Alpha bird
Best Thanksgiving eve bars, Kinjo, truffle season, Time and Tide, dry brine, Friday Galettes, MORE
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WORK • Tuesday Routine
Rising tide
DANNY GARCIA • executive chef & partner • Time and Tide
Neighborhood you work in: Flatiron
Neighborhood you live in: Carroll Gardens
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
First, I’m chatting with the finance team, then contemplating my daily fish pickup at our new restaurant Time and Tide, which opened a month ago. I buy our fish every day, and yesterday’s price is never the same as today’s. Buying our fish daily helps us be efficient while maintaining high standards for quality, but it’s hard to not zero in on what I’m spending on each type of fish day to day. Then, I’m headed to the kitchen. As soon as I get in, I’m immediately taking inventory of where we’re at with prep and figuring out what we need to get moving on.
What’s on the agenda for today?
I’m starting on bigger projects like prepping our halibut pithivier and breaking down the big fish we have on the menu — swordfish and hiramasa. In some ways these fish are our biggest gambles. We age the swordfish and hiramasa, so I’m always trying to nail down the best time to buy them. I need to ensure they’re aged enough without overdoing it; if we age them too long, the product won’t be the quality we want anymore.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Kal (Time and Tide’s general manager) and I just went to Bridges. It was great — Kal and I worked with Nick Mouchel for a long time, and it was awesome to see him thrive in his own environment. The grilled king crab was so delicious. We also loved the comté tart with chanterelles. In the best way, it’s the type of dish you eat and immediately want to fall asleep.
I’m looking forward to checking out our neighbor Brass. Since we’re a seafood-focused take on a steakhouse, I’m excited to see their interpretation of a more classic version.
How about a little leisure or culture this week?
My wife Sumaiya and I hit the Carroll Gardens Farmers Market every Sunday. My go-to vendor is Halal Pastures. Diane and Summer are amazing people. I love seeing them every week. We also spend a lot of time walking the Brooklyn Promenade.
I’m also a big tea person. Sumaiya and I do tea ceremonies almost every night. It’s a great way to decompress. Kettl is one of my favorite spots to pick up Japanese tea. If I’m not in the mood for that, I’ll go to Yemen Cafe. They know me there, so I can walk in, they hand me a tea, and I walk out. It’s so good, I usually finish it by the time I’m at the end of the block.
What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
I’m always at Caputo’s Bakery in Carroll Gardens. Genuinely, I’m there way too often. If you go, grab some epi bread and an olive loaf. That’s my perfect order.
BARS • The Nines
Bars, night before Thanksgiving with friends
