Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
SADLY, RESTO IS NOW CLOSED.
A Belgian restaurant doesn’t strike me as the place to get a nicely composed vegetable dish. Unless that vegetable is a potato, cut into strips, and thrice-fried. And while I love my Belgian frites, Resto’s more nutritious vegetable options sounded even more intriguing.
It’s crazy that it has taken me this long to visit Resto, an 8 year-old well-regarded neighborhood restaurant. I have been to its adjacent sister beer and meat bar, The Cannibal. But I figured it was time to get a taste of Resto.
We did indulge ourselves on frites with an array of dipping sauces, a solid double-patty burger, and hearty moules floating in a satisfying white wine/saffron broth. But the aforementioned vegetable choices all sounded very appealing, including roasted carrots with coffee yogurt and brussels sprouts with lamb bacon.
We decided on the cauliflower and it was a good move. The browned brassica had a crisp, smoky flavor on its own, but came to life with many well-balanced additions. Brandied raisins brought both a sweetness and a pop, sliced caper berries gave the dish a lively saltiness, and pinenuts added even more texture.
Waffles, beer. mussels, chocolate, fries. I guess you have to add cauliflower to the list of things the Belgians get right. Price: $9
| RESTO |
| 111 East 29th Street (between Park and Lexington Avenue), Murray Hill (212) 685-5585 |
| restonyc.com |
