#InauguralReview #CrispyHeaven Since 2022 by #FelCassieli #Soho #Manhattan
Yes go for the Wagyu Bohemian
It's not who you know, and it never has been.
It's WHOM YOU KNOW and now we know Fel Cassieli, Founder and Owner of Crispy Heaven at 38 Grand Street, Soho, downtown Manhattan. It's the newest restaurant to us that you perhaps have never heard of. Her talent on this review was so outstanding we are writing even though she doesn't have a website! It is a totally under-the-radar place that is uber-delicious. Let us count the ways.
This is Octopus; don't hate it because it's beautiful.
Eat it.
If you are new to us, note we never edit pictures.
You succeed like Fel, or we do not publish.
The truth is, octopus is not great everywhere.
We want Goodyear Tires on Corvettes, not on our dinner plate.
Some Octopus is too rubbery.
Some Octopus is overdone.
Some Octopus is matched with the wrong ingredients and is over-trendy and ridiculous and has way too much going on.
Some Octopus is matched with the wrong ingredients and is bland and boring.
The Roasted Octopus here is perfection.
We've eaten it exactly once, so we hope it stands the test of time.
Perfectly tender Spanish Octopus waltzes like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in Saffron Aioli with potatoes and Basil Oil and you are going to love it.
Also, Fel is giving us the opportunity to say ANYTHING BOYS CAN DO, GIRLS CAN DO BETTER. We don't say that very often because we can't find girls as talented as Fel and the men we have featured. We are not going to feature you just because you are a female or any other box-checking mechanism. We have simple taste and only feature the best.
Roasted Beets are another study in brilliant presentation.
Check out that dill. We love it.
They are huge sprigs.
They are not wimpy.
Next time if we don't see dill that looks this amazing in Peachy's head she is going to think to herself THAT DILL DOESN'T LOOK AS FABULOUS AS FEL'S DILL DID.
We reveled in the simplicity of the freshness of beets, dill, greek yogurt and oil.
The Caesar Salad was incredible and set itself apart with the color contrast and nutritional impact of the radicchio, which joined lettuce, endive, anchovies and black olives.
We are major seafood enthusiasts, and the Branzino is impressive. Fel tells us it arrives daily; Branzino was the catch of the day when we visited. Regular Branzino anywhere is nice, but this one is fragrant, delicious and outstanding. It's the opposite of boring, and is enhanced beautifully by olives, capers, parsley, thyme, tomato, red onion, and potato. Don't be fooled by the casual atmosphere: the taste here is upscale. Fel is from the Czech Republic originally and did you know that Peachy is also Slovak? Previously, Fel was in fashion and today you all have lucked out for her fashionable dinners.
We are huge fans of Burrata and the Heirloom Burrata Caprese Salad was exactly what we are looking for with its Heirloom Tomatoes, Burrata, Salt, Basil and Olive Oil.
Green Italian Chili Hot Peppers spice up your life further and are a side not to be ignored.
And yes, they do pizza too, where Peachy further explored her close relationship with Burrata.
There are five pizza choices, and we chose the Margherita Burrata.
Tomato sauce, burrata sourced from Italy and basil teamed up for a winning goal in Peachy's stomach in four fabulous slices, a slice more than a hat trick. It's competitive with the pizza places we feature. As you all know from our brand new column, sensational salads, we are advocates of salad, and the side green salad is an essential component to any meal here and they put the dressing on the side for Ms. Pretty Picky.
A key to this dish's success is that the grilled vegetables are joining the party on the plate fresh from the pan right in front of you. This happens to all guests here we are told!
The final firework of the night sourced from Snake River Farms in Texas, is the Wagyu Bohemian. The eight-ounce wonder was perfectly medium rare and was a revelation in the right amount of garlic, butter, olive oil, spicy pepper, rosemary, and succulent seasonal roasted vegetables which set the carnivorous flavor off in gorgeous fashion. Also, Fel has amazing taste in wine and nailed what we would want on her first try: Chateau Maucoil Chateauneuf du Pape was excellent with this steak. Jaromir Jagr what are you doing in Europe when you could be having dinner in New York with Fel and Peachy?! Maybe you should rejoin the Rangers to help them get the Cup right now and have dinner with us. If you win the cup, maybe we can eat out of it?
Fel, we look forward to your website and we can't wait to see what you do next in cuisine!
Yes, they are a bakery too....stay tuned!
That's 38 hour fermented Poolish with house-made butter.
