Kosher Critic: Mike's Bistro

It is a plus that so many kosher restaurants have stellar menus. But that makes it difficult to choose just a few items to try. That is why I love the growth of multiple course tasting menus that allow you to try a smaller quantity of a number of items. These menus succeed in providing a snapshot of a restaurant’s culinary style. One of the first kosher dining establishments to integrate a tasting selection on their menu was Mike’s Bistro on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
A comfortable but classic American Fusion style restaurant, the bistro is styled with raw brick and blond wood. The ambiance manages to strike the ever-important balance between high-end dining and friendly neighborhood restaurant. Mike’s provides plenty of elbowroom at its tables so that you never feel like your meal or company is overcrowding you. I sat down to my meal knowing that I would be eating the seven course tasting menu, and expecting a positive experience, what I didn’t expect was to be blown away by the food that Mike’s Bistro presented me with.
The small cup of porcini mushroom consommé tasted like a hot distilled essence of mushroom with an earthy depth of flavor that opened up that palate putting me in the mood to eat more I was then served a grilled watermelon and tomato salad with endives and balsamic. Though very different tasting, the sweetness of the balsamic, watermelon and tomato harmoniously combined the various elements in the dish. Next was a red snapper with a corn sauce and a sofrito of onion and pepper.
The fish had a crispy skin and perfectly flaky meat. The light flavors were enhanced by the addition of the corn sauce making this an amazingly light but flavorful dish. Three dishes in and I was cruising. The portion sizes were very manageable and the progression of dishes was well thought out so that it capitalized on what flavors the palate would want after each successive dish. Fourth in line was gnocchi with a chicken and duck confit and portabella mushrooms. The gnocchi was light and airy, soaking up the delicious flavor of the confit. This was by far my favorite Mike’s Bistro item. My first entree course consisted of an oven-roasted chicken breast served over beluga lentils and black truffles with a small side of English peas, baby corn and apple cider au jus. The chicken breast was impossibly moist, going perfectly with the earthy flavor of the lentils and the mild sweetness of the peas. Tying it all together was the mild acidity that came from the apple cider au jus. This was a truly amazing take on roast chicken and what made it even better was the knowledge that I would usually not order a chicken dish at a restaurant that serves red meat.
Having tried Mike’s Bistro’s oven roasted chicken breast however I will have to rethink the way I order the next time I go there. By course number six I didn’t even feel like slowing down. I was given a braised boneless short rib with sweet potato, kale and cilantro turnip sauce. The rib was cooked to perfection and literally melted in my mouth. Its flavor was sweet but robust and quite phenomenal. I particularly like the kale and an alternative to something more common like spinach but I did feel that the sweet potato felt a little redundant in both flavor and texture. The may also be because I am personally not the hugest fan of sweet potato. The meal concluded with a simple yet delicious mango sorbet and a fresh blueberry crunch. It was just the right amount of sweet to end the meal.
At the end of these seven courses I had a definite snap shot of what Mike’s Bistro’s food is all about. It’s about creating simple home-style dishes with elegance and sophistication. It makes all of the food have a comforting feel to it while maintaining an upscale personality. Mostly I was impressed that after seven courses I felt full but not so much that I was bursting at the seams. There was a particular attention given to insure that everything presented was done so with serious skill and thought as to complimentary flavor profiles and the consumers palate. Should you find yourself going to Mike’s Bistro I strongly urge you to call ahead and order the seven course-tasting menu. I also would recommend splurging the extra twenty dollars and including the wine paring with your tasting. If and when you go make sure to stop and say hello because I will definitely be their enthusiastically eating the gnocchi

Zechariah Mehler is a widely published food writer and expert in social marketing. Follow him on Twitter @thekoshercritic