By Abigael T. Sidi
For those of you still in need of warm, hearty soup, but looking for something a little different, I got you covered (I, for one, am done for the moment with onion soups, phos and ramens). Head straight to the Grand Feast (Amsterdam, between West 101st and 102nd streets), where a welcoming trio of Mexican “brothers,” chef José Moran and managers Francisco Felipe and Juan Guzman, will serve you an absolute marvel of a fish stew.
The dish, cioppino, and specifically their version of it, is exquisite.
Cioppino, derived from a Genovese fish soup called “ciuppin” (chopped in Ligurian dialect), originated in San Francisco in the late 19th century, when Italian immigrants working at Fisherman’s Wharf would chip in portions of their catch to a communal pot. Whereas the original ciuppin was (and still is) as humble and rustic as it gets, the Italian-American cioppino evolved into a tomato sauce-heavy dish boasting more expensive seafood such as Dungeness crab and lobster. It is now a signature dish in the Bay Area but is much harder to find on the East Coast, even in Italian restaurants.
The Grand Feast’s version feels like a ciuppin/cioppino hybrid, very similar to a French bouillabaisse: meaty and mineral fish flavors, rather than tomatoes, dominate the soup, while the seafood includes both high-end (scallops, shrimp) and humbler but no less delicious offerings (tilapia filets, clams, mussels).
The seafood, purchased daily at local fish markets, is super fresh and amazingly well cooked. The light snap on the scallops and briny flavor from the clams are both highlights, and so is the succulent, hearty fish broth, whose silkiness and bold character rival some of the best soupes de poisson I had in Normandy as a child. As per tradition, the cioppino is served with a generous portion of bread (in this case, a sliced, warm and crispy half baguette), ideal for dipping and securing every last drop of the soup. The dish, a feast of its own and bursting with fragrance, is nothing short of divine.
I asked Felipe to divulge chef Moran’s recipe for the soup. “A simmer of fish bones [to extract their gelatin, marrow and minerals, all crucial to the soup’s richness, flavor and character], celery, carrots, tomatoes, fresh oregano, bay leaves, and fennel,” he shared. “But there’s something else that makes it more interesting… it’s his secret.”
My dad’s best guess for that secret ingredient? Saffron – the sublime, warm and floral, slightly bitter spice that transcends any dish it touches (from Italy to Morocco and Iran) and is common to most bouillabaisse recipes (in which the spice is also responsible for the soup’s characteristic golden glow.) Felipe, however, declined to say more.
The Grand Feast, which opened three years ago in the spot previously occupied by Cafe Roma, is the culmination of the trio’s 25-year experience in the New York culinary industry. Friendly, personal, and equally professional, Moran, Felipe and Guzman offer an eclectic menu which highlights their expertise in many different styles of cooking.
“It’s a family business,” Felipe said. “We are three cousins who consider ourselves brothers, and we run the business together. We have worked in different types of restaurants over the years, French, Italian, American, Mexican, Japanese, and others. That’s where our story, ‘The Grand Feast,’ came from, which means a food festival – a large, elaborate, and celebratory meal, often featuring a wide variety of rich, high-quality and diversity of dishes.”
There are many more dishes to discover at The Grand Feast, including the highly advertised duck à l’orange and beef bourguignon, both recommended by the owners and customers alike. The interior is open but dim and quite intimate, and the walls feature iconic views of New York, Paris and Rome, in line with the cross-cultural cuisine. It was clear from my visit that the Grand Feast is building a loyal following among neighborhood residents and families, and the cioppino alone is worth the trip.
The Grand Feast is open Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Friday to Saturday (brunch menu from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), with pickup and delivery available at these times. To avoid fees, don’t hesitate to give them a call (917-409-0772).
Similar to other good spots in the area (Bosino, Arco Café, Raenu), The Grand Feast is your quintessential family business deserving of all the support we can spare. The cioppino, duck and beef bourguignon are understandably on the higher end, but most salads go for $15 or less and the burger is $18. Pay them a visit soon!
The Dish: Cioppino ($28).
The Restaurant: The Grand Feast: 854 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 101st and 102nd streets
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