Costata – Reviewed
How sweet it is! I bet that’s what Michael White is thinking right about now. How many chefs get to return to the very same space where they were once a young chef struggling to make a name for himself and come back as an owner with a legion of successful restaurants to show for himself? That about sums up the story of Costata. Anyone remember Fiamma, BR Guest’s upscale Italian, located in a townhouse on Spring Street just off Sixth Avenue? Michael White got his start in Fiamma’s kitchen. Over a dozen restaurants and eleven years later, White has returned to the former Fiamma space with an Italian steakhouse all his own called Costata, which means rib eye in Italian.
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ABC Cocina – Reviewed
Who would have thought one of the best places to eat right now is tucked inside a furniture and home store? But that’s exactly the case ever since ABC Carpet & Home first teamed up with Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Dan Kluger to open ABC Kitchen. Over three years later and it’s nearly as hard to get a reservation at this seasonal and local American spot, tucked inside the 19th street side of the store.
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Topping Rose House
Who knew one of the best new restaurants in New York would open in the Hamptons? Bridgehampton to be specific. I didn’t see that coming. The Hamptons are better known for their wide beaches, grand houses and lavish parties. Not food. At least, not til Topping Rose House came along. Just taste the Ravioli with Housemade Ricotta and you’ll see what I mean. It’s a game changer – a singular and mammoth-size ravioli cradling impossibly fresh Ricotta, scattered with slivers of Shitake Mushroom, tender green Asparagus and fresh herbs. It’s glossed in a Beurre Fondue that amplifies the richness of the dish without overdoing the dish.
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Topping Rose House – Reviewed
Who knew one of the best new restaurants in New York would open in the Hamptons? Bridgehampton to be specific. I didn’t see that coming. The Hamptons are better known for their wide beaches, grand houses and lavish parties. Not food. At least, not til Topping Rose House came along. Just taste the Ravioli with Housemade Ricotta and you’ll see what I mean. It’s a game changer – a singular and mammoth-size ravioli cradling impossibly fresh Ricotta, scattered with slivers of Shitake Mushroom, tender green Asparagus and fresh herbs. It’s glossed in a Beurre Fondue that amplifies the richness of the dish without overdoing the dish. It’s a divine pasta that will compel you to make another reservation before you even leave the restaurant.
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Restaurant Spotting: Antica Pesa
I always thought that the “scene” didn’t matter, at least where dinner is concerned. I’d rather eat amazing food in a dismal room than dismal food in an amazing room. But when I stepped into the garden room at Imperial No. 9, I abandoned my philosophy before I even opened the menu. What the restaurant refers to as the garden room looks more like an opulent greenhouse with crystal chandeliers, dangling from a glass ceiling and potted plants scattered around the room. The wire chairs are painted a powder blue and there’s a mirrored communal table in the center of the room. There’s a long oak bar along one side of the dining room and a cottage swing near the entrance, that you can swing on it while you wait for your table. And there’s another, more substantial bar...
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Gwynnett St. – Reviewed
I’d return to Gwynnett St. for the whiskey bread alone. It may sound silly, but it’s that good. Served warm, this crusty, homemade loaf is as sweet as cornbread, soft on the inside, and dosed with plenty of whiskey. It’s also the simplest thing on the menu… by far. The food at this newish Williamsburg spot is entirely complicated, and yet utterly satisfying, a rare feat as far as restaurants go.
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Carbone
Rarely do you come across a buzzy, new restaurant that peddles in Veal Parmesan, Linguine with Clams, and Lobster Fra Diavolo. It sounds almost like a contradiction in terms, but Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi have made an art of Red Sauce Italian, and by doing so, have made Italian-American cooking hot. It all started with Torrisi Italian Specialties, which by day, was nothing more than a sandwich shop, albeit an excellent one, wheeling and dealing in Eggplant Parm, Heroes, Lasagna and the like. Come nighttime, this Soho shop morphed into a restaurant with one of the most exciting (and affordable) tasting menus in the city. Then came the more casual Parm and their newest venture, Carbone, is like something straight out of Little Italy… only with much better food. I used to love going to Little Italy with my parents when I was young. My brother, sister and I would pile into the car and travel into the city from our home in New Jersey all in the name of Veal Parmesan, Shrimp Francese, Gnocchi and Rainbow Cookies. We’d end the evening at Ferraro’s for espresso and scoops of gelati. When I moved into the city post-college, I returned to Little Italy for dinner, but the neighborhood seemed to be shrinking and the restaurants sadly deteriorating.
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Le Philosophe
Le Philosophe doesn’t look like the new “It” restaurant, but it’s as nearly impossible to get a reservation right now. So what’s all the fuss about? It could be their wondrously plump Bouchot Mussels, basking in an addictive broth that’s flavored with aleppo peppers, leeks, potatoes, creme fraiche and god knows what else, but it’s excellent. (And there’s plenty of bread to soak up any leftover broth with!) It’s a dish rivaled only by the Cured Foie Gras Terrine, sided by Quince Jam and thick, Toasted Brioche to smear the wonderfully unctuous, salt-cured paté on. You could easily make a meal of these two dishes alone, but pace yourself there’s more to come.
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Carbone – Reviewed
I always thought that the “scene” didn’t matter, at least where dinner is concerned. I’d rather eat amazing food in a dismal room than dismal food in an amazing room. But when I stepped into the garden room at Imperial No. 9, I abandoned my philosophy before I even opened the menu. What the restaurant refers to as the garden room looks more like an opulent greenhouse with crystal chandeliers, dangling from a glass ceiling and potted plants scattered around the room. The wire chairs are painted a powder blue and there’s a mirrored communal table in the center of the room. There’s a long oak bar along one side of the dining room and a cottage swing near the entrance, that you can swing on it while you wait for your table. And there’s another, more substantial bar...
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Le Philosophe – Reviewed
I always thought that the “scene” didn’t matter, at least where dinner is concerned. I’d rather eat amazing food in a dismal room than dismal food in an amazing room. But when I stepped into the garden room at Imperial No. 9, I abandoned my philosophy before I even opened the menu. What the restaurant refers to as the garden room looks more like an opulent greenhouse with crystal chandeliers, dangling from a glass ceiling and potted plants scattered around the room. The wire chairs are painted a powder blue and there’s a mirrored communal table in the center of the room. There’s a long oak bar along one side of the dining room and a cottage swing near the entrance, that you can swing on it while you wait for your table. And there’s another, more substantial bar...
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The NoMad’s Killer Fruits De Mer
Some restaurants just ride the buzz of their openings, becoming the hot restaurant by nature of being brand new. The mediocre and less than mediocre spots quickly peter out and fall off people’s radars while others settle into their groove. But few stay as hot as when they first opened. The NoMad is one of those delicious exceptions that’s managed to be as relevant and hard to get into now as it was when it opened just less than a year ago.
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The Nomad Hotel & Restaurant
Some restaurants just ride the buzz of their openings, becoming the hot restaurant by nature of being brand new. The mediocre and less than mediocre spots quickly peter out and fall off people’s radars while others settle into their groove. But few stay as hot as when they first opened. The NoMad is one of those delicious exceptions that’s managed to be as relevant and hard to get into now as it was when it opened just less than a year ago. It’s an undeniably sexy space with a series of rooms and scenes, including the bar with its killer cocktails, the library for light bites and several dining rooms to sample a taste of Daniel Humm’s much celebrated Roast Chicken with Foie Gras Stuffing or the equally as famous Milk & Honey dessert. There’s a fine wine...
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The Marrow – Reviewed
I always thought that the “scene” didn’t matter, at least where dinner is concerned. I’d rather eat amazing food in a dismal room than dismal food in an amazing room. But when I stepped into the garden room at Imperial No. 9, I abandoned my philosophy before I even opened the menu. What the restaurant refers to as the garden room looks more like an opulent greenhouse with crystal chandeliers, dangling from a glass ceiling and potted plants scattered around the room. The wire chairs are painted a powder blue and there’s a mirrored communal table in the center of the room. There’s a long oak bar along one side of the dining room and a cottage swing near the entrance, that you can swing on it while you wait for your table. And there’s another, more substantial bar...
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The Marrow
There is Marrow on the menu at Harold Dieterle’s new West Village eatery, of course. It comes roasted and topped with sea urchin, teeny nibbles of fried potatoes, a few wisps of micro celery greens, and a drizzle of meyer lemon aioli. Looking for a light bite? Consider eating elsewhere. But if you’re looking for some heart-warming (or stopping) cooking to cozy up to this winter, The Marrow has quite a few terrific options. Perhaps you’d be interested in the hand-cut Fettucini with Pork and Sage Sausage or the Pan-Fried Duck Schnitzel with Quark Spaetzle, Stewed Wolfberries and a Cucumber-Potato Salad? And just what are Fettucini and Schnitzel doing on the same menu? Dieterle’s newest venture was uniquely inspired by both his Italian and German roots, so expect the food to follow suit. That means dishes as dichotomous as...
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Louro – Reviewed
More people should be talking about Louro in the West Village. It opened in a space that was once home to Lowcountry, and before that Bar Blanc, which opened was ultimately a bust, too. (Ironically, Bar Blanc’s chef, Cesar Ramirez, went on to open one of the hardest reservations in town better known as Brooklyn Fare.) But the past is the past and the space now looks less flashy.
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Louro
More people should be talking about Louro in the West Village. It opened in a space that was once home to Lowcountry, and before that Bar Blanc, which opened was ultimately a bust, too. But the past is the past and the space now looks less flashy. There are white-washed brick walls, cushy, curved banquettes along one wall and tables with burgundy leather seating along the other with mirrored paneling hanging overhead. Louro seems more like a neighborhood restaurant than the “hip, new place to eat,” but believe me, Louro is the place to eat right now. It’s not hip per se, but it is warm and cozy, and the staff’s passion for the restaurant is infectious. More importantly, the food is exciting. The chef, David Santos, worked at Bouley and Per Se before launching a secret and wildly popular supper club, called Um Segredo, out of his very own apartment...
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El Toro Blanco – Reviewed
I know it’s cliche to say, but good Mexican really is hard to find in New York. I’m not saying there aren’t good dishes or a few good restaurants scattered about the boroughs. There are… a few, but it’s hard to find a joint that can master a proper margarita, tamale, and mole. That’s a whole other level and plenty of places don’t even offer tamales or a cactus salad (I love a good ensalada de nopalitos). Instead, they stick to what I call “mass Mexican,” like burritos, quesadillas and tacos. Then, there’s the other side of the spectrum, like Tehuitzingo Mexican Deli. This grungy, Hell’s Kitchen spot makes hyper authentic sopes topped with goat’s meat (barbacoa), huitlacoche quesadilas and killer tacos el pastor. But they don’t have a liquor license or much in the way of seating and...
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Talde
Did Talde really open less than a year ago? We feel like we’ve been singing the praises of Pretzel Pork and Chive Potstickers, Korean Fried Chicken, and Crispy Oyster and Bacon Pad Thai for as long as we can remember. And the dinner crowds haven’t even remotely thinned since last January, when chef/owner Dale Talde first introduced his Saigon Crepes, Whole Roasted Branzino in Banana Leaves, and Hawaiian Bread Buns. It’s a testament that—even though he was told to pack his knives and go (twice) on Bravo’s reality show, Top Chef—he’s sure to be a fixture on NYC’s dining scene for many years to...
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Empellón Cocina
After exhibiting a few growing pains at his often hit-or-miss gourmet taco shop, Empellón Taqueria, former pastry chef Alex Stupak presented a fully realized vision of high-flying Mexican food at Empellón Cocina this year. An excellent starter of Pistachio Guacamole (why has no one ever thought of this before?) comes sided with a heap of masa crisps, Fried Whitbait makes a tasty appearance in fish tacos, topped with a smear of sprightly key lime mayo, and a Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder is like an elevated mash-up of homey, regional Mexican favorites, accented with masa gnocchi, radishes, and pozole...
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North End Grill
2012 marked the welcome return of chef Floyd Cardoz, whose spice-inflected flavors have been sorely missed since Tabla shuttered two years prior. And while North End Grill‘s menu is grounded in New American, local/seasonal fare (Lancaster Veal Chop with chanterelles, Hudson Valley Foie Gras risotto omelette), you can still find a few welcome homages to his native Bombay. We love the Fricassee of Wild Mushrooms with “Upma Polenta,” and an Elysian Fields Lamb Loin served with baby carrots, turnips, and Indian apricot...
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