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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
21 Club's Lobster Roll
By Chef John Greeley(Serves 1) Ingredients:For Roll 1 Potato Roll (sliced horizontally, spread softened butter on inside and toast in warm pan until golden) 2 Bibb Lettuce Leaves 2 slices Tomato (cut slices in half) * Lobster Salad (see below) For Lobster Salad: 1- 1.5 Lobster (boil lobster / chill and remove meat / cut into ½ inch chunks) 2 tbs. Mayonnaise (homemade or a good Brand name) ½ Lemon (juice and zest from a micro plane) 1 Tbs....
Read MoreNo-Mess Corn Stripper
The best part of summer is all of the wonderfully fresh produce of the season. There’s something new, just-picked farm stands or the grocery store. Sometimes, there’s strawberries, sometimes ten different kinds of tomatoes, and heaps of fresh corn stalks… especially in August when corn season is at its peak. The ceremony of eating corn off the cob is great most of the time. There’s drawbacks like getting kernels stuck in your teeth, or making a mess at a...
Read MoreQ & A with Keith McNally
Keith McNally has mastered the art of French restaurants better than most Frenchmen: the tin ceilings, weathered mirrors, and red leather banquettes. Just look at his body of work — Balthazar, Pastis, and Schiller’s Liquor Bar. Not bad for a working class British man, who used to bus tables at Serendipity and shuck oysters at One Fifth. But before he arrived in New York, McNally tried to make a living as a theater and film actor in London. Nowadays,...
Read MoreMonkey Bar
Cuisine: American Vibe: Swanky supper club Occasion: Stargazing; see and be seen. Impress your date. Don’t Miss: Monkey bread, Nora’s meatloaf, sticky toffee pudding Price: Appetizers, $13; entrees, $25; dessert, $9 Reservations: Highly recommended Phone: (212) 308-2950 Location: 60 E. 54th St., near Park Ave. Monkey Bar isn’t really a restaurant. It’s Graydon Carter’s uptown dinner party. The editor of Vanity Fair began dabbling in restaurants a few years back when he revived the aging Waverly Inn. Some people...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips
It’s not that easy to whip up a batch of peanut butter cookies. We got resourceful (read desparate) late one night and figured out how to make do with three ingredients. It’s cheap and a little too quick. Mix one cup each of either smooth or chunky peanut butter and sugar with a single egg. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on a buttered cookie sheet (they spread a lot). Flatten slightly with the...
Read MoreFatty Crab's Papaya & Mango Salad
By Zak Pelaccio(Serves 4) Ingredients:½ quart green, unripe papaya julienne½ quart cucumber julienne½ pint green mango julienne½ quart ripe mango julienne½ pint 1” long charred Chinese long bean1/3 pint lightly crushed roasted peanut1/3 pint julienne long red chilipickled Thai basilpickled Viet mint Dressing:1 Bird’s Eye Chili1 T minced Ginger1 T fish sauce3 limes, juiced1 T coriander roots½ t minced garlic½ t minced shallot2 T palm sugar Method:1) Blend until smooth.2) Mix sliced ingredients in a mixing bowl, season with...
Read MoreFatty Crab's Papaya and Mango Salad
By Executive Chef Zak Pelaccio(Serves 4) Ingredients: Salad: ½ quart green, unripe papaya julienne ½ quart cucumber julienne ½ pint green mango julienne ½ quart ripe mango julienne ½ pint 1” long charred Chinese long bean 1/3 pint lightly crushed roasted peanut 1/3 pint julienne long red chili pickled Thai basil pickled Viet mint Dressing: 1 Bird’s Eye Chili 1 T minced Ginger 1 T fish sauce 3 limes, juiced 1 T coriander roots ½ t minced garlic...
Read MoreCystic Fibrosis Fundraiser at Suenos Restaurant
This Monday, June 22nd at 7 p.m., Chef Sue Torres of Suenos restaurant will be hosting a dinner and auction to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dinner will include a gourmet taco station, Suenos margaritas and wine by the glass, and passed hors d’oeurves such as coconut-habanero salmon tartar with green plantain chips. Auctioned items will include a private cooking class for 12 taught by Sue Torres, and other gifts from Stanton Social, ICE, and the Liquid Chef, among...
Read MoreShrimp Butler
It’s not officially summer, so don’t despair about all the rain just yet. Me, I’m ready for the sun, beach, and beloved clambakes. Shrimp cocktail’s a great appetizer. Unfortunately, the host is left with the time-consuming task of peeling and de-veining every single shrimp. Or the Shrimp Butler can do it for you. For $34.95 it peels and deveins your shrimp for you. Just put each into the machine tail first, pull the lever, and they come out not...
Read MoreQ & A with Silkstone
Once upon a time, ambitious young chefs trained under big name chefs, so they could follow in their footsteps one day. Take Ben Towill: he grew up in a small town in England, trained under several celebrated chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, for a number of years. His next stop was New York, where he opened Kingswood and helped make it a popular Australian gastropub. But Towill’s next move was a bit unexpected. He didn’t leave Kingswood to open his own...
Read MoreLast Breakfast in NYC…
During dinner last night, a woman I’d just met announced she was moving to Thailand in four days and wanted to know where to eat her last breakfast in New York. “That depends,” I said. “What do you like to eat for breakfast? Pancakes, eggs, croissants, oatmeal? ” “Eggs,” she answered. These are the things that keep me up at night. Not the political chaos in the New York Senate or the 59.4 million dollar budget agreed on this...
Read MoreAldea
Cuisine: Mediterranean Vibe: Civilized Occasion: Intimate date; business dinner; chef’s counter. Don’t Miss: Sea urchin toast; calamari with squid ink and herb purée; escolar; arroz de pato. Price: Appetizers, $9; entrées, $23; desserts, $9. Reservations: Recommended Phone: (212) 675-7223 Location: 31 W. 17th St., btwn. Fifth & Sixth Aves. There’s not much to look at in Aldea, a restaurant that recently opened in the Flatiron District. There’s no artwork on the walls, no flashy furniture, just a scattering of...
Read MoreTopolobampo's Mango Guacamole
By Chef/Owner Rick Bayless(Makes about 2 1/2 cups; serves 6) Ingredients: 3 large, ripe avocados1/4 cup diced red onion1/2 to 1 serrano chile to taste, seeded and finely chopped2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 large, ripe mango, peeled, flesh cut from the pit, and dicedSalt Cucumber and jícama slices or tortilla chips for serving Procedure:Remove the stem at the top of each avocado. Cut the avocados in half, running your...
Read MorePlay & Freeze Ice Cream Maker
I thought it was never going to get here. But it’s finally summer, which means warm weather, lobster rolls, barbecues, and ice cream. Of course, really high temperatures aren’t exactly ideal to make ice cream with, but we’re into making our own and it couldn’t be easier with this little gadget. Who doesn’t want to create their own flavors on a whim? That’s what I thought. Besides, great ice cream isn’t always available and sometimes, we don’t want to...
Read MoreQ & A with Drew Nieporent
There are a lot of seasoned restaurateurs in this town, but few as versatile as Drew Nieporent. That’s why he named his company Myriad Restaurant Group. Nieporent’s accomplishments include cuisine from sushi at the world-famous Nobu to Mexican at Centrico. His most recent venture was also a huge risk. Opening an upscale French restaurant in this economy isn’t exactly a sure thing. But Nieporent and chef Paul Liebrandt pulled it off. Not exactly what you’d expect from a guy...
Read MoreTable 8
Cuisine: Contemporary American Vibe: Clubby chic Occasion: Group dinner, casual date, scene-y supper Don’t Miss: Rabbit sausage, scallops on wilted spinach, baby chicken Price: Appetizers, $9; entrees, $24; dessert, $9 Reservations: Highly recommended Phone: (212) 475-3400 Location: 25 Cooper Square, between Fifth and Sixth Sts. On a busy night at Table 8, it’s easier to get a drink in the rest room than the dining room. Instead of handing out hand towels, the restroom attendant pours Prosecco. It’s...
Read MoreBest of Father's Day Dining in NYC
It’s nearly Father’s Day, which means taking your dad out for dinner or an edible token of your affection. We’ve rounded up a few creative options… Havana Central 151 W 46th St. (btwn. 7th Ave. & Ave. of the Americas) (212) 398-7440 www.havanacentral.com If your father’s an occasional cigar smoker, Havana Central’s a great place to take him. $39 will get you the special “Celebration Package” at this classic Cuban restaurant. It includes a bottomless Presidente beer, dinner, a...
Read MoreKittichai's Crispy Whole Fish in Lesser Ginger Curry
By executive chef Lulzim Rexhepi For fish:1.5 lbs whole fish6 oz Prik King Curry1/4 cup sliced red onion1/4 cup young ginger5 leaves Thai basil1/4 cup hearts of palm Method of preparation: Score the outside of the fish with a sharp knife and dust fish with all purpose flour. Fry in a large pot of oil that has been heated to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook fish for about 8 minutes, until golden brown. When the fish is cooked through, remove...
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