vegetables. The flavors of the broth were so concentrated and complex; simply reminiscing makes me salivate.

We left Kuta's satisfied. Our waiter was an extremely quirky and energetic man who continued to offer friendly and responsive service throughout the night. Timely service during peak hours, inviting atmosphere, and overall delicious food made my first encounter with Indonesian cuisine and experience at Kuta delightfully memorable.

Kuta
65 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002

Casual Southeast-Asian