BAMN Automat
BAMN 37 St. Mark’s Place (btwn. 2nd & 3rd Aves.) (212)358-7685 TYPE: Asian-style fast food VIBE: Bright lights, big city, fast food OCCASION: Late night pit stop DON’T MISS DISH: Roasted pork buns DON’T BOTHER DISH: Grilled cheese PRICE: $1-$2.50 per dish, $6 for two orders & a drink. HOURS: 25 hours (whatever that means), seven days a week. RESERVATIONS: No reservations INSIDE SCOOP: It’s standing room only. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES (1-10): 6 (for fast food) FINAL WORD: Eat & run at America’s only automat – the food’s not half bad. BAMN reinvents the concept of the Automat with self-serve fast food, amidst the nocturnal bustle of St. Mark’s Place. Owners David Leong, Nobu X and Robert Kwak, enlisted Chef Kevin Reilly (The Water Club) to consult on the on the menu after he answered a Craig’s List ad...
Read MoreDevin Tavern
Devin Tavern 363 Greenwich St. (btwn. Harrison & Franklin Sts.) (212)334-7337 The Menu CODE.TV at Devin Tavern (with Restaurant Girl) Savory NY video TYPE: Rustic American/Continental VIBE: Tavern elegance OCCASION: After-work drinks, a business dinner, or date DON’T MISS DISH: Sweet corn souffle with lobster bisque DON’T BOTHER DISH: Tribeca clam chowder DRINK SPECIALTY: Old fashioned cocktails and homemade liqueurs PRICE: $40 & up HOURS: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 12 PM – 3 PM; Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 5:30 PM- 11 PM, Friday & Saturday, 5:30 PM – 12 PM, Sunday 5 PM – 10 PM. RESERVATIONS: Recommended, especially on Thursdays & weekends. INSIDE SCOOP: Ode to the Bloody Mary when Sunday brunch begins September 10th. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES (1-10): 7 (8 for hospitality) FINAL WORD: Pretend Manhattan’s one giant neighborhood and make this your local go to spot....
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102 8th Ave., at 15th St. (212)242-7773 Tour’s menu CODE.TV Video (with Restaurant Girl) TYPE: Global fusion cuisine VIBE: Basement lounge sleek OCCASION: Get your social amusement fix GO WITH: Trendy insomniacs DON’T MISS DISH: Wild mushroom risotto DON’T BOTHER DISH: Chicken spring rolls PRICE: $40 & up HOURS: Lunch & dinner, Monday – Friday, 11 AM – 6 AM; Saturday & Sunday, 9 AM – 6 AM. Special brunch menu on Saturday & Sunday. RESERVATIONS: Brunch reservations are recommended. INSIDE SCOOP: So loud, it’s hard to hear yourself chew. Stake out a quieter outside table. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES (1-10): 4.5 FINAL WORD: Can’t sleep? Get your late-night munchie fix while you people watch the club crowd. CHEAT SHEET: DRINK: Sparkling rose START WITH: Maryland lump crab cake ORDER: Wild mushroom risotto FINISH WITH: Stroll over to Billy’s Bakery for...
Read MoreTrestle on Tenth
Trestle on Tenth 242 Tenth Ave., at 24th St. (212)645-5659 The Menu Savory NY video TYPE: Contemporary American, heavy on the Swiss influences VIBE: Noveau tavern OCCASION: Post-gallery opening dinner GO WITH: An artsy crowd or friends DON’T MISS DISH: Pork shoulder crepinette DON’T BOTHER DISH: Stuffed veal breast PRICE: $35 & up HOURS: Dinner, Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30 PM-10:30 PM; Friday & Saturday, 5:30 PM-11 PM; Sunday, 5:30- 10 PM. Closed Mondays. RESERVATIONS: Recommended, but there are walk-in tables. INSIDE SCOOP: Request the outdoor walled garden. FINAL WORD: Eat outside your comfort zone. CHEAT SHEET: DRINK: Cabana flush START WITH: Pork Shoulder Crepinette ORDER: Sauteed veal kidneys FINISH WITH: Walnut caramel nusstorte Warmly accented with exposed brick walls, wood furnishings & an unusually serene walled garden, this quaint gastropub is the newest addition to the gallery-populated Chelsea. Though the surrounding galleries...
Read MoreCooking with Cheese: Fondue it
Contributing writer: Cheese Girl aka Nadia If you love melted cheese, fondue can be heaven on earth and nearly foolproof for even the most cooking-challenged. A fondue can be a great way to hold a farewell bash for the cheese bits and pieces that have overstayed their welcome in your fridge. And seeing that cheese and wine can be perfectly paired, cooking with different grape varietals can lead to endless fondue recipes and even an interesting dinner party. WHAT’S IN A CHEESE FONDUE? The classic fondue consists of Gruyere, with a little Appenzeller or Emmenthal (both Swiss cheeses) and a crisp dry wine, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations of cheeses and different grape varietals. But before you go wandering too far from this reliable combination, there are a few basic FONDUE RULES TO COOK BY:...
Read MoreTequila
Contributing Writer: Booze Boy Remember that morning in college when you woke up sprawled out on your bed, face down, head throbbing, one arm twisted around your bedpost? Do you remember what caused that hangover from hell? Chances are it was tequila-related, probably some dangerous combination of Pepe Lopez, Aristocrat or Cuervo Gold tequilas. It was largely due to the fact that the tequila you were drinking was only 51 percent agave, the bare minimum required by Mexican law for tequila to be called Tequila. That means 49% of what you were drinking was anything but agave. And when I say anything, I mean anything – we’re talking sugar, rum, vodka, food coloring, salsa. That 49% of anything is called mixto, and it acts as a mixer/flavor agent whether you know it or not, which is why you felt...
Read MoreGin Lane
355 West 14th Street at Ninth Ave. (212)691-0555 www.ginlanenyc.com Savory NY video TYPE: Continental/Raw bar VIBE: 30’s supper club OCCASION: Let them lure you to linger over dinner or stumble in for a late-night bite GO WITH: A date or a posse of prepsters DON’T MISS DISH: The French fry tasting DON’T BOTHER DISH: Heirloom tomato salad PRICE: $40 & up HOURS: Dinner & drinks, Monday-Saturday, 5 PM-4 AM, the main dining room stops food service at 12 AM. The bar menu’s served until 2 AM. Closed on Sundays. Look for lunch hours in the upcoming weeks. RESERVATIONS: Recommended, especially on Thursdays & weekends. INSIDE SCOOP: Snag the chairs next to the fireplace in the back. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES (1-10): 6 FINAL WORD: Speak easy, drink heavily. CHEAT SHEET: DRINK: Strawberry Nirvana NIBBLE ON: The french fry flight...
Read MoreRobuchon's L'Atelier
57 East 57th Street nr. Park Ave.(212)350-6658 After opening in Paris, Vegas & Tokyo, New York finally gets a L’Atelier of its own. Having received three consecutive Michelin stars (which is like receiving three Oscars), Joel Robuchon was considered the "chef of the century", praised for his peerless French fare. You might ask what took him so damn long to get here, but that would be like looking a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, after almost retiring permanently from the restaurant business at the tender age of 51, foodies are just glad he’s back in the kitchen and officially opening for business in the Four Seasons Hotel, September 5th (reservation lines open August 15th). But starting August 9th, L’Atelier’s open to the public for lunch & dinner on a first-come, first-serve basis. Somehow, I managed to slip inside...
Read MoreKrunch Pizza
Krunch Pizza980 Second Avenue, btwn. 51st & 52nd Aves.(212)207-4122 TYPE: Pizza/Italian trattoriaVIBE: A fashionable pizza joint OCCASION: Take-out, delivery, grab a quick biteGO WITH: A friend, wife, an ultra-casual mealDON’T MISS DISH: Krunch Gamberi (shrimp pizza) DON’T BOTHER DISH: Krunch Zucca (zucchini pizza) PRICE: $2-3 for a square, $16-22 for a pie, salads average $8. HOURS: Dinner & drinks, Sunday – Wednesday 11AM-12AM, Thursday, 11AM-2AM, Friday & Saturday, 11 AM – 4 AM.INSIDE SCOOP: They even serve beer & wine.RESERVATIONS: No reservations needed. Worse case scenario, get it to go. RESTAURANT GIRL RATES (1-10): 6 FINAL WORD: Order in! Krunch attempts to reinvent the wheel, or at least the pie, with their original Neapolitan-style take on pizza. In a minimal, but decidedly modern and “un-pizza” joint space, owners Chris Bianchi (Redemption Lounge) & Angelo Pisacreta have dressed up the...
Read MoreCooking with Cheese
Contributing Writer: Nadia aka Cheese GirlCheese can make a mediocre meal memorable, revive a lifeless salad or flavor a bland soup. Does your apple pie need a little zing? Try grating some sharp cheddar into the crust dough. Your guests will never know what hit them. Cooking with the curds is ease, just follow a few rules of thumb I eat by: Best melting cheesesNot all cheeses melt equally. Cheeses born to melt are typically made from cow’s milk. Alpine-style (think Gruyere) or cheddar cheeses are perfect for a grilled cheese sandwich or melted over potatoes. While sheep’s milk cheeses (like Manchego and Pecorino) tend to separate out when heated, with the fat permanently separating from the solids, goat’s milk cheeses don’t get gooey at all, so shy away from those when it comes to melting. Cost-effective cooking Cooking...
Read MoreDrink Pink
I met a Wine Girl who’s been around the grapevine & happily volunteered to coax us through the wine list. Without further ado: What’s the perfect summer wine for a picnic, bbq, or outdoor fine dining? Ranging in sweetness and seriousness, there’s a ROSE to fit any fare and satisfy even the most sophisticated palate. And rose isn’t just for ladies – real men aren’t afraid to drink pink. What is a rose? Rose wine generally comes from black-skinned grapes of any varietal (Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet, Sangiovese, etc.). What makes rose different from red wine is the length of time the grape juice stays in contact with its skin, aka, maceration. The grapes are first crushed, de-stemmed, then left to macerate before pressing. The rest of the rose wine-making process is exactly the same as it is for...
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