USA Restaurants

Our favorite restaurants in the US

A New Menu Sampling at 116 Crown (New Haven)

When the owner of a restaurant invites you in to sample the new seasonal menu, who could resist? I know I couldn't. Not only was I able to try the food, but also their new libations. 116 Crown (the address and eponymous restaurant in New Haven) is fast becoming known for their cocktails. Owner John Ginnetti formerly the bartender at Bar (245 Crown, New Haven), which is where he met Danielle, who's now his partner — both in business and life. Together they operate one of the hottest places in town to grab a bite. Our sampling began with a martini made with TRU vodka. Danielle explained how she and [...]

By |2017-08-31T15:40:36-04:00March 20th, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|2 Comments
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A Quick Bite at Ferrante, Stamford, CT

With a plan to meet a potential new client from NYC in Stamford, I sent an email to Linda Kavanaugh, a PR person who represents Stamford-area restaurants asking where — near the train station — would I get decent meal and be able to hold a conversation. I find the noise level at many restaurants so high that it's almost impossible to even hear your companion. "Ferrante in Stamford, 191 Summer Street," she emailed back along with a couple other suggestions. "Lovely (quiet) place with great dining room - stylish bar - Italian food and great wines. Ask for Lenny." We did just that and who did we serendipitously find [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:47-04:00March 18th, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Jaipur Restaurant – Curacao

I'm happy to say that I'm a bit spoiled with my jobs, great food and travel are my loves.. and combining the two is simply the best. Having had the pleasure of visiting more than a few Caribbean islands, I will take this opportunity to make a foodie travel recommendation. There are a few destinations that can wow your palate (St. Barth and St. Martin are both fantastic!), but for a true glimpse of the beautiful melting pot cuisine of this tropical paradise, Curacao is tops. A mix of over 50 cultures, Curaçao's food reflects the varied histories of its many different residents. Dutch, Spanish, Creole, Indonesian, Venezuelan, Indian, and [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:47-04:00March 16th, 2009|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Hearth & Candle – Smuggler’s Notch, VT

Restaurants with a completely captive audience are always an interesting dilemma... At my first job, I worked the grill at a small 'restaurant' located inside an indoor soccer facility. The center was in an industrial park, leaving hungry patrons little choice but to frequent my grill. I can still remember questions we'd get "Why don't you have such and such product".. My answer always being, "Sorry, this is what the owners want to serve"... I always thought to myself.. 'what are you gonna do, you're hungry, we're the only game in town..order the hot dog already'. This is the problem with a captive audience, they must eat what they're fed... [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:47-04:00March 12th, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|4 Comments
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Market Atlanta – W Hotel

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Jean Georges Vongerichten at the opening of his newest restaurant, Market. The dining room is housed in the one of the latest hotel openings in Atlanta... the W Buckhead. The W has opened three hotels in Atlanta over the past year, all with a unique focus on dining. W Midtown opened last year and heralded Jean Georges's arrival to Atlanta with Spice Market. W Downtown just opened last month, Laurent Tourondel adding a special flair with BLT Steak (full report to come). This is all about Market though, and more specifically the food inspired by Jean Georges; "where comfort food explores [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:47-04:00March 2nd, 2009|Foodie Interviews, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|5 Comments
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Black Sapote – Casa del Agua

Riviera Maya Foodie News Part III: I wanted to mention one final foodie find from my recent long weekend in the Riviera Maya. While traveling, we got to enjoy two villas.;the first in Playa del Carmen was Villa Aqua. The second, in Puerto Aventuras (about 15 minutes South of Playa) was Casa del Agua. Casa del Agua is a fantastic home, with the cool blue waters of the Caribbean gently lapping against the white, sandy beach it calls a front yard. Hammocks swing between palm trees and margaritas flow freely... this is truly paradise. The best part of staying at Casa del Agua are the creations of the head chef, [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:48-04:00February 19th, 2009|Bites from the Road, Food & Drinks, Foodie Interviews, Other happenings, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|2 Comments
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Rosewood Mayakoba

Riviera Maya Foodie News Part II: Though we were staying in a private villa (and are generally averse to hotels), I had heard much fanfare about the new Mayakoba Resort; an expansive, sprawling, maze-like estate that is a collaborative effort between the Viceroy, Fairmont and Rosewood Hotels. After receiving more than a few "you've got to see it" reviews from friends who know the area, I decided that it was certainly worth a swing by.. if nothing else for cocktails and the views! We headed over to enjoy drinks at the Agave Azul Raw Bar & Tequila Library. The setting is elegant, overlooking the dimly lit lagoon below. The bar [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:48-04:00February 17th, 2009|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Maya Cuisine – Yaxche Restaurant

I recently had the opportunity to escape the cold for a long weekend to the Riviera Maya; a geographical area stretching along the Caribbean Sea from Cancun to the border of Belize. This territory is the heart of the ancient Mayan civilization, with the now bustling tourist city of Playa del Carmen laying smack in the middle. Before heading down, my friend and I independently scoured the net for restaurants of quality, and when, after much research, we came to the same conclusions, we knew we had picked the right place. Our first accommodation was just minutes walk from downtown Playa, in an amazing home called Villa Aqua. Our excitement [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:48-04:00February 14th, 2009|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|2 Comments
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Bespoke’s Arturo Franco-Camacho’s Milk Chocolate Banana Terrine

During the Global Tastes Restaurant Tour as part of Sneak Peek Week in New Haven, Arturo Franco-Camacho demonstrated this incredibly easy Banana Terrine. Seriously -- you can make the actual terrine in a few minutes with melted chocolate, heavy cream, overripe bananas and a blender or food processor. To do so, melt 1 pound of milk chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over boiling water. Bring 5 ounces of heavy cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Blend the melted chocolate, the hot cream and 3 peeled overrripe bananas in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the mixture into a Saran [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00February 11th, 2009|Endings, Foodie Interviews, Recipes, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Chef Denise Appel’s Spring Rolls from Zinc (New Haven) During Sneak Peek Week

The first stop on the Slow Food restaurant tour during Sneak Peek Week was at Zinc (964 Chapel Street, New Haven). Denise — a fan of Vietnamese-inspired cooking — demoed her Market Vegetable Rice Paper Rolls with a Peanut Sauce. Denise changes the ingredients for the rolls depending on the season. For this winter demo, she used julienned blanched snow peas, water chestnuts and carrots, rolled those veggies inside rice paper along with a spicy cooked shrimp (cut in half through the middle) and mache, and served with a peanut sauce. (For another version of her recipe, click here.) Denise softened the rice paper sheets in warm water to soften [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00February 9th, 2009|Foodie Interviews, Recipes, Starters, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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New Haven Restaurant Tour: Scoozi’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Mustard Greens

Last week during one of  the Sneak Peak Week  for New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas to be held June 13 to 27 this year, I conducted two restaurant tours to six of New Haven's top restaurants. On our "Slow Food" tour, participants discovered organic, local and sustainable flavors of the three visited restaurants:   Zinc (964 Chapel Street), Scoozi (1104 Chapel Street) and Heirloom (1157 Chapel Street), who each did a cooking demonstration as part of the tour. I promised participants that I would post as many recipes as possible. This recipe is the first of those postings. Housemade Sweet Potato gnocchi, Pan-seared Franklin Farms Organic Mushrooms and [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00February 5th, 2009|Entrees, Other happenings, Recipes, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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The Wine Press: Racking

Our third visit to The Wine Press was for racking our wine. Our new pals Ray and Frank were — of course — there to assist using every step of the racking. But before we began that process, we sampled some of their Wine Press wines,  nibbled Italian table cheese, olives and stuffed cherry peppers  and tried to catch up with each other -- as many of our wine-making team hadn't seen each other since before the new year. Racking:   Diane held the hose, while Ray commenced the process of draining the wine from our barrel so we could remove and discard the sediment that had precipitated from the liquid. [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00February 3rd, 2009|Other happenings, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Serafina at the TIME Hotel, Restaurant Week NYC

I checked into the TIME hotel a couple hours before my meeting with a GMA producer, figuring I'd get some work done in my room. Wrong. The internet was down, but the restaurant on the ground floor had wireless. With computer case in hand, I entered the restaurant mid-afternoon between the lunch and dinner crowd. The staff warmly greeted me, found an outlet for my plug and did everything to make me welcome. My thought was to order a small nibble and glass of wine, as I was meeting friends for an early dinner. The waitress handed me the restaurant week menu with details of how, for $25, I could [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00February 2nd, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|4 Comments
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4th & Swift

My Atlanta renaissance continues, and this time right down the street! The Old Fourth Ward is part of what makes up my neighborhood; created in the 1870s under the city ward system, it's a historically African American district on the east side of Atlanta’s Downtown, birthplace of Martin Luther King as well as the location of Ebenezer Baptist Church. The area (to my delight!) is experiencing a period of rapid growth and reinvention, with a variety of bars, cafes, and cutting-edge restaurants gracing these so recently forgotten streets. 4TH & Swift is certainly central to the party... Housed in a long forgotten dairy's abandoned engine room, the restaurant retains much [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:49-04:00January 30th, 2009|Foodie Interviews, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Craft Atlanta Birthday Dinner

I posted a tidbite a while back about the promotional lunch with Tom Colicchio at Craft Atlanta. Today I have the luxury of writing about an actual dining experience at Craft. My good friend spoiled me this year, taking me to Craft Atlanta for a celebratory dinner on my birthday. I must say that there is little better that can be done for a true foodie than treating them to a fine meal with company... and what a meal we had!! We started with a bit of bubbly... (how else can you celebrate??). A small amuse bouche of pulled-pork gougeres followed before we really hit full stride with the food. [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:50-04:00January 22nd, 2009|Foodie Interviews, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Varasano’s Pizza

I've been living in Atlanta for the past three years, and though I was very skeptical upon arrival, I have become pleasantly surprised with the culinary scene here... especially over the past year as I have gotten to know the city so much better. Despite finding a variety of quality restaurants, cafes and random lunch spots... one of the most glaring epicurean oversights remaining is pizza. I must put this statement in context, as I am a bit of a pizza snob. Having grown up in New Haven (pizza mecca, if you were not aware) and lived in New York City... I have a certain idea of what pizza should [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:50-04:00January 21st, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|6 Comments
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Slanted Door, San Francisco

With single digits in the East and a heat wave in the West, I jumped at a chance to fill in for a canceled speaker at the winter Fancy Food Show.  That and the prospect of dining in one of my favorite restaurant cities. I spent the first day walking the city streets, staying on the side with the sunlight, as the temperature hovered just over the 70s until I ended up outside the Ferry Building taking in the view of the Bay. As I stood there I realized that The Slanted Door — one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the US — had relocated there to become an [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:22:03-04:00January 19th, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|1 Comment
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Mullins, St Peter, Barbados

We again found ourselves with no reservations. In fairness, we weren't quite sure what time we'd return from our excursion to the north point to see the animal flower cave, named for the sea anemones found in the rock pools. (Worth the visit, by the way!) At worst case scenario, we'd stop by Mullins and if we couldn't get in, we'd have a drink and some apps in the lounge. That's exactly what we did. Our pricey apps included a Jerk-crusted beef with Asian spiced carambola and arugula drizzled with lemon vinaigrette ($19); a mushroom risotto (way too al dente) with white truffle butter topped with sunny side egg ($17); [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:51-04:00January 12th, 2009|Bites from the Road, USA Restaurants, xyz misc|0 Comments
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Sneak Peek of New Haven’s International Festival of Art & Ideas

Get a sneak peek of  June's International Festival of Arts & Ideas at one or more of the activities planned from January 26 through 30, 2009. If you're not familiar with it, the Festival — scheduled this year from June 13 to June 27, 2009 — brings together artists and thinkers from around the world and from your backyard to celebrate both commonalities and diversity. I'm thrilled to be moderating the panel of New Haven chefs, as well as leading both of the restaurant tours.  Be sure to get your tickets before the sell out! Calendar of events: Monday January 26 at 5:30pm —A conversation on global flavors with some of [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:51-04:00January 9th, 2009|Other happenings, USA Restaurants, USA Travel, xyz misc|4 Comments
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Joe’s Stone Crab

With a long layover between our flight from Miami and our flights home, we hopped into a cab heading to Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach for a mini-vacation lunch instead of hanging at the Admirals Club. Joe's doesn't take reservations. But with 9 hours between our flights, we had no qualms about a long wait for our meal. But we learned the secret to getting into Joe's without waiting. Go for lunch on a sunny day! This Miami institution was established in the early 1900's when purportedly Joe Weiss  discovered this local crustacean and began to offer them quickly boiled, chilled and served with a mustard sauce. They still [...]

By |2017-08-31T16:20:51-04:00January 8th, 2009|USA Restaurants, xyz misc|3 Comments
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