Sam Sifton Had a Date With Blanca, a Bluefin Tuna Head, and Our Friend Paul

Former New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton sheds some light on Blanca, the new project from the Roberta's team that, compared to Roberta's, approaches eating from the other end of the food spectrum.

Sifton draws comparisons to Momofuku Ko and Brooklyn Fare, restaurants that share a similar vision.  At all three restaurants, Blanca included, the chefs only offer a tasting menu.  The dishes get served to guests seated around the kitchen, where they're able to watch chefs prepare a series of plates that get placed in front of them.  At Blanca, this happens around 20 times, at a pace Sifton defines as "measured and relentless."

Blanca is serving their $180 tasting menu four nights a week, Wednesday through Satruday, with one seating each night at 6pm.  It's an exclusive affair, one Mr. Mirarchi hopes to eventually expand to include a fifth night and two seatings.  Part of the price tag allows you to choose the soundtrack to your meal.  Records brought in from some of the owner's collections are on hand with a turntable, allowing guests to play what they want to hear.  The food, though, is all Mirarchi.

Our good friend Paul Tortora was there Saturday with his brother Jonathan.  Paul's the guy with the ponytail pictured under the tuna head, he's a (brilliant) wine rep for Rare Wine Co.  We asked him about dinner: "The meal, in a word, was dialed-in."