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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A Return to 3 Times, East Village, NYC for Dim Sum

I was a stop along my grandnephew and his friends' exploration of the city, right after walking the Brooklyn Bridge. We had some bubbly and nibbles before heading out in the hood for some dim sum at 3 Times in the East Village. We started with both the spicy pork and the shrimp and pork soup dumplings (6 for $10.95). Before they indulged, I warned them not to just bite into the soup dumplings or they could end up with a scorched tongue. Ideally, if you have chopsticks, pick up the dumpling by the twisted dough top then and hold it over the Chinese soup spoon while you lift both [...]

By |2022-02-14T09:26:50-05:00February 10th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Market Table, West Village, NYC

There's always a good meal at the Market Table, sister to Little Owl, the Clam and Mary Lane, all owned by Chef Mike Price and his partner, Joey Campanaro. The West Village restaurant is at the corner of Carmine and Bedford Streets. My friend ordered a glass of prosecco, I tried their unusual smoke of the water purple cocktail of hibiscus-jalapeño infused mezcal, basil liqueur and pineapple juice garnished with a basil leaf. I will have that nicely blended cocktail when I return. We each ordered the Market Table lunch ($19) with one protein and three vegetables. I chose the Faroe Island Salmon a la plancha with roasted squash, Brussels [...]

By |2022-02-14T09:25:01-05:00February 7th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Boozy Brunch at Maya Modern Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Bar, Upper East Side, NYC

For a boozy brunch, I suggest a weekend trip to Maya Modern Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Bar. Not only are the drinks bottomless, but the food is too. At the time we dined there, it was $55 for all the food and cocktails you can consume for 90 minutes. Ten dollars less without the booze. My dining partner began with a mango mimosa, then switched to the more traditional blanco tequila margarita as it was allowed! Yes, you could even switch drinks. We first ordered both their el apertivos that included habañera-spicy charred pumpkin pepita salsa with tortilla chips and tuna ceviche with chilies, corn and avocado. Off to a good start. I [...]

By |2022-02-14T09:17:46-05:00February 4th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Song’E Napule Pizzeria & Trattoria, West Village, NYC

As Song’E Napule's guests in this cozy Neapolitan restaurant near the corner of Macdougal and West Houston, we began with their Parmigiana Di Melanzane ($15). That's thin slices of eggplant parmigiana topped with their tomato sauce, a little mozzarella, fresh basil and Parmigiano slivers that literally melts in your mouth. Next, we cleared our palate with their Mediterranean salad with large beet chunks, slivered fennel and small balls of chevre over lettuce in a balsamic vinaigrette ($14). For pasta, we sampled their delicate housemade potato gnocchi ($18) with tomato sauce, some mozzarella, shredded Parmigiano Reggiano and garnished with fresh basil. Our eyes were much bigger than our stomachs as silly [...]

By |2022-02-14T15:58:51-05:00February 1st, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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A Return to The Marshal, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

We met at The Marshal as my cousin wanted a restaurant near where she parks on West 42nd Street. That and I hadn't been back or seen Charlie Marshal since the pandemic. While waiting for my cousin and nephew to arrive, I chatted with Charlie and sipped his version of a Manhattan ($14) that included Five & Twenty Bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters. Once they arrived, we began our feast with the finger-lickin'-good wood-oven roasted chicken wings ($15.50) in a chili maple glaze and the red and golden beets, with mesclun greens, NY blue cheese, candied walnuts and sorrel in a white balsamic vinaigrette ($16.50). I recommend both. Charlie sent [...]

By |2022-02-01T13:49:01-05:00January 29th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Grand Marnier Cocktails at Daniel’s for Sous Vide Day (Today!)

I  jumped at the chance to attend the preview of International Sous Vide Day earlier this month at The Bar at Restaurant Daniel (60 East 65th Street). After saying hello to Daniel Boulud who was greeting arrivals, I headed straight to the bar where I met Grand Marnier Ambassador Xavier Herit making his perfectly balanced Manhattan Park, a sous vide twist on that classic cocktail. You may just  have to use your imagination as it's a bit difficult to repeat at home without the right equipment. Having had a few, I vouch the flavor was incredible. The event featured Chef Daniel Boulud's sous vide small plates and sous vide cocktails [...]

By |2022-02-01T13:51:52-05:00January 26th, 2022|Recipes, Starters|0 Comments
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A Return to Portale, Chelsea, NYC

The dinner I had at Portale was my last pre-COVID meal the night before I left to ski in Austria — just before the world closed down. Was nice to return. We had had champagne and nibbles at my home, so we were content to share a couple of dishes. We began with a shaved cauliflower salad that included radishes, sunchokes, apple slices, pecans and an Italian heirloom variety of radicchio all in a creamy Italian dressing ($18). Next, we shared the ethereally light agnolotti filled with ricotta and served with crispy pancetta, chopped scallions and sliced chanterelles in a light broth topped with fresh parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano ($25). [...]

By |2022-02-01T13:53:06-05:00January 24th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Library at The Public, East Village, NYC + Cullud Wattah

The Library at The Public is the perfect place for a bite before theater there, especially on a cold winter's night. Being smart, that's what we did before seeing the show. Cullud Wattah is about an intergenerational household of Black women dealing with the Flint water crisis. I sipped a glass of the Library's Sauvignon Blanc, Grand Moulin Touraine 2020, France ($18) and shared Joe’s Burger ($24) that came topped with caramelized onions, bacon and cheddar cheese. It also came with a huge serving of shoestring fries that we shared with the table. Our vegan dining partner enjoyed the fried Brussel sprouts, without the bacon ($14), another had their hearty fried [...]

By |2022-01-02T10:51:56-05:00January 19th, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Happy Hour at Temerario, Chelsea, NYC + The Joyce (Not!)

We met at Temerario for a quick bite near the Joyce Theater where we were off to a contemporary ballet that evening. I knew the food would be good, having been before. We lucked out, arriving near the end their daily happy hour (4 to 6:30 daily) and quickly ordered. The sangria ($8) was good, as was the passion fruit margarita ($9) and the smoky & spicy one ($10). We shared guacamole topped with crispy quinoa and pineapple ($10) with chips, a huge quesadilla ($10) overstuffed with cheese and veggie-topped nachos ($10) with avocado, beans and chihuahua cheese. As we were finishing up, my friend got an email saying our [...]

By |2023-09-02T19:39:37-04:00January 15th, 2022|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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A Return to Bluebird London, Columbus Circle, NYC + Flying Over Sunset

Before heading to the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center to see "Flying Over Sunset," we stopped at Bluebird London for dinner. The show is a fictionalized story about Cary Grant, Clare Boothe Luce and Aldous Huxley, who together experiment with LSD. Dinner was better than the show! We started with cocktails ($16 each). I had an Old Fashioned, my dining company their Planters' Punch (Bacardi Cuatro, lime, pineapple with a splash of angostura bitters) and Bed of Roses (Grey Goose, Campari, grapefruit, cava and a splash of club soda). One tried their over-priced corn soup ($16) for a small portion that needed both seasoning and more fresh corn.  I [...]

By |2022-01-17T22:24:10-05:00January 11th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Empanada Mama, Lower East Side, NYC + Tenement Museum

A group of friends first went on a guided tour of the Tenement Museum (103 Orchard Street) that allowed us the opportunity to explore the lower east side neighborhood and enter the historic tenement building to learn about the Baldizzi family and see their recreated apartment. Aldolfo and Rosaria Baldizzi were immigrants from Sicily who lived with their two young children on Orchard Street and survived economic hardships like the Great Depression. We explored how the Baldizzi family lived in their tenement home and visited where they went to school and shopped. Afterward, we walked over to Empanada Mama, a Latin restaurant in the neighborhood for a bite to eat. [...]

By |2022-01-02T10:51:29-05:00January 7th, 2022|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Best Bites of 2021 in New York City, Bonnie Tandy Leblang

With a nod to my friend Elliot, who nudged me to do this, I'm sharing some of the best bites I ate in 2021 in New York City. In no particular order, here are some favorite dishes that I enjoyed in 2021 with each linking to the original restaurant writeup. Best Bites: Bice Cucina, Soho's poached and thinly sliced octopus carpaccio. Tagmo's crispy tapioca fritters ($15 for three) layered with a spicy, green-hued mint and peanut chutney. Altesi downtown's ravioli filled with porcini mushroom in black truffle puree ($23). Angelina's signature pastry the “Mont-Blanc,” meringue topped with lightly whipped cream then chestnut cream vermicelli ($11). Casa Mono's confit of goat with [...]

By |2022-01-01T16:12:52-05:00January 1st, 2022|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bowery Road in Hyatt Hotel, Union Square, NYC

Our ex.expat group was thinking of planning a holiday luncheon at Bowery Road. Another member of the planning committee and I decided to sample the fare before we signed a contract. We got there early enough to have a happy hour citrus margarita ($8) made with tequila, dry curacao, orange juice, lime! Yum. To nibble with that, we order fried zucchini chips ($13) served with almond romesco dip. The thin chips were nice and crisp and, after dipping into the sauce, made a perfect accompaniment to our drinks. We split both Faroe Island salmon ($27) and the branzino ($27). The former came with Swiss chard, faro, walnuts and a lemon-mustard [...]

By |2021-12-27T12:02:35-05:00December 29th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Tick Tock Diner, New Yorker Hotel, NYC + Spanish Wine Tasting at Little Spain

I met a friend for lunch recently at the Tick Tock Diner at the corner of 8th Avenue and 34th Street. I had selected the meeting place as it was between her subway station and Hudson Yards where I was attending a master class in volcanic wines from the Canary Islands at Spain's Great Match, a Spanish Food and Wine event. Serendipitously, I ended up sitting with James Dillman, Casa Mono's sommelier who originally introduced me to the wines. At the restaurant, my friend ordered their tuna avocado melt with Muenster cheese and tomato on grilled Texas toast. She mentioned that contained a bit too much mayo, especially with the soft [...]

By |2022-01-17T22:25:58-05:00December 26th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Rubirosa, SoHo, NYC + The Visitor at The Public

Remember the 2007 movie The Visitor with Oscar-nominated Richard Jenkins about a college professor who returns to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple living in his apartment? Well, that story is a musical at The Public Theater starring David Hyde Pierce. I highly recommend this 90-minute show! Afterward, we headed to Rubirosa, a place that I'd been hearing about since it appeared as a Michelin Bib Gourmand years ago, meaning it was good quality and a good value. It's a small, loud and cramped family-run neighborhood restaurant and pizzeria on Mulberry Street. We shared their two apps before the main event. First, the eponymous [...]

By |2022-01-17T22:26:45-05:00December 24th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Chocolate-Lovers Heaven at MarieBell, SoHo, NYC

In the back of MarieBelle's boutique handcrafted chocolates & sweets shop is a European-style cafe open Thursday through Sunday. I was invited to sample specific foods from their menu including finger sandwiches and either a madeleine ($2.50) or macaron. While waiting, I looked around the elegant, chandelier-topped room, noticing the 3-tiered afternoon tea served at other tables ($45-$65, depending on beverage selection). Our hearty plateful of finger sandwiches ($21) included salmon on dark bread rounds garnished with fresh lemon; ham and Gruyère on white dipped in chopped parsley; and endive filled with blue cheese, walnuts, apples and a splash of champagne vinegar atop bread with dill cream cheese. Our waiter [...]

By |2022-01-15T14:09:29-05:00December 22nd, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Holiday Meal at Rolf’s Restaurant, Gramercy Park, NYC + Sharks at American Museum of Natural History

The day began at the American Museum of Natural History at the opening of the "Sharks" exhibit that brings life to the diversity of these fascinating creatures that predate the appearance of trees and dinosaurs on our planet.  The new exhibition features dozens of life-sized models ranging from 33 feet to 5 inches long, fossils from the Museum’s collections, touch-free interactive exhibits and more for visitors of all ages. After the opening, we headed downtown to Rolf's German Restaurant with its old-world vibe to meet some friends. The restaurant, in the Gramercy Park neighborhood for over 50 years, is decorated for Christmas year-round. It's these over-the-top decorations that draw the [...]

By |2022-01-17T22:27:39-05:00December 20th, 2021|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|2 Comments
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Jazz Brunch at North Square, Washington Square, NYC

Every Sunday afternoon, North Square restaurant located in the Washington Square Hotel offers two jazz sets with brunch. One at 12:30, the other 2:15. The afternoon we went, the music was by the Roz Corral Trio with Roz as the vocal, Michael Kanan on the keyboard and Paul Gill on bass. We each had one of their brunch options and a bloody Mary (prix fixe $22). My friend tried the herb omelet with tomatoes and goat cheese served with a mesclun salad and undercooked potato cubes. I sampled the brunch tasting asking for poached eggs with pumpkin pecan pancakes, a chicken apple sausage and the same not fully cooked potato [...]

By |2021-11-08T09:17:19-05:00December 18th, 2021|Big Apple Life, Bites from the Road, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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BXL Cafe, Times Square, NYC + Is This a Room

I tripped over the lively BXL Cafe as it was a couple of blocks south of the Lyceum Theatre where we were seeing Is This a Room. Oddly, it was the first restaurant I've been to where the staff didn't check our vaccination card and the servers were not wearing masks. BXL has a pub atmosphere and menu along with friendly service. The food, with many Belgian specialties like mussels and frites, is okay. Nothing to go out of your way for. I had a Ceasar Salad ($11) with grilled shrimp (+$9), my dining partner the Bouchée À la Reine ($25) a puff pastry round atop chicken, bacon and diced meatballs [...]

By |2021-12-18T09:10:10-05:00December 16th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Margaritaville Times Square, NYC + Lehman Trilogy

The Lehman Trilogy is must-see theatre where, in three acts, the show chronicles the lives of three generations of three immigrant brothers as they arrive in America in 1844 through to 2008. Three actors playing multiple characters, tell the story of this American ambition and hubris with their legendary rise and ultimate fall. We walked out of The Nederlander Theatre on West 41st and decided to grab a bite around the corner at Margaritaville Times Square, a bit hokey but fun hotel. We opted for Jimmy Buffet's restaurant on the second floor to have their "perfect Margarita" ($13). It contained their Margaritaville Gold and Silver Tequila, triple sec, Orange Curaçao [...]

By |2021-12-18T09:11:56-05:00December 14th, 2021|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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