With the weather getting warmer, we've got one protein on our minds: Seafood! While New York may not be considered a seafood mecca like New England, we can more than hold our own on the fish front. And because almost anything is better in sandwich form, we’re looking forward to creative and regional renditions from some of the city’s best chefs and shops. Sure, you can get a stellar lobster roll at the Red Hook Lobster Pound or The Mermaid Inn, but we’ve discovered seafood sandwiches far beyond lobster, like the fried shrimp po' boy at Cheeky Sandwiches, or even a Montreal-style lox sandwich, served right in Brooklyn.
Cheeky Sandwiches - Fried Shrimp Po'Boy
Address: 35 Orchard St., btwn Hester & Canal Sts.
No phone
Just because you didn’t make it to New Orlenans for Mardi Gras this year doesn’t mean you have to go an entire year without a proper Po’Boy. (We’d go crazy.) We get our fix at Cheeky Sandwiches on the Lower East Side and we almost always order the fried shrimp. These X-plump shellfish are dredged in a cornmeal-flour mixture that's finely spiced with Creole seasoning. And if the batter doesn't give the sandwich enough of a kick, this hefty sandwich is dressed to the nines with veggies, mayo, ketchup and hot sauce.
Lure Fishbar, Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwich
Address: 142 Mercer St., at Prince St.
Phone: (212) 431-7676
There are two sides to Chef Josh Capon's cooking. Dinner service at Lure Fishbar features elegant, Asian-inspired plates like steamed red snapper in a red curry broth, while his newly opened Burger & Barrel goes the casual, gastropub route. These restaurants seem like polar opposites, but lunch at Lure bridges the gap with seafood sandwiches. Our favorite is the grilled mahi mahi, a club cleverly layered with bacon, tomato and mayo on sourdough with a side of house-made salt and vinegar chips.
Luke’s Lobster - Crab Roll
Phone: (212)877-8800
Address: 426 Amsterdam Ave., btwn 80th & 81Sts.
What started as a tiny fish shack in the East Village has quickly expanded into a small empire (and still growing) with four locations around the city. What makes Luke’s Lobster so unique is his tight relationship with the Maine seafood supplier, who just happens to his father. The menu features a traditional Maine-style lobster roll, but we’re much more excited about the crab roll, served on a buttered, toasted bun with a dab of mayo & seasoning. The crab is incredibly fresh and tender, practically melting into the buttered bun beneath it.
Saltie - Captain's Daughter Sandwich
Address: 378 Metropolitan Ave. (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 387-4777
This nautically-themed sandwich shop is yet another reason why it's so difficult to decide where to eat in Williamsburg. With its house-baked bread and unique ingredient combinations, Saltie makes a pretty compelling case for a visit. Our new favorite is called the Captain’s Daughter, which comes with sardines, pickled egg and salsa verde. While the fish isn’t freshly caught, it’s supremely tender and spiced just right. Our only complaint is that there isn’t a Manhattan outpost... yet.
For more information on Restaurant ratings visit restaurantgirl.com/
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Antonucci's Cafe - Reviewed
While the Upper East Side is a perfectly lovely place to live -- with plenty of great grocery stores, delivery options and old school Italian joints -- it isn't exactly a dining destination. After all, dining out is entertainment, and like anything else, we all want to see the new hit movie, broadway show, or eat at the new, hot restaurant. With the opening of Jean Georges' The Mark and Cascabel Taqueria, the Upper East Side has certainly gotten better, but it's still got quite a ways to go. While it's not my first choice, I've always been an open-minded eater, so I was happy to meet friends at a place they love called Antonucci's Cafe on 81st Street, just off Third Avenue. Now, I've lived in New York for over fifteen years and I've never heard of Antonucci's, which is surprising considering I spend most waking hours thinking about food. I assumed it would be good by uptown standards (I live uptown so I can say that) or even old school Italian standards, but not citywide foodie standards.
When I got to the entrance, I had deja vu of eating at the very same address when Butterfield 81 once occupied the space. It was a rainy, chilly night, so I expected to find a half empty dining room, but the dining room was buzzing with what seemed to be a neighborhood crowd. The owner, Francesco Antonucci, formerly owned and cooked at Remi's, a popular northern Italian restaurant in midtown, before moving uptown to open this eponymously named restaurant. Antonucci himself stands by the door greeting guests with news of a sweetbread special, tripe alla parmigiana, or grilled whole fish this evening. The walls are curiously painted pink and peppered with artwork, some of which looks rather expensive. I've gotten so used to brand new restaurants with ambitious young chefs and chic decor that I sometimes forget about neighborhood warhorses, like Antonucci's, that locals return to week after week. It was a warm, welcome change and so was the breadbasket filled with long breadsticks, focaccia and flatbread. The best part was the homemade ricotta encircled in a warm, sweet tomato sauce (pictured below) that accompanied the breadbasket. Honestly, I could've spent the evening eating the ethereal ricotta with a big glass of wine and been content. I've been to so many old school Italian joints that offer a couple wines by the glass and call it a day, but Antonucci's has an impressive wine list with ten whites by the glass and ten reds by the glass.
We started with deep-fried arancini flecked with ham and mozzarella and, more importantly, fried squash blossoms stuffed with the same dreamy ricotta made in-house. While it's hard to reinvent calamari, Antonucci's does just that with a stellar appetizer of seared calamari paired with a sharp pepper jelly and pistachio vinaigrette. There's a great chopped kale salad with salty ricotta and a garlicky balsamic vinaigrette and a grilled, whole orata, terrifically moist and fresh. But the sauteed calves liver might just be the best liver dish I've had to date. The livers were sauteed to succulent perfection and served with vinegary onions, which beautifully offset some of the fat, over parmesan-laced polenta.. (It was right up there with the bone marrow-braised octopus fusilli at Marea and April Bloomfield's oyster pan roast with uni crostini.) For dessert, we shared a banana souffle (pictured below) and warm molten cake. While the molten cake was good in a generic, melting chocolate kind of way, the banana souffle was a phenomenal cloud of deliciousness.
I'd happily go out of my way to eat there again. (In fact, I'm going for lunch this week.) I still want to sample the braised tripe, steamed clams with homemade sweet sausage, and the daily risotto. While Antonucci's Cafe may not be new, it's new to me and it's well worth a visit... or two.
For more information on Restaurant ratings visit restaurantgirl.com/
When I got to the entrance, I had deja vu of eating at the very same address when Butterfield 81 once occupied the space. It was a rainy, chilly night, so I expected to find a half empty dining room, but the dining room was buzzing with what seemed to be a neighborhood crowd. The owner, Francesco Antonucci, formerly owned and cooked at Remi's, a popular northern Italian restaurant in midtown, before moving uptown to open this eponymously named restaurant. Antonucci himself stands by the door greeting guests with news of a sweetbread special, tripe alla parmigiana, or grilled whole fish this evening. The walls are curiously painted pink and peppered with artwork, some of which looks rather expensive. I've gotten so used to brand new restaurants with ambitious young chefs and chic decor that I sometimes forget about neighborhood warhorses, like Antonucci's, that locals return to week after week. It was a warm, welcome change and so was the breadbasket filled with long breadsticks, focaccia and flatbread. The best part was the homemade ricotta encircled in a warm, sweet tomato sauce (pictured below) that accompanied the breadbasket. Honestly, I could've spent the evening eating the ethereal ricotta with a big glass of wine and been content. I've been to so many old school Italian joints that offer a couple wines by the glass and call it a day, but Antonucci's has an impressive wine list with ten whites by the glass and ten reds by the glass.
We started with deep-fried arancini flecked with ham and mozzarella and, more importantly, fried squash blossoms stuffed with the same dreamy ricotta made in-house. While it's hard to reinvent calamari, Antonucci's does just that with a stellar appetizer of seared calamari paired with a sharp pepper jelly and pistachio vinaigrette. There's a great chopped kale salad with salty ricotta and a garlicky balsamic vinaigrette and a grilled, whole orata, terrifically moist and fresh. But the sauteed calves liver might just be the best liver dish I've had to date. The livers were sauteed to succulent perfection and served with vinegary onions, which beautifully offset some of the fat, over parmesan-laced polenta.. (It was right up there with the bone marrow-braised octopus fusilli at Marea and April Bloomfield's oyster pan roast with uni crostini.) For dessert, we shared a banana souffle (pictured below) and warm molten cake. While the molten cake was good in a generic, melting chocolate kind of way, the banana souffle was a phenomenal cloud of deliciousness.
I'd happily go out of my way to eat there again. (In fact, I'm going for lunch this week.) I still want to sample the braised tripe, steamed clams with homemade sweet sausage, and the daily risotto. While Antonucci's Cafe may not be new, it's new to me and it's well worth a visit... or two.
For more information on Restaurant ratings visit restaurantgirl.com/
Q & A with Chef Masaharu Morimoto
It’s fair to say that no one in America (and perhaps the world) can cook Japanese food quite like Chef Masaharu Morimoto. The original Iron Chef & former Nobu chef is just as skilled at turning out traditional sushi and kaiseki meals as he is at Asian fusion. (And it takes a lot for a chef to convince me of the merits of fusion.) And yet, somehow whimsical creations, such as sashimi with burrata or a foie gras croissant with a soft duck egg and red miso achieve a level of brilliance. The Hiroshima-born culinary superstar went from being a bad boy, who used to sneak out a window to go downtown when he was an apprentice in Japan, to owning restaurants all over the world, everywhere from New York to New Delhi.
While he no longer returns to Japan since he no longer has family there, Morimoto is one of several big-name chefs raising funds for the Red Cross relief efforts there. Those who donate $10 or more will even receive a copy of some of his best recipes. To donate, go to donate.keeprecipes.com
Single/Married/Divorced?
Happily married for more than 30 years.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A professional baseball player.
Do you still play? And have you gotten to cook for any professional ball players?
Unfortunately, I no longer play. But yes, I have cooked for some Japanese major league players, such as a former Yankee Hideki Matsui, former Met Kaz Matsui, and non-Japanese players, such as Alex Rodriguez and many players on the Phillies.
What was your first job in food and what did you learn?
I was fortunate enough to be a sushi chef at a sushi restaurant where I learned everything a sushi chef had to know.
Training to be a sushi chef is notoriously difficult. Can you share any anecdotes that really tested your drive to succeed in the kitchen?
When I was still an apprentice, I lived upstairs from the sushi restaurant. It’s a typical training life for sushi apprentices in Japan. Their entire life is spent at the restaurant. But I would sneak out of a window after midnight and go out to downtown areas almost every night. I would push a car from the restaurant’s parking lot without starting the engine, so that nobody would notice. Apprentices were not supposed to do anything like that and we were meant to only follow the restaurant’s rules. I was a maverick from that point on. That part of me has never changed. I believe it has positively impacted my creativity.
It’s terrific that you’re contributing recipes to support Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Chefs seem very quick to get involved in philanthropic activities. Why do you think that is?
Chefs cook food for people. Although our food doesn’t directly go to those who suffer in Japan, it goes to people who donate their money to buy the food, and the money goes to those who suffer. We know and have the means to help others.
Many of your dishes are very complex. How can home cooks adapt your recipes?
Some of my recipes may be very difficult and complex for the home cook, but I hope they can learn something new and get ideas from my cookbook and restaurants that they can use in everyday food.
Can you offer any tips for people who want to make their own sushi at home?
Sharpen your knife before making sushi.
What’s the most important kitchen tool to own?
High-quality knives.
How often do you get to visit Japan? Do you still have a lot of family there?
I rarely visit Japan because I don’t have many family members there.
Who has been the toughest competitor you’ve faced on Iron Chef?
Every chef has been a tough challenger.
You’ve already accomplished so much, so how do you stay motivated to pursue new culinary aspirations?
The culinary world is so deep that there are always a lot of things for me to explore.
So what’s next for you this year?
I’m opening a few restaurants this year; a couple of them don’t serve sushi. I’m excited to do something new.
For more information on Restaurant ratings visit restaurantgirl.com/
While he no longer returns to Japan since he no longer has family there, Morimoto is one of several big-name chefs raising funds for the Red Cross relief efforts there. Those who donate $10 or more will even receive a copy of some of his best recipes. To donate, go to donate.keeprecipes.com
Single/Married/Divorced?
Happily married for more than 30 years.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A professional baseball player.
Do you still play? And have you gotten to cook for any professional ball players?
Unfortunately, I no longer play. But yes, I have cooked for some Japanese major league players, such as a former Yankee Hideki Matsui, former Met Kaz Matsui, and non-Japanese players, such as Alex Rodriguez and many players on the Phillies.
What was your first job in food and what did you learn?
I was fortunate enough to be a sushi chef at a sushi restaurant where I learned everything a sushi chef had to know.
Training to be a sushi chef is notoriously difficult. Can you share any anecdotes that really tested your drive to succeed in the kitchen?
When I was still an apprentice, I lived upstairs from the sushi restaurant. It’s a typical training life for sushi apprentices in Japan. Their entire life is spent at the restaurant. But I would sneak out of a window after midnight and go out to downtown areas almost every night. I would push a car from the restaurant’s parking lot without starting the engine, so that nobody would notice. Apprentices were not supposed to do anything like that and we were meant to only follow the restaurant’s rules. I was a maverick from that point on. That part of me has never changed. I believe it has positively impacted my creativity.
It’s terrific that you’re contributing recipes to support Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Chefs seem very quick to get involved in philanthropic activities. Why do you think that is?
Chefs cook food for people. Although our food doesn’t directly go to those who suffer in Japan, it goes to people who donate their money to buy the food, and the money goes to those who suffer. We know and have the means to help others.
Many of your dishes are very complex. How can home cooks adapt your recipes?
Some of my recipes may be very difficult and complex for the home cook, but I hope they can learn something new and get ideas from my cookbook and restaurants that they can use in everyday food.
Can you offer any tips for people who want to make their own sushi at home?
Sharpen your knife before making sushi.
What’s the most important kitchen tool to own?
High-quality knives.
How often do you get to visit Japan? Do you still have a lot of family there?
I rarely visit Japan because I don’t have many family members there.
Who has been the toughest competitor you’ve faced on Iron Chef?
Every chef has been a tough challenger.
You’ve already accomplished so much, so how do you stay motivated to pursue new culinary aspirations?
The culinary world is so deep that there are always a lot of things for me to explore.
So what’s next for you this year?
I’m opening a few restaurants this year; a couple of them don’t serve sushi. I’m excited to do something new.
For more information on Restaurant ratings visit restaurantgirl.com/
Trend Watch: The New Asian Fusion
There are few food words that hold a worse connotation than Asian Fusion. Asian fusion evokes images of diners lounging on Chinoiserie red banquettes, while nibbling on Chinese chicken salads and desserts artfully garnished with chocolate sauce drawings. But maybe it’s time to put this prejudice behind us because a new tide of Asian Fusion cuisine seems to be upon us and frankly, it's exciting. Case in point: Los Angeles’ famed Kogi Bbq Trucks. In fact, you might say that chef Roy Choi and his Kogi Bbq trucks are largely responsible for this Asian fusion 2.0, particularly the mash-up of Latin and Asian cooking by way of Korean tacos.
Their Korean tacos have launched hundreds of imitators across the country, including the Kimchi Taco Trucks and Korilla BBQ trucks on the other side of the country. Kimchi Taco hit New York's city streets just a few months ago and often draw block-long lines at lunchtime. Foodies stalk their twitter feed to locate where they can get their fix of kim-cheesesteak (pictured below) and kimchi arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with cheese, kimchi pickling juice and red pepper paste). Korilla BBQ Truck (pronounced Koreeya) roams the city streets, dishing out bulgogi tacos and the “B.K.F.R. Burrito” -- a bacon, kimchi and fried rice monster-bundle, wrapped in a flour tortilla.
Riding high on his success on Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars, Angelo Sosa recently debuted his unique version of Asian fusion at midtown’s Social Eatz. The successor to his highly regarded, but shuttered too soon sandwich shop, Xie Xie, Social Eatz offers ramped-up versions of both American and Asian classics, like the burger and bibimbap. He combines the two dishes into one bibimbap-topped burger, which reveals itself as a juicy, crunchy, salty, and refreshing explosion of flavors and textures. The menu also features a bulgogi burger (pictured above), with a beautifully charred patty, layered with cucumber kimchee and spicy mayo, served a soft bun. The buckwheat noodle salad with ponzu sauce comes with an unusual “candied wasabi” and the yuzu cream puffs are really cream puffs in name only. Really, they’re one-of-a-kind doughnut holes, fried and stuffed with a punchy yuzu cream.
With hamburgers and tacos getting the fusion treatment, hot dogs aren’t left far behind. Asiadog has a mobile truck as well as a brick-and-mortar shop on the Lower East Side, where they inject an Asian touch into the classic American frank. The hot dogs here come in beef, veggie, and chicken varieties with loads of topping combinations. Order the "Vinh" and you get a banh mi-style dog topped with pate, aioli and pickled vegetables. The "Ginny" is crowned with kimchi and nori flakes. For a true spin on an American flavor gone wild, try the "Mash "with both sweet and spicy ketchup, jalapeno mustard and crushed potato chips -- crunchy, spicy, sweet and savory all on one bun.
While Asian fusion has yet to move to the upper echelons of the food chain, it’s heading there as chefs find inspired and innovative ways to fuse the two food worlds. And kimchi, which was once an obscure Korean dish only available in Korean delis and restaurants, has now become a prominent item on non-Korean menus and gourmet groceries. Likwise, yuzu is becoming more mainstream, surfacing in cocktails and inventive dishes around the city. We just hope this new brand of Asian fusion sticks around for a while.
For more information on Best nyc restaurants visit restaurantgirl.com/
Their Korean tacos have launched hundreds of imitators across the country, including the Kimchi Taco Trucks and Korilla BBQ trucks on the other side of the country. Kimchi Taco hit New York's city streets just a few months ago and often draw block-long lines at lunchtime. Foodies stalk their twitter feed to locate where they can get their fix of kim-cheesesteak (pictured below) and kimchi arancini (fried rice balls stuffed with cheese, kimchi pickling juice and red pepper paste). Korilla BBQ Truck (pronounced Koreeya) roams the city streets, dishing out bulgogi tacos and the “B.K.F.R. Burrito” -- a bacon, kimchi and fried rice monster-bundle, wrapped in a flour tortilla.
Riding high on his success on Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars, Angelo Sosa recently debuted his unique version of Asian fusion at midtown’s Social Eatz. The successor to his highly regarded, but shuttered too soon sandwich shop, Xie Xie, Social Eatz offers ramped-up versions of both American and Asian classics, like the burger and bibimbap. He combines the two dishes into one bibimbap-topped burger, which reveals itself as a juicy, crunchy, salty, and refreshing explosion of flavors and textures. The menu also features a bulgogi burger (pictured above), with a beautifully charred patty, layered with cucumber kimchee and spicy mayo, served a soft bun. The buckwheat noodle salad with ponzu sauce comes with an unusual “candied wasabi” and the yuzu cream puffs are really cream puffs in name only. Really, they’re one-of-a-kind doughnut holes, fried and stuffed with a punchy yuzu cream.
With hamburgers and tacos getting the fusion treatment, hot dogs aren’t left far behind. Asiadog has a mobile truck as well as a brick-and-mortar shop on the Lower East Side, where they inject an Asian touch into the classic American frank. The hot dogs here come in beef, veggie, and chicken varieties with loads of topping combinations. Order the "Vinh" and you get a banh mi-style dog topped with pate, aioli and pickled vegetables. The "Ginny" is crowned with kimchi and nori flakes. For a true spin on an American flavor gone wild, try the "Mash "with both sweet and spicy ketchup, jalapeno mustard and crushed potato chips -- crunchy, spicy, sweet and savory all on one bun.
While Asian fusion has yet to move to the upper echelons of the food chain, it’s heading there as chefs find inspired and innovative ways to fuse the two food worlds. And kimchi, which was once an obscure Korean dish only available in Korean delis and restaurants, has now become a prominent item on non-Korean menus and gourmet groceries. Likwise, yuzu is becoming more mainstream, surfacing in cocktails and inventive dishes around the city. We just hope this new brand of Asian fusion sticks around for a while.
For more information on Best nyc restaurants visit restaurantgirl.com/
Q & A With Porsena's Sara Jenkins
Chef Sara Jenkins has successfully pulled off a hat trick in the East Village. She runs three wildly popular restaurants, all located within just a few block radius -- Veloce, Porchetta, and Porsena, her newest, pasta-centric venture, which opened in November. Each of her eateries specializes in a different Italian staple -- pizza, roast suckling pig sandwiches, and noodles. The single concept focus has paid off for the chef: “It wasn’t a conscious decision to do these types of restaurants, but the advantage is that you can really concentrate on doing one thing well,” Jenkins says. Jenkins has three hit restaurants and is looking to open more Porchetta outposts around the city.
This from a woman who grew up in Tuscany, surrounded by farmers with no electricity and no running water. She may even write a memoir: “I would really like to write about my experience growing up in Tuscany next to these peasant farmers who went from having no electricity and running water to having all the conveniences of modern life in the space of about ten years,” Jenkins expalins, “I feel privileged to see a very old way of life at the very end of it, which I, of course, did not realize was about to change so drastically." Other than her own, her favorite pork sandwich renditions include the banh mi at Banh Mi Saigon in Chinatown and a good Cubano.
With three restaurants in the East Village, you're an important figure in the food scene there. Why did you first choose to open there?
My first job in New York was on Ninth Street, a little Tuscan restaurant called I Coppi. So I just landed in the East Village. I’ve always enjoyed being a part of the community.
Each of your restaurants specializes in a classic, Italian dish. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of running restaurants with such focused concepts?
The advantage is that you can really concentrate on doing one thing well, the disadvantage is that it’s limiting. But it really wasn’t a conscious decision to do these types of restaurants. With Porchetta, I wanted to do something that wouldn’t be so time-consuming because I had a one-year-old child at the time. I had always loved porchetta, the dish worked in the space that we found for a restaurant, and everything just came together. Veloce came about because [my business partner] Frederick Twomey really wanted to use the space for a pizzeria. And for Porsena, I wanted to focus on pasta because one, that’s something I’m known for, and two, it’s uncomplicated
If you had to pick one, what's your favorite dish at Porsena?
That’s hard because I really like everything on the menu, but I probably like the escarole salad and the cauliflower pennette best.
Why did you decide to serve square pizza at Veloce?
Frederick Twomey really wanted to do square pizza and I thought it was a nice twist.
Any desire to open a Neapolitan-style pizzeria?
It’s been done to death at this point. I’m more interested in opening a Lebanese restaurant, but doing all that quick, take-away stuff with care and quality ingredients.
Other than porchetta, what’s your favorite pork sandwich?
It’s a hard choice, but I’d choose either a Cubano or a banh mi. There used to be an amazing Dominican place on 13th street with phenomenal Cubanos, but now I get them from the Barnyard Cheese Shop on Avenue C. And for banh mis, I usually go down to Chinatown. There’s that place on Grand Street, Banh Mi Saigon.
Which do you prefer, fresh pasta or dried pasta?
I think dry pasta is terribly underrated, so I’d say that. But beautiful, fresh pasta is a thing of joy when it’s done right.
There are so many other debates that arise when cooking pasta. For instance, do you add olive oil to the boiling water? Never. I think that’s a real Italian-American thing.
What were your favorite foods to eat growing up?
Grilled calves liver, escargot and pasta carbonara. I was such a picky eater, but I was exposed to these dishes because we lived all over Europe near the Mediterranean. I liked escargot because it’s loaded with garlic and butter. But I can’t explain why I liked liver, I just always have.
What neighborhood do you live in and what are some of your favorite haunts there?
I live in Williamsburg and I love La Superior, Fatty Cue and Diner. But it is really a bar neighborhood, and as I age I have less patience for dining out in Williamsburg.
You come from a very literary family, so any plans to write a memoir like so many chefs are doing these days?
I would really like to write about my experience growing up in Tuscany next to these peasant farmers who went from having no electricity and running water to having all the conveniences of modern life in the space of about ten years. I feel like I was privileged to see a very old way of life at the very end of it, which I of course did not realize was about to change so drastically.
For more information on Best nyc restaurants visit restaurantgirl.com/
This from a woman who grew up in Tuscany, surrounded by farmers with no electricity and no running water. She may even write a memoir: “I would really like to write about my experience growing up in Tuscany next to these peasant farmers who went from having no electricity and running water to having all the conveniences of modern life in the space of about ten years,” Jenkins expalins, “I feel privileged to see a very old way of life at the very end of it, which I, of course, did not realize was about to change so drastically." Other than her own, her favorite pork sandwich renditions include the banh mi at Banh Mi Saigon in Chinatown and a good Cubano.
With three restaurants in the East Village, you're an important figure in the food scene there. Why did you first choose to open there?
My first job in New York was on Ninth Street, a little Tuscan restaurant called I Coppi. So I just landed in the East Village. I’ve always enjoyed being a part of the community.
Each of your restaurants specializes in a classic, Italian dish. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of running restaurants with such focused concepts?
The advantage is that you can really concentrate on doing one thing well, the disadvantage is that it’s limiting. But it really wasn’t a conscious decision to do these types of restaurants. With Porchetta, I wanted to do something that wouldn’t be so time-consuming because I had a one-year-old child at the time. I had always loved porchetta, the dish worked in the space that we found for a restaurant, and everything just came together. Veloce came about because [my business partner] Frederick Twomey really wanted to use the space for a pizzeria. And for Porsena, I wanted to focus on pasta because one, that’s something I’m known for, and two, it’s uncomplicated
If you had to pick one, what's your favorite dish at Porsena?
That’s hard because I really like everything on the menu, but I probably like the escarole salad and the cauliflower pennette best.
Why did you decide to serve square pizza at Veloce?
Frederick Twomey really wanted to do square pizza and I thought it was a nice twist.
Any desire to open a Neapolitan-style pizzeria?
It’s been done to death at this point. I’m more interested in opening a Lebanese restaurant, but doing all that quick, take-away stuff with care and quality ingredients.
Other than porchetta, what’s your favorite pork sandwich?
It’s a hard choice, but I’d choose either a Cubano or a banh mi. There used to be an amazing Dominican place on 13th street with phenomenal Cubanos, but now I get them from the Barnyard Cheese Shop on Avenue C. And for banh mis, I usually go down to Chinatown. There’s that place on Grand Street, Banh Mi Saigon.
Which do you prefer, fresh pasta or dried pasta?
I think dry pasta is terribly underrated, so I’d say that. But beautiful, fresh pasta is a thing of joy when it’s done right.
There are so many other debates that arise when cooking pasta. For instance, do you add olive oil to the boiling water? Never. I think that’s a real Italian-American thing.
What were your favorite foods to eat growing up?
Grilled calves liver, escargot and pasta carbonara. I was such a picky eater, but I was exposed to these dishes because we lived all over Europe near the Mediterranean. I liked escargot because it’s loaded with garlic and butter. But I can’t explain why I liked liver, I just always have.
What neighborhood do you live in and what are some of your favorite haunts there?
I live in Williamsburg and I love La Superior, Fatty Cue and Diner. But it is really a bar neighborhood, and as I age I have less patience for dining out in Williamsburg.
You come from a very literary family, so any plans to write a memoir like so many chefs are doing these days?
I would really like to write about my experience growing up in Tuscany next to these peasant farmers who went from having no electricity and running water to having all the conveniences of modern life in the space of about ten years. I feel like I was privileged to see a very old way of life at the very end of it, which I of course did not realize was about to change so drastically.
For more information on Best nyc restaurants visit restaurantgirl.com/
Eating Events
The first half of May is packed with some terrific food events. From an Asian Street Food Festival to the annual James Beard Awards, this coming month is shaping up to be a busy one for chefs and foodies alike. We’ve got the details on a few happenings that we’re most excited about. See you there...
Luckyrice
Southeast Asia is at the top of my to-do travel list, but in the meantime, I’m excited for the Luckyrice Night Market. As part of a weeklong festival of Asian inspired events, by night Dumbo turns into a street food mecca. You’ll find ethnic foods from Korea and the Phillipines alongside hip, new fusion eats like kimchi-topped hot dogs. During the festival, there will also be a cocktail party at the Bowery Hotel and an omakase dinner with Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
New Amsterdam Market
One of our favorite markets in the city, the New Amsterdam Market officially starts up again June 5th, but they'll be offering up a teaser with Floralia, a special one-market this Sunday, May 1st. Over fifty vendors will set up shop around a springtime maypole -- a perfect kick-off party for what is sure to be another great season at the market, located just under the Brooklyn Bridge (in a little nook right off South Street Seaport). Every Sunday, there will be a rotating roster of artisanal vendors, everything from Ricks Picks to Liddabit Sweets, Orwasher’s Bread, Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi and plenty of cheese purveyors. Come hungry. Even Porchetta makes an appearance as do People’s Pops and Luke’s Lobster so you can eat while you shop.
James Beard Awards
It may not be broadcast live on television, the James Beard awards are most definitely the Oscar’s of food. On May 9th, the food world will converge on Lincoln Center, where the awards will be presented and the celebration will begin. Tickets are somewhat pricey ($400-$1500), but worth it if you want to rub shoulders with chefs like Stephanie Izard, whose restaurant The Girl & The Goat is nominated for the Best New Restaurant award.
What Happens When "The Women Take Over Every Monday"
A pop-up within a pop-up, Monday nights at What Happens When are dedicated a rotating roster of female chefs and sommeliers. Previous chef pairings have included an all-star mashup of Amanda Freitag with Nancy Olson (Gramercy Tavern) and wines curated by Laura Maniec (Niko). On Monday, May 2nd there will be yet another great crew taking over the kitchen, including Missy Robbins and Erin Burns from A Voce paired with The Modern’s sommelier Belinda Chang. Let’s hear it for the girls.
Toast to the Children
It always feels good to help out children and this might be the best way to do it. We’re looking forward to stuffing ourselves silly for a good cause at Toast to the Children. Chef Tom Collichio partners up with Bellevue Hospital for this upscale soiree at the chef’s newest restaurant, Riverpark. Join honoree Gail Simmons in sampling the spread, which will include dishes from Lincoln, Barbuto, and Perilla.
For more information on Local restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Luckyrice
Southeast Asia is at the top of my to-do travel list, but in the meantime, I’m excited for the Luckyrice Night Market. As part of a weeklong festival of Asian inspired events, by night Dumbo turns into a street food mecca. You’ll find ethnic foods from Korea and the Phillipines alongside hip, new fusion eats like kimchi-topped hot dogs. During the festival, there will also be a cocktail party at the Bowery Hotel and an omakase dinner with Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
New Amsterdam Market
One of our favorite markets in the city, the New Amsterdam Market officially starts up again June 5th, but they'll be offering up a teaser with Floralia, a special one-market this Sunday, May 1st. Over fifty vendors will set up shop around a springtime maypole -- a perfect kick-off party for what is sure to be another great season at the market, located just under the Brooklyn Bridge (in a little nook right off South Street Seaport). Every Sunday, there will be a rotating roster of artisanal vendors, everything from Ricks Picks to Liddabit Sweets, Orwasher’s Bread, Mother-in-Law’s Kimchi and plenty of cheese purveyors. Come hungry. Even Porchetta makes an appearance as do People’s Pops and Luke’s Lobster so you can eat while you shop.
James Beard Awards
It may not be broadcast live on television, the James Beard awards are most definitely the Oscar’s of food. On May 9th, the food world will converge on Lincoln Center, where the awards will be presented and the celebration will begin. Tickets are somewhat pricey ($400-$1500), but worth it if you want to rub shoulders with chefs like Stephanie Izard, whose restaurant The Girl & The Goat is nominated for the Best New Restaurant award.
What Happens When "The Women Take Over Every Monday"
A pop-up within a pop-up, Monday nights at What Happens When are dedicated a rotating roster of female chefs and sommeliers. Previous chef pairings have included an all-star mashup of Amanda Freitag with Nancy Olson (Gramercy Tavern) and wines curated by Laura Maniec (Niko). On Monday, May 2nd there will be yet another great crew taking over the kitchen, including Missy Robbins and Erin Burns from A Voce paired with The Modern’s sommelier Belinda Chang. Let’s hear it for the girls.
Toast to the Children
It always feels good to help out children and this might be the best way to do it. We’re looking forward to stuffing ourselves silly for a good cause at Toast to the Children. Chef Tom Collichio partners up with Bellevue Hospital for this upscale soiree at the chef’s newest restaurant, Riverpark. Join honoree Gail Simmons in sampling the spread, which will include dishes from Lincoln, Barbuto, and Perilla.
For more information on Local restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Spring Fling - Ten Restaurants To Try This Season
After a long, harsh winter, New Yorkers finally have a chance to embrace a new dining season and, best of all, dine outdoors. This spring, it’s time for all of us to get out and discover new ingredients, neighborhoods, restaurants, and potential spring flings. The five boroughs offer plenty of both, though we can only guarantee the promise of food. While Eataly readies a rooftop beer garden, David Bouley just unveiled Brushstroke, a long-awaited homage to traditional Japanese cooking. On a warm night, you can take a field trip to Cafe Habana in Fort Greene and sip mojitos outdoors at shaded picnic tables with colorful umbrellas or have a romantic spring fling (and oven-baked pizzas) at Apizz on the Lower East Side. That’s just a glimpse of the possibilites this season…
Porsena
Address: 21 E. Seventh St., btwn. Second and Third avenues
Phone: (212) 228-4923
Sara Jenkins is quietly building an empire of Italian eateries (Veloce, Porchetta) in the East Village. Her latest venture, Porsena, is our favorite of the bunch, because she’s devoted most of the menu to pasta and she ranks among the best in her field. Where to begin? There’s homemade pasta twists in a “sea of cheese” (canolicchie con una marea de formaggio), a knock-out version of spaghetti with clams, and orrechiete (ears) with spicy lamb sausage and greens.
Hibino
Address: 333 Henry St., near Pacific Street (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 260-8052
Hibino may seem like a sleepy Japanese spot in Cobble Hill, but with its housemade tofu and daily specials, it’s worthy of destination dining status. In fact, hibino translates as daily, so expect hyper-fresh and seasonal cooking. There’s a rotating selection of obananzi, or Japanese tapas, with seasonal offerings, like Hawaiian pumpkin swordfish sushi, soft shell crab rolls, and simmered tofu with shredded beef. Because the menu changes so frequently, it’s hard to get tired of eating here
Eataly
Address: 200 Fifth Ave., near 23rd Street
Phone: (646) 398-5100
Just when you thought this Italian food hall couldn’t possibly get any bigger, it’s about to do just that. This expansive, Flatiron marketplace already houses four restaurants, a cooking school and specialty retail shops. In just a few days, Eataly will also boast a rooftop beer garden with 300 seats and an extensive selection of Italian craft beers. Grab a date or a beer aficionado to sample imported brews alongside Batali-stamped (and beer-friendly) dishes, like fried shitake mushrooms and pork shoulder with cabbage. Between the beer, food menu and the view of the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park, you couldn't ask for a more perfect evening. The only real drawback are the huge crowds Eataly draws daily.
Apizz
Address: 217 Eldridge St., near Stanton Street
Phone: (212) 253-9199
Though Apizz has been around for years now, this cozy, low-key spot never gets old. Come spring, we look forward to a revisit to John La Femina and Frank DeCarlo’s Lower East Side eatery to savor the rustic, Italian fare. Just like Peasant, its sister restaurant, a large, wood-burning oven is not only the centerpiece of the dining room, but also of the menu. In fact, everything on Apizz’s menu is kissed by the oven, including the signature, margherita pizza and wood-roasted mushrooms with polenta cakes. To fully reap the rewards of the season, try the whole-roasted fish, served over an arugula-tomato salad or the oven-seared ribeye.
Takashi
Address: 456 Hudson St., near Barrow Street
Phone: (212) 414-2929
Nothing breaks the ice on a date, quite like “The Tongue Experience” at this beef lover’s paradise in Greenwich Village. Takashi’s unusual tasting menu features three different cuts of beef tongue, all cooked on a grill built right into your table. If that’s not enough of a conversation starter, this Japanese spot serves both cooked and uncooked beef, the likes of liver sashimi and beef tartare on sushi rice. The exotic menu is the work of Takashi Inoue, an Osaka-born chef who wanted to recreate a traditional Japanese barbecue experience, called yakiniku. His restaurant is the perfect place for a culinary adventure or a foodie date.
Alta
Address: 64 W. 10th St., btwn. Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Phone: (212) 505-7777
A tapas bar is hardly a novelty these days, but Alta manages to keep the genre fresh by serving small plates with influences that span from South America to Asia. (The candle-lit, subterranean dining room doesn’t hurt things either.) Start with an interesting Spanish red wine and sample small plates, like fried goat cheese drizzled with lavender-infused honey, grilled grape leaves stuffed with chicken confit, or beef carpaccio anointed with horseradish crème fraiche. Not your typical tapas joint, Alta's menu also features decadent offerings, like seared foie gras. This warm, buttery sliver of liver is served on a buttery slice of brioche and layered with diced pistachios, mango ginger chutney and bee pollen.
Flex Mussels
Address: 154 W. 13th St., btwn. Sixth and Seventh avenues;
Phone: 174 E. 82nd Street between Lexington and Third avenues
Sharing a bowl of steamed mussels is a great, interactive dinner date. Think about it: Two strangers rescuing plump crustaceans from their shells, then sopping up the remaining sauce with bread and warm, salty French fries. If you're tired of France’s traditional moules frites, head to Flex Mussels for a choice of 20 different versions, inspired by cuisines from all over the world. There’s a Mexican rendition of mussels, mingled with chorizo and chipotle adobo, while the Portuguese comes with linguica sausage and clams. Still, our favorite is the Thai mussels, served in a coconut curry broth, redolent with lots of lemongrass.
Habana Outpost
Address: 757 Fulton St., near South Portland Avenue (Fort Greene)
Phone: (718) 858-9500
One of spring’s greatest pleasures is dining al fresco and no one does it quite like this Habana Outpost in Fort Greene. Where else in the city can you sip mojitos along picnic benches or catch a Sunday night movie screening, or have a smoothie made in a stationary bike-powered blender. In fact, the entire restaurant runs on solar power. As for the Cuban cooking, there’s a killer ear of corn, rubbed in mayo & cotijia cheese, pressed Cuban sandwiches, and gobs of fresh guacamole.
Traif
Address: 229 South 4th St., near Havemeyer Street (Williamsburg)
Phone: (347) 844-9578
If you haven’t made it to this unusual, Williamsburg restaurant, it’s time to try something totally unkosher. Traif actually means food that defies Jewish dietary laws, such as pork and shellfish. (If you are kosher, don’t bother.) For the rest of us, there’s some creative, spring dishes, like braised pork belly with avocado and corn, seared scallops with creamed corn, and bacon-studded donuts for dessert.
Brushstroke
Address: 264 W 40th St., btwn. Seventh and Eighth avenues
Phone: (212) 391-2370
Ten years in the making, Brushstroke is David Bouley’s homage to traditional Japanese cooking. A French chef in love with Japanese cooking, Bouley has teamed up with Tsuji Culinary Institute to open this gorgeous, Tribeca spot, furbished with honeyed wood, 20,000 paper books, and a beautiful reclaimed sushi bar. There’s a sushi and a la carte menu, but the real focus here are the seasonal tasting menus, prepared by some of Japan’s best young chefs. The menu features dishes, the likes of stewed Wagyu beef, Dungeness crab rice porridge, seared toro tuna as well as well-crafted Japanese cocktails.
For more information on Local restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Porsena
Address: 21 E. Seventh St., btwn. Second and Third avenues
Phone: (212) 228-4923
Sara Jenkins is quietly building an empire of Italian eateries (Veloce, Porchetta) in the East Village. Her latest venture, Porsena, is our favorite of the bunch, because she’s devoted most of the menu to pasta and she ranks among the best in her field. Where to begin? There’s homemade pasta twists in a “sea of cheese” (canolicchie con una marea de formaggio), a knock-out version of spaghetti with clams, and orrechiete (ears) with spicy lamb sausage and greens.
Hibino
Address: 333 Henry St., near Pacific Street (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 260-8052
Hibino may seem like a sleepy Japanese spot in Cobble Hill, but with its housemade tofu and daily specials, it’s worthy of destination dining status. In fact, hibino translates as daily, so expect hyper-fresh and seasonal cooking. There’s a rotating selection of obananzi, or Japanese tapas, with seasonal offerings, like Hawaiian pumpkin swordfish sushi, soft shell crab rolls, and simmered tofu with shredded beef. Because the menu changes so frequently, it’s hard to get tired of eating here
Eataly
Address: 200 Fifth Ave., near 23rd Street
Phone: (646) 398-5100
Just when you thought this Italian food hall couldn’t possibly get any bigger, it’s about to do just that. This expansive, Flatiron marketplace already houses four restaurants, a cooking school and specialty retail shops. In just a few days, Eataly will also boast a rooftop beer garden with 300 seats and an extensive selection of Italian craft beers. Grab a date or a beer aficionado to sample imported brews alongside Batali-stamped (and beer-friendly) dishes, like fried shitake mushrooms and pork shoulder with cabbage. Between the beer, food menu and the view of the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park, you couldn't ask for a more perfect evening. The only real drawback are the huge crowds Eataly draws daily.
Apizz
Address: 217 Eldridge St., near Stanton Street
Phone: (212) 253-9199
Though Apizz has been around for years now, this cozy, low-key spot never gets old. Come spring, we look forward to a revisit to John La Femina and Frank DeCarlo’s Lower East Side eatery to savor the rustic, Italian fare. Just like Peasant, its sister restaurant, a large, wood-burning oven is not only the centerpiece of the dining room, but also of the menu. In fact, everything on Apizz’s menu is kissed by the oven, including the signature, margherita pizza and wood-roasted mushrooms with polenta cakes. To fully reap the rewards of the season, try the whole-roasted fish, served over an arugula-tomato salad or the oven-seared ribeye.
Takashi
Address: 456 Hudson St., near Barrow Street
Phone: (212) 414-2929
Nothing breaks the ice on a date, quite like “The Tongue Experience” at this beef lover’s paradise in Greenwich Village. Takashi’s unusual tasting menu features three different cuts of beef tongue, all cooked on a grill built right into your table. If that’s not enough of a conversation starter, this Japanese spot serves both cooked and uncooked beef, the likes of liver sashimi and beef tartare on sushi rice. The exotic menu is the work of Takashi Inoue, an Osaka-born chef who wanted to recreate a traditional Japanese barbecue experience, called yakiniku. His restaurant is the perfect place for a culinary adventure or a foodie date.
Alta
Address: 64 W. 10th St., btwn. Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Phone: (212) 505-7777
A tapas bar is hardly a novelty these days, but Alta manages to keep the genre fresh by serving small plates with influences that span from South America to Asia. (The candle-lit, subterranean dining room doesn’t hurt things either.) Start with an interesting Spanish red wine and sample small plates, like fried goat cheese drizzled with lavender-infused honey, grilled grape leaves stuffed with chicken confit, or beef carpaccio anointed with horseradish crème fraiche. Not your typical tapas joint, Alta's menu also features decadent offerings, like seared foie gras. This warm, buttery sliver of liver is served on a buttery slice of brioche and layered with diced pistachios, mango ginger chutney and bee pollen.
Flex Mussels
Address: 154 W. 13th St., btwn. Sixth and Seventh avenues;
Phone: 174 E. 82nd Street between Lexington and Third avenues
Sharing a bowl of steamed mussels is a great, interactive dinner date. Think about it: Two strangers rescuing plump crustaceans from their shells, then sopping up the remaining sauce with bread and warm, salty French fries. If you're tired of France’s traditional moules frites, head to Flex Mussels for a choice of 20 different versions, inspired by cuisines from all over the world. There’s a Mexican rendition of mussels, mingled with chorizo and chipotle adobo, while the Portuguese comes with linguica sausage and clams. Still, our favorite is the Thai mussels, served in a coconut curry broth, redolent with lots of lemongrass.
Habana Outpost
Address: 757 Fulton St., near South Portland Avenue (Fort Greene)
Phone: (718) 858-9500
One of spring’s greatest pleasures is dining al fresco and no one does it quite like this Habana Outpost in Fort Greene. Where else in the city can you sip mojitos along picnic benches or catch a Sunday night movie screening, or have a smoothie made in a stationary bike-powered blender. In fact, the entire restaurant runs on solar power. As for the Cuban cooking, there’s a killer ear of corn, rubbed in mayo & cotijia cheese, pressed Cuban sandwiches, and gobs of fresh guacamole.
Traif
Address: 229 South 4th St., near Havemeyer Street (Williamsburg)
Phone: (347) 844-9578
If you haven’t made it to this unusual, Williamsburg restaurant, it’s time to try something totally unkosher. Traif actually means food that defies Jewish dietary laws, such as pork and shellfish. (If you are kosher, don’t bother.) For the rest of us, there’s some creative, spring dishes, like braised pork belly with avocado and corn, seared scallops with creamed corn, and bacon-studded donuts for dessert.
Brushstroke
Address: 264 W 40th St., btwn. Seventh and Eighth avenues
Phone: (212) 391-2370
Ten years in the making, Brushstroke is David Bouley’s homage to traditional Japanese cooking. A French chef in love with Japanese cooking, Bouley has teamed up with Tsuji Culinary Institute to open this gorgeous, Tribeca spot, furbished with honeyed wood, 20,000 paper books, and a beautiful reclaimed sushi bar. There’s a sushi and a la carte menu, but the real focus here are the seasonal tasting menus, prepared by some of Japan’s best young chefs. The menu features dishes, the likes of stewed Wagyu beef, Dungeness crab rice porridge, seared toro tuna as well as well-crafted Japanese cocktails.
For more information on Local restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Q & A With Ciano's Shea Gallante
Chef Shea Gallante got a pretty early start in the restaurant business. In fact, he opened his first restaurant -- a pizzeria named Augustino's in his hometown in upstate New York -- at the age of nineteen. "I thought that I was going to be the big shot," Gallante says. "But I realized how little I actually knew and how much I wanted to learn." That same year, he was accepted in the Culinary Institute of America, so he made the tough decision to close his pizzeria.
After graduating from culinary school, he went on to work in some of the top Italian kitchens in the country, including Lidia Bastianich's Felidia. Being named Chef de Cuisine at Bouley in 2001 was a real turning point in his career and Gallante went on to helm the kitchen at Cru, a Michelin-starred eatery that closed in 2009. Recently, he returned to the New York dining scene with Ciano, his best effort with his own, unique brand of Italian cooking. Instead of farm to table, he describes his menu as "farm to fork" with dishes, like lobster with whipped burrata and a pickled ramps salad or early spring vegetable minestrone with pancetta and garlic croutons.
Gallante hopes to open more restaurants someday soon. "Every chef has a dream restaurant -- something fancy and high end. I'd actually like to open a fast, casual place, like the place I worked at as a kid," he explains. And as for the rest of the Italian eateries in the city: "I would say that some of the best and most inspiring Italian food in the world is being cooked in the United States, especially right here in New York.“
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Ha, some will say that I need to grow up first! I didn’t have a specific career in mind, but I used to dream about success. And like every other man in the world, I refuse to ask for directions.
What was your first job in food and what did you learn?
It worked at a weekend and summer resort spot upstate. I learned to keep my mouth shut, think ahead, work fast and keep to myself.
You opened your first restaurant at 19. How did you handle such that kind of responsibility at such a young age?
I thought that I was going to be a big shot and that I knew it all. It was my first reality check in the food service industry. It was an eye-opener that allowed me to realize how little I actually knew and how much I wanted to learn.
You went to culinary school, but would you recommend the experience for all chefs?
Yes. It offers a good foundation of the fundamentals that you need to enter the industry, to learn and to progress. However, media training could get you almost as far these days too. You had better be damn good in front of a camera though, if you can't actually make an omelet or roast a chicken.
What’s the most important thing you learned from David Bouley?
Not to repeat other peoples mistakes when you’re accountable for those actions.
You started out making pizza, so where are some of your favorite pizzerias in New York?
Keste, Motorino, and Artichoke. All different and all great. Pizza is my favorite food, go figure.
In a city crowded with Italian restaurants, how do you keep Ciano fresh and original?
We focus on the season and do our best to work with the best ingredients available. But it’s not just ingredients. We work on consistency and execution every day. Everyone uses the same ingredients, but consistency and execution can set you apart.
Have you traveled through Italy for menu inspiration recently?
I haven't in the past few years. I have three kids now. That said, and this is just my opinion, I would say that some of the best and most inspiring Italian food in the world is being cooked in the United States, especially right here in New York. But I do I love Italy -- it’s my favorite place to travel. They have ingredients and environment over us. Again, this is only my opinion.
Describe your ideal meal at Ciano.
For the experience, I like the Chefs Collection Menu; A multi-course spontaneous menu that's usually what we're working on for our next menu change. For dinner, Assagini (Robiola & Grilled Ramp Crostini; Chicken Liver Crostini, Housemade Salumi & Terrines); Burrata with Broccoli Rabe Pesto; Cortecce with Octopus, Calabria Pepper and Garlic Bread Crumbs; Lamb Loin with Morels; Roman Vegetable Stew; Rhubarb Strudel with Mascarpone and Yogurt Sorbet.
Ciano also has a great wine list. Do you and your sommelier work closely together to come up with pairings?
John Slover is awesome and we work really well together. There is a great mutual respect for one another’s knowledge and the result seems to be very well-received by our guests.
What did opening Ciano mean to you?
Ciano wasn't a multi-million dollar glamour project. It's a business. It's not a showcase. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be a chef and a restaurant operator. Being a partner is what I was after day in and day out.
Any plans for the future?
Who knows...cooking somewhere for someone. I do want to open more restaurants. Every chef has a dream place -- something fancy and high end. I'd actually like to open a fast, casual place.
For more information on Restaurants reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
After graduating from culinary school, he went on to work in some of the top Italian kitchens in the country, including Lidia Bastianich's Felidia. Being named Chef de Cuisine at Bouley in 2001 was a real turning point in his career and Gallante went on to helm the kitchen at Cru, a Michelin-starred eatery that closed in 2009. Recently, he returned to the New York dining scene with Ciano, his best effort with his own, unique brand of Italian cooking. Instead of farm to table, he describes his menu as "farm to fork" with dishes, like lobster with whipped burrata and a pickled ramps salad or early spring vegetable minestrone with pancetta and garlic croutons.
Gallante hopes to open more restaurants someday soon. "Every chef has a dream restaurant -- something fancy and high end. I'd actually like to open a fast, casual place, like the place I worked at as a kid," he explains. And as for the rest of the Italian eateries in the city: "I would say that some of the best and most inspiring Italian food in the world is being cooked in the United States, especially right here in New York.“
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Ha, some will say that I need to grow up first! I didn’t have a specific career in mind, but I used to dream about success. And like every other man in the world, I refuse to ask for directions.
What was your first job in food and what did you learn?
It worked at a weekend and summer resort spot upstate. I learned to keep my mouth shut, think ahead, work fast and keep to myself.
You opened your first restaurant at 19. How did you handle such that kind of responsibility at such a young age?
I thought that I was going to be a big shot and that I knew it all. It was my first reality check in the food service industry. It was an eye-opener that allowed me to realize how little I actually knew and how much I wanted to learn.
You went to culinary school, but would you recommend the experience for all chefs?
Yes. It offers a good foundation of the fundamentals that you need to enter the industry, to learn and to progress. However, media training could get you almost as far these days too. You had better be damn good in front of a camera though, if you can't actually make an omelet or roast a chicken.
What’s the most important thing you learned from David Bouley?
Not to repeat other peoples mistakes when you’re accountable for those actions.
You started out making pizza, so where are some of your favorite pizzerias in New York?
Keste, Motorino, and Artichoke. All different and all great. Pizza is my favorite food, go figure.
In a city crowded with Italian restaurants, how do you keep Ciano fresh and original?
We focus on the season and do our best to work with the best ingredients available. But it’s not just ingredients. We work on consistency and execution every day. Everyone uses the same ingredients, but consistency and execution can set you apart.
Have you traveled through Italy for menu inspiration recently?
I haven't in the past few years. I have three kids now. That said, and this is just my opinion, I would say that some of the best and most inspiring Italian food in the world is being cooked in the United States, especially right here in New York. But I do I love Italy -- it’s my favorite place to travel. They have ingredients and environment over us. Again, this is only my opinion.
Describe your ideal meal at Ciano.
For the experience, I like the Chefs Collection Menu; A multi-course spontaneous menu that's usually what we're working on for our next menu change. For dinner, Assagini (Robiola & Grilled Ramp Crostini; Chicken Liver Crostini, Housemade Salumi & Terrines); Burrata with Broccoli Rabe Pesto; Cortecce with Octopus, Calabria Pepper and Garlic Bread Crumbs; Lamb Loin with Morels; Roman Vegetable Stew; Rhubarb Strudel with Mascarpone and Yogurt Sorbet.
Ciano also has a great wine list. Do you and your sommelier work closely together to come up with pairings?
John Slover is awesome and we work really well together. There is a great mutual respect for one another’s knowledge and the result seems to be very well-received by our guests.
What did opening Ciano mean to you?
Ciano wasn't a multi-million dollar glamour project. It's a business. It's not a showcase. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be a chef and a restaurant operator. Being a partner is what I was after day in and day out.
Any plans for the future?
Who knows...cooking somewhere for someone. I do want to open more restaurants. Every chef has a dream place -- something fancy and high end. I'd actually like to open a fast, casual place.
For more information on Restaurants reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Imperial No. 9 - Not Just Another Pretty Face
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 and a second dining room, trimmed with the same, glittery chandeliers and mirrored tables, but the garden room is the one you want to request when you make a reservation. (If you don't, you'll spend the evening wishing you were sat in the other room.) Imperial No. 9 is tucked inside the stylish, new Mondrian Hotel in Soho, and on weekends, the hotel lobby is often packed, so it's most civilized to go on weekdays.
The cocktails at Imperial No. 9 are just as sexy as the garden room. It's hard to distinguish your cocktail menu these days. Almost everyone's making their own bitters, infusing their own spirits and using fresh fruit. Yet, John Lermayer ups the ante with inventive touches. like cucumber foam, chai cordials and aloe juice. Instead of cutesy names, the drinks have numbers. I ordered the No. 5, a wonderful twist on a gin martini with a splash of St. Germain, dry vermouth, and aromatic bitters. While I'm not typically a fan of sweet cocktails, I also loved the No. 4, a frothy, balanced mix of of kiwi vodka, lime juice and egg whites, sweetened with agave nectar. We snacked on cauliflower fritters with a crazy creamy ricotta center and garnished with a sunflower seed brittle and balsamic.
The menu is the work of Sam Talbot of Top Chef fame, which tends to stir debate whether he can really cook or if he's just a pretty face. While the food is good at Surf Lodge in Montauk, it wasn't unforgettable or overly ambitious. Besides, the scene comes first at Surf Lodge. At Imperial No. 9, the men is dubbed "sustainable American seafood," but there are plenty of global influences, including the Middle East with harissa-braised chickpeas and raita (excellent) or spicy cucumber kimchee. Though, it's more of a mild, quick kimchee than the pungent, Korean version. We started with incredibly plump, battered oysters, mingled with crispy nibbles of ham and a salty-sweet chow chow (vegetable relish), which made your garden variety fried oysters seem like a real snooze. There's raw hiramasa (yellowtail amberjack), dabbed with frozen coconut, chili water, and a rich, black rice vinegar -- an original combination that brought out the best in the delicate fish without overpowering it. The slow-cooked octopus was ridiculously tender and moist, bathed in a flavorful jalapeno soffrito, lime and soy -- one of the best octopus dishes I've had period.
Oddly enough, one of my favorite dishes on the menu is the toasted cous cous, scattered with charred squash, a perfectly runny poached egg, and shards of pecorino. Mix it all together and you have a marvelous, Mediterranean bibimbap. Talbot seems to be settling in quickly and taking more chances: He opened with an entree of scallops with ricotta and pickled melon (a carryover from Surf Lodge), but on my next visit the scallops came with a deeply smoky ragout of clams with lardons, that left much more of an impression on our table. Still, there are some missteps and inconsistencies. The king crab legs a la plancha are huge and cooked a la plancha, which makes the fact that they're drenched in an overly sweet, sweet-sour butter all the more devastating. And while I loved the grits with shrimp, cheddar and maple jus the first time around, the same dish arrived watery and bland on my second visit.
Skip the grits and order dessert instead. There's a great, salted caramel ice cream, dusted in sweet popcorn powder, a warm, trio of cookies, and a knockout arrangement of banana bread pudding and honeycomb semifreddo, drizzled with nutella that easily compels a return trip. With Imperial No 9, Sam Talbot has proved he's not just a pretty face, but rather one to watch.
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The cocktails at Imperial No. 9 are just as sexy as the garden room. It's hard to distinguish your cocktail menu these days. Almost everyone's making their own bitters, infusing their own spirits and using fresh fruit. Yet, John Lermayer ups the ante with inventive touches. like cucumber foam, chai cordials and aloe juice. Instead of cutesy names, the drinks have numbers. I ordered the No. 5, a wonderful twist on a gin martini with a splash of St. Germain, dry vermouth, and aromatic bitters. While I'm not typically a fan of sweet cocktails, I also loved the No. 4, a frothy, balanced mix of of kiwi vodka, lime juice and egg whites, sweetened with agave nectar. We snacked on cauliflower fritters with a crazy creamy ricotta center and garnished with a sunflower seed brittle and balsamic.
The menu is the work of Sam Talbot of Top Chef fame, which tends to stir debate whether he can really cook or if he's just a pretty face. While the food is good at Surf Lodge in Montauk, it wasn't unforgettable or overly ambitious. Besides, the scene comes first at Surf Lodge. At Imperial No. 9, the men is dubbed "sustainable American seafood," but there are plenty of global influences, including the Middle East with harissa-braised chickpeas and raita (excellent) or spicy cucumber kimchee. Though, it's more of a mild, quick kimchee than the pungent, Korean version. We started with incredibly plump, battered oysters, mingled with crispy nibbles of ham and a salty-sweet chow chow (vegetable relish), which made your garden variety fried oysters seem like a real snooze. There's raw hiramasa (yellowtail amberjack), dabbed with frozen coconut, chili water, and a rich, black rice vinegar -- an original combination that brought out the best in the delicate fish without overpowering it. The slow-cooked octopus was ridiculously tender and moist, bathed in a flavorful jalapeno soffrito, lime and soy -- one of the best octopus dishes I've had period.
Oddly enough, one of my favorite dishes on the menu is the toasted cous cous, scattered with charred squash, a perfectly runny poached egg, and shards of pecorino. Mix it all together and you have a marvelous, Mediterranean bibimbap. Talbot seems to be settling in quickly and taking more chances: He opened with an entree of scallops with ricotta and pickled melon (a carryover from Surf Lodge), but on my next visit the scallops came with a deeply smoky ragout of clams with lardons, that left much more of an impression on our table. Still, there are some missteps and inconsistencies. The king crab legs a la plancha are huge and cooked a la plancha, which makes the fact that they're drenched in an overly sweet, sweet-sour butter all the more devastating. And while I loved the grits with shrimp, cheddar and maple jus the first time around, the same dish arrived watery and bland on my second visit.
Skip the grits and order dessert instead. There's a great, salted caramel ice cream, dusted in sweet popcorn powder, a warm, trio of cookies, and a knockout arrangement of banana bread pudding and honeycomb semifreddo, drizzled with nutella that easily compels a return trip. With Imperial No 9, Sam Talbot has proved he's not just a pretty face, but rather one to watch.
For more information on Restaurants reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Mother's Day Reservations
One day a year, you have to get your mom out of the kitchen and treat her to a great meal, cooked by someone other than herself. Considering Mother's Day is less than three days away, you might want to make a reservation quickly. But where to go? Whether your mom is fond of fondue or dim sum, or a fan of Top Chef Masters, we’ve got a few ideas that will impress her this Mother’s Day...
Ai Fiori
Address: 400 Fifth Ave., between 36th and 37th Sts
Phone: 212-613-8660
Website: www.aifiorinyc.com
Ai Fiori is Michael White’s newest, New York venture and an excellent option for Mother's Day dinner. The menu can be tackled two ways, a la carte or in a $79, four-course set menu. It's a pretty safe bet your mom will be impressed with both the elegant setting (pictured above) and White's exceptional cooking. You might consider starting with poached oysters and sturgeon caviar or risotto, scattered with black truffle. For dessert, sample the rum cake with tropical fruit.
Red Rooster Harlem
Address: 310 Lenox Ave., between 125th and 126th Sts
Phone: 212-792-9001
Website: www.redroosterharlem.com
Mother's Day is the perfect occasion for a trip to Red Rooster Harlem. Marcus Samuelson won Top Chef Masters plenty of reasons and you can taste many of them for yourself at this new, uptown restaurant with creative American cooking, heavy on the flavor, like a killer mac and cheese and fried yard bird. For Mother's Day, Red Rooster is offering a special Smorgasbord Buffet, which is code for gorge yourself silly on everything from fried chicken and corn bread to pecan waffles and even his mother, Helga's famous meatballs with lingonberry jam.
Kajitsu
Address: 414 E. 9th St between First Ave and Ave A
Phone: 212-228-4873
Website: www.kajitsunyc.com
Sometimes moms just want some peace and quiet. So, where should you take them for a totally relaxing meal? Kajitsu, of course. The serene, East Village spot specializes in vegetarian kaiseki, which is a traditional, Japanese tasting menu with dishes that are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat. The menu changes according to the seasons and luckily, cherry blossoms happen to be season this Mother's Day. To give you an idea of what to expect, past menus have featured mountain yam dumplings in consomme and crispy fried soba noodles. You can even have a sake pairing with each course because mom deserves it.
Bosie Tea Parlor
Address: 10 Morton St between Bleecker St and Seventh Ave South
Phone: 212-352-9900
If your mother woke up early in the morning last week to catch the Royal Wedding, chances are she’ll appreciate a Mother’s Day tea party. At Bosie Tea Parlor in the West Village, you can nibble on exotically flavored macarons, like rose, pistachio or Darjeeling as well as scones and other freshly baked pastries. And it wouldn't be a tea party without tea sandwiches and salads, like curry chicken salad.
Heartbreak
Address: 29 E. 2nd St., at Second Ave.
Phone: 212-777-2502
Website: www.heartbreakrestaurant.com
Moms who were around in the 70's are most definitely familiar with fondue. The fondue at Heartbreak in the East Village is some of the best in the city. This new German/Austria/Swiss restaurant offers lots of variations on the dish, including fondue spiked with dark beer, and another with white truffles. Make sure to order the smoked trout and maultaschen (oxtail stuffed ravioli) appetizers to start. They’re fantastic.
Valentino’s on the Green (formerly Caffe on the Green)
Address: 201-10 Cross Island Parkway, Queens
Phone: 718- 352-2300
Website: www.valentinosonthegreen.com
If you're looking for a unique setting this year, try this Italian spot, which overlooks both a golf course and the waterfront. And for Mother’s Day, Valentino's is doing it up with a three-course prix fixe that features dishes, like a filet mignon carpaccio, seafood salad and osso bucco. Or consider splurging on a whopping, 5 pound lobster for two to share with mom.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Address: 13 Doyers St., between Pell and Bowery Sts
Phone: 212-962-6047
Website: www.nomwah.com
Family owned and newly renovated, Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a great place for a family meal over fun, finger foods. The dim sum-oriented menu is concise, but extremely well-edited with hits like char siu roast pork buns, scallion pancakes and scallop dumplings. For more adventurous dim sum goers, the chicken feet are a must. The only downfall is the décor (checkered tablecloths, tiny bathrooms), but the food and tea easily make up for the atmosphere.
Lincoln
Address: 142 65th St between Amsterdam and Broadway
Phone: 212-359-6500
Website: www.lincolnristorante.com
What better excuse to try Jonathan Benno’s upscale Italian, set in Lincoln Center? This Sunday, Lincoln is offering a Mother’s Day brunch with spring dishes, like fava bean soup with delicate ricotta dumplings and lamb chops with peas and carrots just for the special occasion. You’ll be treating her to first-class food in a first-class setting for only $28 dollars a person, but you don’t have to tell her that.
The Mermaid Inn
Address: 96 Second Ave between 5th and 6th Sts; 568 Amsterdam Ave between 87th and 88th Sts
Phone: 212-674-5870; 212-799-7400
Website: www.themermaidnyc.com
Just in time for Mother's Day, The Mermaid Inn will begin serving brunch in both their East Village and Upper West Side locations this weekend. In addition to oysters and a terrific lobster roll, there's a "tres leches" challah french toast and Mermaid Benedict, with spinach, hollandaise and a bonus choice of bacon or lobster.
The Mark
Address: The Mark Hotel, 25 E. 77th St at Madison Ave
Phone: 212-606-3030
Website: www.themarkrestaurantnyc.com
Tucked inside The Mark Hotel on the Upper East Side, Jean-Georges restaurant is a great place to take mom any time of year, but it's particularly well-suited for special occasions. This Sunday, you can take your pick of brunch for a standout Croque Madame, afternoon tea, or dinner. There will even be a special, 3-course prix fixe menu, created just for the occasion.
For more information on Restaurant reviews nyc visit restaurantgirl.com/
Ai Fiori
Address: 400 Fifth Ave., between 36th and 37th Sts
Phone: 212-613-8660
Website: www.aifiorinyc.com
Ai Fiori is Michael White’s newest, New York venture and an excellent option for Mother's Day dinner. The menu can be tackled two ways, a la carte or in a $79, four-course set menu. It's a pretty safe bet your mom will be impressed with both the elegant setting (pictured above) and White's exceptional cooking. You might consider starting with poached oysters and sturgeon caviar or risotto, scattered with black truffle. For dessert, sample the rum cake with tropical fruit.
Red Rooster Harlem
Address: 310 Lenox Ave., between 125th and 126th Sts
Phone: 212-792-9001
Website: www.redroosterharlem.com
Mother's Day is the perfect occasion for a trip to Red Rooster Harlem. Marcus Samuelson won Top Chef Masters plenty of reasons and you can taste many of them for yourself at this new, uptown restaurant with creative American cooking, heavy on the flavor, like a killer mac and cheese and fried yard bird. For Mother's Day, Red Rooster is offering a special Smorgasbord Buffet, which is code for gorge yourself silly on everything from fried chicken and corn bread to pecan waffles and even his mother, Helga's famous meatballs with lingonberry jam.
Kajitsu
Address: 414 E. 9th St between First Ave and Ave A
Phone: 212-228-4873
Website: www.kajitsunyc.com
Sometimes moms just want some peace and quiet. So, where should you take them for a totally relaxing meal? Kajitsu, of course. The serene, East Village spot specializes in vegetarian kaiseki, which is a traditional, Japanese tasting menu with dishes that are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat. The menu changes according to the seasons and luckily, cherry blossoms happen to be season this Mother's Day. To give you an idea of what to expect, past menus have featured mountain yam dumplings in consomme and crispy fried soba noodles. You can even have a sake pairing with each course because mom deserves it.
Bosie Tea Parlor
Address: 10 Morton St between Bleecker St and Seventh Ave South
Phone: 212-352-9900
If your mother woke up early in the morning last week to catch the Royal Wedding, chances are she’ll appreciate a Mother’s Day tea party. At Bosie Tea Parlor in the West Village, you can nibble on exotically flavored macarons, like rose, pistachio or Darjeeling as well as scones and other freshly baked pastries. And it wouldn't be a tea party without tea sandwiches and salads, like curry chicken salad.
Heartbreak
Address: 29 E. 2nd St., at Second Ave.
Phone: 212-777-2502
Website: www.heartbreakrestaurant.com
Moms who were around in the 70's are most definitely familiar with fondue. The fondue at Heartbreak in the East Village is some of the best in the city. This new German/Austria/Swiss restaurant offers lots of variations on the dish, including fondue spiked with dark beer, and another with white truffles. Make sure to order the smoked trout and maultaschen (oxtail stuffed ravioli) appetizers to start. They’re fantastic.
Valentino’s on the Green (formerly Caffe on the Green)
Address: 201-10 Cross Island Parkway, Queens
Phone: 718- 352-2300
Website: www.valentinosonthegreen.com
If you're looking for a unique setting this year, try this Italian spot, which overlooks both a golf course and the waterfront. And for Mother’s Day, Valentino's is doing it up with a three-course prix fixe that features dishes, like a filet mignon carpaccio, seafood salad and osso bucco. Or consider splurging on a whopping, 5 pound lobster for two to share with mom.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
Address: 13 Doyers St., between Pell and Bowery Sts
Phone: 212-962-6047
Website: www.nomwah.com
Family owned and newly renovated, Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a great place for a family meal over fun, finger foods. The dim sum-oriented menu is concise, but extremely well-edited with hits like char siu roast pork buns, scallion pancakes and scallop dumplings. For more adventurous dim sum goers, the chicken feet are a must. The only downfall is the décor (checkered tablecloths, tiny bathrooms), but the food and tea easily make up for the atmosphere.
Lincoln
Address: 142 65th St between Amsterdam and Broadway
Phone: 212-359-6500
Website: www.lincolnristorante.com
What better excuse to try Jonathan Benno’s upscale Italian, set in Lincoln Center? This Sunday, Lincoln is offering a Mother’s Day brunch with spring dishes, like fava bean soup with delicate ricotta dumplings and lamb chops with peas and carrots just for the special occasion. You’ll be treating her to first-class food in a first-class setting for only $28 dollars a person, but you don’t have to tell her that.
The Mermaid Inn
Address: 96 Second Ave between 5th and 6th Sts; 568 Amsterdam Ave between 87th and 88th Sts
Phone: 212-674-5870; 212-799-7400
Website: www.themermaidnyc.com
Just in time for Mother's Day, The Mermaid Inn will begin serving brunch in both their East Village and Upper West Side locations this weekend. In addition to oysters and a terrific lobster roll, there's a "tres leches" challah french toast and Mermaid Benedict, with spinach, hollandaise and a bonus choice of bacon or lobster.
The Mark
Address: The Mark Hotel, 25 E. 77th St at Madison Ave
Phone: 212-606-3030
Website: www.themarkrestaurantnyc.com
Tucked inside The Mark Hotel on the Upper East Side, Jean-Georges restaurant is a great place to take mom any time of year, but it's particularly well-suited for special occasions. This Sunday, you can take your pick of brunch for a standout Croque Madame, afternoon tea, or dinner. There will even be a special, 3-course prix fixe menu, created just for the occasion.
For more information on Restaurant reviews nyc visit restaurantgirl.com/
New York's Best Brasseries & Bistros
It used to be that you had to travel to Paris for good brasserie or bistro cooking. But nowadays, the lines between the bistro and brasserie have blurred and we have plenty of both stateside with top notch food. Whether you're craving the timeless brasserie setting or something as classic as escargots on a Williamsburg rooftop, the city is your oyster. Bon appétit!
Juliette
Address: 135 N 5th St between Berry St and Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Phone: (718) 388-9222
Website: www.juliettewilliamsburg.com
This charming bistro in Williamsburg has excellent French food and plenty of character. And when the weather permits, guests can dine on a romantic rooftop terrace. The menu features broiled escargots, croque monsieur, salmon tartare, and a butterscotch pot de creme. As you’d expect in this hipster hood, vegetarian options abound, including a wild mushroom strudel and a warm cauliflower salad. I’ve never had a Parisian hot dog, but the one here, which comes smothered with gruyere and béchamel, is definitely worthy of attention.
The New French
Address: 522 Hudson St between W 10th St and Charles St
Phone: (212) 807-7357
I adore this quaint, West Village bistro for its unpretentious vibe and straightforward cooking. One of our favorite dishes is “The New French” salad with grilled salmon or the steak, served on a bed of radicchio, pear, manchego, olives, green beans, beets, potatoes, caper-berries and egg (phew). At dinnertime, there’s classics, like chicken liver mousse or mussels with fries as well as more globally influenced dishes, including vegetable green curry and pastrami sandwich with slaw and horseradish aioli.
Bistro Cassis
Address: 255 Columbus Ave between W 70th and W 71st Sts
Phone: (212) 579-3966
Website: www.bistrocassisnyc.com
This laidback atmosphere at this Upper West Side bistro (with a second location in Long Island) belies the serious French cooking here. There are plenty of French kitchens in the city, but few that turn out escargot with a garlic-butter sauce, crepes filled with mushrooms and creme fraiche, onion soup or a proper Quiche Lorraine. If you’re nostalgic for Paris, order the steak au poivre, duck confit or sole meuniere.
Balthazar
Address: 80 Spring St between Broadway and Lafayette
Phone: (212) 965-1414
Website: www.balthazarny.com
As close to a Parisian brasserie as they come stateside, Balthazar is Keith McNally’s masterful ode to French bistro fare. There’s so many reasons to love this Soho stunner, starting with the elegant, sunny yellow dining room with red leather banquettes and twirling ceilings to the zinc bar and faded mirrors along the walls. Like any proper brasserie, the kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and there’s even an adjacent brasserie for a mid-day pastry or a take-away tarte. Sample the bread basket with croissants and pain perdue at breakfast, a salade nicoise or steak tartare at lunch and the steak frites, frisee with lardons or roasted poulet fermi (roast chicken) for dinner. No matter what time of day, always save room for a fantastic French pastry or seasonal tarte.
Millesime
Address: 92 Madison Ave., at 29th St
Phone: (212) 889-7100
Website: www.millesimerestaurant.com
When most people think of a brasserie, they conjure up images of rich meats with heavy wine reductions and creamy sauces or stocks, but Lauren Manrique’s Millesime defies that expectation. Millesime is a seafood brasserie with an impressive raw bar, three types of fish tartare and plenty of light, fresh seafood dishes. In keeping with the seafaring, French nature of the menu, the servers are dressed in yellow, fisherman’s aprons and the tables have Eiffel Tower salt & pepper shakers. In addition to a half dozen mussel preparations, there’s a terrific selection oysters, a terrific tuna tartare, mingled with dates & mint, and plenty of simply grilled fish with your choice of sauce and a lobster “pot au feu.”
Les Halles
Address: 411 Park Ave., at 28th St; 15 John St near Broadway
Phone: (212) 679-4111; 212-285-8585
Website: www.bistrocassisnyc.com
If you’re dining alone but don’t feel like being alone, try the bar at either Les Halle outpost. Like any good bistro, Les Halles is always bustling and ideal for people-watching. Start with a martini or a glass of champagne and definitely get the steak tartare, which happens to be one of the best in the city, and an order of French fries on the side. The menu is peppered with hearty, French fare, like beef stew and coq au vin. For breakfast, they also serve a killer pan perdu (brioche French toast).
CAMAJE Bistro and Lounge
Address: 85 MacDougal St near Bleecker St
Phone: (212) 673-8184
Address: www.camaje.com
CAMAJE is all about good, affordable food. With its MacDougal location, it’s practically obligated to cater to the NYU crowd and it offers some of the best deals in town. At lunchtime, three-courses will set you back just $15 and the same deal at dinner is $35. One of the best things on the menu is the hangar steak sandwich, served on crusty bread that’s smeared with a garlicky aioli and brightened with a bit of dressed arugula. Save room for dessert: In addition to build-your-own crepes, there’s a seasonal fruit tart that easily holds its own against some of the best in the city.
L’Absinthe
Address: 227 E 67th St near Second Ave
Phone: (212) 794-4950
Website: www.labsinthe.com
For the last 20 years, L’Absinthe and chef Jean-Michelle have been serving classic French food to a decidedly, Upper East Side clientele. But this isn’t your typical, brasserie fare and it doesn’t cater to a conservative crowd. Instead, there’s starters, like blood sausage with sautéed apples and pigs trotters with foie gras. The shellfish platter has unusual options, like whelks and razor clams. The poularde truffee (chicken in a black truffle broth) has been on the menu since the restaurant opened and still a bestseller.
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Juliette
Address: 135 N 5th St between Berry St and Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Phone: (718) 388-9222
Website: www.juliettewilliamsburg.com
This charming bistro in Williamsburg has excellent French food and plenty of character. And when the weather permits, guests can dine on a romantic rooftop terrace. The menu features broiled escargots, croque monsieur, salmon tartare, and a butterscotch pot de creme. As you’d expect in this hipster hood, vegetarian options abound, including a wild mushroom strudel and a warm cauliflower salad. I’ve never had a Parisian hot dog, but the one here, which comes smothered with gruyere and béchamel, is definitely worthy of attention.
The New French
Address: 522 Hudson St between W 10th St and Charles St
Phone: (212) 807-7357
I adore this quaint, West Village bistro for its unpretentious vibe and straightforward cooking. One of our favorite dishes is “The New French” salad with grilled salmon or the steak, served on a bed of radicchio, pear, manchego, olives, green beans, beets, potatoes, caper-berries and egg (phew). At dinnertime, there’s classics, like chicken liver mousse or mussels with fries as well as more globally influenced dishes, including vegetable green curry and pastrami sandwich with slaw and horseradish aioli.
Bistro Cassis
Address: 255 Columbus Ave between W 70th and W 71st Sts
Phone: (212) 579-3966
Website: www.bistrocassisnyc.com
This laidback atmosphere at this Upper West Side bistro (with a second location in Long Island) belies the serious French cooking here. There are plenty of French kitchens in the city, but few that turn out escargot with a garlic-butter sauce, crepes filled with mushrooms and creme fraiche, onion soup or a proper Quiche Lorraine. If you’re nostalgic for Paris, order the steak au poivre, duck confit or sole meuniere.
Balthazar
Address: 80 Spring St between Broadway and Lafayette
Phone: (212) 965-1414
Website: www.balthazarny.com
As close to a Parisian brasserie as they come stateside, Balthazar is Keith McNally’s masterful ode to French bistro fare. There’s so many reasons to love this Soho stunner, starting with the elegant, sunny yellow dining room with red leather banquettes and twirling ceilings to the zinc bar and faded mirrors along the walls. Like any proper brasserie, the kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and there’s even an adjacent brasserie for a mid-day pastry or a take-away tarte. Sample the bread basket with croissants and pain perdue at breakfast, a salade nicoise or steak tartare at lunch and the steak frites, frisee with lardons or roasted poulet fermi (roast chicken) for dinner. No matter what time of day, always save room for a fantastic French pastry or seasonal tarte.
Millesime
Address: 92 Madison Ave., at 29th St
Phone: (212) 889-7100
Website: www.millesimerestaurant.com
When most people think of a brasserie, they conjure up images of rich meats with heavy wine reductions and creamy sauces or stocks, but Lauren Manrique’s Millesime defies that expectation. Millesime is a seafood brasserie with an impressive raw bar, three types of fish tartare and plenty of light, fresh seafood dishes. In keeping with the seafaring, French nature of the menu, the servers are dressed in yellow, fisherman’s aprons and the tables have Eiffel Tower salt & pepper shakers. In addition to a half dozen mussel preparations, there’s a terrific selection oysters, a terrific tuna tartare, mingled with dates & mint, and plenty of simply grilled fish with your choice of sauce and a lobster “pot au feu.”
Les Halles
Address: 411 Park Ave., at 28th St; 15 John St near Broadway
Phone: (212) 679-4111; 212-285-8585
Website: www.bistrocassisnyc.com
If you’re dining alone but don’t feel like being alone, try the bar at either Les Halle outpost. Like any good bistro, Les Halles is always bustling and ideal for people-watching. Start with a martini or a glass of champagne and definitely get the steak tartare, which happens to be one of the best in the city, and an order of French fries on the side. The menu is peppered with hearty, French fare, like beef stew and coq au vin. For breakfast, they also serve a killer pan perdu (brioche French toast).
CAMAJE Bistro and Lounge
Address: 85 MacDougal St near Bleecker St
Phone: (212) 673-8184
Address: www.camaje.com
CAMAJE is all about good, affordable food. With its MacDougal location, it’s practically obligated to cater to the NYU crowd and it offers some of the best deals in town. At lunchtime, three-courses will set you back just $15 and the same deal at dinner is $35. One of the best things on the menu is the hangar steak sandwich, served on crusty bread that’s smeared with a garlicky aioli and brightened with a bit of dressed arugula. Save room for dessert: In addition to build-your-own crepes, there’s a seasonal fruit tart that easily holds its own against some of the best in the city.
L’Absinthe
Address: 227 E 67th St near Second Ave
Phone: (212) 794-4950
Website: www.labsinthe.com
For the last 20 years, L’Absinthe and chef Jean-Michelle have been serving classic French food to a decidedly, Upper East Side clientele. But this isn’t your typical, brasserie fare and it doesn’t cater to a conservative crowd. Instead, there’s starters, like blood sausage with sautéed apples and pigs trotters with foie gras. The shellfish platter has unusual options, like whelks and razor clams. The poularde truffee (chicken in a black truffle broth) has been on the menu since the restaurant opened and still a bestseller.
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Q & A With 10 Downing's Chef Jonnathan Leiva
If you haven't eaten dinner at 10 Downing in the past few months, you might want to revisit. Jonnatan Leiva earned three stars cooking at Jack Falstaff in San Francisco, which shuttered last May. But San Francisco's loss is New York's gain because Leiva moved East to head up the kitchen at 10 Downing. While this restaurant has seen more than its fair share of chefs, including Jason Neroni, this may be its best hire yet. Jonnatan describes his cooking as "Californian with global inspirations" with dishes like striped bass ceviche, Argentine-style grilled short rib with romanesco & chimichurri sauce, and a coconut curry pot pie.
Single/Married/Divorced
I am very happily engaged.
What’s your go-to farmers market in the city?
I like to go the Union Square GreenMarket, but Brooklyn has some great ones as well.
How would you describe your cooking style?
I would best describe it as modern, simple, and Californian with global inspirations. And soulful!
You had such a strong career going in San Francisco, so what brought you to New York?
San Francisco is my hometown where I had a lot of support and I am so grateful for that. But the chance and opportunity is what brought me out to New York. I couldn't say no.
How is the New York culinary scene different from San Francisco's?
The culinary scene in New York is one word - FIERCE! You gotta be on the ball everyday. There are many great
kitchens in San Francisco and it’s certainly intense as well, but the energy and vibe in New York is non-stop. Folks are very vocal and one chance is all they give you.
How have you changed the menu at 10 Downing to fit your style, while still catering to regulars?
As of recently it has been more of my vision and style. But I also change and evolve with my surroundings and what the clientele is looking for. That's not to say that I can't still feed my own creative juices and am able to challenge my team.
What's your ideal meal at 10 Downing?
My ideal meal is simply having our "Tasting Menu". The diner can pick and literally build his own menu. There are so many dishes that are "hits" that it’s really based on what my emotions are on a given day. There really is something for everyone, from the local couple on date night to a group of young professionals out on the town.
You’ve worked with a lot of influential chefs, everyone from Rocco DiSpirito to Chris Cosentino. Who would you consider your mentor?
I have definitely worked with many great cooks and chefs, but I would have to say that my grandmother was my toughest and smartest mentor of all. She was an amazing cook.
What neighborhood do you live in and what are your favorite places to eat there?
I live very close to the restaurant in the Village. I like to eat, drink and grab something fun at Joseph Leonard or Rockmeisha for ramen. But believe it or not my fiancé and I cook at least five days out of the week.
For more information on Restaurant reviews nyc visit restaurantgirl.com/
Single/Married/Divorced
I am very happily engaged.
What’s your go-to farmers market in the city?
I like to go the Union Square GreenMarket, but Brooklyn has some great ones as well.
How would you describe your cooking style?
I would best describe it as modern, simple, and Californian with global inspirations. And soulful!
You had such a strong career going in San Francisco, so what brought you to New York?
San Francisco is my hometown where I had a lot of support and I am so grateful for that. But the chance and opportunity is what brought me out to New York. I couldn't say no.
How is the New York culinary scene different from San Francisco's?
The culinary scene in New York is one word - FIERCE! You gotta be on the ball everyday. There are many great
kitchens in San Francisco and it’s certainly intense as well, but the energy and vibe in New York is non-stop. Folks are very vocal and one chance is all they give you.
How have you changed the menu at 10 Downing to fit your style, while still catering to regulars?
As of recently it has been more of my vision and style. But I also change and evolve with my surroundings and what the clientele is looking for. That's not to say that I can't still feed my own creative juices and am able to challenge my team.
What's your ideal meal at 10 Downing?
My ideal meal is simply having our "Tasting Menu". The diner can pick and literally build his own menu. There are so many dishes that are "hits" that it’s really based on what my emotions are on a given day. There really is something for everyone, from the local couple on date night to a group of young professionals out on the town.
You’ve worked with a lot of influential chefs, everyone from Rocco DiSpirito to Chris Cosentino. Who would you consider your mentor?
I have definitely worked with many great cooks and chefs, but I would have to say that my grandmother was my toughest and smartest mentor of all. She was an amazing cook.
What neighborhood do you live in and what are your favorite places to eat there?
I live very close to the restaurant in the Village. I like to eat, drink and grab something fun at Joseph Leonard or Rockmeisha for ramen. But believe it or not my fiancé and I cook at least five days out of the week.
For more information on Restaurant reviews nyc visit restaurantgirl.com/
Best Waterfront Dining in New York
In the restaurant business, location can make or break you. Unfortunately, the food doesn't always live up to the setting it's served in. We want to seize the warm weather this season, so we've rounded up our favorite waterfront spots with not just a great view, but great food. For starters, there's Tom Colicchio's Riverpark with a charming terrace overlooking the East River, along with the smart, seasonal cuisine he's famous for. If you're craving something laid-back, try Rockaway Taco, located on an oceanside boardwalk.
Randazzo's Clam Bar
Address: 2017 Emmons Ave. near E. 21st Street (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 615-0010
The menu at this seafood joint has hardly changed in over fifty years and that’s exactly the way the locals like it. If you haven't been to Randazzo's, it's worth a field trip to Sheepshead Bay for family-style portions of perfectly al dente pasta, loaded with shellfish and plenty of the restaurant's signature red sauce – the quintessential, South Brooklyn condiment. Terrific for dipping fried clams, calamari or any other shellfish, Randazzo's has managed to keep its oregano-rich tomato gravy a secret for four generations. And as the name suggests, Randazzo's offers several renditions of clams, including raw, baked, fried, and zuppa as well as Manhattan and New England clam chowder. Of course, the ideal place to enjoy seafood is on the waterfront i the outdoor dining area, where you can also sample steamed lobster, mussels, crab cakes, or soft shell crabs.
Riverpark
Address: 450 E 29th ST. near First Avenue
Phone: (212) 729-9790
Tom Colicchio gets a lot of air time on Top Chef, but he is a chef and restaurateur first. In fact, he has nearly a dozen successful restaurants, plus the growing 'wichcraft sandwich chain. His most recent Manhattan venture, Riverpark (pictured above) boasts East River views and a charming outdoor terrace to enjoy it. The best part about is Riverpark is that dinner is what you make it because you can you can order from the formal dinner menu with offerings, like diver scallops with a bacon-ramp vinaigrette or from the more casual bar menu with homemade potato chips, grilled cheese and even fried chicken. Start with the "West Of Manhattan" cocktail, uniquely flavored with cocoa nibs and chile bitters and ease into dinner on the east side of town.
Hudson River Café
Address: 697 West 133rd St. at Riverside Drive
Phone: (212) 491-9111
The stretch of Harlem under the West Side Highway is transforming into a foodie haven thanks to recent additions, like the Hudson River Café. This four-year-old restaurant is perfect for groups, who can choose from three, spacious dining rooms . The best seats in the house are on the outdoor patio with a view of the Hudson River. The Latin menu features lobster or shrimp ceviche, steamed mussels or beef empanadas. But while dinner here is great, the $21 weekend brunch is an even better deal. You can still experience Chef Ricardo Cardona’s cooking, such as crab cakes and eggs or huevos rancheros, with unlimited mimosas to boot.
Ignazio's
Address: 4 Water St # A (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 522-2100
Why wait in an hour-long line for Grimaldi’s pizza when there’s another great pizzeria right around the corner? Ignazio’s may not have the Grimaldi's famous coal oven, but its gas oven gets hot enough to give the crust a fine char. There are several advantages to opting for Ignazzio’s, which includes a knock-out a white clam pie seasoned with lots of lemon and parsley, prosciutto-stuffed artichokes, Estelle's meatballs and views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River Promenade.
The River Café
Address: 1 Water St. (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 522-5200
The Brooklyn Bridge-adjacent River Café offers one of the most iconic views of the Manhattan skyline, especially when you dine on the floating barge or the garden-like Terrace Room. And the chefs at this luxurious spot are no slouches, serving refined dishes like foie gras with a coffee and almond crust and grilled dorade with poached artichoke hearts. Between the setting and the food, it’s no surprise that the River Café has been a New York institution more than three decades.
Rockaway Taco
Address: 95-19 Rockaway Beach Blvd. (Queens)
Phone: (347) 213-7466
It’s well-worth the hour-long train ride to Rockaway Beach for the tacos at this beach shack with an outdoor patio that looks out onto the Atlantic Ocean. Chef Andrew Field’s serves San Diego-style tacos, filled with beer-battered tilapia, carne aside or chorizo along with radishes, cabbage and cilantro. And for vegetarian beach bums, there's a crispy tofu taco that's flavorful enough to satisfy meat-eaters as well.
Crow's Nest at the Water Club
Address: 500 East 30th St.
Phone: (212) 683-3333
The Crow’s Nest is like the boisterous cousin of the straight-laced Water Club restaurant, filled with picnic tables instead of white cloth-clad tables. This outdoor deck overlooks the East River and is a great happy hour spot thanks to classic cocktails like Mai Tai and pitchers of Sangria. For grub, keep it simple with the raw bar's shellfish or a burger.
Central Park Boathouse
Address: E. 72nd Street near Park Drive North
Phone: (212) 517-2233
New York’s dining scene is constantly developing, but the lakeside dining at the Central Park Boathouse will always be a special experience. The Boathouse has four settings to choose from, from the more formal Lakeside dining room and banquet halls, to the casual outdoor grill and express café. Whichever room you choose, we recommend arriving early so that you can take a spin around the lake on a rowboat.
For more information on Restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Randazzo's Clam Bar
Address: 2017 Emmons Ave. near E. 21st Street (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 615-0010
The menu at this seafood joint has hardly changed in over fifty years and that’s exactly the way the locals like it. If you haven't been to Randazzo's, it's worth a field trip to Sheepshead Bay for family-style portions of perfectly al dente pasta, loaded with shellfish and plenty of the restaurant's signature red sauce – the quintessential, South Brooklyn condiment. Terrific for dipping fried clams, calamari or any other shellfish, Randazzo's has managed to keep its oregano-rich tomato gravy a secret for four generations. And as the name suggests, Randazzo's offers several renditions of clams, including raw, baked, fried, and zuppa as well as Manhattan and New England clam chowder. Of course, the ideal place to enjoy seafood is on the waterfront i the outdoor dining area, where you can also sample steamed lobster, mussels, crab cakes, or soft shell crabs.
Riverpark
Address: 450 E 29th ST. near First Avenue
Phone: (212) 729-9790
Tom Colicchio gets a lot of air time on Top Chef, but he is a chef and restaurateur first. In fact, he has nearly a dozen successful restaurants, plus the growing 'wichcraft sandwich chain. His most recent Manhattan venture, Riverpark (pictured above) boasts East River views and a charming outdoor terrace to enjoy it. The best part about is Riverpark is that dinner is what you make it because you can you can order from the formal dinner menu with offerings, like diver scallops with a bacon-ramp vinaigrette or from the more casual bar menu with homemade potato chips, grilled cheese and even fried chicken. Start with the "West Of Manhattan" cocktail, uniquely flavored with cocoa nibs and chile bitters and ease into dinner on the east side of town.
Hudson River Café
Address: 697 West 133rd St. at Riverside Drive
Phone: (212) 491-9111
The stretch of Harlem under the West Side Highway is transforming into a foodie haven thanks to recent additions, like the Hudson River Café. This four-year-old restaurant is perfect for groups, who can choose from three, spacious dining rooms . The best seats in the house are on the outdoor patio with a view of the Hudson River. The Latin menu features lobster or shrimp ceviche, steamed mussels or beef empanadas. But while dinner here is great, the $21 weekend brunch is an even better deal. You can still experience Chef Ricardo Cardona’s cooking, such as crab cakes and eggs or huevos rancheros, with unlimited mimosas to boot.
Ignazio's
Address: 4 Water St # A (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 522-2100
Why wait in an hour-long line for Grimaldi’s pizza when there’s another great pizzeria right around the corner? Ignazio’s may not have the Grimaldi's famous coal oven, but its gas oven gets hot enough to give the crust a fine char. There are several advantages to opting for Ignazzio’s, which includes a knock-out a white clam pie seasoned with lots of lemon and parsley, prosciutto-stuffed artichokes, Estelle's meatballs and views of the Brooklyn Bridge and East River Promenade.
The River Café
Address: 1 Water St. (Brooklyn)
Phone: (718) 522-5200
The Brooklyn Bridge-adjacent River Café offers one of the most iconic views of the Manhattan skyline, especially when you dine on the floating barge or the garden-like Terrace Room. And the chefs at this luxurious spot are no slouches, serving refined dishes like foie gras with a coffee and almond crust and grilled dorade with poached artichoke hearts. Between the setting and the food, it’s no surprise that the River Café has been a New York institution more than three decades.
Rockaway Taco
Address: 95-19 Rockaway Beach Blvd. (Queens)
Phone: (347) 213-7466
It’s well-worth the hour-long train ride to Rockaway Beach for the tacos at this beach shack with an outdoor patio that looks out onto the Atlantic Ocean. Chef Andrew Field’s serves San Diego-style tacos, filled with beer-battered tilapia, carne aside or chorizo along with radishes, cabbage and cilantro. And for vegetarian beach bums, there's a crispy tofu taco that's flavorful enough to satisfy meat-eaters as well.
Crow's Nest at the Water Club
Address: 500 East 30th St.
Phone: (212) 683-3333
The Crow’s Nest is like the boisterous cousin of the straight-laced Water Club restaurant, filled with picnic tables instead of white cloth-clad tables. This outdoor deck overlooks the East River and is a great happy hour spot thanks to classic cocktails like Mai Tai and pitchers of Sangria. For grub, keep it simple with the raw bar's shellfish or a burger.
Central Park Boathouse
Address: E. 72nd Street near Park Drive North
Phone: (212) 517-2233
New York’s dining scene is constantly developing, but the lakeside dining at the Central Park Boathouse will always be a special experience. The Boathouse has four settings to choose from, from the more formal Lakeside dining room and banquet halls, to the casual outdoor grill and express café. Whichever room you choose, we recommend arriving early so that you can take a spin around the lake on a rowboat.
For more information on Restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Kyo-Ya Reviewed
We spend so much time chasing after new restaurants we often forget about the ones that have managed to stick around long enough to no longer be considered new. And as you know, in New York, that's no easy feat. For my birthday, a friend was determined to take me for dinner somewhere I'd never been. While I doubted the likelihood, I played along and headed down to 94 East 7th Street in the East Village to discover where I'd be dining.
Aside from a sign that reads "Open", there is no name out front at all, just a staircase leading down to an unmarked entrance. he building itself looked like a typical, East Village walk-up with a hair salon on the street level and apartments above it. But descend down the stairs, open the door, and you'll feel like you've left the island Manhattan and stepped foot into a serene, Japanese hideaway. The restaurant is called Kyo-ya, and no, I had never been. The front hallway is paved with smooth pebbles and the sound of trickling water plays the part of the soundtrack. Inside, there's a quaint, upfront dining room with glossy wood floors and only six tables, a sushi bar, private dining rooms and another sushi bar tucked into the rear of the restaurant. Considering my infatuation with Japanese cooking, I couldn't help but wonder how this tiny oasis had stayed off my radar for so long. The clientele at Kyo-ya is mostly Japanese and the menu is what I'd call eclectic Japanese -- a combination pub (izakaya), sushi bar and traditional restaurant with a special focus on kaiseki, which must be ordered two days in advance. Kaiseki is the Japanese version of a tasting menu, originally created to complement the traditional tea ceremony, but these days tea isn't obligatory. What you can except is a multi-course meal with something uncooked (like sashimi or seasonal pickles), something simmered (perhaps noodles), grilled (duck), fried (tempura) and then, of course, dessert. The kaiseki at Kyo-ya is an elegant procession of plates and a just as elegant, but thankfully informal spot to experience it in.
If you forget to pre-order the kaiseki or make a last-minute reservation, there's plenty of terrific a la carte dishes. I actually recommend ordering a la carte on your first visit, so you can build your own tasting menu of small plates. Kyo-ya only serves sake, but the list is extensive and interesting with several seasonal offerings, all served in elegant, one-of-a-kind glassware. But what makes a meal here so special is the profound attention to ingredients, detail and presentation. Order a simple Kyoto salad and you'll receive a delicate arrangement of julienned radish, carrots and sprouts with a creamy garlic dressing that looks more like art than dinner. I have never paid such close attention to daikon, which can admittedly taste bland, and is often used as a garnish to prop up pieces of sashimi. At Kyo-ya, the chef steeps the daikon in a simple, yet tremendously flavorful dashi broth with nappa greens. As crazy as it sounds, it's one of the simplest pleasures I've had in years. (True story.) It's dishes like these that make you slow down in adoration of ingredients, especially seasonal ones. There's a wonderful palm tree heart and fiddlehead fern tempura that reminds you why transient produce, like ferns, are hyped in the first place. A steamy cup of chawanmushi (egg custard) comes laced with scallops, scallions, chicken and sweet strands of crab meat. I also loved the seafood shutoan, which must be Japanese for bits of shrimp, scallops and crab, coated in a thick and briny bonito sauce. Really, the only appetizers I didn't fall for are the tile fish mousse,which is pretty to look at, but faint of flavor, and a paltry portion of seasonal pickles with green beans and daikon. Apart from those, there's plenty of great dishes, like thinly sliced, grilled duck, tender and sweet, sprinkled with Mongolian salt for crunch as well as a unique composition of sea urchin over an ethereal mixture of tofu skin and clear sauce.
Don't neglect the sushi offerings either, many of which are caught in very local waters. In fact, the sea bass sashimi is from New Brunswick, New Jersey and I swear on my life it's excellent -- delicate, fresh and subtly sweet. The sashimi and pressed sushi offerings change according to the seasons, but right now they're serving yellow fin tuna from Boston, a buttery Tasmanian sea trout, marinated mackerel and hokai octopus. For dessert, I suggest the green tea creme brulee, exceedingly creamy and balanced alongside a cup of roasted green tea.
For me, Kyo-ya is as close as you'll get to Japan and as far as you'll get out of the city without leaving the island of Manhattan.
For more information on Restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Aside from a sign that reads "Open", there is no name out front at all, just a staircase leading down to an unmarked entrance. he building itself looked like a typical, East Village walk-up with a hair salon on the street level and apartments above it. But descend down the stairs, open the door, and you'll feel like you've left the island Manhattan and stepped foot into a serene, Japanese hideaway. The restaurant is called Kyo-ya, and no, I had never been. The front hallway is paved with smooth pebbles and the sound of trickling water plays the part of the soundtrack. Inside, there's a quaint, upfront dining room with glossy wood floors and only six tables, a sushi bar, private dining rooms and another sushi bar tucked into the rear of the restaurant. Considering my infatuation with Japanese cooking, I couldn't help but wonder how this tiny oasis had stayed off my radar for so long. The clientele at Kyo-ya is mostly Japanese and the menu is what I'd call eclectic Japanese -- a combination pub (izakaya), sushi bar and traditional restaurant with a special focus on kaiseki, which must be ordered two days in advance. Kaiseki is the Japanese version of a tasting menu, originally created to complement the traditional tea ceremony, but these days tea isn't obligatory. What you can except is a multi-course meal with something uncooked (like sashimi or seasonal pickles), something simmered (perhaps noodles), grilled (duck), fried (tempura) and then, of course, dessert. The kaiseki at Kyo-ya is an elegant procession of plates and a just as elegant, but thankfully informal spot to experience it in.
If you forget to pre-order the kaiseki or make a last-minute reservation, there's plenty of terrific a la carte dishes. I actually recommend ordering a la carte on your first visit, so you can build your own tasting menu of small plates. Kyo-ya only serves sake, but the list is extensive and interesting with several seasonal offerings, all served in elegant, one-of-a-kind glassware. But what makes a meal here so special is the profound attention to ingredients, detail and presentation. Order a simple Kyoto salad and you'll receive a delicate arrangement of julienned radish, carrots and sprouts with a creamy garlic dressing that looks more like art than dinner. I have never paid such close attention to daikon, which can admittedly taste bland, and is often used as a garnish to prop up pieces of sashimi. At Kyo-ya, the chef steeps the daikon in a simple, yet tremendously flavorful dashi broth with nappa greens. As crazy as it sounds, it's one of the simplest pleasures I've had in years. (True story.) It's dishes like these that make you slow down in adoration of ingredients, especially seasonal ones. There's a wonderful palm tree heart and fiddlehead fern tempura that reminds you why transient produce, like ferns, are hyped in the first place. A steamy cup of chawanmushi (egg custard) comes laced with scallops, scallions, chicken and sweet strands of crab meat. I also loved the seafood shutoan, which must be Japanese for bits of shrimp, scallops and crab, coated in a thick and briny bonito sauce. Really, the only appetizers I didn't fall for are the tile fish mousse,which is pretty to look at, but faint of flavor, and a paltry portion of seasonal pickles with green beans and daikon. Apart from those, there's plenty of great dishes, like thinly sliced, grilled duck, tender and sweet, sprinkled with Mongolian salt for crunch as well as a unique composition of sea urchin over an ethereal mixture of tofu skin and clear sauce.
Don't neglect the sushi offerings either, many of which are caught in very local waters. In fact, the sea bass sashimi is from New Brunswick, New Jersey and I swear on my life it's excellent -- delicate, fresh and subtly sweet. The sashimi and pressed sushi offerings change according to the seasons, but right now they're serving yellow fin tuna from Boston, a buttery Tasmanian sea trout, marinated mackerel and hokai octopus. For dessert, I suggest the green tea creme brulee, exceedingly creamy and balanced alongside a cup of roasted green tea.
For me, Kyo-ya is as close as you'll get to Japan and as far as you'll get out of the city without leaving the island of Manhattan.
For more information on Restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Spring Pizza Crawl
Pizza is trendier than ever. If it weren’t such a genius combination of flavors and textures, it probably would’ve seen its fifteen minutes long ago. But tangy tomato sauce, gooey cheese and warm, crusty dough is a foolproof formula for satisfying a universal craving for comfort food. And in New York, pizza just keeps getting better. New pizza joints open every week -- some with charcoal ovens or brick, some with thin crust or thick crust pies, and some with traditional or offbeat toppings. Now that the weather’s warmed up, it’s the perfect season for a pizza crawl. We visited some of our favorite haunts and several few new ones and here’s a few of our favorites.
Keste Pizza & Vino
Address: 271 Bleecker St., near Jones St
Phone: (212)243-1500
Website: www.kestepizzeria.com
One of my first stops was a re-visit to this Bleecker Street pizza shop that some claim is the best in the city. A sliver of a shop that’s always jam-packed, Keste serves Neapolitan-style pies baked in a brick oven. My first visit to Keste was three years ago and it was just as revelatory this time round. (Consistency is key.) With terrific sauce, fresh mozzarella and a yeasty crust, the “Margherita” pie is a delightfully chewy pie with a good ratio of bite to ooze. If you’re partial to toppings, try the “Padrino,” topped with caciocavallo, soppressata and olives. Like most places on this list, one pie per person is more than enough.
Lievito
Address: 581 Hudson St., at Bank St
Phone: (212)645-5811http://best.piz.za.com/
Website: www.lievitopizzeria.com
Praised by Robert Sietsema in the Village Voice for it’s lack of attitude and authentic atmosphere, Lievito has quickly become a West Village destination for slice aficionados. Large windows overlooking Hudson Street making this a great people-watching spot and the style of thin crust here is entirely unique. Every pie emerges from the brick oven, expertly charred but still pliant topped with everything from ricotta and eggplant (aka the Norma) to more luxury versions, topped with burrata, truffles and prosciutto de parma. (That’s our guy.) Keep an eye out for the trio of charming owners with their heavy Italian accents and plenty of cheek-kissing.
Rubirosa
Address: 235 Mulberry St., between Prince & Spring Sts
Phone: (212)965-0500
Ever since this rustic pizza shop opened, Nolita has become a much more attractive neighborhood. Before Rubirosa, the chef cut his teeth at Esca and Osteria del Circo, so he's got serious skills far beyond the pizza oven. (Try his hand-rolled manicotti or roasted octopus and you'll get the jist.) Still, the wafer thin pies are the prize here and the classic margherita, interestingly topped with Wisconsin mozzarella, is my go-to pie. But lately, I've become just as taken with the Vodka pie, a supremely crunchy crust, loaded with a luscious cream sauce, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. The combination is creamy, gooey and ridiculously satisfying. A recent late-night visit led me to the discovery that the vodka pie is made even better by the addition of broccoli rabe. (Just a thought.)
Grimaldi’s
Address: 19 Old Fulton St., btwn. Front & Water Sts; 656 Sixth Ave., near 20th St.
Phone: (718)858-4300; (212)359-5523
Website: www.grimaldis.com
I seriously considered moving to Dumbo, just so I could live across the street from this Brooklyn pizza institution. Famous for its long lines and brusque service (people wait hours for a rickety seat at one of the red and white clothed tables), Grimaldi's turns out coal oven-baked pies are super straightforward and excellent on all fronts, especially when it comes to the tangy sauce. This is New York-style pizza at its best, but don’t come here looking for a slice, you’ll be directed back over the bridge to the new Limelight Market location for your single serving. (Shareable pies feed 2-3 people and mix-and-match toppings are additional. )
Fornino
Address: 187 Bedford Ave., btwn. N 7th and 8th Sts.
Phone: (718)384-6004
Website: www.forninopizza.com
Located on a block of Williamsburg, Fornino is a surprisingly great date option with a solid wine list, dim lighting and terrific, four-slice pizzas. Grab a table in the front dining room where you can either people-watch, or even better, spy your pie being pulled from the large, wood-burning hearth. One of our favorites is the “D.O.C.”, paved wtih creamy buffalo mozzarella (the best cheese of all the pies we tried!) and the pie “a la Norma” with eggplant and ricotta.
Goodfellas
Address: 144 Orchard St., btwn. Rivington & Stanton Sts.
Phone: (212)432-3200
This Staten Island import is one of the newest pizza joints, just opening in the past few weeks. Consider yourself warned: The pies here are significantly smaller than we’re used to (think personal pie size), but the topping combinations are refreshingly unusual and successful. Instead of the traditional margherita pie, Goodfellas offers an Old World variety with mozzarella and San Marzano tomato sauce along with a vodka-style pie, and another topped with chicken parmigiana. We also sampled the “Smokin’ Goodfella,” topped with plenty of smoked mozzarella, crumbled sausage and peppers on a very creamy tomato sauce. Their pies have a thicker, chewier crust, which works for them to handle the weight of all those toppings. Five bites per slice, two slices per person and the pie was gone. With a couple dozen tables and a liquor license pending, Goodfellas is on its way to becoming a full-fledged restaurant.
For more information on Restaurant reviews visit restaurantgirl.com/
Keste Pizza & Vino
Address: 271 Bleecker St., near Jones St
Phone: (212)243-1500
Website: www.kestepizzeria.com
One of my first stops was a re-visit to this Bleecker Street pizza shop that some claim is the best in the city. A sliver of a shop that’s always jam-packed, Keste serves Neapolitan-style pies baked in a brick oven. My first visit to Keste was three years ago and it was just as revelatory this time round. (Consistency is key.) With terrific sauce, fresh mozzarella and a yeasty crust, the “Margherita” pie is a delightfully chewy pie with a good ratio of bite to ooze. If you’re partial to toppings, try the “Padrino,” topped with caciocavallo, soppressata and olives. Like most places on this list, one pie per person is more than enough.
Lievito
Address: 581 Hudson St., at Bank St
Phone: (212)645-5811http://best.piz.za.com/
Website: www.lievitopizzeria.com
Praised by Robert Sietsema in the Village Voice for it’s lack of attitude and authentic atmosphere, Lievito has quickly become a West Village destination for slice aficionados. Large windows overlooking Hudson Street making this a great people-watching spot and the style of thin crust here is entirely unique. Every pie emerges from the brick oven, expertly charred but still pliant topped with everything from ricotta and eggplant (aka the Norma) to more luxury versions, topped with burrata, truffles and prosciutto de parma. (That’s our guy.) Keep an eye out for the trio of charming owners with their heavy Italian accents and plenty of cheek-kissing.
Rubirosa
Address: 235 Mulberry St., between Prince & Spring Sts
Phone: (212)965-0500
Ever since this rustic pizza shop opened, Nolita has become a much more attractive neighborhood. Before Rubirosa, the chef cut his teeth at Esca and Osteria del Circo, so he's got serious skills far beyond the pizza oven. (Try his hand-rolled manicotti or roasted octopus and you'll get the jist.) Still, the wafer thin pies are the prize here and the classic margherita, interestingly topped with Wisconsin mozzarella, is my go-to pie. But lately, I've become just as taken with the Vodka pie, a supremely crunchy crust, loaded with a luscious cream sauce, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. The combination is creamy, gooey and ridiculously satisfying. A recent late-night visit led me to the discovery that the vodka pie is made even better by the addition of broccoli rabe. (Just a thought.)
Grimaldi’s
Address: 19 Old Fulton St., btwn. Front & Water Sts; 656 Sixth Ave., near 20th St.
Phone: (718)858-4300; (212)359-5523
Website: www.grimaldis.com
I seriously considered moving to Dumbo, just so I could live across the street from this Brooklyn pizza institution. Famous for its long lines and brusque service (people wait hours for a rickety seat at one of the red and white clothed tables), Grimaldi's turns out coal oven-baked pies are super straightforward and excellent on all fronts, especially when it comes to the tangy sauce. This is New York-style pizza at its best, but don’t come here looking for a slice, you’ll be directed back over the bridge to the new Limelight Market location for your single serving. (Shareable pies feed 2-3 people and mix-and-match toppings are additional. )
Fornino
Address: 187 Bedford Ave., btwn. N 7th and 8th Sts.
Phone: (718)384-6004
Website: www.forninopizza.com
Located on a block of Williamsburg, Fornino is a surprisingly great date option with a solid wine list, dim lighting and terrific, four-slice pizzas. Grab a table in the front dining room where you can either people-watch, or even better, spy your pie being pulled from the large, wood-burning hearth. One of our favorites is the “D.O.C.”, paved wtih creamy buffalo mozzarella (the best cheese of all the pies we tried!) and the pie “a la Norma” with eggplant and ricotta.
Goodfellas
Address: 144 Orchard St., btwn. Rivington & Stanton Sts.
Phone: (212)432-3200
This Staten Island import is one of the newest pizza joints, just opening in the past few weeks. Consider yourself warned: The pies here are significantly smaller than we’re used to (think personal pie size), but the topping combinations are refreshingly unusual and successful. Instead of the traditional margherita pie, Goodfellas offers an Old World variety with mozzarella and San Marzano tomato sauce along with a vodka-style pie, and another topped with chicken parmigiana. We also sampled the “Smokin’ Goodfella,” topped with plenty of smoked mozzarella, crumbled sausage and peppers on a very creamy tomato sauce. Their pies have a thicker, chewier crust, which works for them to handle the weight of all those toppings. Five bites per slice, two slices per person and the pie was gone. With a couple dozen tables and a liquor license pending, Goodfellas is on its way to becoming a full-fledged restaurant.
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