Food and Things » West Branch

Upper West Side: West Branch Closes

Laura Weiss — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:42:23 +0000

Photo: West Branch

Grub Street reports that Chef Tom Valenti’s West Branch has closed. When it first opened, I craved their vitello tonnato, that luscious chilled veal with tuna sauce classic. Then the place seemed to go steadily down hill. Wonder what will wind up in that space?

Food Away: The Best Fish and Chips This Side of the Pond

Laura Weiss — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:00:55 +0000

I’m not much fish and chips fan. In my experience, it’s more like fish and grease. So a couple of weekends ago, when we stopped at Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock in New London, CT on our way back from Boston to New York, I ordered the lobster roll instead. Still, Roadfood, a site I rely on for road food picks whenever we travel, said the fish and chips ($9.95 including excellent fries and slaw) at Captain Scott’s was outstanding. So I dove into my hubby’s fish and chips to see what all the fuss was about.

This was fish and chips like no other. Perfectly crisp and golden on the outside with a buttery finish. Tender and most on the inside. What’s the secret? Hot oil is a must. Plus, “we change the it a lot,” said the server manning the counter that runs along the front of the ramshackle fish shack. Cod is the fish of choice, she informed me. (If you’re not a fried fish fan, try the lobster roll for $13.95. It’s prepared Connecticut style, made with melted butter instead of mayo. Personally, I like the traditional recipe better. There’s also a fish market for purchasing seafood to take home.)

There can’t be a better fish and fries plate than this New London rendition—not even in old London. (West Branch on the Upper West Side has a pretty good version.) But don’t go for the atmosphere. There are picnic tables for devouring your grub, but you probably won’t want to linger very long. For a bit of maritime atmosphere, look to the few dozen pleasure boats tied up adjacent to the picnic area. Otherwise, the view consists of rusting lobster traps, a dreary parking lot, and thundering Amtrak trains hurtling by every few minutes.

If you’re taking the ferry from New London to Orient or Block Island, Captain Scott’s is just a stone’s throw away. The place is open from April through October.

Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock
80 Hamilton St.
New London, CT

860 439 1741

West Branch Satisfies Upper West Side Bistro Needs

Laura Weiss — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:58:20 +0000

I’ve never been a huge fan of Ouest, Tom Valenti’s celebrated Upper West Side eatery. So my expectations for West Branch, his new bistro situated at 77th and Broadway, were pretty muted.

But, boy, was I pleasantly surprised!

Celeriac

This is a great addition to the Upper West Side dining scene. For the price, the food can’t be beat.

The menu is a mix of inventive bistro fare–burgers, beet salad, pastas and the like–and some refreshed standards that don’t show up very often on today’s menus. These include items like the classic chilled veal dish, vitello tonnato; celeriac remoulade with country ham and baguette; and sauteed calves liver and sweetbreads with bacon and onion.

If you’re in a mood for nostalgia foods, you can’t go wrong with the vitello tonnato; the meat was exceptionally tender and was glazed with just the right amount of piquant tuna sauce. Celeriac is another old standard that doesn’t get a lot of play these days. (“It’s such a great dish,” gushed the waiter about this root vegetable. “No one ever orders it.”) Valenti prepares it with with a light binding of mayonaise; it was refreshing and delicious.

There are decently-priced wines by the glass and the service was efficient and friendly. Don’t go to West Branch, though, for a cozy tete-a-tete; the nose level is pretty unforgiving.

West Branch

2178 Broadway
New York, NY
212 777 6764