Dishspotting – The Darby's Seared Rack of Lamb

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 in Dish Spotting

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’s not easy to find a restaurant that can pull off great food and a great scene. There are excellent exceptions, like Minetta Tavern and The John Dory, but most of the time, it’s nearly impossible.  But once in awhile a restaurant comes along and nails it, like The Darby did.  In fact, The Darby is easily one of the most exciting and entertaining restaurants in Manhattan.  How many other restaurants can boast...

Spice Infuser

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 in Gizmo Girl

Seasoning food is an art.  Overseason and you overpower the centerpiece of the dish.  Underseason and it can fall flat.   This stainless steel and silicone spice infuser by Gabriele Dorfler (pictured right) injects flavor without overdoing it. The silicone handle grips easily to the side of the pot or pan, so you don’t end up having to fish the infuser out, and even better, it’s heat resistant up to 240 degrees. This sleek infuser adds a little style to...

New York’s Top Curries

Posted on Mar 19, 2012 in Best Of

Lately, we’ve been on a serious curry kick. And with all of the new Thai and Southeast Asian restaurants that have opened recently, it’s an exciting habit to pick up. There’s an arsenal of curries that doesn’t begin with Indian and end with Thai. Far from it. There’s Japanese Vietnamese, Malaysian and Korean curries, too. We’ve pulled together a list of our favorites, from milder options like the Berkshire pork cutlet curry at Curry-Ya to a spicy lamb vindaloo...

Q&A with Bobo's Cedric Tovar

Posted on Mar 16, 2012 in Chef Q&A

If you haven’t heard, there’s been a major kitchen shuffle at Bobo, the stunning, West Village townhouse restaurant with its own garden and working fireplace. But that’s no longer the biggest draw. Enter chef Cedric Tovar, who’s cooked with everyone from Joel Robuchon to Geoffrey Zakarian at Town and even helmed the kitchen at Peacock Alley. Tovar grew up in Alsace, France where he dined on rabbit grilled on dried vine shoots and snacked on grapes that he and his...

Restaurant Reviews

Posted on Mar 12, 2012 in Best of Everything

Foolproof Fondue

Posted on Mar 8, 2012 in Gizmo Girl

I know we haven’t had the coldest winter, but it’s chilly enough to crave comfort foods and the perfect excuse to exercise your right to fondue.  Or even throw a fondue party.   Unfortunately, traditional fondue requires a sterno and flame, and while this method will never go out of style, an electric fondue pot is much more convenient for parties, tailgates, and even dinner for two at home.   There’s plenty to choose from, but we’re sold on this...

Q&A with Chef Mathieu Palombino

Posted on Mar 7, 2012 in Chef Q&A, Chef Q&A Recipes

What will Mathieu Palombino — the chef behind Motorino and the new Bowery Diner — be doing in ten years?  “Farming oysters in Long Island,” he tells us.  But for now, he’s busy building an eclectic restaurant empire and perfecting his reuben sandwich.   Palombino has some pretty strong opinions on all things food.  On the subject of molecular gastronomy, he says, “I mean, are they really serious about this? I just see all of this energy and passion channeled...

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Posted on Mar 6, 2012 in Best of Everything

Nespresso’s Aeroccino Frother

Posted on Feb 29, 2012 in Gizmo Girl

If you’re a latte drinker, cappuccinos, macchiatos or even cocoa, you’re going to need frothy milk.  Which is why so many people throw on their coat and head to the nearest coffee shop.  After all, it’s hard to achieve respectable froth or steam without scalding the pot, burning the milk, or just failing altogether. Not anymore.  We discovered this good-looking chrome frother (pictured right). It’s compact and a seriously great find.  It comes with two whisk attachments, so you...

Q&A with Catch's Pastry Chef Thiago Silva

Posted on Feb 28, 2012 in Chef Q&A, Chef Q&A Recipes

Chefs aren’t exactly the most normal people in the world. Case in point: Thiago Silva who went from singing at the New York City Opera to baking cakes for the likes of Sofia Vergara and the Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire. Lately, he’s been impressing guests at Catch (myself included) with his creative riffs on classic childhood desserts, like his Peanut Butter Cup Soufflé or Chocolate Brownie Cake with Tres Leches Ice Cream and Bourbon Chocolate Sauce. But what most people aren’t...

Seeds of Peace Market – Hummus Taste Off

Posted on Feb 27, 2012 in Eating Events, Gourmet Gossip

If you haven’t already bought tickets, there’s still time to join in the celebration for peace in the MIddle East at this year’s Peace Market at The Metropolitan Pavilion.  There will be a Hummus Taste-Off that I will be judging alongside Jehangir Mehta (Graffiti), Joe Campanale (Dell’anima & L’Artusi), Josh “The Magician” Beckerman and many more.   The evening will also include three DJ’s, plenty of hummus from New York’s best Middle Eastern restaurants, and a live auction with...

Trendwatch: Suddenly Sexy Salmon

Posted on Feb 23, 2012 in Best Of

For years, salmon got a bad rap as being, well, boring and mostly farm-raised.  But with the rise of wild salmon and recent popularity of Jewish-American deli cuisine, we’ve noticed that salmon has come into fashion.  Especially cured and smoked salmon, and not just at Russ & Daughters or just Jewish delis.  There’s a killer salmon trio at Kutsher’s, standout Danish gravlax smørrebrød at Vandaag, smoked salmon sashimi at Alta and even vodka-cured salmon at Cafe Boulud.  And there’s...

Q&A with The Man Behind Kutsher's Tribeca

Posted on Feb 21, 2012 in Chef Q&A

Sure, Jewish deli food is suddenly in fashion with places, like Mile End, smoking their own meats and baking their own breads.  But Zach Kutsher decided to take it to a whole new level when he opened an upscale Jewish bistro of sorts called Kutsher’s in Tribeca. How many restaurateurs would dare add caviar to potato pancakes or use wild halibut to make gefilte fish?  Kutsher turned nostalgia for his family’s Jewish country club in the Catskills (a real-life version of...

Newsletter Policy

Posted on Feb 20, 2012 in Best of Everything

Restaurant Girl Newsletter and visitors to the Restaurant Girl are covered by our Privacy Policy. What this Means If you are a subscriber to the Newsletter, we collect your e-mail address. We then send each issue of the Newsletter to your e-mail address, or we send a notification to your e-mail address that the Newsletter is available at the Web Site. Visitors to the Web Site who send us an e-mail on the website may provide additional information, some...

Privacy Policy

Posted on Feb 19, 2012 in Best of Everything

Restaurant Girl™, LLC (the “Company”) is committed to safeguarding your privacy online. The Company takes this commitment very seriously. We will not give, sell or otherwise share any of your personal information with any third party without your approval. Please read the following policy to understand how your personal information will be treated. How Your Information Is Gathered. The Company collects information in several manners. We may use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, and...

Terms of Service

Posted on Feb 19, 2012 in Best of Everything

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE.  By continuing to use or access this site you signify your acceptance of and agreement with these TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE without limitation or qualification. Restaurant Girl™, LLC (“RG”) reserves the right to revise these TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE at any time without notice.  Such revisions shall be effective and binding immediately.  Accordingly, please continue to review these TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE whenever...

On the Go Tea Infuser Mug

Posted on Feb 16, 2012 in Gizmo Girl

While we’ve been longtime drinkers of loose leaf tea, we admit it’s not the quickest or the cleanest way to make yourself a cup.  Now, you have no excuse. We recently discovered these colorful tea mugs from David’s Tea (pictured right).  Each one comes with its own infuser, which fits right into the mug itself.  The lid keeps the flavor in while it’s steeping, and when it’s done, you can use the lid as a coaster for the infuser....

Where To Celebrate Mardi Gras

Posted on Feb 15, 2012 in Best Of

Seeing that Valentine’s Day is officially over and Mardi Gras is less than a week away, we thought we’d better start planning. Afterall, this holiday is about so much more than just beads and booze. In fact, Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the last night of feasting your heart out before Lent. Whether you promise to give up your favorite foods for Lent or not, there’s plenty of reasons to celebrate the Louisiana cuisine that goes hand...