Big Apple Life

A collection of posts on Life in the Big Apple along with interviews with foodie friends

Morning Star Restaurant, Upper West Side, NYC

We had tickets to see Juilliard students perform the "New Dances: Edition 2017" at the Peter Jay Sharp theater and needed to find a place for a quick bite as the performance began at 7:30 pm. That job is usually delegated to me. In addition to proximity, I had to be price conscious. I made a reservation at Morning Star Restaurant in Lincoln Square, a diner-like restaurant that answered both concerns even better than I had anticipated. This restaurant offers simple fare. My expectations weren't very high, leaving the bar low. One friend ordered the ziti with eggplant ($17) that came with a fresh garden salad. Two others ordered the [...]

By |2018-01-14T11:38:33-05:00January 25th, 2018|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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How to Get Discount Theatre Tickets

Before I became a full-time New Yorker, I would purchase theatre tickets ahead paying full price or come into the city and roll the dice, hoping I could get what I wanted from the TKTS discount ticket booth. Most out-of-towners are also aware of that Times Square booth that sells same-day matinee and evening tickets. TKTS also has outposts at Lincoln Center, at South Street Seaport and in Downtown Brooklyn that sell same-day evening and next-day matinee ones. You can select your seats when you buy them. When I moved to Gotham, I learned of many other ways to get show tickets — both on and off Broadway — without paying full [...]

By |2018-01-22T10:06:09-05:00January 23rd, 2018|Big Apple Life, Other happenings, Theatre|0 Comments
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Oaxaca Taqueria, Upper West Side, NYC

We needed a place on the Upper West Side near the Hayden Planetarium, as we were off to a 40th anniversary celebration of the Voyager I and II spacecrafts. The event also celebrated a a new musical piece by Gerald Cohen for clarinet and string quartet based on selections from the Golden Record, a phonograph record included on each Voyager launched in 1977.  We listened to that as we observed the "flight" of the night sky.  Back to the food. I was with a friend who always recommends good cheap eats, who suggested meeting at Oaxaca Taqueria a small eatery on Amsterdam not far from the American Museum of Natural History. [...]

By |2017-12-24T13:16:47-05:00January 15th, 2018|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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Pershing Square, Midtown, NYC

Pershing Square is quite noticeable across the street from Grand Central Station (GCS) under the overpass. I never ate there until recently when I met a friend for breakfast, first at the classic meeting place — the clock in GCS — then heading there to this bustling American-style cafe. Love the warm atmosphere and friendly service. I had their farm fresh eggs my way (poached) with extra-crispy bacon, home fries and rye toast ($16); my friend had the fluffy buttermilk pancakes served with maple syrup (the real stuff, Grade A), with fresh berries on the side ($17). Both were worth returning for -- at an ideal location for meeting someone near [...]

By |2017-11-24T08:20:05-05:00January 9th, 2018|Rambling|0 Comments
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NoHo Star, NoHo, NYC

It's too late now to try the decades-old neighborhood NoHo Star as it shuttered its doors on New Year's Eve. I made a point of stopping by as I hadn't tried their purportedly best Caesar salad in the city. One afternoon, I lunched with a couple friends. Our salads arrived with the raw (pasteurized) egg in the middle of torn romaine.The waiter showed it, then tossed it. Really good Caesar although my table-mates wanted less dressing and more grated cheese and anchovies. We also shared a burger and fries. The salad was better. If you missed, you'll just have to look at Instagram photos and dream. NoHo Star 330 Lafayette Street New [...]

By |2018-01-07T09:00:01-05:00January 7th, 2018|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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Lam Zhou Handmade Noodle & Dumpling, Chinatown, NYC

I often do Manhattan on the cheap. This time I combined a morning at the free Louis Vuitton exhibition downtown with an under $20 meal uptown a tad in Chinatown. If you're heading to the Louis Vuitton (86 Trinity Place), be sure to make a reservation. I suggest doing it without the guided tour. We found the docents in each room quite informative, much better than the tour guide. Go soon, as it closed January 7. We walked uptown from the exhibition to the new location of Lam Zhou on Bowery. This one with 40 seats is much larger than the original one but the same inexpensive good food. Although chopsticks made [...]

By |2017-12-22T15:29:56-05:00December 27th, 2017|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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Ivan Ramen, Lower East Side, NYC + (The Band’s Visit)

I headed downtown to a press event at Ivan Ramen after seeing The Band's Visit on Broadway — the musical about the Egyptian Police Band mistakenly ending up in a remote Israeli village with no bus until morning and no hotel nearby. In this based on a true story, the musicians are taken in by the locals. (Click here for review on Theater Pizzazz.) The event at Ivan Ramen was to celebrate the November Anime NYC’s Ramen Summit, a dedicated celebration of Japanese animation and culture. Ivan Orkin, a Long Island Jewish guy who's the man behind Ivan Ramen, sat with us and shared his story of living in Japan and opening [...]

By |2017-11-19T17:41:49-05:00December 17th, 2017|Rambling, Theatre|0 Comments
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Bluebell Cafe, Gramercy, NYC + The Box

We went for a bite to eat at the Bluebell Cafe after seeing The Box Show — one woman (Dominique Salerno) hilariously performing over 25 characters from inside a small  3' x 3'x 2' box — at the People's Improv Theatre on 24th Street. We found Bluebell Cafe, a warm friendly restaurant that's so accommodating. We were four and each wanted to share, as women often do. They were so eager to please, giving each of us a half an order of their creamy cauliflower soup  ($10 a bowl) from the special of the day. If offered,  I'd recommend that! For entrees, we tried the salmon ($23), cooked medium-rare as requested, with [...]

By |2017-11-06T08:36:37-05:00December 13th, 2017|Rambling, Theatre|0 Comments
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Feinstein’s/54 Below, Midtown, NYC + Ben Vereen

My friend invited me to join her at Feinstein's/54 Below nightclub for opening night of the Ben Vereen show Thanksgiving weekend. Ben is the Tony and Drama Desk Award winner for his performance in Bob Fosse’s Pippin. Some of this other credits include Wicked, I’m Not Rappaport, Chicago, Hair, Fosse and Jesus Christ Superstar. The New York Times wrote that “Mr. Vereen is a song and dance man who never lets up.” Ben Vereen, now 71, was exactly as the Times described. Quite the showman. (Click here for a complete review on Theater Pizzazz.) 54 Below is also a supper club, offering dinner and drinks. I tried my waiter's suggestion of their fettuccine Bolognese, made [...]

By |2017-11-28T14:37:25-05:00November 28th, 2017|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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Novita, Flatiron, NYC

A man on a train recommended Novita. We started talking on the Amagansett platform and continued until we arrived at Jamaica Station. When we talked food, he recommended his favorite Italian restaurant in my hood that I had somehow missed. I had to try it. It's a dimly lit, white-tablecloth restaurant with a professional (from what I observed) male waitstaff, sporting the white apron and a smile. We started by splitting what the menu called salmon salad. This dish included chunks of grilled salmon tossed with fingerling potatoes, olives and haricot vert ($14); it's almost a meal in itself. Knowing we were sharing, our waiter had offered to have the [...]

By |2025-05-31T07:33:23-04:00November 13th, 2017|Rambling|0 Comments
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33 Greenwich, West Village, NYC + FIT Museum

After moving to the big apple, I created a Google map with restaurants that I want to try so that when someone says, "Where shall we eat?" I look at the map and locate a place somewhat nearby where we are going. In this walking city, that restaurant could be a mile or so away! That's how we ended up at 33 Greenwich restaurant after seeing the Force of Nature, the current exhibit at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Seventh Avenue at 27 Street. The exhibit examines how the beauty of the natural world has inspired fashion designers for centuries. This one runs through November 18; [...]

By |2017-11-24T08:52:51-05:00November 1st, 2017|Big Apple Life, Rambling|1 Comment
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Introducing Sandi Durell’s Theater Pizzazz

About two years ago when my theatre buddy Tom met Sandi Durell at a holiday party, he decided to introduce us as he had a feeling we'd become friends. He was right. Sandi Durell is Publisher/Editor of the fabulous TheaterPizzazz.com — an entertainment website covering theater and cabaret, with a staff of over 15 contributing writers.  Her site offers interviews, openings and reviews of both on and off broadway shows and music.  Sandi's been writing, reviewing, producing, with a voice in theater, cabaret and entertainment for over 25+ years. We decided to sort of cross-pollinate — me sharing her contributors' theatre reviews here on Bite of the Best, she sharing my [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:13:18-05:00October 31st, 2017|Big Apple Life, Theatre|0 Comments
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Factory Tamal, Lower East Side, NYC

One friend and I always find a new cheap eats to use as our destination. We then meet and walk there... how we ended up at the Factory Tamal on Ludlow Street. It's a tiny restaurant and I use that word loosely. It's gigantic compared to their former storefront around the corner. The person taking our orders had a smile from ear to ear. Factory Tamal certainly has something to smile about as they were recently and so very interestingly described by Lagaya Mishan in the Times. With one tamale breaking the bank at $2.50 (up a bit from the $2 price in the story), we ordered one of each of the [...]

By |2017-12-24T09:08:47-05:00October 28th, 2017|Rambling|Comments Off on Factory Tamal, Lower East Side, NYC
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NYC’s 2018 Michelin Bib Gourmands

This week announced the 2018 Bib Gourmands, a collection of venues where patrons can enjoy two courses plus a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less. Any restaurant that receives a Bib is ineligible for a star. The over 120 restaurants who have earned this recognition across the city's neighborhoods are listed below. A Bib Gourmand designation, reserved for a select number of restaurants rated by Michelin’s team of anonymous food inspectors, denotes establishments where diners can enjoy a great meal for a good value. In New York, these restaurants are as diverse as the neighborhoods in which they are found. Here are the New York City 2018 [...]

By |2017-10-24T09:55:00-04:00October 25th, 2017|Big Apple Life, Rambling|0 Comments
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Lotus Blue, Union Square, NYC

I had watched the progress of a restaurant being build in the space where Pizza Vinoteca was located just off Union Square on the south side of 15th Street. Lotus Blue opened in September while I was in France. I stopped by recently to meet a colleague for a drink. She ordered a Tito's and fresh orange juice ($12). The friendly bartender has just made a batch with mostly oranges plus one grapefruit.  I ordered the same but made with their chili-infused tequila as I wanted my drink a bit spicier. With the fresh juice, both were refreshingly delicious! I will for sure return as the menu looked good, and this [...]

By |2017-12-26T09:00:19-05:00October 15th, 2017|Rambling|0 Comments
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A Baker’s Dozen Cheap Pre-Theatre Eats: Theatre District

"Where should I eat?" I'm always asked, especially when friends are heading to theatre. To help respond to that query,  I've decided to create a few posts listing suggested places to grab a bite, divided by cost and time. This first post contains a baker's dozen offerings where you can get a quick meal — of course, depending on what you order — for about $25 (not including tax, tip and drinks!) located not far from the theatre district.   Bareburger 366 W 46th St, (212) 673-2273. For a quick burger and fries. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., 1501 Broadway (at 43rd) (212) 391-7100 A down-home atmosphere reminiscent of the “Forrest [...]

By |2018-04-07T08:21:10-04:00September 9th, 2017|NYC Best Bites, Rambling, Theatre|2 Comments
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The 14th Annual Second Helping of Life Tasting Event, September 18

Two dozen of NYC's top women chefs will offer their signature dishes at nonprofit SHARE's annual “A Second Helping of Life” tasting event on Monday, September 18, 6 PM at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers. Celebrity Chef Angie Mar, Executive Chef of Beatrice Inn, will serve as the event’s Executive Chef. All proceeds will benefit SHARE. Participating chefs will include Food Network favorite Alex Guarnaschelli (Butter), Rebecca Charles (Pearl Oyster Bar), Sarabeth Levine (Sarabeth’s), Amanda Cohen (Dirt Candy), Patti Jackson (Delaware and Hudson), Roxanne Spruance (Kingsley’s), and many more. See the list below. The NYC female chef community has been supporting SHARE’s mission for 14 years, making A Second Helping of [...]

By |2017-09-03T13:34:45-04:00September 2nd, 2017|Other happenings|0 Comments
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Free No More: Pier 81 Boat Rides

I've been raving about the free boat rides from Pier 81 since they began a few years back. Free no more. The North River Lobster boat sailed for 45 minutes up the Hudson about every two hours. When they first began, the lobster rolls were plentiful served with fresh creamy cole slaw and a bag of chips for $16. I've been many times with friends who came for a summertime visit. Sadly as the pricing of the lobster roll when up, the quality down. And now that ride is $10 a person; the lobster roll $22.95. That's not the worst of it. Fish Bar, which also was free,  now has [...]

By |2023-07-02T08:06:35-04:00June 14th, 2017|Big Apple Life, Other happenings|0 Comments
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Chadwick Boyd

For our visit, Chadwick Boyd whipped up a batch of biscuits and served them warm with salted butter and grapefruit-thyme jam. This month, you can catch him making these quick breads on the big (AKA movie) screen in "Reel Food," his 4-minute cooking and entertaining segment that precedes the trailers in many theaters nationwide. Screenvision Media launched this series last fall, with each episode running a 4-week cycle. They've already commissioned Chadwick through June. Smart idea for sure, encouraging moviegoers to get there early enough to catch the pre-entertainment show. While spreading some jam on the tender biscuits, I learned that Chadwick helps organize International Biscuit Festival. How fitting, I [...]

By |2017-09-03T09:44:28-04:00March 28th, 2017|Foodie Interviews|0 Comments
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Suzen O’Rourke

Suzi O’Rourke was ahead of her time. In the 80s, she created a cooking club where she sent kitchen-tested recipes to friends, saying the first one to respond got their choice of which to make! Her dinner parties were such a success she ended up with a waiting list of friends wanting to attend. She then realized she might have just have a business concept — Cooking by The Book was born. That business — located in Tribeca — morphed from those dinners into a culinary corporate team building experience. Suzi's clients from Fortune 1000 companies learn to work together in her new state-of-the-art equipped kitchen and dining room. Suzi [...]

By |2017-09-03T11:35:14-04:00March 1st, 2017|Foodie Interviews|0 Comments
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