Big Apple Life

A collection of posts on Life in the Big Apple along with interviews with foodie friends

Pera Mediterranean Brasserie, Midtown, NYC

I first ate at Pera with a Turkish friend fifteen years ago and have frequented it both up and downtown. I hadn't returned to the midtown one in ages. This time, I went with a friend after the fabulous multi-media event at the Morgan Library about the life of Bella Costa Greene. Safa, our server, offered us a sip of the medium-bodied Greek Assyrtiko Moschopolis ($58) before we ordered a bottle to accompany our trio of dips ($19). Pita chips accompany the hummus, smoked eggplant and spicy pepper muhammara. Pita bread costs extra. The skewered marinated chicken breast shashlik arrived overcooked yet flavorful ($26). The fries, though, were perfectly crisp [...]

By |2024-11-28T11:42:21-05:00January 3rd, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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An UWS find: Harvest American Bistro + New York Historical

If you haven't heard, the New York Historical Society has dropped "society" to become New York Historical. A change they think is more welcoming. Go figure! We bought tickets to their lecture, "American Chefs: From the White House to Julia Child, " but we didn't get the lecture. Instead, we had a delightful evening hearing Julia Child's "grand-nephew" (Not the heir kind of nephew — one who is the grandson of her husband Paul's grandfather's twin brother.) Paul Prud'homme regaled us with stories about the White House, Presidents and his great aunt's tales, all from his recent book, "Dinner with the President." Afterward, we walked down Columbus past the newly opened [...]

By |2024-12-30T03:08:03-05:00December 30th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Foodie Interviews, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Rosemary’s, West Village, NYC

Rosemary's on Greenwich Avenue in the West Village was convenient as it is halfway between us. We started with their Point Judith calamari fritti ($19), with garlic aioli lemon, requesting some Pomodoro sauce to dip. They heated some just for us, delivering it as we had almost finished the squid. With that, we enjoyed gratis focaccia ($9). Next, we each ordered one of their pasta, realizing after being served that we could have easily shared as the portions were large. This gave us each lunch for the following day to take home. I do recommend both their rigatoni all arrabbiata ($22) topped with burrata and Calabrian chilies and their linguine [...]

By |2024-12-24T08:16:31-05:00December 24th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch Bargain at Fogo de Chao, Midtown, NYC + Rockefeller Center Tour

A midtown lunch for $20. Yes, I am talking about New York City! If you haven't yet tried Fogo de Chao's Market Table for lunch, I highly recommend. During the day, the continually re-filled market table costs a mere $20; at dinner, almost twice as much as they prefer, you indulge in the Churrascaria, as it's a Brazilian steakhouse offering a selection of roasted meats. A larger group of us headed there for lunch after a wonderfully informative tour of Rockefeller Center's sights and stories, learning about the rich history and architecture of the 12-acre campus. The photos of the market table say it all with their fresh and roasted [...]

By |2024-11-10T11:03:21-05:00December 10th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|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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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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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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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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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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Happy Hour* Mediterranean ZIZI, Chelsea, NYC

One temperate night, I met a neighbor at ZIZI (formerly Zizi Limona), a modern Mediterranean restaurant on Eighth Avenue. Emmit, our server, mentioned that it was still happy hour and explained the offerings that included a martini selection from their few varieties and $6 off the small z's "3Z's" appetizer selection. I chose an espresso martini that included Spring 44 vodka, Luxardo espresso liqueur and espresso. We then selected their roasted head of cauliflower, the four falafel balls and the crazy baba (a blend of charred eggplant, feta and basil) with four large, warm pita ($23). We did order an entree but had no room for it, as we were [...]

By |2024-10-13T09:16:35-04:00October 8th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Italian Malaparte, West Village, NYC

Lifetime Fitness recently opened on 23rd Street, allowing access to those whose insurance offers Renew Active. I put my name on the waiting list in April and recently got in. I discussed books with the others in the women's steam room and then moved on to dining. One new friend mentioned that one of her favorites is the Italian Malparte, a place I had neither heard of nor been to. We decided to go together. We met at this intimate neighborhood eatery on Washington Street and started with a bottle of their Nero D'Avola ($50) while nibbling on fresh focaccia and sliced dense bread. I had to try their gorgonzola [...]

By |2024-10-13T09:18:48-04:00October 6th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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City Vineyard, Hudson River Park, NYC

Each summer on the island of Manhattan, I try to visit each of my favorite Hudson River waterside haunts at least once. Some include The Frying Pan, Grand Banks, Drift In, Mezze (formerly the Merchant House) and City Vineyard, located at Pier 26. We chose the air-conditioning inside, as it was one of our hot and humid days. No one sat outside. I sipped an Aperol Spritz ($19), my dining partner, their Provencal rosè selection ($15). We were so busy solving the world's problems that I neglected to ask for our salad lightly dressed. The watermelon, arugula and feta salad ($22) came drenched in a balsamic glaze. We added (+$10) grilled [...]

By |2024-10-06T08:53:50-04:00September 30th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Pinto Garden, West Village, NYC + & Sons Steakeasy’s Father’s Study Speakeasy

After perusing the neighborhood options for restaurant week, we chose Pinto Garden, a Thai restaurant from Chef Teerawong "Yo" Nanthavatsiri that opened in 2016 on 10th Street. We chose the $45 restaurant week dinner menu, being happily flabbergasted that it included a cocktail. I tried their Smoke Gets in Your Eyes smoky old-fashioned, my dining partner their I Like Me Better with gin, Melon Calpico, lime juice and italacus liqueur. Both tasty. We shared the fresh rolls of rice paper wrapped with vegetables and spicy peanut dressing and the papaya salad of green papaya, tomatoes, snake beans, peanuts and garlic in a palm sugar vinaigrette. I loved the flavor of [...]

By |2024-09-21T11:28:54-04:00September 18th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Speakeasys|0 Comments
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Lightship Frying Pan, Hudson River Park, NYC

For decades, I’ve been taking out-of-towners and local New Yorkers to the historic Lightship Frying Pan, the floating eatery in the water west of 26th Street. The lightship moved from Pier 63 to Pier 66 and added the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Float Transfer Bridge to give access to it. The Lightship Frying Pan — and the John J. Harvey retired FDNY Fireboat that sits next to it — are on the National Register of Historic Places. Each summer, the service aboard changes. I loved the year they offered table service after ordering with a QR code on the table that ID’d where you sat. They returned to ordering at [...]

By |2024-09-21T15:24:16-04:00September 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bayon, Midtown East, NYC + Panarama Room, Graduate Hotel, Roosevelt Island

We met at Bayon, one of my friends' favorite neighborhood restaurants. I was eager to sample the Cambodian fare. We ordered a bottle of Gruner Veltliner, 2022, Aichenberg, Austria ($36), which paired nicely with the food. For appetizers, we ate mango salad, Gnoam Svay, with julienne green mango strips, fresh avocado chunks, dried coconut and roasted peanuts ($18). Also good are the Summer Rolls, with two dipping sauces for the rice paper wraps, bulging with prawns and fresh greens ($15 for 4). We shared three entrees, one better than the next. The shrimp and avocado Khmer red curry made flavorful from coconut milk and fresh basil ($30), comes served with [...]

By |2024-08-24T14:03:38-04:00September 4th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings, Rooftop|0 Comments
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New Puttery Mini-Golf and Lounge, Meat Packing District, NYC

Puttery, a new mini-golf game on West 14th Street with two bars and light fare, opened earlier this year, offering bar fare and fun on multiple floors. The night we attended, the elevator wasn't working. We started in the third-floor bar/restaurant area with drinks and nibbles, sharing tacos, sliders, fries and shrimp. The chicken tacos ($19 for three) came with salsa macha; carne asada tacos ($20 for three) with salsa rojo; the filet mignon sliders ($23 for two) came topped with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and truffle aioli, the fire shrimp ($22) are in a Cajun butter and, of course, fries. One golfer ordered their garden salad ($19) with beets, [...]

By |2024-08-24T14:03:47-04:00September 2nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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La Palapa + Holiday Lounge, East Village, NYC

We met at Holiday Lounge in the East Village for a drink before dinner next door at La Palapa. Almost 100 years old, this iconic watering hole has a mahogany horseshoe bar and a hand-painted harem scene mural from its Ali Baba days. We were guests of one friend who won the dinner at a raffle at Les Dames d'Escoffier New York's (LDNY) scholarship reception. LDNY is an unparalleled collective of forward-thinking and successful female leaders in all food, beverage and hospitality sectors. We support aspiring professional women in food and beverage and champion critical industry issues. Since 1977, LDNY has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to over [...]

By |2024-08-29T07:24:23-04:00August 29th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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