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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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Halloween Treats & Eats
Liddabit Sweets Saturdays at the Fort Greene Brooklyn Flea Market (In the schoolyard at the corner of Lafayette & Clermont.) www.liddabitsweets.com Ever had a handmade candy bar? Neither had I until I stopped by the Brooklyn Flea Market. Liddabit’s candy bars make ordinary Halloween candy seem like child’s play. Nobody’s debating the merits of a Snickers or Milky Way Bar, but they’re not the healthiest or most original snacks. Liddabit’s gourmet bars are all made by hand with local...
Read MorePorter House's Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Glaze
By Executive Chef Michael Lomonaco (Serves 4) Ingredients: 2-1/2 pounds skirt steak 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large ripe tomatoes cut into wedges 1 small Bermuda onion, thinly sliced 1 bunch watercress, washed and dried, and coarsely chopped Chimichurri sauce II: 1 cup olive oil ¼ cup white vinegar 1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves 1 small white onion, diced, about ¼ cup 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes 1 ½ teaspoons dry oregano...
Read MoreDay One – 5:31 p.m.
Not most the productive day. I’m not pointing any fingers, but I really miss my coffee. I do have to admit that I loved my pineapple, apple, & mint juice. My only regret is how fast I drank it. I keep eyeing tomorrow’s juice and having to close the refrigerator door. Pacing is an issue with juices. You take a few big sips and it’s gone. Dinner’s going to be a tough one. I’m impulse juicing, so I...
Read MoreDay One – 2:27 PM
Note to self: Next time, clean out your fridge before you do a cleanse. And the counters. I almost ate a stray M & M. I had it in my hand and then reality set in. Don’t even look inside your fridge. Mustard and onions are started to seem appetizing on their own. And definitely don’t have rice krispy treats sitting around. And let me pose this question: Is life without coffee really a life at...
Read MoreRestaurant Girl – On A Cleanse
I used to roll my eyes when I heard the word “cleanse.” Cleanse, what for? Why deprive yourself of steak, lamb chops, seafood, salty, crunchy french fries, dark chocolate, and a good cocktail. To be honest, I’ve always been a little jealous of people’s willpower to resist restaurants, solid foods, coffee, and wine. I surrender at the sight of a menu or glittery stemware or even a warm bread basket. You’d think by now I’d have some self-control or...
Read MoreRub Away Bar
I love garlic. It boosts the flavor of any dish, but really is delicious all by itself. Unfortunately, it’s not much fun to cook with since the smell lingers on your fingers for days on end. Washing your hands repeatedly does little to kill the smell. But washing your hands with this Rub A Way bar does. Instead of suds, think stainless steel to get rid of the pungent odor of garlic. Or onions, fish, or anything else...
Read MoreTater Tots on the Rise
It’s too soon to declare tater tots a trend, but we’ve noticed them surfacing on menus all over town. It makes sense with all the fried chicken, biscuits, and bacon. Maybe some chefs were getting bored of french fries, or they wandered through the freezer aisle and got inspired to reinvent this frozen finger food. Tater tots are really just bite-sized hash browns, or as the Australians say, “potato pom-poms.” We found some creative, low and highbrow spins...
Read More5 Reasons to Visit Foxwoods this Fall
Where do chefs go after New York? Recently, a number of them have resurfaced at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. It’s a little like a recession-friendly Vegas minus the airfare. Chef Kevin Long worked at Park Avenue Cafe before turning up at Shrine at the MGM casino, while Chris Shea spent time at David Burke before DB Prime. If you’ve never dined at Radius, Michael Schlow’s highly acclaimed Boston restaurant, you might want to head to Foxwoods to eat...
Read MoreWine Label Remover
How many times have you fallen in love with a wine and forgotten the name of the bottle? Maybe you were a tad too tipsy or it was impossible to peel the label off the damn bottle. That makes it difficult to remember which wines are exceptional and which aren’t worth buying again. This wine label remover makes it easy to keep track of your favorites. Just remove the back of the clear sticker, rub it over the label,...
Read MoreQ & A with Anita Lo
2009 hasn’t been the best year for chef Anita Lo. Her Asian barbecue spot, Bar Q, as well as the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar on Eighth Street shuttered this year. And just this summer, a fire shut down Annisa, Lo’s highly noted, Asian-fusion restaurant in Greenwich Village. But Anita Lo’s not one to call it quits. She proved that recently when she appeared on Top Chef Masters. She’s forging ahead with a cookbook, plans to reopen Annisa late fall, and...
Read MoreBia Garden – Reviewed
*** Three Stars Address: 154 Orchard St., btwn. Stanton & Rivington Sts. Phone: (212)780-0100 Cuisine: Vietnamese street food Vibe: Hush hush backyard beer garden Occasion:; Group dinner; Beer binges; LES dining. Hours: Dinner; Seven days a week, Sun-Thu, 5p.m-12a.m., Sat & Sun,5p.m.-2a.m. Don’t Miss Dish: Crispy pork belly; Duck nem sausage; Baked whole fish. Average Price: Appetizers, $10, Entrees, $15, No dessert. Reservations: No reservations accepted. Cash only.Capsule: An exotic beer oasis on the Lower East Side. Think...
Read MoreLandmarc's Salmon with Ratatuouille & Olive Tapenade
By Chef/Owner Marc Murphy(Serves 4) For Ratatouille 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, large dice 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 red bell pepper, large dice 1 small eggplant, large dice 1 zucchini, large dice 1 yellow squash, large dice 1 28-ounce can peeled crushed tomatoes A bouquet garni of 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1 bay leaf kosher salt freshly ground black pepper For Salmon 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin on 1 teaspoon...
Read MoreYerba Buena Perry – Reviewed
**** — Four Stars Address: 1 Perry St., at Greenwich AvenuePhone: (212)620-0808Cuisine: Modern Latin cooking Vibe: Sleek, lively West Village haunt Occasion: Group dinner; Casual date; Night out. Hours: Dinner; Mon-Wed, 5p.m..-11:30p.m., Thu-Sat, 5p.m.-2a.m, Sun, 5p.m.-2a.m.Don’t Miss Dish: Manchego croquetes; Tilapia tacos; Lechon (Roasted suckling pig); Watermelon fries: Churros.Drink: Mezcal MaidFinish With: Cinnamon-dusted churros with dulce de leche & chocolate sauce Average Price: Appetizers, $11, Entrees, $25, Dessert, $9.Reservations: Reservations recommended. Cheat Sheet:Drink the: Mezcal MaidNibble On: Manchego croquetes,...
Read MoreHerb Savor
Dried herbs don’t stand a chance against the flavor of fresh one. I love buying fragrant bundles of just-clipped tarragon and mint from the farmer’s market, but they often wilt before I get a chance to use them a second time. I end up having no choice but to toss the sad, brown leftovers after a couple days. Prepara’s Herb Savor solves the problem, prolonging the life of herbs for up to three weeks. Where cooking’s concerned, that’s a...
Read MoreQ & A with Lee Schrager
How do you convince the King and Queen of Spain, Michelle Obama, and Bill Clinton to show up at a food event? Ask Lee Schrager. Schrager is a force to be reckoned with in the food world. He not only launched the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, but also a second festival in New York City. And next week, on October 8th, he’ll host his second annual NYC festival. Highlights include Rachael Ray’s Burger Bash, Giada DeLaurentiis’...
Read MoreHill Country's Pit-Smoked, Chili-Rubbed Chicken Wings
It’s officially NFL season and Hill Country is ready to go. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the bbq joint will be serving these wings along with chili-topped mac & cheese to honor the game day specials. By Pit Master Pete Daversa Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken wings Chili rub (recipe follows) Wood Chips Chili Rub: 4 tsp. mustard powder 4 tsp. granulated garlic 4 tsp. onion powder 4 tsp. paprika 4 tsp. cayenne pepper 6 tbsp. chili powder 1 ½...
Read MoreMeasure Up Bowl
You ever the read the serving size and nutritional information on the side of a box? Most of us glance at it from time to time, but few people actually take the time, or even have the time, to measure out out the right amount and end up consuming lots of extra calories. Not many of us can distinguish between one or two portions just by looking at our plate. So we found a bowl to do it for...
Read MoreExclusive Look — Inside The Breslin
As you can see, The Breslin isn’t quite ready to open its doors. But it’s getting there and it’s going to be a looker. The restaurant, named for the Breslin hotel that once inhabited the space, is one of fall’s most anticipated openings. This is a dramatic transformation for both the space and for the neighborhood, which used to be a ghost town and night. Pedicabs and taxis are already lining up outside the Ace hotel, which is fast...
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