This Week: New Fusion, New Coffee, Repurposed Water
The city’s newest food-fusion trend is Latin American and Italian cuisines, says the Underground Gourmet in this week’s magazine. Miranda in Williamsburg and Matilda in the East Village are leading the charge, and Rob and Robin alternate between calling it “Mex-Italian” and “Tusc-Mex.” (Our pick: “Mexcellente.”) Outside of our regular reading route, Intel has a dishy item about David Bouley — apparently, his Tribeca neighbors aren’t so thrilled about his proposed Brushstrokes restaurant. Back in the food section, it’s a difficult time of year for the Greenmarket, but that doesn’t deter Damon Wise at Craft for offering up this week’s “In Season” recipe: pan-roasted salsify. Gael Greene visits Smokin’ Q on the Upper East Side this week and enjoys the ribs and the thin-cut fries, though she could do without the owner’s jokes. Rob and Robin introduce us to three new restaurants this week, and we can’t wait to visit Terroir, the latest from Marco Canora and Paul Grieco. Also in “Openings”: an East Village coffee bar co-owned by Sasha Petraske and a new burger spot in the financial district. If a recession breeds good $4 burgers, it can’t be that bad. Finally, if you want to reduce bottled-water waste, we found four restaurants with a DIY approach to filtration and carbonation.
Openings
Williamsburg Newcomer Combines Italian and Latin AmericanStill flying under the radar after opening last month, Miranda is a Williamsburg restaurant that has some of the winey charm of nearby D.O.C. Owners Mauricio Miranda and his fiancée, chef, and partner, Sasha Rodriguez, first worked together at Verbena. He eventually became a captain at L’Impero, and she the dining-room manager at Alto. Now Rodriguez is nodding to her Latin American heritage and her Italian culinary training by serving orecchiette with Mexican chorizo and a grilled pork tenderloin that’s marinated in tomatillo salsa, cooked with a mole verde, and served with Arborio rice. Italian rice is also used in a paella with cockles, baby clams, shrimp, and calamari. For dessert, Mauricio serves a granita made with dried jamaica petals his mom forages for in Mexico. Now that is a relationship with the source!
