Category Archives: New York Restaurants

August 11, 2010 · 2:00 am

Hot Time, Summer in the City

As I mentioned, I am never one to be up on new hot spots in the city. If I’m raving to a friend about an amazing “new” place I stumbled upon, it’s usually followed by an eye roll and a, “Yeah, that opened three years ago.” But this time it’s different! A ha. I am finally in the know.

The bar at Reunion Surf Bar, complete with giant-sized bartender. Cowabunga, indeed.

Reunion Surf Bar 44th Street between 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue, New York, NY. Reunion is an almost-hidden bar in Hell’s Kitchen (aka Culinary Wasteland) that is, for now, a spacious, dimly lit, surf-themed bar with potent cocktails and a creative bar menu that highlights the cuisine of Madagascar (Reunion island is off the coast of Madagascar). Videos of skaters and surfers play on the flat screen TVs as a “Gidget” vibe hangs heavy in the air. It isn’t fake or overtly kitschy – it’s just genuine and laid back and a welcomed oasis in the center of midtown Manhattan.

On the menu:
Hang Ten cocktail
Mai Thai
Le Americain sandwich

The Hang Ten and the Mai Thai

Verdict: YUMMM OH THANK YOU JESUS YUM! I can’t tell you what a relief it is to now have a delicious cocktail bar with incredible food situated a few short avenues from my office. Or maybe it’s not a relief to my ever shrinking bank account. Whatever.

The cocktails at Reunion are the perfect blend of potent and smooth. I hate when a bartender feels like they need to put enough alcohol in your drink to make you drunk after three sips. I’m not 19… I mean, 21 anymore, Bar Man. Make me a nice-tasting cocktail. Becca and I started out with $3 grapefruit/vanilla shots (yeah, Happy Hour til 8!) and swiftly moved on to cocktails: the Hang Ten was exceptionally delicious, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t traditionally enjoy a sweet drink.

The standout of the evening, however, was a sandwich called Le Americain: a baguette split open and stuffed with won ton meatballs, a sweet-mustard chutney, melted gruyere, and FRENCH FRIES. Did you hear me? I said a SANDWICH stuffed with FRENCH FRIES. The waitress told us it was “huge” and easily split between two people but truth be told… we could have each eaten our own. It’s just that delicious.

Or we’re just fat.

I can’t recommend this bar enough, so hit it before it fills up with suits and Bridge-and-Tunnelers. Because you know that it will.

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August 5, 2010 · 8:03 am

Crazy Deal Comin’ At Ya!

I’ll be out of town this weekend (dog-sitting! I’m more excited than I should be…) and while I’m stoked to get away, I can’t BELIEVE I’m missing this!

Prix Fixe Brunch and Oyster Lesson
What: Chef Nick Korbee gives a shucking tutorial, followed by brunch in the quaint former carriage house.
Why: Penn Cove oysters with Rainier cherries, grapefruit brulee with lemon mascarpone, Broad St. Benedict (poached egg, Bluepoint oyster fritter, roasted potatoes, choron sauce), and a Bloody Mary or champagne cocktail for $18.
When: Saturday at 11:15 a.m.
Where: Smith & Mills, 71 N. Moore St., b/t Greenwich & Hudson Sts. (212-226-2515).

Someone please, please go to this and then tell me all about it.

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August 5, 2010 · 2:30 am

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye…

One of the most depressing things about living in New York is the closing of your favorite restaurants. This summer brought about the death of two of my most favorite Italian spots: Carmine’s Italian Seafood in the Financial District, and La Focaccia in the West Village. If I had to name my top ten favorite restaurants in New York City, those would have been numbers 1 and 2. And now… well. I’ll spare you the tear-stained details.

In honor of the closing of La Focaccia I bring you a recipe for the dessert I always ordered there: strawberries with zabaglione. The perfect cap to a meal of penne vodka and gnocchi, zabaglione can be served over any fruit or cake, it’s thick and creamy like custard, and is easy as all get up to make.

On the menu:
Strawberries with zabaglione

1 quart strawberries, washed and quartered
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a small, metal bowl whisk together the yolks, sugar, wine, and vanilla. Place the metal bowl over a saucepan half full with bowling water; make sure the bowl does NOT touch the water! While constantly whisking, cook yolk mixture over the simmering water for around 10 minutes, until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy*. Serve warm over strawberries.

*Note: taste the mixture before you remove it from the heat. If it’s not to your liking, add a bit more sugar.

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July 30, 2010 · 2:30 am

The Redhead

Wednesday night I spent a lovely evening with my friend Jason of NYC Daily Deals and I Dream of Pizza. One of the highlights was not being the only loser at the table to pull out a camera every time a dish was presented. Another highlight was the killer food. Can you say fried blueberry pie? This girl can.

The Redhead 349 East 13th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue, New York, NY. The Redhead is a neighborhood joint with a bar occupied by locals and a cozy little dining room safe from the frat boys and hipsters that dwell in the neighboring NYU area. The menu is simple and brilliantly prepared, as if you were sitting in your grandmother’s kitchen… if your grandmother was super trendy and cool.

On the menu:
Flatbread with sausage, mushrooms, and mascarpone
Newport steak with fried green tomatoes, smashed ranch beans, and redhead steak sauce
Buttermilk fried chicken with cornbread and strawberry and spinach salad with almonds
Fried blueberry pie with lemon ice cream

Verdict: Hello, lovelyyyy. Fried chicken. Fried pie. But nothing was overdone or greasy. I didn’t leave the restaurant feeling like I’d just exited a Hardee’s. There wasn’t a single disappointing element in the meal, but the flatbread was the real star of te show: a crispy crust with melty cheese and perfectly tender toppings. It was almost like a pizza but sans sauce. After the little starter had disappeared I kinda wished I had another one. Or ten. Whatever. The fried blueberry pie was also incredible: tiny little empanada-like pastries filled with fresh blueberries and warm blueberry sauce over a scoop of tart lemon ice cream and topped with candied strips of lemon rind.

This here is comfort food at its best, y’all.

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July 27, 2010 · 2:00 am

One Drink to Remember

Sometimes I think I can’t wait to leave New York, and then I remember that I literally have everything at my fingertips. Cooking classes at dirt cheap prices taught by chefs that have worked at 4 star restaurants in Manhattan? Psh. Old hat. More on that tomorrow…

After a fantastic culinary experience (as I said, more on that tomorrow…) I like to refresh myself with some gin.

Have I mentioned I am NOT an alcoholic?

A quick shout out to DuMont in Williamsburg for their inventive cocktails (like the Dell Fresca pictured below, made with St. Germain, fresh dill, Seagram’s gin, cucumber, lime, and soda). The guy next to me at the bar ordered a burger and it was literally the size of my head. When I Googled “Dumont, Brooklyn, NY” the first thing that came up was “Best Burger in Brooklyn!” and then it was reiterated by many, many websites. When I arrived back in Queens, I actually considered hopping the train back to the BK to partake. Good thing Dumont is close to the subway station.

DuMont Restaurant, 432 Union Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY.

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July 23, 2010 · 9:16 am

Bon Weekend!

Hello friends,

The heat is old news, so I won’t bore you. But I will reiterate that my kitchen is a freaking sauna, hence my weekly diet of cheese, crackers, and sandwiches. And no, they were not interesting sandwiches. For a hot second yesterday I considered carrying the fixings into my AC’ed bedroom to put the sandwich together. It’s that bad.

A quick “happy weekend” post to let you know that:

a) there is exciting food truck news! Joyride Truck, featuring Portland’s own Stumptown coffee and other caffeinated treats, has been parked in midtown all week until the early afternoon.

b) you can now follow me on Twitter! I’ll be Tweeting, and Twittering, and Twitting, and you know… whatever… updates as they come on the blog, New York York deals, fun foodie finds around town, and much more. I’m jumping on the bandwagon, kiddies. There’s no going back now.

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July 22, 2010 · 2:30 am

Blue Smoke

This week I participated in my second Restaurant Week venture, with a delicious pay off (every once in awhile you get a RW dud where it’s clear you’re getting the establishment’s dregs… cough SMITH & WOLLENSKY cough).

Blue Smoke East 27th St, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue, New York, NY. Blue Smoke specializes in barbeque, with regional specialties from across the country. In the basement of the restaurant is Jazz Standard, a renowned jazz club with live music every night of the week.

Grilled octopus over wild rice

On the menu:
Grilled octopus over wild rice with hazelnuts and cherry tomatoes
Chicken wings with blue cheese sauce
Kansas City Spareribs with coleslaw and pit beans
Peach and raspberry crisp with buttermilk ice cream
Sour cream cheesecake with blackberries and mint

Peach and raspberry crisp with buttermilk ice cream

Verdict: I should preface by telling you that I am a BBQ snob. I know… shocking. The best ribs I’ve ever had are the face-meltingly good babyback ribs at Kirsty’s Red Dog Tavern in Inlet, NY way up north in the Adirondacks, and at Black-eyed Sally’s BBQ and Blues in Hartford, CT. Everything else pales in comparison.

So while the ribs at Blue Smoke were good, it was the pit beans that became the star of the show. They had a beautiful smoky-sweet flavor and were nestled between delicately tender shreds of pulled pork. I could’ve eaten a bowl of the beans alone. The octopus was also surprisingly delicious for a BBQ joint, and proves that the kitchen is much more skilled than BBQ diners might anticipate.

Another point worth mentioning is the outstanding Blue Smoke Original Ale. Just give me a pint of Blue Smoke, a bowl of pit beans, and I’m happy.

I’m a simple girl, folks.

Sour cream cheesecake with berries and mint

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