Terrific Takeout: Beautique Summer 2015 Encore Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Make this tantalizing Seafood Risotto of Beautique your new best friend this summer!
Shrimps, scallops, calamari, crustacean jus totals absolute bliss
Fresh Origins is America’s leading producer of Microgreens and Edible Flowers. Combining the benefits of an ideal climate with a deep passion for quality and innovation, Fresh Origins products are sought after by the finest restaurants and top chefs. The farm is located in the picturesque rolling hills of San Diego County, where the near perfect weather allows for production and harvest all year. Fresh Origins produces almost 400 Microgreens, Petitegreens, Edible Flowers, Shoots, Tiny Veggies™ and related items. Many are not available anywhere else, with new introductions nearly every month. Fresh Origins products are on top of the finest cuisine in the world! Fresh Origins supplies distributors of specialty produce who serve fine dining restaurants and resorts nationwide. There are also a few online sources of their products available to private chefs and home cooks. Read our first Culinary Queen interview with Kelly Sasuga:
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Once upon a time, we heard of a hot new spot called Beautique. You should know that not every "hot new spot" in Manhattan actually is one and we publish on few (they are mostly a lot of noise with no substance)...but we are now more convinced than ever that this one IS CERTIFIABLY A QUALITY NEW HOT SPOT.
Beautique was first featured in December of 2014:
Everything at Beautique is beautiful, right down to the flowers.
In our long history of culinary endeavors, NO ONE has had two features in this column before a serious formal review in Peachy's Picks. That's how much we were impressed with owner Jon Bakhshi (whom Peachy accurately pegged as having the exact same personality as her when they met...watch out world!). It is not easy to find a date when both Jon and Peachy are free but we hope to make it a priority soon for Peachy's Picks. So, we returned to do a summer update and in this one circumstance, agreed to Jon's suggestion of talking to Doug.
Doug said he knew Peachy. Oh my goodness at this stage Peachy cannot remember everyone she has worked with. But how could she forget Doug? Doug Alexander was the THIRD person EVER in 2009 to work with Peachy Deegan on a restaurant review at Bice!!! Doug wanted to work with us before we had Twitter or Instagram!
That's him on the right, with Brett Mendl, sommelier on the left.
This is really what we ALWAYS wanted and dreamed of: people we knew independent of each other to discover just how great they are together! And, it doesn't stop there. Then they told us that the new CULINARY DIRECTOR (there is not an Executive Chef) was Alain Allegretti. No way! We cried our eyes out when Highly Recommended by us La Promenade des Anglais closed!
Peachy and Alain from 2011!
Read our last review of his food here:
We wanted to go back to Beautique before we knew Doug and Alain joined.
Did you know Peachy is not even a foodie, as some term culinary enthusiast.
She just wants to find great people that are extraordinary at what they do, almost regardless of what it is and tell you about them. Everyone we meet tells us they are great. Not everyone is.
These three independently fantastically talented people as a team are going to do great things and we can't wait to tell you more.
Yes, we were in for an excellent meal.
The water is gorgeous as well.
When your orders come out at Beautique, it is like models coming down the runway with their hair done by Edward and Joel...otherwise known as Warren Tricomi (which by the way is across the street at The Plaza in case you want to have your hair done first so it is as stunning as the food you are about to eat.)
The red and yellow beet salad waltzed out and turned its foot forward, and pivoted, hand on hip.
Seasonal fruit, greque yogurt with lemon and rosemary and toasted pistachio team up for an extraordinarily fresh combination of summer flavor that will wow you.
Personally, we get excited about peachy anything and ours had peaches as well (because between the three of them, we guess they figured that out...!) That was the seasonal fruit the day we visited, however, know that the seasonal fruit could also be persimmon or pear the day you visit.
They suggested we try the Zucchini Flower Beignets in a splendid riviera tomato sauce. (Alain is from Nice in the south of France...everything is nicer in Nice including the oceanside riviera.) Plum tomatoes are employed in this endeavor and the zucchini flower was dainty and absolutely delicious. These did not last long in front of Peachy-she loved them. A terrific crunch! The crisp, light quality on a hot day was most attractive.
The star of this show was without a doubt the tantalizing Seafood Risotto. It was rich, flavorful and a true celebration of summer on a plate. Shrimp, scallops, and calamari are graced by crustacean jus that is absolutely tremendous in taste. Substantial yet delicate chunks of goodness from the sea will impress you with every bite, and your conversation will be silenced by its majesty.
You know who is a potato connoisseur. Do not miss the sensational Rosemary French Fries! As addictive as the beignets...
And the nutritional angel in Peachy ordered some Sauteed Spinach with Garlic (we love garlic) -you should know that Alain and Beautique know how to beautify and enhance vegetables! It was delicious.
We sipped a Whispering Angel Rose (read our 2012 review here), and dessert was suggested to us: Lemon Tart and Saltine Ice Cream. As you know we do not love the overly unusual typically, however, you absolutely have to try this. The ice cream has the slightest hint of salty to the amazing lemon flavor enhanced by its graham cracker crust.
Stay tuned! We have more to say about Beautique sometime...
P.S. Beautique also opened in Southampton Memorial Day weekend...
