Nolita - The Hungry Nomad

January 19, 2015 No Comments

On a Saturday morning in New York I found myself wondering the shop filled streets of the Soho district only to cross over in to Nolita. Walking through an outdoor arts market I saw ahead of me a crowd gathering on the corner. As I walked closer I realized it was the famous Cafe Habana restaurant which I had heard so much about. Of course I had to try it. So I put down my name, called a friend and 30 minutes later was joined by 3 friends. The hostess was not in the least way inviting or nice. But I guess that is to be expected when a restaurant is doing so well they don’t really need to charm you with their service. We were told that they would not be able to accommodate a table of 4 and that we should try their take out service next door.

We headed next door to a more casual, less hectic room where we could order from the same menu but over the counter. There was a few tables inside and some seating outside.

We ordered the famous Mexican grilled corn and the Cuban sandwich. A few minutes later our order was up. The corn was sprinkled with piles and piles of what looked like grated Parmesan, chili powder and lime juice. The result was fantastic. So good I could have had two (or maybe more).

The Cuban sandwich is rated as the best in New York. I can’t really attest to that and I think it would be hard to rate something as the best unless you have literally tasted all sandwiches and all restaurants in New York. But, I can say this, it was the BEST I have yet had. The pork meat was full of flavour and juicy. The juice had seeped into the bread mixed with the cheese and pickles. It was amazing (see menu).

After eating here, I understand the hype around it. I would wait in line all over again for a bite of that corn and cuban sandwich.

Café Habana (Take-Out Store) on Urbanspoon

Brunch at Estela- Nolita (NYC)

I don’t know how I learned about this restaurant but somehow I did and it made my list of new place to try in New York. Estela is located on an lonely strip of East Houston bordering Nolita. It is a beverage-driven restaurant from former Blue Hill at Stone Barns beverage director Thomas Carter and James Beard Award-nominated chef Ignacio Mattos. The walk- up bar-restaurant’s decor seems typical of what I’ve seen multiply not only around New York but around the country: exposed brick, wood floors and marble bar and wood tables. It’s sleek and sophisticated.

The brunch menu was limited with only a handful of plates to choose from. I would encourage sharing plates as you won’t fill up on one. It is definitely not meant for those of us with healthy appetites.

First up was the Endive with walnuts, anchovy, and ubriaco rosso ($14). A small plate of fresh and crispy endives laying on top of a bed of walnuts, anchovies and ubriaco rosso cheese (italian for drunken sunset). The mix of flavors and textures was perfect and left me wanting more.

Next came the Burrata with salsa verde and charred bread ($15), a serving of rich and creamy bur rata cheese on top of charred bed in a bed of tangy salsa verde. Verdict: amazing, unique and delicious.

The Cod with peas, spigarello, and aïoli ($24) was a healthy, flavorful and unique.

However, my favorite was the Celery with grapefruit, pecorino, and hazelnuts ($12) dish. It was such a different mix of ingredients and flavors yet so simple. The flavors and textures complimented each other in the best way possible. So good indeed that later on in the week I attempted to re-create the dish at home (didn’t turn out quite the same).

The avocado, pancetta, and egg on Danish pastry ($14) was good but didn’t warrant the $14 price tag.

Overall, our experience at Estela was pretty fabulous. I would definitely return to try their small plate style dinner and drinks. For brunch however, I prefer something a bit more filling and hearty.

Café Habana- Nolita (NYC)

Brunch at Estela- Nolita (NYC)