Foodie Chat (12): The Mermaid Inn

Hey, New Yorkers! Make sure you squeeze a dinner at the Mermaid Inn in your busy schedule before it gets too cold, if you haven't done so in the summer. This New England fish shack style restaurant frequents the list of NYC's best oyster bars year after year, and the price is unbeatable.

Don't get confused with the word "Inn" in its name. This is a sophisticated yet casual spot with a Cape Cod vibe known for its fresh unfussy seafood. If $10 for half dozen oysters is not a good enough deal for you, go for its happy hour (all night Monday and 5-7 pm otherwise) when you can have $1/each oysters. Those oysters are juicy and super fresh. The blackened catfish will melt in your mouth and the lobster sandwich is just perfect. At the end of the meal, you will get a complimentary mini chocolate pudding and a fish fortuneteller that literally tells everyone that he/she is in passion -- now you understand why it's one of the most popular dating places in NYC?

BTW, the service is incredibly fast and attentive.

Address: 96 Second Ave, NY, NY 10003
Telephone: 212 674 5870

When East Meets West (4): Fuleen

在Chinatown的东南角，有一片老派的中国餐馆和店铺，因为不在Chinatown中心，生意稍嫌冷清，却往往能找到物超所值的去处。孔子像脚下的富临海鲜，就是一个我认为被under appreciated的粤菜馆。

第一次去富临，是几年前跟着一个香港同事一起去的，那时刚发了年终奖。我们有个同事很迷信，说发奖金以后一定要花出去一部分，回报社会，不然明年的奖金就不漂亮了，所以我们几个人有发了钱就出去大吃一顿的传统。那年去的就是富临，一进去就看见俗艳的大红大金，然后点了一桌子龙虾大蟹，满满地给了25%的小费，算下来才20+刀一个人，服务员见我们出手大方又一直说英语（因为有美国同事在场，而且我跟香港同事说中文也是鸡同鸭讲互相听不懂），送我们出门的时候大鞠躬用日语道别，把我们笑了个半死。不过那顿饭光聊天去了，没太注意饭菜，心里还隐隐觉得吃得太便宜了，怕是会影响第二年的收成，哈哈。

前一阵子偶尔走到那一片，我突然想起这家餐馆，忍不住去吃了一次。。。然后忍不住又吃了一次。。。然后忍不住又吃了一次。。。一个月之内连去三趟，突然领悟到这家老派粤菜馆的好处来。

不知道什么时候起，川菜几乎占领了中国菜的半壁江山，每每中国朋友聚会，不是麻辣烫就是水煮鱼，让人一想起中国菜就是辣！油！咸！全然忘记了中国菜也有清淡宜人讲究食材的粤菜，而且价格也并不比全凭作料撑场面的川菜馆更贵。

富临主要卖海鲜，每天都有很多游水虾游水鱼供客人挑选。点一磅珊瑚虾，简单的白灼一下，或者点一个活龙虾，喀碴喀碴葱姜炒炒，就鲜美极了，不需要多少作料来配伍。在我看来，新鲜的水产原本就有自己微妙的味道和口感，如果用浓浓的作料盖住就可惜了。

除了海鲜，富临还擅长做各种传统粤菜，菜式虽不新奇，做得甚是讲究，连红笕菜都要用切的细细的火腿和鲜香菇来提味，绝不是随便打发人的。

事实上，我今天才发现富临在Michelin上面是被推荐过的，可以说明这家的菜的确做得不错。

除了物美，这家的价钱实在是公道。我周末才去upper west side的蜀留香吃了一顿，随便吃几个菜就将近50刀一个人了，放在富临，这50刀差不多能够两个人的晚饭。

富临最实惠的则是午饭，$5.75外卖或$6(+tip)堂吃，包括一菜一饭一汤，而且菜的份量巨大。我点过一次豉汁小白鲳，以为能有两条小鱼就不错了，打开一看，居然有四条，饭盒塞得满满的。

要说店面，外面的招牌已经褪了色，里面则是很老派的大红大金装饰，店中心还供着福禄寿，的确很是落伍，不过餐馆的卫生等级是A，服务生也很勤快利索，这倒是比很多装修新潮的中餐馆还强些。

这个地方有人说不好找，其实也不难，站在孔子像脚下四处一望，你就能看到富临的招牌了。

Address: 11 Division St., New York, NY 10002

Telephone: 212 941 6888

Foodie Chat (9): Petrossian

NYC Summer Restaurant Week is back. Restaurant week is always a good chance to try out new places. Although you may not get the best dishes from the restaurant, you do get a sense of its general style and flavor. When you return to the same restaurant for their restaurant week specials, it may be a sign that you've been in the city for too long. This is exactly what happened to us this week. My BFF and I returned to Petrossian for their $38 restaurant week dinner menu, the same $48 prix fixe dinner menu they offer throughout the year.

Caviar is the staple here. So we both ordered the Transmontanus USA Farmed Caviar for $12 extra. The caviar came in a tiny tin with a piece of fluffy blini and crème frâiche. The natural sweetness of the blini, the smoothness of the creme blended exquisitely with the caviar. It tasted neither too salty nor overly fishy.

For the entree, my BFF originally wanted to order the steak. I persuaded her to have the Sturgeon ($8 extra) instead. Often referred to as "primitive fishes", sturgeon (鲟) is one of the oldest species among all fishes. Their morphological characters, such as elongated bodies and lack of scales, have remained relatively unchanged since the earliest fossil record. Sturgeons are also harvested for their roe. Because they are slow-growing and mature very late in life, most species of sturgeons are currently at the edge of extinction. You may call me environmentally irresponsible, but my philosophy is: if we kill a sturgeon to get its roe and make caviar, it only makes sense that we also eat its flesh. Anyway, if you are like me and curious about sturgeon, Petrossian is one of the few restaurants that serves sturgeon and it knows how to cook it. I had it last time when I visited Petrossian. It had a very distinct texture -- firm, but not overly chewy. My BFF also loved it.

I ordered Mackerel for a change. The presentation was impeccable (shown in the picture). A piece of grilled fish sat on top of tender mushrooms and baby spinach. Scallions and carrot slices added more springy colors to the plate. The fish was tender and delicate, the sauce was light and flavorful, and the sliced ginger had an extra kick that aroused all my taste buds. It was a beautiful course from all aspects.

You may skip the dessert. Nothing to write home about. Do have a sip of espresso though. As a French restaurant, Petrossian respects coffee. Wine is also reasonably priced.

Housed in the historic Alwyn Court Building, Petrossian is lavishly decorated with crystals, bronze sculptures, china, and chandelier, all harmonizing to create an old-school upscale ambiance. However the service was not in par with its food and decor. I had no complaint of our waitress, but a tad of warmth and smile would have made us happier.

Address: 182 West 58th Street, New York, NY
Telephone:  212 245 2214

Foodie Chat (3): Ocean Grill

Ocean Grill was the first restaurant I tried in this year's restaurant week. My BFF got a promotion. We had a little celebration in this seafood restaurant tucked way in UWS, and ordered from their restaurant week lunch menu.

The restaurant was spacious. Its decor had nothing to write home about, but had both a neighborhood charm and an upscale feel. As the meal went on and customers gradually filled the tables around us, I noticed that the crowd was relatively old compared to the chic places I frequent in Chelsea and Gramercy. Our waiter was warm, friendly, patient with my BFF's one-year old, and at the same time, smart enough to stay at arm length. We felt very much at home in this place.

I started with Port Poached Barlett Pear Salad. It tasted as if the leaves were just picked out of their backyard upon my order. Yes, THAT FRESH. All my other friends ordered Oyster Sampler and they loved it. Classic Seafood Cioppino was a little disappointing in that the linguine was overcooked, just like pasta in 90% of NYC restaurants. That is why I rarely eat pasta in this city. They are so beaten for so long in the boiling water that they've lost all their spongy liveliness before being presented absolutely dead on the table, with pores wide open and pupils diluted. I find it outrageous. Dude, if you don't know what is "al dente", you should simply NOT cook pasta! My BFF, however, prefers soft noodles. So she fell in love with it. That said, I have to admit the sauce was flawless. Simple tomato based red wine sauce with shell fish and hake. Full of flavor. I also had a bite or two of the Lemon Tart. It was OK.

I have to start a new paragraph to emphasize this: for some reason, their regular coffee was incredibly strong! I don't know whether it was the beans, the machine, or something else went wrong that day. It was not drinkable. I had to man-up before taking each sip. My BFF had to order another cup of decaf and it went well. So I guess it was the beans? That coffee definitely left some bitter taste that lingers till today.

If I live in this neighborhood, I can see myself coming back to Ocean Grill, maybe quite often. I'm charmed by its simple recipe, quality ingredients, warm service, neighborhood ambiance and glossy crowd. But I will stay away from any pasta and regular coffee. Its raw bar, especially the extensive oyster selection, seems quite interesting.

Address: 384 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024
Telephone: 212 579 2300