HB Eats: Feel At Home at Doma Na Rahu

Looking for a delicious meal to start off 2013? I highly recommend heading to Doma Na Rohu.  The words “doma na rohu” mean “at home on the corner” in Czech, and that is exactly how you will feel in this cozy West Village restaurant and bar. Husband and wife team Michael and Evelyn Polesny opened the rustic, yet upscale Austro-Hungarian eatery in April of last year, and while the location is fairly new, the history behind Doma spans generations. The passionate owners have years of experience working in the restaurant industry, and bring with them culinary knowledge and family recipes lovingly passed down over time.

                                    

Serving up Doma's traditional plates with modern flare is Chef Jake Eberle, formerly of the Lamb’s Club.  Jake gave me the scoop on his kitchen offerings, with its delightful range of breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch options.  The restaurant also hosts a popular monthly pig roast, special neighborhood nights, and has a new late-night bar menu.  I have to admit that I was a little unsure of exactly what qualified as Austro-Hungarian food before my first visit last weekend.  Over the course of the evening I sampled a variety of dishes, all of which were delicious.   

The meal started out with a light kohlrabi salad with fresh croutons, brussel sprouts, and radishes followed by a Fisherman’s Stew made up of shrimp, mussels, and flounder.  The seafood melted in my mouth, as did the foie grois terrine with spiced walnuts, which came next.    

One of my favorite bites of the night was definitely the butternut squash spaetzle topped with fried sage leaves, which achieved a perfect balance of delicate buttery pasta and sweet squash.  I have tried spaetzle before, but none of that quality.  I finished off the main dishes with perfectly cooked duck and red cabbage served with Serviettenknödel (bread dumplings).  Jake shared with me that he infused the dumplings with a light cream to enhance the flavor and moistness.  For dessert I devoured the sachertorte, which was a rich and airy chocolate torte made of chocolate cake with apricot and chocolate icing, served with just enough whipped cream.  

I was blown away by my meal at Doma.  I even ordered a warm Bavarian pretzel to go because I just couldn't get enough. Not only were the food and beer great, but the owners and servers were very friendly, and the atmosphere was welcoming and homey.  These are qualities that I cherish in a restaurant, especially in Manhattan.  I have to thank the whole Doma Na Rohu crew for making my first restaurant experience of the year a truly memorable one!

Doma Na Rahu, 27 1/2 Morton Street, New York, NY

HB Sweets: A New Chocolate Culture at Max Brenner

Happy Summer!  It's been a while since my last post so I thought I would indulge a bit at one of my favorite NYC chocolate spots (see, nothing has changed in the past few months!).  From the moment you spot the signature Bald Man sign on Broadway, Max Brenner sucks you in and tempts you with the lure of delicious chocolate.  Once inside, you are enveloped by the sweet beginnings (smells and sights) of a truly decadent experience. What strikes me about this whimsical destination near Union Square, and makes the place so special, is that the Max Brenner team has succeeded in creating a perfect balance of grown-up and kid-friendly fun. The store is set up as part chocolate shop, part café/restaurant, and part chocolate laboratory.

Children (and most adults) will be delighted by the large variety of inventive goodies, including the marshmallow-topped chocolate pizza and giant plastic syringes full of squirtable chocolate, as well as the colorful glass displays of candies and overhead pipes full of liquid chocolate.  There is also a sophisticated vibe throughout, set by pulsating music (no Willy Wonka tunes here - at least while I was there), a creative cocktail menu, beautiful product packaging, stylish lighting and furniture, and Art Deco-inspired artwork.  I also love the Hug Mug, which is an oval-shaped handle-less mug designed specifically for perfect hot chocolate drinking (sounds like a great holiday gift idea)! 

So who is Max Brenner exactly?  The mysterious character behind this unique brand is actually based on two men - Max Fitchmen and Oded Brenner.  Oded Brenner learned the art of chocolate making in Paris and then teamed up with Fitchmen to create their first homemade chocolate shop in 1996 in Ra’anana, Israel.  Since then, Max Brenner shops have opened across the globe, seeking to establish a “new chocolate culture” of romance and individuality.  No matter what your mood, age, or chocolate preference, I do believe that Max Brenner has a little something for everyone.  I can't wait to try to make something from my new "CHOCOLATE - A Love Story" Max Brenner recipe book! 

HB Eats: The Lambs Club New York

I know a restaurant is truly unique if its atmosphere and food transport me to a different place and time. That’s what happened recently when I had the opportunity to dine at The Lambs Club. Hidden amongst the bustling streets of the Time Square area, inside the The Chatwal Hotel, is a culinary refuge owned by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, of Food Network fame, and partners. This eatery, which opened in 2010, is named after the first-ever professional theatrical club “The Lambs” which was once housed in the landmark building. With its large maroon booths, gigantic fireplace, and celebrity portraits, The Lambs Club atmosphere is classic and sophisticated, but also very welcoming.

The restaurant is currently home to my friend and chef de cuisine, Jake Eberle, as well. Thanks to Chef Jake, I got the opportunity to sample some representative lunch and dinner items. I was definitely blown away. My favorites of Jake's specialties included the calamari with cucumbers and the braised short ribs. I usually shy away from calamari in most places, because unless it's cooked flawlessly it can taste like rubber. Well Jake has renewed my faith in the dish.  Meanwhile, the braised ribs were super tender, and I learned that it only took a few hours to cook them to perfection. The ribs were served two ways, over vegetables and stuffed inside yummy tortellini. A few other interesting facts about The Lambs Club are that the kitchen extrudes its own delicious gemelli pasta and serves up some tasty desserts. To my delight the cookie plate included an unexpected mix of pistachio biscotti, chocolate with sea salt, and mini strawberry macaroons. Overall the meal was a fun and memorable. Thanks again to Jake and the rest of the crew!

HB Sweets: Ladurée Macarons come to NYC!

As I approached the Ladurée shop on the Upper East Side I was instantly enthralled by the magical window arrangement of colorful pastry towers.  This beautiful new boutique, which opened its doors late last summer, is the first of its kind to come to the United States. The original Ladurée shop is located in Paris with a history spanning over 150 years. To build upon its global success, the company has now transformed a tiny retail space on Madison Ave. into an extremely popular foodie destination. 

So what exactly is a macaron anyway? Macarons (note the spelling) are sandwich-like cookies made from eggs, almonds, and sugar with a creamy ganache filling.   They come in a variety of flavors and should not be confused with macaroons, which are denser cookies, also made with almonds, and commonly coconut in flavor.  (For more on the macaron vs. macaroon intrigue, click here to read an article from thekitcn.com).  

If you are looking for a little indulgence, macarons are the cookies for you. The ones sold at the New York shop are imported from France and made in Ladurée's special "laboratories."  My friend highly recommended the vanilla flavor (Vanille) which turned out to be my favorite, followed by raspberry.  The cookie shells were perfectly light, crisp, and smooth, with a delicious creamy center. I never knew a simple vanilla cookie could taste so good.  Amazing.  

Of course there are a few important things to know before getting addicted to Ladurée macarons: 1) there's a often a long line at the shop, and 2) these luscious treats are $2.70 a piece.  That’s right, it will cost about $20 to get half a dozen of these cookies which aren’t much larger than a silver dollar.  So was it worth the wait and the price?  I think so.  Sure, I would prefer an empty store with café tables for customers and free samples, but nothing is perfect!   

Here a few tips for enhancing your Ladurée experience:

• Take special note of the shop hours and budget a lot of extra time for waiting in line during your visit.  My wait was only around 20 minutes, but I am told that on certain days and around the holidays the wait can be extremely long.
• Remember that Ladurée macarons are meant to be consumed within 3 days of purchase and kept in the refrigerator during that time.  My friend advised me that the flavor of a macaron is bolder if they are brought to room temperature again, but I thought they were good both ways! 
• Don’t eat too many macarons at one time because they are rich and you will want to savor your bites. (I did not follow this one). 
• If you don’t want to wait in line, I did notice at least one person picking up a pre-ordered arrangement and skipping the line, so inquire within!