Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com

About Bonnie Tandy Leblang

Blogger Bonnie Tandy Leblang has been covering food since before it was hip to do so! She’s penned magazine, newspaper and syndicated food columns in addition to cookbooks. Follow her on twitter @BonnieBOTB and on Instagram@BiteoftheBest and at @BonnieBOTB "I eat for a living!” is her mantra, sharing what she’s sampled so you’ll know where (or where not) to go, plus what food products and gadgets to try. For her full bio go to the about us page.
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Lunch at Ci Siamo, Manhattan West, NYC

This was my first time back at Ci Siamo, Danny Meyer's Italian restaurant in Manhattan West, since its opening. Chef Hillary Sterling is still at the helm with live-fire cooking and seasonal ingredients. Last time, it was a noisy dinner, this time on their outdoor—oh, so quiet—terrace overlooking the outdoor space at Manhattan West with over-the-top attentive service by Zack and all others. I couldn't miss the decadent caramelized onion torta ($26) at Ci Siamo. Heavenly. Need to be shared to have room for more. It's a caramelized cipollini onion flaky-crust tart drizzled with balsamic and a gooey goat cheese fondue topped with Pecorino. We then shared a simple salad [...]

By |2024-06-17T09:28:23-04:00June 11th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Korean COQODAQ, Flatiron-Grammarcy, NYC

Coquodoq, a new fried chicken concept, is currently one of the hottest reservation. The Flatiron restaurant is from Korean-American restaurateur Simon Kim, owner of the Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse. That's where we were celebrating a big birthday. When entering the restaurant's front door, the first stop is at the hand-washing sink, replete with high-end soaps, as much of the food is finger food. We were then seated at a leather-upholstered booth beneath one of the lit arches in the 190-seat room. We sipped an NV Grongnet Blanc de Blanc ($85) Brut from their champagne menu to accompany our meal, the chef's signature fried chicken meal ($38) that began with pasture-raised [...]

By |2024-06-01T08:11:52-04:00June 9th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Populares Mexican Restaurant, Lower East Side, NYC + Board of Education

We laughed out loud at the comedy Board of Education, part of the Fresh Fruit Festival. It's a comedy following two aimless millennials from being waiters at a gastropub to running for the board of education. Richard Spitaletta, who wrote it, also stars in it. After the show, we walked around the corner to the newly opened Populares Mexican Restaurant, where I was invited as a guest. We sipped Margies, both classic and unsweetened ($14) while nibbling on freshly made chips with four flavorful salsas: pico de gallo, spicy salsa rojo, and salsa verde, both fresh and cooked ($12), plus their housemade chunky guacamole ($16). We were happy while we [...]

By |2024-06-17T09:35:10-04:00June 7th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Margaux, Marlton, Hotel, Greenwich Village, NYC

The Marlton Hotel has been on my radar since a friend texted, "How did we not know about this place?" She described the warm, cozy area with a lit fireplace on 8th Street just off Fifth Avenue. When I walked in, that area had a sprinkling of guests seated at tables with a computer in front of them in the warm, comfortable room. I headed to the dining room, where the wait staff warmly greeted me. We sipped Aperol Spritz while talking nonstop, as we needed to catch up. My dining partner had avocado whole-grained toast ($15) topped with green tomatoes and two eggs ($5). I worked on my chilaquiles—fried corn tortillas [...]

By |2024-05-20T07:15:49-04:00June 5th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Chalong, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + A Sign of the Times

Chalong is worth a special trip. We ended up at this Southern Thai restaurant because of its proximity to New World Stages, where we saw A Sign of the Times, a musical review about a woman's journey set to the soundtrack of our Baby Boomer generation. The perfectly seasoned coconut crab curry had just enough heat to be pleasant. The crab was lumps of meat and a soft-shelled mini, fried crab. Betel leaves added to the heat. Perfection. The waiter suggested tossing the lumpu salad before enjoying it. We followed his advice, mixing the fresh oysters, chili paste, seafood sauce, fried shallots, radish slices, fresh mint, cilantro and pea shoots [...]

By |2024-06-01T17:19:22-04:00June 2nd, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Daintree Rooftop Bar, Hotel Hendricks, NYC

A few of us Dames—members of Les Dames d'Escoffier from the New York chapter—met with a New Orleans Dame for a drink and nibbles atop Hotel Hendricks after the Cherry Bomb conference. Great views. I sipped and enjoyed their version of an old fashioned—Coffee and Wood ($18)—with Old Forester bourbon, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, Créme de Banana and cold brew. Others sipped the Aussie Spritz ($12) with house "Aperol" blend, strawberry and blood orange topped with prosecco, orange wine ($17), Chardonnay ($16) and Titos ($18). We then shared their yummy fries (10), oversized cheeseburger sliders ($18 for two), crudité with hummus ($14) and skewers. We skipped the kangaroo (Yes! Kangaroo) for the shrimp ones [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:02:13-04:00May 30th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rooftop|2 Comments
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Opening of Fogo de Chão, Brooklyn, NYC

I'm a Fogo de Chão fan and have been since I experienced my first churrascaria (grilled BBQ) at their midtown location. I couldn't resist heading to City Point Mall in Albee Square in Brooklyn for the opening. This location features an open churrasco grill, where customers can watch their chefs butcher, prepare and grill various meats over an open flame. Like all others in the chain, it offers a salad bar—Market Table—like no other. We nibbled hors d'oeuvres before being seated with a seafood tower at our table and selecting from the Market Table. The roving waitstaff then started circling the room with grilled meats to be sliced from large [...]

By |2024-06-01T11:21:27-04:00May 27th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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The Dining Room at The Met + The Look Again: European Paintings 1300–1800

Now that you no longer need to be a member to dine there, I highly recommend the fourth-floor Met dining room while visiting the museum. This time I was with out-of-town friends who selected the "Look Again: European Paintings 1300–1800" installation. Over lunch, we discussed that Vermeer—whom I am familiar with—wasn't as prolific as the other Dutch masters. Only 36 of his approximately 60 paintings survived, compared to hundreds of Rembrandt's. The three of us shared two $85 four-course meals, which was a perfect amount of food for three people, plus a Paul Prieur Sancerre from the Loire Valley ($85). Everything is recommendable.  We started with the braised octopus with [...]

By |2024-06-01T11:20:13-04:00May 24th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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All-Day Breakfast, Charleston, South Carolina

On our sibling trip, we started our day by yakking over a meal at one of Charleston's many breakfast-all-day places. First stop, Toast! All Day, as one sibling and hubby had eaten there during their last visit. I do suggest what I had, which was a Pig Candy bloody Mary made with Dixie Black pepper vodka ($16) and topped with candied bacon and pickle okra ($16) and an omelet with biscuit and grits ($26). Big Bad Breakfast's Bloody Mary with candied bacon and pickled okra is just as good ($12). I'd also recommend their unusual huevos rancheros ($14). That's Marsh Hen Mill grits with sliced sausage black beans, and salsas topped [...]

By |2024-06-03T08:29:11-04:00May 21st, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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A Return to Leitao, West Village, NYC

I returned to the friendly Portuguese Leitao in the West Village, again lucking out to sit at one of the two fairly quiet window tables — this time with my grad school roomie and her hubbie. Their Iberico pork ribs, Porco Preto ($22), cooked in wine, capers and housemade Calabrian garlic chili, were as delicious as last time. Again, the meat fell right off the bones. This was my first time sampling their thinly sliced Portuguese octopus with chorizo, red pickled peppers and potatoes ($28), but it won't be my last. The plentiful Arroz de Marisco ($39, seafood with rice) with shrimp, clams, mussels, cod and chorizo in a flavorful [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:23:49-04:00May 19th, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Pearlz Oyster Bar & Fleet Landing, Charleston, South Carolina

I recently returned from a visit to Charleston with my siblings and their spouses. It was the first time we've all vacationed together. What follows is the lowdown on the low country in two posts. This one covers two dinners worth describing, and the next our breakfasts, where we sat and yakked for hours. We ended up at Pearlz Oyster Bar because we couldn't agree on a dining place before we landed, and they could handle the seven of us that night. We shared southern-fried oysters — as some had only tried them raw — and added an order of corn fritters with maple butter ($6.50). The oysters came with [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:28:47-04:00May 16th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Blooms Tavern, Midtown, NYC + Roosevelt Island

Our ex.expat group toured Roosevelt Island when the cherry blossoms were in bloom with tour guide extraordinaire Kevin Draper, who detailed the history and the newly built Cornell University technology campus and future redevelopment plans for the island. After our tour, we took the tram back to Manhattan and headed to Blooms Tavern, a super-friendly Celtic-fused restaurant with an attentive staff who couldn't have been nicer. We sampled lots, including grilled cheese with tomato soup ($16), an impossible burger with fries ($16) and Blooms beer-battered codfish and chips ($25). All tasty and served with a smile!  I recommend a visit to Blooms and a tour of Roosevelt Island (or anywhere) [...]

By |2024-05-21T07:16:10-04:00May 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return to Marseille, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + Suffs

Brunch at Marseille before theatre is de rigueur, as it's ideally located when heading to a show. We stopped there before seeing "Suffs," the musical about the women's suffrage movement that started at The Public in 2022 and is bound to be a hit. I highly recommend it. As many women did at the State of the Union, we dressed in white — a symbol of the suffragists' movement — to attend the performance. To start, we all sipped the light Lillet spritz with their rose plus sparkling wine ($15), along with asparagus vinaigrette topped with aged Comté coulis, spring mushrooms and fresh mâché ($17). Don't miss.  Entrees included a [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:32:04-04:00May 12th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Osteria La Baia, Theatre District, NYC

We popped a magnum of Faust 2018 ($250) Cabernet to start our birthday celebration for three friends at Osteria La Baia in the theatre district. Some of the highlights of our apps included the chickpea and escarole tomato soup ($19), a Caesar salad ($22) made with butter lettuce and roasted octopus ($35) and fingerling potatoes in a red pepper remoulade. Our entrees included their rigatoni with vodka sauce  ($40), rib-eye steak ($65), a lamb shank with broccoli rabe risotto and red snapper du jour ($70). We also had their yummy asparagus and crisp sliced garlic. We ended with profiteroles stuffed with cream, glazed with chocolate ($18) and crème brûlée ($18) [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:33:38-04:00May 10th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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L’Amico, Chelsea, NYC + Macy’s Flower Show

Another year, another flower show at Macy's main store between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Last year's exhibition was much more beautiful, yet the show is always aromatic and worth visiting the iconic store. Afterward, we walked downtown a few blocks to L'Amico, where Chef Laurent Tourondel serves an American menu with Italian influences in a warm cozy setting with fabulous service. We shared a Tuscan salad of arugula, artichokes and fava beans lightly dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with pecorino sardo ($21) followed by their crispy crust buffalo mozzarella pizza with San Marzano tomatoes ($24). I highly recommend a visit to L'Amico. L'Amico Chelsea 849 Avenue of the [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:21:38-04:00May 8th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dim Sum Go Go, Chinatown, NYC

Jury duty brought me downtown to serve, with lunch in Chinatown, a quick walk from the courthouse. That's how I ended up at Dim Sum Go Go on East Broadway. Their hot and sour soup ($7) is fine. I'm still looking for a bowlful to rival my homemade. My favorite was their pork and shrimp shumai ($7.50 for four), a dish I learned to make when I taught restaurant management to budding restaurateurs in Chinatown long ago and served for a NY realtor's 50th roller skating party. These were good. The shrimp with broccoli ($14.95) served with rice was fine. The best part was Dim Sum Go Go's proximity to [...]

By |2024-04-07T17:40:17-04:00May 5th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Sardi’s, Times Square, NYC + Outsiders

Remember the torrential rain with flash flood warnings as spring sprung? That was the night I ended up at Sardi's as it was easier to get to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre to see the new musical, The Outsiders, not a show I'd suggest rushing to see. As you may know, Sardi's is more about seeing and being seen than the food.  The food is fine, nothing exceptional, but the service is quite attentive and good. From what we ate, I'd only recommend the classic Caesar  ($18), the teriyaki glazed salmon with caramelized ginger sweet potato puree all over sauteed spinach ($37), and the shrimp Sardi style ($39). I had [...]

By |2024-05-05T08:31:20-04:00May 3rd, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Fig & Olive, Meat Packing District, NYC

After visiting the Whitney Museum's Biennial 2024, we headed to Fig & Olive for a quick bite before my friend left for JFK on a flight to Amsterdam. We yakked and shared two salads. I'd recommend either the Fig & Olive salad with kale, red cabbage, sun-dried tomato, pear slices, Gorgonzola and candied pecans ($21) or the Little Gem salad with avocado, toasted almonds and ricotta salata in a shallot mustard vinaigrette ($18). Since we were sharing both, we asked for the grilled salmon to top them on the side ($13). A good place to stop when in the meatpacking district or visiting The Whitney. Fig & Olive Meatpacking District [...]

By |2024-05-05T08:33:18-04:00May 1st, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Hav & Mar Seafood Restaurant, Chelsea, NYC

I returned to Marcus Samuelson's Hav & Mar with friends recently. It's his successful seafood restaurant, a 3-minute walk from the seasonal Frying Pan, one of my favorite warm-weather floating restaurants. We, of course, had to share his Hav Bread Basket ($19) containing teff biscuits, blue cornbread, injera crisp with Shiro hummus,  tomato chutney and honey butter, being careful not to consume all so we still had room for what was to come! Next, our Uni Caesar Salad ($22) arrived with romaine leaves topped with parmesan cheese, injera crumble and grilled prawns. Our main was the Grand Lobster Jubilee ($99), said to serve 2 to 4, with a whole, grilled, [...]

By |2024-05-05T08:35:23-04:00April 29th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return to the Met Dining Room, Upper East Side, NYC + Harlem Renaissance

As I've previously mentioned, you don't need to be a member to dine at the fourth-floor Met Dining room, but you do need a res. Before heading upstairs to the dining room, we first visited the Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism exhibit, which explored how Black artists portrayed everyday modern life. We sipped a glass of the Alsaisian Lucien Albrecht Pinot Blanc, 2019 ($15) while sharing the cauliflower salad with tahini, arugula and a lemon salsa verde topped with fried cauliflower ($18) and the wine-braised octopus ($23) with crispy potatoes (I'd have loved more!), pickled red onions and black garlic aioli. We had the day's special ($38) of lightly fried [...]

By |2024-05-05T08:37:24-04:00April 26th, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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