The Big Apple
The month of July came and went faster than the blink of an eye and here we are two weeks into August already! Time flies when you’re having fun, right? Well, the team at PARC Aspen is having so much fun and it’s time we caught you up to speed.
As some of you may know from our social media, we recently took a management team trip to the Big Apple in search of delicious eats and unique twists on Farm to Table fare. We ate and drank our way through Manhattan in the span of 3 and a half days, leaving no stone unturned. Where did we dine you ask? Come along as we unpack our favorite dishes from the trip…
Our reservation was secured by Wine & Beverage Director Greg Van Wagner at this quaint Farm to Table restaurant in TriBeCa [extra points to those who know what TriBeCa stands for]. One White Street is the perfect neighborhood restaurant offering an a la carte menu on the ground floor and a chef’s tasting menu on their second and third floors. The restaurant is situated in a historic townhome made famous in the 1970s by none other than John Lennon when he marked the location as the base for his conceptual country, devoid of boundaries and welcome to everyone!
The menu at One White Street follows suit and has something to offer every appetite. While we ordered a plethora of the a la carte menu, our favorite dishes included the Smoked Crispy Carrots with kimchi aioli, candied peanuts and Korean chili and that evening’s special, a Slow Roasted Pork Collar with charred summer greens, black garlic puree, peaches and lovage. The carrots were tempura fried to perfection and topped off with creamy kimchi aioli, which further complemented the crunch of the candied peanuts. Greg paired the first few courses, including the carrots, with a beautiful bottle of rare Riesling to bring forward the multitude of flavors.
The slow roasted pork collar was the true winner of the evening, paired with a rich red wine to balance out the palette. Cooked to perfection, the slices melted in our mouths! The peaches added a fun flair and a tinge of sweetness to each bite. Both dishes featured ingredients sourced directly from their farm upstate, Rigor Hills Farm in Columbia County.
Next time you’re in TriBeCa, make sure to make a reservation to visit One White Street, it will not disappoint!
A cannot miss experience when in New York is the cocktails at Dante. With a history dating back to 1915, Caffe Dante is an icon in the community and known to offer the World’s Best Negroni. So in true form, we were curious to check out what all the fuss was about! Between the six of us, we were able to sample quite a few items on the menu, standouts being the Mezcalito with hibiscus infused montelobos, contratto aperitif, dolin blanc, cinzano 1757 dry and cherry heering as well as the Fluffy Margarita Royale with olmeca altos. ancho verde. lime. fluffy pineapple. scorched pineapple, green chili, and Prosecco.
Each cocktail was well balanced and presented beautifully. The attention to detail breathes through from the cocktail preparation to presentation. It is no wonder they have remained a staple in the community for over a century!
The dining experience at Le Pavillon is unmatched, this was by far a team FAVORITE. From entry to exit, the team at Le Pavillon has everything nailed down to a science. The service can only be described as a delicate dance to the soundtrack curated by both executive chefs and Daniel Boulod himself. The night we dined with them, we were graced by executive chef Will Nacev in the kitchen. Dinner is offered either as a three-course or six-course tasting menu in the main dining room; a bar menu is offered with a smaller selection of items. We opted for the three-course menu with a few additional surprises to complement.
From this meal, everything was a standout dish making it almost impossible to pick favorites. So rather than favorites, dishes that we believe are off the beaten path include the Huitre Vanderbilt, Bar Bok Choy and Oeuf Truffe. The Huitre, “Vanderbilt'' is a Johns River Oyster prepared with Gratinées, hazelnut and parsley-seaweed crust. The oyster is jumbo sized and presented on a bed of fresh rock salt & seaweed strands with a gratinées “torching” of vibrant green parsley-seaweed. The flavors explode together in your mouth to create an unbelievable sweetness.
We had the Bar, Bok Choy as an additional surprise to our meal and it was WORTH IT! Simple yet decadent, the grilled black bass was paired with bok choy and a crunchy chili vinaigrette. The bass was cooked to perfection and sliced so smoothly with every forkful. But the true showstopper was the Oeuf Truffe with a poached heermance farm egg, Australian black truffle, corn, chanterelles, pine nuts on a toasted brioche. There are very few words to help describe this dish, but to list a few: mouthwatering, flavor forward, enchanting. Accompanied with fresh shaved black truffles, this dish is a must order for everyone!
Is your mouth watering? Ours is just recapping all of the first class food we consumed on this extensive trip. We’re not done yet, though! Two more stops to cover along this journey.
Jeffrey’s Grocery is a quintessential brunch spot in the West Village! We were fortunate to snag an inside corner table on a bustling Saturday morning thanks to executive chef Mark Connell. The feeling you get when dining at Jeffrey’s Grocery is that of family and home, the decor is reminiscent of an old fisherman’s cottage with odes to New York in the 40s.
The food is equally delicious and hearty! A must order for the table is their famous Fresser Platter equipped with smoked trout & salmon, whitefish, scrambled eggs w. caviar, tomato, capers, red onion, chive cream cheese, latkes, bagels & toast. The presentation alone is enough to keep you coming back for more. A few other items to include on your order are the pancakes and lobster roll!
Awarded best new restaurant by James Beard Association in 2019, Frenchette lives up to its recognition! The moment you walk through the excessively heavy front doors, you feel immediately transported to a modern French bistro on the streets of Paris and just as quickly, you are transported back to New York by the sweet lullabies of Sam Cooke and Frank Sinatra. Aside from the incredible ambience, the food is also a knockout! Our favorites were the freshly made baguette and the Poulet Rōti. The baguette arrived wrapped in paper, piping hot, with a side of ploughgate butter and olive oil. Each piece emitted steam and the sought after sound of fresh crunching of the flour. YUM!
The poulet rōti stole the show, presented in a bright red Le Creuset dutch oven on a bed of chicken jus with a side of pomme frites. The dish, while simple, was delicious and moist with every bite. Aside from the food, their wine menu is a mix of eclectic natural wines that are a must try! We recommend the Bourgogne De L’aube À L’aube, which pairs perfectly with the Duck Frites and Tartare Frites!
