Peachy Picks 44 & X Our Coverage Sponsored by Cosmopolitan Dental, Official Dentist of Whom You Know
Scott Hart and Peachy Deegan
The Best Dentist in Manhattan
&
Official Dentist of Whom You Know:
30 E. 40th Suite 1001
212 683 1960
Dr. Garo Nazarian is a Mover and Shaker:
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It's not who you know, it's Whom You Know and now we know Scott Hart! There he is with Peachy. Scott teamed up with Bruce Horowytz 12 years ago to start this winner found in an unlikely place: Hell's Kitchen. We love that they are proud of their restaurant and put their name on the menus. We don't see that very often. Scott is a total peach: he knows the difference between they're, their and there so guess who loves that! And he can cook: not only is he the owner but also he is the Executive Chef. They change their menu four times annually at 44 & X. Peachy Deegan wanted to go there so much she even walked from the Upper East side! And you should too. We decided Don Henley and the other Eagles (you know, as opposed to the Boston College ones!) would help us out a bit to kick off this review and we parody them:
On a dark street on the west side, Redken in my hair
Warm smell of mahi mahi, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
The restaurant was beautiful is it really Hell's Kitchen?
We had to stop for the night
And I was thinking to myself,
"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell"
Then Dominic lit up a candle and he showed us the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...
Welcome to 44 & X!
Our server, Dominic Crossey, was on the ball all night and happily modeled the featured look:
Do not miss the back:
44 & X was first featured in Tasty Tidbits:
We are pleased to announce it has joined the ranks of Peachy's Picks.
Its happening atmosphere, solid cuisine, and sparkling personality of Scott have won it a spot!
One dish you cannot miss is the Spinach and Wild Mushroom ravioli, Maryland crabmeat, and gruyere cheese with coconut poblano emulsion! Totally unique, this was a lovely balance of poisson (that's fish for you non-francophiles!), vegetable (and may we add guess who was pleased with the stunning green hue!) and overall flavor. The Starters menu is quite extensive and creative and as Scott said, the artwork is the cuisine itself. The decor is clean and neat and we loved it. Note that it looks like sitting outside would be a dream but it was not so warm when we ventured to 44 & X. Peachy sipped on a welcoming Sangiovese, 2008 Chianti Classico, La Maialina from Tuscany to start with. You know she loves a full-bodied red from Italy! Her second glass was a crisp Chenin Blanc, Spice Route Winery, Swartland, South Africa 2009. Their wine list is quite solid and has many choices that will please you.
Note that the bread was amazing to start with and among the best we've had recently. We hear it is from Hudson Bakery. When you start off with incredible bread it sets quite a nice precedent for what is to follow. For her entree, Peachy Deegan chose the pan-roasted mahi-mahi, Maine lobster and diver scallop risotto, served with green garlic and carrot reduction. She was absolutely thrilled to try such an inventive selection especially since every component is individually adored by her as you know from past reviews. The creativity employed by Scott Hart is impressive! There was not an empty seat in the house so be sure to reserve early.
44 & X is indeed a slice of heaven in Hell's Kitchen-they are right-and the dessert confirmed that along with the Moscato D'Asti, Garantita, Italy. Oooh and by the way, Scott tells us that the well-heeled in fashion and celebs alike venture there regularly so if you want to rub elbows with the stars, this is also a place for you. They also own 44 and a half nearby.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
Broadway rhythm, it's got me, everybody dance! But before the show, hit 10th Avenue at 44th Street for a meal that will make you want to come back for seconds. Have an appetizer, have a drink, have the entree, go to the show, and then come back and loll around, for dessert and coffee. Really a great, comfortable surround. The celebrities thinks so, too, with local known faces and out-of-town actors in for their Broadway stint as regular as the "Evita Patron" cocktail. Scott, owner and head chef has re-invented American cuisine, adding a twist here and a twist there. His restaurant, a big wide open white space with a front porch (of a fashion) holds court to locals, Hollywood, Mothers, even the fashion crowd. For 11 years , 44&X has been a "little slice of Heaven in Hell". Hell's Kitchen, that is. So named for it's dire past and colorful stories, but now the epitome of re-gentrification. As one who lived in Clinton 20 or so years ago, I can personally say:
"Boy, has the neighborhood changed".
We started with a Syrah, Grenache Carignan Rose, from Languedoc-Rousillion, France. It's a 2011, so quite new, fresh, and refreshing.
Not quite a summer's day, but in the harbinger mood, the Rose lent a note of fresh to the appetizer, a goat cheese and pistachio souffle. Light, and delightful on a bed of slivers of crisp Asian pear , this souffle would also be wonderful with a glass of red Beaujolais. Just think of the possibilities! A balsamic reduction is a blend of Supremo Italiano, with a hint of brown sugar laces the endive spears on the plate, and provides just a hint of bittersweet to balance the souffle.
Next up is the halibut: it needs nothing. Nothing. Its flavor is brought out in the saute, and it rests atop a warm salad of "baby zucchini, frisee, asparagus, artichokes, haricots verts, roasted sweet corn" in a ginger and Reisling emulsion. The warm salad reminds me of a Cobb Salad, all bits and pieces, but these tiny vegetables are sliced so perfectly that they beg to be finished, to the last bite. Pair the moist and tender halibut with a dry Reisling, a Lemelson Vineyards selection from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. A 2010 is offered on the menu, and there are also a dozen other possibilites. The wine list is generous , as selected by the house, and covers a world wide offering of some popular vintages.
Bread, by the way, is offered as small rolls, from Hudson Bakery , and will tempt by it's size. But if you eat too much bread, there will be no room for dessert! And dessert you will want, trust me. We had the specialty and most popular of the house: the fallen chocolate souffle, in a chocolate soup, with Tahitian vanilla ice cream. Chocoholics delight in this one! Dense, flavor-rich chocolate is as dense as ganache, with the sense of a deja-vu souffle, swimming in just enough chocolate sauce, and the gently melting ice cream.
Top it off with a glass of Moscato D'Asti, for a mouthful of sparkle, and make a note of what your next round will be. For, as Arnold Schwartznegger said, "I'll be back!"
Peachy Picks 44 & X!
44 & X is Recommended by Whom You Know.
