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Air’s Champagne Parlor is All About the Bubbly
Beer, wine and even cider bars abound in NYC, but Air’s Champagne Parlor is one of the few area drinkeries devoted to bubbly. To be fair, the Riddling Widow briefly preceded it, but owner Ariel Arce was actually beverage director during its tenure, as well as Birds & Bubbles before that, and Chicago’s Pops for Champagne (not to mention Grant Achatz’s exclusive, original The Office) before that. Meaning her reputation as queen of Cuvèe absolutely proceeds her.
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Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2017
If you’re already mourning the loss of summer, Oktoberfest is a reliable way to get you over the hump. Essentially spanning the duration of fall (kicking off on September 16th this year & extending all the way to October 31st, allowing revelers to seamlessly transition to Halloween), the 16 to 18-day festival is a giddy saturnalia of German culture…
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Spotlight on the Finalists for the 2017 Vendy Awards
As a fun challenge to the James Beard Awards, the Vendy ceremony — now in its 13th year — is dedicated to honoring the very best in street food. So here’s who’s in the running during the September 16th event at Governors Island; from an artisanal twinkie baker to an upstart french toast sandwich maker, to a Chinese meat skewer purveyor, whose been tapped for the Vendy Cup…
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Mermaid Oyster Bar
*** — Three Stars Address: 79 MacDougal St., nr. Houston Phone: (212)260-0100 Cuisine: Seafood Vibe: White-washed fish shack Occasion: Oyster cravings, casual date, group dinner. Hours: Dinner, Mon-Thu 5:30p.m.-11p.m, Fri & Sat, 5:30-11:30p.m. Closed Sundays. Don’t Miss Dish: Mermaid Mary cocktail; Sauteed calamari with feta & frisee; Fried clam strips; Roasted mussels. Average Price: Cocktails, $11Appetizers, $9; Entrees, $20; Complimentary Dessert. Reservations: Reservations recommended. Capsule: Back to the beach for dinner. It’s rare to find fried clam strips in...
Read MorePatroon's Cream of Pumpkin Soup
By Executive Chef Bill Peet (Serves 6) Ingredients: 1 medium white onion, sliced 1 small pumpkin, cleaned of skin and seeds, sliced, approx. 5 cups 6 oz butter 1 medium garlic clove, smashed 1 medium white turnip, peeled and sliced 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced 1 large potato, peeled and cut into quarters 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock ½ cup heavy cream 1 small, thin Baguette (French Bread), crust removed and cut into ½ inch cubes, approximately...
Read MorePOURfect Bowls
Just in time for Thanksgiving. I discovered the Pourfect bowl collection. Gadgets just keep getting better every day. This bowl gives new meaning to multi-tasking. It’s a measuring bowl, mixing bowl, and pouring bowl all-in-one. That means less dishes to clean and more shelf space. It also means less chance of spills and dirty counters. Pourfect bowls can be used to measure small amounts from 1 cup to batch quantities up to twelve cups. They’re ideal for baking, cracking...
Read MoreThanksgiving – Dining Out & Take-Out
Thanksgiving is a challenge even for the most gifted chef. We all need a little help or the entire night off. When you consider that some of the finest chefs in New York are cooking, it’s tempting to dine out. Whether you’re cooking, going to a friend’s, or dining out, there are tons of options… Dining Out: Back Forty Phone: (212)388-1990 Address: 190 Avenue B www.backfortynyc.com (Photo Credit: Tina Rupp) Comfort and hospitality are essential to Thanksgiving and this...
Read MoreTasty Faux Meats (Yes, really)
We’ve decided to expand our coverage, so we’ve invited talented writers & eaters to contribute along the way. Enjoy… By RG writer – Jess DelBalzo My boyfriend considers himself a “fake-meat vegetarian.” What he really means is that he prefers texturized soy and gluten products to nuts, beans, raw tofu and the like. Basically, he likes to eat vegan things prepared and shaped like real meat. One of his favorite things is so-called “chicken” parmesan. (I eat chicken, so...
Read MoreGiano's Risotto with Pumpkin, Gorgonzola & Amaretto Powder.
Every Sunday, Giano will be offering you your choice of two risottos with a glass of red wine for $19. We thought we’d give you a taste of a recipe and can easily be served instead of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. By Executive Chef Matteo Calciati (Serves 4) Ingredients: · 1 onion, chopped · 10 oz of risotto Arborio · 8 oz of pumpkin pulp · 3.5 oz of gorgonzola · 1 glass of white wine · 1pint of...
Read MoreThanksgiving Gadgets
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, so we thought we’d round up some of the best tools that will hopefully make dinner go smoothly. Gadgets really do make life in the kitchen a lot easier. Roast & Serve Turkey Lifter After your turkey is finally ready, you want to get the bird on the table ASAP, which can be tricky. It takes some maneuvering to remove the turkey from a roasting pan to serving tray without making a mess. This ingenious...
Read MoreQ & A with Sam Talbot
Most people hate losing. Not Sam Talbot. He was eliminated in the finals of Top Chef in season two. “It was a blessing in disguise,” Talbot says. Instead, he seized the opportunity to head up the kitchen at The Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York where he takes full advantage of the local waters. Talbot grew up in the south and trained with chef James Burns at J Bistro in Charleston, North Carolina. By age 23, he moved to...
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Pierogi Paradise Found in Greenpoint
We’ve decided to expand our coverage on the site, so we’ve invited some talented writers to contribute along the way, including chefs, bartenders, servers, and sommeliers. Feel free to email your ideas to email us with your ideas at restaurantgirl@restaurantgirl.com. Enjoy… By RG writer – Caitlin Decker I don’t think I ever ate a pierogi before moving to Greenpoint, or at least not one worth remembering. I came to Brooklyn from Tucson, Arizona — not exactly known for its...
Read MoreBoston Sucks At Locanda Verde
Well, this made our week. Andrew Carmellini and Locanda Verde are apparently hard-core Yankees fans. If you’re a Boston fan/loser, you might want to dine elsewhere this weekend. There are lots of loyal Yankees fans who will gladly take that reservation off your hands… Address: 377 Greenwich St.Phone:...
Read MoreSalumeria Rosi Parmacotto's Spaghetti alla Gricia
By Chef/Owner Cesare Casella Ingredients: 3 oz. dry Spaghetti 2 oz. guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, cut 1/4 “ thick (ask your deli person to slice it like this for you) 2T extra virgin olive oil, divided 1T chives, chopped 1T Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped 1-2T Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated 3 cranks black pepper Procedure: 1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, large enough for the pasta to swim freely. Salt water to taste. 2. Add pasta, stirring...
Read MoreJaccard Veggie Peeler
Perfect timing. Thanksgiving’s right around the corner and that means two things: overeating and not feeling the least bit guilty about it. But for some of us, that also means a lot of cooking and prep work. Peeling vegetables isn’t hard, but it tends to get messy. This clever gadget eliminates the annoying cleanup because there’s a plastic chamber that holds peels as you remove them. When you’re done peeling, you just snap the lid off the chamber...
Read MoreQ & A with the Ladies of Levain Bakery
Who would guess the country’s best cookies were created by two triathalon runners? Yes, really. In fact, the two used to bake them to eat for energy during competition pre-power bars. That’s the story behind Levain Bakery’s gooey, six-ounce chocolate chip cookies. Pam Weekes and Connie MacDonald met training, but it was an unlikely parternship. Pam worked in fashion and Connie worked at a bank, Long John Silver’s, Amy’s Bread for a stint. Connie wasn’t even allowed to have...
Read MoreAbe & Arthur’s – Reviewed
**Two Stars Address: 409 West 14th St., btwn. Ninth & Tenth Aves. Phone: (646)289-3930 Occasion: Group Dinner: Night out Hours: Dinner, mon-Wed, 6p.m.-11:30 p.m., Thu-Sat, 6p.m.-1:30a.m., Sun, 6p.m.-11p.m. Don’t Miss Dish: Tuna tacos; Strip steak, Apple cobbler Average Price: Appetizers, $ Entrees, $ Dessert, $12. Reservations: Highly Recommended. Capsule: Carnivores in Clubland. Maybe I’m getting old, but I like a little separate between church and state at dinner. I don’t care less about who’s sitting at the next...
Read MoreStrawberry Hill Confectionary’s Whirl-Ease Tea
Some people have a foot fetish. I have a tea fetish. I love loose leaf teas, but sometimes I don’t have time or the patience to wait for tea to steep. I’ve seen a lot of oddball inventions, but tea on a stick? Yep. It’s called Whirl-Ease Tea and it’s quick: Just dip the stick in boiling water, stir around, and you’ve got yourself a cup of tea in under a minute. (We’ve clocked it.) Even better, it’s made...
Read MoreCarmine's Gnocchi with Bolognese – Pre-Marathon Dinner
By Chef Glenn Rolnick(Serves 2-4) Ingredients: 2 oz blended oil 1 oz sliced garlic 2 oz Spanish onions finely chopped 1.5 oz carrots peeled finely chopped 1 oz celery stalks cleaned finely chopped 1/4 tsp salt & pepper mix 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano 2 tsp chopped fresh basil 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley 1 small bay leaf 8 oz ground beef 2 oz loose sweet Italian sausage 2.5 oz Carmine’s red wine 3...
Read MoreRouge Tomate's Chocolate Banana Napoleon
By Pastry Chef James DiStefano(Makes 1) Ingredients for the Banana Bread: 3 1/2 sticks butter 15 oz sugar ¼ cup + 1 tsp. non-fat yogurt (fage, pink label) 4 eggs 17 ½ oz. all purpose flour 1 ½ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 20 oz. (about 3-4 bananas) ripe banana (cut in to chunks) ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit2. Lightly spray cake pan with...
Read MoreHalloween Cookie Pan
It’s almost Halloween — my favorite holiday. Who doesn’t love to dress up and eat lots of candy? But if you’re feeling too old to trick or treat, or just lazy, you can still indulge your sweet tooth. Buying a sack of snack-sized candy doesn’t take much effort. If you’re a baker, you can make homemade, Halloween-shaped cookies. If you’re not a baker, you can use ready-made dough. There’s a variety of molds, each with 12 scary shapes, including...
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