Big Apple Life

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

Populares Mexican Restaurant, Lower East Side, NYC + Board of Education

We laughed out loud at the comedy Board of Education, part of the Fresh Fruit Festival. It's a comedy following two aimless millennials from being waiters at a gastropub to running for the board of education. Richard Spitaletta, who wrote it, also stars in it. After the show, we walked around the corner to the newly opened Populares Mexican Restaurant, where I was invited as a guest. We sipped Margies, both classic and unsweetened ($14) while nibbling on freshly made chips with four flavorful salsas: pico de gallo, spicy salsa rojo, and salsa verde, both fresh and cooked ($12), plus their housemade chunky guacamole ($16). We were happy while we [...]

By |2024-06-17T09:35:10-04:00June 7th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Opening of Fogo de Chão, Brooklyn, NYC

I'm a Fogo de Chão fan and have been since I experienced my first churrascaria (grilled BBQ) at their midtown location. I couldn't resist heading to City Point Mall in Albee Square in Brooklyn for the opening. This location features an open churrasco grill, where customers can watch their chefs butcher, prepare and grill various meats over an open flame. Like all others in the chain, it offers a salad bar—Market Table—like no other. We nibbled hors d'oeuvres before being seated with a seafood tower at our table and selecting from the Market Table. The roving waitstaff then started circling the room with grilled meats to be sliced from large [...]

By |2024-06-01T11:21:27-04:00May 27th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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The Dining Room at The Met + The Look Again: European Paintings 1300–1800

Now that you no longer need to be a member to dine there, I highly recommend the fourth-floor Met dining room while visiting the museum. This time I was with out-of-town friends who selected the "Look Again: European Paintings 1300–1800" installation. Over lunch, we discussed that Vermeer—whom I am familiar with—wasn't as prolific as the other Dutch masters. Only 36 of his approximately 60 paintings survived, compared to hundreds of Rembrandt's. The three of us shared two $85 four-course meals, which was a perfect amount of food for three people, plus a Paul Prieur Sancerre from the Loire Valley ($85). Everything is recommendable.  We started with the braised octopus with [...]

By |2024-06-01T11:20:13-04:00May 24th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Blooms Tavern, Midtown, NYC + Roosevelt Island

Our ex.expat group toured Roosevelt Island when the cherry blossoms were in bloom with tour guide extraordinaire Kevin Draper, who detailed the history and the newly built Cornell University technology campus and future redevelopment plans for the island. After our tour, we took the tram back to Manhattan and headed to Blooms Tavern, a super-friendly Celtic-fused restaurant with an attentive staff who couldn't have been nicer. We sampled lots, including grilled cheese with tomato soup ($16), an impossible burger with fries ($16) and Blooms beer-battered codfish and chips ($25). All tasty and served with a smile!  I recommend a visit to Blooms and a tour of Roosevelt Island (or anywhere) [...]

By |2024-05-21T07:16:10-04:00May 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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L’Amico, Chelsea, NYC + Macy’s Flower Show

Another year, another flower show at Macy's main store between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Last year's exhibition was much more beautiful, yet the show is always aromatic and worth visiting the iconic store. Afterward, we walked downtown a few blocks to L'Amico, where Chef Laurent Tourondel serves an American menu with Italian influences in a warm cozy setting with fabulous service. We shared a Tuscan salad of arugula, artichokes and fava beans lightly dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with pecorino sardo ($21) followed by their crispy crust buffalo mozzarella pizza with San Marzano tomatoes ($24). I highly recommend a visit to L'Amico. L'Amico Chelsea 849 Avenue of the [...]

By |2024-05-19T08:21:38-04:00May 8th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Fig & Olive, Meat Packing District, NYC

After visiting the Whitney Museum's Biennial 2024, we headed to Fig & Olive for a quick bite before my friend left for JFK on a flight to Amsterdam. We yakked and shared two salads. I'd recommend either the Fig & Olive salad with kale, red cabbage, sun-dried tomato, pear slices, Gorgonzola and candied pecans ($21) or the Little Gem salad with avocado, toasted almonds and ricotta salata in a shallot mustard vinaigrette ($18). Since we were sharing both, we asked for the grilled salmon to top them on the side ($13). A good place to stop when in the meatpacking district or visiting The Whitney. Fig & Olive Meatpacking District [...]

By |2024-05-05T08:33:18-04:00May 1st, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Toloache, Midtown, NYC + Enemy of the People

I hadn't been back to Toloache since it reopened after the pandemic. Like many other restaurants, their website prices are lower than you'll pay. We started with their yummy guac ($16) with the accompanying salsa ($2 for extra) and chips. Delicious with their Cadillac Margie—the Oro Blanco ($18), made with Espolon reposado and Cointreau. Our dishes included their Ensalada de Jicama ($13), which included jicama, radishes, mixed greens, avocado, orange, almonds, and a tamarind vinaigrette, along with grilled chicken (+$8);  the enchiladas borrachas ($26) of pulled chicken, tomatillo-5 chiles salsa, Mexican cheeses, crema and an avocado-radish salad and the Quesadilla de Camaron ($17) with mini shrimp atop a tortilla with [...]

By |2024-03-23T10:31:05-04:00April 19th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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An Irish Pub: The Long Room, Theatre District, NYC on St. Patty’s Day

My grand-niece and her college roommates requested going to an Irish pub when visiting on St. Patty's Day. That's how we ended up at The Long Room in Times Square. The place was packed and noisy, offering a special holiday menu and live music. We all had draft beers ($9 - $10) — including one Guinness — with our food. We tried the spinach and artichoke dip in a cast-iron skillet along with pita bread not the crispy chips menu described. We shared sweet potato fries ($12), a classic burger ($21) with fries and ale-battered fish and chips.  Noisy, but fun.   The Long Room Times Square 120 W 44th [...]

By |2024-03-17T10:43:19-04:00April 16th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Cacio E Pepe, East Village, NYC

I dined with the owner's relatives at Cacio e Pepe six years ago. I loved it and couldn't wait to return.  After the watery Cacio e Pepe at Basta Pasta, we decided to visit the original eponymous restaurant on Second Avenue for the minimalist classic dish of pasta, butter, cheese, and pepper. When two of us arrived, our server mentioned that happy hour was ending and offered a glass of house cabernet ($9) before the discounted time ended. Nice. When our friend arrived, she offered her a glass, implying she was offering the discounted wine. We shared two appetizers, the fabulous Timballo Di Melanzane ($16) — layers of molded eggplant parmesan. Delicious. [...]

By |2024-04-21T20:48:51-04:00April 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Three days a month: Marc 179, Tribeca, NYC

A building mate emailed me about the opening of Marc179, Marc Murphy's  (Landmarc, Ditch Plains and Chopped) latest unique venture in Tribeca. Marc 179 is open only three days a month. offering a rotating $75 prix fixe menu, plus a small but inviting wine list. When not used as a restaurant, the space will be MM Kitchen Studio, a private event space, demo kitchen, and filming studio. Marc179 takes reservations two months in advance, and the menus are published one month out. The upcoming dates already posted include April 11th-13th, May 16th-18th, and June 20th-22nd. When I visited in March, the prix fixe menu included an arugula salad with pan-roasted [...]

By |2024-04-21T20:50:04-04:00April 9th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Sesamo, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + White Chip

We returned to Sesamo for brunch before heading to MCC to see White Chip, a play with a stellar lineup of producers, including Jason Biggs, John Larroquette, Hank Azaria, and Annaleigh Ashford—the wife of Joe Tapper, who plays Steven, the lead. The play takes its name from the Alcoholics Anonymous sobriety-chip system; each of the many times Steven — the main character — resolves to stop drinking, he gets a white chip. He has a bowlful. For brunch, I started with a bloody Mary ($15), followed by Shakshuka, as I had to have it again as it was so good last time. Not this time. It was way overcooked, even [...]

By |2024-04-07T16:49:59-04:00April 7th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Happy Hour** at Rick Bayless’s Tortazo, Times Square, NYC + Doubt

I've meant to try Rick Bayless's Tortazo since it opened near Times Square about a year ago. I learned to love this Chicago restaurateur's food at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. Tortazo is a modified version of Rick’s popular airport outlets. One opened in NoMad in 2021. Times Square area is his second NYC location. This Michelin-starred chef features antojitos — Mexican bites—at Tortazo. Some are available during happy hour when I slipped in before heading to Roundabout Theatre to see Liev Schreiber in Doubt, the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 play. The drama teaches the potentially destructive consequences of being too certain about anything.  I recognized the fabulous flavors [...]

By |2024-04-07T16:48:05-04:00April 5th, 2024|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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KFC’s Chizza Pop-Up

My friend—an editor of a restaurant trade publication—invited me to sample KFC's Chizza with her on the day in February when the restaurant had transformed the store into a pop-up, serving the new menu item for free. Yes, free. There were lines around the block for the just introduced Chizza: two 100% white meat extra crisp fried chicken filets topped with marinara sauce, melty mozzarella cheese and crispy pepperoni.  Skeptical me. I was surprised at how moist, tender and tasty the fried chicken fillet topped with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni was. One fillet pizza costs $5.99; two fillets are $12.99, and the combo with a two-fillet one, French [...]

By |2024-04-24T19:01:12-04:00April 2nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Repeat: Shuka, Soho, NYC + Up & Up & Raines Law Room Speakeasies

Having had such a wonderful time at Shuka and Up & Up, I repeated the combo with my grand nephew and his girlfriend. We opted to dine outside as it was one of our spring-weather winter days. We shared some meze, including the shaved Brussels sprouts ($14) as last visit, this time adding the falafel and sweet potatoes, which I would recommend.  We continued with chicken ($22/kebab) and beef ($25/kebab) kebabs, requesting the fabulous mushroom one, but it was no longer available as their menu changes based on market availability. Next time! We walked MacDougal to Up & Up for cocktails, followed by another at Raines Law Room, which has [...]

By |2024-03-21T17:47:21-04:00March 21st, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Speakeasys|0 Comments
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Hidden Leaf, Manhattan West, NYC

It's not easy to find Hidden Leaf within Manhattan West, around the corner from Zou Zou and upstairs. We met there during restaurant week for their $30 two-course lunch. Three of us decided on their meaty Yunnan BBQ ribs (three) with preserved ginger and toasted seeds sticky sauce. The other had their hidden gem salad with pickled mango red curry cashews and a shallot garlic crumble in a vegan Nuoc Cham dressing. To start, we shared an order of their shrimp and snow pea dumplings ($19 for 5). I recommend all of the above, plus their crispy Malaysian-style fried chicken with a celery-fennel salad that we savored as our entree. [...]

By |2024-03-11T09:14:53-04:00March 10th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Great Nachos at Rosa Mexicano Restaurant, Flatiron-Gramercy, NYC

One early afternoon, we hankered for nachos for lunch and headed to the Rosa Mexicano on 18th Street. Rosa's signature nachos ($14) were a perfect amount of chips, Chihuahua cheese, black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, crema, pickled jalapeños and cotija cheese. The dish happily satisfied our craving.   I recommend it! Rosa Mexicano Restaurant Flatiron/Gramercy 9 East 18th Street New York, NY 10003-1903 212-533-3350 rosamexicano.com

By |2024-01-25T07:51:18-05:00March 2nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Pete’s Tavern, Gramercy, NYC

I'd been looking forward to the Pat LaFrieda short rib burger and fries at Pete's Tavern since we decided to check out the holiday decorations. Pete's—located on the corner of 18th and Irving—is the oldest continuously operating restaurant & bar in New York City. When we visited, it was still decorated, celebrating its 160th holiday season.  Instead of a burger — my dining partner, who I was sharing with, wasn't in a burger mood — we started with their baked nut-crusted goat cheese over baby arugula ($19). I'd highly recommend this salad, especially with a glass of their Barbera D'Alba ($17). We then shared the New York strip steak bites [...]

By |2024-02-25T08:28:10-05:00February 14th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Empire Rooftop, Lincoln Square, NYC + The Gardens of Anuncia

After seeing the closing performance of The Gardens of Anuncia at Lincoln Center Theatre, we headed across the street to the rooftop of the Empire Hotel that overlooks the Lincoln Center complex for a cocktail, something to eat and the stunning view. One friend sampled their tequila and grapefruit juice Paloma, another their XOXO Gossip Girl with vodka and peach puree made bubbly with prosecco, and I sipped their trendy Old Fashioned ($20 each) with smoke added tableside (each $20). With those libations, we tried their Koreatown (aka nicely spicy) very meaty chicken wings ($20), their crisp bistro fries ($14) and their grilled lollipop lamb chops ($39), cooked medium-rare as [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:02:40-04:00February 11th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rooftop, Theatre|2 Comments
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A Birthday at Shuka, SoHo, NYC + Up & Up Speakeasy

We started our birthday celebration with drinks at Up & Up, a fun speakeasy on Macdougal, down the street from where we were heading for dinner. And, as their site says, "Yes, the ice actually looks like this!" From there, we headed downtown on Macdougal to Shuka, a restaurant serving various Mediterranean cuisines. The six of us started with many selections from their meze from the market, which included their taramasalata ($12) with crudité ($11), shaved Brussels sprouts ($14), falafel ($11), crispy cauliflower ($15), za'atar fries ($8), jeweled rice ($11) and tuna meatballs ($16).  One dish was better than the next, with the shaved Brussels, crispy cauliflower and za'atar fries [...]

By |2024-02-12T09:33:07-05:00January 30th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Speakeasys|0 Comments
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A Good Burger at Friend of a Farmer, Gramercy, NYC

We had met to see the holiday lights at Pete's Tavern and grab a burger. The host put our name on the list and said he would call in about 1 1/2 hours to be seated — inside or out. Meanwhile, we headed across the street to Friend of a Farmer for a drink, selecting that night's special -- a blood orange margie ($18). We were so comfy that we opted to have our burger there. So glad we did. Before they brought our meal, the server brought their complementary cornbread topped with apple chutney. They make their Barn Burger with ground Wagyu beef, cooked to perfection and topped with [...]

By |2024-02-09T09:13:19-05:00January 27th, 2024|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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