Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Everyone has local favorites for different occasions — a casual joint to grab a lite-bite, a good bar to meet friends for happy hour, a restaurant with nice décor and great food to host friends from out of town, or a place for larger dinner parties that don’t require reservations thirty days in advance. Luckily for me, my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Alta, fits the bill for all of the above.
Located on the south side of 10th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and across from Piadina, Alta is slightly hidden. No prominent signs identify the restaurant, tucked away in a brownstone on one of Manhattan’s most beautiful residential streets. Once inside, you can hang out at the long accommodating bar. Or further in, you can dine in an unsuspectedly large and open, two-level dining area. The kitchen is upstairs, and there is another smaller, quaint dining room through the kitchen that overlooks 10th street — discreet and charming.
The owners, husband and wife team, Christopher Chesnutt and Ewa Olsen, have beautifully executed their vision of a Spanish-inspired small-plates restaurant. And Chef Harrison Mosher really brings to life the exquisite delicacies that he deems New York cuisine with a Spanish soul.
Harrison and his team are constantly playing and experimenting with new creations. The menu changes frequently, but staple favorites are always available. Two of mine are the crispy Brussels sprouts and Danish pork ribs. However, I am such a fan of the entire menu — old or new — that I am always up for “The Whole Shebang”: “That’s right, folks, everything on the menu.” And yes, I have had The Whole Shebang, which easily feeds eight.
The success of Alta is in its pursuit of what’s really good. The food and wine are stellar, the atmosphere pleasant and relaxing. Alta doesn’t aim to solicit publicity or be on the trendy forefront of New York’s dining scene. There’s no faux philosophy or rigid mission statements. When you are comfortable in your own skin, things come more naturally, and that’s the feeling here at Alta. Their customers appreciate their lack of pretense and fall in love with the good eats each time they visit — at least I do.
I hope you enjoy some of the small plates that I am sharing with you this month, but remember the menu does change! So don’t be afraid to try different things. That’s the spirit of small plates, try everything — it’s fun!
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Moroccan Bistilla of Chicken Confit
creamy eggs, scallion with Piri Piri sauce
This bistilla (layers of phyllo dough with spiced meat inside) is just dreamy! Using chicken confit for the meat ensures the richest of flavors. The chicken is tender and succulent and the scrambled eggs truly creamy (really well scrambled eggs are not easy to find). Added into the mix are sweet, dried currants, long slivers of scallions, delicately sliced almonds, mint, cilantro and rasel hanu, a Moroccan spice mix that includes ground anise, cardamom, clove, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg and more. Wow! That was a long sentence, but there’s truly so much yumminess wrapped inside the phyllo dough, I just wanted to finish it in one sentence. The accompanying Piri Piri, a Portuguese spicy sauce, is HOT, but this dish gets a HOTT from me for being so good.
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Braised Oxtail Ravioli
porcini foam, watercress, and piquillo pepper
For such a heavy meat and pasta dish, the final outcome of this braised oxtail ravioli is surprisingly light and delightful. It could have something to do with the porcini foam, which though rich in flavor lends an ethereal quality to the dish. But besides that, the strips of preserved lemon peel add a refreshing citrus essence that is both salty and tart. The pasta itself made with porcini, actually looks like the mushrooms, dark brown/grey. The oxtail inside is tender and juicy. There are four pieces of ravioli in an order so if you are worried about pasta being too heavy, have no fear. In fact, you might be fighting over the last pieces with whomever you are sharing!
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Tempura Oysters
lychee foam, celery leaves, and chorizo oil
It’s really difficult to master the frying technique of tempura, but Alta seems to have done it. Tempura should be light and crisp. You’d expect this deep-fried oyster dish to be greasy and heavy, like the breaded deep-fried oysters we are accustomed to eating, but it is not. The tempura oysters are surrounded by a sea of lychee foam so light and aromatic that you feel rejuvenated after tasting it. Although the celery leaves are added as a garnish, their distinctive flavor leaves a refreshing aftertaste. The beautiful orange dots in this piece of artwork are chorizo oil. They not only add a visually stunning element to the dish but also embellish it with that irresistible flavor of chorizo. What’s not to love?
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Tuna Tataki
cantaloupe cloud, marsala caviar, proscuitto flakes, toasted hazelnut
Tuna tataki (seared tuna) is a great choice on the menu because it’s light, healthy, and yummy. Small cubes of delicately seared tuna sit in a cloud of cantaloupe foam. The juxtaposition of the sweet fruit, savory tuna and caviar is not overpowering in the least. If anything, the strongest flavor comes from the proscuitto flakes. But because the meat is shredded into bits, even its rich flavor plays nicely with the rest of the team. (Bits of mint leaves also counter the strength of the proscuitto flavor.) Finally, the crunch of the hazelnut brings the journey to a smooth, satisfying finale and leaves a nice aftertaste.
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
BACON ARANCINI
fried quail eggs, Guindilla peppers, aged gouda, and truffle vinaigrette
Since it’s a small plate, the arancini (Sicilian rice balls) are bite-sized. They are deep-fried to croquette-like perfection and gooey inside. Bits of bacon accent the rice with decided flavor. Adorably, a tiny fried quail’s egg tops each ball. For garnish, slices of pickled Guindilla peppers add a little accent of spice and tanginess, and the truffle vinaigrette — in which the rice balls sit like little islands — adds a richness that balances the subtle flavors of the rice balls. The matching of all these flavors and ingredients show how much thought has been put into making this perfect composition. And yes! The arancini taste as good as they sound.
Alta Restaurant
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 29, 2007
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Fuji Apples, crème fraiche, pistachio nuts
The Brussels sprouts are always on the menu at Alta and they are one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Their success speaks to chef Harrison Mosher’s talent — he has made a loathed vegetable into a best selling item. What’s the secret? Deep fry the sprouts, add some apple cider reduction to make them taste caramelized, and add a little crème fraiche to make everything good. The crushed pistachios, add a crunch that contrasts the Brussels sprouts softness, always a favorite, too. How could this combination not be a crowd pleaser?! I know it’s a little hard to identify what’s what in the photo but believe me, close your eyes and take a bite, and it will instantly make it on your cravings list too!
Comments (3)