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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A Quick Bite at Aperitivo, Midtown, NYC + “Untitled”

Aperitivo, located just east of Avra Madison on 60th Street, is a quiet, small Italian-style restaurant with a perfect location for a lite meal before heading to 59E59 Theater. Service is a bit off, but friendly. Our arugula salad ($17) arrived before our cocktails. I'd recommend that salad with its shaved fennel, slivered red onions, toasted pine nuts and shaved parmesan in a charred tomato vinaigrette. Delicious. Those drinks that arrived after our salad included their Cucumber Breeze, made with Grey Goose, mint, cucumber, lemon and elderflower (18) and their Tivo's Old Fashioned, made with Casamigos mezcal, reposado and sweetener ($20). Neither was what we expected. Their pizza is more [...]

By |2023-03-23T23:40:55-04:00March 14th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Philippe Chow Downtown, Chelsea, NYC

This second iteration of Phillip Chow's high-end Chinese cuisine is in the basement of the Dream Downtown hotel. With its noisy dining room and loud music, it's more for the younger set with deep pockets than retirees. My friend who frequented the restaurant suggested her favorites. We started with those and added a few additions. The chicken sate ($21 for three skewers) comes in a puddle of Chef Chow’s famous peanut sauce. Their pork soup dumplings — a bit too doughy — come served in a two-tier bamboo steamer ($18 for six). Be sure to ask for a side of their hot sauce! My recommendation for an app is their [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:57:31-05:00March 12th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Asian-Italian Sesamo in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

Sesamo, a relatively new Italian restaurant with an Asian accent in Hell's Kitchen, should be on your radar. Their publicist invited me to sample their tasty, unusual fare. The food is worth schlepping west to try, and the atmosphere is inviting. My dining partner tried their Boba Mocktail ($10) made with black tea, boba pearls, Yakult milk [a Japanese sweetened probiotic fermented milk beverage], lime and simple syrup. Boba pearls are made from cassava (tapioca) starch associated with bubble tea. I tried their upscale Eldest Child of Divorce ($30) with a smoky taste from the Añejo Mezcal, 16-year Islay Scotch that makes it a bit "spicier," bitters, agave and an [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:40:50-05:00March 10th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Noisy But Good: LumLum, Hells Kitchen, NYC

Lumlum is Hell's Kitchen Thai restaurant with good food in such a tiny space that you become friends with your neighbors — if you don't already know them. The food is worth it; the noise, though, is deafening. We started with the delicious smoky grilled Thai river prawn (one per $15 order) with a spicy chili lime dressing. A must-order. We also shared their som tum Thai ($10), shredded green papaya salad with brined green peppercorns.  Next, we shared their three-chili (purportedly indicative of the high Thai heat -- the hottest they have!) noodle dish, Pad Ki Mao. Not! I'd skip that and try the Pad Thai that the server accidentally [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:42:51-05:00March 8th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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La Bonne Soupe, Midtown West, NYC

After a stop at David Yurman to meet my friend, who was exchanging a holiday gift, we headed for a quick lite lunch to celebrate her birthday at La Bonne Soupe, a French bistro that used to be one of her favorite lunch places.  Lite, as she was off to a celebratory dinner with her kids. She had the quiche du jour, a flavorful zucchini and gruyère served with mixed greens ($20) and I their classic steamed mussels in a white wine, Dijon and créme fraîche sauce along with pomme frites, shoestring fries ($29). Sharing that this is the first restaurant (at least where I noticed) with a 2% service [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:44:03-05:00March 6th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Cucina 8 1/2, Midtown West, NYC + Pictures from Home

In the space that housed Brasserie 8 1/2, you'll now find the elegant Cucina 8 1/2. We decided to sample it one night before heading to the theatre to see Pictures from Home, starring the all-star cast of Nathan Lane, Danny Burstein, and Zoe Wanamaker. We descended the grand stairway into the sleek, softly lit dining room. Service was attentive; the food plentiful. Since it was Restaurant Week, we each indulged in the three courses for $45, nibbling on their parmesan crisps as we perused the menu. Their insalata verde came with gem lettuce in a creamy dressing with lots of aged ricotta and Marcona almonds. The three large meatballs sit [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:46:37-05:00March 4th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, Theatre|0 Comments
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Hold Fast Kitchen & Spirits, Theatre Row, NYC + The Collaboration

Wished I had seen The Collaboration with Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope before I attended a Jean-Michel Basquiat show. The show centers around the partnership between the two artists —Andy Warhol and Basquiat—and their work. I'd recommend you see it, but it closed recently. Before seeing it, we grabbed some lunch at Hold Fast Kitchen & Spirits, a friendly pub on Restaurant Row, 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. The small, dimly lit pub has friendly service and adequate pre-theater food.  My dining partner enjoyed their hearty portion of garlicky shrimp with jalapeno grits ($18); I tried their Westside chicken sandwich ($13), with marinated thigh pieces, a tomato slice [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:48:14-05:00March 2nd, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Villa Berulia Restaurant, Murray Hill, NYC

  After a competitive game of Sorry, we headed across the street to my friend's neighborhood Northern Italian restaurant, Villa Berulia, where the owners warmly greeted her as she's a regular, ordering the same menu items each visit. Learning that I was going to write about the restaurant, one of the owners offered me their namesake tortellini alla Berulia in a creamy Bolognese sauce with mushrooms ($29). She started with stracciatella, the classic egg-drop soup, hers with lots of extra spinach and eggs ($12). The tasty dish was too rich to finish, so I took it home to enjoy the other half for lunch the next day. My friend requested [...]

By |2023-03-11T09:55:19-05:00February 28th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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New to the West Village, Gab’s, NYC

My friend had noticed a write-up on Gab's opening in the West Village and made a reservation for us during their first week open. Visual artist and owner Gabby Madden's concept is trendy now. She's serving locally sourced and seasonal comfort food focused on sustainability. That week, we relied on our helpful server Claudia's descriptions of each dish to assist us in making our choices. We couldn't resist her description of the Celeriac Dauphinoise (neither could the tables around us!) of thinly sliced celeriac, potato and leeks layered like a "baklava" on top of carrots and celery in a green, celery buerre blanc sauce. That dish was worth the trip, [...]

By |2023-02-26T08:06:01-05:00February 26th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The LA-Transplant Gjelina Opens in NoHo, NYC

Gjelina, the LA transplant, has a great vibe that's felt as you walk through the spacious restaurant. It's another location to grab a meal before theatre at The Public if you can get in. By the time you read this, Gjelina may be taking reservations and may open for dinner. As of this writing, it wasn't doing either. Currently, they were only open from 8 am to 2 pm. We arrived at 11:45 for lunch and were seated relatively quickly. The four of us shared their creamy chicken liver mousse topped with lots of caramelized shallots and served with thick slices of square Pullman bread ($15). I recommend it as it [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:31:41-05:00February 24th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|3 Comments
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Cacio e Pepe, Upper East Side, NYC

Years ago, I dined at the original Cacio e Pepe in the East Village on Second Avenue. I can recall the server with his arm hoisting a wheel of cheese over his head as he walked through the dining room to serve their namesake dish. That memory returned when I dined at their Upper East Side location and ordered cacio e pepe during New York Restaurant Week. We dipped the Italian bread into one of their three dips — white bean puree, spicy red pepper sauce and EVOO — while sipping a dirty martini. Oddly the bartender garnished that drink with black, not green, olives. We started by sharing two appetizers from their [...]

By |2024-03-06T17:24:10-05:00February 22nd, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Moroccan Chicken

My friend Pat made this additive Moroccan Chicken for our recent book group; after that meeting, she kindly shared the recipe. With the enticing Moroccan aromas and fabulous flavors, I had to make it. Morocco, here I come! What follows is my adapted version of her recipe. It's a perfect one-dish meal, especially on a cold or rainy day, for you, your family or a crowd.   Moroccan Chicken Couscous Adapt the quantities and even types of veggies and dark-meat chicken in this recipe. Use what you have or what's available.  Do use all the seasonings for an enticing Moroccan flavor.   1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil 4 - 6 [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:24:28-05:00February 20th, 2023|Entrees, Recipes|0 Comments
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Kimberly Akimbo + A Return to Saar, Midtown West, NYC

If you see only one thing on Broadway, see Kimberly Akimbo, the musical about a 15-year-old with a fictionalized rare disease that ages her four times the normal. The show is Tony-worthy, especially two of the performances. Victoria Clark makes you believe Kimberly is 15 instead of ready for Medicare. Aunt Debra (Bonnie Milligan) stops the show each time she belts her songs. After the show, we walked north a few blocks to Saar Indian Bistro.  The last I'd been was when we welcomed Les Dames d'Escoffier Legacy winner Chef Helen Vass almost five years ago. [Nominations for this year's 2023 LDEI Legacy Awards are open until March 17, 2023. [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:17:31-05:00February 18th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling, Theatre|0 Comments
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Stan Donuts

Stan's donuts publicist sent their special edition Olive Oil Le Stan in a press package with enough to share with neighbors. Most enjoyed the flaky croissant texture and the rich orange zabaglione (Italian custard) filling. One family disagreed, thinking they were too fatty and sweet. These donuts ($4.95 each) are so decadent that I could only eat a quarter. I froze the rest, and when I wanted a treat, I'd bake a quarter in a 450-degree toaster oven for about 3 to 4 minutes. The company had no nutritional information for these special ones. I  asked. If you're not familiar (I wasn't until they ended up on my doorstep!), Stan's [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:13:23-05:00February 16th, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
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Patti Lupone at 54 Below, Theatre District, NYC

A friend invited another friend and me to see Patti Lupone's sold-out final performance of her gig at 54 Below. We couldn't resist. Patti has three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and two Grammy Awards and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fame. She's best known as a singer and actress in stage musicals. Most recently, I saw her performances in London and New York in Company.  (Michael Allan Galvez, photographer) As good New Yorkers, we didn't bother the famous folks we noticed in the small theatre. At one table was Kristin Chenoweth; at another were Jessica Lange, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Chelsea Clinton. We tried not to stare. [...]

By |2023-02-24T17:10:11-05:00February 14th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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The Norm @ Brooklyn Museum + Thierry Mugler: Couturissime + The London Sunday Times

We booked The Norm—the restaurant in the Brooklyn Museum that relies on local produce to serve global flavors—after attending the Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibit. The show is the first U.S. retrospective to explore this French designer's edgy, intriguing universe and his iconic scent Angel inspired by nighttime stars. It's a scent I've been wearing since 2000 when I received a sample at Denise Rich's first fundraiser for "Gabrielle's Angel Foundation." That nonprofit raises funds to fight leukemia, lymphoma and related cancers. It honors the tragically short life of her daughter, actress/writer Gabrielle Rich Aouad, who died from leukemia in 1996 at the tender age of 27. Months afterward, on a flight to Paris, I [...]

By |2023-01-19T16:35:54-05:00February 12th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|1 Comment
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Cowgirl Seahorse, South Street Seaport, NYC

While walking and listening to a book for one of my discussion groups, I ended up at South Street Seaport and decided to check out the Tin Building by Jean-Georges. I forgot it was Saturday. The food court was as packed as Grand Central during rush hour. The crowds were too much for me. I recalled attending the opening of Vintage61 Sports Bistro across South Street and decided to head there. Sadly, Jason Casano's friendly bar is closed, probably another COVID victim. I noticed the "A" health grade on the window of Cowgirl Seahorse serving Tex-Mex food on Front Street and headed inside. Various seahorses lined their kitschy walls. The mango coulis [...]

By |2023-01-09T09:10:41-05:00February 10th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return To Cull & Pistol, Chelsea Market, NYC + Edward Hopper at the Whitney

After a visit to the Whitney Museum's comprehensive look at Edward Hopper’s life and work in which New York City served as a backdrop, we headed over to Chelsea Market for a bite to eat at Cull & Pistol. Having been there a few months ago, I recommended some of my favorites to my dining partner -- who wasn't disappointed. We share the grilled head-on shrimp with green salsa ($18), their crispy shoestring fries dusted with Old Bay seasoning and their frito misto ($17) with fried sole, calamari, shrimp and sole with a green aioli. I highly recommend eating at Cull & Pistol Oyster Bar and attending the Edward Hopper’s [...]

By |2023-01-16T15:30:43-05:00February 8th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Valla Table, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

One springlike day this winter, I walked up to Hell's Kitchen and tripped over this small Thai restaurant in the theatre district. I decided to try it as it had an "A" in its window.  I don't frequent any restaurant with a health grade lower than that. I decided to try their lunch special of appetizer and entree, available Monday through Friday from $11.50 and was glad I did. I chose their spring roll and red curry made with coconut milk, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and bell pepper with salmon ($26.50) garnished with Thai basil and brown rice (+$1). That curry is also available for only $11.50 with mixed veggies, chicken [...]

By |2023-02-11T19:55:08-05:00February 6th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Old Stove Pub, Midtown, NYC

We were invited as guests of Old Stove Pub, an Upper East Side cozy restaurant on 59th and first, to sample their fare. We began with their specialty cocktails. I tried their Sweet Devil Chiller ($20), made from the Guajillo chili, passion fruit infused mezcal and Suze liqueur, a French apéritif. My dining partner sampled the Old Stove VIP with pineapple-infused vodka and elderflower($18). While we sipped these tasty libations, we tickled our palate with their marinated cannellini beans on a bread slice. Unlike traditional fried thinly sliced zucchini, the Old Stove Pub offers flash-fried spirals served with spinach tzatziki ($18). We also tried their crab cake with pea shoot [...]

By |2023-02-11T19:53:44-05:00February 4th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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