 |
| Cod Chicharron with American Caviar & Dill |
mrnilsson
at Sage General Store
24-20 Jackson Ave., Long Island City
You may already know Sage General
Store as the home of the three-course bacon brunch that begins with a cheddar
biscuit with bacon marmalade and ends with a double chocolate and bacon brownie
capped with Jack Daniels whipped cream.
But if you think you know the menu like the back of your hand, get ready
for a pleasant surprise. The
décor, cutlery, china, and even the napkin folding is now changing for dinner
service with the arrival of Long Island City’s newest dinner pop-up—mrnilsson. The flare is Nordic, and the menu is focused around four and
seven course tastings, as well as a meticulously crafted a la carte selection
of small and large bites.
“It’s a big change for the
neighborhood,” explains owner Leslie Nilsson, “which thinks of us as comfort
food—but I just wanted to do something different at night. It’s such a cozy, romantic place. And the people [who] have come for the
tasting menus—man, you can feel the joy.
They’re having such a refined, excellent experience right here in Long
Island City.” She envisions Court
Square to become a food destination, with such neighbors as M. Wells Steakhouse
and LIC Market.
“The original restaurant, Sage
American Kitchen, was across the street on Jackson,” Nilsson recalls, “and just
had three seats in the window.”
They offered high end takeout with a catering kitchen in the back. In 2008, she opened Sage General Store
at its present location. Shortly
thereafter the recession hit hard—which, luckily, is when they appeared on
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. But
after six successful years, Ms. Nilsson was itching for something to change.
In terms of the bacon brunch,
she smiles, “That’s not broken, so let’s not fix it.” Customers can still enjoy the charm of the General Store
menu six days a week for breakfast and lunch. But when lunch service draws to a close, the paper plates
are put away and the fine china comes out. Wooden pastry crates are removed, and votives are lit next to
pink and purple bouquets of wildflowers.
But what exactly is behind the name change?
 |
| Birch beer glazed lamb belly with pumpkin milk |
“We like to say, ‘Mr. Nilsson
is at the Sage General Store,’” says Ms. Nilsson, whose Scandinavian ancestry
serves as partial explanation of the name. “Mr. Nilsson is also Pippi Longstocking’s monkey,” she
laughs. “As a kid, I always
thought it was funny he shared my name.”
Several chef resumes sent to her were addressed to Mr. Nilsson, which
also played a factor. But the real
reason is her adoration of Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson, whose
record, Nilsson Schmilsson, was here all-time favorite album.
“[The chefs] are rock ‘n roll
guys,” she explains. “It’s not all
just delicate and beautiful. There’s
some real meat and power behind what they are doing. Greg [Proechel] came from Blanca and Eleven Madison Park,
which just got their four star review again. Michael [Kollarik] has cooked at the Dutch and for Momofuku.”
And yes, the food is beyond
special.
“Because of Diners,
Drive-Ins, and Dives, we became famous for our rotisserie chicken and
macaroni and cheese. So the guys
have put together this genius chicken dish. They debone the rotisserie chicken, and then they sous vide
it so it gets super deliciously tender, and then they bake it in a hot oven to
get it super crispy. Then they
puree the macaroni and cheese—it’s the same recipe with the five cheeses—and
then they foam it onto the plate with crispy kale chips. My daughter is fourteen, and she says,
‘Mom, I could eat that every night.’”
After just one bite, I think I would gladly devour it daily, as well.
When asked if there is
anything on the tasting menu that cannot be ordered a la carte, she replies, “We
would open it up. We don’t want to
be dictators. People think,
because it’s a tasting menu, that it’s highfalutin—but it’s not. The food is really accessible, and the
guys serve it to you and explain it themselves. They don’t go overboard and tell you the province of where
the cow came from—we’re here to have fun—we’re not here to bore you.”
 |
| Dry aged Long Island Duck with Kumquats, Rutabaga, and Blackened Eggplant Puree |
Mrnilsson is a New American
restaurant with a Nordic flare, which has a lot to do with the artistry of the
plating. “It’s also about foraging, pickling, and the integrity of the ingredients,”
explains Nilsson, “—and treating the vegetables with great respect.”
“Walk-ins are definitely available. We want it to be a neighborhood spot
for those nights when you don’t want a burger. I’m so proud of being in Long Island City for 18 years. I feel like LIC Market and M. Wells
have upped the game, so I decided I needed to up the game here, as well.”
She has certainly upped the
game with a superior team of fresh talent, creating artistic dishes worthy of
multiple accolades. If this is the
direction the neighborhood is headed, we are in pretty good hands.
