Eatery

I give a lot of credit to restaurants who are successful at delivering exactly what they promise, provided it’s a decent idea and they keep the focus on the food. Eatery in Hell’s Kitchen keeps it real with a menu where you can understand all the words and wouldn’t be surprised to find any of the dishes as leftovers in your mom’s fridge.

All pretense was brushed aside in the creation of this comfort-food-heavy self-described “New American” where menu items recall childhood flavors and textures such as “Mac and Jack,” the unofficial house entrée topped with frizzled onions. I don’t know if I really agree with the “New American” tag, seeing as how our Moms have been making a lot of the dishes for generations and the influences are less “American” and more “hodgepodge of delicious flavors from all over the globe.”

The shrimp spring rolls were piping hot, which conveniently matched the black sesame dipping sauce that left tongues-a-blazing. I couldn’t really pick out the flavors of the individual ingredients inside – shrimp, banana, and eggplant – but I can say that the combination after being deep fried was a heavenly mess.

The white cheddar sauce atop the just-like-your-momma’s meatloaf was a tasty saving grace glazing the fairly bland loaf. The buttermilk mashed potatoes are definitely not Weight Watchers-approved, but pretty delicious and creamy.

The pork tenderloin was something that would have been acceptable for leftovers out of Mom’s fridge, but I expected more flavor from something professionally prepared. If I didn’t know the side was made of spuds, I’d have sworn the potato gratin was actually lasagna. Super cheesy. Super thin slices of potato, and super delish. Game on.

If you like fried, sweet, and delicious desserts, the churros served with tres leches sauce are a must-have. I’d actually come back just to have them.

The vibe is trendy casual; again, not trying to be something it’s not, but staying true to being a solid neighborhood choice at prices that won’t break the bank.

A lot of people might describe a rite of passage in domesticity as successfully recreating your mother’s meatloaf, and by that measure, Eatery has passed the test.

LOCATION: 798 Ninth Avenue (53rd St.)

COST: ~$30 per person

WINNERS: inventive cocktails, good value, tres leches churros

LOSERS: the website doesn’t list a chef’s name, which creeps me out a little. Is my mother secretly employed here?

Casellula

This neighborhood wine-and-cheese emporium lives up to its top billing as a grown-up smorgasbord of all the things your mom told you not to eat too much of as a kid: meat, cheese, and, most importantly, booze.

The restaurant has no formal kitchen, but instead some high-powered toaster ovens and an arsenal of premium ingredients prepared by a creative kitchen. This 25-seat Hell’s Kitchen staple is at capacity most nights, but it’s worth the wait to score a seat at this still under-the-radar gastronomic gem.

The cheese selection is staggering, with a seasonal rotation of more than fifty fresh, bloomy, pressed, washed-rind, and blue cheeses in service daily. Veteran fromager Tia Keenan impeccably pairs accoutrements such as dried and fresh fruits, chocolates, and nuts with each offering and is happy to prepare a tasting course for faithful fromaggies.

The selection of three, five, or eight meats is a sweet and spicy journey through Spanish, French, and Italian influences and a perfect warm-up act for the most remarkable item on the menu, the Pig’s Ass Sandwich. Loaded with braised pork shoulder, cheddar, pickles, and a just-spicy-enough stone ground mustard, this sophisticated ham and cheese delivers a mouthful of nostalgic familiarity.

The wine menu by the bottle is vast, but the small number of selections by the glass is a little disappointing for a wine bar. However, the restaurant does staff tastings often, and if he’s feeling saucy, owner Brian Keyser may be convinced to open a bottle early for a discriminating patron.

I’d like to make special mention of the Beehive Cheese Company’s “Barely Buzzed” offering, rubbed with coffee and lavender for the sole purpose of helping increase its popularity and helping to keep in on the menu when in season. It’s one of the best combinations of flavor and texture I’ve ever laid tongue on, and, in my humble opinion, one of the most interesting and unique cheeses I’ve ever tasted.

You’re better off just saying no to the dessert menu, if only because the selections are so impeccable it’s hard to pick just one. I once saw a table of six women order three consecutive servings of the chocolate cake, suggestively served with a carafe of fresh cream poured over the top.

Get in while you can – this cheese mecca won’t stay a secret for long.

LOCATION: 401 W. 52nd St.

COST: ~ $25

WINNERS: Pig’s Ass Sandwich, Barely Buzzed, cheese selection

LOSERS: good luck getting a seat