88 newyork| november11–24, 2019
scratchpadThespaceandglitzyvibearen’tforeveryone,
butif you’re inthemarketforposh,often
very goodChinesecookinginmidtown,you
coulddoworse.bitesIDEALMEAL:Dimsumsampler, koushui
chicken,Hutonglobsterand/orRedLantern
soft-shellcrab,mala beeftenderloin,
FourSeasonsbeanswithporkandshrimp,
white-chocolate“bao.”NOTE:Thekitchen
offershalfa Pekingduckforthefairly
reasonablepriceof$45, andif LaTâche
is a littleabove yourpricerange,there are
27 otherredBurgundiestochoose
fromonthewell-stockedtrophy-winelist.
OPEN:Lun ES:
Appetizers, o $84.decade or two, has been the defaulttrendy
cuisine not just here in New Yorkbutin
international dining capitals like Beijing,
Tokyo, and Shanghai. Our Pekingduck
was perfectly acceptable as far assweet-
sauced, conveyor-belt versions ofPeking
duck go, but if you feel like dropping
upwards of $70 on a single dish, I recom-
mend the Hutong lobster, which isfried
in tender little nuggets and tossedina
fragrant bouquet of chiles, blackbeans,
and frizzled garlic. The festive soft-shell-
crab dish called Red Lantern packsa
similar punch, as do other spicy, Sichuan-
accented creations like the excellentmala
beef tenderloin, the giant crispy kungpo
prawns, and the wok-fried Sanchenspiced
chicken tossed with cumin, plentyofstar
anise, and more dried chiles.
In the tradition of behemothinter-
national dining franchises everywhere,
none of this grub comes very cheap(nine
of the 13 entrées cost over $39 orwell
above), and the various ancillary charges
that tend to accrue during the courseof
a proper Chinese banquet (plattersof
the chef’s rather ordinary fried rice,
numerous noodle options, that extra
bottle of La Tâche ’14 for $3,630)
have a way of piling up if you’re not
careful. Not that profligacy and over-
spending seem to bother the crowds
of business folk and moneyed gastro-
nauts pushing their way into Hutong
these days. If you happen to havea few
spare dollars on hand after thesavory
dishes are cleared away, however,try
the elegant, salty-sweet white-chocolate
“bao” (the mousse-stuffed chocolateis
molded into the shape of a traditional
bao tze), which is a rarity in the annalsof
Chinese cooking—a decent dessert.
the dishTripla Cone With PannaIf there’s one word that sums up Hallie Meyer’s ice creams at Caffè
Panna, it is extra. Extra sweet, extra salty, extra rich, extra fresh,
extra chewy, extra crunchy, but somehow just a millimeter shy of too
much. In a realm of established formulas, she has created a place
and a menu that feel new. Of the ten flavors, half change daily, and
the element of surprise extends to the two composed sundaes that
are here today, gone tomorrow (and memorialized on Instagram).
Texture is a trademark: Meyer (daughter of Danny) is a mix-ins
maven whose approach descends spiritually from Steve Herrell, the
’70s-era visionary who first folded crunchy candy into smooth ice
cream. Where Meyer departs from the script is in her chef-y ten-
dencies. Instead of using M&M’s or Heath bars, she makes her own
chocolate ganache and graham brittle and cannoli crunch, and what
she doesn’t make (Sicilian-pistachio paste, sweet-potato buns, fruit
jams from family friend Joyce Goldstein) she sources
impeccably. You can taste her enthusiasm on
your cone and see it in the eyes and smiles of
her staff, who mightbe
the happiest ice-cream
scoopers known to
super premium history.
r.r. & r.p.On the menu
at Caffè Panna; $10;
77 Irving Pl.,
at 19th St.;
no phoneThe namesake panna is
whipped from the cream
of Piemontese cows.Chocolate’s
highestpurposeis
sorbet,believes
Meyer, who
sourcesbars from
AmanoinUtah.Sorbet made with
apples picked at the
Meyer-family home
in Connecticut.Pumpkin-maple
ice cream is
crunchified with
pecans and
pecan brittle.Meyer ma elle-style
cones fr -tongue
cookie-dough batter. PHOTOGRAPH: STELLA BLACKMON/NEW YORK MAGAZINE