Allen & Delancey – Reviewed
115 Allen St. (btwn. Delancey & Rivington Sts.) Phone: (212) 253-5400 Hours: Dinner, Mon.-Sat., 6 p.m.-12 a.m., Sun., 5 p.m.-11 a.m. CUISINE Contemporary European. VIBE Cozy lower East Side haunt. OCCASION Romantic dinner; Bar dining. DON’T-MISS DISH Caramelized bone marrow, Sweetbread raviolo PRICE Appetizers, $12-18; entrees, $20-29; desserts, $10. RESERVATIONS Highly recommended. At Allen & Delancey, a well-heeled woman spooned bone marrow into her mouth. It was a nonchalant bar gesture, followed by a leisurely sip of a cocktail. This is a culinary sign of the times. Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” Dining on bone marrow was likely not what the philosopher had in mind, but fitting, as this is not an uncommon sight at New York City restaurants in the 21st century. Allen & Delancey is the...
Read MoreQ & A With Duff Goldman
You may recognize pastry from his reality TV show, Ace of Cakes, on the Food Network. But Duff’s background consists of much more than an artful cake creator. Duff began his cooking years at the early age of 4, and began working in a professional kitchen at 14. Having a great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother who all worked as cooks or artists, a culinary arts career was somewhat inevitable. Duff studied pastry arts at the CIA in Napa Valley, where he advanced his culinary talent. Having gained notoriety as a skilled graffiti artist as a kid, his technical pastry skills coupled with his graffiti inclinations invited a unique career in pastry. After working in pastry at Keller’s French Laundry, Duff moved back to Baltimore in 2000 and opened Charm City Cakes to televised national acclaim. Status: Single/Married/Divorced Live with girlfriend....
Read MoreBest of Dessert: Part One
Otto Enoteca and Pizzeria 15th Avenue and 8th Street 212-995-9559 If you haven’t already noticed, olive oil gelato is currently seizing its moment in the restaurant limelight. But Otto’s rendition is the real deal: Sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, its subtly sweet and mellow. Likewise, the hazelnut stracciatella harkens Nutella, and the pistachio proves itself profoundly creamy. Levain Bakery 167 West 74th St, nr. Columbus Ave. (212)874-6080 A permanent fixture on our “Favorite Desserts List”, we’re humbled in the over-sized presence of this UWS bakery’s cookies. In a nutshell, you’re simply not going to find a better cookie – chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, or dark chocolate peanut butter chip – in New York City. Just yesterday we learned by way of Eater, Bobby Flay couldn’t Throwdown with these talented...
Read MoreGiardino D’oro
Flames Steakhouse has just morphed into Giardino D’oro, an Italian eatery in the Financial District. Nick Vuli, who was both the owner and chef at Flames, partnered up with Benny Jakupaj, to undertake the restaurant’s transformation. Owners site Wall Street woes and tightened expense accounts for the recent decline in Flames’ lunchtime business and thus, the transition to affordable Italian. Outdated wallpaper has been replaced by gold-tinted Venetian plaster and rugs have been torn out in favor of cherrywood floors. This traditional Northern Italian features eggplant rollatini, veal chop Valdostana sauced with wild mushrooms and cognac, homemade agnoletti and four-cheese stuffed ravioli. While not on the newly issued menu, Vuli still offers its signature, dry-aged in house steaks on an off the menu request basis: expect porterhouse, rib eye and New York strip steaks. Address: 5 Gold St., at Maiden...
Read MoreRebecca Charles’ Taylor Bay Scallops with Leeks & Butter Sauce
This is a great recipe for homecooks because it is an easy way to introduce yourself to cooking seafood at home. Serves 2 1 small leek 1 cup white wine Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper 16 Nantucket or Taylor Bay Scallops in the shell 1/2 pound cold butter, cut into small pieces Prepare the leek by trimming off the dark green top and roots, slicing the white part in half lengthwise, and cutting it into 1/4-inch slices. Immerse the leek slices in a bowl of cold water and agitate then to loosen and remove the sand. Skim the leeks out of the water and into a strainer, leaving the sand behind. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the wine to a simmer. Add the leeks and a small pinch of salt and saute for about...
Read MoreMarket Table
Address: 54 Carmine St., at Bedford St. Phone: (212)255-2100 Cuisine: Seasonal American Vibe: Quintessential neighborhood spot & grocery Occasion: Casual date, neighborhood dinner Hours: Dinner, Mon-Sat, 5:30p.m.-12a.m. Closed Sundays Don’t Miss Dish: Gnocchi with short ribs; Pan roasted chicken. Drink Specialty: Rotating wine selection. Price: Appetizers, $9-$12; Entrees, $17-$29; Desserts, $5-$9. Reservations: Reservations recommended Not just another trip to the market… Shop for groceries and you’ll be tempted to stay for dinner at Market Table. What looks more like a corner grocery store is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after tables in town. The only entrance to Market Table’s dining room is by way of an adjoining grocery shop, a makeshift preview of what’s on the menu. Think general store meets butcher shop, where customers can purchase anything from exotic dried fruits to burger patties. Yes, this is...
Read MoreFrederick’s Midtown Becomes Jour Et Nuit
The Frederick’s midtown outpost has transformed itself (once again) into Jour Et Nuit, a modern French-American bistro. In hopes of resurrecting the defunct Soho Jour Et Nuit, owner Frederick Lesort has teamed up with twin brothers Derek and Daniel Koch to install the latest incarnation this subterranean space has seen. Having worked at Le Bilbouqet for numerous years, the Koch brothers have amassed a loyal and predominately European clientele they hope will follow them to their new venture. Once a private supper club, Jour Et Nuit has a more democratic door policy and a decorative face lift. The space has been newly appointed with cherry wood floors, blue velvet banquettes and cream colored walls. There’s also a lengthy standing room only bar to lure the after-work banker crowd. The menu features the French classics: croque monsieur, moules frites, steak...
Read MoreLa Bocca di Bacco
As new restaurants continue to trickle onto Hell’s Kitchen dining scene, Roberto Passon (Cipriani, Italy) gets in on the action with casual Italian, La Bocca di Bacco. Right around the corner from his eponymous Venetian-inspired restaurant, chef Roberto Passon has officially opened a wine bar with Northern Italian tapas, crostinis, salads and pastas. La Bocca di Bacco’s menu features octopus carpaccio with pistachio lemon dressing, goose breast crostini and chestnut lasagnette (none of the plates will exceed $20). The wine list highlights over 40 wines by the glass. Phone: 828 Ninth Ave., btwn. 54th & 55th Sts. Address: (212)265-8828 Open for business Until we eat again, Restaurant Girl **Don’t forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl’s weekly...
Read MoreJimmy Bradley’s Saute of Zucchini with Almonds & Pecorino
Quick Sauté of Zucchini with Toasted Almonds & Pecorino (Adapted from The Red Cat Cookbook by Jimmy Bradley and Andrew Friedman) Serves 4 We’ve served this dish at The Red Cat since our first dinner back in 1999. The most important thing here is to not overcook the zucchini. When cooking it, check it with the back of your hand; get it out of the pan when it’s warm, but not too hot. This will unlock its flavor and help it meld with those of the almonds and oil. Ingredients ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving ¼ cup sliced almonds 3 to 4 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then into matchstick sized segments (about 5 cups matchsticks) Salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ pound pecorino Romano, thinly sliced into 12 triangular sheets with...
Read MoreAutumn Cocktail Roundup
These days, cocktails have become as important as dinner, and a good mixologist as valuable as a top chef. Though some revelers are content to sling back beer year round, many enjoy autumn’s produce in their potable (and alcoholic) forms. Think apples, tart cranberries, and fragrant pie spices. Serious bartenders around Manhattan have stepped up, offering out-of-the-ordinary cocktails that make it nearly as enjoyable to drink in this city as it is to eat. Death & Company – Maple syrup explores its adulthood in a Maple Julep made with Rittenhouse rye whiskey at this East Village sleeper, which just keeps conceiving first-rate libations. 433 East 6th Street, (212) 388-0882 Gramercy Tavern – Fresh cranberries, macerated until plump and spiced with Goslings rum, add a sweet-tart burst of seasonal flavor to the tavern’s “Drunken” cranberry Daiquiri. But really anything Juliette...
Read MoreBest Thanksgiving Take-Out 2007
Whether you’re the one making Thanksgiving dinner this year, or a guest at someone else’s table, you don’t have to make everything (or anything at all) these days. Even when eateries close for the holiday, they still make sure you’re well fed… City Bakery (212) 266-1414 3 W. 18th St., nr. 5th Ave. Although this Gramercy bakery is closed on Thanksgiving Day, it offers a catered menu that can be enjoyed at home. Turkey is a given, but their sides steal the show: an option of southwestern cornbread stuffing, butternut squash with Asian pears and hazelnuts, and spicy cipollini onions all add a bit of verve to the ensemble. With desserts, highlights include Indian apple pie ($25) and cranberry caramel walnut tart ($30). Clinton Street Baking Company (646) 602-6263 4 Clinton St., btwn E. Houston & Stanton Sts. This...
Read MoreQ & A With Marc Aumont
Pastry chef Marc Aumont has spent his life in pastry – literally. Growing up in Chamonix Mont Blanc in France, Marc lived in an apartment directly above his father’s chocolate shop, La Gerbe d’Or. There, he spent time honing the craft of both chocolate and pastry. After time spent in France, Marc met chef David Bouley who lured him into opening a bakery in NYC, subsequently Bouley Bakery. As first a consultant and later the executive pastry chef, Marc helped create one of New York’s preeminent bakeries. Marc then spent time as executive pastry chef at Compass, earning accolades in 2002 from New York Magazine as a “pastry star” with a “sugar future.” Danny Meyer with Union Square Hospitality Group eventually brought him to The Modern, which found its home in the newly refurnished Museum of Modern Art. On...
Read MoreGusto’s Pumpkin Pansotti
Chef Amanda Freitag shares a brand new recipe from her kitchen at West Village Italian, Gusto. You can’t get more fall than a pumpkin pansotti with apple cider reduction… Pumpkin Pansotti with Spiced Hazelnuts & Apple Cider Reduction Chef Amanda Freitag (Serves 4) Ingredients for the pasta: 3 cups “00” flour (low gluten flour) ½ tsp. salt 3 eggs ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup semolina flour for dusting Ingredients for the filling: 1 medium or 2 small sugar pumpkins ½ cup ricotta cheese ¼ cup parmigiano reggiano, grated Salt and pepper to taste Pinch of nutmeg Ingredients for the sauce: 2 cups apple cider, reduced to ¼ cup ¾ cup hazelnuts Pinch cayenne pepper ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. nutmeg Salt 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp. butter Preparation for the pasta… Preparation for...
Read MoreDining Out on Thanksgiving
This year, we give thanks to all of the NYC restaurants who keep their doors open on Thanksgiving, and keep our kitchens free of mayhem and mess. No more must we wait on daunting lines at Whole Foods or slave away all day roasting turkeys. This year, you may want to opt out of an at-home dinner and dine out on Thanksgiving. Our top picks: Prune (212)-677-6221 54 E 1st St.btwn 1st & 2nd Ave Stop in this East Village gem for a New American Thanksgiving dinner. Gabrielle Hamilton whimsically substitutes braised capons for turkey and sides avail a combination of both the classic and unusual: stewed chestnuts with ricotta and sea salt, as well as butternut squash with pear and candied bacon. Chubo (212) 674-6300 6 Clinton Street This tiny yet worldly restaurant offers a four-course prix-fixe dinner...
Read MoreKellari’s Parea Bistro Has Gone Green
What was formerly Parea, Cleveland chef Michael Symon’s brief New York stint, will become a rustic Greek eatery on Saturday, November 15th. Owner Stavros Aktipis (Kellari Taverna) has taken over the Gramercy space to install Kellari’s Parea Bistro, the first casual spinoff of this midtown Greek flagship and his first “green” eatery. Aktipis has done away with Parea’s sleek decor and oddly-shaped communal table, transforming it into a bistro with reclaimed wood floors, wine barrels, leather seating, and a wood-burning pizza oven. Chef Gregory Zapantis will oversee the organic menu, printed on recycled paper. The contemporary rustic cuisine will feature fire-roasted sweetbreads, eggplant with feta ice cream, skewered filet mignon, and Greek pizzas. Entree highlights include 24-hour marinated lamb, grilled mediterranean bass with wild greens, and slowly baked rooster. Yes, rooster. Address: 36 East 20th St., btwn. Park &...
Read MoreBobo
At Chez Bobo, beauty runs only skin deep. 181 W. 10th St., at Seventh Ave. (212) 488-2626 Dinner: Mon.-Thur., 6 p.m.-11 p.m., Fri-Sat, 6 p.m.-12 a.m., closed Sundays. CUISINE European bistro VIBE Brownstone chic OCCASION See-and-be-seen dinner; cocktails. DON’T-MISS DISH Tarte flambee PRICE Appetizers, $8-16; entrees, $18-26; desserts, $7. RESERVATIONS Recommended Checking in for dinner at Bobo feels like you’re checking into a bed and breakfast – in the West Village. Reservationists answer the phone, “Bobo residence.” Hosts greet from behind an antique desk. The only thing missing is the little bell on the counter. Once you pass the hostess desk, you feel as if you’ve entered a European dinner party or a chic supper club with homespun charms. Chef Nicolas Cantrel’s European bistro menu similarly follows suit: bouillabaisse, steak frites and tarte flambee. Owner Carlos Suarez has also...
Read MoreFirst Look at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
No matter what culinary genre they’re tapping into, Bruce & Eric Bromberg (Blue Ribbon restaurants) seem to have a knack for drawing crowds and maintaining a devoted clientele. At Blue Ribbon Brasserie, the two manage to deliver a just as first-rate steak tartare as they do a comforting Matzoh ball soup. While many often falter and overreach when mixing cuisines, the Bromberg Bros. have built a lucrative empire off the formula. At Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, they’ve integrated their two Sullivan Street concepts at 6 Columbus Hotel, just a few steps from the Time Warner Center. Though this incarnation has sadly left the signature steak tartare and cheese fondue behind, there’s a sizeable Japanese-centered menu with a generous raw fish selection in addition to cooked meats and seafood. Seeing as there was a forty-five minute wait at...
Read MoreLandmarc’s Spaghetti Carbonara
This week, chef Marc Murphy shares a signature Landmarc recipe, initially employed at the Tribeca flagship restaurant. Without further ado… Spaghetti a la Carbonara (serves 6 to 8 people) Ingredients: 1 box of spaghetti 6 whole eggs 2 cups grated parmesan 1 slab of bacon (small dice) fresh cracked black pepper salt to taste Preparation: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large bowl combine eggs, cheese and pepper. Mix well. Cook bacon in a sauté pan until golden brown. Cook pasta to al dente, then drain (reserve some pasta water). Add hot pasta and bacon (with all the fat) to egg & cheese mixture. Mix well (add some pasta water if mixture is too dry.) Season with salt if necessary and serve. Phone: (212)343-3883 Address: 179 West Broadway, btwn. Leonard & Worth Sts....
Read MoreQ & A With Katie Lee Joel
Conscious consumption: It’s understanding how food from the earth becomes the meal on your plate, and it’s also the guiding culinary principle of Katie Lee Joel, occasional television star, wife of musician Billy Joel, and author of the upcoming cookbook, The Comfort Table. Before she was old enough to read a recipe, Joel was busy helping her grandmother turn fresh vegetables and meat from their West Virginia farm into the dishes that brought her family together every evening. Many of the rib-sticking recipes featured in The Comfort Table come straight from her grandmother’s kitchen, but they also reflect Joel’s personal credo of wholesome, organic ingredients and healthy living. A graduate of Miami University of Ohio in English and journalism, Joel has brought her culinary talents to Bravo’s Top Chef, a column in Hampton’s Magazine, a special correspondent position for...
Read MoreCheck out My Book – Try This
