Bonnie from BiteoftheBest.com

About Bonnie Tandy Leblang

Blogger Bonnie Tandy Leblang has been covering food since before it was hip to do so! She’s penned magazine, newspaper and syndicated food columns in addition to cookbooks. Follow her on twitter @BonnieBOTB and on Instagram@BiteoftheBest and at @BonnieBOTB "I eat for a living!” is her mantra, sharing what she’s sampled so you’ll know where (or where not) to go, plus what food products and gadgets to try. For her full bio go to the about us page.
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**Happy Hour at Jane, NoHo, NYC

We had come to Jane's for their "NYC Happy Meal" or a Ketel One Martini and Rosemary French fries ($22) that we saw on their website. When the bartender handed me the smaller menu without it, I mentioned that to the manager, who did honor the online offering. We were happy, sipping our Ketel One martinis and nibbling their large portion of fries; we both added the tasty, filling mini-burger with cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, tomato, pickled green tomato, lettuce and jalapeño marmalade while my dining partner had their version of pigs in a blanket ($5) with sesame dusted puff pastry and kimchi aioli. Happy Hour details as of 11.30.2023 [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:02:30-04:00January 5th, 2024|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Il Buco, NoHo, NYC + Wick and Pour

Wick and Pour, a candle-making experience on Mott Street, was our first stop at the birthday celebration. We selected the vessel and wax color, chose an aroma blend, and then made our candle garnished—in the wax—with dried flowers. That candle experience took about 2 hours, with downtime to chat. From there, we walked north, proudly carrying out finished candles, to Il Buco, the first in the Il Buco family. On NoHo's cobblestoned Bond Street, the restaurant opened in 1994 as an antique store and transformed into a restaurant serving a seasonally inspired Italian-Mediterranean menu that changes daily. We sipped our Pegaso Zeta Viñas Viejas Garnacha ($17), seated in the back [...]

By |2024-01-03T14:55:05-05:00January 2nd, 2024|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Serendipity3 Original Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix

With my grandnieces visiting for the holidays, I took out my sample of Serendipity3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix I received from the company after a recent Fancy Food show. I wanted them to try this product made from a secret blend of 14 exotic cocoas. But before doing so, we headed to the legendary eponymous New York City restaurant, founded in 1954, to sample it where it started, learning that the restaurant had just served the 30 millionth one to Cher during her appearance at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. At the restaurant, the three of us finished every last drop of the tasty dessert served in a goblet, [...]

By |2023-12-31T20:56:39-05:00December 31st, 2023|Food & Drinks, Products, Recommended|3 Comments
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Michelin-Star Restaurant Calla Lilies, The Hague, Netherlands

Years ago, Jacques Pepin mentioned that he prefers mainly one-star restaurants when he's across the pond. The food and service are Michelin quality and are reasonably priced. I do the same, generally dining at lunch as I enjoy eating the multi-course, less expensive meal midday.  This time when visiting my family in Den Haag, I dined with my daughter-in-law at Restaurant Calla Lilies, named after the flower 'Calla, an originally Mexican flower and the Greek word for “beautiful.”   We opted for the 3-course lunch menu (€57.50; $62.41) per person. Our aperitifs — along with a glass of Charles Heidsieck, NV Brut Reserve (€17 each; $18.43) — included Dutch cheese crackers [...]

By |2023-12-23T17:10:37-05:00December 28th, 2023|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Walking the Bridge to Ignazio’s, Dumbo, NYC

When my insta-generation grandnieces visited, we walked the Brooklyn Bridge, headed to Ignazio's for pizza and planned to ferry back to Manhattan. We split the Caesar salad ($15) and sipped some pinot noir ($39/bottle) while awaiting the main event. Fresh basil garnished our tomato pizza with caramelized onions, pepperoni and artichokes. I recommend heading to Ignazio's when in Dumbo. Ignazio's Dumbo 4 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 522-2100

By |2023-12-23T16:46:30-05:00December 25th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Le Domaine du Val d’Argan Winery, Ounagha, Morocco

Our last meal together on our Global Palate Adventures Moroccan trip was at Le Domaine du Val d'Argan Winery in Ounagha, Morocco. A vineyard where they use dromedaries (a one-hump camel) in place of tractors. They also offer bed and breakfast lodging and a pool. After our winery tour (200-300 dirhams, $20-30 per person), we indulged in a fabulous, freshly cooked meal poolside and their wines (250 - 400 dirhams, $25-40 per person). Our lunch was perfection, served family style with lots of fresh veggies and salads, including fresh beets, lentils, cucumbers, cabbage slaw, tomatoes, green beans, carrots and fried zucchini and eggplant. Of course, we also had bowls of [...]

By |2023-12-23T16:45:07-05:00December 22nd, 2023|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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Happy Hour*** Michael’s, Midtown, NYC + Rockettes

After taking my grandnieces to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes, we headed to Michaels for their happy hour, where Basdeo Balchan, their manager, welcomed us. We sampled many of their well-blended cocktails, including the Southside of 5th Brokers (gin, lemon juice, mint), Last Blast (bourbon, citrus, prosecco), Lil Pumpkin (vodka, pumpkin spiced Kahlua, espresso) and the Tranquilo (tequila, cranberry juice and fresh jalepeño) along with their appetizers, some of which have a Korean accent from their new chef. The sweet and spicy Korean fried shrimp ($18) comes in three pieces, also available as chicken; the vegetarian summer rolls come with a carrot ginger sauce and the duck-confit [...]

By |2023-12-31T20:17:42-05:00December 19th, 2023|Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Greek Periyali, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC + ChefWise by Shari Bayer

We met our friend, Shari Bayer, the publicist for Periyali, at the restaurant to discuss her new book, ChefWise, and sample their fare. Our host greeted me upon arrival and welcomed me to Greece, jesting, "No passport needed." Mak, our waiter, also welcomed us, sharing that he had been with Periyali since they opened on December 21, 1987. He recalled the exact date because it is his birthday. I sampled their El Grego ($22), a blend of bourbon, Amaro Nonino liqueur, spiced honey and bitters. With my cocktail, we started nibbling their five mezze offerings, which are always yummy. These included their taramosalata (a fish roe spread with olive oil and [...]

By |2023-12-17T10:35:54-05:00December 16th, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Of Interest, Products|0 Comments
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Jose Andres’ The Bazaar, Ritz Hotel, NoMAD, NYC

I had been to Jose Andres' Zaytinya, also in the Ritz Hotel, a couple times, but this was my first The Bazaar experience. The three of us met to celebrate our birthdays together. Two of us had one in June, the other in October. I started with their Leatherette ($22), a blend of Torres 20-yr brandy, rye whiskey, east India sherry, sweet vermouth, and lavender bitters garnished with a fresh lavender bud.  One other friend had a glass of crisp Godello ($18), Rafael Palacios Louro, Valderorras, Spain 2022; the other with Touriga Nacional Tinta Roriz, Carlos Paposo Ideal, Dão, Portugal ($19). Our first courses arrived almost at once with our drinks. [...]

By |2023-12-17T09:32:43-05:00December 13th, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Happy Hour *½ at Dock’s Oyster Bar, Midtown East, NYC + Gutenbert, the Musical

We laughed our way through Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad in the hilarious and unusual “Gutenberg! The Musical!" These two reunited on stage for the first time since 2011 when they performed in “The Book of Mormon." I do recommend seeing it before it closes in January. Afterward, we walked across and downtown to Docks Oyster Bar on Third and 40th to sample their happy hour. We were lucky to get one of the few tables by the bar where we could take part in their HH offerings. The best parts were they had a live trio, and we could converse without straining. I started with their Old Fashioned ($18), [...]

By |2023-12-17T09:38:09-05:00December 11th, 2023|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Nashville: Fenwick’s 300, Noshville, Snooze, Nash Family Creamery and Arrington Vineyards

When served a Bloody Mary ($7) garnished with pickled okra, I knew I was in the South; that, the plate of biscuits ($5) for the table and the price. Our first breakfast at our Nashville celebration was at Fenwick's 300, a modern diner in the Melrose section. The birthday boy ordered corned beef sauerkraut hash ($13) with a poached egg topped with Hollandaise; I indulged in the Ian 3-egg omelet ($14) with turkey chorizo, jalapeño, onions and cheddar cheese, plus home fries with sides of salsa; those crispy chunks of fried potatoes made that dish. At Noshville, a diner that describes itself as a New York Deli, the griddle cake [...]

By |2023-12-13T10:02:12-05:00December 9th, 2023|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Fresh Fish at Chez Ahmed , Essaouira, Morocco

While we checked into the Suite Azur Hotel in the seaside town of Essaouira, Zachariah headed to the port to pick up fresh fish and deliver it to Chez Ahmed. We were heading there for lunch. Once settled, we zigzagged through our section of the medina to Chez Ahmed in a courtyard full of storefront restaurants. They had set out one long table with fresh olives, harissa for the fish and a basket of fresh pita bread baked in the neighborhood oven, like every resident. In addition to the fresh fish Zachariah had picked up for us, the kitchen served crisp french fries and fresh tomato salad. Our fish included [...]

By |2023-12-17T09:41:44-05:00December 7th, 2023|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Pizza at Norma Gastronomia Siciliana, Kips Bay + Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

We returned to Norma's in Kips Bay after seeing the talented Taylor Swift in her The Eras Tour movie. I've been told she's the current young generation's Beatles. I so enjoyed the production and that those who couldn't afford tickets to see her in concert could see her perform. After the almost 3-hour movie, we walked up 30th Street to Third Avenue to Norma Gastronomia Siciliana, my go-to place after a film at the Kips Bay AMC. Normas doesn't take reservations, which was a problem on a Friday night. We had to wait 30 minutes and then were seated in their quieter indoor/outdoor backroom with overhead heaters. We sipped the [...]

By |2023-12-17T09:45:45-05:00December 5th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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GREAT GIFT: Stirring the Pot, A Fundraiser for Les Dames d’Escoffier NY Scholarship Fund

Les Dames d' Escoffier New York (LDNY), a group of the most influential and accomplished women in the food and wine world, introduced Stirring the Pot with members — called Dames — favorite recipes for everything from simple weekday meals to spectacular party dishes. Consider it as a hostess or holiday gift this season. Profits to benefit Les Dames d’Escoffier New York’s Scholarship Fund. Les Dames d’Escoffier New York is a 501c3 organization. Since 1977, LDNY has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to over 1,000 recipients. If you’d like to donate to the Les Dames d’Escoffier New York scholarships, click here. We are a nonprofit philanthropic group that [...]

By |2023-11-08T07:58:32-05:00December 3rd, 2023|Breads, Sides & Salads, Entrees, Recipes, Starters|1 Comment
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The Magical Renew Sponge

It was love at first use. I opened a package of GreenPan's Melamine sponge that I had received at a media Housewares Show, deciding to see how it worked. Their claim of wiping away cooked-on sticky food (aka carbonization that happens when fats burn onto your pan) with only water intrigued me.   I was flabbergasted when it worked! The cooked-on food just wiped away. I tried it a second time to be sure it wasn't a fluke. "Made of non-abrasive melamine, this scrubbing sponge is specially designed to clean your GreenPan ceramic cookware and other nonstick pots and pans," claimed the press materials. Instead of trying it on a nonstick pan, I [...]

By |2023-11-05T12:00:51-05:00December 1st, 2023|Kitchen Counter, Drawer and More, Products, Recommended|2 Comments
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Marcus Samuelson’s Hav & Mar Seafood Restaurant, Chelsea, NYC

I started writing this post while nibbling Hav and Mar's teff biscuit and blue cornbread spread from last night's dinner. I had warmed and spread it with the honey butter our incredible server, Don, gave us to pack with our leftover bread. Be sure to get the addictive bread basket, but do not finish it, or you won't have room for the food to come. But I'm getting way ahead of myself. My friends who live in Chelsea have been raving about Marcus Samuelson's newest place, Hav & Mar, since it opened. Pete Wells (New York Times) already gave it two stars. Hav in Swedish means sea; Mar is Ethiopian [...]

By |2024-03-28T13:59:32-04:00November 29th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Audrey, Nashville, NYC

Some friends and I were in Nashville to help mutual friends celebrate a 65th birthday and a 10th anniversary. We decided to sample some of the city's fare before the celebration commenced. Audrey in Nashville is Shaun Brock's new flagship restaurant inspired by his Appalachian roots, rural South and his maternal grandmother, the restaurant's namesake. He also stirred into the mix his love of Japanese culture. Not familiar with Appalachian cooking, we opted for the $99 per person "feast" to sample lots. Our waiter asked if there were any allergies or food restrictions they should be aware of. One friend said no red meat, the other no pork or shellfish. [...]

By |2023-10-26T21:05:19-04:00November 27th, 2023|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Rosie’s *** Happy Hour, East Village, NYC + Solo

I love New York! Where else can you see a show and have dinner for about $50? We headed downtown to the East Village to the Connelly Theatre to see Gabe Mollica in Solo, his acclaimed one-man play about friendship, following sold-out runs at the Soho Playhouse and Edinburgh Fringe. We purchased the tickets for $4.95 from Theater Extras. We stopped at the Lower East Side Mexican restaurant Rosie's from the owners of Cookshop, Shukette and Vics. Lucky us, it was during their happy hour. We started with their margaritas. I had the chile-infused tequila picante one, my dining partner the "classic." Whenever a server stopped at our table wearing [...]

By |2023-11-07T12:41:14-05:00November 25th, 2023|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Cafe Luce, Midtown East, NYC

I tripped over Cafe Luce when looking for someplace to meet a friend passing through town. She was traveling from Cape Cod to Florida and staying on Sutton Place. With a limited amount of time, the midtown location was necessary. Cafe Luce is a small Italian cafe on East 53. The owner, Michelle, opened the smaller space during COVID, according to her brother Joseph, our server. When next door became available, she purchased it, doubling the space. Don't miss their perfectly prepared octopus tentacle ($21) — tender, charred and moist — with a small roasted red pepper and lettuce salad. I'd return just for that. It paired well with a [...]

By |2023-10-25T13:57:28-04:00November 23rd, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Terrasse Des Espices, Marrakech, Morocco

We had the evening off after a visit to an organic farm outside Marrakech. We originally had a reservation at Dar Yacout — a famed location — but they canceled. Since they also canceled my friend when she recently visited Marrakesh, I booked Terrasse Des Espices, just in case. That evening, four of us headed to the restaurant with a guide to assist us through the Medina. Once there, we ascended to the rooftop bar and dining room, partially lit by the almost full moon. It was magical. With drinks, we nibbled the crusty bread and fresh marinated black and green olives. First, we shared their Mediterranean-style plancha-grilled seasonal vegetables [...]

By |2024-07-21T11:11:50-04:00November 21st, 2023|Bites from the Road, Rooftop, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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