NYC Best Bites

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: 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|0 Comments
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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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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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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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Margaux, Marlton, Hotel, Greenwich Village, NYC

The Marlton Hotel has been on my radar since a friend texted, "How did we not know about this place?" She described the warm, cozy area with a lit fireplace on 8th Street just off Fifth Avenue. When I walked in, that area had a sprinkling of guests seated at tables with a computer in front of them in the warm, comfortable room. I headed to the dining room, where the wait staff warmly greeted me. We sipped Aperol Spritz while talking nonstop, as we needed to catch up. My dining partner had avocado whole-grained toast ($15) topped with green tomatoes and two eggs ($5). I worked on my chilaquiles—fried corn tortillas [...]

By |2024-05-20T07:15:49-04:00June 5th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Chalong, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + A Sign of the Times

Chalong is worth a special trip. We ended up at this Southern Thai restaurant because of its proximity to New World Stages, where we saw A Sign of the Times, a musical review about a woman's journey set to the soundtrack of our Baby Boomer generation. The perfectly seasoned coconut crab curry had just enough heat to be pleasant. The crab was lumps of meat and a soft-shelled mini, fried crab. Betel leaves added to the heat. Perfection. The waiter suggested tossing the lumpu salad before enjoying it. We followed his advice, mixing the fresh oysters, chili paste, seafood sauce, fried shallots, radish slices, fresh mint, cilantro and pea shoots [...]

By |2024-06-01T17:19:22-04:00June 2nd, 2024|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Daintree Rooftop Bar, Hotel Hendricks, NYC

A few of us Dames—members of Les Dames d'Escoffier from the New York chapter—met with a New Orleans Dame for a drink and nibbles atop Hotel Hendricks after the Cherry Bomb conference. Great views. I sipped and enjoyed their version of an old fashioned—Coffee and Wood ($18)—with Old Forester bourbon, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, Créme de Banana and cold brew. Others sipped the Aussie Spritz ($12) with house "Aperol" blend, strawberry and blood orange topped with prosecco, orange wine ($17), Chardonnay ($16) and Titos ($18). We then shared their yummy fries (10), oversized cheeseburger sliders ($18 for two), crudité with hummus ($14) and skewers. We skipped the kangaroo (Yes! Kangaroo) for the shrimp ones [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:02:13-04:00May 30th, 2024|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rooftop|2 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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