The final event of New Taste of the Upper West Side, Best of the West was held on Saturday night under a tent at the playground on 77th and Columbus. It was kind of like one of those competitive cooking shows on TV — every restaurant had one chance to make an impression, and they served some pretty fancy finger foods.
Just about everything was good, but the standouts included cucumber and grape gazpacho with crabmeat from Cafe Luxembourg — Chef Michael Navarette told us that it wasn’t on the menu, but “after tonight I think we’ll have to add it.” Also outstanding: Chilled veal porchetta from Bar Boulud, where the veal was thinly sliced and garnished with a little tomato sauce and caper powder.
Daniel Boulud, the most famous chef at the event, walked around taking pictures with fans and chatting with other chefs. Bustan manager Guy Goldstein told us the thrill of the night was when Boulud came up to him and said “I’ve been hearing good things about you.”
Check out some photos from the event below, and more commentary about the previous night’s event from correspondent Julie Johnson.
Julie added some review of Friday night’s Comfort Classics event below:
*** Gastronomie 491- served a cheese that was OUTSTANDING!! It is called L’Amuse Gouda (cow’s milk cheese from Holland)- I will be going back for more.
They also had one of my other favorite dishes of the evening the ** beet, sweet corn and goat cheese salad.
*** Parm (the new restaurant set to go into Lansky’s space) — meatball parm was tender and tasty!!
***Gotham Market West had two vendors- with very yummy offerings-
The GMW- vendors were** Court Street Grocers** serving up some of their best sandwich highlights.
& GMW vendor- **Genuine Roadside** who featured very nice Crispy Ahi Poke Tostada’s.
Other outstanding items were ***Sarabeths** Chilled marinated seafood salad
and **Burke & Wills”- Thai spiced Kangaroo Bao.
Deserts deserving mention were **Momofuko Milk Bar’s- assorted cake truffles followed by “The Treat House’s”- assorted rice krispy bites.
