I was asked to cater a press preview for Palladium boots, (makers of the iconic, rubber soled French Paratrooper boots that are back with a fashion vengence!) at the subMercer - a secret-ish little bar beneath the Mercer Hotel (get it? subMercer?). If you've never been, try this: stumble through the hotel lobby, then down to the restaurant, then past the bathrooms, past the door guy and through the wine cellar...maybe if you act like you know what you're doing you can get in! Celebs and NYC players love it for its down low ambiance, sleek and dark design, and maybe for the private corner with a stirpper pole? Trust me, it's cool.
To suit the boots and the venue, I tried to keep things cool, classic and delicious. There were Phyllo cups with Duxelle - a french mushroom dish that is usually spread in between the layers of beef and puff pastry in a classic beouf en croute. Endive leaves with roasted red and yellow beets with local goat cheese, radish sprouts and a little drizzle of vinaigrette came out really well. Parmesan pinwheels and candied spiced nuts rounded out the offerings and kept revelers snack happy.
