Best Places to Pack a Picnic Basket in New York
One of the best parts of summer is ditching dining indoors and dining al fresco; either at an outdoor concert, a park, a beach, or maybe just as part of an imagined getaway on the rooftop of your pre-war walkup. Luckily, what the city lacks in rolling green spaces, it makes up in prime spots to pack a killer basket of eclectic goodies — whether your taste runs to Sheep’s Milk Cheese and local Honey from Murray’s in the West Village, Hummus and Baklava from Pera in Midtown, or sloppy sandwiches and Cheerwine from Court Street Grocers in Brooklyn. Here are a few other top, New York spots specializing in gourmet grab-and-go fare!
Read More
Seasonal Eats: Artichokes
As happy as we are to order artichokes from seasonal restaurant menus, and as excited as we are to see them at Greenmarkets, artichokes rarely seem to wind up in our grocery baskets. That’s because the spiny, edible flowers can be awfully intimidating to deal with at home. Actually the bud of a plant from the thistle family, this ancient Mediterranean vegetable has a complex, largely inedible outer structure. The tender heart is encased by a sheath of sharp hairs, called the choke, which is further surrounded by a tight formation of fleshy, purplish-green petals.
Read More
New York’s Tastiest Chilled Soups
Our coats may still be buried away in the back of our closets, but that’s no reason to abandon characteristically cold weather fare like soup. Think about it — what better way to beat the heat than with a chilled soup made of seasonal fruits and vegetables, like Watermelon Gazpacho topped with Feta Cheese or cold Corn Soup crowned with Crabmeat? Is your mouth watering yet? Check out the creamy Cucumber Vichyssoise at Dovetail, or the sweet and savory Borscht at Joseph Leonard, and it will be. Here are a few other cool soups to savor before summer’s end.
Read More
Dreamy Summer Dishes In New York
There are so many reasons to love summer. Al fresco dining. Outdoor food festivals and markets. Seafood shacks. And best of all, tons of fresh, local produce. Succulent Sweet Corn, tender Yellow Squash and juicy Heirloom Tomatoes are only really available for a fleeting three months, tops. That’s why the city’s best restaurants are taking full advantage of the Greenmarket, like Franny’s Crostini with Fava Beans, Pecorino, Alder’s Foie Gras Terrine with Watermelon and Yuzu, and Ignacio Mattos’ newly opened, Estela and its Raw Scallops with Citrus and Bronze Fennel. Looking for a few more seasonal dishes to celebrate summer with? Right this way… Estela47 E Houston StreetNY 10012(212) 219-7693 Ever since parting ways with Isa in Williamsburg last year, chef Ignacio Mattos has stayed pretty much under the radar. But just in time for summer, he’s re-emerged at Estela,...
Read More
Sizzling BBQ Spots for Summer
There’s really no need to travel cross-country in search of a smoked meat fix this summer. Because from the Brontosaurus Ribs at Mighty Quinn’s in Manhattan to the pepper-rubbed beef at BrisketTown in Brooklyn and caper-brined pastrami at The Strand Smokehouse in Queens, our city is shaping up to become one of the next great hubs of righteous, wood-fired ‘cue!
Read More
New York’s Top Hot Dogs
In case you didn’t know it, July is National Hot Dog Month. And happily, New York has a lot more to celebrate with nowadays than shriveled ballpark franks and dirty water dogs from street carts. In fact, fancified forcemeat is starting to become just as popular at local restaurants as haute cuisine hamburgers, from the Green Papaya and Quail Egg-topped links at DBGB Kitchen & Bar to the fiery curry-injected Phaal Dog at Brick Lane Curry House and even a hot dog made with Foie Gras at Prospect in Fort Greene. Here are just a few other stellar sausages you’ll want to sink your teeth into this summer…
Read More
New York’s Coolest Iced Drinks
It really doesn’t matter how many cold snaps or rain storms there are between Memorial Day and Labor Day because we officially switch over to Iced Coffee and Iced Tea the second that temps rise above 60, and we don’t touch the hot stuff again until well into September. Luckily, there are plenty of places in New York to get a frosty beverage fix this summer that go well beyond the expected chilled coffee and tea. Think everything from fresh, frozen fruit drinks at Kelvin Natural Slush and Italian Iced Chocolate at Eataly to throwback Cherry Lime Rickey’s at Brooklyn Farmacy and citrusy sippers at Del’s Frozen Lemonade…
Read More
The Best Seafood Shacks for Summer
There’s little we associate with summer as much as shellfish… from whole steamed lobsters served with corn on the cob and drawn butter, to toasted rolls piled high with full belly clams, and iced platters lined with freshly shucked raw oysters, cocktail sauce, and lemon wedges. Can’t make it to Nantucket, Newport, or Puget Sound this year? There are plenty of seaworthy spots in New York that are no more than a subway ride away, from The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market to the recently opened Kittery in Brooklyn. So treat yourself to a crustacean staycation this summer, by chowing down at some of the city’s best seafood shacks.
Read More
Best of – Fourth of July Dining in NYC
Planning for July 4th has gotten a little bit tricky these last few years. Ever since Macy’s moved its annual fireworks display from the East River to the Hudson, it’s difficult to see the show from most points in Manhattan, or for that matter, anywhere in Brooklyn or Queens. But this is New York and we don’t let much get in our way of having a good time. So we’ve compiled a list of ultimate places to eat your way through Independence Day this year — from a rooftop BBQ at Pera Soho to an all-day food fest on Coney Island, and even an out-of-city jaunt to this year’s sleeper, Thirty Acres, in New Jersey.
Read More
Summer’s Sweetest Ice Creams
We’re not gonna lie. We tend to splurge on ice cream all year round. And the long, hot days and balmy nights of a New York summer give us even more of a reason to overindulge. How can we not, when the city has such an abundance of fun and unique sweet shops? And we’re not just talking vanilla soft serve, chocolate ice cream sandwiches or strawberry on a sugar cone. Oh no. There are all sorts of ways to get your dairy fix this summer, from the elegant sorbet at Amorino in Greenwich Village, to the unusual black sesame seaweed ice cream at SkyIce in Brooklyn, and the sticky sundaes at Eddie’s Sweet Shop in Queens!
Read More
What’s New On the High Line 2013
Known as the “park in the sky,” The High Line also happens to boast some serious eats to be had while taking in a just as serious view this summer. With a roster of food vendors offering everything from legitimate Texas-style barbecue to Mexican Paletas, gourmet Pretzels, Tacos, we could go on and on…
Read More
New York’s Hottest Happy Hours
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the ritual of Happy Hour has been taken to a whole new level lately. Forget half-priced Coronas and bar nuts. This is New York, one of the finest food cities in the world, and we’ve got some killer happy hours to savor this summer. We’ve discovered everything from Fatty Crab’s Pork or Vegetable Steamed Buns to Portuguese-inspired Seafood Fritters with Smoked Paprika Aioli (compliments of the house!) at Louro and an endless array of $1 oysters at Maison Premiere in Brooklyn.
Read More
Savoring Rhubarb Season
Besides serving as a tart counterpoint to sweet, spring strawberries in a seasonal pie, what the heck is rhubarb and what else can you do with it? Usually one of the first edible plants ready for harvest in mid to late spring, rhubarb has large, triangular leaves and crisp, celery-like stalks (fun fact: food stylists actually dye celery with red coloring when they need rhubarb in the off-season!) Owing to the number of anthocynins present, a pigment also found in cherries, raspberries and red cabbage, rhubarb can be crimson, speckled pink or light green. And although scarlet-stalked rhubarb is generally more appealing to the eye, color has no effect either way on flavor, texture or aroma.
Read More
The Ultimate Father’s Day Dining Guide
Far be it from us to indulge in gender stereotypes. We know a lot of manly fathers who can appreciate a good pear and goat cheese salad or an elderflower-based cocktail. And yet, there are still plenty of guys who crave nothing more than a shot of bourbon and a hunk of beef with a steak knife driven through the middle. So we’ve covered our bases this year to make sure we satisfy all kinds of dads this Father’s Day. From BBQ at Hill Country to steaks at the legendary Keens Steakhouse and even a beer crawl at Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in Queens.
Read More
Where to Celebrate Memorial Day 2013
Memorial Day is the ultimate indicator that summer is just around the bend. (We can almost taste it!) Come this Monday, we all get an extra day off from work. Every local beach and park will officially open, bustling with the flip-flopped and (weather permitting) bathing suit-clad. And most importantly, the smell of barbecue and salty sea creatures will fill the air. So where to eat this celebratory, three day weekend?
Read More
New York’s Best Outdoor Dining
Spring is about three things… long days, balmy nights, and eating and drinking outdoors. Luckily, the city has tons of al fresco options, and we don’t just mean a few table and chairs spread out on the sidewalk (although that’s perfectly enjoyable too). So if you really want to make the most of the season, study up on our outdoor dining guide, featuring the bucolic garden at Pure Food and Wine in Gramercy, and the sexy rooftop at Juliette in Brooklyn!
Read More
Seasonal Eats: Soft Shell Crabs
Most people think vegetables when they consider all of the culinary delights associated with the spring. But there’s an under-the-sea treat that’s equally delicious, with a season every bit as fleeting, as morel mushrooms, ramps and fiddlehead ferns. Soft-shell crab season is traditionally marked with the first full moon in May. At that time, the blue crab begins molting its shell, in order to accommodate summer growth.
Read More
The Ultimate Mother’s Day Dining Guide
Chances are your mom dealt with your toddler tantrums, indulged your New Kids on the Block obsession, bought you your first car, sent you to college, and suffered through your string of highly unsuitable significant others. And let’s not forget that whole pushing you out of her birth canal business. So why not make a few installments on a lifetime of payback by taking her out for Mother’s Day? From an elaborate dinner at The NoMad in Manhattan to laidback Italian at Antica Pesa in Brooklyn, and a day trip to City Island in the Bronx, this handy guide will help show your mom how much you really care.
Read More
The City’s Best Cinco de Mayo Celebrations
What immediately springs to mind when you think of Cinco de Mayo? Probably pitchers of sangria, frosty, salt-rimmed margaritas, baskets of chips and salsa, and all the tacos you can eat. But technically, the holiday commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France, at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Considered a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has since evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, which, for the gringos among us, pretty much translates to tequila in all forms and all the tacos we can eat. And since Cinco de Mayo falls on a Sunday this year, that leaves us with plenty of work-free hours to party at terrific restaurants all over the city, from El Toro Blanco in the West Village and Gran Electrica in Brooklyn to Pachanga Patterson in the East Village. Gran...
Read More
Seasonal Eats: Ramps
We’re not exactly sure when ramp-mania started. But there’s no denying that in the last few years, the onset of spring has been officially marked by the appearance of ramps on restaurant menus. So what exactly is this elusive onion that’s taken the culinary world by storm? A perennial wild leek, the ramp has broad, edible green leaves and a tender stalk and bulb with a purplish tinge, similar to a scallion in taste and texture.
Read MoreCheck out My Book – Try This
