Annisa Revisited (New York, NY)

13 Barrow Street

New York, NY 10014-3823
(212) 741-6699

I hate to make this comparison, since Annisa isn't actually derivative of any other restaurant. In fact, it has such a strong, distinctive voice that it probably ought to serve as a measure for others. Annisa is not yet as well known, however, so I'll describe it this way: It's a bit like Le Bernardin, but with a higher ratio of non-seafood mains and no dress code.  

There are few restaurants in New York City that serve such consistently high-quality, well-cooked seafood. Non-seafood preparations at Annisa are strong as well, but in my mind, this restaurant stands out for its respectful treatment of very fresh fish.

Our pre-Christmas family meal didn't disappoint. A Spanish mackerel crudo with orange, rapini and black mustard seed (left) included mackerel that was lightly dressed to allow the very fresh fish to take center stage. Interestingly, it came atop a bed of guacamole, a combination I found surprising and slightly jarring, but ultimately enjoyable. The dish reminded me a little bit of certain ceviches, with its avocado and citrus components.

The barbecued squid with Thai basil and fresh peanuts (pictured at the top of the post) was a delightful balance of sweet, salty, crunchy and tender. Slightly sweet, very tender squid contrasted with the characteristic bite of fresh peanuts and fresh, shelled edamame.

Members of our party also ordered the braised wild boar belly with unagi, daikon and apple (left) and the restaurant's signature seared foie gras with soup dumplings and jicama (below). I didn't try either dish, but the dining companions who'd ordered them ate them enthusiastically.

We had a light, young 2009 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett with our appetizers, a very easy-drinking, straightforward white whose peachy, apricoty notes went nicely with the squid and mackerel. 

My main of sautéed filet of wild striped bass with creamed kohlrabi and bacon was outright charming. The fish was of course pristinely fresh and perfectly cooked, with nicely crisped skin. Pureed kohlrabi added a slightly sweet, vegetal note to brighten the dish, while delicately cooked, diced potatoes topped with crispy crumbles of bacon distinguished this as a winter-time comfort food, pretty nigh impossible to dislike. 

A few years earlier, Long Island Duck with cashews, papaya and three herbs probably would have just been called "duck three ways" on the menu. It included (1) rare, tender, seared duck breast served with (2) luxuriously rich duck broth spiked with five spice, delicious tidbits of duck meat (including a bit of heart, whose firm, chewy texture I adore) and boiled peanuts, and (3) duck rillette that included what I think was dark thigh meat and a  touch of duck liver. I'm not sure that (2) and (3) will appeal to everyone, but they're delightful preparations for those of us who like the nasty bits and aren't afraid of a little fat. All three components of the plate were thoughtfully matched. Although the "____ three ways" presentation has become rather tired and trite in New York City, this was a non-contrived combination whose logic more closely recalled Hainan chicken rice (a beautiful street hawker dish that includes broth, rice cooked in broth and chicken meat) than the sort of ostentatious haute cuisine where everyone and their mother is presented three ways.  

Grilled sea scallops with loofah and sea urchin featured fresh, sweet, tender scallops and thinly sliced loofah (a vegetable commonly used in Chinese, Vietnamese and other Asian cuisines), garnished with mung bean vermicelli noodles. I did not have a taste of the uni sauce by itself and the flavor of uni did not come through clearly when eaten with the other ingredients. The scallops were wonderful, but I wouldn't have minded a more assertive uni component. It's uni season and it's a shame to obfuscate the flavor of the good stuff if you've got it. 

We had a truly wonderful bottle of 2007 Francis Tannahill ‘Dragonfly’ Gewurztraminer with our mains. It was much more complex than the riesling kabinett (and only a smidgen pricier), with a huge floral nose featuring rose, other flowers and lychee. I thought it was a big enough wine to take on even the duck. 

For dessert, our party ordered the tower of caramelized banana and peanut butter with coconut sauce (right; picture taken after one bite); a tasting of chocolate and malted desserts; and poppyseed bread and butter pudding with Meyer lemon curd, to share. I only had a few tastes here and there, since I was pretty stuffed at this point. The banana tower was a bit busy and had more components than I knew what to do with. Bananas weren't ripe and had a slightly sour note. I actually enjoyed the slight acidity and astringency because it cut the sweetness of the other desserts I tried, but probably others would prefer a ripe banana. The bite of coconut sauce I had was pleasantly not-too-sweet.

The chocolate tasting (left) included a cute, upside-down mini bubble tea-looking dessert, which actually turned out to be a very sweet malted milkshake concoction with tiny floating crispy chocolate balls; some chocolate mousse, which paired pleasantly with a square of malt crumble; and I think a chocolate cake, which I didn't taste. I also didn't try the bread pudding (below), but it was fragrant and moist. The accompanying Meyer lemon curd was delicious.  

Compared to other restaurants of this caliber, the desserts at Annisa are fair, but not really noteworthy. On all matters savory, however, this kitchen is one I've learned to trust. It consistently sources excellent ingredients, including pristine seafood of a quality uncommon even in the New York City. It prepares these perfect ingredients in a way that highlights their quality. Flavor combinations are often unusual and thought provoking, and sometimes they are jarring. But this is a telltale sign of a creative kitchen that isn't afraid to push boundaries just a little bit -- and I think that is a very good thing.