****** (6 out of 10)
As of today, a Google search for “Roasted Chicken” yields about 9,260,000 results. A rather staggering figure if you consider the results for the following searches:
- Brownies – 7,600,000
- Roasted turkey – 6,230,000
- French fries – 4,680,000
- Cheeseburger – 3,140,000
- Chocolate chip cookies – 3,120,000
- Filet mignon – 1,800,000
- Grilled cheese – 1,640,000
And, just to cover all bases:
- Ninja assassin – 8,410,000
- Pablo Picasso – 3,850,000
- Tears for Fears – 2,320,000
- Steven Seagal – 1,490,000
I think you get the picture. My point is that roasted chicken is, at once, both ubiquitous and, judging by the number of recipes included in those nine million-plus hits, one of the most complicated items to cook – and get right – any chef or novice alike could ever take on.
I’m sure a number of chefs have overlooked including a roasted chicken on his or her menu due to a misguided sense of refinement, however, I owe a lot of that resistance – whether the chef will admit to it or not – to fear. I believe that the truest test of any cook’s might is not in the elaborate but in prevailing over this small yet potentially delicious poultry. However, like slaying a dragon, many more fail than succeed; most return home scorched, happy to allow others to try their best in their stead.
Yet, for such an uncomplicated assignment, there is more to it than that. To win over the fowl just once, twice, even a dozen times is not enough, rather to excel at it is the ultimate victory, garnering with it both praise and envy. For all of these reasons, including roasted chicken on a menu is one of the cockiest moves any chef could make. Consequently, Andrew Carmellini, executive chef of the Robert DeNiro-owned Locanda Verde in TriBeCa, may just have the biggest ego in the city…and rightly so.
It would seem that the perfectly cooked roasted chicken needs to be a number of things at the same time and the most successful of roasted chickens seem to carry a number of common traits. Seasoning is a must; salt and pepper – rosemary is a common go-to, too – must rival even the most dominant of other ingredients. Citrus is next; the most superlative of roasted chicken dishes, in my opinion at least, include an element, though seemingly unbeknownst to most home cooks, of lemon or orange, that adds a pungency and moistness that makes up one of the most memorable elements of the dish. From here, the point is to stay simple, getting too ambitious or taking too many risks most often do not pay off. Rather, heavy doses of common favorites like garlic and onions – in Mr. Carmellini’s case, carrots, mushrooms and roasted peppers, too – add both to the rustic feel of the dish and, of course, the flavor.
Fire-Roasted Garlic Chicken for Two
That’s it. Seriously.
Locanda’s fire-roasted garlic chicken for two easily is the most enjoyable dish on the menu and may be the finest roast chicken in the city – and, for me, makes for a close second to my all time favorite: Hamersleys Bistro in Boston. It is dripping with flavor (and, I’ll admit, a fair amount of oil too). There is far too much garlic than is socially acceptable, which I was grateful for, and was curious how popular this dish could be for the business lunch crowd from nearby Greenwich Street. Finally, as you can see above, as a dish for two it comes served on a platter, a mass of contorted poultry that is somewhere between bistro chic and carrion. Who cares though, this chicken is ridiculous!
I honestly could fill another two pages about this chicken, and roasted chicken in general, but I’d be remiss not to briefly delve into some of the other standouts.
The meal went by, almost unnecessarily so, in a blur from seating to ordering: cicchetti (or ‘small plates’), antipasti, pasta, secondi, & dolci. A quick glance around the lofty, sepia-toned space at 9:30 this past Friday night revealed some empty tables, which made me question further the speedy, are-you-done-yet? service.
The cicchetti we ordered were smart and delicious. Notably, the blue crab crostini with jalapeños and tomato (an order brings two, two-biters) was thankfully absent the fishyness that sometimes plagues the crustaceans, and the hot pepper and tomato added a hint of depth that made me consider ordering another. The fresh – and by fresh I mean imported, perhaps even that morning – Sheeps’ milk ricotta is the most simple of appetizers I’ve had in recent memory but nonetheless one of the most delicious. Aware of the standalone strength of the cheese, Mr. Carmellini simply plops a hearty dollop of it on a wooden serving dish, adds sea salt and some dried herbs and accompanies it with charred focaccia toast. I cannot begin to tell you how wondrous a combination the cheese is with the carbon-filled char of the bread, I’ll simply say that we ordered more of the bread.
Sheeps' Milk Ricotta with sea salt and herbs
For antipasti, the lone order was a delicious one: warm mushroom salad that, along with a light toss of oil, came with a poached farm egg which, when broken, emulsified slightly and became a rich coating for the friseé and mushrooms.
Admittedly, we took little risk with the pasta orders. When a chef calls out a dish and allows for a window into its genesis, often times a favorite from childhood or a borrowed, ‘secret’ family recipe, it seems only wise to order it, and so “My Grandmothers’ Ravioli” was a no brainer.
Just Like Grandma Used to Make
A house-made ravioli filled with pork and covered with vine-fresh tasting ragu and fresh parmesan was more delicate than its hearty, old world name would imply, but it still happily matched or exceeded expectations. The other pasta choice, made mostly because of our vegetarian dining companion’s love of pumpkin, an agnolotti (a kind of ravioli) with brown butter, sage and amaretti. Sage is one of those flavors that instantly makes you think of fall, stuffing and foliage, and it is easily the best herbal companion to autumnal vegetables. The dish made for cozy, come-in-from-the-cold enjoyment, much like the setting around us.
Pumpkin Agnolotti with Brown Butter, Sage and Amaretti
All told, Locanda Verde has an enjoyable vibe that’s a combination of sceney and approachable, which makes for a welcomed departure from the somewhat sterile if not deserted environs of this part of the city. Opened for less than a year now, the restaurant is still growing, working out the kinks that all restaurants do in their first year and, I’m sure, getting better. The roasted chicken, however, needs no improvement.
******
(out of 10)
