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Air’s Champagne Parlor is All About the Bubbly
Beer, wine and even cider bars abound in NYC, but Air’s Champagne Parlor is one of the few area drinkeries devoted to bubbly. To be fair, the Riddling Widow briefly preceded it, but owner Ariel Arce was actually beverage director during its tenure, as well as Birds & Bubbles before that, and Chicago’s Pops for Champagne (not to mention Grant Achatz’s exclusive, original The Office) before that. Meaning her reputation as queen of Cuvèe absolutely proceeds her.
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Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2017
If you’re already mourning the loss of summer, Oktoberfest is a reliable way to get you over the hump. Essentially spanning the duration of fall (kicking off on September 16th this year & extending all the way to October 31st, allowing revelers to seamlessly transition to Halloween), the 16 to 18-day festival is a giddy saturnalia of German culture…
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Spotlight on the Finalists for the 2017 Vendy Awards
As a fun challenge to the James Beard Awards, the Vendy ceremony — now in its 13th year — is dedicated to honoring the very best in street food. So here’s who’s in the running during the September 16th event at Governors Island; from an artisanal twinkie baker to an upstart french toast sandwich maker, to a Chinese meat skewer purveyor, whose been tapped for the Vendy Cup…
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Dovetail
Address: 103 W. 77th St., at Columbus Ave. Phone: (212) 362-3800 Dinner: Mon.-Sat., 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 5:30 pm.-10 p.m. Cuisine: New American Vibe: Understated townhouse Occasion: Destination dining; civilized date Don’t Miss Dish: Salmon a la plancha; grilled venison Price: Appetizers, $12-$16; entrees, $28-$36; desserts, $10. Reservations: Recommended Eating salmon on the upper West Side doesn’t sound particularly thrilling, but at Dovetail it’s a religious experience. The rosy fish, grilled à la plancha, is exhilarated by a creamy...
Read MoreBest Valentine’s Day Chocolates
If your special someone is the type who gets teary-eyed over those Jared jewelry commercials, she/he will be probably expect a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Of course, you could take the easy way out and grab a Whitman’s Sampler or even Russel Stover’s “Private Reserve” from Duane Reade. Instead, we suggest you seize the opportunity to indulge in the city’s finest chocolates. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite chocolatiers and their truffles: Jacques Torres...
Read MoreAbboccato’s Spaghettini with Razor Clams & Bottarga
By Chef de Cuisine Jake Addeo (Yield – 4 portions) Ingredients: 16 oz. Spaghettini Pasta 4 0z. Extra virgin Olive Oil 3 Garlic Gloves, sliced thin 1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes 12 oz. Razor Clams, Cut in 2 inch Pieces ½ Orange, zested 1 oz. Seasoned Bread Crumbs (see recipe below) 2 oz. Bottarga, thinly sliced Instructions: Boil 1-2 gallons of water in a large pot. When water comes to a boil add fine sea salt until the water...
Read MoreCity Bakery’s Hot-Chocolate Festival
On February 1st, City Bakery launches a month-long celebration of hot chocolate in all of its glorious variations. Though this Flatiron shop is praised year-round for its rich melted chocolate topped off with a homemade marshmallow, the 16th annual festival offers a rotating roster of additional flavors, from Caramel or Banana Peel to the Chili Pepper or even Beer varieties. Maury Rubin, owner of the City Bakery and Birdbath, admits he’s partial to the bourbon hot chocolate, even issuing...
Read MoreQ & A with Fabio Trabocchi
Fabio Trabocchi grew up in Italy, where his father and grandparents taught him the basics of Italian cooking from growing fresh ingredients to buying meat from the local butcher. Comfortable in the kitchen by age 8, Fabio excelled in multiple Michelin-star restaurants throughout his teenage years. He then traveled the world learning regional cuisines and kitchen styles, eventually standing still in Washington, DC to create the concept and open Maestro, located in Tyson’s Corner, VA. Here, he received 4-star...
Read MoreBest Valentine's Day Restaurants 2008
Where Valentine’s Day is concerned, there’s nothing more romantic than dining out in New York City. While veterans at the reservation game may have already secured some of the most coveted tables, there’s still a handsome selection of enchanting venues. Here are 10 of the city’s most romantic spots. RAOUL’S 180 Prince St., between Sullivan & Thompson Sts., (212) 966-3518. This quintessential SoHo bistro and its classic French fare make for an effortlessly romantic evening. The three-course meal ($75)...
Read MoreIntroducing: Gizmo Girl
This week we introduce Gizmo Girl: your guide to the latest gastronomical gadgets and gizmos. Every Thursday we will reveal our new favorite gadget to stir up your kitchen, a new accessory to doll up your tabletop, or a cooking accessory that we can’t live without. We begin this week with Anthropologie’s Measuring Gaggle. This gaggle of geese are nesting measuring cups, providing a little amusement when baking cookies, making soup, or just measuring out your morning granola. Measuring...
Read MoreAnne Burrell’s Truffled Deviled Eggs
From Centro Vinoteca 6 eggs 1 ½ cups mayonnaise 1 tablespoon truffle oil Pinch of cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons black truffle peelings, finely chopped (optional) Chopped chives for garnish Place the eggs in a pot and cover with tap water. The level of water should be about 1 inch above the eggs. Bring the pot to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for exactly 13 minutes. Uncover and run the eggs under cold water to...
Read MoreBrasserie 44
Address: 44 W. 44th St., between Fifth & Sixth Aves. Phone: (212) 944-8844 Hours: Dinner, Sun.-Thur., 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5:30 p.m.-midnight. Breakfast & lunch service. Cuisine: Modern American. Vibe: Yacht adrift. Occasion: Under-the-radar dinner; hotel dining. Don’t Miss Dish: Sweet onion tart; olive oil poached salmon. Price: Appetizers, $14-24; entrees, $24-44; desserts, $12-15. Reservations: Accepted. Capsule: The nautically themed Brasserie 44 feels like a restaurant adrift in the Royalton Hotel. A $17.5 million facelift and a newly minted...
Read MoreSouth Gate Readies – Now Taking Reservations
Chef Kerry Heffernan’s (Eleven Madison Park, Mondrian) much-anticipated South Gate is readying for its mid-February debut. Perhaps the flashiest thing to happen to Central Park South, the mirror-decked front bar with exposed glass bar shelves overlooks the park. Formerly Cafe Botanica, South Gate will be a swanky showcase for Heffernan’s American fusion cuisine. A sneak peek at the menu reveals fanciful appetizers, featuring seared foie gras with pears, muscat and pear wafers as well as fatty albacore with eucalyptus,...
Read MoreVinas
Address: 109 South Sixth St., near Bedford Ave., Williamsburg (718) 782-2333 Dinner: Sun.-Thur., 5 p.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-midnight. Closed Sundays. Cuisine: Contemporary Latin. Vibe: Vibrant Spanish villa. Occasion: Neighborhood dinner; Group dinner. Don’t miss dish: Pinchos de res (cubed filet mignon); escolar in blood orange sauce. Price: Appetizers, $7-12; entrees, $15-21; desserts, $7-8. Reservations: Accepted. These days, there are many temptations in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I learned this en route to Viñas, a new Latin American restaurant in this...
Read MoreAlex Urena’s Paella
From Pamplona (Serves 2) Ingredients ½ lb of rice ½ onion small diced 1 red pepper, small diced 3 cloves of garlic, brunoise 1 ½ tbsp of Paprika 3 grams Saffron ¾ qt of chicken stock 1 fresh chorizo link 1 chicken leg cut in small pieces 5 oz of rib eye steak 10 cockles 10 mussels 6 shrimp 4 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Make a sofrito with onions, peppers, garlic, paprika. Season with salt...
Read MoreQ & A With Jehangir Mehta
After working in some of NYC’s finest restaurants, including Jean Georges and Compass, chef Jehangir Mehta has recently opened a humble, 18-seat savory/sweet eatery of his own. Located in the East Village, Graffiti is a visual scrapbook of his life; the menu a culinary scrapbook of both his Mumbai upbringing and expansive training. His unique cuisine subtly marries contemporary Asian cuisine with Indian seasonings. At Graffiti, his signature dishes include the foie gras raspberry crostini with walnut salad and the...
Read MoreLunetta
Address: 920 Broadway, at 21 St. Phone: (212) 533-3663 Dinner: Mon.-Thurs., 5-11 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 5 p.m.-midnight; Sun., 5-11 p.m. Cuisine: Italian-American Vibe: Retro glamour Occasion: Group dinner, casual date Don’t Miss Dish: Ricotta bruschetta, pumpkin mezzaluna Price: Appetizers, $6-$18; entrees, $15-$23; desserts, $7-$9 Reservations: Recommended Capsule: Manhattanified Lunetta is but a pale reflection of the original. Manhattan has seen its share of Brooklyn-Italian imports over the past two years. Frankies Spuntino set up an outpost on the...
Read MoreGrown Up Jell-O Shots
Though chef-owner John Fraser seems to be bucking the trend toward uber-casual dining at his new UWS American, Dovetail, his amuse-bouche is an unexpectedly playful gesture. A haute spin on a Jell-O shot, a spoonful of vodka gelee arrives topped with salmon roe, fried capers and a dab of sour cream. It’s the perfect ice breaker and nearly frisky teaser of the meal to come. It’s too soon to tell whether the UWS neighborhood will appreciate Fraser’s sense of...
Read MoreAstor Center Launch
A unique hub devoted to all things food and wine, Astor Center officially opens its doors Monday, January 14th. It’s one thing to sit in Gramercy Tavern’s dining room and marvel over what Michael Anthony does behind kitchen doors, but now the gastronomically-obsessed can learn from the chef himself over a five-course dinner with other experts on sustainable and Greenmarket affairs. Astor Center offers a bounty of classes from top sommeliers, mixologists and chefs from around the country on...
Read MoreMichael Anthony’s Blackfish with Spaghetti Squash
From Gramercy Tavern (Yield: 8 servings) Blackfish is a common by-catch on the east coast. For blackfish: Blackfish, boneless and skinless 8 – 5 ounce filets Olive oil 2 Tbsp Garlic, peeled and smashed 1 clove Thyme 1 sprig Salt to taste Pepper to taste 1. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides. 2. Heat olive oil in sauté pan with garlic and thyme. 3. Add fish and sauté, basting with olive oil....
Read MoreQ & A with Donatella Arpaia
Though Donatella Arpaia spent much of her childhood in her father’s restaurant, she herself was groomed to become a lawyer. But after filling in for a hostess at Scarlatti (her brother’s midtown restaurant), Arpaia discovered her passion for the dining world. She opened her first restaurant, Bellini, and quit law the next day. Soon after, she teamed up with David Burke to launch davidburke & donatella, garnering much attention for whimsical modern fare and a loyal midtown clientele. With...
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