January 2013
1 post
7 tags
WE'VE MOVED!
New Look, New Name, Same Incredible Reviews.
I invite you to check out my new blog, The Political Foodie, for easier search features, more pictures and new categories.
October 2012
1 post
WE'VE MOVED!
New Look, New Name, Same Incredible Reviews.
I invite you to check out my new blog, The Political Foodie, for easier search features, more pictures and new categories.
September 2012
5 posts
Blue Cheese Steak, Green Beans & Caprese Salad
For Recipe and Review, Click Here.
Paradou
See Review Here. Chronic Drunk Brunch.
L'Artusi
See Review Here.
Rosh Hashana
See Review here.
Meatball Shop
See the review here
August 2012
15 posts
5 tags
Bohemian
“I feel cooler for having eaten here,” my friend said as we sat back in our seats, stomachs full, staring at the carcass of our bronzino and remains of mac and cheese. I couldn’t have agreed more. And not only that, I think my palate is grateful for the wonderful dining experience and angry at the same time that no meal for a while will live up to this.
Everything about our...
“This is food politics in its rawest form.”
– A NYTimes piece about Shopsin’s, insanely appropriate. I’m already plotting the game plan of what to order. Can’t wait to share!
4 tags
Corner Bistro
After drinks at Standard Beer Garden and dancing at Hog’s, my friend Rachel and I were starving for the dinner we had missed. Although Meatpacking is home to some of the best restaurants in the city, the prices were far from wallet friendly. We both knew a little salad would not suffice, causing us to turn to the best thing at that hour; burgers.
Rachel had been to the delicious, hidden...
5 tags
Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
Rainbows, Unicorns, and Ice Cream. Awesome life-changing ice cream. That’s Big Gay Ice Cream Shop for you.
Very few things would drag Upper West Siders down to the heart of the East Village on a Sunday night, with new TV premieres and HBO shows on. But this was not just any type of craving, this was Big Gay.
Formally an ice cream truck, Big Gay parked on 17th and Broadway, with lines...
4 tags
Alice's Tea Cup
The last time I ventured down the stairs to Wonderland was years ago for my sister, Amanda’s 11th birthday. At Alice’s Tea Cup, her friends played dress up with the numerous wings, crowns and boas hanging from the walls and ate little scones, cucumber sandwiches, cookies and tea. An elegant meal for ladies in England transformed into a whimsical, playroom for children and adults of...
4 tags
Montville Inn
The old, fond memory of elegant dining and delicious whimsical, Asian inspired dishes in the heart of suburban New Jersey vanished after my latest meal at Montville Inn. Birthday, graduation and goodbye dinners had been spent at this charming, stand alone house. Valet service used to provided, even though the lot was small and easily accessible. It was truly all about the experience.
(c/o...
4 tags
Isabella's Strawberry Butter
Every morning, I wake up to tons of spam emails from Groupon, J.Crew, and any other site I regretfully gave my email address to. However, in the mix of unwanted emails, I sometimes find ones that are worth clogging my inbox.
My absolute favorite brunch place, Isabella’s, sends out a monthly email with fun little specials for their regular subscribers. I am an avid fan of all things they...
5 tags
Beauty & Essex
Getting off the M train at Essex Street, my sister posed the question about up and coming areas in NYC. “What determines what is in and what is out? This whole area seems kind of sketchy.” At 10pm on a Wednesday night, without alcohol goggles and groups of friends, the Lower East Side gives off an unwelcoming vibe. The dark, unlit sidewalks, garbage on the street and unfriendly...
4 tags
Momoya
I met my sister after work at Momoya, a local sushi joint on Amsterdam. This Upper West Side restaurant has great outdoor seating and extremely reasonably priced food, perfect for our evening’s needs.
We ordered a bottle of cold saki to start, priced conveniently at $22. We toasted to a great evening, and glanced over the menu. It took us a bit t order after a deep political conversation...
3 tags
Lunch (The Lobster Roll Restaurant)
One essential, last pit stop was deemed extremely necessary before leaving Montauk. So necessary, that we were willing to miss the 5:30pm train in exchange for the hour later departure time. We needed lobster rolls.
While the locals raved about Cyril’s lobster rolls being the best on this side of the island, we were told there was competition lurking down the road. One of my favorite...
3 tags
South Edison
While in Montauk, it seemed necessary to consume as much local, fresh seafood as humanly possible. We wanted to make a fun dinner reservation at one of the few, but delicious, restaurants on this part of the island. Most places seemed to be booked up for reasonable dining hours, so we decided to go Manhattan on Montauk and head to dinner at 10:15pm. We decided to try South Edison, a seafood...
3 tags
Bird on the Roof
Right around the corner from our Day 2 Montauk destination was an adorable brunch/lunch place, Bird on the Roof. The logo was beachy and fun, and the adjacent gift shop featured all of the cheesey products one would expect. However, the cuteness stopped at the door. By the time we left, we wished we had just stopped at 7-11 for cereal or found bagels. It was that bad of an experience.
We...
4 tags
Cyril's Fish House
I haven’t seen 6am in weeks, let alone on a Saturday. I arrived at Penn Station with the early crowd for my three hour train ride out east, far east. This would be an adventure to unchartered territory. I was taking on Montauk.
A half of a cinnamon raisin bagel, one full movie and too many failed nap attempts later, I arrived as far east as one could go. I think the next stop after...
5 tags
Gastroarte
Graffiti artist turned chef epitomizes the essence of Gastroarte. Here, Chef Nunez, recent contestant on Iron Chef America against Michael Simon (he lost by 1 point) shows off his culinary skills and knowledge of artistic beauty. Not only are the plates presented works of art, but the taste and unique components come together to produce high end, delectable dishes.
I had seen Gastroarte pop up...
4 tags
Kin Shop
Restaurant week drew me to Kin Shop’s doors, but the a la carte menu is why I stayed and would easily come back. This Thai Restaurant, owned by Top Chef Season 1 winner, Harold Dieterle, draws a hip, young crowd. It’s very appropriately located on the outskirts of the West Village with their whimsical and playful menu that combines spices and simple ingredients. The simple décor utilizes blues,...
July 2012
12 posts
3 tags
Tartine
The West Village has easily become my favorite spot for brunch. The options seem endless when strolling down W. 4th Street. After glancing over a few menus, my friend Rachel and I were drawn into Tartine, a small spot on the corner of W. 4th and 11th. We stared at the food and knew that we had found our spot.
Only one waiter was working the entire restaurant, making it seem a bit...
6 tags
Riverpark
Hidden behind the NYU Hospital in nameless Manhattan is a culinary gem and dining experience that should be discovered by all. Riverpark by Tom Colicchio (owner of Craft and Colicchio & Sons Restaurants and more importantly, head judge of Top Chef) combines the farm to table experience in a way that makes all others fall short. The reason, I assume, for the off the beaten path location is...
5 tags
Lobster Bisque, Focaccia & Arugula Salad
Ever since I moved to New York and started my new job, my Dad has joked that I should finally be able to take my parents out to dinner; a gesture serving as my right of passage into adulthood. I have kindly joked back about the lovely meal I will be taking them to at Gray’s Papaya.
Finally, determined to make some sort of a fun statement, I was inspired to create a Sunday night feast at...
3 tags
Rock Center Cafe
Even though I call Rockefeller Plaza my home away from home, I am always still in awe of its magnitude and greatness. The fountain in the summer and rink and Christmas Tree in the winter make me beam with pride and joy. The best part of the summer used to be drinks on the “rink,” which transforms into an outdoor dining area and bar during this time of the year. They used to boast...
5 tags
Taboon
For a few select weeks in the end of July, the unaffordable becomes reasonable. NYC Restaurant Week has officially begun. Some of the city’s best create a lunch and/or dinner Prix Fix menu, opening their doors to savvy foodies from far and wide. I am a subscriber to Zagat’s daily emails and was thrilled when receiving their list of 12 Best for Restaurant Week. I glanced over the...
5 tags
STK
If you enjoy a dining experience which feels like you’re in the middle of a nightclub with people probably on Ecstasy creating their own dance floor next to you, then you’ve definitely come to the right place. STK fortunately serves high quality food to make up for the inability to hear the person sitting next to you, with the likes of Whitney Houston blasting in the background...
2 tags
Colonie
Horrible. And even that does not give this “dining” experience justice. Never before have I walked out of a restaurant after waiting 40 minutes and been completely disrespected in the process.
Despite the rave reviews from the likes of Zagat’s and Immaculate Infatuation, this Brooklyn Heights rustic American restaurant falls short on all service accounts. The food might be...
1 tag
5 tags
Cafe Luluc
Sometimes you find the best places just by accident. This morning was a prime example of this experience. We stumbled into Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and down Smith Street with the help of Yelp. Ultimately we decided upon Cafe Luluc, a simple French Bistro. Little did we realize some of their food would top our list of “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
We entered the restaurant and were...
5 tags
Rosemary's
The farm to table dining experience has taken New York by storm. Constantly, new places are using precious real estate to dedicate to the art of farming and delicious, local culinary eating. Rosemary’s in the heart of the West Village is the latest example of this growing phenomenon. This stand alone building uses its rooftop to grow many of the vegetables used on their menu, as well as...
5 tags
Amada
During our spontaneous trip to Atlantic City for the Kanye West concert at Revel, my sister, Leigh and I decided a fabulous meal was a necessity. We sat in our dark hotel room with Open Table as our guide searching for the perfect culinary experience to kick off our night. We found Amada, Iron Chef Jose Garces’ restaurant. I loved his Chicago tapas spot, Mercat a la Planxa, and with that we were...
June 2012
17 posts
5 tags
The Breslin
Just an after work drink turned into a quest for dinner. Being situated in Bryant Park, options of somewhat reasonable prices for great food seemed relatively limited in the sweltering, New York summer heat. In listing off places that came to mind, I casually mentioned The Breslin at the Ace Hotel. My friend immediately jumped on this suggestion, but complained about the 10 block walk down 5th...
5 tags
The Fat Radish
Walking down Orchard Street, the various awning signs made it clear that I was in Chinatown. I ventured downtown to meet my friend, Amber, for dinner at The Fat Radish, a trendy, rustic spot. My confused continued to grow to the point where I even checked my location on my iPhone. When I saw gorgeous couples standing outside a dark wooden door and large windows, I knew this place was different...
7 tags
Riposo 72
I have probably walked past this quaint wine bar at least thirty times since moving to the Upper West Side. Tucked away on 72nd between Columbus and Amsterdam, the little blue awning saying “Wine Bar – Café,” proves to be extremely deceiving and blends into the environment of Laundromats and Kinko’s surrounding it from the unknowing, tourist world. Luckily, rave reviews on Menu Pages and a quest...
5 tags
Earl's Beer & Cheese
There are some sandwiches that just stick with you. One bite and a snide smile graces your face and you know this is something you need to share with everyone. This happened today. And I can’t be more excited to share.
After winning our first Ultimate Frisbee game of the year on Randall’s Island (go team #PageRage), our stomachs were grumbling after all of the running around on...
6 tags
Jacob's Pickles
I have a new obsession; Jacob’s Pickles. I have been dying to try this new Upper West Side restaurant and finally had an excuse to make my way inside. With one single bite, this new, rustic spot made its way into my culinary thoughts and dreams. Already, I am convinced that this place, opened in December, will become a new staple of Upper West Side cuisine.
Amanda and I entered through the...
4 tags
Luke's Lobster
The quest for dinner took my sister and I up Amsterdam to a place we have never been; Luke’s Lobster. I have always eyed the little, hole in the wall, yet famous place. Amanda mentioned she had never eaten a lobster roll or remembered having one, (we were in Bar Harbor, Maine in ‘04 and I’m sure she had one then; she was 8). We decided to go and see what all of the hype was...
Cascabel Taqueria
The Upper East Side is not all that bad. I’m in no way shape or form ever going to be a convert, but I’m slowly becoming accepting. That’s progress.
I met my friends at Carl Schurz Park (I googled the name) on 86th and East End. It’s right on the river with plenty of benches and space for laying out. Watching all of the sailboats ride past gives the feeling that you...
6 tags
Acme
Years ago, my dad and I had gone to hear his old dental school roommate play with a band in the basement of Acme, a New Orleans restaurant, boasting a Cajun-Southern menu and decor to compliment. I had just turned 21, so we shared a beer inside, and then went to go hear the band.
When my friend, Amber, suggested we eat at the hot, new restaurant Acme, I had zero clue that I was going to the same...
5 tags
Land Thai Kitchen
My sister wanted to take me out for a fun, light birthday dinner. One place immediately popped to mind for the perfect location for our needs; Land Thai Kitchen. Owned by the same people as Recipe, this Upper West Side location serves some of the best Thai food around and the prices are beyond reasonable. That makes the food taste even better.
This small, narrow restaurant typically has an...
5 tags
Fig & Olive
I’ve written time and time again about wonderful meals and dining experiences across New York. My meal at Fig & Olive, a place I frequent for dinner, consistently has good food, but the service Saturday night put such a severe damper on my meal that this Meatpacking staple might have just been crossed off my go-to list. As the meal progressed, the service continued to get worse and worse to...
4 tags
Sarabeth's
I know there are better “bangs for your buck” brunches on the Upper West Side, but for some reason, Sarabeth’s draws me back time and time again. They just know how to do brunch and slightly differently then the rest of Manhattan.
Their brunches have been a city staple since the 80s when this restaurant was just a woman named Sarabeth kneading bread in her kitchen that you...
5 tags
Dovetail
The wonderful part about eating out revolves around the whole dining experience. From the second I stepped into Dovetail, the experience took over. My sisters and I had run ahead of our parents in the summer rain storm. The hostess checked our umbrellas, and immediately sat us down, rather than having us wait near the front. I have to say, that’s the sign of a great restaurant. True class.
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