It’s been awhile since I’ve paid for a tasting menu in New York City. I think the initial novelty and status of fine dining eventually wore off.
When friends ask me if I’ve been to any good new NYC restaurants lately, my only answers have been bakeries and a taco shop: Nick and Sons, Apollo Bagel, Radio Bakery, Taqueria El Chato. It’s egalitarian food - high quality food from establishments that you can walk in, wait in line, and eat on the sidewalk. None of the ridiculous NYC reservation culture or $300+ menus.
I broke this streak when I celebrated 3 years with Jenn at House Brooklyn, a Japanese French restaurant in Greenpoint.
House Brooklyn was a reminder of the joy of an intimate, warm, and playful tasting menu. I love observing craftsmanship and flow state up close. Sitting at the counter seats in front of the oversized kitchen island felt like how I’d imagine sitting courtside at an NBA game feels.
My favorite bite of 2024 was the second appetizer course: Yellowtail Tartare & Peach Sorbet
Most of the time I’m skeptical of caviar because it feels like insensible luxury; a kind of edible glitter often used to “elevate” a dish to nowhere. But this was delightful - a play on a monaka, a rice cracker filled with yellowtail tartare topped with caviar and a quenelle of cold peach sorbet. I took my picture quickly, carefully placed the top of the cracker on to form a sandwich, and held it with the same joy a middle schooler on a field trip holds a no crust sandwich triangle.
I appreciated how Chef Yuji brings a level of creativity and interaction with the food without sacrificing substance and taste. Yes, the monaka was fun to hold, but it also tasted good. Peach sorbet with yellowtail and minced shallot and kale? Amazing. A later course of a red sea bream spring roll had a dollop of what looked like caviar on top - our server smiled and explained that it was “squid ink mustard masquerading as caviar”.
The last main course was a Foie Gras Pilaf. Chef Yuji presented a beautiful donabe with the pilaf, just like how sushi chefs present fish before an omakase. I snapped a quick picture, and then he spooned the pilaf into rice bowls, family style. It was served along with a wooden cup of fragrant miso soup, a balm for the soul. I felt like I was at home.
I think it’s good to spend money on things that make you happy. House Brooklyn is certainly not egalitarian food - at $200+ per person, I can’t say that it’s worth it for everyone. But for me, it was money well spent because food prepared with craftsmanship and care makes me happy.
I’m reminded of this David Sedaris line from This American Life about living in Paris and never going to the Louvre:
I mean, I think so many people come here and they feel like they have to do certain things because somebody told them to do it… they go to the Louvre because somebody told them that they have to.
Merry Christmas friends - hope you eat food that you want to eat and do things you want to do. 🎄🥂
