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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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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Bistro Mediterranean Tapas Bar, Milford, CT

The third Bistro Mediterranean Tapas Bar opened recently in Milford in a restaurant with a seemingly revolving door. I experienced various iterations when I lived in the area. We stopped in before the official opening last month when I was in Connecticut, meeting a friend for lunch.  The manager served us, and we sat there for hours catching up and sipping an Antares Reserva Rioja ($36). We focused on the tapas part of the menu with two of their seafood tapas worth mentioning, the grilled calamari ($14) and grilled shrimp ($14.50). The tender squid drizzled with a bell pepper vinaigrette, the shrimp swimming in a garlicky sauce. I hope they [...]

By |2024-06-30T14:46:43-04:00June 21st, 2024|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Breakfast at The Marshal, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + Illinoise

Charlie Marshal's eponymous restaurant, a unique gem in Hell's Kitchen, is one of my go-to pre-theatre places. This time, we returned for brunch before heading to the Tony-nominated Illinoise, the narrative dance musical at the St. James Theatre that's a coming-of-age story.  We sampled a few items for the first time: the spring asparagus pizza with aged and fresh mozzarella and pancetta ($28.50) and his wood-fired French toast ($19.50)stuffed with blueberry compote, topped with honey-infused whipped cream and served with Deep Mountain maple syrup. I recommend a trip to Charlie's before the theatre and the unusual Illinoise. The Marshal Hell’s Kitchen 628 10th Avenue (at 44th) New York, NY 10036 (212) 582-6300 the-marshal.com/

By |2024-06-14T09:22:17-04:00June 19th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Chicka and the Don, Flatiron-Gramercy, NYC

Chicka and The Don is a new Latin American restaurant in the Flatiron District, where Almayass was on 21st Street. The waiter mentioned a third that had come and gone. As their guests, we sampled much of the menu. My dining partner chose a Margie, while I sampled The Don ($20), a unique twist on an Old Fashioned made with Japanese whiskey and a wine and honey-infused rum with aphrodisiac claims. When our waiter mentioned that he would bring the food out family style as it was ready, we didn't imagine receiving everything but dessert almost at once. Other than a banquet in front of us at the same time, everything is worth [...]

By |2024-08-03T09:07:39-04:00June 17th, 2024|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Molkajete Restaurant Bar, Brooklyn, NYC + Green-wood Cemetery

Our ex-expat group took a private temperature-controlled trolley with a guide to explore Greenwood’s historical landscape. We toured some of its 478 glacial-formed acres. The cemetery houses one of the largest outdoor collections of nineteenth—and twentieth-century statuary and mausoleums. It's not to be missed. After our tour, we headed down the hill toward our subway back to Manhattan, stopping at Molkajete Restaurant Bar for some nourishment and chatter. Happy hour at this Peruvian/ Mexican restaurant runs from 11 am to 6 pm, so we indulged. Sangria and margaritas were only $8. With our drinks, we nibbled their housemade guacamole ($14) and chips. Some items we ate included their burrito bowl [...]

By |2024-06-17T09:37:21-04:00June 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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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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