(Mini) Restaurant Reviews: May 2007

Momofuku Ssam Bar (207 Second Avenue, New York City, 212/254-3500)

Johnny's Cafe (632 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 718/389-6664)

Quantum Leap (203 First Avenue, New York City, 212/673-9848)

Momofuku Ssam Bar is that extraordinary oddity unique to New York, a restaurant of casual dining, featuring long communal benches, paper menus and wooden chopsticks, and perversely tagging appetizers of four steamed asparagus spears topped with a soft fried egg with a price of $17. Only three wines available by the glass, starting at $11 a pop, an aged sirloin for two costing $150 and I think you're starting to get the idea of the perverse dichotomy that rules at Momofuku. The presentation of the bill may cause you to rename the restaurant, with a string of vowels and consonants conveniently adaptable to profanity, no? Now that the bitching is over, let us say Cafe Drake and visiting dear friend Amee Simmons-Spondike spent a lovely evening here sampling abundantly from the Spring menu. Not to be missed are the Pork Buns ($9), quickly gaining legendary local status and deservedly so; two tiny wedges of snow-white baby soft breading enclose thick slices of slow-braised pork shoulder, dense with alarming amounts of fat; more disturbing is the buttery texture rendered from careful cooking that makes these artery cloggers slide down like, well, um, butter. Braised Rice Cakes ($14) arrive coated with housemade sausage and crispy shallots and exotic herbage, delicious and filling and uncharacteristically large in portion. The bizarre creations known as "ssam" ($12) are essentially moo shu pancakes wrapped burrito-style around perfect rice, more roast pork and spicy peppers. An entree of Skirt Steak ($23) was sizable enough as well – tender, moist and bolstered with two of the best condiments imaginable: sweet onion jam and creamy ginger and scallion sauce. Loads of seafood and a few salads round out a supremely quirky menu (radish and butter-stuffed breads, plates of cured hams from Appalachia, tripe with fried cilantro, tongue with fruit confit) that boldly states in print: “The kitchen is not vegetarian friendly”.

Cafe Drake long ago stopped trying new Polish restaurants in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, having discovered a favorite and finding offerings almost identical and similar in quality. Johnny's Cafe is the semi-rarity with a complex, striving to be slightly more upscale in design, plating and the unsuccessful addition of a few Continental standards (Veal Scallopine, Tilapia with Cilantro Sauce etc). You can't however take the Iron Curtain completely out of the cuisine, as bread is delivered to the table (warm sourdough, quite good) accompanied by a bowl of lard. Yikes! Perogoies ($6 for 5) were average but starting cocktails surreal; $8 buys burgeoning alcoholics a Manhattan comprised of roughly a pint of top-shelf bourbon. We fought the desire for a second, valiant in our efforts only as the wall sconces grew softer and fuzzier. Hungarian pancakes ($8) were delicious, being fried latkes wrapped around a beef goulash bursting with sweet peppers and onions. The ubiquitous pork cutlet ($9) was tender and acceptable. All entrees come with sauerkraut and salad.

Cafe Drake has no desire to show our age really, but we were regular diners at Quantum Leap in the late 1980s. The Greenwich Village health food standby has opened an outpost further east, but retaining the same menu and standard of quality. Pointless perhaps unless one eschews meat or follows a strict dietary regimen of organic produce prepared with minimal fat and sodium, a visit to QL is a lot less painless than the punishing austerity of nearby vegan legend Caravan of Dreams. Meatless Blue Corn Nachos ($7.95) with soy cheese are surprisingly tasty, while the Lemongrass Chicken ($11.95) made from vegetarian wheat gluten is almost delicious. Brunch is the best meal of the day, however; don't skip the veggie sausage links, yam fries or whole wheat waffles.