Jun 23, 2010

Another meal worth mentioning



Some ridiculous treats from wd-50 in the Lower East Side. Shot with my oldie point & shoot in low light, so unfortunately not the best presentation. My friend and fellow foodie adventurer, Joyce, made a fairly last minute reservation here. I'm ashamed to admit I hadn't heard of the place when she asked me! (How can I call myself a foodie now!?) Anyway, what happened then was like when you learn a new word, you start seeing it being used everywhere. After I agreed to dinner, intrigued by the menu, I saw the name wd-50 pop up in all my food readings and various magazines. Naturally. Or maybe it's just that I noticed it instead of glossing over it ;). Well, no matter. We were later joined by another friend. The more the merrier, I say, especially when it comes to new and interesting foods. I am a huge fan of sharing and will avoid at all costs, ordering the same thing as my dining companions. I know that some people like to keep their dishes to themselves, and only maybe then will I get the same thing.

I know most people come here for the tasting menu ($140 a person, +$75 for wine pairing), but I already struggle to support my current lifestyle, so that'll have to wait (plus I'm not sure how I feel about the massive slab of foie gras on that menu)...now, onto the goods. I should have taken notes, because there were so many ingredients in these dishes, I felt like we were listening to speeches each time something was brought out.

1) pH cocktail - I sadly cannot remember what was in this, but it was sweet, fruity, and strong. Yum.
2) Sesame speckled crispy 'bread.' No baguettes here, sir.
3) Eggs Benedict. For real! The Hollandaise was hiding inside the fried cubes. And there were super thin pieces of bacon embedded into the solid yolks which were a fantastic consistency.
4) "Hanger tartare, smoked almond, banana, hibiscus" - Good, but I still am more a fan of tartares of the tuna variety. Banana was great.
5) "Corned duck, rye crisp, purple mustard, horseradish cream" - possibly my favorite of the appetizers. Plus you can easily pop the whole thing in your mouth and get all the flavors at once.
6) "Duck breast, apple, cheddar, kimchee-cous cous" - I've been in a duck phase ever since the quacker from Eleven Madison Park. This one also did not disappoint. Plus the broth was so interesting! Cheddar and kimchee!
7) "Skate, sweet and sour salsify, wild rice, butternut squash." I still do not know what salsify is haha. I will always be drawn to anything that has butternut squash in it. What can I say? Good all around.
8) We chose a Rooibos for the dessert round. I'm really glad we did, too. I have a tendency to get the jasmine whenever I choose tea over coffee, and I need to branch out. I love how Rooibos doesn't get bitter no matter how long you steep it.
9) "Hazelnut tart, coconut, chocolate, chicory" - again, hazelnut is my weakness. So many textures in this. Love the crunchy and creamy together. I think I accidentally ate like 80% of this when it was supposed to be split among 3.
10) "Cheesecake, pineapple, raisin, saffron, lime" - yes that is cheesecake! My favorite part might have been the lime ice cream. Plus there was pineapple done like 3 ways or something ridiculous. The cheesecake almost took a side role.

Hungry yet? :D

4 comments :

  1. How much did all these end up costing?

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  2. yay thanks for joining me for a foodie adventure :)

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  3. i like your blog! you take great pictures...and this food looks yummmyyy

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