Carpaccio Crawl
Hot nights, cool meats
By Amy Fisher |
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Photo by Chris Casella These days it seems that 'raw' is being relegated to a growing list of bad words - in regards to meat. Yep, cured flesh is the new rage, but this hot summer is the perfect time to reflect on some of the last holdouts of an old favorite that (as far as I can tell) is headed for the endangered list - carpaccio.
In its honor, I toured High Street on my own bar crawl in search of the city's finest un-done delicacies.
I started my crawl in the Burgundy Room. Much like the Led Zeppelin song rocking the speakers as I walked in, this kitchen never fails to turn out a classic, crowd-pleasing rendition of this ode to beef. Picking out a beverage is mistake-proof, since the Burgundy Room suggests a wine pairing with every menu item. This being a bar crawl, I opted for a full glass over a mere taste of the Caggiano Tari Aglianico ($8). Of course, this Italian red was a fitting way to begin an orgy of uncooked flesh. The red fruit and tobacco notes would get anyone in the mood for red meat, particularly if you like it raw. The carpaccio ($12) was presented on a large white plate, draped in filet sliced impressively thin, topped with a creamy horseradish aioli, Pecorino Romano shavings and toast points. The dish was simple, satisfying and of impressive portions. I began to fear that I may do myself physical harm by the end of this trip.
Marcella's had a more manageable portion size for a journey of this length. Loosed from the suggested drink pairing, I decided to switch to a glass of Prosecco ($9). Somehow, in my mind, sparkling wine pairs well with anything - this theory has not yet let me down. It was quite fitting that M. Ward played a snappy rhythm on his guitar as a cool, updated version of a beef carpaccio ($7) arrived at my bar seat. The slices were slightly thicker and deeper in color. Underneath the tender steak lay two ricotta pancakes in place of a bread component. I also discovered shaved celery and, to my delight, a melange of arugula, carrots and the oft under-utilized celery leaves delicately dressed and expertly seasoned. The salt sprinkled liberally over the dish was as impressive as the friendly service. I almost feel bad for poking fun at restaurants that air-condition the outside.
The tuna carpaccio ($7.50) on the menu at Eleven is a different beast all together. If I were one to gripe over technicalities, I might say that the cut is too thick to be a carpaccio and that the outside of the fish is ever so slightly seared. However, when a dish is this solid, it's easy to hand over such things to creative license. The pink, fleshy, nearly raw slices of tuna were delivered on a plate sandwiched between potato chips and a fennel salad dressed lightly with a slightly sweet ginger vinaigrette. Lucid Absinthe was the suggested drink pairing, but it's hard to excuse oneself from the sparkling wine train. I split the difference with the Green Fairy ($9), which is a glass of sparkling wine topped off with Absinthe. It may have been slightly overpowering for the dish, but a great pleasure to sip. Much like the nuanced instrumentation of Four Tet or the gentle crooning of Sigur Ros that played in the background, this dish is soft, sinuous and a great way to end the night for artist or alchemist.
The finishing blow was a knockout beef carpaccio ($10) from Lindey's - a German Village staple that has old-school dishes down to a science. This version is as American as salt and vinegar potato chips or the Ella Fitzgerald song warbling above the crowd. Wafer-thin slices of meat stretched across all corners of the plate. A lovely mound of dressed arugula arched above the meat like a green rainbow, with flecks of Parmesan and stripes of a creamy chipotle aioli present throughout. The grilled portobellos were tangy from a healthy vinegar saturation, rounded off by a subtle hint of balsamic sweetness. Again, it's a healthy salt component that pushes the carnal pleasure of this dish over the top. I paired this dish with a glass of the Malbec Reserve, and I couldn't have been more pleased. If all of this red meat doesn't get you in the mood to do what every red-blooded American is supposed to do at night, then continue on to the bing cherry bread pudding with a banana caramel ($6), because sometimes pleasure is a train that needs to keep on keepin' on.
Originally Published: July 1, 2010
