Bites

Lunch at Marseille, Hell’s Kitchen + Little Bear Ridge Road

I jumped a subway from my pickleball game to try to get uptown quickly to meet friends for a quick lunch at Marseilles before theatre. Always a good choice. To make up for my lateness, I ordered a chicken salad from the menu so it would be ready when I arrived, so we'd get to the curtain on time. I walked in as our fab server, Carlos, placed my grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, celeriac remoulade and cherry tomatoes in a mustard vinaigrette ($24). It was just missing the menu-stated haricot vert. So tasty, though. I'd order it again. One dining partner savored their crab salad with asparagus, shaved [...]

By |2025-11-28T19:09:27-05:00December 3rd, 2025|NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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The Paris Cafe, South Street Seaport, NYC

The publicist invited us to put The Paris Cafe on our radar and come dine as their guests at the reimagined Manhattan landmark (since 1873) at South Street Seaport, with a menu that brings Paris straight to the plate, showcasing dishes that blend timeless French brasserie traditions with a fresh, modern eye. After that invitation, I thought I'd go traditional French in my ordering, starting with a Kir Royal with Champagne Lallier with creme de cassis, a traditional cocktail. My dining partner tried the happy-hour Savory spritz ($12), made with dry vermouth, cappelletti, and sparkling wine. Since we arrived between 5 and 7 pm, we added happy-hour Gougères ($1 each) [...]

By |2025-11-28T19:24:39-05:00November 30th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Birthday at Crown Shy, with a pre-drink at Saga

Before heading down to the lobby of the Art Deco landmark building at 70 Pine Street in Manhattan’s Financial District for dinner at Crown Shy, we took the elevator up to the 63rd floor for amazing views and a glass of wine at Saga. Service at Saga was lacking. In fact, after sitting for 30 minutes enjoying the view, I had to flag down a server to bring us menus so we could order a glass of rosé and get to dinner on time. Crown Shy's service was the complete opposite: attentive and helpful. It's what I'd expect, as they do have a Michelin star, one that they've held since [...]

By |2025-10-31T08:44:50-04:00November 28th, 2025|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Valencia Food Truck, Connecticut

Backyard bliss in Norwalk, where a wedding reception that felt like a warm hug — made even better by the Valencia food truck parked just up the hill from the party area. Guests lined up (more than once) for crisp-edged arepas — handmade Venezuelan corn cakes fried to golden perfection, then stuffed with pernil (slow-roasted pork), carne mechada (tender shredded beef), or The Zach (crispy chicken kissed with honey). I didn't overlook the empanadas: flaky pockets of joy filled with chicken tamarillo, beef picadillo, or the surprising standout that I chose — curried cauliflower and ricotta. Love was in the air. So was the smell of garlic and cumin.  

By |2025-11-01T09:59:47-04:00November 25th, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Esh, Fairfield, Connecticut

There’s something undeniably warm about walking into Esh, Fairfield’s vibrant new nod to modern Mediterranean. Maybe it’s the open wood-burning oven flickering in the corner, or the low hum of conversation drifting over candlelit tables. Or maybe it’s just that, from the moment you arrive, you feel welcomed—not as a customer, but as a guest. The Mezze Quintet ($35) was a standout starter, with smooth, flavorful dips and extra flatbread ($9) that arrived warm and puffed from the oven—worth the extra order. We sampled all five dips that included hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, baba ghanoush and labneh. Next were the golden and bright Crispy Artichokes ($18), balanced by capers and [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:59:31-04:00November 22nd, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Lunch Special at Rosemary’s West Village, NYC

Lunch specials are always a treat to find. I smiled when I saw the board over the bar listing the $32 two-course lunch Prix Fixe menu, which also included a glass of wine for $10.   We each chose one of the salads, followed by a pasta and accompanied it with a glass of their Montepulciano d'Abruzz ($10 a glass) I had the chopped salad Siciliana ($19 separately)—a blend of chopped escarole, green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy chickpeas, artichoke hearts, ricotta salata and sliced almonds, very lightly dressed. My dining partner enjoyed the baby gem Caesar ($18 separately) with gem lettuce, capers, lots of grated cheese and pangrattato—crispy, seasoned Italian [...]

By |2025-11-20T08:20:45-05:00November 19th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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May Matta-Aliah

May Matta-Aliah is Lebanese by birth, but has called New York home for the last 30 years. With two decades of wine education under her belt, May is happiest when swirling, sipping and sharing her love of all things wine. She's racked up an impressive list of wine certifications and has represented numerous wine regions as an Educational Ambassador through her company, In the Grape. May is a Dame, a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier New York (LDNY), just like me. We've worked together on various events and enjoyed some leisure activities outside the organization, including pickleball. I was able to get her to take a break from her busy [...]

By |2025-11-19T08:11:39-05:00November 18th, 2025|Big Apple Life, Foodie Interviews, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Midway Mercantile Restaurant, Midway, Utah

Deciding at the last minute to go out and celebrate the kids' 12th anniversary, we opted for a local spot, Midway Mercantile, a New American Cuisine restaurant near their home. We started with their fun Mercantile Cracker Jacks, a popcorn treat with peanuts, scented with Chinese Five Spice powder ($6) and their delicate cornflour-dusted calamari with a sriracha-roasted yellow pepper aioli ($16), each a fun start. We sopped up every drop of the flavorful sauce. We sipped their sparkling rosé, Hubert Meyer France NV ($26) I sampled the shrimp & grits, their flavorful wild shrimp in creamy sauce over yellow corn grits topped with southern greens ($34); one had their [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:58:31-04:00November 16th, 2025|Bites from the Road, USA, USA Restaurants, USA Travel|0 Comments
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Kuku Paka (Kenyan Chicken in Coconut Sauce) with Rice

During a recent visit with my grandkids, we discovered eat2explore—a subscription-based cooking kit that brings the flavors and traditions of global cuisine into your own kitchen. Created by Rowena Scherer, a culinary school graduate and former Wall Street executive, these kits offer an immersive experience through food, culture and hands-on learning. Each country-themed box includes three authentic, step-by-step recipes, essential spice and sauce mixes, a shopping list for fresh ingredients and even a kid-friendly cooking tool to keep little hands safe. There’s also a fun assortment of extras: a flag pin, a cultural passport to track your culinary travels and a brochure filled with curated music playlists, book suggestions and [...]

By |2025-10-31T08:44:02-04:00November 14th, 2025|Entrees, Recipes|0 Comments
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Eating in Den Haag (The Hague), The Netherlands

While visiting the Netherlands this time, I learned that it's not a lunch culture, so most restaurants we encountered after visiting the Escher Museum were only counters. I wanted to sit, so we kept looking until we ended up at Vascobelo. We shared a delicious Croque Madam (€ +2), which is a croque monsieur (€ 10.95) with cheese, ham and bechamel sauce on toasted bread — topped with a fried egg. We also shared fries. I stopped in at Cafe Pomegranate for a morning pastry (€ 4) and bubbly water, as I had coffee in my room that overlooked the Prins Hendrikplein. I wanted to sit at a sunny table [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:58:38-04:00November 11th, 2025|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Restaurant Putaine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands + International Greeters

During my visit to the Netherlands, I took a day trip to Rotterdam, the country’s second-largest city. This modern Dutch city had only been a pass-through for me while driving to The Hague, so I was eager to explore it further. Much of Rotterdam was bombed during World War II, resulting in a contemporary urban landscape following its reconstruction. Knowing about the non-profit organization Big Apple Greeters, which offers free private walking tours of New York City, I contacted the international greeters' Netherlands chapter and arranged a tour in Rotterdam with David Young from Rotterdam Greeters. After an enjoyable morning walking the streets and taking a boat taxi along the Nieuwe [...]

By |2025-11-08T18:01:54-05:00November 8th, 2025|Bites from the Road, World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Salinas, Chelsea, NYC + Ethan Cohen’s Let’s Love!

It wasn't our first time at Salinas, so we knew to reserve a table in the well-lit garden room at the back. Unfortunately, a party was taking place there, so we were seated in a comfortable booth as close to it as possible, allowing the outdoor light to brighten our experience. Two of us started with their Sangria, a delightful blend of Spanish red wine, brandy, pomegranate, citrus fruit and red wine ice cubes to prevent dilution ($42 per half liter). We started our meal with a few shared appetizers, including the very tasty coliflor, featuring tender tricolor cauliflower served with a citrusy Greek yogurt sweetened with sweet paprika ($19). [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:57:58-04:00November 5th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Edinburgh Area Eating2: Rabble, Amber at The Scotch Whiskey Experience, Ochiltree’s Cafe

During our time in Edinburgh on our Ex.As expats in New York, our first overseas trip was packed with a jam-packed itinerary filled with lots of good eating. This post is the second of two focusing on our culinary adventures in Scotland. On our first food tour, we stopped by Rabble—a hip bar and restaurant replete with ten stylish boutique hotel rooms—for a slow-cooked pulled pork Scotch egg that most of us enjoyed. We then drooled over the gooey smoked cheddar mac and cheese that they served to our group's vegetarian (£5.95). Definitely worth the stop! During our time in Scotland, we made sure to indulge in Scotch tastings. One [...]

By |2025-11-01T09:58:07-04:00November 2nd, 2025|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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Argentinian La Boca at Faena, Chelsea, NYC

My friend has been watching out of her Chelsea window as the new Faena, New York, was being built. The hotel and restaurant had recently opened, and we decided to sample it on an odd afternoon, as we couldn’t get a reservation otherwise. The restaurant is Chef Francis Mallmann’s tribute to Buenos Aires’ iconic neighborhood, featuring bold colors and curated gold accents. The chargers at the tables are gold-rimmed, rose-embossed Villeroy & Boch china, which sets the mood. We started nibbling the crusty, baquette with fresh butter as we looked over the menu. We decided to share their oversized fried artichoke, served in a vast puddle of sesame yogurt, topped [...]

By |2025-10-02T09:21:41-04:00October 31st, 2025|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Frena, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + Caroline at MCC

Before heading to MCC, the far west theatre west of 10th Avenue, we stopped at Frena, where Taboon once was located on the corner of 52nd and Tenth Avenue, for a quick bite before our 6 pm (odd time, I know!) show, Caroline. The weather cooperated, and we were still able to sit outside and enjoy the last nice days of summer. The three-woman powerful show explores the challenging dynamics between three generations of women. This thought-provoking 90 minutes of theatre is not to be missed. As for Frena, we once again indulged in their mezze, featuring a trio of choices ($26) served with their addictive, freshly baked bread. We [...]

By |2025-10-02T09:21:30-04:00October 28th, 2025|City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Basque Food at Ernesto’s, Lower East Side, NYC

A group of us gathered at Ernesto's for a big birthday celebration. The restaurant is about a seven-minute walk from the East Broadway stop on the F train on the Lower East Side, serving the kind of Basque bar snack food that you'd find in San Sebastián - both small pintxos and slightly larger tapas. We started with interesting cocktails; many sampled their rosemary-garnished special Spanish gin and tonic ($23). I had their Pintxotins ($22) martini, garnished with my favorite Gilda: skewed olives, Cantabrian anchovies, and special whole pickled guindilla peppers. We followed our drinks with a selection of menu items. Some dishes included Gildas for all ($42 for 6 [...]

By |2025-10-02T09:21:21-04:00October 26th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Edinburgh Area Eating #1: Number One, Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar, Singh Street

The morning the rest of our group was to arrive in Edinburgh for our first Ex.Expats of New York overseas trip, two of us stopped at the Singh Street Cafe—located near our hotel, across the street from the short holes at Bruntsfield Links—for a breakfast naan, one with egg (£8.50) and one with bacon and egg (£10.50). Tasty. We stopped in at Greyfriers Bobby after a too-short visit to the National Museum of Scotland. There never seems to be enough time to see everything you want when traveling. In addition to the food, I liked how this traditional pub checked patrons out at the front register, where you tell what [...]

By |2025-10-23T07:17:01-04:00October 23rd, 2025|World, World Restaurants, World Travel|0 Comments
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West Bank Cafe, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC + Pen Pals

Our friend, who had purchased the theatre tickets, booked the West Bank Cafe for brunch before the show, thinking that our show was on 42nd Street at Theatre Row. When she arrived, we had a good laugh that we had to go back downtown to Union Square area to see our show. Pen Pals at the DR2 Theatre (103 E 15th) is an emotional show about a long-distance friendship between two women who grew up communicating through letters. I highly recommend this Off-Broadway play, featuring a rotating cast that changes approximately every two weeks. Be sure to grab a tissue before heading to your seat. Our brunch at West Bank included [...]

By |2025-10-02T09:21:05-04:00October 21st, 2025|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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*Happy Hour at Barlume, Gramercy, NYC

As I was walking toward Barlume to sample their Happiest Hour, I realized that the new Mediterranean restaurant, which opened on Broadway in January in the space where Beecher's had been.  If you missed it, Beecher's was a cheese shop offering free samples of their award-winning cheddar and a restaurant serving what was claimed to be the “world’s best” mac & cheese. It was that good.  I had high hopes for Barlume, where I stopped by for their $15 martini and fries offering from 4 to 6 p.m. daily. I was seated outside, close to the grate where the Lexington Avenue subway passed underneath —a fun spot for people-watching. Service [...]

By |2025-10-18T09:44:15-04:00October 18th, 2025|Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Recently Opened Yacht Club, Chelsea, NYC + Circle Line

Instead of starting the summer traditionally, with a cruise around Manhattan, we did so at the end on a perfect summer Tuesday when Circle Line offers a special $20 ride for Tri-State Residents instead of the regular $51. After the perfect cruise, we headed down Twelfth Avenue to the recently opened, nautically inspired, Yacht Club on the 10th-floor rooftop at 26th Street. The must-go restaurant is from Crew, an innovative hospitality group led by internationally acclaimed chef Kerry Heffernan, which operates experience-focused restaurants and maritime ventures, including Grand Banks, Drift In, and Island Oyster. It's open for lunch, drinks and dinner from 11 am to 11 pm daily. We sat [...]

By |2025-10-02T09:20:47-04:00October 15th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Other happenings|0 Comments
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