This week, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor at Restaurant Business, shared her take on Blank Street’s summer matcha drinks and the escalating price of lobster rolls, while Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, recounted his visit to Philadelphia to dine at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant and Zahav, chef Michael Solomonov’s Israeli restaurant.
At Iron Hill, Bret tried alcohol-free, calorie-free hop water, made from the same hops used in beer brewing. The bar turns this slightly floral ingredient into a number of spirit-free cocktails. But the food is hardly an afterthought at this casual-dining chain, with items including fried green tomatoes and soft shell crabs currently on the menu.
At Zahav, Bret sampled the prix-fixe menu, and was impressed by the very generous portions — enough leftovers for a second meal the next day. He tried a couple of fish entrées, spiced eggplant and a variation on baklava for dessert — all for $85 at one of the hardest restaurants to get into in Philadelphia.
Pat was out on the East End of Long Island over the weekend and had a chance to indulge in her annual summer ritual: A fresh lobster roll. Although the price of lobster rolls has escalated every year, she did experience a bit of sticker shock at the $42 price tag. But the version at Salavar’s in Montauk was overstuffed with chunky lobster salad and it’s just a once-a-year splurge.
Bret and Pat ran into each other at the opening of Electric Shuffle, an eatertainment concept that made its debut in New York City. It’s all about playing table shuffleboard while drinking well-made cocktails accompanied by bar snacks like sliders, mac-and-cheese balls, and pizza. Pat also got to try the new summer matcha refreshers at Blank Street Coffee, which feature matcha layered with mango, yuzu or watermelon purée.
The guest on this week’s Menu Talk is Dan Kluger, chef-partner of Greywind in New York. Chef Kluger got his start working with Danny Meyer at Union Square Cafe, then moved on to Tabla, where he was mentored by the late chef Floyd Cardoz. He spoke about how his experience at Tabla really molded his palate and management style.
Greywind is a fine-dining restaurant with a casual vibe that boasts several venues under one roof. There’s a bakery with artisan breads and pastries, a chef’s counter where Kluger hosts tasting menu dinners three nights a month, a speakeasy-style bar downstairs and a lunch-dinner-brunch sit-down dining room. We spoke about some of the restaurant’s signatures (house-baked Cheez-its!) and the challenges of running a restaurant today.
