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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…
Most Recent Dish
Trendspotting: “New” Mexican Cuisine in NYC
If you take a moment to reflect, you’ll find there’s been a slow and steady expansion of regional Mexican influence in the city. And we’re not just talking tiny, hole-in-the-wall taquerias in the outer boroughs and giant, midtown Tex-Mex chains. Fine-dining establishments have also taken inspiration from the flavors of Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz.
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Q & A with Pork Slope’s Dale Talde
Considering he’s currently one of the most buzzed about chefs in Brooklyn, it’s hard to believe that Dale Talde was told to pack his knives and go, twice, on Bravo’s reality cooking show, Top Chef. But for fans and customers that have come to know and love him for his outgoing personality, down-to-earth restaurants, and unique fusion dishes like Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings and Crispy Oyster and Bacon Pad Thai, a TV show title doesn’t mean much.
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The Cutting Board Meets The iPad
Whether you’ve got a pimped out kitchen or just a corner in your apartment with a mini-fridge and a sink, chances are you probably have a cutting board. It’s a universal cooking tool and it’s nearly impossible to get by without one. Since the cutting board is such a simple gadget, we normally go for a solid, no-frills and no-slip version that doesn’t move around while we’ve got a knife in hand. Why fix it if it isn’t broken?...
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El Toro Blanco – Reviewed
I know it’s cliche to say, but good Mexican really is hard to find in New York. I’m not saying there aren’t good dishes or a few good restaurants scattered about the boroughs. There are… a few, but it’s hard to find a joint that can master a proper margarita, tamale, and mole. That’s a whole other level and plenty of places don’t even offer tamales or a cactus salad (I love a good ensalada de nopalitos). Instead, they...
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Soups Worth Slurping This Winter
Winter is here and it looks like it’s here to stay. And what better way to ring in the new season than with a warm bowl of soup? Luckily, New York has everything from traditional Tomato soup to more exotic Pork Belly Ramen bowls and authentic Mexican Pozole, so no matter what you’re craving, there’s a bowl out there for you.
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Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate
This decidedly adult hot chocolate is kicked into high gear by lip-tingling chili peppers, spicy cinnamon, and a shot (or two) of fiery tequila. Being a grown up has never tasted so good!
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Press and Measure Dispenser
We’re a fan of anything that makes our time spent in the kitchen a little simpler and more efficient. That’s why we love these Press and Measure Dispensers. They work for any liquid, and get the calculations right every time.
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Q & A with China Latina’s Julieta Ballesteros
Consistently hailed as one of the top Mexican chefs in NYC, Julieta Ballesteros has worked hard to prove that real Mexican cuisine isn’t about nachos, burritos, and excess amounts of sour cream and shredded cheese.
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Drink Spotting: Candy Cane Martini at Highpoint Bistro & Bar
It’s hard not to feel a little bit deflated after the holidays. Luckily, the Candy Cane Martini at Highpoint will keep you in the holiday spirit for just a little bit longer.
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Restaurant Boy’s Essential Eats: Queens Edition
Choosing the right place for the occasion isn’t always easy in a city filled with so many choices. As your Restaurant Boy, I want to make sure the men know the essentials (or at least make sure the women know where to direct their man).
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Happy New Year Hoppin’ John
The traditional southern specialty Hoppin’ John is thought to ensure 12 months filled with prosperity, owing to the inclusion of black-eyed peas (which look like coins) and hearty greens (the color of money). Oh, and it also happens to be seriously delicious. Talk about a double dose of good fortune!
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The Best NYC Restaurants of 2012
How do you translate a year of exciting new restaurants into one, short “Best Of” list? These 10 restaurants made the grade as our best of the year because invariably, their names were on our lips (and their food in our stomachs), for the better part of 2012.
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Q & A with Maison Premiere’s Chef Jared Stafford-Hill
What a difference five years have made in the life of Jared Stafford-Hill. When we last checked in with him back in 2008, he had just come on as the executive chef at Bobo in the West Village, charged with revitalizing a floundering menu of seasonal French classics. When he was let go shortly afterwards, however, Stafford-Hill was devastated. “It was pretty hard. It was all very surprising,” he said. “I was really cautious afterwards, because that experience was...
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Electric Push-Button Corkscrew
What would the holidays (or any day, really) be without an abundance of wine? if you’re anything like us, though, using a clumsy corkscrew (especially after you’ve already had a glass or two), isn’t exactly ideal.
This year, we were excited to find an electric push-button corkscrew to do all of the work for us, except for the pouring, and you know, the drinking.
Where to Celebrate New Years Eve in NYC
December 31 is when all of the best restaurants in town throw their most extravagant and glamorous parties. We’re not going to pretend that you won’t have to lay down some serious dough for a late night seating, but dancing the night away at SushiSamba, sipping bubbly at Arlington Club, or catching a glimpse of the ball drop at Aureole are all excellent ways to start the year off right.
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Restaurant Boy’s Essential Eats: Brooklyn Edition
Choosing the right place for the occasion isn’t always easy in a city filled with so many choices. As your Restaurant Boy, I want to make sure the men know the essentials (or at least make sure the women know where to direct their man).
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Christmas Morning Monkey Bread
You’ve probably run yourself ragged making cookies, cakes and candies over these last couple of weeks, and we’re willing to bet that you currently have a fridge full of casseroles ready to be warmed, a pot for boiling potatoes already bubbling on the stove, and a giant ham or turkey that needs to hit the oven no later than 9 am. That’s why no one will blame you if you take a little help from the refrigerated section of...
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