I was a big fan of Top Chef Season 7 runner-up Angelo Sosa. He was one of the few chefs I tuned in for during a season I wasn't to crazy about. So I risked the inappropriately long lunch break to sample some of his food at his Asian influenced gastropub, with a biased leniency and a near-empty stomach.
A dollop of curry foam enriched a tomato soup already so creamy and strongly flavored it was almost like consuming a silky dipping sauce rather than a balanced soup. It was overwhelming even attempting to split the bowl between the two of us. The disproportionately small grilled cheese triangle was nicely charred but disappeared quickly.
The Togarashi fries, served with a gloppy sesame paste, were unevenly salted and seasoned with the japanese chili powder mixture, leading certain sticks to be unbearably salty and others to be bland. Some were potato-chip crispy, the rest soggy, and the entire bowl of already disappointing fries came cold.
The bulgogi burger lacked an unctuous dressing that would have alleviated the unexpected dryness of the patty. The underseasoned cucumber kimchee on the side was identical to the one sandwiched between the buns, which seemed a little redundant.
The bibambap burger, in contrast, was an explosion of flavor and texture.
A mound of shredded, pickled vegetables, a buttery 60-minute egg, and that all-too-familiar pungent bibambap sauce made this burger memorably flavorful.
I appreciated that this strawberry shortcake, with basil sprigs, was just barely sweet - that's how I like my desserts. I did not however, find the dense, stale cake, deflated black pepper whipped cream nor the softened strawberries to be too enticing.
A underwhelming showing from a Top Chef finalist from whom I had higher expectations. I tried really hard to like my lunch, I really did.
Serious Eatz
232 E 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
