Doesn't this look fantastic? Though it looks like it could be from one of NYC's many great restaurants, this dish was actually Tuesday's special at a temporary cafe. Bon Appetit's annual (now in its third year) pop-up Supper Club and Cafe opened on Monday to hoards of hungry foodies. Featuring sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts (mostly under $10) by famous chefs like Rick Bayless, Mario Batalli, Daniel Boulud and more, it's this week's lunchtime destination in NYC.
We went on Tuesday specifically to watch Chef Jose Andres cook and meet Daniel Boulud. Not only did we get to meet both of these legendary chefs, we also got to watch plenty of cooking demonstrations and try lots of tasty foods!
Fresh produce available from local farms.
Sandwich options include Nate Appleman's Vegetarian Sandwich with Marinated Peppers, Zucchini and Smoked Ricotta ($8)...
...and crowd favorite José Andrés' JLT with Jamón Serrano and Manchego ($9).
Lots of tasty-looking sweet treats.
We go upstairs before the large lunch-time crowd fills up the dining room to check out the space and enjoy our lunch. Which dishes did we choose?
We had to get José Andrés' Albondigas Con Melocotones (Meatballs with Peaches). It was a wonderful mix of savory and sweet. If you could taste a season, this dish would be Autumn.
We watched WD-50's pastry chef Alex Stupak combine all of the seemingly plain ingredients above into the beautiful creation below. We loved his thoughts on recipe inspiration - if a taste combination or technique seems impossible, he will try to figure out a solution.
Chef Stupak's creation was actually a lot prettier, but this free sample of his Frozen Frambroise Toffee with Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse and Raspberries was a nice treat.
Chef Joses Andres was enthusiastic and enigmatic - emphasizing using all components of your produce and, of course, lots of Spanish olive oil.
Chef Jose Andres made his gazpacho with tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, Spanish olive oil, and vinegar.
Ta-Da!
...and his watermelon-tomato gazpacho.
Though we could not try Jose Andres' Gazpacho (but we did get a photo with him!), we were able to try another version prepared by Bon Appetit Chef de Cuisine Jonathan Lindenauer Consomme "Andaluz": Andalusian-Style Essence of Vine Tomato.
DB Bistro's Chef de Cuisine Olivier Muller prepared this amazing looking guinea hen with foie gras, wrapped in pastry. On the side were beautiful chanterelles.
While Chef Muller demonstrated his cooking, Chef Boulud was signing his cookbooks (if you want to pick up a signed copy of one of his books, he signed extras that are being sold at the Supper Club). We wished we could have tried this dish (so much foie gras!), but again, we were happy to get a photo with Chef Boulud.
How could we pass up Daniel Boulud's Signature Terrine Trio ($8.50)? Earthy, rich, and decadent - it was a very luxurious lunch-time choice for under $10.
The raspberry shell was cold and when you dig into it, out oozes toffee! Though this item is no longer on the WD-50 menu (seasonal item), we definitely want to check out this restaurant!
Chef Andres' easy to make watermelon-tomato appetizer...
...and his watermelon-tomato gazpacho.
With cooking demonstrations by Baked's owners and Emeril Lagasse on Wed, Top Chef's Fabio Viviani (our favorite!) on Thursday, and Gramercy Tavern's pastry chef Nancy Olson on Friday, we will definitely try to check out the rest of this week's events!
Bon Appetit Supper Club and Cafe is located at 101 W 57th St (at 6th Ave).
Can't make it out here or want to try making these dishes on your own? Recipes are available online here.
No comments:
Post a Comment