And so, we are treated to part 2 of Sam's excellent adventures... Enjoy.
(by Sam Russell)
Ahh,
America. Really, I love you like a fat kid loves cake, but I don’t
understand you. You’re a journey into the sublime and the ridiculous,
with not a lot in between.
New York - Esca
After
the epic, hours long journey from Newark airport to my hotel (thanks to
a combination of using one of those shared shuttle dealies where I was
the last to be dropped off, and half of Manhattan being closed off due
to the Veterans’ Day Parade) I had just enough time to freshen up and
get myself to my (business) dinner date at Esca.
Esca
is an Italian seafood restaurant, and chef/part owner David Pasternack
has rightly been described by The New York Times as “a fish
whisperer”. He has developed his own style of ‘seafood crudo’: raw
seafood. It’s closer in approach to the Italian idea of carpaccio than
to sushi or ceviche. My date informed me that Chef Pasternack himself
attends the fish market every morning, personally cherry-picking from
the offerings. In addition, many a fishmonger will set aside their
choicest bits of catch especially for him, and if it’s good, Chef P
will work out what he can do with it.
I
chose sea urchin for my crudo experience. There’s a sea urchin
offering regularly on the menu, but the one I chose was a special of
the day – exceptional specimens had been caught in the waters off Santa
Barbara and flown in. (I bet their trip from the airport was better
than mine.)
Here
in Australia, we’re used to seeing sea urchins that are, what – about
the size of an overgrown golf ball, including the spines? This baby
had a centre slightly larger than a tennis ball, and including the
spines was roughly the size of my head. The urchin was simply cut in
half, its insidey bits tossed with good olive oil, a touch of seasoning
and a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs (I know not what), slid back
into one of the spiny halves and presented on the plate with a parfait
spoon. I hate to use the cliché ‘it tasted of the sea’, but it did.
Fresh fresh fresh. There was a slight but not unpleasant bitterness
that played into the grassiness of the oil, which in turn led into the
light green flavours of the herbs, and back to the urchin.
My
main course was a blackfish with roasted root vegetables, chestnuts and
caramelized crabapple. I wish I could tell you more about it. I do
remember that it was as fresh and beautiful as the first course and all
the autumnal, caramelized accompaniments were sweet and a lovely palate
change after the little bitterness of the sea urchin. But that’s as
much as I can manage. The sea urchin was so extraordinary to me that
it wiped all other recollections. Now I think of it, I vaguely recall
that there may have even been an amuse-bouche? I think it was a
Nantucket Bay scallop, also served crudo style. And it was really
good, but, you know… the sea urchin.
The
table decided to pass on dessert but we were presented, compliments of
the house, with a dish of house made gelati for sharing and palate
cleansing. There was a chocolate, a hazelnut and something else.
Really yummy, but, you know… yeah. The sea urchin.
Esca
isn’t far from Times Square and the theater district, but if you’re
going, don’t be too tempted to fit it in before a show. The service
was brilliant and could accommodate you if you really wanted, I’m
sure. But choose to take the time to linger and see what the sea can
do. And make sure you book in advance.
The Street Vendors
