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Restaurant Spotting: Antica Pesa

Brooklyn’s own Berry Street is a somewhat unlikely location for the first stateside outpost of Antica Pesa, a 90-year-old restaurant situated in a former Vatican tollhouse in Trastevere. Because instead of being perfectly suited to shabby chic hipsters, the sleek new restaurant seems destined to follow in the path of its predecessor, becoming an out-of-the-way haven for the rich, famous and jet set (an image search yields twenty pictures of Madonna, Ashton Kutcher and Thomas Hardy, juxtaposed with delicately swirled plates of Cacio e Pepe).
A New & Improved Nick And Toni’s in the Hamptons for 2013

It’s one thing for a Hamptons restaurant to draw crowds during the height of the summer season. But the 25-year-old Nick and Toni’s is a veritable institution year round, attracting both local, loyal clientele, and a steady stream of celebrities as varied as Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Steven Spielberg and Martha Stewart.
Where to Celebrate Memorial Day 2013

Memorial Day is the ultimate indicator that summer is just around the bend. (We can almost taste it!) Come this Monday, we all get an extra day off from work. Every local beach and park will officially open, bustling with the flip-flopped and (weather permitting) bathing suit-clad. And most importantly, the smell of barbecue and salty sea creatures will fill the air. So where to eat this celebratory, three day weekend?

Most Recent Dish

“Ramp up the Volume” Pesto with Seared Sea Scallops

Posted on Apr 24, 2013 in Recipes

Did you claw your way to the front of a farmers market stand, in order to get your hands on one of the season’s first bushels of ramps? Perhaps even foraged them yourself, on a hike through the woods upstate? Either way… congratulations! You’re currently in possession of spring’s most coveted veggie, wild young leeks with a garlic-like aroma and pronounced onion flavor. But how the heck do you use them?

Seasonal Eats: Ramps

Posted on Apr 23, 2013 in Best Of, Spring Eats

We’re not exactly sure when ramp-mania started. But there’s no denying that in the last few years, the onset of spring has been officially marked by the appearance of ramps on restaurant menus. So what exactly is this elusive onion that’s taken the culinary world by storm? A perennial wild leek, the ramp has broad, edible green leaves and a tender stalk and bulb with a purplish tinge, similar to a scallion in taste and texture.

Herb Garden Kit

Posted on Apr 22, 2013 in Gizmo Girl

You’d be hard pressed to find someone in New York who hasn’t given in to the farm-to-table craze. Green markets are bigger than ever, restaurants throughout the country are striving to use fresh ingredients, and we’re all getting a little smarter about how we dine out. But just because the trend has hit the restaurant scene, it doesn’t mean you can’t take it to the next level in your kitchen at home. And you don’t have to stop with buying organic veggies from the local farmer’s market…

“Rites of Spring” Strawberry Rhubarb Cocktail

Posted on Apr 19, 2013 in Recipes

Let’s be honest. Sometimes, a good strong cocktail is the only thing that can get you through the winter. Not that we’re abandoning the liquor cabinet now that it’s spring. Light spirits pair particularly well with warm-weather ingredients – we combined tangy rhubarb and sparkling wine for the ultimate spring cooler, perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch, as an aperitif before dinner, or for sipping while watching the sun set from your stoop, patio, fire escape or rooftop!

Q & A with Flatiron Lounge & Clover Club’s Julie Reiner

Posted on Apr 18, 2013 in Chef Q&A

It’s often said that there aren’t enough women working in professional kitchens. And the same seems to be true of behind the bar. But when it comes to real top of the line mixologists, there are few bigger names in the business than Julie Reiner – and that’s male or female. Owner and beverage director of the jazzy, ten-year-old Flatiron Lounge in Manhattan (which serves intricately layered drinks listed under “Whiskey,” “Brandy,” “Rum,” “Gin,” “Tequila,” and “Vodka”), and the pre-Prohibition era Clover Club in Brooklyn (known for its assortment of Sours and Daisies, Collins and Fizzes, Punches and Royales), Reiner is often credited with revitalizing the golden age of the cocktail, making American classics with fresh juices, handcrafted syrups and infusions, and seasonal ingredients.

Spring Cocktails on the Rise

Posted on Apr 16, 2013 in Best Of

Dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon and Brussels Sprouts don’t really have a place on lightened-up, springtime menus. And neither do heady, malty spirits, like Port or Brandy, or comfort cocktails, like Rum Punch or a Tom & Jerry. That’s why bars and restaurants are making sure their cocktails are every bit as seasonal as the food they accompany, from the sugar snap pea-topped “Green Giant” at Clover Club in Brooklyn to the blood orange and rhubarb-accented “Spiritual America” at Nolita’s Pearl and Ash. So put down your wintry Manhattan and try one of these warm-weather libations this spring!

Dish Spotting: Manzanilla’s Croquettes

Posted on Apr 15, 2013 in Dish Spotting

New Yorkers embrace food from all over the world. We can’t get enough Korean, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese… you get the picture. But (and that’s a big but) we don’t typically take kindly to foreigners, at least not in the food department. Think about how many foreign restaurants have planted flags on our soil only to be sent back to their country defeated. Let’s be honest, many of them had it coming. But from the sea of full tables in the dining room on a recent Saturday night, that’s not the case for Manzanilla, a brand new Spanish spot in Gramercy.

Best New Vendors Smorgasburg 2013

Posted on Apr 11, 2013 in Best Of

A tongue-in-cheek reference to the Scandinavian Smörgåsbord, an extensive buffet that features a variety of hot and cold dishes, Smorgasburg more than lives up to its name. Brooklyn’s mammoth, all-food flea market features up to 100 independent vendors, specializing in everything from Deep-Fried Anchovies and Filipino Spring Rolls, to dairy-free Ice Cream and artisanal Pigs in a Blanket. With competition so fierce, it’s more important than ever for upstart artisans to bring their “A” game. And, from what we tasted at Smorgasburg last Saturday, these elite new vendors are already rising to the head of the class.

Best In-Between Seasons Eats

Posted on Apr 9, 2013 in Best Of

It’s a funny thing about the first few weeks of spring. No sooner do we start to get excited about longer, warmer days and farmers markets full of green, leafy vegetables, then the weather takes a turn, and we go right back to craving soups and stews for those still-too-chilly afternoons, and even colder nights. So until we can officially forgo beans for sweet peas, steak for shellfish, and cremini mushrooms for morels, we’re happily taking advantage of these “in-between season” eats.

Restaurant Spotting – The Wallace

The Wallace

Brooklyn

Posted on Apr 8, 2013 in Hottest Newcomers

Ringed by a barbershop, a Subway franchise and a bodega, Brooklyn’s The Wallace seems an unlikely spot for Seared Sea Scallops with Hazelnut Cauliflower Puree, or Duck Breast with Fingerling Potatoes, Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Duck Demi Glace. And even though the restaurant is in coveted proximity to the Barclay’s Center, the massive new sports and entertainment complex on Atlantic Avenue, it’s not a place you’re likely to just stumble upon. But it’s one you might want to make a concentrated effort to seek out.

Q & A with Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s John Stage

Posted on Apr 5, 2013 in Chef Q&A

When you think of the great BBQ capitals of America, like Texas, North Carolina or Tennessee, you’ll notice that East Coast states never make the list. Yet John Stage, founder of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, has spent the last 25 years working magic with a smoker, producing some of tenderest brisket, tastiest pulled pork, and most lip-smacking ribs you’re likely to find North of the Mason-Dixon line.

Countertop Deep Fryer

Posted on Apr 4, 2013 in Gizmo Girl

With summer still a few months away, it’s the perfect time of year to guiltlessly enjoy some of your favorite deep-fried comfort foods. (We’ve got Fried Chicken on the brain right now.) But deep-frying in your own kitchen is not as simple as it may seem (unless you’re totally cool with oil-stained aprons and a few minor burns).

Spring Dishes on the Rise

Posted on Apr 3, 2013 in Best Of, Spring Eats

As Sohui Kim, chef and owner of The Good Fork in Red Hook eloquently put it, “Spring is when I can stop pretending to be excited about cooking with root vegetables.” It’s still a bit early in the season (ramp mania has yet to hit its peak), but plenty of restaurants are already showcasing glimpses of spring’s bounty from the Greenmarket. We scouted out a vibrant Spring Pea Soup at Market Table, Spring Garlic Risotto at Craft, and Strawberries and Rhubarb sweetening Foie Gras at Prospect in Fort Greene…

Middle Eastern Lamb & Green Bean Tagine

Posted on Apr 2, 2013 in Recipes

When we think of Easter time, two must-have dishes spring to mind, Lamb and Green Bean Casserole. And while Easter is officially over, we’re inspired to combine the two together this spring for an unusual, but no less delicious entrée – a Moroccan-inspired Lamb and Green Bean Tajine. We’ve adapted our recipe to cook in an everyday pot, but if you happen to own a Tajine (or feel like purchasing one as they’re very attractive), by all means, use it!

Carbone – Reviewed

Carbone

Greenwich Village

Posted on Apr 1, 2013 in Reviews

There’s just something about a “red sauce” joint that feeds the soul more than any kind of restaurant imaginable. I love going out to dinner and trying new restaurants (after all, I am a restaurant girl), but that often involves concepts that are a modern twist on a classic, like Modern Mexican, a fusion of two (or more) cuisines, or a purely Greenmarket play of seasonal, local eats. Rarely do you come across a buzzy, new restaurant that peddles in Veal Parmesan, Linguine with Clams, and Lobster Fra Diavolo. It sounds almost like a contradiction in terms, but Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi have made an art of Red Sauce Italian, and by doing so, have made Italian-American cooking hot.

Best Lamb Dishes for Spring

Posted on Mar 28, 2013 in Best Of, Spring Eats

Chicken is by far America’s most popular protein and becoming trendier every...

The Best Matzoh Ball Soups In New York

Posted on Mar 26, 2013 in Best Of, Holiday Eats

Some grandmothers pass down recipes for Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, while others make the best Lasagna, Arroz con Pollo, or Sweet Potato Pie. For good little Jewish boys and girls, though, nothing says grandma like a steaming bowl of Matzoh Ball Soup. And the upcoming Passover holiday makes those childhood memories even sweeter.