Contra

For the past few nights I've been having a hard time trying to fall asleep. It wasn't related to the usual worries such as work, money or relationships. Nope, my sleepless nights have been due to my meal at Contra. Night after night, I've been trying to figure out the words to put together to attempt to explain how ridiculous the meal was. 

Let me start with Contra's menu. It's pretty simple, this is what we're making, it's 5 courses, it cost $55 and if you don't like it, eat dry white dog shit. We also have a pretty decent cocktail menu with drinks costing around $12 and they don't have any stupid fucking names like the "Bowery Blood Orangina" or the "Canal Street Dirty Water Dog." 

I had to eat at the ungodly hour of 7pm which was a nice change from the loudness you usually get later in the night. I was seated towards the back with a great view of an open kitchen which seemed more like a zen dojo. No clacking pans, no yelling "fire blah blah blah all day long" bullshit you usually hear out of an open kitchen. The menu for the day was laid out on the table and here's what I got. 

First Course: Scallop, kohlbari, celery: I fucking hate celery. I wouldn't eat celery if it was deep fried in chocolate sauce and served off of Beyonce's ass. I manned up and ate it and loved every minute of it. The scallop was tender, tons of flavor and a nice balance of acidity, every few bites I was getting a mix of sweet pear which made this dish hit every note in my palate. My favorite dish of the night.

  
Second Course: Monk fish, onion, spigarello. When the plate hit my table it was so beautiful, I wasn't sure if I should eat it or have it hanging in my den. The monk fish was perfectly cooked with a nice smokey char flavor. The spigarello was crisp, along with the bulbs of an onion filled with a foam that I couldn't quite figure out the flavor of. 

Third Course: Chicken boudin, turnip with a smear of blood sausage on the side. A tender piece of chicken breast with a perfectly crispy skin topped with maybe the most perfect tasting pickled turnips I've ever had. 

  
Fourth Course: Tangerine, popcorn. Out of the five dishes this one was my least favorite. I really couldn't make the connection between the popcorn and tangerine. 

  
Fifth course: Hazelnut ganache, topped with yoghurt sprinkled with beet powder. It was layer after layer of flavor. I am not big on desserts but eating this was like eating an orgasm while driving a Buggati. 

 

The tasting menu game is heating up in NYC and with a fuck ton of options, I put Contra at the top of my list. Yes the portions were small and if you break down the math you're averaging $11 a dish - but what's a few dollars when it comes to great food? 

Contra 
138 Orchard street,New York, NY 10002 
www.contranyc.com