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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New Mikado, Chelsea, NYC

After taking my granddaughter to The Lion King, her first Broadway show, we headed downtown to New Mikado, a Japanese restaurant, as she had requested salmon sushi for dinner. We started with appetizers of tasty pork, shrimp and snow crab dumplings topped with caviar ($20 for four), which I'd recommend. We also got lucky with some items' pricing as it was still happy hour. Our edamame cost $1, the cucumber salad with sesame sauce only $3 and the white wine only $5.  Oddly, our edamame, although good, were unsalted and chilled. Also tasty and not at happy hour pricing is their West 14 ($12), a blend of milk tea and rice wine. [...]

By |2024-12-05T07:28:18-05:00December 4th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Colossal Sundae at Serendipity, Midtown, NYC

My 7-year-old granddaughter had just arrived in the city from Den Haag. Before flying across the pond, she had studied Serendipity's menu with her parents to decide which treat to indulge in. She chose the unicorn bliss sundae that contained rainbow-striped cake, confetti sprinkles, a sugar cone, ice cream, cherries, whipped cream and cream cheese icing. Since Serendipity has a minimum, we ordered food—not something I'd recommend. We ordered one footlong ($18.95) with French fries, another footlong topped with mac n' cheese ($25.95) and their unremarkable nachos with Tex Mex chili, queso, jalapeños and pico de gallo with added guac ($22.45). We didn't eat much, so most of the food [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:03:00-05:00December 2nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Cafe Luxembourg, Upper West Side, NYC

My Upper West Side friends always raved about Cafe Luxembourg, but I only recently got there. I should have gone when it was in its heyday. We sat outside on an unseasonably warm day and had difficulty getting our server's attention, who was more interested in flirting with one of the other waitstaff. When we finally did, we ordered cocktails to enjoy while we caught up, as my dining partner was in from Florida to meet her new grandchild.  I loved my Better than Bond, a stirred, not shaken, blend of Hendrick's gin, Tito's vodka and Lillet Blanc; my friend tried their Luxembourg Manhattan made with Bulleit bourbon, Antica Formula [...]

By |2024-11-30T11:36:58-05:00November 30th, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Litchfield’s, Wigwam Resort, Phoenix, AZ

Five of us slipped away from the conference crowds into Litchfields, the on-site restaurant and popped a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château La Nerthe, Rhône Valley, France 2019 ($135) to accompany our dinner. One had the Duck Bolognese Pasta ($44) with butternut squash, spinach, spiced pine nut and parmesan. Two tried the lamb chili ($18) topped with Crow's dairy goat cheese, Fresno chile and cilantro, served with a blue corn muffin. One the crab cake ($22) topped with avocado crema, guajillo chile and mezcal-infused jícama, another Mary's farm roasted half chicken ($28) with fingerling potatoes, carrot mole and pistachio pesto. The table also ordered blistered shishito peppers ($14) and charred broccolini [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:02:38-05:00November 28th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Orso, Theatre District, NYC + The Counter

Orso on Theatre Row was one of my go-to's when I lived in Connecticut and came into the city to the theatre. The food was consistently good, and I often saw a celebrity at a table. We started with a white pizza topped with fennel sausage, romano and mozzarella cheese, sprinkled with rosemary ($24). It could have been our meal! I had their rigatoni with a bolognese meat sauce ($28) and my dining partner, the sauteed calf's liver with fried onions ($32). Sadly, nothing stays the same. The service was lackluster, but the food was fine. I loved that they still served on a beautifully painted Italian terra cotta dinnerware. [...]

By |2024-11-26T07:45:06-05:00November 26th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Wren & Wolf, Phoenix, AZ

While in Phoenix for the Les Dames d'Escoffier (LDEI) conference, we left the Wigwam and headed into town for dinner at Wren & Wolf one evening. We started with caviar bumps ($12), minuscule compared to what we had at Nebulez. We also shared charred bone marrow with noble toast, chicharrón and chimichurri ($19), a dozen oysters ($23), crème fraîche tuna tartar ($29) and za'atar man'ouche—flatbread with herbs—($16), with gruyere, manchego, artichokes, kalamata olives and micro arugula. Some of our entrees included the rib-eye steak ($69), Faroe Island salmon ($39), and sea scallops ($54). We washed those down with a glass of wine ($14 - $16). If you're visiting Phoenix, this is [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:01:53-05:00November 24th, 2024|USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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**Happy Hour at LS Social NYC, Chelsea, NYC

LS Social is a fairly new neighborhood cozy and casual cocktail bar on 17th Street near Union Square. I chose it to meet a new friend for a drink because it was close to home, as I had an upcoming Zoom board meeting to attend. I was early, the first customer that day, so I began chatting with Ron, the owner, who opened this—his first restaurant about two years ago—and Michael, the bartender. I liked their flavorful white Negroni made with gin, Lillet blanc and vermouth blanc, as the New Amsterdam gin was not juniper-forward, giving a smooth taste to the cocktail.  My friend first sampled their Sturm Collio Pinot [...]

By |2024-11-29T09:36:41-05:00November 22nd, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Fall Fest: Cider, Beer & Spririts Stroll + Luna Red, San Luis Obispo, California

While visiting San Luis Obispo, we attended the inaugural Fall Fest Stroll, run by Downtown SLO. The walk included cider, beer or spirits and bites offered at about 20 shops, followed by a short terrace reception. The net proceeds of the event benefited their clean and safe program. After the event, which featured lots more spirits than food, we headed over to Luna Red on Mission Plaza to share the paella their globally inspired menu is famous for. We shared the de la luna ($52) with housemade aji amarillo-seasoned chicken, chorizo, soft-cooked eggs and English peas over a layer of soccarat — the caramelized, crispy rice — on the bottom of the [...]

By |2024-11-10T10:59:42-05:00November 20th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Two Countertop Beverage Appliances Brita Electric Water + Hamilton Beach® FlexBrew®

At a recent product showing, I found two appliances from Hamilton Beach that warm the heart of a New Yorker with a small kitchen and little countertop space for devices. I had started researching Brita water filters after finding that my crisp New York water wasn't tasting as good as it used to. I wasn't sure I wanted to give up space in my 24-inch refrigerator for the pitcher. When I saw the compact size — less than 5 inches wide! — of the new Brita Hub™ Compact ($119.99) with a 9-cup (72 oz) water reservoir detaches from the hub for an easy fill-up at the faucet with a 2-year [...]

By |2024-11-20T12:25:45-05:00November 18th, 2024|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|0 Comments
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Dinner at Eleni’s, Gramercy, NYC

I had been to Eleni's, a Gramercy area Greek restaurant on Third Avenue, but only for lunch. We decided on it for dinner based on my recommendation. We were early for our res and walked into a half-full restaurant with many tables available. We requested one away from the large party. We were told no, and we asked for another one. The eponymous owner barked at us, saying no to each one we asked for and saying it was reserved. Someone should give Eleni a copy of "Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect" by Will Guidara. Perhaps she saved those tables for her regulars [...]

By |2024-11-17T06:01:27-05:00November 16th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Drift In, Hudson River Parkway + Elephant Migration, Meat Packing, NYC

The migration of 100 life-size elephant sculptures began in Newport, Rhode Island before the herd took up residence in the meat-packing district of New York City. They stayed there through late October, when they headed south to Miami, Florida, before heading to Browning, Montana, in May 2025. Like many others, we walked in amazement among the giant creatures we learned were for sale. You can purchase a limited-edition, life-size sculpture supporting the conservation work and bringing a message of coexistence into your world. These elephants aim to raise funds for non-profit conservation organizations and foster awareness about wildlife's challenges. According to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, "Each elephant sculpture is made [...]

By |2024-11-17T06:07:06-05:00November 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Breakfast with a view at Vista Steak and Seafood, Pismo Beach, California

While on the Central Coast of California, we dined at Vista, one of three family-run restaurants on the bluffs in Pismo Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We started brunch with oh, so reasonably priced cocktails—at least compared to Manhattan. The Bloody Mary is $11, the Raspberry Bellini, $12, the Beefeater martini, $12, and a glass of red blend wine, $10. Our waitress was only one of two handling the fairly large restaurant that morning and did so with smiles, apologizing for the wait.  We didn't mind as we were catching up! One indulged in their salmon board (taking much of it home) that included a bagel and cream cheese, smoked [...]

By |2024-11-17T06:06:53-05:00November 11th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|2 Comments
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Pre-Theatre Menu at the Greek Kellari Taverna, Theatre District, NYC + Our Town

After reading Ann Patchet's Tom Lake for one of my book groups, where they put on a production of “Our Town,” by Thornton Wilder, we realized that show was coming to Broadway and vowed to go together. We did. I highly recommend the production with Jim Parsons playing the narrator. Before the show, we opted for the $65 three-course pre-fix dinner at Kellari Taverna. We all nibbled the olives, hummus and radishes. One started with the cauliflower soup, and the other three enjoyed their gently pan-fried tender calamari with onions, peppers, capers and fava bean spread. One chose the swordfish daily special, another the lavraki (also called branzino or Mediterranean [...]

By |2024-11-03T08:02:32-05:00November 8th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Happy Hour*** Springs Tavern and Grill, East Hampton, New York

On an overcast weekend in East Hampton late summer, we visited Springs Tavern and Grill for their delightful happy hour menu. On our first round of margaritas, three of us had the regular; one tried the frozen refreshing blood orange one, although the sweetness made it more like a dessert. With that, we shared their delectable steamed mussels ($14) with garlic, herb butter, white wine and a soupçon of cream, then topped with fries; plus the mouthwatering Mediterranean platter ($15) that included housemade hummus — a regular and herbaceous green version with basil, a little mint and garlic — plus marinated olives, pita points and grana padano. I loved that [...]

By |2024-11-17T06:35:46-05:00November 5th, 2024|Happy Hours, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Breakfast at Joe’s Cafe, Santa Barbara, California

We had a few hours to kill in Santa Barbara before heading to the airport for our flight home. To have enough time to catch our flight, we took the pre-sunrise Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from San Luis Obispo. We walked into town from the train station, stopping at Joe's, a friendly cafe at the bottom of State Street, where we sat outside to enjoy our last day in California. Fortunately, as train passengers, we could leave our carry-ons ($10 each) with the stationmaster, a service I didn't realize had returned since the pandemic. Joe's is a very friendly cafe with sidewalk seating. We took advantage of that as we were [...]

By |2024-11-17T06:16:00-05:00November 3rd, 2024|Bites from the Road, General Food Info, USA, USA Restaurants|2 Comments
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La Palapa, Gotham West, NYC + Intrepid Museum

Our ex.expat of New York group visited the Intrepid, an American military and maritime history museum at Pier 86 at 46th Street, along the Hudson River. Our tour guide brought the ship alive through personal stories about sailors and pilots who spent time on the Intrepid, protecting our country through the Vietnam war. Some of us squeezed into the Submarine USS Growler, and others sat in the Concorde, the British Airways commercial plane that flew from Europe to New York in about 3 1/2 hours. Afterward, we walked to Gotham West to grab some authentic Mexican food at La Palapa. Some had tacos, others enchiladas, guac and chips, salad and [...]

By |2024-11-03T08:02:19-05:00November 1st, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Italian Dinner at Novita, Flatiron, NYC

Thank you again, Jeffrey — the man I met on the train from Amagansett back to the city — for introducing me to Novita. He recommended this hidden gem seven years ago. This cozy Italian place on 22 Street, right off Park Avenue, consistently has good food and attentive service. We sipped the Nero d’Avola,” Saia” Feudo Maccari 2018 ($95) while nibbling bread sticks, while waiting for the crab cake with fresh mango salad in a citrus vinaigrette. We split that ourselves at the table ($22). We followed that with flavorful asparagus au gratin ($19) that they split and plated in the kitchen before finishing. COur last dish is their [...]

By |2024-09-24T07:48:46-04:00October 30th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lusardi’s , Upper East Side, NYC

The evening started at my friend’s home with apps and icy vodka in chilled martini glasses. Then, off to Lusardi’s on Second Avenue, an Italian institution started by two brothers in the 1980s. Once seated at this white-tablecloth restaurant, the waiter brought us a basket of bread with a cruet of olive oil. We nibbled that while sipping the Sicilian Nero d'Avalo, Mortgante, 2021 ($65). We were seated outside, yet I slipped into the spacious restaurant to see it as I hadn’t previously been. My friend had raved about their veal, so I had to try her suggestion of their Vitelli martini. I loved the simplicity and flavor of the [...]

By |2024-11-03T19:00:58-05:00October 27th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Lambs Club + Roommate, Not

A leisurely lunch at the Lambs Club was our plan. Then, we'd walk around the corner to see Mia Farrow and Patty Lupone in Roommates at the Booth Theatre on 45th Street. We hadn't yet discovered that the show was canceled as Mia Farrow had COVID. The Lambs Club is America's first professional theatrical club, organized in 1874. At that time, no women were allowed. It moved, reorganized and re-opened after COVID in 2022. The walls are adorned with portraits of former club members. We chatted with the lovely manager about the club, the menu and the cuisine.  After that, he kindly sent us the sweet and savory summer green gazpacho gratis [...]

By |2024-11-03T19:12:06-05:00October 22nd, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Shoreline Visits: Shell and Bone, The Stand and Zinc

I'm always amazed at how few restaurants are on the water in Connecticut, a coastal New England state — something I realized while writing for Yankee Travel Guide. And so, when visiting friends in Connecticut, I picked my first dining stop at Shell and Bones on the water in New Haven. Their bloody Mary cocktail is almost a meal ($19) garnished with chorizo, shrimp, bacon, cornichons and olives. I also shared their grilled Baja fish tacos (3 for $19) with cabbage pico de gallo and tomatillos. Another night, we headed to The Stand in Branford one evening for open-air dining and music. There, I indulged in their crispy fried coconut [...]

By |2024-09-13T11:09:40-04:00October 20th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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