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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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Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
You know that saying, “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day?” Well, we’re taking it to heart this year, scoping the city for the best places to grab a pint, or feast on hearty plates of Irish Stew, Corned Beef and Cabbage, Fish and Chips, and Bangers and Mash.
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The Tastiest Cemitas in New York
When it comes to sandwiches, we tend to think, well, more is more. We’re talking about All-American Submarines, piled high with cold cuts, mayo and extra cheese, or sloppy Italian Heroes, heavy with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and juicy meatballs. But as far as gloriously outsized sandwiches are concerned, the Mexican Cemita just may top them all.
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Automatic Salt & Pepper Grinder
It’s no secret that cooking alone is challenging. After all, the sous chef was created for a reason. The main challenge is simply not having enough hands to do everything at once. Another set of hands (or a bionic arm) would be extremely helpful while trying to stir a pot of soup, simultaneously season and turn the page in your recipe book. Any kitchen gadgets that make our life easier (and actually work!) are a welcome addition to the...
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Where to Eat Out During “Dine in Brooklyn”
Manhattan’s “Restaurant Week” may be over, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for frugal foodies to get in on the fun. That’s because “Dine in Brooklyn” is just around the corner. From March 11th to March 21st, over 200 area restaurants will be offering three-course dinners for just $28, three-course lunches for $20.13, and even some “two for the price of one” brunches. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?
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The NoMad’s Killer Fruits De Mer
Some restaurants just ride the buzz of their openings, becoming the hot restaurant by nature of being brand new. The mediocre and less than mediocre spots quickly peter out and fall off people’s radars while others settle into their groove. But few stay as hot as when they first opened. The NoMad is one of those delicious exceptions that’s managed to be as relevant and hard to get into now as it was when it opened just less than a year ago.
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Best Comfort Foods for 2013
Every cuisine has its own “comfort foods” — dishes that whisk eaters back to childhood. They can be rich and gooey a la mac & cheese or steamy and delicate, like Vietnamese Pho. You might not think about eating another culture’s staples when you’re feeling nostalgic or just plain freezing, but you could discover a new favorite comfort food. It should make a bad day turn into a good one, and make cold weather feel downright cozy.
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Q & A with Salvation Taco’s April Bloomfield
The term “Gastropub” gets thrown around pretty freely nowadays. It generally refers to bars that serve food far superior to the expected handful of beer nuts, meat pie, or run-of-the-mill burger. But the concept didn’t get much play outside of England until 2004, when British chef April Bloomfield burst onto the NYC scene with The Spotted Pig.
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Beer Savers
When it comes to gizmos for wine and spirits, the list never ends: Fancy aerators, pricey wine stoppers, portable kegs and wine thermometers. We seem to have a fix for every problem, but what about that half empty beer bottle you want to put back in the fridge? Maybe you’re relaxing with a cold 40 and can’t finish it, or maybe everyone around you seems to think you need to put the bottle down for the night.
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Boozy Beef and Beer Stew
There are plenty of recipes that call for wine, but especially during winter (and more particularly, Beer Week!) we’re all about experimenting with ale. Honestly, nothing adds depth to a dish quite as effectively as a quality bottle of beer. It’s the secret weapon in our hearty, rib sticking stew… the malt and hops deliciously accentuating its deep beef flavor and heady spice.
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Best Beer Dishes in NYC
It’s New York City Beer Week, which means that for the next few days, we’ll all have brew on the brain. But why limit your consumption to just drinking it straight out of a glass? Especially since so many restaurants are using beer as a base for supremely tasty, soul satisfying dishes. We’re talking about the Beer-Infused Alsatian Country Soup at The Modern in midtown, the Beer-Battered Pickles at Taproom No. 307 in Murray Hill, and the Beer-Brined Pork Chop...
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The Best Hot Chocolate in NYC
Now matter how grown up you get, you just never seem to grow out of hot chocolate. It’s one of the perks of winter weather, coming in from out of the cold, and cozying up to a warm mug of hot chocolate, preferably with a homemade marshmallow on top. City Bakery in Union Square definitely seems to share our sentiment.
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Where to Celebrate NYC Beer Week 2013
It’s hard not to get especially psyched about suds during the 5th Annual New York City Beer Week. Coordinated by the New York City Brewers Guild, over 100 different venues throughout the boroughs will host more than 300 beer-centric events. Think limited edition tastings and cask tappings at Bierkraft in Brooklyn, beer-pairing dinners at Hospoda in Manhattan, and an “aPORKalypse Now” beer and pork festival at Alewife NYC in Queens.
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“Hold the Alcohol” Pear and Rosemary Fizz
Savory elements like Rosemary and Ginger play a central role in this drink, which also incorporates yet another 2013 cocktail trend. It’s entirely alcohol free. Not that you can’t sneak a shot of Bourbon or jigger of Sherry in there if you want (especially since the fortified wine happens to be trending too!) But sometimes it’s nice to indulge in a cocktail that’s still entirely grown-up tasting, without being intoxicating. So next time you’re looking to raise a toast (without actually ending up toasted yourself,) make up a pitcher of these celebratory Pear and Rosemary Fizzes!
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Top Cocktail Trends to Watch For in 2013
Like Kale salads and Sriracha sauce, small batch bitters and speakeasy inspired cocktails are so 2012. So if you’re going to be feasting on Roasted Chicken and Fresh Baked Bread all year long (see our Food Trends to Watch for in 2013), you’ll want to pair them with some equally “of the moment” drinks. From chef driven tipples at The Third Man in the East Village to fancy Daiquiri’s at Donna in Brooklyn, here are the trends you can expect to see more of in the coming year!
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Q & A with Louro’s Chef David Santos
There are some chefs that would much prefer to hole up in the kitchen with their sauces than interact with their customers. And that’s cool… it’s just not David Santos. On the contrary, the gregarious, heart on his sleeve chef is the kind of guy who invites patrons (and strangers at that!) into his home for supper club meals. Now, you can get a taste of Santos’s cooking, a unique mix of Portuguese, American and other globally inspired cuisines in one.
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Personalized Glassware
Personalized gifts for couples aren’t hard to come by. The usual suspects, like coffee mugs, keychains, and picture frames are great, but chances are you’re already the proud owner of all three. If you really want to do something different, why not get something a little less cliche and a bit more practical? We adore these Personalized Tree Trunk Glasses because they’re engraved by hand, and give you good reason to have a drink to cheers with your special...
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2013 Annual C-CAP Benefit
Not all food events are alike. Some have great food and then there are some leave you with a bad taste in your mouth so to speak. Of course, they’re all for a good cause, which is what matters. But C-CAP’s annual benefit is one of our all-time favorites and not just because the food is excellent. (It is!) This unique organization provide scholarships to underserved youth who demonstrate talent in the kitchen.
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Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles
Candle light. Romantic poems. Your significant other doing the dishes for once in his or her life. They all go a long way to fan the flames of passion on Valentine’s Day… but nothing stirs the soul quite as effectively as fizzy champagne, accompanied by lots and lots of sinfully rich chocolate.
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