I won’t be the first to write about Upland NYC and I certainly won’t be the last.  Originally when I found out I would be going to Upland NYC for dinner I wasn’t sure how much more could be said about this restaurant. I was lucky enough to be able to try everything on the menu I had been ogling over the last few weeks. So rather than a full review here are my thoughts on what you should order at this popular eatery.

What not to miss at Upland NYC

The Crackling Porcelet- if you are going to go to Upland NYC and only order one thing it should be this. If this isn’t on your table when you go, you’ve made a huge mistake! Personally I am not a big fan of pork, mostly because when it’s bad, it’s really bad. But this particular pork chop was good, really, really good. This cut of pork from the upper region of the pig comes served with the pigskin and topped with arugala, persimmon, charred onion and spicy jimmy nardello peppers.  My one suggestion is beware when you are cutting the chop, it is served on a slate which, when your knife hits it the wrong way, is full on nails on a chalkboard. Or when all else fails just pick up the chop and gnaw on the whole thing!

The whole crispy mushroom- an entire head of hen of the woods mushroom fried and served on top of fresh farm cheese. Although the mushroom is fried it is remarkably not greasy at all.  This is not only one of the more unique things on the menu but also delicious and perfect for sharing…or not.

Also consider ordering

Slow Roasted Celeriac- If you’ve never had celery root, Upland NYC is a great place to try it for the first time. Celery root is an under used vegetable and having this at Upland NYC will make you question why you aren’t eating more of this.  It tastes and has the texture of a potato with a hint of celery flavor to it.  When the dish comes to the table it is covered with shavings of truffle butter that slowly melts over the Celery Root. Yes!

Torpedo Beets- I am not even a fan of beets as they usually taste a little too earthy for me. The beets at Upland NYC are sweet and the toppings of seeds and robiola cheese makes them texturally interesting and creamy. These beets have given me hope for myself loving beets in the future.

Burrata- this is the real stuff, made fresh and delicious. Although it is so good it might ruin any cheese you eat again for the rest of your life.  It doesn’t hurt that it is topped with trout roe and fried crispy leeks.

Cioppino- this dish truly shows chef Justin Smillie’s California roots that inspired this restaurant.   Cioppino is an actually an Italian-American dish that originated in Cali from the fishing industry there. This stew is thick and flavorful and swimming in the soup is just about every kind of sea creature.

What to skip at Upland NYC

The two things I would say to skip at Upland NYC are the duck wings and the pizzas.  Yes, they are still good but they just aren’t as special as the rest of the menu. For that reason I would suggest spending your money on some of the more unique and delicious dishes.

The Run Down on Upland NYC

Overall I was extremely pleased with the food at Upland NYC.   Although I had such high expectations the food definitely met them. Yet the service took a turn as the restaurant because busier around 7pm. Our waiter, who at the beginning of the service was attentive, left the entrée plates on our table for too long after we had finished as well as a few other small slips. It was more an issue of feeling not attended to rather than rudeness.  Although it is one of the most popular restaurants right now, I was a little disappointed in the service here because the combination of great service and great food is what really will give a restaurant staying power in NYC. Yet, I would not say this is enough to deter anyone from going to Upland NYC.  The food was, as expected, outstanding and I hope to be lucky enough to go again in the near future.

For more information on Upland NYC check out their website