Spanish inquisition: tapas and booze at El Quinto Pino, in Chelsea
(Credit: Lauren Shockey)
It’s a long way from a Tuscan farm to the East Village, but that’s part of the culinary trek chef Matthew Hamilton took to bring his Euro- and Mediterranean-influenced fare to this cozy Parisian gastropub on East Fourth Street. “The influences are all my own,” says Hamilton, who spent two years on an olive farm in Italy to soak up the authenticity of the cuisine. “They’re things that I’ve seen, touched, smelled, eaten—things that I always wanted to do.” The chef, who was behind the acclaimed but now-shuttered Uovo, draws inspiration from Provence to Tunisia to deliver a menu (oil-poached octopus, grilled sweetbreads, rabbit legs) with a strong coastal verve. “I didn’t want to go too far inland because you start going into heavier food,” he says. “I wanted to keep a full flavor, but on the lighter side.” Even Lebanon provided some sway: Hamilton liberally uses a local fruit, sumac, to furnish a lemony spark to vinaigrette, buttermilk flatbreads, chicken and rabbit juice. Living abroad, he says, “made me realize that you have to keep food as simple as possible and let the flavors speak for themselves. It’s a respect for the food.” Belcourt expects to open on Monday, Oct. 1. 84 E. Fourth St. at Second Ave., 212-228-8414
El Quinto Pino
You can’t throw a chunk of chorizo without hitting a tapas bar in Manhattan these days, and that’s in part thanks to the work of Mani Dawes. A partner in the critically acclaimed Tia Pol, Dawes has now opened another tapas bar, El Quinto Pino. Located a block away from Tia Pol and half the size, the inviting, shoebox-size space is mostly standing room, with a handful of stools at the curved bar. The menu, from chef Alex Raij, is written on two chalkboards and—natch—pulls for pork: in salads (pig’s ear) and in sandwiches (jamon Serrano). The bar’s name, according to Dawes, translates to “in the boonies.” Judging by the jam-packed crowds at Tia Pol, “El Quinto Pino” may prove to be something of a misnomer. 401 W. 24th St. at Ninth Ave., 212-206-6900
The Australian
It ain’t much of a shocker to find meat pies and kangaroo at a restaurant called “The Australian.” But kangaroo sate? Chalk that up to a restaurateur who found an Aussie chef based in Singapore. Co-owner Owenn Treacher was determined to fill his new, sports-bar-ish spot in the Garment District with an all-Oz staff, but he stumbled upon his chef, Roland Graham, in Asia, which worked out perfectly. “What Roland brought to the table was Australian cuisine that no one actually sees,” Treacher says, “a combination of European cooking and Asian cooking—you’re on the Pacific Rim there.” Hence, the kangaroo sate, which Treacher says works for “people interested in what kangaroo tastes like, but are not quite ready to jump into the kangaroo filet mignon.” Yes, fish-and-chips should keep diehards happy, but you’ll also find Thai fish-and-prawn cakes and Wagyu steak. The bi-level space has already attracted a mix of Aussie expats and tourists—a no-brainer since the restaurant’s staff is affiliated with several Aussie sports leagues, including the Magpies, New York Knights and New York Rugby Club. 20 W. 38th St. at Fifth Ave., 212-869-8601
Tafu
Yep, it’s tea time, alright: On the heels of the recently opened Sanctuary T tea house, in Soho, comes this first U.S. outpost of a 150-year-old tea company. Located at the Metropolitan Hotel, Tafu specializes in teas that promote health and wellness, including a rare, high-end powdered green tea called maccha, which is often used in tea ceremonies. Tafu also has an ace up its sleeve: The tea shop is collaborating with local dessert fave Kyotofu to produce an exclusive line of original sweet treats that incorporate Tafu teas, with items like cream-roll cakes, shortbread cookies and chocolate truffles. “In terms of food, we have a similar vision to Tafu,” says Kyotofu co-owner Nicole Bermensolo, who's been approached many times by other companies to create a line of treats from Kyotofu, but has held off—until now. “We really go well together. It’s all about the quality and the simplicity of ingredients. We focus on clean flavors, and getting those flavors across.” Kyotofu plans to introduce a new item every month to its Tafu repertoire. 569 Lexington Ave. at 51st St., 212-980-1310
The side dish…
Bring on the brunch: Trestle on Tenth and Zoë Townhouse are now giving weekend party warriors more reasons to drag themselves out of bed and shake off that hangover with…more brunch boozies and cocktails! (Uh, and there’s food, too.) The new brunch items at each restaurant offer playful twists on weekend noshes: Trestle chef Ralf Kuettel sticks to Euro fare with dishes like duck-confit hash served with poached eggs and béarnaise sauce, while Zoë’s Matthew Zappoli goes all-out with eye-poppers such as roasted pineapple Belgium waffle with toasted pecans, grilled pineapple and Tahitian vanilla syrup. Even better: Zoë is offering a 15 percent discount on brunch for two weeks, beginning Sept. 30. Ah, the sweet taste of frugality.
4Foodies, an online association of gastro-enthusiasts, will hold its next schmoozefest on Oct. 2 at Chinatown Brasserie, where guests will have the chance to sample a variety of dim sum goodies like pot stickers, dumplings and spring rolls. Tickets go for $50 a pop, and the event is also open to the public. To purchase tickets or to sign up for membership, visit www.4foodiesusa.com.
[Additional reporting by Rebecca Flint Marx]
