It is no secret that I am not a big fan of Restaurant Week, because a lot of restaurants are using this event more to make money than making people discover their cuisine. In the past, I had bad experiences at steakhouses (check out my try out at Dino & Harry in Hoboken), as well as all american restaurants like Beacon (closed since) where we ended up with a hefty bill because of all the supplements they were asking for dishes whether it was appetizers or entrees. So it has been a while since I took the opportunity to go to a restaurant offering a menu for Restaurant Week, but this time, I had a strategy: I picked restaurants that usually have a lunch prix-fixe.
That is how I ended up at Remi, an Italian restaurant located Midtown Manhattan that was not unknown to me.
Remi is an upscale Italian restaurant with a clientele that is more business than tourists. In terms of decor, it has this impressive mural representing Venice and its canals.
The $25 menu for restaurant week includes an appetizer, an entree and a dessert with a choice for vegetarians. After we ordered, they bought us some bread (there was focaccia) that was delicious dipped in olive oil.
For the appetizer, I ordered the Melanzane e Mozzarella alla Parmigiana similar to an eggplant parmesan:
It was in fact a baked eggplant and mozzarella gratinee with a tomato sauce. If you look at the photo, you can see that there was a lot of cheese, and I mean a lot! I loved that dish: this is a more decadent version of an eggplant parmesan. The sauce was not as light as they advertise and had a bold flavor and the eggplant was perfectly cooked. This was a fantastic dish and I am surprised that they are proposing it as an appetizer only.
For the entree, I picked the Fegato alla Veneziana or “Venetian Style” Calf Liver:
The liver was sautéed with onions and served with a creamy polenta. Although the liver was gamey, I really enjoyed the dish, the sauce having a bit of acidity to offset the sweetness of the onions. The polenta was also perfect, creamy and not dry, it was an excellent choice of garnish.
Last was dessert. I went for the Crema Catalana or crème brûlée:
That was very good: not too sweet, the custard was well set, with a nice torched sugar crust on top. This dessert was perfect with a double espresso.
This was a delicious meal at Remi and I am glad I picked this place for Restaurant Week. So in case you are not sure where to go, I suggest you check out this place! And do not forget that they have a prix-fixe all year long.
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Remi Restaurant | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Times Square / Italian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 145 West 53rd St., New York, NY 10019 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 581-4242 |
