dining 101: the food sluts

#16 ABC Kitchen

Sugar snap pea salad with parmesan dressing and herbs $15

A delightfully crunchy combination of refreshing seasonal greens. A mound of shredded sweet sugar snap peas mixed with crunchy red endive. Muddled with flavorful parmesan crumbs, along with fresh chives, mint and other herbs. Tossed in a light, tart vinaigrette. A perfect late spring dish.

Steamed halibut with asparagus, tapenade and sorrel $29

A thick serving of steamed halibut, placed on a bed of sautéed asparagus and other tasty greens. The fish was perfectly cooked, melting into flaky mouthfuls of buttery flesh, accented with just the right amount of lemon zest. The thinly sliced asparagus was mixed with salty black olives, bringing bright farm-fresh flavors to the dish. Plated with a tart, slightly sour yet creamy sorrel sauce. An elegant and cohesive creation.

Strawberry honey shortcake with strawberry sorbet and buttermilk lemon sorbet $11

This classic dessert was a delicious medley of spring-summer flavors. As we learnt, shortcake is effectively a sweet biscuit: a crumbly, leavened bread.  For this version, the chef layered sugary-sweet, marinated strawberries with mild and spongy cake. The thinly sliced berries were garnished with luxurious whipped cream and, over time, the juice slowly seeped into the fluffy shortcake. Served with a cool buttermilk lemon sorbet and a rich red strawberry sorbet.

Over the course of this short meal, Chef Kluger provided an impressive assortment of tightly prepared, flavorful, seasonally appropriate dishes. The high-quality ingredients really shine through, always accented with interesting elements like sorrel sauce, lemon zest or simple sorbets. Don’t be deceived by the rustic décor and toned-down flatware, the food here is remarkably complex. If you can get a reservation (which is surprisingly tricky), you won’t be disappointed.

ABC Kitchen

35 E. 18^th St.

212-475-5829