THE HOTTEST DISHES AT NEW TASTE OF THE UPPER WEST SIDE FOOD FEST

Jesus Nunez of Gastroarte serving “Tomato Six Ways” at New Taste of the Upper West Side.

By Kara Rota

Some of the finest food in the city filled a white tent at 76th Street and Columbus this weekend as Whole Foods presented “A New Taste of the Upper West Side,” a two-night celebration of local restaurants and food culture.

Celebrities like Adam Richman (“Man vs. Food”, “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America”) and Andrew Zimmern (“Bizarre Foods”) descended on the UWS to sample our eats on Friday evening while co-hosting Comfort Classics, and Gael Greene (former “New York Magazine” food critic and Citymeals-on-Wheels founder) was honored during the Best of the West on Saturday. A line stretched out through the tent for Jacques Torres’ autograph. And I definitely saw Eric Ripert on the dance floor.

But despite the famous faces, the food was the true star of the event. Local restaurants put out their choicest offerings, while liquor and wine sponsors kept the event well-lubricated.

The beef short ribs with white polenta and wild mushrooms from Gabriel’s Bar and Restaurant proved a true standout, as did a rich toasted ricotta gnocchi with white truffle and parmesan cream from The Smith (enough to make me want to try both restaurants in the near future!) Nice Matin, always a good bet for big portions with great flavor, served up fava bean tortellini bathed in cheese and butter and made even creamier by the lush legume. Kefi Greek Cuisine’s meatballs with roasted garlic and tomato sauce were a grandma-worthy winner, and Henry’s potato leek soup with scallops and chorizo was delish if too rich for an entire bowl. I noted Zucchini Parmigiana from The Leopard at des Artistes as lusciously smokey, while Carmine’s eggplant parm hit me as the platonic ideal of the dish, with paper-thin layers and slow-cooked sauce. Spanish mackerel from The Tangled Vine was perfectly smoked (I’d buy a half-pound if they carried it at Zabar’s) and a seafood salad from the Ocean Grill made a welcome refreshing respite from the heavier dishes.

For dessert, a Jacques Torres parfait was full of surprises – a tart frozen cherry buried in the center and flecks of bitter dark chocolate throughout – but the clear winner was Magnolia’s banana pudding, better than any cupcake I’ve ever eaten there.

For presentation, a clear winner was Caffe Storico at the New York Historical Society, with museum-ready portions of chilled spaghetti tossed with cauliflower sauce and topped with caviar, bookended with a meaty clam on the end of a fork.

One of the mystery presenters of the evening was AG Kitchen, with a booth offering solidly good barbecue chicken and creamy coleslaw. Trying to figure out why I hadn’t heard of them, I was told they’d be arriving in a few weeks to an undisclosed UWS location. Any guesses where?

Photos by Kara Rota.