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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Tacos at Tacombi, East Village, NYC

I discovered Tacombi years ago, enjoying their authentic Mexican huevos rancheros and much more. I've eaten at and enjoyed many of their city locations serving Mexican fare. So when the publicist invited me to sample the fare at their newest location in the East Village, I took a neighbor and headed over. Tacombi’s newest East Village location serves a different menu from what you would find at their other taquerias. It consists only of five dinner tacos and two breakfast ones that weren't available in the evening when I sampled them. Also, unlike the other locations, there are no seats. It's a grab-and-go or eat at their communal countertops. We [...]

By |2023-10-22T19:13:04-04:00October 10th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Trattoria Bianca, New Yorker Hotel + Bruce Springsteen

Trattoria Bianca in the New Yorker Hotel on Eighth Avenue and 35th Steet was an ideal place to grab a bite before jumping on NJ Transit to head to the Met Life (former Meadowlands) Stadium to see Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band on their 2023 international tour. We started with drinks — Aperol spritz ($14) and Dolcetto D'Alba ($14) — and their thin-crust classic Margherita pizza ($23) that needed more time in the oven. Everything else we ordered arrived at the table simultaneously, even though we had asked them to pace it. One friend enjoyed the seared tuna salad with mesclun, cherry tomatoes, green beans, egg, olives, anchovies and [...]

By |2023-09-20T18:06:33-04:00October 7th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, WOW|0 Comments
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Breakfast At Ruby’s, Murray Hill NYC

Ruby's Cafe in Murray Hill was about halfway between our homes. We both walked to meet each other for breakfast at this Australian cafe. We started with flat whites, mine with cream, my dining partner with milk. A flat white — espresso with a thin, flat layer of foam — is stronger than a latte as there's less milk. I recommend. Instead of my usual egg breakfast, I tried their interesting-sounding smashed sweet corn fritters with a dollop of sweet corn mascarpone ($15) accompanied by bacon and a salad with lots of avocado chunks. Sadly, the salad was undressed, the fritters undercooked.  My poached egg (+$3.50) was the best part, [...]

By |2023-09-20T18:02:50-04:00October 5th, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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***Happy Hour at Fogo d’Chāo, Midtown, NYC

Fogo d’Chāo has a daily happy hour (HH) all day long. I give this Brazilian steak house a 3-star rating, as you can easily make a meal for dinner from their abundant food offerings. That is, if you're okay with sitting in the bar or patio. We sampled some HH drinks, including two of the $10 Caipirinhas, the Brazilian national cocktail made with cachaça, sugar and lime. We sampled one with passion fruit juice and another with house-made hibiscus elixir and strawberries. We then switched to regular-priced martinis and old fashioneds ($16-19). I sampled the spiced marinated chicken breast sliders topped with arugula, tomato, and pickled onion with a mango [...]

By |2025-04-14T08:03:07-04:00October 3rd, 2023|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|4 Comments
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Comodo in Freehand Hotel, Flatiron, NYC

We met again for lunch at Comodo, the Latin American restaurant in the Freeland Hotel on Lexington, between 23 and 24. It was convenient, and I hadn't been in over a year. Service was almost non-existent. That was so different from my last visit, where it was very attentive. In fact, I had to search for the server to have her take our order and any time we needed anything. I started with their mimosa with a choice of juice. I chose orange. I wanted to sample their chilaquiles, the dish created to use slightly stale, leftover tortillas. Those chips get simmered in salsa with Comodo's version a tomatillo-chipotle, one topped [...]

By |2023-10-08T09:45:22-04:00October 1st, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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City Winery, Hudson River Park, NYC

Walking Hudson River Park, the Nation's Longest Riverfront Park, is a favorite of my pastimes. If you haven't done so, the park begins on Chambers Street and goes to 59th, with Little Island and many interesting updated piers and activities along the way. We stopped at City Winery for a nibble and a glass of wine on a recent walk. We shared their Kung Pao cauliflower ($15) with Fresno chilies, scallions and crushed peanuts with a glass of the velvety and soft Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina '19 (5.5-ounce, $14). I do recommend. City Winery Hudson River Park 25 11th Ave at Hudson River Park New York, NY 10011 [...]

By |2023-09-20T16:55:50-04:00September 29th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Early Weekend Breakfast at Madison & Vine, Midtown, NYC

Madison & Vine was one of the only restaurants I could find near Grand Central Terminal that served Saturday breakfast before 8 a.m. Lucky me as I met my son coming off a red-eye before he caught his train. We yacked for hours. Having their New York Breakfast for $25 made sense, especially when entrees costs between $19 - $26, Illy coffee, $4.50 and freshly squeezed orange juice, $5. My son had the spinach, mushroom and goat cheese omelet with home fries and grilled ciabatta bread; I had the shakshuka, a North African dish. The kitchen served my poached eggs with many lamb sausage pieces floating in the spicy tomato [...]

By |2023-09-20T16:53:49-04:00September 27th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Friend of a Farmer, Gramercy, NYC

Servers certainly make a difference. That was the case at brunch recently at Friend of a Farmer. I arrived a few minutes ahead to secure a table. The hostess wouldn't seat me until my friends arrived. That would have made sense if the restaurant wasn't empty. Once they arrived and we were seated, our server was quick to come by to take our order. We weren't ready as we just sat down. I ordered well-drained poached eggs for the Boomer Special ($24) with lemon ricotta pancakes and crisp bacon ($24). One friend did the same. "We serve them well-drained," Joseph explained. "Otherwise, the homemade cheddar biscuit would get soggy in [...]

By |2023-09-24T11:13:35-04:00September 24th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Happy Hour *½ Iris, Midtown, NYC

In continuing my Happy Hour hunt around the city, I met a friend at John Fraser's Iris midtown. [Please let us know if you have a Happy Hour for us to try and review!] We opted for everything on the limited menu besides fresh oysters (Mystic oysters, pink peppercorn mignonette, horseradish; 4 for $14) with a glass of the Greek white offered, Assyrtiko, Peloponnese, Greece 2020 ($12) We started with pikilia, a plate filled with small portions of tzatziki (garlicky cucumber yogurt), roasted eggplant, hummus and whipped feta with a puffed warm pita and endive leaves ($18) plus their spiced lamb flatbread ($10) that's always good. The other two options [...]

By |2023-09-24T11:14:29-04:00September 23rd, 2023|City Bites, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bostwick on the Harbor, East Hampton, Long Island, NY

We arrived at Bostwick on the Harbor early to be sure we'd get right in instead of on a waiting list. We even got seated on the porch out of the sun as it began setting. We sipped our Flora Dora (Hendricks gin, club soda), Casamigo Blanc Margie and Aperol Spritz,  ($16-$17) while savoring the breathtaking view. We decided to share their delectable lightly dressed in a sherry fig vinaigrette salad ($19) with two warm goat cheese croquettes on baby arugula, sliced grape tomatoes, green apple batons, rounds of dried figs and candied pecans. I highly recommend. Then, each of us ordered Bostwick's hearty cold lobster roll on a warm [...]

By |2023-09-20T16:08:14-04:00September 21st, 2023|Bites from the Road, General Food Info, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Joy Bauer’s Turkey Reuben

One morning,  I caught my friend Joy Bauer — the health/nutrition expert for NBC's TODAY show and an RD, like me — doing her segment where she swapped ingredients to make a Reuben sandwich "more nutritious and still delicious." That classic sandwich features corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and dressing between grilled, buttered slices of rye. Instead, Joy used lean turkey instead of the marbled fatty corned beef and skipped buttering and grilling the bread. Simple. That reminded me that I still had sauerkraut and Reuban dressing from a generous get-well food delivery that some friends sent from Katz's. The giant food delivery included a Reuben package of rye bread, [...]

By |2023-09-20T11:39:31-04:00September 19th, 2023|Entrees, Recipes|2 Comments
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Brunch at Bar Boulud, Lincoln Center, NYC

Met an Upper West Side friend for brunch at Bar Boulud across from Lincoln Center one weekend. With weather conducive to dining outside, we did so in their large structure with ceiling fans to cool. Mimosas with fresh orange juice and prosecco ($16) started our reunion/gathering. We missed Restaurant Week this time as Bar Boulud offered it only Monday through Friday. My friend opted for their creamy omelet filled with bacon, mushrooms and gruyère served with a lightly dressed side salad ($18).  I had their Croque Madame, a hot sandwich made with gruyère, jambon de Paris, and bechamel, topped with a lightly fried egg ($23). We ended with a cappuccino, [...]

By |2023-09-20T11:43:27-04:00September 17th, 2023|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Caló Kitchen + Tequila, Laguna Niguel, CA

We stopped to have lunch at Caló Kitchen + Tequila restaurant before heading to Barnes & Noble for a book for my granddaughter. My daughter-in-law, granddaughter and I nibbled on their shrimp ceviche ($17) and their warm, wonderful beans and salsa with chips while the adults sipped margies. I tried their Cadillac one made with milagro blanco and Grand Marnier, asking for their spicy twist ($15), while my d-i-l had the grilled pineapple chile one ($16). Both delicious. When ordering from our well-trained waiter, Alex, I realized he knew his Mexican sauces. As a New Yorker, I was fascinated by the enchilada discussion. My d-i-l was hoping for Enchiladas Suizas, [...]

By |2023-09-20T11:48:01-04:00September 15th, 2023|Bites from the Road, General Food Info, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Driftwood Kitchen, Laguna Beach, California

For my last night before heading home, I wanted a casual restaurant with good food where my son and I could sit outside along the Pacific. My daughter-in-law suggested Driftwood Kitchen in Laguna Beach for good food on the ocean. Great suggestion, as the food, service and views are quite good. I sipped a margarita-like upside-down 42 caddy ($16) made with Cointreau, Don Julio 1942 anejo tequila and lime juice while my son tried their high tide ($16) made from Dikel 8 rye,  fresh pineapple juice, ginger, lemon sour mix and fresh mint. We sipped our cocktails as the sun set over the Pacific with a rainbow visual in the [...]

By |2023-09-20T11:50:35-04:00September 13th, 2023|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Back to José Andrés’ Zaytinya, NoMad, NYC

I visited José Andrés' Zaytinya the week it opened last August and thought it apropos to try again. They, of course, had ironed out their food delivery and service issues. The main difference — other than the well-trained staff — was that the portion sizes shrunk while the prices increased. But I get ahead of myself. I had planned to try the Restaurant Week menu until our waiter mentioned that the whole table had to order it. Instead, we each started with a glass of Assyrtiko, Santo Wines, Santorini 2021 ($21), a white wine similar to a Sancerre. Nice. We dipped the puffy warm bread pillows into their olive oil [...]

By |2023-09-10T15:03:27-04:00September 10th, 2023|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Rex and Rose Pop-Up, Ladera Ranch, California

While at our cousins' reunion, those descendants of my father were invited to brunch at Rex and Rose Brunch Pop Up at my son Eric's home. We were asked to book a time slot. Upon arrival, our order was taken, then we were given a number and escorted to our table. The neighborhood kids (ages 3 to 11) were trained to be runners. When our food was ready, one brought it to our table and returned the number to the reception desk. The food was phenomenal and served with big smiles! I sampled the breakfast burrito of scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon rolled with potatoes and guacamole inside a flour [...]

By |2023-08-28T12:53:05-04:00September 9th, 2023|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|2 Comments
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Return to The Lightship Frying Pan, Chelsea, NYC

The Frying pan is one of my favorite summertime spots to dine on the water. It is distinguished by a big black iron skillet near the entrance, off West 26th Street. This historic barge, docked in the Hudson River, is a former Lackawanna railroad flatboat, now a fun restaurant. I like going late afternoon or very early evening, as later it can become like a frat party toward the back of the barge. A group of us grabbed a meal there recently, trying foods I had yet to sample. I'd recommend their hearty portion of beer-battered cod sprinkled with malt vinegar powder with tartar sauce, coleslaw and their yummy fries [...]

By |2023-09-08T23:24:45-04:00September 7th, 2023|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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P.J. Clarke, Brookfield Place, NYC + Barbie

Like millions of others, I decided to see Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the blockbuster that put Greta Gerwig on the books as the first film directed solely by a woman to cross $1 billion in global box office sales. Barbie's existential crisis is fun and thought-provoking! I do recommend seeing it. After the movie, we headed to P.J. Clarke's On the Hudson to sit outside Brookfield Place by the Hudson, watching the ships go by, with the Statue of Liberty in the background. While deciding what to have, we nibbled on their crispy onion strings with a Dijon aioli ($10). One of my friends had the lemon chicken [...]

By |2023-09-08T23:32:34-04:00September 5th, 2023|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Las Brisas, Laguna Beach, California

I booked outside tables at Las Brisas so those arriving from the East Coast could enjoy dining with fresh ocean air along the Pacific. The restaurant offers California cuisine with a touch of Mexico. The restaurant was also able to accommodate our large group. Our dinner was the night before our "TAG, You're it" cousins reunion commenced in Aliso Viejo, California. Almost fifty relatives worldwide attended, with many cousins' offspring never meeting. We hoped to pass the baton to them to plan our next gathering and stay connected. [It worked. Our kids are now planning the next reunion.] About 25 of us were at dinner, divided among three tables on [...]

By |2023-09-08T23:16:22-04:00September 3rd, 2023|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|0 Comments
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Brunch at Home Bistro, Murray Hill, NYC + Mission Impossible

We were heading to AMC to see Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and were looking for a place for a quick brunch before going. I had promised to return to Home Bistro after meeting owner/chef John Sierp when I arrived for an opening that wasn't! He was so hospitable I vowed to return. This time, we indulged in their Bottomless Brunch Drinks ($20) with their 1.5 hours of unlimited Mimosas, Tequila Sunrises, Aperol Spritz, Frozen Margs, Bloody Marys, Bud light Drafts, Screwdrivers for $20 to the cost of any entree (minimum $10). We chose the Aperol Spritz served in a mason jar. As we were sharing, [...]

By |2023-08-28T12:52:24-04:00September 1st, 2023|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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