Chef And Menu Report: Week Of 7/27/14
National
IKEA is hosting a Swedish Crayfish Party in the restaurants of participating IKEA U.S. stores on Friday, August 15. The Crayfish Party is a Swedish tradition that dates back to the 1800s, when the lakes in Sweden were full of crayfish and fishing season was limited to August and September, and so the parties are usually held during those late summer months. Tickets are available at the IKEA restaurants for only $12.99 per person or $4.99 for kids 12 and under, with IKEA FAMILY members eating for $9.99 per person or $2.49 for kids 12 and under. Besides crayfish, the menu will also feature a tossed green salad, a cucumber salad, hardboiled eggs with mayo and shrimp, Najad salmon with horseradish or gravad lax with mustard sauce, cheese pie, a variety of Swedish breads and cheeses, and much more.
Lenox, MA
The annual Tanglewood Wine and Food Classic takes place from August 7 through 10 this year, and features an international selection of critically acclaimed wines and a wide selection of locally sourced foods. The four-day culinary event features celebrity chef dinners, cocktail receptions, seminars, cooking demonstrations, cheese and chocolate wine pairings, and more. Kicking off with an exploration of the food of Berkshire County on August 7 and concluding with an auction dinner at Blantyre, prepared by two of New England's finest chefs, Arnaud Cotar of Blantyre and Daniel Bruce of Boston Harbor Hotel and Meritage. Tickets for individual events run from $55 to $250 and may be purchased by calling 888-266-1200, or visiting the Boston Symphony Orchestra's website.
New York
The new tomato tasting menu from Geoffrey Zakarian at The Lambs Club launches Monday, August 4. Foraging their tomatoes from Eckerton Hill Farms, The Lambs Club has devised five unique and delicious dishes using their jewel-toned heirloom tomatoes. The five-course menu includes tomato and Nova Scotia lobster salad, tomato gazpacho, hand-rolled russet potato gnocchi with a spicy tomato glaze, grilled heirloom tomato with pickled shrimp, and a gooseberry clafoutis with tomato sorbet.
Oenophiles can get excited as Harvest East End is back for its fifth year, celebrating the special wines and gourmet cuisine of Long Island. For the first time ever, Dan's Papers LLC Joins the Long Island Wine Council to produce the rustic food and wine event, newly re-titled Dan's HARVEST EAST END. It will take place on Saturday, August 23, and will once again be held at McCall Vineyards and Ranch in Cutchogue, NY on the North Fork.
The Standard Biergarten will launch their Tisch Tennis Ping Pong Tournament starting this Monday, August 4. The tournament will take place every Monday evening through September 29, with live music from The Adlers; pastry chef Frederick Aquino will be making spiked ping pong popsicles and gingerbread trophy cookies for guests and competitors alike. The tournament is open for all to participate, and competitors can sign up by sending an email to Biergarten@standardhotel.com or by simply signing up in the Biergarten on the day of the event.
Delicatessen, which won Most Creative Dish at this year's New York Bacon and Beer Classic, will be serving both of its bacon-centric dishes on its menu. The BLT Mac is made with the classic elbow macaroni, rendered smoke bacon, caramelized onion, and is topped with a blend of white and yellow cheddar cheese, a chiffonade of iceberg lettuce, tomato concasse, and stilton blue cheese dressing. The "King's" Cheesecake is an ode to Elvis, with a crust made from pulverized candied bacon and Wonder Bread. Peanut butter is incorporated into the recipe while the batter is creamed, and it's topped with caramelized bananas and even more candied bacon.
Il Mulino Trattoria in Gramercy will be hosting a rosé dinner pairing with a menu curated by acclaimed chef Michele Mazza on Wednesday, August 6, with reservations open from 5 to 11 p.m. For just $60 (excluding tax and gratuity), guests can enjoy a menu designed to match with a selection of rosé wines that includes — but is not limited to — ravioli with arugula and goat cheese paired with Mas de Gourgonnier les Baux de Provence 2013, and deep sea scallops wrapped in bacon over spinach married with Bertani Bertarose 2013.
Troy Liquor Bar and Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel have created a special cocktail menu for national days that celebrate specific food items this month. On Saturday, August 2, Upstairs at the Kimberly will celebrate National Watermelon Day with their refreshing "Electrolyte," consisting of watermelon purée, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vodka, and delicious muddled watermelon pieces for $18.00.On Saturday August 16, Troy Liquor Bar will celebrate National Rum Day with an "Original Sin," Made up of Owney's Rum, crème de framboise, and prosecco for $8.00. Upstairs at the Kimberly will also celebrate the national "holiday" with the "Rum Service," consisting of Montecristo rum, honey, fresh pear and zest lime for $18.00. On Monday, August 25, in honor of National Whiskey Sour Day, celebrate with Troy's "Thunder Road," comprised of George Dickel Rye, fresh lemon, and Six Point Crisp for $8.00.
The Press Lounge has launched their "Summer Bounty Menu" and their "Summer Bites Menu," each reflecting the season's best ingredients from regional farms and purveyors, served only at the Oasis Table. Sixteen floors above PRINT. Restaurant, the Oasis Table is an outdoor private dining table and herb garden built into a converted rooftop swimming pool overlooking the Hudson River.
The "Summer Bounty Menu" includes a four-course seasonal menu from PRINT. Restaurant, along with unlimited carafes of PRINT.'s house wines and sangria. The $250 per person menu can be reserved in advance for 8 to 12 people, and includes (but is not limited to) a platter of Wellfleet oysters with champagne mignonette; endive arugula salad with stone fruit, Marcona almonds and a white wine vinaigrette, and a grilled grass-fed rib eye steak with grilled spring onions and a bordelaise sauce.
The "Summer Bites" menu will only be released for a limited number of reservations per week, announced through The Press Lounge's social media accounts. It includes an assortment of seasonal share plates from PRINT. Restaurant and two glasses of house wine or sangria per person. This special menu is for groups of 8 to 12 people and will be available for $100 per person (tax and gratuity included). Some of the dishes featured are assorted salumi with seasonal pickles; grilled octopus with chorizo, olives, lemon, and herb purée; and Salvatore Brooklyn ricotta bruschetta, with favas, grilled ramps, and asparagus.
Recently opened Meadowsweet launches Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. starting August 3. Chef Polo Dobkin offers starters such as doughnuts sweetened with confectioner's sugar and jam; egg dishes like huevos rancheros with fresh corn tortillas, black beans, and salsa verde, and sandwiches including a Reuben that's loaded with all the traditional fixings of Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. To complement her husband's food, Stephanie Lempert pulls from the mezzanine herb garden to create cocktails like Meadowsweet Cup, a twist on a Pimm's Cup with strawberries and basil; a Mint Shandy, and classic brunch staples such as a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Michelada, and Bellini.
Miami
From August 1 through September 30, visitors can take advantage of the annual Miami Spice restaurant promotion showcasing the best in local cuisine. Restaurants across the city will offer culinary experiences featuring signature dishes on three-course set menus, priced at $23 for lunch and $39 for dinner.
In Bal Harbour, diners can experience the culinary mastery of chef Makoto Okuwa, of sleek Japanese eatery Makoto, who will offer a varied selection including spicy tuna crispy rice and sea bass tempura on his Miami Spice menu. At ONE Bal Harbour Resort & Spa, the chefs at Mister Collins apply the made-from-scratch approach to dinner specialties including Korean barbeque ribs, tuna tartare, and a Scottish salmon garnished with thyme. Miami Spice menus can also be enjoyed at J&G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort.
Las Vegas
Executive chef Brian Massie has introduced three new menu items that will be offered at Red Square in Mandalay Bay through the end of next week. The new featured dishes are chilled white gaspacho with smoked trout, champange grapes, and toasted almond; Hamachi crudo with yellow peach, chili, basil, and extra virgn olive oil, and a tasting of crab that includes jumbo lump crab cake, crispy soft shell, and a spicy tomato and crab stew.
Kate Kolenda is the Restaurant/City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @BeefWerky and @theconversant.