NYC Best Bites

Great Jones Distilling Co: Tour, Jazz and Food, NoHo, NYC

We visited the Great Jones Distilling Co, Manhattan’s first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition as media one afternoon. Our tour included an overview of the story, ingredients, process and equipment used to brew the three Great Jones whiskies – Great Jones Straight Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon and Rye. After the tour, we had a guided tasting of their whiskeys, aged four years in American white oak, and were offered $10 off any single bottle purchased after the tour.  The Straight Bourbon has a light to medium body with a creamy and peppery taste; the Four Grain Bourbon is also medium-bodied, yet oaky and better (my favorite); the Rye is complex [...]

By |2023-06-03T10:36:18-04:00May 23rd, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Metro Marché, Midtown, NYC

I was invited but was unable to attend, the opening of Metro Marché on West 57th. Instead, I stopped by to try their fare, sampling small portions of their entrees, salads, soups and various sandwiches all made with healthy fresh ingredients. I'd recommend stopping by if you're in the area and want to grab a bite. Metro Marché Midtown 30 W 57th St New York, NY 10019

By |2023-06-03T11:39:27-04:00May 20th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dos Caminos, Times Square, NYC + Museum of Broadway

My Ex.expat group visited the recently opened Museum of Broadway located in the heart of Times Square. It is an interactive and experiential museum that takes you on a journey from the birth of Broadway to the present. For those who grew up attending theatre, it's a dance down memory lane. I recommend. Producer Merrie L Davis (Parade, Eclipsed, Company, Gigi) welcomed our group, sharing that the concept started as a pop-up and ended up as the first permanent museum dedicated to documenting the history and experience of Broadway theatre. We learned about Broadway's profound influence on shaping Midtown Manhattan and Times Square. After the museum, we walked a couple [...]

By |2023-05-18T11:28:13-04:00May 17th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Barking Dog, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + The Thanksgiving Play

The restaurant where we were supposed to have brunch had a hastily written note saying "closed" for repairs, so I needed to scurry to find another place to eat before heading to the Helen Hayes Theatre to see "The Thanksgiving Play." That's how we ended up at the Barking Dog in the plaza between 49th and 50th Street between Eighth and Ninth. This informal, fun canine-themed restaurant serves typical brunch fare with a special menu for 4-legged friends on the heated patio. We started with their doggy-named cocktails. My dining partner chose the dog bubbles ($14) of sparkling wine, St. Germaine elderflower and pear, while I indulged in the ugly [...]

By |2023-05-12T06:45:11-04:00May 14th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Upscale Mexican at the new Caliza, Tribeca, NYC

I was invited as a guest to sample the new upscale Mexican restaurant Caliza in Tribeca on Greenwich Street. After perusing the menu, I knew I was in for a treat. I love that they make their classic margarita (I chose tequila over mezcal) with Combier orange liqueur and fresh lime juice ( $19); I requested the spicer version made with fresh serrano juice. Nicely done with just the right amount of spice. My dining partner went for their red sangria, thinking it wouldn't be as strong a cocktail. They combine red wine with Flor de Caña rum, Combier orange liqueur and blackberry cordial ($18). She needed to request club [...]

By |2023-05-12T06:43:58-04:00May 11th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Return to Novitá for Lunch, Flatiron, NYC

The older I get, the more I look for elegant dining places with good food where I can hear myself think.  Novitá, right off Park Avenue on 22nd Street, fits that bill. I hadn't returned to this cozy little Italian restaurant. The pandemic got in the way. I recently met a friend there for lunch, sharing good food and conversation. Upon hearing we were sharing, I loved how the kitchen split everything for us. Keep in mind the photos are half portions! The salmon salad ($17) was as delicious as before, with chunks of moist grilled salmon with haricot verde and fingerling potatoes as was the orecchiette with spicy lamb [...]

By |2023-05-12T06:47:27-04:00May 5th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Shanghai Mong, Koreatown, NYC + Macy’s Flower Show

After wandering around Macy's flower show, we headed to Koreatown to find a spot to grab a bite. My main prerequisite for selecting a place on the spur of the moment is an "A" health grade in the window. Shanghai Mong on West 32nd had that. I liked the gratis pickled radishes and kimchi. Their small spring rolls could have used more filling ($12 for four). The chicken with broccoli and other veggies ($30) was fine atop the accompanying rice, as were the mushrooms and bok choy, although the latter could have been served hotter. Next time, I'd keep looking. Shanghai Mong Koreatown 30 W 32nd St, New York, NY [...]

By |2023-05-07T07:24:55-04:00May 2nd, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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E.J. Luncheonette, Upper East Side, NYC

After playing bridge one morning at the Upper East Side game, two of us grabbed a quick bite with lots of conversation at E.J. Luncheonette. We stopped there, as it looked inviting when walking by. After ordering soup and salad combos, we noticed almost everyone else at this diner was eating salads. Good-looking salads. We, though, were happy with our combos. My dining partner savored her hearty bowl of green pea soup, scooping up every drop. The half garden club was filled with avocado, tomato, cheddar cheese, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and mushrooms on basil-mayo spread 7-grain toasted bread ($18.50). Nice. My French onion soup was too rich to finish. The [...]

By |2023-05-07T07:23:50-04:00April 29th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Enoteca Maria, Staten Island, NYC + Dionne Warwick, St. George Theatre

Not knowing how long it would take to get there, we took an early ferry to Staten Island for our 5:30 dinner at Enoteca Maria, next to the historic St. George Theatre, where we were seeing Dionne Warwick. We arrived before the restaurant even opened, yet were welcomed and seated at the front window table to chat and people watch out the window. Instead of chefs, rotating Nonnes cook with Italian grandmother Maria the constant. Our night's menus include foods from both an Egyptian Nonna and a Japanese one. We asked Safa, our informative server, to course our selections as we had the time before their latter 7:30 seating, which [...]

By |2023-05-07T07:31:49-04:00April 27th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings, Theatre|1 Comment
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Tarallucci e Vino, Union Square, NYC

In looking for a warm cozy neighborhood spot to sit and yack, we decided on Tarallucci e Vino in Union Square. While deciding what to order, we sipped our dry Sardinian Nuragus (white) while nibbling their tender focaccia. The chicken dish — pollo — is not to be missed ($29). Murray's tender chicken pieces arrive attractively stacked over fennel, potatoes and castelvetrano olives, all flavored with lavender and Calabrian chili. Their lasagne ($26) could have been better.  It was a dry layering of noodles, béchamel plus a beef and pork ragú. It might have been the night's last serving. I recommend this comfy neighborhood place to catch up with a [...]

By |2023-05-07T07:17:39-04:00April 25th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Shiraz Mediterranean Kitchen, Chelsea, NYC

Shiraz Mediterranean Kitchen has been a Michelin bib gourmand — a good quality, good value — for the past three years. I visited recently with some out-of-town friends. We started our celebration with the deliciously earthy Orin Swift Papillon 2019 Napa wine with its dark fruit ($160). I learned it is a blend of St. Helena, Atlas Peak and  Rutherford grapes that's aged 15 months in French oak. What was a huge hit is their fresh herbs (basil, mint) with warm pita, fresh whole walnuts and feta cheese. So simple and delicious that we decided it would be an easy app to serve guests. Mirza, smoked eggplant with roasted garlic [...]

By |2023-04-22T12:37:52-04:00April 22nd, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Veselka, East Village, NYC + The Merchant House

Our outing with our ex.expat group started at The Merchant House, a home built in 1832 and purchased in 1835 by Seabury Tredwell, a prosperous New York City hardware merchant. The Tredwell family lived in the now-landmark late-Federal and Greek revival-style row house for nearly 100 years.  They offer both self-guided and guided tours. After our visit, we headed to Veselka, an East Village restaurant that's been serving traditional Ukrainian food since 1954. Veselka earned a James Beard Outstanding Restaurant nomination this year based on its “food, atmosphere and hospitality while contributing positively to its broader community." Our group sampled lots of their fare, including their homemade Ukrainian meat or [...]

By |2023-04-22T07:32:27-04:00April 17th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at The Marshal, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

I chose Charlie Marshal's eponymous restaurant for its proximity to where my dining partners were off to see A Beautiful Noise at the Neil Simon theatre. With brunch cocktails de rigueur, we began with them; two of us ordered the Bloody Mary ($12) and two the Bloody Caesar ($13), made with clam juice. With our drinks, we devoured their yummy (not to be missed) wood-oven baked biscuits with Beth's Farm sour cherry preserves and house-churned honey bacon butter (small $8.50). One frittata, made with Bulich Farm sauteed mushrooms, arugula and parmesan, came served with thick-cut bacon and roasted potatoes ($17.50). The 12-inch breakfast pizza ($21.50) is topped with aged mozzarella, Bulich Farm sautèed mushrooms and [...]

By |2024-05-11T09:06:17-04:00April 13th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bangkok (Thai ) Food at Pranakhon, Union Square, NYC

My friend Babs raved about a new Thai restaurant in my hood, serving the food of Bangkok. On her recommendation, I met a friend for lunch in their airy, spacious dining room, allowing for easy conversation. Those who've been to Thailand might recognize the orange vests sported by the serving staff, similar to the delivery cyclists on Bangkok streets. They not only brighten the atmosphere but allow you to ID a server quickly. We started with the crispy chicken curry roti flatbread, cut into quarters and served with a sweet cucumber dipping sauce ($16) while we looked over the menu. Afterward, we shared Bangkok's most famous street dish, Krapow Moo [...]

By |2024-05-18T18:22:52-04:00April 11th, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Return to Balaboosta, West Village, NYC

After seeing the "birthday crown" on my dining partner, our server Mark at Balaboosta, brought us bubbly to celebrate! A perfect start to our celebratory Mediterranean meal. We shared all, starting with that night's special burrata, basil-kale pesto and a tomato-cherry jam ($21) with grilled sourdough bread; their eggplant with an almond crumble and red pepper tahini ($18); and their cauliflower with peanut tahini, lemon, Bamba ( Israeli peanut-butter-flavored puffed maize) and pickle crumble ($19). We then shared the pappardelle, chicken and greens, all worth trying. The pasta ribbons ($29) come tossed in a creamy mushroom and charred onion sauce; their tender brick chicken in muhammara (a red pepper and walnut mixture) comes [...]

By |2023-04-07T10:55:01-04:00April 9th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Special Night at Tagmo, South Street Seaport, NYC

A dozen women, mainly members of the New York Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, enjoyed an exceptional meal at Tagmo, where fellow-Dame Surbhi Sahni created a special menu created for us. Her South Street Seaport restaurant honors India's regional food, "all made fresh, cooked slow and vegetable-forward with harmoniously balanced flavors." Surbi brought out dishes that she mentioned are rarely eaten outside India's home kitchens and food stalls.  In Bhutanese, Tagmo means tigress, the symbol of female strength across South Asia. Do not miss either her Khatta Meetha Chaat, a Delhi street salad with chickpeas, jicama, mangoes and cucumbers tossed in a Devil's chutney and topped with tiny potato crisps or [...]

By |2023-04-22T07:37:01-04:00April 5th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Celebration at Le Bernardin, Midtown, NYC

In celebration of my dining partner's cancer remission, we dined at Eric Ripert's Le Bernardin, the continually honored restaurant. Pete Wells (New York Times) again gave Le Bernardin their coveted 4-star review, previously bestowed on the restaurant by past Times reviewers. The Midtown Manhattan seafood restaurant has held that New York Times rating since it opened in 1986 when Bryan Miller gave the restaurant four stars, Ruch Reichl in 1995, Frank Bruni in 2005 and Pete Wells previously in 2012. We indulged in the 4-course Prix fixe menu for $198 and shared a white burgundy from a woman winemaker recommended by the Sommelier. We started with three tiny cups of [...]

By |2023-12-29T09:50:25-05:00April 3rd, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Mexican Cosme, Flatiron, NYC

Cosme, Enrique Olvera's one-Michelin-star acclaimed Mexican restaurant, is a 3-min walk from the Flatiron Building. The World's 50 Best lists it as one of the 50 best restaurants. When it opened in 2014, Mexican-born Daniela Soto-Innes was their chef; she won the James Beard Rising Star Award in 2016 at age 25 and was named the world’s best female chef at 28. She is about to open Rubra in the coastal state of Nayari inside the W Punta de Mita resort hotel in Mexico. Gustavo Garnica has since taken the reins. The food and service remain outstanding. I recently took a friend there for brunch to celebrate her birthday. We [...]

By |2023-03-18T09:19:00-04:00March 28th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Dim Sum Palace, Lower East Side, NYC + Museum at Eldridge Street

Our ex.expat group explored the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, the first great house of worship by Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the United States. We had arranged for a knowledgeable docent to guide us. He took us through its sweeping history, from the synagogue as a cultural hotspot in the bustling Jewish Lower East Side to decades of decay to its miraculous rebirth as a 21st-century museum. Always grabbing a bite after one of our outings, we walked around the corner to the new (opened in December) Dim Sum Palace, offering made-to-order dim sum and traditional Cantonese cuisine. Some favorites of our group of twenty included har gow (translucent dumplings stuffed [...]

By |2023-03-23T23:44:26-04:00March 24th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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