Further Restaurant Adventures of Cafe Drake

Hen of the Wood (92 Stowe Street, Waterbury, VT 05676)

Located alongside a retired grist mill and babbling brook, Hen of the Wood boasts an interior matching the quaint charm outside its French doors and picture window. Rustic chic abounds amidst well-appointed tabletops, rough wood tables, stone walls and glorious flower arrangements. Also visually stimulating is an open kitchen with a view to the magic on tap here: Cafe Drake, Jen Ruske and her chef brother Peter dined gloriously on dish after stellar dish (all of which are recommended and merit 5 stars) : crispy fried oysters with a lemon-caper aioli ($11), rabbit terrine with house-pickled lemons and candied pecans ($14), braised short ribs from nearby and legendary LaPlatte River Farm with perfect pappardelle ($22), Smoked Duck Breast ($25) seared to rare perfection and sided with mustard spaetzle and melting-soft pork belly from Winding Brook Farm atop creamed corn and dolloped with cherry confit ($15).

Naturally when in Vermont, do as the cheese snobs do - we did - and loved a raw sheep milk with natural rind (Peaked Mountain Farm), a Jasper Hill crumbly blue made from raw ayrshire milk and a decadent, buttery washed rind cow's milk from Ploughgate Creamery. Did we add that the wine list is superb and semi-reasonable in price while the bar turns out killer jumbo Manhattans?


Sedap Good Taste Malaysian Cuisine (82-18 45th Avenue, Elmhurst, NY)

A temple to those frustrated with the generally poor and inauthentic selection of Malaysian restaurants in NYC, Sedap Good Taste lies nearly hidden on an Elmhurst sidestreet, sandwiched between two Cantonese supermarkets. Cafe Drake is not a rabid fan of Malaysian cuisine ourselves yet we're always happy here with a starter of the classic Roti Canai ($3.95) - a springy and light salty crepe moistened in a golden chicken curry broth. Fried rice features big on the menu naturally and while that's what bores us so much usually about Malaysian gribble, Sedap's Nasi Belacan Goneng ($8) is an extraordinary marriage of firm grains, spicy chicken, tender shrimp and slivered ripe mango. No meal is complete without a free saucer of the house hot chili paste - available only upon request and to those in the know. Which is you now.

612 Bar ( East Broadway, New York, NY)

Deserves a cursory mention only for its ordinariness gussied up with sleazy lighting and overpriced signature cocktails. But you could do worse in East Chinatown.


Tres Hermanos Tortilleria Mexicana (271 Starr Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn NY 11237)

A taco stand residing inside the yawning confines of a tortilla factory. So you know the double wrapping around a basic selection of fillings - carne asada, chorizo, stewed beef, roasted veggies as a concession to American palettes - is fresher than fresh, often warm from the conveyor belt. Same for the wheat variety folded over and grilled with queso fresca for quesadillas. Also for grabs at a pittance are tostados slathered with lard-enriched frijoles refritos and deep-fried taquitos (keep the cardiologist on speed dial). Everything is a basic variation on meat, beans, shredded lettuce, shaved radishes, glorious tangy Mexican cheese, sprigs of cilantro and drizzled crema. Most dishes are $3 are less! And portions are sizable! And pickled jalapenos and carrots are free! So are bowls of homemade salsa verde and a brick-red dried chile condiment! Cafe Drake - growing fatter every day - especially adores the chorizo tacos ($2) studded with orange-greasy cubes of potato. Making a recent mid-week lunch visit even brighter was a run-in with pal Meridith P., who being meat-free for life highly recommends the Veggie Quesadilla ($3.50 for a giant serving).