Brainy small plates and a brawny prawn pot pie at Confidant - Review - New York - The Infatuation
"Buttery hamachi and rosy pink roast duck are probably not the images your brain conjures to go with the words “Industry City.” Confidant, a concrete-cladded space that’s one of Industry City’s first full-service restaurants, is here to change that, with funky, subtly creative, and seasonal New American food. It's a familiar concept for anyone who has ever heard the phrase "small plates," but the open kitchen here pumps out some very refreshing ones, plus several excellent bigger dishes too. photo credit: Lucas Goldman Confidant’s two chefs met while working at Roberta’s, a place we love because of how they play with norms. Their Bee Sting pizza with soppressata, honey, and chili oil was revolutionary when it debuted, and feels iconic now. At Confidant, almost every dish also has something a bit unexpected, whether it’s a nice pop of fruity freshness underneath that kampachi, or a little layer of crunch from puffed rice in their chicory salad. photo credit: Andrew Bui But it's not all leaves and dainty fish bits. Everything made with flour here is expertly done, from the mini loaves of sourdough that come with soft, sweet butter, to the domed puff topping on the prawn pot pie: a tender, buttery counterpoint to the savory, slightly briny stewed prawns hidden underneath. An early dinner at Confidant can be a little too quiet, with nothing but the sounds of ’90s boom bap and crunching sourdough loaf in your ears. But you don’t come for an extravagant night here where people dance on the tables. Instead, head here for a date, or a casual hang with friends who use the words “flavor profile” regularly, and wow them with plate after plate of thoughtfully deployed in-season vegetables and proteins. Food Rundown Bread And Butter A miniature loaf of bread is how you should start your meal at Confidant. The butter is sweet and creamy, and the bread moist and full of sourdough flavor. photo credit: Will Hartman Tuna Prosciutto We’ve had a lot of preserved fish, but this might be the best. This cured yellowtail tuna is the only one that actually mimics the dark, smooth texture that pork gets when it sits on a shelf in Parma for several months, earning its prosciutto name—but with a distinct fish flavor. Get it. photo credit: Andrew Bui Trout Mousse Served on seeded rye sourdough toast, the mousse is creamy with just a little bit of smoked fish funk, and topped with trout roe. If you like whitefish on a bagel, you’ll like this. photo credit: Charlie Chalkin Chicory Salad This salad is crunch on crunch from fresh, bitter chicories and puffed rice. It’s a refreshing, light order, and it’s not too heavy on the roasted allium and black pepper dressing. photo credit: Will Hartman Hawaiian Kanpachi Crudo Our favorite thing about this crudo is the tiny brunoise-cut pieces of oranges and pickled radish that each piece of luscious kanpachi is draped over. Eat each piece with a spoon so you don’t miss out on any of those crunchy pops of flavor. photo credit: Will Hartman Steak Tartare If you’re going to serve your steak tartare in the shape of a Longhorn, it had better be impressive. This tartare is forgettable—but the crackers it’s served with are quite nice. It’s a pretty down the middle offering that you should only get if you really need raw beef this very instant. photo credit: Will Hartman Prawn Pot Pie This is the dish to get here. Rich with fish stock and thickened with velouté, the small chunks of perfectly cooked prawns act as little bombs of juicy, savory goodness. And that puff pastry topper? Handsome and buttery. photo credit: Charlie Chalkin Golden Tilefish While the vegetables around their fish changes with the seasons (we tried some spring charred English peas), the core of this dish is luxurious, buttery tilefish or monkfish, depending on the night. The skin has the texture of a tostada, and the consommé it’s served with is mounted with acid and herbs. photo credit: Will Hartman Crown Of Duck If you’re here with a few people, get this crown of duck. First of all, it looks gorgeous—the rosy pink breast slices are arranged like a sunburst around a crunchy fresh parsnip salad with the legs confited. And it’s delicious. Perfectly cooked, with sweet, lacquered skin, it’s a great dish to go two-or-three ways on. photo credit: Andrew Bui" - Will Hartman
