Restaurant Girl Road Trip: Where to Eat in Portland, Maine
As the cost of running restaurants has become increasingly prohibitive in NYC, culinary talent has continued to migrate elsewhere. Which has led to the emergence of fledgling food hubs such as the increasingly awesome dining destination that is now Portland…
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A Tasty Day Trip to Sandy Hook
If your visions of the Jersey Shore are indelibly connected to that show, it might be high time for a visit to Sandy Hook. Not only is it the closest portion of the coast to New York City (less than an hour by car or even less on the Seastreak ferry), it has little to do with the hard partying, fist pumping, Bacardi-fueled bacchanalia, popularly depicted on MTV…
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A Crustacean Crawl Through City Island
City Island is one of the best-kept not quite secrets among New Yorkers — a quaint fishing village improbably situated on the far-flung banks of the Bronx. And for landlocked urban dwellers, it’s an ideal weekend day trip to savor what’s left of summer…
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Restaurant Girl Road Trip: Where to Eat In & Around Bar Harbor Maine
Who says you need to fly to some exotic, overseas locale this summer? They don’t call Maine “Vacationland” for nothing, and for New Yorkers, it’s only a few hours a way by car, and even less by plane. So if you really want to experience the very best that Maine has to offer — from clamming on the coast to hiking in the mountains — you’ll book your next trip to the Bar Harbor & Acadia area…
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L’Arpege
When I think of French food, I think of creamy sauces, rich reductions, and decadent meats. Vegetarian fare? Now, that’s not something I’d ever associate with France. But I recently had over twenty, mind-blowing courses at L’Arpege and most of them were vegetarian, and every one was divine. You see, the chef, Alain Passard, is like the vegetable whisperer, teasing maximum flavor our of nature’s produce, plucked from Passard’s own garden and farm. He earned three Michelin stars at L’Arpege and he deserves every one of them. (In fact, he earned two stars elsewhere at the tender age of 26.) His Onion & Parmesan Gratin with Black Truffles is perfectly caramelized; sweet and savory Cevennes Onions and just plain unforgettable. So is the Vegetable Consommé with Four Ravioli, each tucked with a different vegetable from Passard’s garden; a delicate...
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Le Chateaubriand
Wander by Le Chateaubriand and you’d never guess it was one of the top fifty restaurants in the world, at least according to San Pellegrino’s annual list. In fact, it ranked number nine in 2009, which is no small feat. This humble bistro looks like it’s been around forever: The tables are a weathered wood, the floors made of faded tiles, dim globes hanging from the ceiling, and chalkboards along several walls, featuring wine makers and wines by the glass. Upfront, there’s a quaint bar with a Marzocco coffee maker and a window onto the street. Not exactly what you’d imagine to find at one of the toughest reservations in the world. The menu is a 65 Euro tasting menu, a pretty good deal considering there are over six courses. The most pretentious thing about Le Chateaubriand is its...
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Astrance
As a foodie, I’ve always wanted to eat at Astrance. It’s one of those great dining legends you hear about, hoping one day you’ll get to experience the magic for yourself. Pascal Barbot & Christophe Rohat’s joint venture earned them three Michelin stars and a spot on San Pellegrino’s Top Fifty Restaurants In the World List for the last decade. How could you go wrong? Something went wrong because I wasn’t wowed or moved much at all. Don’t get me wrong: It’s not that dinner was bad. It’s an entirely elegant and intimate spot (with just twenty five seats), and the service is impeccable. The serene space is spread out over two floors, which are decorated with yellow leather banquettes, sky high ceilings, and charcoal gray walls. And I can’t ignore how fantastic the wine list is because there are...
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