Professor Gourmand — November 2023

I had reservations Wednesday and Thursday, but my bottle of Braulio arrived Wednesday, so off to Boneyard I went to see what Ethan could do with it. We started with a Negroni of sorts: Braulio, Plymouth Gin, Select Aperitivo, Sweet Vermouth and a touch of Cascadia, Yes, yes and yes, and I was almost finished when my deviled eggs came. LUSH Deviled eggs, at that. As I was waiting for the salmon, Ethan made me a highball with Braulio, Genepe, a French liqueur, eucalyptus bitters and soda. Delicious. With the salmon, Ethan made me a boulevardier with Braulio, Michter’s Rye, Plymouth Gin and Campari with a teeny bit of sweet vermouth to even it out, DEE-FUCKING-Licious. I waited until it was just Ethan, Alexis, Fred and me to leave. Just like old times, only three hours earlier. And Ethan is ordering his own bottle of Braulio — I guess I’m finally an influencer.

The next night, I showed up at Redbird at 8, half an hour early, apparently without a reservation. So off to B13–14, my old seats, for a REAL Brooklyn Negroni — Appleton 12, Amaro Meletti, Tio Pepe Sherry -which I nursed until 8:30 when my reservation would have been. They told me Jon said I should order the clams (I wondered when this might have happened) and, well, when he says so, of course. Manila Clams, 10 of them, with house kimchi, pork belly, glass noodles, crispy shallots, and what I think were cardoons [they weren’t celery]). Neil came over while I was working on them and asked, and I said yes, and he said that’s what his wife said, so, yes, absolutely. With it, I drank a glass of the 2022 Domaine les…