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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L’Artusi, West Village, NYC

It took a few moments to adjust to the busting noise level at L’Artusi in the West Village, having just eaten at Greywind where I didn't have to strain to hear my dining partner. We were looking for a crisp, cold white on this hot summer night. We ordered the Pallagrello Bianco "caiatì," Michele Alois 2022 ($64) on the reco of our server. After he poured it and had moved to another table, we flagged him down, as the wine was almost at room temperature. He returned with three fresh glasses and a new chilled bottle, popped the cork, poured the new wine, which immediately frosted our glasses and took [...]

By |2024-07-30T07:11:12-04:00August 1st, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Jane Bertch

Earlier this month, I reintroduced my Guest Foodie column and its interview that acquaints you with the thoughts, insights and achievements of people in or related to the food industry. Today's story is about Jane Bertch, my American-Parisian friend, the impressive Dame who started our Paris chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier. At that time, I was serving on the international board of the philanthropic group as a chapter board liaison to many chapters. We met in Paris. Jane started her career in finance, moving from the corporate world to the entrepreneurial one. In 2009, she founded La Cuisine Paris. Just this year, she authored a book about starting that school. Specifically, [...]

By |2024-08-02T09:44:10-04:00July 30th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Foodie Interviews, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dan Kluger’s Greywind, Midtown West, NYC

Dan Kluger, the former executive chef at ABC Kitchen who went on to open Loring Place, is now at Greywind, a windowed 58-seat dining room on the corner of Tenth Avenue and 35th Street slightly east of the 7-train Hudson River stop. I loved how I didn’t have to strain to hear my friend. I had read—and heard—about his housemade “Cheese-its,” a giant cracker that, after biting, tasted similar to its packaged namesake. For fun, as spud-lovers, we had to sample chef Kluger’s crispy potatoes ($21) topped with smoked chili buttermilk ranch and slivers of fresh celery, even though neither of us liked the Canadian poutine, with cheese curds and [...]

By |2024-07-02T12:22:47-04:00July 28th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Le Jardinier, Midtown, NYC with a Dessert Symphony

Le Jardinier, French for "the gardener," is Chef Alain Verzeroli's Michelin-starred midtown restaurant, where my friend treated me to a birthday meal. We sat at a corner round table, which was oh-so conducive to great conversation and viewing the restaurant. I started sipping my Rogue Royale ($24), a smooth, well-balanced blend of El Tesoro Blanco, lime, blood orange, ancho chile and Grand Marnier, while nibbling the crispy breadsticks and soft rolls: my friend, a gin and tonic. With our meal, we sipped the Bouchard Pere & Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Red Burgundy ($225), a Pinot Noir from Côte de Nuits, Bourgogne, France. Decadent. My friend enjoyed her buratta with red cherries and [...]

By |2024-07-28T07:52:41-04:00July 26th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar, Washington DC + Carlyle in Arlington

I was in DC for my babysitter's burial in Arlington. She was not the woman who took care of my sons, but she took care of me as an infant and stayed close to me until the end. We gathered to see her buried atop her hubby, an army colonel. The night before the service, we ended up at Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar, where my friend was a regular. We had fabulous, attentive service. We each sipped a glass of Chateau Martinet ($18), which our server continually refilled, and shared with a  Monsieur ($21) with Paris ham, gruyère and a Parmesan bèchamel, and a salad Niçoise ($24) with fresh [...]

By |2024-06-24T13:44:06-04:00July 24th, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|1 Comment
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A Michelin-Starred Vegetarian Palace: Dirt Candy, Lower East Side, NYC

Dirt Candy is one of only two vegetarian restaurants in New York City with a Michelin star. Interestingly, chef-owner Amanda Cohen is not a vegetarian. She says vegetables are just candy from dirt. Amanda is a pioneer, introducing no tipping, a policy that Union Square Hospitality's Danny Meyer — who is often credited — followed. He reversed his decision when his restaurants reopened during the Covid pandemic. She didn't. She also pays her staff a living wage.  We were seated by the window and given the menu or the $105 five-course meal, gratuity included.  We opted for the $55 wine pairing with each vino from women winemakers. In addition to [...]

By |2024-06-16T08:54:52-04:00July 22nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Barbuto, West Village, NYC + Breaking the Story + Twyla Tharp

After we went to different matinees, we met for dinner at Johnathan Waxman's Barbuto on the corner of Horatio and West Street in the West Village, just a 2-minute walk from Little Island. There, we saw a full-length premiere from Twyla Tharp featuring live music by T Bone Burnett and David Mansfield. I had seen Breaking the Story, a play that didn't get good reviews yet had a magnificent performance by Maggie Siff. They also saw the powerful, must-see Mother Play by Paula Vogel, starring Jessica Lange, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Jim Parsons, which I had already seen. Dinner started with their Hannah pizza with burrata, fontina and Parmesan on tomato ragu [...]

By |2024-07-29T16:57:18-04:00July 20th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Thai at Marwin, Midtown, NYC

Two of us sat waiting for the third guest at Marwin's cozy place on First Avenue. We were worried, as our friend never called, answered her phone or texted to say she was running late. It ended up that we got our wires crossed on dates. She had it on the calendar for the next day. We finally ordered, each selecting the lunch special with an appetizer choice and entree for under $20. My friend chose crispy spring rolls filled with veggies (cabbage, carrot, celery and vermicelli), and I chose steamed Thai dumplings with minced chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and scallion wrapped in wonton pastry. We shared the green curry with [...]

By |2024-07-18T08:42:52-04:00July 18th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Ambra, West Village, NYC

I headed back to the West Village on a recommendation of Ambra from a friend who frequents the neighborhood and shares my likes of Cafe Cluny and The Mary Lane. We started with Maker's Mark (+$2) cocktails: my friend had a Manhattan ($18), and I tried their Old Fashioned ($18). I'd recommend either. Next, we requested our meal in three courses, beginning with the Margherita pizza ($25) made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil. The flavor was fine, but the dough could have used additional time in the oven. Their tricolore salad ($23) included Italian chicories, bocconcini, olives, avocado, and thin carrot strips in a Prosecco vinaigrette was [...]

By |2024-06-30T16:43:24-04:00July 16th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch in the hood at Da Andrea, Greenwich Village, NYC

When I first moved into my hood, I went with neighbors to Da Andrea, a neighborhood Italian restaurant. I hadn't been back or thought about it until recently when a friend's kids who live in Brooklyn took her there for her birthday. She mentioned it was good. I had to return to see what I was missing. On a sunny day recently, I met my friend Thomas Farley (Mister Manners) for lunch. We sat outside on the sidewalk, their shed blocking the noise of passing trucks. At Da Andrea, we embraced the Italian tradition of sharing each dish, one course at a time, starting with their warm octopus salad of [...]

By |2024-07-13T08:58:13-04:00July 14th, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Julie Hartigan’s Grandma’s Pasta Fagioli

My last post re-introduced our Guest Foodie column, providing insight into the points of view of almost top foodies — people who made a living in the field. That's where I wrote on Julie Hartigan, who mentioned trying this Pasta Fagioli recipe: "when you or someone you love needs a comfort food hug in a bowl." I had to try it. In Julie's free La Dolce Vita at Home booklet on her site, she wrote, "My grandma’s “Pasta Fazool” was my favorite comfort food dish as a little girl! (Fun fact: "Fazool" is Italian slang for "fagioli" or bean.) I give a glow-up version of the rustic Italian stew with [...]

By |2024-07-13T09:00:50-04:00July 12th, 2024|Entrees, Recipes, Starters|0 Comments
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Julie Hartigan: A Return of my Guest Foodie Column

I introduced my Guest Foodie column on July 10, 2012, twelve years ago today. Over the next seven years, it provided insight into the points of view of almost 90 of the country’s top foodies — people who made a living in the field. I'm not sure why, but I stopped writing it. With this post on my friend and fellow Dame (a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier) Julie Hartigan, I'm resurrecting that fun interview with those in the food universe—food editors, authors, chefs, restaurateurs, cooking school instructors, bloggers, and more. We met when Julie volunteered to assist at The Next Big Bite, a fund-raiser I did for the New [...]

By |2024-07-10T07:08:27-04:00July 10th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Foodie Interviews, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Smith, Lincoln Plaza, NYC + Steve Carell not in Uncle Vanya

We purchased our tickets this past winter when we heard about Steve Carell's Broadway debut in Uncle Vanya. We didn't want to miss this star of  "Little Miss Sunshine,"  The Office and much more. Day of, we received notice that "Steve Carell will not appear at this performance." Since his name is above the title, we could get our money back or change dates. We did the former and kept our reservation at The Smith, across the street from Lincoln Center Theatre. We yakked for hours, sipping Bloody Marys and Sangria ($15.50; $5 virgin) while eating brunch.   One had four varieties of oysters ($4 each), while others enjoyed an egg [...]

By |2024-07-08T09:27:04-04:00July 8th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Thai Wan Waan, Chelsea, NYC + The Whelkin

Instead of going home after Zumba class, I walked toward Atlantic Theater, where I was meeting a friend to see Lucy Kirkwood's The Whelkin at the Atlantic Theater, a play where twelve women must decide an accused murderer's pregnancy claim to decide about hanging her. It was at a time when the country waited for Halley's Comet. I slipped into Wan Waan, a Thai place on Eighth Avenue, after noticing the A in their window. I needed a quick bite before the play. Their happy hour all-day mojito ($8) hit the spot. I then had their weekend special ($18) prix fixe meal. I started with the crispy spring rolls and followed [...]

By |2024-07-14T07:27:18-04:00July 6th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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2024’s North River Lobster Boat, Pier 81, NYC

Sailing on the North River Lobster boat has been one of my annual summer events since it started its excursions in 2014 when the sail was free. Today, that sail still takes you up the Hudson while you sip your drink and have a meal, yet now you need a ticket (~$10) to board. Reflecting on its humble beginnings a decade ago, the company offered a lobster roll featuring a generous portion of fresh Maine crustacean nestled in a brioche roll with a hint of yuzu aioli, creamy cole slaw, and a side of chips, all for a modest $16. It was a culinary delight. The same sandwich now served [...]

By |2024-07-08T09:32:21-04:00July 4th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Bottomless Brunch at Maya, Midtown, NYC

One rainy day recently a friend and I stopped in at Richard Sandaval's Maya, a restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide as one of the ”Best Mexican Restaurants in Manhattan." Like almost everyone else, we opted for the bottomless brunch that included unlimited dishes and cocktails ($59). I had to have their margarita while my dining partner sampled various flavored mimosas. The servers roamed the dining room, re-filling half-empty glasses. We sampled much of the menu. What follows are many of the ones we enjoyed. We started with the lamb barbacoa and the pork carnitas tacos followed by the gringa al pastor, pork with adobo marinade, mozzarella and avocado purée [...]

By |2024-07-08T09:33:42-04:00July 2nd, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Mary Lane, West Village, NYC

The Mary Lane, a classic West Village restaurant offering locally sourced, market-based fare, is situated on the cobblestone corner of Bank and Greenwich Streets. We shared two dishes as separate courses so we could enjoy each, starting with their flour tortilla tacos stuffed with grilled shrimp, pickled jalapeños, shredded cabbage and topped with a slice of avocado ($24 for two) served with salsa verde and tasty spiced french fries. Our next course was the unusual grilled Atlantic trout atop an arugula salad with toasted pistachio, pickled red onion, sliced radishes and strawberries in a light honey balsamic vinaigrette ($26).  I recommend both dishes. We couldn't decide between two desserts, so [...]

By |2024-05-31T08:16:44-04:00June 30th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Pizza at Numero 28, Upper East Side, NYC

Instead of meeting in one member's home, our bi-monthly book group met at the Upper East Side location of Numero 28, an authentic Neapolitan brick-oven pizza restaurant. We sipped the Wild Fighter, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 2020 and the chilled Janare, Del Sannio Falanghina 2019 ($45) while waiting for each member to arrive. Our hostess ordered their pizzas for delivery to the table soon after we all gathered and began discussing James McBride's The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Everyone enjoyed the book. The pizzas have a not-too-thick, not-too-thin, chewy crust. We devoured both of the oblong pies. Each was half Margherita (San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil). The [...]

By |2024-05-24T14:24:32-04:00June 28th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Cafe Cluny West Village, NYC

Cafe Cluny is a sweet little West Village place to lunch. It had been years since I had dined there, this time booking a table outside as the weather was perfect. Service is attentive, food is good. My dining partner tried their unusual purple sticky rice bowl with fresh fravocado, kale, shiitake mushrooms and broccoli rabe ($27) topped with a poached egg ($2). She skipped the sriracha broth served with it. I tried the freshly chopped romaine salad with cherry tomatoes, haricot verts, scallions and a little frisée, all topped with crumbled bacon ($20) over a chicken paillard ($12). I requested the dressing on the side. For dessert, we couldn't [...]

By |2024-08-03T09:04:10-04:00June 25th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Paper Plane Cocktail Recipe

While in Washington, DC, staying with my friend Scot, he offered me a Paper Plane, his new summer easy-to-make cocktail. He recently started experimenting with cocktails when he moved from beer and wine to liquor. Along the way, he discovered this easy-to-make cocktail with equal parts of each ingredient. The Paper Plane is less effervescent than an Aperol Spritz and lighter than a bourbon-forward Old Fashioned.  It is delicious and refreshing. Perfect for warm weather. It consists of equal parts of four ingredients: bourbon, Aperol, fresh lemon juice and Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, an orange bittersweet liqueur infused with herbs. We used an ounce of each. So simple and so tasty. [...]

By |2024-06-30T14:41:45-04:00June 23rd, 2024|Recipes, Starters|0 Comments
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