So You Think You Can Cook…
Apparently now you can prove it on The Food Network’s newest series, “Ultimate Recipe Showdown”. The latest in reality tv could potentially skyrocket you into instant foodie fame…for only fifteen minutes of course. Here’s how this colossal cook-off breaks down: CHICKEN – Whole, Fried and Soups & Stews CAKES – Chocolate, Birthday and Cupcakes COOKIES – Chocolate Chip, Spice and Bar PASTA – Spaghetti & Meatballs, Lasagna and Stuffed COMFORT FOOD – Sandwiches, Mac & Cheese and Chili BURGERS – Beef, Poultry and Seafood/Veggie The top nine entries in all six categories will then compete on-air for $10,000 and the title. It’s anyone’s game, so submit your food gems at Ultimate Recipe. Never mind recipes, I wonder if they’re looking for the ultimate judge… Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreTribeca Film Festival Dinner Winner
Lynne Sun has won a $100 gift certificate for dinner at Devin Tavern and two tickets to Tribeca Film Festival’s closing premiere of “The Gates” on Saturday, May 5th! There’s still time to hobnob with Hollywood’s elite, just visit to purchase tickets. Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreUncle Jack’s Steakhouse
What was once Juniper Suite, a bi-level space in midtown, is soon to become Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse. But before we prematurely jump ahead, I think it only appropriate to first pay our respects to the dearly departed. Juniper Suite will be remembered for its foreshadowingly cutesy, “Finger, Fork, Spoon” menu: let this be a lesson to all restaurateurs to beware of gimmicks at all costs. And lest we not forget owner Jerri Banks, a NYT self-proclaimed “cocktail stylist” (a cringe-worthy label), and perhaps a self-inflicted curse. But we won’t dwell in the past. New life stirs in the vacant space and it appears to be another offshoot of Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse. Jack was serving Kobe beef before it was in vogue & now out (yes, I do declare it out). In fact, Uncle Jack loyalists have been gnawing on...
Read MoreBLT Market Delayed
While the signage teases a spring awakening for BLT Market at The Ritz Carlton, all signs point to NO. Laurent Tourondel’s newest stint, a greenmarket homage, has been pushed back to late August. A blow to midtowners and tourists alike patiently awaiting its arrival, there is good news: outdoor dining for thirty-five. Sure, it’s cement sidewalk seating with a view onto Central Park and horse-drawn “carriage to carriage” traffic, but in Manhattan we happily call that dining al fresco. Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s...
Read MoreQ & A with Andrew Friedman
Having co-authored over sixteen of the best cookbooks and counting, Andrew Friedman seems content being the sideman to some of New York’s most celebrated chefs. While we often overlook those who play the part of co-writer, chefs like Alfred Portale, Jimmy Bradley, Tom Valenti & Michael Lomonaco faithfully rely on Andrew’s seamless ability to translate their whimsical inventions into user-friendly recipes. From beginnings as publicist with no formal food training and a serious junk food habit, Andrew jumped at the chance to collaborate on Alfred Portale’s Gotham Bar And Grill cookbook, which went on to earn a Beard nomination for “Best Cookbook”. He was hooked. After a crash course in food at the French Culinary Institute, he’s been knee deep in cookbooks since. Finally, he steps into the limelight: What did you want to be when you grew up?...
Read MoreWine. Dine. Donate.
Epicurious.com ushers in Hunger Awareness Day with a weeklong series of fund-raising dinners at some of the country’s top restaurants. What better place to launch than in New York City at Blue Hill (one of my personal favorites), Dan Barber’s ode to the Greenmarket & his own garden at Stone Farms. Tanya Steel, editor-in chief of Epicurious, will graciously host the June 4th kickoff dinner benefiting the Food Bank of New York. To purchase tickets for the prix fixe dinner at Blue Hill, visit Epicurious.com. Blue Hill 75 Washington Place 212.539.1776 Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to Subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreThe Insatiable Critic Goes Soft
Finally available in paperback, Gael Greene dishes on what she ate and what she did between meals during the four decades that America was falling in love with food and becoming the most food-obsesed nation in the world. And to think it began with a fried egg sandwich that afternoon in Elvis’s hotel suite… Forget investing in a hard cover of this saucy tell-all, Gael’s gone soft for $13.99 available almost everywhere. Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl *Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s Weekly...
Read MoreTribeca Film Festival
Sundance who? Tribeca’s got its own film festival with hands-down better fare. And even Hollywood’s vanguard has to eat (well, maybe not the slender starlets). VIP tickets come with your own personal dining concierge & special reservations at some of Tribeca’s finest. In celebration of this week’s festival, Tribeca Film Festival & Devin Tavern are graciously giving away a $100 gift certificate to the 50th person to email me at restaurantgirl@restaurantgirl.com! LIST OF PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS • Blaue Gans (German, Austrian) 139 Duane St, btwn. W. Broadway & Church Sts. 212.571.8880 • Cafe Sabarsky (Austrian) 1048 5th Avenue, at 86th St. 212.288.0665 • Devin Tavern (American) 363 Greenwich Street, btwn. Franklin & Harrison Sts. 212.334.7337 • Dylan Prime (American) 62 Laight St., at Greenwich St. 212.334.4783 • Megu New York (Japanese) 62 Thomas, btwn....
Read MoreHog Wild at Mai House
Come the stroke of ten, Drew Nieporent & Michael Bao Huynh’s latest riff on Modern Vietnamese, suddenly becomes a downright deal with a new 10 After 10 PM menu. While Michael’s dinnertime fare successfully elevates regional Vietnamese to a plane of elegance, the 10 After 10 PM brings it right back to its “down & dirty” beginnings in the markets of Saigon. Blissfully peppered with wild game, pork and hog, not one of these late-night plates exceeds ten dollars: BBQ quail with sticky rice, corn & coconut fritters, lemon grass short ribs and pork buns. But the true tour de force here is the “Mai Burger”, Bao’s exotic take on the patty; beef marinated in a fish stock & sugar mixture, then piled high with a pickled assemblage of daikon, carrots, cilantro, and mint. Lest we not forget the...
Read MoreGourmet Glossary
In honor of Balthazar’s 10th Anniversary, I’m christening Restaurant Girl’s new, weekly Gourmet Glossary with a Franco-friendly term, pulled straight from Balthazar’s menu: Dover Sole Meuniere. Meuniere – A style of cooking fish whereby it’s seasoned, dusted in flour and then sauteed or fried in butter. Dover sole meuniere is often finished with parsley & a splash of lemon juice. Balthazar’s take is first-rate, served as a special every Tuesday. Feel free to send me any unfamiliar food-related terms that stump you! While it might surprise you, even I stumble across a foreign word….or two. Until we eat again,Restaurant Girl**Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl...
Read MoreBalthazar Celebrates its 10th Anniversary Today
Keith McNally’s classic French, Balthazar, became an instant success from the moment he opened the doors to this fashionably-outfitted Soho destination. With ten years now under its belt, a separate VIP reservation line for the privileged few and a healthy all-day clientele, McNally celebrates the milestone of his baby. In honor of its tenth anniversary, Balthazar will serve complimentary glasses of champagne at breakfast as well as an entire bottle of bubbly for both lunch & dinner crowds. With Balthazar, Pastis, Schiller’s Liquor Bar and most recently Morandi – McNally’s newest addition to his food fold with partner chef, Chef Jody Williams – McNally has finally ventured outside his French “comfort zone” to boldly try his hand at recreating an authentic rustic Italian vibe in the West Village. After disappointing reviews from NYM’s Adam Platt & NYP’s Steve Cuozzo,...
Read MoreMercat
The latest in a series of tapas joints to grace Manhattan kicked-off Tuesday evening after a number of setbacks and massive speculation (myself included). Of course I had to see this with my own eyes. Opening night and Noho’s newest resident was abuzz, brimming with tapas loyalists, gourmet groupies and trendy types. Every chair was taken in the narrow 90-seat space, industrially-outfitted with unfinished wood tables, brick walls and an eating counter with a view into a white subway-tiled open kitchen: think Casa Mono meets Boqueria on a dimmer. But Mercat’s most inviting accessory was a centerstage ham-and-cheese station, which will no doubt allure potential loiterers (myself included). Owner & native Barcelonian, Jaime Reixach, has enlisted chefs David Seigal (Bouley) & Ryan Lowder (Jean Georges) to employ his Catalan-inspired vision of small plates, which take the form of snails...
Read MoreQ & A with Chanterelle’s David Waltuck
A 25 year stint with no end in sight, Chanterelle has ripened into a Tribeca dining institution. Husband-and-wife team, Karen & David Waltuck, have charmed their way into New Yorker’s hearts (not an easy task), with refined French fare & unrelenting hospitality. Voted “Outstanding Restaurant” 2004 by the James Beard Foundation & #13 in Adam Platt’s “101 Best New Restaurants 2006“, Chanterelle shows no signs of fading anytime soon. While the menu changes monthy highlighting seasonal and local sources, the grilled seafood sausage signature remains a superior fixture. Spring brings earthy offerings, like green asparagus flan with fresh morels and bass saute with sweet onions, curry and basil. Though you get what you pay for – read deliciously expensive – the “lighter of wallet can indulge in the $42 prix fixe lunch. What did you want to be when...
Read MoreLCB J.J. Rachou
“The old grey mare, she ain’t what she used to be,” I peculiarly hummed – yes I admit to humming – as I wandered past celebrated midtowner, LCB J.J. Rachou. The restaurant formerly known as La Cote Basque has been “closed for renovation” for over a week. One of the last French haunts to embrace such classics as pike quenelles, vichyssoise, escargot and good old, artery-clogging cream sauces, the aged space received a much-needed makeover in 2004. No doubt an attempt to morph itself into a hipper dining destination for the 21st century, it was also renamed LCB J.J. Rachou. Yet even with the reinvention, it lacked a certain joie de vivre that had come to be expected from the elegant bistro, recalling a Broadway show that had overstayed its run. While the present signage out front reads “Closed...
Read MoreFR.OG
FR.OG (of French Origin) – Liquor License Achieved OPEN FOR BUSINESS – April 24th A busy day for restaurant openings, it seems FR.OG will celebrate its opening Monday, April 23rd, officially open to the public at large on Tuesday, April 24th. Fashionably located across from Balthazar, Philip Kirsh & chef Didier Virot’s French-bent downtown venture will play host to 120 guests in a two-level space. By way of an open kitchen, you can even watch the handsome Virot create French, Lebanese and Moroccan delicacies: sardine tart, canelloni of lamb, roasted lobster with almonds and honey, and duck leg in pastilla. 71 Spring St., btwn. Broadway & Lafayette Sts....
Read MoreMERCAT – OPEN FOR BUSINESS
MERCAT At long last, Mercat will finally open Tuesday, April 17th! After a month-long delay due to gas issues with the city, the 90-seat tapas bar stage is set and hopefully ready for primetime. Native Barcelonian Jaime Reixach plans to dish out Catalan-bent small plates, homemade sangrias and an exclusively Spanish wine list. Through the subway-tiled kitchen, diners be able to watch chefs David Seigal (Bouley) & Ryan Lowder (Jean Georges) in action. With fish stew & pork belly with brussel sprouts , Mercat has the potential to make waves in the vogue pursuit of tapas. Stay tuned for first bites… 45 Bond St., btwn. Lafayette & Broadway 212-529-8600 OPEN FOR BUSINESS Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl Updates**...
Read MoreLandmarc – Delivery
Ladies and gentlemen, this is delivery at its finest. Behold, what I ate for lunch… What was once a delivery ghost town just may have changed forever this fine Nor’easter afternoon as Landmarc was transported to my midtown doorstep in just under forty five minutes. Not bad for opening day. While I’ve never had tartare of any kind delivered, I tempted a chunky salmon tartare, washed in a lively dijon mustard and handsomely speckled with zesty lemon confit & fleur de sel. Monday’s rigatoni alla genovese arrived blissfully sauced with an unusually soothing walnut-spiked pesto. I’d say the real estate value in these parts just went up. Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl...
Read MoreLandmarc Lands at Time Warner Center
Landmarc10 Columbus Circle, 3rd floor (TWC)Hours: Open 7 days a week 7am-11pm.212.823.6123DELIVERY – 646.437.3200 Landmarc uptown officially opens today – finally. With the success. Landing a prime location in the Time Warner Center, Landmarc will now rub elbows with Cafe Gray, Masa, Porterhouse NY and Per Se. That’s not too shabby for a Tribeca bistro with humble beginnings. While deemed a "neighborhood spot", Marc Murphy & wife Pamela Schein Murphy’s Landmarc earned deserved praise for both its New American fare & unpretentious vibe, fast becoming a dining destination. To boot, Murphy boasts a wine list with a mere 30% markup, a practical steal in a city where 100% markups are par for the course. With an industrial chic space & 300 seats, this is a jackpot for midtowners. Landmarc’s menu remains intact: smoked mozzarella & ricotta fritters, pumpkin &...
Read MoreQ & A With Tom Valenti
The Modern American Ouest finally belongs to its rightful owner, Tom Valenti, the accomplished chef behind the Upper West Side restaurant’s success. An undeniably fickle neighborhood to open any restaurant, never mind a serious one, Tom Valenti seamlessly opened to much success and an impressive “Best New Restaurant” nod from NYM’s Adam Platt 2002. Cozy enough to earn the label neighborhood go-to and yet polished enough to become a regular culinary destination, Ouest offers everything from braised veal breast with sweetbreads to homey meatloaf on Sundays. TALES FROM THE INSIDE – Valenti, who left ‘Cesca in January 2006, decided to offer the buy out of both Ouest and ‘Cesca after an impass with his partners over a project in Atlantic City. Certain parties incorrectly represented Valenti as a participant in a branch of ‘Cesca there. Without Valenti, ‘Cesca didn’t...
Read MoreAzza
Address: 137 East 55th St., btwn. 3rd & Lexington Aves. Phone: 212.755.7055 Cuisine: French-Moroccan Vibe: Exotic Arabian escape Scene: Euro crowd Hours: Dinner, Mon – Sat, 5:30pm- 12am. Lounge hours, Mon – Fri, 5:30pm – 4AM, Sat. 10pm – 4am. Scoop: Multitask – shop while you imbibe in the downstairs store filled with Moroccan wares Price: Appetizers, $5-11. Entrees, $22-34. Reservations: Reservations accepted. www.azzanyc.com Ever wonder what happened to Fizz, that members-only supper club & lounge in midtown, which suddenly lifted its exclusionary policy to fill the swanky void within? Neither did I, but apparently it “fizzled” into the night, not shocking considering the allure of downtown Lotus, Marquee and Stereo. In its wake, Restaurateur Djamal Zoughbi and his partner Thierry Pomies have ambitiously revamped the space, unveiling French-Moroccan Azza. Gone are the moneyed namedroppers and impossible Fizz guest...
Read MoreCheck out My Book – Try This
