New Menus at Scarpetta, The JakeWalk, Dokebi
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<p>Maybe Scarpetta's not the "best" restaurant in New York (we haven't eaten at<em> all </em>of them!) but it's definitely our favorite. They just do so many things perfectly over there at the old Village Idiot space on West 14th; from chef Scott Conant's phenomenal pastas to the warm, relaxed atmosphere and the attentive yet intuitive service. We're not alone; critics adore the place too, and Conant's baby goatâbraised with potatoes and peas, known as caprettoâwas just named the <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/bestof/2009/award/best-goat-1436571/">best in NYC</a> by the Village Voice. </p><p></p>Tonight <a href="http://www.scarpettanyc.com/">Scarpetta</a> launches a five-course tasting menu, which costs $80 per person, or $120 with wine pairings. Not cheap, but so worth it. A table of two can start dinner with a duo of crudo & fritto misto followed by a choice of three hot appetizers, three different pastas and then two main courses, finishing with a selection of three desserts. The menu will change nightly, but tonight includes a crudo option of tuna "susci," marinated vegetables, preserved truffles; and a pasta choice such as agnolotti dal plin filled with mixed meat & fonduta, mushrooms & parmigiano.
<a href="http://www.thejakewalk.com">The JakeWalk</a>, that welcoming, Prohibition-era cocktail lounge in Carroll Gardens, is introducing its Cold Weather menu this week, with new food items and cocktails. (Don't worry, it <em>will </em>get cold again <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/10/21/warm_and_warmerer.php">soon</a>!) These include a Pepperoncini Braised Pork Sandwich (stuffed with roasted potatoes and Zamorano cheese, $12), Baked Mac & Cheese (with lamb chopper cheese and panko, $10), Chicken Pot Pie ($12), and Venison Sausage Sandwich (pickled sweet pepper chutney, spiced turmeric aioli and braised purple onion, $12). There's also seasonal cheese and chocolate fondue, changing weekly. <p></p>But you can't count on hot cheese alone to warm you up! The JakeWalk's "hot" new cocktail menu includes the Empress Josephine (a mixture of Sweet Vermouth, White Rum, and Egg Whites), and Hierba Azul (Rye, Reposado Mezcal, Agave Syrup, Peychaudâs Bitters). We're told the latter "combines the upfront spice of rye with a smokey and salty Mezcal finish," but we're <em>definitely</em> going to have to verify that for ourselves. Both cocktails cost $9, a notable markdown from similar quality cocktails across the river at places like PDT.
<p>Meanwhile, in Williamsburg, an excited rep from <a href="http://www.korean-bbq-brooklyn.com">Dokebi</a> tells us that the spacious Korean BBQ restaurant is "now serving Korean style tacos!!!!! and Korean style brunch!!!!" Honestly, we've never had Korean style tacos before, but considering how many exclamation points are deployed here, they must be transcendent!!!!! </p><p></p>The new tacos, which are "available IN OUR BAR!!!!!!!" range in price from $2.50 to $3, and come on corn tortillas with Korean bbq sauce. Options include Pork Belly (Braised Berkshire pork belly set over sesame leaf), Spicy Mushroom (Organic giant oyster and button mushrooms), and Sushi grade tuna chorizo. For $2.50, there's also a spicy, "all natural" fried tofu taco. Or, rather, a SPICY TOFU TACO!!!!!<p></p>Weekend brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and features such options as Hot Stone Pork & Grits (Braised Berkshire pork belly set over a bed of Anson Millsâ organic grits with a sunny-side-up egg and country gravy served in a sizzling stone bowl, $14), KimChee Fried Rice Omelet (Kimchee fried rice with onions, red pepper and broccoli wrapped in an egg blanket, topped off with picante verde and kimchee, $12), and Huevos Koreanos (Chulâs three bean chili, jasmine rice, two corn tortillas, jack cheese and 2 eggs over-easy topped off with avocados, picante rojo & verde, kimchee and chipotle crema, $14).