I’ve come to realize that I’m not much of a beach reader these days. The heat, the glare, the turquoise water, way too many distractions out there. But what’s my excuse at home? Dont know. But at the beach I prefer long walks, listening to music, and sometimes just aimless staring while getting lost in random thoughts. Albert Einstein got much of his ideas from aimless wandering. I’m getting there. The best I came up with in 6 days is “What the heck is a Post Malone”, and “How do you spell Rendezvous, anyway”. Silent Zs just seem so annoyingly wasteful, especially these days for some New Yorkers (Verrazzano is missing a Z in all 96 road signs and business names).
Another thought that popped was how such a small island where a human walks every 20 minutes from my vantage point has such great dining depth. In busier Providenciales (Turks and Caicos) where its now about 20 humans per 20 minutes from my favorite spot, I can think of only two very solid sure bets for dinner. Ember in Anguilla now makes it three, joining Jacala, and Hibernia. And there are island old timers I still havent tried, like Blanchards.
One year old Ember is the dream of Marc Alvarez who is sort of an island legend. If you are not aware of that by the time you get there, his long time friend and manager(?) Michelle will make sure you are. This kind of confidence can backfire if not followed by matching results. It did. And its always good to know who’s at the helm, what’s his/er story, and most importantly is that person in the kitchen every night. Its a yes for Ember.
The space is comfortable and inviting. There’s a wood burning oven in the kitchen that looks like a pizzaiolo wet dream. The menu features a New York-like “Snacks” column that makes ordering more interesting here. Alvarez did spend some time with Union Square Hospitality in NYC. A smaller plate section is also a risk as one can spend much less for a full meal. It took a while to come up with a game plan here. I had to interview 27% of the very full staff to finalize my order. Nice French leaning wine menu, just like the rest of the island pretty much. I lean Italian, but managed.
Started with the Snap Peas, the only miss for me as the spices too mild to make any sort of impact. But the buttery Pretzel, perhaps his homage to NY, was a nice kickstarter in more ways than one. It comes with sharp Dijon that brushes against your sinuses, but can do more damage if not too careful. Like hockey players sniffing ammonia-laced salt in order to wake up. Perhaps that’s the idea here.
The roasted beets was the first sign of that Alvarez brilliance. They looked like tomatoes, and tasted like meat. We are the rare breed of beet haters who like to order beets at places like this. The Foie gras terrine & duck prosciutto was the second sign and perhaps dish of the trip nominee. Prosciutto was more like Jamon or lardo that melts in the mouth without the chewiness. The combination of the Foie with port cherry on toast was like ecstasy in your mouth.
The red snapper fillet dish was a beautiful chaos of various ingredients, and perhaps best piece of fish on this trip. And the baked gnocchi was rich and spot on. Large fresh gnocchi as such tend to get all mushy sometimes but these were sturdy and spectacular, with bright, tangy tomato sauce and just enough cheese. The white chocolate bread pudding to finish was NOLA-ish bread pudding perfection. Not much white choc flavor which is a good thing.
There are meals (like the night before Ember) where I politely say no to dessert and ready to leave. And then there are the self inflicted marathon meals where I want to stay longer, visit the kitchen and kiss the chef on the lips! In this case I settled for a hand shake (I think he’s from the Bronx!). An epic meal from start to finish.
Its that time of the year. The time we look back, reflect, and look forward. The time we argue about the spelling of Hanukkah, and wonder how impeachment works exactly. The time we look back at the wonderful things we ate during the year all over the world. The time to call your mom, and watch vacation pictures. In that order. Yes, call you mom, and buy her something meaningful this time. A puppy, a food tour, a trip to Anguilla. Something that will change her life.
Tacos, one of the four pillars of Hell’s Kitchen. Thai, Ramen, and bars are the other three. I cant think of many Hell’s Kitchen corners where you are not less than 5 minutes away from good tacos. But try telling that to the 100 or so poor souls standing on a long line in freezing temps at Los Tacos #1 (or is it #2) in Times Square because their notes say so. Oh its good alright. But in this Little Puebla there are options. Many options.
December 1st, 2019 Update:
On Thanksgiving we give thanks to the things and people we take for granted. This is perhaps the most meaningful Thanksgiving, and the first one I was not particularly looking forward to (first one without dad). So I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks..
Olivier Bistro – Its beginning to sound like another cliche, but Olivier Bistro is the type of place every neighborhood needs. I’ve been frequenting Olivier for a few years now but for some reason never wrote about it. Talented French born Olivier Verdier is constantly on his toes, offering a mix of specials and a plethora of French classics for the steady regulars. Its the closest you’ll get to an authentic French Bistro in Brooklyn. The burger is always solid. As are the Shishito peppers, Cassoulet, Moules Frites, Hanger Steak, and make sure to ask about today’s poison! (fish). I’ve never had a bad dish here. 469 4th Ave (Gowanus)
When I was watching the Washington Nationals beat the Astros for their first title in the modern era (post iPhone), I never imagined that two days later we would be trapped on Constitution Ave, trying desperately to swim out of the Red Sea (parade crowd). We spent roughly 24 hours, which was also the amount it took me to plan for this last minute getaway. Arlington and Indian – that was pretty much my base, the starting point for this trip. I’ve never been to Arlington, and I got sick and tired of hearing the praises of Rasika.
3:48 PM – We peep out like Meerkats and it looks safe to come out and walk outside. After a Starbucks emergency (for Coffee…), we are off to walk the 2.6 miles National Mall, arguably the greatest outdoor museum and memorial in the world. The plan was to check out the National Museum of the American Indian (Free), but long lines and… jet lag kicks in. It was a 3.5 hour drive after all. From the outside the museum resembles something that belongs in Bilbao. Thats a good thing.
1:30 PM: We have important unfinished business in other states, so bye for now
Remember that old commercial.. “Stay Fresh a little longer… say goodbye a little longer..”, The actual products dont stick, but the songs often do. If you dont remember this one its probably because, well, it doesnt exist. Its actually a Wrigley Big Red gum commercial that goes “So kiss a little longer…”, and the fresh part was only in my head. But the idea of the commercial is that the gum will keep you fresh longer than normal so you could kiss longer, for some reason. Why would anyone want to do it in public is beyond me. Kissing in public for more than 3 seconds is rare, awkward and should be banned frankly for the safety of the individuals and motorists. You practically asking for herpes. And at home you have Listerine for that.
Much of Santina’s originality is attributed to one item, Cecina. While Santina bills itself as coastal Italian, mainly Liguria and Tuscany, this chickpea pancake is different than anything we had between Genoa and Lucca. Its softer and spongier, but not in a bad way. On recent visits I enjoyed it with tuna infused with Calabrian chili, and avocado thats essentially the best Guacamole within a two mile radius. Once wrapped with the Cecina ‘slice’, you get four tasty snacks. Add the accompanied red sauce to the second or third Cecina for a change of pace and maximum oomphness. The Cecina is reason #365 why you should stop reading 
Eating With Ziggy 