I would do this blog a great disservice if I don’t start with where it all began: Indie food and wine.
Snugged under the Michelin-starred Lincoln Ristorante, Indie is the open secret that doesn’t get enough hype in New York.
That is fine with me, as nothing beats arriving after work at one of the busiest part of town, with swarms of tourists and opera/ballet/theater-goers, and still manage to score the best seats at the bench looking at the Juilliard School.
Originally set up by restaurateur Jason Denton and executive chef Rebecca Weitzman, Indie still serves what I would call a gourmet dining experience in a chic yet casual setting. The communal table maybe a bit tough to have an intimate chat with your friends, but is perfect for eavesdropping the gossips of New Yorker, and old-timers are aplenty chugging anything from wine to tea.
It’s been almost five years since the restaurant opened, and it still is consistent with its quality.
My favorite is their confit duck leg, where the skin is crisp to perfection and the meat just separates from the bone at the mere touch of a fork. If there’s sense of greasiness, the combination of yogurt with grains and lentils will neutralize that right off.
The quinoa seeds & nuts salad is a hearty portion while the beets & watercress salad sits on fluffy bed of fresh ricotta.
Emily likes the salumi. And at $14 for all three varieties (prosciutto, soppressata and coppa), it can feed a village.
But the best thing about the place is that it serves Prosecco (for just $9) in a Burgundy glass. I know, it’s a sin that is going to cause great discomfort among wine lovers. But one forgets and forgives in the presence of great company.
It was over glasses of Prosecco that Emily and I first tried (and failed, almost immediately) the first attempt to start a blog.
But we are back, both in Indie and in the blogging world.
Let the journey begin.
Indie food and wine
144 West 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
almost friday 