#20 – TEMPURA GREEN BEANS at THE RED CAT

Once again Time Out New York released their Top 100 Dishes of the year and once again, I’m going to eat my way through every one. And no price point or subway delay will stop me. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100.

SADLY, THE RED CAT IS NOW CLOSED.

When I finally stepped into the Red Cat late one night, it felt like I had been here before. I had not, although it has been on my unofficial list of restaurants to try for many years now. I first heard about it probably close to five years ago when The Mermaid Inn was my casual date spot of choice. I even brought my parents there (not on a date, mind you) to try the simple, well-prepared seafood in a rustic, New England setting. At that time, The Red Cat and The Mermaid Inn were run by chef/restauranteur Jimmy Bradley.

Bradley has since split from The Mermaid Inn, but now is the chef at both The Red Cat and The Harrison (which I also have been to and enjoyed). And truth be told, The Mermaid Inn is no longer as good as it used to be and I’ve managed to find many other exciting date spots. But when I walked into the Red Cat five years later, I was transported to the feel I had at The Mermaid Inn.

It was casual, comfortable, and smelled really good. And when I looked at the menu, I couldn’t help but think of another restaurant: Apiary. This is where I’m currently waiting tables and Scott Bryan’s American menu features the usual: chicken, cod, salmon, pork chop. Yet it’s all carefully prepared with simple, but rich flavors. When I learned Scott and Jimmy were friends, it all made perfect sense. The guys have a similar culinary sensibility.

And it’s a good one. The red wine braised short ribs we ordered were homey, rustic, and delicious. The celery root puree was creamy and more complex than any mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted. But what put it over the edge for me was the addition of a sweet and floral pink peppercorn gremolata. The salmon was a similar experience with a wonderfully cooked and tender protein and then a sauce that just put it brought it to life: whole grain mustard in this case.

So I was very excited to try the list item: a side of Tempura Green Beans. These were a slightly healthier version of a plate of french fries, but just as addicting. I found them to be a little inconsistent as some were piping hot and crispy and others were a little cold and limp. Mostly, the green beans were crunchy and tender with a light clean tempura batter which didn’t take away from the flavor of the beans.

But the component that saved the day was the sweet hot mustard sauce in the middle. It made any floppy green beans come to life and by the end, I was looking for anything to dip into that sweet, sinus clearing concoction. However, since I was in a nice restaurant that I felt comfortable in, I refrained from sticking my fingers into the mustard for licking clean. I wanted to be invited back.

Would The Red Cat’s Tempura Green Beans make my Top 100 of the year? The green beans themselves were hit and miss, but that sweet mustard sauce could bring anything to life making this a solid 7 out of 10.