For a great way to feature the rich, hearty flavors of the season in a dish,
see this recipie by Mark Bittman. Click on image for recipe.
Chestnuts in Season, Paired with Shrimp
For an instant way to access to the flavors of fall,
opt for this creamy chestnut spread. Click below for details.
Hot Raspberry Palatschinken
25 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, at Ashland Pl. 718-222-5800;
immediate vicinity to Brooklyn Academy of Music
Not to riff on the most recent Philip Seymour Hoffmann (who’s fantastic in virtually everything) flick, but the mention of BAM Theater has become synecdoche for Thomas Beisl for my friends and me.
Upper West Side – 72 W. 69 St, btwn. Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
212-580-4300; telepan-ny.com
New Yorkers are a cynical lot, or at least that’s how the cliche’ goes. But, how could it be otherwise in a place where even the mold in your rusting pipes is turned into an inflated commodity for which you can be made to overpay? We all know these embarassing costs of letting down overworn guards. And in this era of mushrooming celebrity chefs, iconic restauranteurs and gastronomical temples, a pound of skepticism is a good thing, especially in this economy.
So if we succumb to the buzz, our attitudes are generally, let’s see what all the hype is about. These were the thoughts going through my head when someone very dear to me invited me to celebrate a personal milestone at Telepan. [Read more...]
Monday, November 3rd. 6pm – 9pm
Skylight, 275 Hudson St. NYC
The Tenth Annual New York Taste Event:
Here you’ll have the opportunity to sample the fare of Tom Colicchio, Dan Barber, Eric Ripert, April Bloomfield and other culinary titans. New York Magazine culinary editor Gillian Duffy will be also be in attendance. The event will benefit City Harvest.
For further details on the New York Taste event, click here.
Act now not to miss out on this fabulous occassion to eat, drink, mingle and serve a charitable cause.
Le Petit Canard
Gramercy Park – Third Avenue between 19th and 20th Streets
Still a relative newcomer to Gramercy Park, the vibe at Le Petit Canard is intimate and cozily evocative of a Montparnasse bistro. It occupies the space long inhabited by the charming, if flagrantly overpriced Musette Bakery. The menu consists of traditional bistro fare, offering few surprises. Moderately priced, the entrees range between the eighteen to thirty dollar range. The portions are generous, the presentation lovely, but the execution is uneven.
East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A
Giano
Giano presents an accomplished melding of style with culinary substance at utterly affordable prices. O.K. I’ll fess up because there’s no use in attempting to restrain myself, I’m in love with this fabulous East Village newcomer. It’s been two weeks since my first visit, but I find myself still rhapsodizing about the outstanding, inspired dishes, the casual, confident warmth of the place and the sheer all-around “expert-hand” feel of this restaurant.
There’s nothing tentative about Giano. It’s excellent and it knows it. The fact that you don’t feel as though it’s trying to impress you is a [Read more...]
Outside of the Theater at Bumble and bumble in the Meatpacking District
Panel On: Trends - The NYC Restaurant: Past, Present & Future with Chef-Restauranteur, Bobby Flay, Restauranteur-Publisher, John McDonald, Food Critic, Alan Richman and Publicist Jennifer Baum, moderated by Ben Leventhal
At a panel entitled “Trends – the NYC Restaurant: Past, Present and Future,” (see photo and caption above), participants hashed out their differences about their top five New York City restaurants - Le Bernardin and Balthazar were among the classics that drew greatest consensus among the experts.
Each panelist offered his or her perspective on how the real estate bubble has redefined the restaurant business in the past decade and has contributed to the meteoric rise of celebrity chefs, the importance of architechtural design, blockbuster restaurants and restaurant and hospitality publicists. Bobby Flay helped translate the evolution of the restaurant business in recent decades into economic terms by sharing that it cost him $280,000 to open Mesa Grill in 1991. He acknowledged that to replicate the equivalent of that concept in today’s restaurant market would require a minimum of five million dollars.
Flay, who was as personable and straight-talking as he is on T.V., also gushed about burgers, fried chicken and the recent opening of his new Long Island burger joint Bobby’s Burger Palace.
All panelists agreed that the despite the glamorization of the restaurant business, the key element for success and longevity in the business is quality food.
There was also overwhelming consensus among them that the trends in New York City restaurant scene are pointing toward a proliferation of high-end Italian restaurants.
Outside of the Theater at Bumble and bumble in the Meatpacking District
Panel On: Trends - The NYC Restaurant: Past, Present & Future with Chef-Restauranteur, Bobby Flay, Restauranteur-Publisher, John McDonald, Food Critic, Alan Richman and Publicist Jennifer Baum, moderated by Ben Leventhal
At a panel entitled “Trends – the NYC Restaurant: Past, Present and Future,” (see photo and caption above), participants hashed out their differences about their top five New York City restaurants - Le Bernardin and Balthazar were among the classics that drew greatest consensus among the experts.
Each panelist offered his or her perspective on how the real estate bubble has redefined the restaurant business in the past decade and has contributed to the meteoric rise of celebrity chefs, the importance of architechtural design, blockbuster restaurants and restaurant and hospitality publicists. Bobby Flay helped translate the evolution of the restaurant business in recent decades into economic terms by sharing that it cost him $280,000 to open Mesa Grill in 1991. He acknowledged that to replicate the equivalent of that concept in today’s restaurant market would require a minimum of five million dollars.
Flay, who was as personable and straight-talking as he is on T.V., also gushed about burgers, fried chicken and the recent opening of his new Long Island burger joint Bobby’s Burger Palace.
All panelists agreed that the despite the glamorization of the restaurant business, the key element for success and longevity in the business is quality food.
There was also overwhelming consensus among them that the trends in New York City restaurant scene are pointing toward a proliferation of high-end Italian restaurants.
Flat Iron District, 18th St. btwn. 5th and Broadway or East Village, 1st Avenue, corner of E. 10th St.
In these tight times, Tarallucci e Vino has locked down a winning formula with its assaggi, otherwise known as small tastes. But this place is about more than just smart sizing and packaging. How do I know this? 1. I’m a regular. 2. Tarallucci e Vino is on the radar of virtually every Flat Iron-Union Square- boho-yipster Italian touring downtown. A typical weekend afternoon scene is thirty-and- forty-something Italian couples sitting outside discussing whether to order the panini or a salad while leafing through La Repubblica or reviewing the Euro-over-dollar deals they grabbed at the nearby Diesel . [Read more...]
11 Schulyer Street, St. George, Staten Island
This Saint Georgian Spaniard will sweep you away with its serene setting, warm lighting and delectable, generously-sized tapas for bite-sized tabs. On my most recent visit, the clams and chorizo and fish taco tapas were unassailably sublime and satisfied my voracious fall weather appetite. The clams and chorizo delivered flavors that were both comforting and exciting. The clams’ aromatic sweetness provided an interesting counterpoint to the chili-spiked smoky chorizo. The fish taco was less complex but exuded freshness and the taco was adequately crisp.
Left: Fish Taco; Right: Clams and Chorizo
