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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Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine Theatre District, NYC + Six

Jasmine's brings Caribbean flavor to Restaurant Row. We stopped in after seeing the spectacular, just over an hour musical Six, about the six wives of Henry VIII at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on 47th. Our server greeted us with a big Caribbean-style smile as we entered Jasmine's, a part Jamaican restaurant around the corner from that theatre. Their attentively made drinks are good. There's an oversized salt-rimmed Margie ($17), a tall mojito ($16) swimming in fresh mint and a mule ($15) in a copper cup with a cinnamon stick.    The food is more uneven. Don't, though, miss their spicy and piquant jerk wings. The kitchen has a heavy hand with [...]

By |2022-12-05T08:52:21-05:00December 3rd, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Cull & Pistol Oyster Bar, Chelsea Market, NYC

A cull is a lobster that's lost one of its claws; a pistol is one that lost both claws, usually due to predators. The Cull & Pistol is a Michelin-recommended seafood restaurant located in the heart of Chelsea Market. My friend, who recently moved to the nearby Lantern, frequents them weekly for their dozen varieties of oysters on the half-shell offered half-price happy hour during happy hour from 4 to 6 pm Monday through Friday. That's why she skipped the oysters as we met for lunch, not happy hour, with Dames in from out of town for our Les Dames d'Escoffier conference. To start, we shared their frito misto with [...]

By |2022-12-05T08:49:56-05:00December 1st, 2022|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Misirizzi, NoHO, NYC + Raisin in the Sun

Misirizzi on East 4th Street is a small Italian restaurant with friendly, knowledgeable service and good food. And it's around the corner from The Public, where we saw Raisin in the Sun. This powerful play, first introduced in 1959, is about a family's experiences with racism and housing discrimination as they try to improve their lives.  Since it was a warm fall evening, we ate outside and decided that when we returned, we'd sit inside by the fireplace. I recommend the julienned endive, crumbled gorgonzola, candied walnuts and sliced pear ($14) salad. Also tasty is the baked butternut squash, escarole and chickpeas with Ricotta Salata ($14).  Don't miss their homemade lasagna [...]

By |2022-10-30T20:33:41-04:00November 29th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Cafe Fiorello, Lincoln Square, NYC + School of American Ballet

The School of American Ballet (SAB), the most renowned ballet school in the US. founded by George Balanchine in 1934, welcomed my Ex.expat group one morning recently. If you're unfamiliar, SAB has been the official training academy of the New York City Ballet for the past seven decades. Its purpose is "to provide dancers as well trained as any other technician, whether a surgeon, architect or musician." We attended an advanced practice session taught by the amazing Suki Schorer, a Balanchine Trust répétiteur who has turned out ballerinas for over 50 years. From 1959 until 1972, Suki danced with George Balanchine's New York City Ballet. To learn more about SAB, [...]

By |2022-12-04T17:05:59-05:00November 27th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Brunch at Dame-Owned Vinateria, Harlem, NYC

Like many of the fun Les Dames d'Escoffier conference events, our New York Harlem fund-raiser was sold out. I decided to take a group who hadn't booked in time to Harlem for brunch at Dame Yvette Leeper Bueno's Vinateria, where I'd dined before. (A Dame is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier.) Brunch entrees include a mimosa, bloody Mary or complimentary coffee or tea. Our group tried their delicious carbonara ($21) with guanciale, egg and Grana Padano; the autumn salad ($15) with roasted squash, carrots, roasted red pepper, apples, candied walnuts, cranberries, feta and chicory; and the house-cured smoked salmon eggs benedict; and the Applewood smoked bacon cheeseburger with fries [...]

By |2022-12-04T17:02:52-05:00November 25th, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Mermaid Inn in the Red Cat Space, Chelsea, NYC

As we were seated at our table in the new Chelsea Mermaid Inn in the old Red Cat space on Tenth and 23, the waiter rushed over to share that happy hour would end in three minutes. That welcoming enabled us to save $6 on each of our well-made cocktails and to order the fried calamari ($11) only on the HH menu. Instead of Prosecco, they use blanc de blanc for the Aperol spritz bubbles; and olive juice and hot sauce for the "dirty" martini. I liked the peppadew garnish in the latter. Both those drinks and the squid were good. That Happy hour runs from 4:30 to 6:30 at [...]

By |2022-12-04T16:59:51-05:00November 23rd, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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An Institution: Mother’s Restaurant, New Orleans, LA

Mother's Restaurant has been a breakfast institution since 1938 across the street from Hotel Fontenot, where we were staying. I had heard many legends about this cafeteria-style joint that always draws crowds. Mothers serves Breakfast all day. One morning, we decided to join the long line outside the door to try it. The line moves quickly, as once inside the door, you are handed a menu, then queue up to order and pay before you head into one of the large dining rooms to find a table receipt in hand. Once at the table, your server gathers the proof of purchase and serves your food. Although not attractively presented, the [...]

By |2022-10-20T10:27:19-04:00November 21st, 2022|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants|2 Comments
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STATE Grill and Bar, Midtown, NYC

I was invited to dine at State Grill and Bar, the upscale, ground-floor Empire State Building restaurant, for a tasting. What intrigued me was a fixed-price meal package deal available when you buy a ticket to the observatory on top of the Empire State Building. When you do, you will be prompted, depending on the time of your visit, to buy a two-course lunch ( $40) or a three-course dinner ($60).  Or you can purchase an add-on meal while visiting the 80 or 86th-floor at one of the kiosks. Tickets to the observatory start at $42 for seniors; $44 for adults; the rates are higher during sunset. We each began [...]

By |2022-11-20T14:21:19-05:00November 19th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Prosciutto & Delice Board at RH Rooftop, Meat Packing, NYC

To commence a celebration of a friend's birthday, we started at RH Rooftop with a bottle of rosè bubbly. Specifically, the Pierre Sparr Cremant d'Alsace ($64). This ripe and juicy sparkler worked well with our prosciutto and cheese platter with a warm baguette and chilled grapes ($45). Knowing we were starting a b-day celebration, the restaurant brought us a warm (making it irresistible) chocolate chip cookie bearing a lit candle. A wonderful way to spend an afternoon. If you've never been, I highly suggest a trip. RH Rooftop Meatpacking District 9 Ninth Avenue New York, NY 10014 rh.com

By |2024-07-21T11:04:02-04:00November 17th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Rooftop|0 Comments
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Building Hope, Changing Lives: Cafè Reconcile, New Orleans, LA

The best food on this New Orleans trip? Cafè Reconcile. It's a lunch-only service restaurant with Southern foods cooked and served by at-risk youth in job training. Cafè Reconcile builds hope while changing lives. Everything we ate was delicious. We ended up there because of its proximity — across the street — to the SoFAB Museum, where we had headed after the opening of the John & Bonnie Boyd Hospitality & Culinary Library, where my book collection is now housed. Portions are enormous; the prices the opposite with delicious food. The chicken and andouille gumbo ($4) danced in my mouth! That cup s0 satisfied, so I couldn't finish the hearty [...]

By |2022-11-20T14:24:31-05:00November 15th, 2022|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lafayette, NoHo, NYC + Baldwin and Buckley

Pre-COVID, I have had some decent meals, including a fun birthday at Lafayette, Andrew Carmelini’s French restaurant in NoHo. We stopped in for brunch one rainy day before heading to The Public to see Baldwin and Buckley. For a review of that show, click here. We appreciated the good vibe as we lucked out being seated in a corner banquette away from the noise. Four of us started with purportedly spicy bloody Marys ($17). Other than the composed Niçoise Salad garnished with rare tuna, anchovies and an egg ($36), the rest of the food was plebeian at best.  The smoked salmon Benedict ($30) was okay. The shakshuka was overcooked, resulting in [...]

By |2022-11-20T17:35:34-05:00November 12th, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Lunch at Kofradia – Itsas Etxea, San Sebastian, Spain

With our final meal of our San Sebastian trip being that night, we had a light lunch at Kofradia, a fisherman's house offering fresh fish caught nearby in Basque Country. We sipped the Viña Zorzal Rosado ($16€), a Garnacha rosé. We were in sticker shock at that price, which is for a bottle, not a glass! For lunch we ate the Thon blanc marinée avec jus de tomatoes et des olives. That's freshly marinated white tuna with ripe tomatoes and manzanilla olives (14€). We sopped up every drop with their crusty bread. Perfection. Had to smile at the presentation of the bill in an anchovy can! I highly recommend a [...]

By |2022-11-20T17:38:00-05:00November 10th, 2022|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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The Always Wonderful Casa Mono, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

I needed Spanish food. Seriously, I was in withdrawal, having returned recently from San Sebastian. That's why I selected the Michelin 1-star Casa Mono to meet a friend for lunch. It never disappoints. Since I chose the place,  I let my dining partner, a wine professional, Wanda Man, founder of Wine With Wanda and East Coast Editor, The SOMM Journal, select our wine. After chatting with their Somm, she chose Sin Mas 20 ($59), a fun, funky red from Galicia. This light-bodied, low-alcohol wine "had a Kombucha quality that the Somm described. But the fruit was fresh and bright, with no oak. A very good match with our meal," said [...]

By |2022-11-20T14:21:27-05:00November 7th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Ongi Etorri, Saint Jean De Luz, France

On our way to France for the day, we stopped to attend the unique Alarde parade in the charming medieval town of Hondarribia (Spain), where everyone in the city celebrates by dressing in red and white. Afterward, we stopped for lunch in Saint Jean De Luz, where we tripped across the Ongi Etorri cafe. We were thrilled we did. Two had the pot of mussels (15 €), and others ordered the 3-course menu (19.50 €). My friend began with the green salad with fried camembert and grilled sardines with fries. I delighted in eating the sweet piquillo red peppers stuffed with a delicate cod mousse, followed by an unremarkable chicken [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:45:59-04:00November 4th, 2022|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|2 Comments
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The Stand Comedy Club, Gramercy/Flatiron, NYC

We'd always gone to The Stand for evening comedy shows. When I learned the restaurant was serving lunch, I convinced some friends to sample it with me. Even though we were the only ones in the restaurant, our food took a long time. When the food arrived, the double patty burgers ($18) were not hot and had no fries. While — oddly — the other sandwiches came with an abundance of hot crispy fries. The porchetta ($15) with broccoli rabe on focaccia was the tastiest. Do go to The Stand for the comedy and friendly staff!  No drink minimum at the shows, with tickets only ~ $10 - 20. The Stand [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:44:31-04:00November 2nd, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bilbao, Spain: Restaurant Markina

Our front desk clerk recommended a darling little cafe not far from Hotel Míro in Bilbao, where we were staying. Markina is a friendly café with attentive service. We started with a bottle of rosé (20 €) while perusing the menu. We were still shocked that a bottle cost what a glass did in New York. We arrived just in time to get a seat, as the restaurant completely filled up.  Everything was delicious. Their rich burrata, made in Bilbao, comes accompanied by eggplant and tomato chutney (15.50 €). We ordered bread (2.80 €) for that and to dip into the garlicky oil from the grilled Galician razor clams (15.50 [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:59:36-04:00October 30th, 2022|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Lunch in the Tavern of Gramercy Tavern, Gramercy/Flatiron, NYC

Hadn't been to Danny Meyer's Flatiron District Gramercy Tavern since before the pandemic (I did stop by to support them by buying take-out.) I was eager to see how they fared. The Tavern, open since 1994, offers contemporary American cuisine and warm hospitality. Their accolades include three New York Times stars, one Michelin star, the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant and the Best Chef: NYC award for Michael Anthony. When you dine, you have two choices the fixed-price-only dining room or the bustling bar area. We chose the more casual Tavern with our informative server Derek offering suggestions -- many of which we followed. We started with three starters [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:57:30-04:00October 27th, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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San Sebastián: The Pintxos Tour

Pintxos are early evening snacks traditionally served at bars in the Basque country of northern Spain. They're enjoyed along with cider, beer or wine while standing at a table — if you can grab one. During a recent Global Palate Adventure, I sampled many pintxos in Old Town, San Sebastian. I've yet to find one I didn't like. First, don't miss sampling Spain's indigenous Jamon Iberico, the cured meat from pigs mainly fed acorns. ZaporeJai, C. de San Jerónimo, 21.  I'd recommend any pintxos at La Mejillonera c/del Puerot, 5. Their fresh calamari was crispy; the potatoes bravo tasty, although I'd have preferred less of the sauces. The succulent steamed mussels [...]

By |2022-11-01T09:54:19-04:00October 25th, 2022|World, World Restaurants|0 Comments
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Giardino 54, Hells Kitchen, NYC + Los Otros, The Musical

We chose Giardino 54 for its proximity to A.R.T./New York Theatres, where we were seeing the musical Los Otros with music by Michael John LaChiusa, who we bumped into at the performance. Los Otros is a musical about love, risk and revelation told through two characters who explore significant moments in their lives. I recommend. I started lunch at Giardino 54 with a glass of their on-tap Vicentini Agostino Valpolicella, Vento 2019 ($10), reminiscent of Italian house wine. They also offer a white — Trebbiano, Poderi Dal Nespoli IGT, 2017 — on tap. Our friendly, attentive waiter served us an olive oil-balsamic mixture for dipping the bread. I tried their [...]

By |2022-10-20T08:55:21-04:00October 22nd, 2022|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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My Favorite Basque Pintxos: The Gilda

The Gilda — a Basque-style tapa often served on a skewer — is one of the oldest pintxos in San Sebastian. The newly opened Bar Casa Vallés (Reyes Catolicos Kalea, 10, 20006 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain) first served it in the '40s, named after the American film Gilda. It's a little bit spicy, a little salty, just like the Spanish-descended actress Rita Hayworth's character in the movie.  Jon, our local tour guide on a trip with Global Palate Adventures, took us to his social club, where his family and numerous others could entertain by either hiring a chef or preparing their food in the large kitchen. Jon introduced us to this pintxo, instructing [...]

By |2022-10-20T08:59:46-04:00October 20th, 2022|Recipes, Starters, World|0 Comments
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