Recipe - Cozy Country Meal in the Big City

Though we would love to get away to Blue Hill at Stone Barns every chance we get, the distance and our wallets unfortunately get in the way.

So we were overjoyed when the country came to us with the opening of tiny (only seats 26) new restaurant Recipe in our neighborhood.  Its concept is using fresh, local ingredients to create a "chef's table" experience for the diner.

The owners also run Land, the nearby Thai restaurant that also happens to be our favorite on the Upper West Side.  Suffice it to say, we were expecting a good meal and came away with a a wonderful experience.

 

Hands down, this was the nicest bottle of tap water we've ever been served!

We started off with a couple of drinks. The first drink ($5) was the Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog Brewery.

It's a dark, rich, malty beer that we thought would stand up well to the rich, earthy food we were about to enjoy.













Next was a beautiful cocktail ($12) made with pear puree, simple syrup, and gin.  It was fresh and bright with that wonderful seasonal pear fruit flavor.

 

We could not resist getting the $9 pate.  The Foie Gras Terrine had black mission figs and apricots in it and came with cornichons and toast.  How could you not like foie gras in a jar like this!

 

My husband...spreading it on thick!

We also got a glass of red wine - a glass of Costieres de Nimes ($9).  It's a Rhone blend that generally pairs well with food.

The wine had a little too warming with a tad too much alcohol, but it was nice that it was not too fruity.

Overall, though the beverage list is small, the selection was well edited and the prices were fairly affordable.

 

Oven Roasted Halibut ($20):  The fish was flaky and buttery while the mixture of eggplant, melted leek, green olives, tomato confit, and baby brocollini made for a nice hearty vegetable medley.

 

Seared Hudson Valley Duck Breast ($20):  The duck was cooked medium-rare (on the rarer side) just as we like our meats so it was soft and tender.  The sauce was savory without being too salty and the vegetables (wild mushrooms and baby turnips) gave the dish warm, rustic flavors.  The blackberries added a light tang to slightly offset the richness of the entree.

 

Chocolate Pignoli Tart ($7):  We love desserts that mix sweet and salty flavors as well as creamy and crunchy textures.  Here we indulged in a decadent molten chocolate tart with creamy caramel, sea salt, and mascarpone gelato.  It was a perfect way to end a relaxing meal.

Recipe is located at 452 Amsterdam Ave (btwn 81st and 82nd Sts) in NYC.