Terroir NYC : East Village, Wine Bar

I just recently moved to the fun, yet filthy East Village from the crime-free, yet ho-hum neighborhood of Gramercy. So, as of late,  I've been acquainting myself with all the various watering holes and cafes in the vicinity.  Last night, I had plans to meet my friend, Amy, who I met at the tasting room at  The Vines of Mendoza in Argentina while giddily swilling luscious flights of Malbec and Torrontes.  Apropos of our original introduction, she suggested meeting at a wine bar somewhere in the hood. I've strolled by the wine bar, Terroir, a number of times, but never tried the place, because it looked so formal from the outside looking in, but decided to give it a go and was surprised at how laid back and enjoyable my experience was there.  


Befitting the low-key nature of Terroir, the tables are communal and the space is cozy. The waitstaff is friendly, approachable and knowledgeable. The actual menu consists of a hefty, three-ring binder of information that includes jokey descriptions of drinks and comedic digressions in between the very serious and comprehensive wine list.  After a long week of binge drinking, I didn't think my body could take the migraine-inducing tannins, so I decided not have wine--horror of horrors--instead,  I had their specialty drink called the Abbey Flip, made of pomegranate molasses, coriander, nutmeg, egg yolks and Ommegang Abbey Ale. The concoction was rich, sweet and very satisfying. The egg apparently mellows out the beer a bit. A perfect drink for a winter/autumn day.  

The Abbey Flip

The food was not bad, we ordered the following: 
Dumpling and Escarole Soup: Despite the limp escarole, but the broth was flavorful and the dumplings were yummy.
Bacalao Bruschetta:  Rich, a bit too heavy for me.  
Arugula Salad: So fresh, slightly sweet and dressed perfectly.
Creamed Rapini with breadcrumbs:  Loved it. 
Olive Oil Cake with Roasted Apples: A bit too dry and the apples were cold.


I didn't order them, but the fried sage leaves and lamb sausages are supposed to be great.

For the ambience and wine list alone, I would absolutely hit this place again.  Bar Jamon in Gramercy was my go-to wine bar,  but now that I've moved, Terroir is definitely in the running as its replacement. 


Another reason to go is the weeknight "Happy Hour" between 5-6 PM, when glasses are only $6!!!  Un bon marché!

Terroir

www.wineisterroir.com
413 E 12th St
New York, NY 10009
(646) 602-1300

Photo via: Grapes and Grains

Stinky Cheese Reco Diary Entry #2: Artisinal Cheeses

Perfect Pairing:  Loupiac and Stichelton 

Last Monday, my friend, Sacha, and I attended a wine and cheese tasting class, called "Perfect Pairings" at Artisinal. This is the rundown what we sampled and some of my favorite pairings.  

Wines/Beer

• Sauvignon Blanc, New Harbor Marlborough, New Zealand 2007: Crisp, grapefruity, light yellow. Nice enough.  
• Pinot Noir, Barton & Gustier, Vine dePays de L'Le de Beaute France, 2007:  Drinkable. Slightly too much acid for my taste. Didn't really like this one too much. 
• Juniper Pale Ale, Rogue Ales: Very bold flavor.  Very hoppy and bitter aftertaste. However, went well with several of the cheeses.  
• Loupiac-Gaudiet, Bordeaux, France 2003:  Lovely dessert wine, not overly sweet. Deep yellow. Like drinking melted caramel. Complimented the sharper, high saltier cheeses.
  

Cheese 

• Nettle Meadow Kunik: Triple creme, made with mostly goat's milk and some cow's milk. So rich and delicious. Not too goaty.  
• Chabichou di Poitou: Another goat cheese but firmer and more dense. Not as young as the Nettle Meadow. I would buy a wedge of this to eat for breakfast. 
• Majorero: Sharper, crumbly goat cheese. Not my favorite of the night.  Didn't have the flavor that the other cheeses had. 
• Bianco Sardo:  "Italian sheep's milk cheese--nutty!" That's what I jotted down, but to be honest I can't recall this cheese, so it probably wasn't a stand-out or didn't offend me.  
• Montgomery's Cheddar: Deep golden color, sharp. Tasty.  Aged 2 years. Went well with the Juniper Ale. 
• Sbrinz: A cow's milk cheese from Sweden. Really wonderful flavor.  Lots of tyrosine crystals that gave it crunch, and according to the instructor "packed with nutrients and proteins" .
• Stichelton:  Amazingly creamy blue cheese, slightly grassy. Very flavorful.  

Out of the 35 pairings, the best pairings, in my opinion are....

1. Loupiac and Stichelton - Unreal!  
2. Sbrinz with the  Ale and Loupiac
   
3. Montogomery Cheddar and Juniper Ale
   
4. Stichelton and Ale
   
5. Loupiac and Nettle Meadow
   
6. Bianco Sardo and Sauvignon Blanc

At the instructional level, the powerpoint lecture was a bit tedious at times, but I appreciated the informative tidbits here and there.  Major downside: the location--a  major pain to get to (10th Ave and 36th Street). But generally, the experience made for an enjoyable Monday night! 

Artisinal Cheese 

500 W 37th Street 2nd Fl New York NY 10018

Vittles for the Week: Lambrusco, Top Chef, Hamburger Fun!

Drink: Lambrusco is back in, less cloyingly sweet with a drier finish. Wonderful treat, if you aren't in the mood for something heavy. I've seen Lambrusco pop up on menus such at Per Bacco, Gusto, and Roberta's (Bushwick). Via Tasting Table

Diversion: More Top Chef Nonsense, a preview of Season 6's chef-testants. Via Eater

Impulse Shopping: Aren't hamburgers the cutest? Especially when they vacuum up table crumbs! Via Gizmodo

Local Shopping: A list of the Greenmarkets and Farmer's Markets in New York State
Via New York State of Agriculture


Off-the Menu Fast Food: Off- the menu hamburgers that aren't so cute--The McGang-Bang.
Via Eat Me Daily

Co-op Cooking: I like the time-saving aspects and potential variety of meals over the course of a week, but sitting and eating together seems like a drag on agoraphobic days. Zip-locking should be an option. Via Bitten Blog; Also See Ethicurean

Recession Deals: Cheap eats! Looking for deals in New York?
Via Gothamist