Mary's Fish Camp: Stefas craves lobster rolls

I am still not feeling well but I started to feel claustrophobic after being confined to my house for 36 hours. It is Stefas'(above) last day here and when she suggested that we go out for lunch, I almost jumped up with glee! She had a craving for lobster rolls, specifically Mary's or Pearl, a request that I was happy to accommodate. Online, I checked the opening hours for each: Pearl was closed for lunch on the weekend and Mary's was open on Saturday for lunch but closed at 3pm. We glanced at my clock. It was 2:42pm!! Donning a cap and dark sunglasses, we quickly rushed outside and hailed a cab. I asked the cab driver to take us to West 4th and Charles. Instead, he took us to West 4th and 6th Avenue on the far corner, right hand side. If you live downtown, you understand that our driver had a limited clue to the whereabouts of our destination. Not wanting to miss the three o'clock bell, we started running. We arrived with one minute to spare!!

An order was demanded right away so we started with the Spicy Florida Conch Chowder: a hot chowder seemed ideal given the 30 degree weather outside. What a letdown! The "chowder" was a lukewarm, diluted semi-spicy broth with bland rubber-like conch. At least the vegetables were fresh and properly diced. Needless to say, I didn't eat much.

Luckily, the Lobster Roll, a limited supply item, was still available. Mary's has the best lobster roll in the city. The lobster was succulent and fresh, mixed with the right amount of mayonnaise, with finely diced celery and scallions, then loaded onto a lightly browned and buttered Pepperidge Farm top-loading bun. Whereas Rebecca of Pearl uses rock shrimp in her mix, Mary uses only lobster meat in her lobster rolls and discludes the knuckles. Mary's resulting flavor and texture are sublime. Market price for the lobster rolls are now $30 but the price does not seem to have mitigated any demand.

The wine list was small and good. I was surprised to see two Verdelhos on the list. The first Verdelho was simply listed Casamaro Blanco. I think this would be confusing to a non-wine professional as it did not even list the DO Rueda. Aside from the Mâcon-Village, this was the only wine that was not varietally labeled. It would have been nice to see one of the Verdelhos substituted with a Spanish Albariño, a highly compatible seafood wine with bracing acidity or maybe a slightly sparkling Basque Txakoli. Although I like Roero Arneis, a Tocai Friulano (Livio Felluga makes a great one) might have been better placed in the Italian category. They were also selling a domestic 2005 Mason Sauvignon Blanc; since the 2006 is available, I would proceed to the current vintage. I was happy to see a Dry Riesling and a Gruner Veltliner on the list. I didn't think the 2004 Anime Valpolicella was not the best option for the least expensive red of the four available red wines. I would have chosen a different value Italian wine, the Produttori del Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo, instead. The two sparkling wines were well chosen. I think Raventos is one of the the best Cavas in the market and I am a fan of the grower champagne by Gaston-Chiquet. I ordered the 2005 Petit Chapeau Mâcon-Villages, a solid value wine created by Daniel Johnnes. Loved that it was screwcap.

Mary's Fish Camp
64 Charles St., New York, NY 10014
at 4th St.
646-486-2185

Other notable places for lobster rolls:
Pearl Oyster Bar
18 Cornelia St., New York, NY 10014
nr. Bleecker St.
212-691-8211
Owned by Rebecca Charles, who was Mary Redding's former girlfriend

Ed's Lobster Bar
222 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012
nr. Spring St.
212-343-3236
Owned by Ed McFarland, Rebecca Charles' former sous chef

The Mermaid Inn
96 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003
nr. 5th St.
212-674-5870

Curative and restorative Korean soup: the best sul-lung tang

When I am sick and feeling vulnerable, I crave one thing: a Korean beef broth called sul-lang tang. The best sul-lang tang in Manhattan can be found at Gahm Mi Oak in K-town. You'll find native Koreans and Manhattanites alike frequenting this 24 hour institution in search of an intense milky-white beef broth soup that is simmered several hours in a jumbo Korean iron vat: the Korean version of chicken soup. While perfect when ill, it is also curative for pre and post-hangovers.

The menu is limited and the specialty of the house is the sul-lung tang served with rice, thin slices of beef, and rice noodles. The soup is priced right at under $10.00 and includes a complimentary side of the best daikon/radish kimchee in the city.

Thank you to my friends, Adam and Stefas, who kindly brought me this soup at my time of need!

Gahm Mi Oak
43 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001
Phone: (212) 695-4113

With one of best friends from college, Stefas, visiting from San Francisco, I couldn't help but open a bottle of wine. I shouldn't be drinking but we tend to bring out the best and worst in each other. The 2003 Viader Dare Tempranillo is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Franc from Howell Mountain. This wine does not resemble Rioja and Ribera del Duero(despite being Ribera del Duero clonal material) tempranillos but is distinctly Californian. The Cab Franc, although limited in percentage, dominates and is forward. Note: A purple/garnet core color with a watery rim. Black spice, licorice, bell pepper, and plum on the nose. Very angular in the palate but opens with some time in the glass. Some of the fruit has already faded and the wine is disjointed. Medium acidity with short finish. Certainly interesting to try but would not rush to open another bottle. Abecela, in Southern Oregon, makes a another domestic tempranillo worth trying but for my money, I'll stick to Spain.