i wanna be with you (elsewhere)

one of my favorite, early memories of my cousin jason reaches back to when he was probably 4 or 5 years old. he arrived at our house for a weekend visit--and i don't know what was cooking or baking on that day--i just remember his eyes (extra-round), his little neck stretched and craned as he wandered through the room, really following his nose. and then he asked in his most innocent, high-pitched drawl, is that butter?

butter? i was a teenager at the time, and while i knew what smells were conjured by different whole dishes (the vinegar and garlic from adobo; the meaty, sweetness of spaghetti sauce; the mustiness of my mom's awful, awful chicken curry), my food senses were not so evolved. i was fascinated that this little guy could be so attuned to a single note. he continued to develop a keen palate. our family thought we had a future chef on our hands. (instead, we have a wonderful gourmand...)

a couple of weeks ago, he sent a link to elsewhere restaurant's menu to my sister and me. it's a butter hit parade: bacon butter popcorn, biscuits with brown butter and crushed black pepper, salt-baked fingerling potatoes with bacon butter and anchovy mayo... there was no question he'd found the perfect place for us to celebrate his 30th birthday. i only wondered how elsewhere had eluded me to that moment.

elsewhere opened in december of last year, and apart from a modest mention in florence fabricant's diner's journal, there seemed to have been little buzz. but this is the second enterprise undertaken by brian keyser and megan johnson of casellula, a wine and cheese and tapas utopia in hell's kitchen. so while their devotion to cheese is duly-noted here (hooray, the shushan snow!), elsewhere gives them the opportunity to flaunt a little more with mains. though with so many dishes to tempt, you'll likely still be inspired to share the big plates, too.

as is true of some of new york's best new restaurants, elsewhere keeps to local, sustainable, seasonal food; herbs from their back garden are front and center in these very fine dishes.

this is the best sangria i have had in new york.

i like mine juicy and strong, but balanced. hibiscus is the surprise charm here.

my sister was driving that night, so she "settled" for a their special hot chocolate with just a splash of bourbon. you like how she rolls?

bacon butter popcorn.

bacon.

butter.

popcorn.

smoked caviar, puffed rice and herb crème fraîche. jason surprised me by making this choice, but like i said, he's got a good palate.

this is really a "snap crackle and pop" dish:

the snap of chopped green beans, the crackle of puffed rice, and the pop of salty caviar bubbles.

luscious crème fraîche and bright chives don't hurt the cause one bit.

5 SPOKE TUMBLEWEED POUTINE, you made me love you. i didn't want to do it. i didn't want do it.

(actually, i did. and you will too.) i had no earthly idea what a "5 spoke tumbleweed" was--it's a cheese. and it melts perfectly, with gravy and fries.

a nice grapefruit-glazed cod with escarole and chorizo–the second lightest dish at our table, after the caviar.

i wasn’t sure what a chorizo-crusted pork chop was going to look like. bits of sausage cobbled around a big slab? but actually the chorizo is sort of minced and mixed with a panko crust. less intimidating than in my imagination, but still seriously hearty and good.

this was my favorite of the entrees. they try to fool you with ho-hum description: braised rabbit, spinach, olives and mushrooms. maybe the kitchen wants there to be leftovers for themselves? I wouldn’t blame them. you’re looking at 2 kinds of rabbit meat, the sweet white and dense dark. the mushrooms, spinach, and olives laze in a reduction that is pert and salty. this dish is properly dressed–they don’t skimp or drown in sauce. i would make someone order this, next time too.

in my opinion, the desserts comprise the weakest section of the menu overall; 1 fruit, 1 chocolate, 1 custard, a selection of ice creams and sorbets and a cheese course. with the front and middle sections being so heavy, it's probably prudent on their part? but to trouble things a little more, this is also where the most exotic combinations exist--rose snow, pistachio, kumquat, lime custard, anyone? i felt a little like i was about to "settle" rather than go out on a real high note?

i opted for the palate cleansing sorbet: pineapple pink peppercorn.

this is george michael circa 1992 --just too funky for me. pineapple, like lemon, can be too intense to the point of bitterness, or just too aromatic. that's what happens here. and the crunch of the peppercorn wasn't as interesting as i thought it would be. the experience was rather like eating potpourri...

but the sweet potato cake with brown sugar sour cream, buttered pecan ice cream was perfect--this is the nfl meets dancing with the stars. thick-bodied, but still so light on its toes.

opt for that, or the cheese plate, and you won't be sorry.

***

one of my favorite things about elsewhere is the actual dining experience. the food is of-the-moment and eclectic, but it's not a trendy scene. the room is wide and welcoming, with a dining garden (home to a 30 year old ficus tree), and the spirit of the service is the same. they let us linger over this meal, allowed us to feel really at home.

for a lovely occasion--or none at all-- you'll find elsewhere is just the right place to be.

(and yes, i'm referencing a fleetwood mac song in the post title)