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Russian-speaking shoppers, and quite a few shelves of Russian products, mingle in this mainly Chinese market. Good spread of fresh seafood; OK produce; perhaps I missed the meat counter. From the extensive snacks aisle, these Red Flower brand seaweed-flavored peanuts (6 oz.; $1.49) were sweet; I was hoping for briny, however, or at least savory.
Sun Hing
25-02 86th St., Bath Beach, Brooklyn
(This venue is closed.) Though a notch above Hostess, an apple turnover ($1.25) was sweet, maybe too sweet. Not my favorite turnover flavor, but the only choice today.
La Torre
99 Ave. U (West 9th-West 10th Sts.), Gravesend, Brooklyn
718-372-8150
This jardinière sandwich on toasted multigrain bread ($12.75), with roasted eggplant, portobella mushrooms, fennel, piquillo peppers, and gruyère, is a sophisticated, healthy, if pricey take on grilled cheese (which in truth plays only a minor role). A version to go from the takeaway counter is about three bucks less, though possibly absent the salad and cornichons. If you wander by the counter, however, salad won't be the first or last thing on your mind.
French for "cork," at heart the namesake bouchon ($1.75) is a moist, almost molten cake of Vahlrona chocolate, stubbier but broader than what you'd find in a bottle (and too fast-moving for my camera). This nutter butter ($2.75), like me, may never make its way into Per Se, Bouchon Bakery's hyper-refined relative one floor up, but I was more than happy to put the squeeze on this pair of oats-and-peanut cookies sandwiched around peanut cream.
Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle, 3rd floor
(inside the Time Warner Center)
Joined two friends upstairs in this compact tri-level restaurant that might well be taller than it is wide or deep. Also standing tall: a very good al dente rendition of BBQ squid in ginger sauce ($7). Tako su ($6.50), sliced octopus in vinegar sauce, was also nice; nasu age ($4.50), broiled eggplant, was a tad undersized in a (less than) special sauce. Accompanied by a cold sake, the unfiltered Shirakawago Sasanigori (300 ml.; $14.50), which had a slight astringency not unlike unripe persimmon.
The eight-piece "smoke roll" ($12.50) — shrimp, black mushroom, avocado, (bonito?) flake, cream cheese, and smoked salmon — though very filling, simply tried too hard. The five-piece roll on top, however, I'd order again in a shot; lettuce, cucumber, mayonnaise, and that selfsame "flake" do right by deep-fried oyster ($7.50).
Tenzan
285 Columbus Ave. (73rd-74th Sts.)
212-580-7300
(This restaurant is closed.) Crispy duck rolls ($4.95) were thick-shelled but shy on the filling. Chicken soon ($9.95) — minced with vegetables, topped with pine nuts, and ready to be spooned into lettuce leaves — was bland, plum sauce aside. The batter on triple treasure in peppery salt (shown; $14.95) was too thick, and in some cases it adhered poorly to the squid, shrimp, and scallops. I much prefer the baked trio at Great N.Y. Noodletown, which eschews the pretty presentation and the garlicky multispice mix. Give me that, and a beer to wash it down.
MamaGoo's
311 Amsterdam Ave. (at 75th St.)
212-362-8828
"Volare," "That's Amore," and similar tired tunes did nothing to enliven my $20 prix fixe lunch. Tripe stewed with white wine, rosemary, and parmigian was on the limp side, in a too-tomatoey broth; penne stracsicate (shown) were undercooked, even tough, in paste-thick but indifferently flavored meat sauce; ricotta cheesecake bordered on soggy.
Nino's Tuscany
117 West 58th St. (Sixth-Seventh Aves.)
(one of several locations)
212-757-8630
(This venue is closed.) I remember better from Mama's. Meatloaf (with one side, $9) seemed mealy and needed onion; "Chinese greens" with crispy ginger were cold. Based on previous visits, I'd be willing to stop in again and give chicken (fried or roasted) a chance, once the weather warms up and the screen door is back in place.
Mama's Food Shop
200 East 3rd St. (Aves. A-B), Manhattan
212-777-4425
www.MamasFoodShop.com
(This venue is closed.) A large coffee ($1.85) was fine; I wasn't tempted to order food. Though management requests that "if you didn't buy it here, don't eat it here," fortunately that doesn't hold for reading material; I like to bring my own.
The Read Café
158 Bedford Ave. (North 8th-9th Sts.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718-599-3032
(This venue is closed.) Sleek stainless-steel diner with a few pretensions (say, "buttermilk pancakes du jour"), but, all in all, a good heart. My strawberry milkshake ($5) was thick and even slightly, pleasantly lumpy — not the largest shake you'll find, but a nice way to sit yourself down for a little while.
Relish
225 Wythe Ave. (at North 3rd St.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718-963-4546
www.Relish.com
(This venue is closed.) I'm generally not a thick-slice guy — too much cheese is just too heavy — but that's not an issue when the prime movers are tomato and garlic ($2).
San Cono
303 Graham Ave. (at Ainslie St.), Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718-782-3199
Thank you!
