Happy New Year
So close and yet so far. I was only a few short blocks away from the Hassidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn last night and yet I opted to forgo celebrating Rosh Hashanah with "my people." (Not that I'm Hassidic mind you. Then again, you probably guessed that considering all of the traif I've featured on this site!)
Instead, I dined at Dressler and consumed an amazing meal, toasting the Jewish New Year with my pal Ben.
You may recall that Ben was the genius soul who created the restaurant concept of "Glutton" after we shared a meat coma inducing meal at a Brazilian churrascaria.
A brilliant man and a good eater, I've known Ben for a long time. He usually doesn't like to leave Billysburg, so Dressler seemed to be a winner pick. Meat lover that he is though, I did worry that he'd spend the night simply pining for a table at the restaurant across the street - Peter Luger's.
But, guided to a prime table in the elegantly attired Dressler dining room (pictured above) and offered a menu that featured mouthwatering options like Veal Ragout with Hand Rolled Pasta, Fava Beans & Fresh Ricotta and Grilled Center Cut Pork Rib with Berkshire “Fresh Bacon,” Broccoli Rabe & Black Mission Figs, I realized I had nothing to worry about. Ben was smiling.
Good Jews that we are, we agreed not to delve into the Pork Rib, no matter how tempting it sounded.
Even so, we had no problem splitting an appetizer of Pan Roasted Quail with Falls Mill Stoneground Grits, Wild Mushrooms - and Crisp Country Ham. After all, it wasn't the dish's main ingredient! Besides, it was heavenly. In my book, food that delicious just can't be a sin.
Our entrees of Braised Short Rib and Roasted Duck were equally sublime, but didn't include pork or shellfish in the mix. We could swoon over them without Judaic hesitation.
And swoon we did.
And then we swooned some more over dessert: honey-sweet Oven Roasted Peaches with a Warm Brown Butter Cake & Black Pepper Ice Milk.
Just like my Bubby used to make.
NOT!
Not long after a moment of contented silence Ben and I agreed that our Rosh Hashanah was so successful that Yom Kippur was a must-do follow-up.
I can't wait to find out where he decides we should have our last meal before the fast. Maybe it'll be a return trip to Dressler.
If so, I might as well order that Pork Rib. I'd hardly have time to digest the lil' piggy before I'd be atoning for it. It's what I like to call a quick "sin-and-out" situation.