Big Apple Life

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

The Smith, Lincoln Plaza, Lincoln Center, NYC + Porky and Bess

I liked brunch at The Smith downtown, so I thought we'd be fine at the Lincoln Center one. We stopped in for dinner before seeing Porky & Bess across the street at the Met. I recommend their alcohol-forward, nicely blended Wild Horses ($16) cocktail made with mezcal, tequila reposado, amaro and various bitters. It was the best part of the meal. The brick-pressed chicken was fine, just not as moist as expected. Wished they'd offered a choice of dark meat. The chicken came atop baby spinach and smashed garlic potatoes. The server kindly replaced the smashed for fried! Both came drizzled with a lemony chicken au jus ($28). My other friend was [...]

By |2022-09-18T16:15:32-04:00September 23rd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Swagat, Upper West Side, NYC + Shakespeare in the Park: As You Like it

Swagat is a small and cozy Indian restaurant on the Upper West Side, a good spot to dine before heading to the Delacorte to see "As You Like it," one of this year's two productions of Shakespeare in the Park as it's about a half-mile walk to the theatre.  Swagat, a Hindu word meaning "welcome," is a sister to Madam Ji, another Indian place I've enjoyed. Their aloo papri chat ($12) — a traditional Indian street snack — contained crunchy flour crispies with potatoes, chickpeas and flour straws with mint, tamarind and tamarind sauces. Their crispy cauliflower (lasuni gobi $10) comes tossed in a tangy garlic and tomato sauce. Don't [...]

By |2022-09-22T07:06:37-04:00September 19th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Danny Meyer’s Ci Siamo, Manhattan West, NYC

Danny Meyer's original Union Square restaurant was my go-to for special occasions as it never disappointed. With that in mind, I was eager to try his new Italian Ci Siamo, located in a new residential development in Manhattan West, adjacent to Hudson Yards. Its menu contains seasonal ingredients, many cooked using live fire. We started with cocktails, including a martini ($19) and a cosmo ($19), each with a named vodka and a glass of the crisp Pra Otto Soave Classico 2021 ($18). Do not miss their decadent caramelized cipollini onion flaky-crust tart drizzled with balsamic and topped with a gooey goat cheese fondue topped with Pecorino ($22). This mind-blowing dish [...]

By |2024-10-03T15:20:00-04:00September 5th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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An Upper East Side Institution: JG Melon, UES, NYC

No upper Eastsider I spoke to could believe I had never been to the iconic JG Melon neighborhood burger joint. I went to this laid-back pub for the first time this summer and only had to wait about 10 minutes, which I heard was not bad. There's generally a 30-minute wait for this cash-only pub on Third Avenue that's been on the Northeast corner of 74th Street since 1972. While waiting, I learned the "J" is for the late Jack O'Neill and the "G" for Georges Morgues, the original owners. "Melon" came from some whimsical watermelon artwork found in the original establishment. The owners added many more melons to the [...]

By |2022-09-11T03:38:24-04:00August 30th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|4 Comments
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Dames at Summer Happy Hour at Vinateria, Harlem, NYC

This summer, a group of Dames — members of Les Dames d'Escoffier — gathered at fellow Dame Yvette Leeper-Bueno celebrated Harlem restaurant, Vinataria, for a summer happy hour. While sipping our beverage of choice, we sampled: fried calamari with a paprika aioli ($14) bacalao (salt cod) croquettes with a chili aioli ($8) polenta fries sprinkled with Parmigiana Reggiano and served with a apicy dill aioli ($8) honey-glazed crispy Brussels sprouts with pine nuts and raisins ($9) crispy French fries with blue cheese and scallions ($9) marinated olives with hummus and bread While there, Yvette shared that she had just been honored with an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator for [...]

By |2023-09-02T19:39:05-04:00August 26th, 2022|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Noodlove, Chinatown, NYC + The Orchard Tailor Services

My friend Barbara had been raving about Fabian, her inexpensive fabulous tailor in Chinatown. His hems, she explained, were about $10 and done in an hour! The pandemic got in the way, and I never got to the tailor until now. I walked down to meet Fabian and gave him one long dress to be hemmed and a tunic in need of tightening a buttonhole and adding a snap, something I could have quickly done, yet decided to see what it cost. Twenty-five minutes and $12 later, I walked out with my tailored clothing. Impressive. Since it was lunchtime, I decided to grab something at Noodlelove, a nearby restaurant. I [...]

By |2022-08-20T15:23:16-04:00August 20th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rambling|2 Comments
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Food Tour of Arthur Avenue, The Bronx with Susan Birnbaum

The first stop on our tour was for Albanian spinach burek (byrek, burek, börek), the classic Albanian stuffed fillo at Tony & Tina's Pizzeria, 2483 Arthur Ave, 718.733.8094. We spent lots of time with Dave at Mike's Deli inside the Arthur Avenue Retail Market, 2344 Arthur Ave, 718.295.5033, where he showed us how to make both fresh mozzarella and burrata, the soft shell wrapped around a creamy center of torn mozzarella strings and cream. We sampled many types of fresh cheeses plus their house-made pasta in tomato sauce.     We picked up some sliced sausage from Calabria Pork Store, 2338 Arthur Avenue, 718.367.5145, famous for their homemade fresh and [...]

By |2022-08-18T12:12:09-04:00August 4th, 2022|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, Other happenings|0 Comments
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The Reopened Spanish El Quijote, Chelsea, NYC

I'd been to an SVA program on west 23rd street. Afterward, we walked by the newly re-opened Spanish restaurant, El Quijote, at the Hotel Chelsea. The problem was their eleven tables were committed and the bar was three deep. Loving the vibe, we vowed to make a res and return. When we did, we started with their crispy Croquetas de Bacalao ($15 for 5), salt cod croquettes.  I'd recommend. It came with a ubiquitous aioli that accompanied most all their dishes. Their knowledgeable wine director, Claire, offered us some unusually delicious suggestions. The fresh tasting Garnacha Blanca, Celler Frisach  L'Abrunet Terra Alta, Spain '20 ($60) worked well with our menu choices. [...]

By |2022-07-28T16:56:09-04:00July 29th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Raising Money for LDNY’s Scholarships at Docks Oyster Bar, Kips Bay

Our New York chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier (LDNY) held a four-course unique lobster experience at Dock's Oyster Bar last month on National Lobster Day. The event raised funds for LDNY's scholarships. Wine pairings courtesy of Kobrand, lobster from Aquabest NYC.  If you'd like to donate to Les Dames d'Escoffier scholarships, click here.  We started with mini crab cakes made with very little filler. I popped a few too many of them as they were that good. Before our meal, we also dined on fresh oysters, deviled eggs and lobster ceviche served with Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Cuvee 2018. Our menu consisted of rich lobster bisque with a lobster roll [...]

By |2022-07-28T16:43:03-04:00July 23rd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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First Gansevoort, then Buddakan, Meat Packing District, NYC

Those who know me know I'm a birthday glutton loving my own new year and celebrating with as many friends as possible. One of my gatherings last month (yes, it takes me a month to post something after I've tried it!) started at the Gansevoort Rooftop for yummy drinks and a great view. My friends initially arranged the dinner festivities on Grand Banks, the seasonal restaurant on the deck of a historic fishing boat, yet the day before the reservation, the restaurant canceled it for a private party! My fab friends scurried to re-group and find another place for our celebration. We ended up at Buddakan for a delicious and [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:12:44-04:00July 19th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rooftop|0 Comments
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Fish Cheeks, NoHo, NYC + Rehearsal of School of American Ballet

With Fish Cheeks named one of the absolute best Thai restaurants in NY by New York Magazine and included in Eater's 38 essential restaurants in NY, I had to try it. The restaurant had a modern approach to traditional Thai dishes. Loved that their happy hour included cocktails at lunch for $11. We sampled their spicy mango made with tequila, mango and lime and garnished with a bird's eye chili and the very-Thai flavored "Thank You Ka" with white rum, coconut galangal, ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime decorated with drops of chili oil.   The crispy rice salad and pork ($15) is delicious with crushed crispy rice tossed with shredded [...]

By |2022-07-11T13:04:05-04:00July 7th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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John’s River Oysters at The Pavillion, Midtown, NYC

I couldn't resist writing about these amazing John's River Oysters "Vanderbilt" at Daniel Boulud's upscale La Pavillion restaurant in One Vanderbilt, the new 93-story supertall skyscraper at the corner of 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue. That's the building that houses the spectacular views from Summit. This time, I stopped there only for a cocktail and nibble. We sat in the cocktail lounge savoring delicious cocktails ($21). I had the perfectly balanced Cachaça Tiki made from Leblon Cachaça and Amaro Montenegro garnished with fresh mint ($21) and my dining partner had the Matcha-infused Reyka vodka with lemongrass Shochu, a distilled liquor, garnished with fresh basil. With our drinks, we ordered the [...]

By |2022-07-11T12:53:16-04:00July 5th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Opening of Jue Lan Club Rose Garden, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

If you're looking for a location to enjoy good food and libations in an outdoor enclosed setting, try The Rose Garden at Jue Lan Club.  It opened last month on one of those perfect spring days with a party replete with flowing cocktails, non-stop food offerings and live music. Idyllic. All was offered gratis, yet I've added their menu prices for your info. Some samplings included their chicken satay coated in peanut sauce (3 for $22), dumplings filled with pureed edamame, drizzled with truffle oil and sitting in miso broth (6 for $20), crispy scallion pancakes with hoisin dipping sauce ($18), braised oxtail bao buns (3 for $20) spicy samurai [...]

By |2022-07-03T09:19:01-04:00June 23rd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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GupShup, Flatiron-Gramercy, NYC + The Stand Comedy Club

Even the drinks are delicious at the Bombay-inspired Gup Shup. My green Margie-like "hot like Kohli" was made with Espolon Silver tequila and Montelobos mezcal in a spicy-lime salted rim garnished with a hot pepper. My dining friend liked their version of a Negroni with Darjeeling tea and black cardamom added to the gin, Campari and vermouth. Our whole Tandoori cauliflower ($18) arrived as we were sipping our drinks. We were in heaven enjoying every morsel of the fork-tender chou fleur. We each commented how Miznon, known for their classic whole roasted one, paled in comparison. I'd recommend it along with a serving of their garlicky naan ($6) to sop [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:48:10-04:00June 3rd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Ravagh Persian Grill, Murray Hill, NYC + The Morgan Library

My dining partner had walked past Ravagh Persian Grill on her way to meet me at The Morgan Library and thought it might be a place to get a bite after. It was. The Madison Avenue location is one of four, two in the city and two on the island. I started with an Old Fashioned ($16), my dining partner their Sabzibhang ($16), a blend of blanco tequila, Aperol and red grapefruit juice that arrived looking more like a slushy than a cocktail. Our server placed warm large Persian flatbread with two dips, one yogurt-based, the other an addictive blend of cilantro, parsley and olive oil. We ordered one of [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:28:15-04:00June 1st, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Chop-Shop, Chelsea, NYC + Jean-Michel Basquiet exhibit

I returned to Chop-Shop for its proximity to the Landmark Starrett-Lehigh building in Chelsea, where Jean-Michel Basquiet's family put his art on display. I had to order their nicely spiced green papaya salad with shrimp cashews and watercress ($14) again. Yes, that good. It didn't disappoint. I still wish they'd trim the watercress stems a tad. My dining partner enjoyed the poached Norwegian salmon with a ginger scallion sauce over steamed baby bok choy ($24). Although delicious, we agreed that the rice-flour-dusted, lightly fried, spicy Thai branzino filet ($24) was the thing to have. It was so delicate and flavorful with the fillet served atop the skin, all in a [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:24:14-04:00May 28th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Miramar, FiDi, NYC + Governor’s Island

Miramar, which means  "sea-view" or "sea sight," is located by the New York sea: The Hudson River. We sat outside at Miramar, enjoying the spring weather after a trip to Governor's Island. We sipped a Villa Rosa, Gavi di Gavi, Piedmont, Italy ($38) while we started on the layered eggplant and ricotta Napoleon ($12) topped with mozzarella in tomato sauce. Also good is their Mediterranean mezze ($16) with falafel, baba ghanoush, hummus and tabouli served with warm pita bread. One dining partner tried the New Zealand mussels ($18) in an herbed red wine sauce. Another had the diver scallops ($14) with greens, another their chilled seafood salad ($18) with octopus, [...]

By |2022-06-02T07:19:29-04:00May 26th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Katzs Delicatessen, Lower East Side, NYC + Faith Reingold at the New Musuem

Who knew you could reserve a table at Katz's Delicatessen! I didn't until I called to see if they'd take a group of ex.expats for a pre-meal before a tour of the Faith Reingold exhibit at the New Museum. We were able to reserve a table for 13 through their catering department by paying a deposit of $10 per person. Since the closing of Carnegie Deli, Katz's is the most famous remaining Jewish-style one. It's been around since 1888. Although many of our group had never been to this iconic delicatessen before, they knew of it from film. The most classic appearance was in the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:43:48-04:00May 22nd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Miss Korea BBQ, Koreatown, NYC + A Reading: Charna Rivka

A building mate invited me to LAByrinth Theatre company's Annual Barn Series reading at 59 E 59 Theater for a sneak peek at a new play, Charna Rivka, written by David Deblinger. I found the start of the cold reading quite engaging with the ending in need of additional work — like many readings. Interesting though. After we headed down to Koreatown, ending up in Miss Korea BBQ this time ordering only their Dolsot Bibimbap ($21.95) with spicy pork, as last time the meat cooked at the table on the BBQ was overcooked. That Bibimbap dish of rice with veggies came sizzling hot in a stone pot topped with a [...]

By |2022-05-24T06:44:41-04:00May 20th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Terrace at the Edition Hotel, Theatre District, NYC

My friend made the res as she had a special table to request at the Terrace located on the 9th floor of the Edition Hotel, chef John Fraser's all-day restaurant. Weather permitting there's a cozy terrace and garden lush with plants and ivy. I returned to The Terrace again in the spring yet three years after promising to do so. I had to sample their signature Old Fashioned (although at $24 is mighty pricey) with Woodinville bourbon, stone fruit and a hint of chocolate from the cocoa nib bitters. We shared their empire Caesar salad with ($22) Castelfranco (a type of radicchio), baby romaine, anchovies and large sourdough croutons. Very [...]

By |2022-05-21T10:25:35-04:00May 12th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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