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The final time I attempted chef Donata Orsi’s meals out at Rockaway Seashore it was someday throughout that blissful pre-pandemic summer time of 2019, at Thank You, the good cafe from Andrew Fields and Maribel Araujo. Orsi, who grew up in Tuscany, had beforehand labored with Yotam Ottolenghi in London, and Michael Anthony at Untitled right here in NYC, and introduced some severe chops to Seashore 116th, with an over-performing menu of easy breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes made terribly effectively.
Thank You did not survive COVID (Fields and Araujo shuttered the place final December, although they’re nonetheless working Tacoway Seashore and Caracas Arepas, respectively), however this summer time Orsi has a gig on the juice-and-smoothie stalwart La Fruteria, bringing the Seashore 97 concession crowd a brand new menu of sandwiches, salads, noodle bowls, and different delights. Every thing is vegan or vegetarian, and all excellent.
The dishes are a bit improvised, as Orsi typically sticks to the components already available for La Fruteria’s smoothies and such–kale, beets, carrots, apples, and avocados all make appearances–but you’re in exceptionally competent palms. It is like for those who visited a pal’s home, and so they stated “Oh, you are hungry? I will simply whip one thing up for you from stuff I’ve within the fridge,” and it turned out to be wonderful.
The Kale Salad, for instance, might not sound so thrilling, however throw in some beets, apples, and scallions, toss all of it with a tangy do-it-yourself tahini dressing, and–key ingredient alert–top it off with a bunch of corn nuts, and by some means you might have among the finest bowls of greens on the town. Similar for Orsi’s Chilly Noodles, to which she provides the precise correct amount of lime on high of the peanut sauce, and abruptly the usually-weighty dish is energetic and vibrant.
The sandwiches additionally all appear to have an sudden twist. The Beet Hummus appears fairly easy, and can be excellent even when nothing else have been added, however then there’s avocado for additional substance and creaminess, everything-bagel seasoning as a result of why not, and jalapeno for a welcome kick.
The Frittata Sandwich (the one non-vegan choice) takes Orsi’s already wonderful eggs, right here full of caramelized onion, after which livens up the get together with pickles and spicy mayo. And the Tofu Banh Mi… effectively there’s nothing actually difficult with this one, only a massive, full-flavored, satisfying sandwich. The rolls, by the way in which, are from Native Bread of East Williamsburg, and so they do their job effectively. A number of the cookies listed here are made by them, too.
Orsi additionally bakes, and for those who get there early sufficient to seize considered one of her gluten-free Oat Muffins full of seasonal jam (final week, strawberry), do not miss out. These function a stunning crunchy crumb on high, and the abundance of sticky, fruity filling makes it really feel virtually decadent. Wash all of it down with considered one of La Fruteria’s smoothies, just like the Pineapple Mango one pictured right here, and you’ve got a hearty, scrumptious breakfast certainly.
By the way in which, Orsi is returning to Tuscany within the fall, so this might be our final probability for some time to get correctly fed by this gifted chef. If 97th is close to your common spot on the seaside, positively make it a precedence to cease by quickly.
La Fruteria is situated on the Seashore 97th Road concessions on the Rockaway Seashore boardwalk, and is presently open from 8 a.m. to six p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekends (347-721-4610; @lafruterianyc)
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