NYC Restaurant Reviews

Our New York City restaurant reviews

Burger & Barrel Winepub, Soho, NYC

We headed diagonally across the street from the Angelica Theatre to B&B for a bite, after seeing The Florida Project, a poignant look at the childhood of the six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) —  in her break-out role — that takes place on a stretch of highway in Orlando near Disney World. The pub is from chef Josh Capon and restaurateur John McDonald the team behind Lure Fishbar and El Toro Blanco! The two tender Kobe beef sliders ($13) with their high degree of marbling (AKA fat) came on tiny buns spread with a special sauce, topped with both bacon and aged cheddar -- a perfect size for an after movie [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:25:34-05:00December 3rd, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Nur, Flatiron, NYC

There's been a buzz about Nur, my fairly new neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant from the well-known Tel Aviv chef who brought us crisp baguettes (the #2 best from 2016's bake-off) and the city's best chocolate babka at Breads bakery on 16th Street. Nur has an interesting, but quite limited modern Middle Eastern menu, with friendly service. We drank a bright Lebanese wine ($56) — Massaya Blanc, Obaideh, Bekaa Valley 2015. Don't miss the Jerusalem large round sesame "bagel" (similar to the sticks sold at Breads), with a thin lima bean hummus (messbaha, $19) and a small bowl of za'atar to sprinkle on top. We also used that bread as a base [...]

By |2017-11-29T09:05:58-05:00November 29th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Daily Provisions Breakfast Sandwich, Gramercy, NYC

One of my foodie friends raved about the breakfast sandwich at Daily Provisions, Danny Meyer's place for breakfast items, sandwiches & late-afternoon rotisserie chicken, around the corner from the new Union Square Cafe location. Walking by one morning that I hadn't had breakfast, I decided to stop in and order one. The place is small and always packed with hungry people, but the line goes quickly. There are a couple of benches outside and some seating in. I ordered the bacon egg sandwich ($7.62) with a fried egg on a soft roll with crispy Berkshire bacon and American cheese. Glad I did. If you're out and about the area at [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:22:03-05:00November 23rd, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Gotham Bar and Grill, Greenwich Village, NYC

I should head to Gotham Bar & Grill more often, as it had consistently good food and service.  This time we decided on the greenmarket prix fixe lunch for $38, sharing each course. Gotta love a restaurant that knowing that, divides each of our dishes (other than the single soft shelled crab!). The refreshingly smooth heirloom tomato gazpacho contained chunks of compressed melon, cucumber and chopped Marcona almonds seasoned the Thai basil. The least spectacular was the summer veggie salad with beans, stone fruit and gold tomatoes all in a dill yogurt dressing. For our main course, we split the perfectly cooked pan-roasted branzino over quinoa with diced squash, smoked [...]

By |2017-11-19T09:01:11-05:00November 19th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Periyali, Gramercy/Flatiron, NYC + Stuffed

Earlier this fall, I had met my friend Joan at Periyali on 20th Street for a drink (the yummy Mediterranean Sunset AKA an Aperol spritzer) as it was almost next door to her amazing chocolate factory. This 35-year-old Greek restaurant was so welcoming that I decided to go back before heading to see the off-Broadway play Stuffed a funny play written by and starring comedian Lisa Lampanelli about women's food and body-image issue. (Click here for review on Theater Pizzazz.) We started with a white wine  — Assyrtiko Santorini, Koutsoyannopoulos ($64) — suggested by that the manager Dimitri said he served at his wedding in Santorini. I'd return just for their charcoal [...]

By |2017-11-18T08:21:03-05:00November 17th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Porsena, East Village, NYC

We headed to Sara Jenkin’s sit-down restaurant on East 7th for dinner. Our voices bounced off the brick walls, making conversation a bit of a strain in the noisy room. With three of us, we decided to order one restaurant week menu with an app, entrée and dessert and supplement that with two pasta dishes, which was more than enough food for us.  We washed it down with a nice Verdejo, the Los Navales de Martúe, 2015, ($42). We appreciated our waiter offering to serve the food in courses, starting with the refreshing salad of slivered onions and fennel with black olives and icicle radishes in a mustard dressing ($42 [...]

By |2017-11-19T09:12:16-05:00November 15th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Leopard at des Artistes, Upper West Side, NYC + Time and The Conways

After seeing J. B. Priestley's Time and the Conways, with Elizabeth McGovern about a well-to-do family and their fluctuating fortunes that offers food for thought (Click here for a review on Theater Pizzazz.), we headed to The Leopard at des Artistes on the Upper West Side. As their guests, we sampled lots of wonderfully prepared and expertly served food, sharing each dish. Their amuse was an arancini, a fried rice ball filled with mozzarella, veal and peas. We asked that our skilled server paired wines with our food. With our appetizers — the antipasti — we sipped the Pinot Bianco "Plotzner" 2015, St. Pauls ($13). We began with an artichoke salad [...]

By |2017-11-19T11:18:35-05:00November 11th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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E.A.K. Ramen (NY)  

We headed to E.A.K. Ramen, a branch of a Japan-based chain specializing in ramen prepared with a pork and chicken broth, as we were in the mood for a sizzling bowlful. While waiting for our ramen, we started with a bao (bun), their juicy shrimp cutlet one ($8) with sweet chili sauce topped with housemade tartar sauce. I'd go back for that alone.     I  had the spicy oh, so hot version the iekei (house) style ramen with pork and chicken broth, pork chashu (marinated braised pork belly), a hard-cooked egg, seaweed, cabbage, spinach, and spicy miso with ground chicken ($17). My dining partner had the original with the pork, [...]

By |2017-11-10T09:22:41-05:00November 7th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Cooks & Captains, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

After being invited by the publicist for Cooks & Captains, I headed to Park Slope, Brooklyn to sample the cooking of chef Tristen Epps. We wanted to sample many dishes, so the chef offered us smaller than normal portion sizes — other than his crudo, already tiny. We started with the thinly sliced Hamachi poke ($12) with artichokes, eggplant and nasturtium leaves ($14) and the thicker black bass tirade with chilled sweet potato-pasilla broth, dukkah crumble and fresh mint created by chef Tristen Epps, formerly he as a sous chef for Marcus Samuelsson Group. The Hamachi earned him a finalist on the third season of ABC’s "The Taste.” We then [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:15:18-05:00November 5th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bagatelle, Chelsea, and Bryant Park Tour

One drizzly weekday morning before lunch at Bagatelle, we sat by the Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain at 41st and 6th Avenue waiting for the free tour of Bryant Park. With no one else braving the weather, we ended up with a private tour as we were the only two participants. This free tour provides oh, so much information that I (now a real New Yorker) had no idea about. For one, that fountain from 1912 was the first NYC monument dedicated to a woman! Also in the park is a statue of Gertrude Stein, an attendant and fresh flower bedecked bathroom, books to read and many games to play. [...]

By |2017-11-09T14:01:29-05:00November 3rd, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Architectural Cruise Around Manhattan & Wichcraft, Chelsea, NYC

Too late for this year, but next year for sure don't miss an architectural cruise around Manhattan. I took a couple and liked them so much I go back for more. My first was with some CT friends around the time I moved to the city; this time as a real New Yorker. The cruise director, an American Institute of Architects (AIA) architect, rattled off information about the buildings faster than my mind could absorb them. I did take-in more this time than last. There's so much to know, and with the ever changing skyline, there'll always be something to learn. (Click here or here to find out more about [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:12:16-05:00October 30th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bar Bolonot, West Village, NYC

I had been to Chef/Owner Einat Admony, Balaboosta, and loved it, and so I suggested to a friend that we try her newest Bar Bolonot, a three-year-old place that  won't be newest for long. According to our server, Einat is opening a couscous restaurant a bit further downtown Hudson in November. As with Balaboosta, we were told that all items are meant to be shared and will come from the kitchen when they are ready. In no particular order. The cauliflower a peanut tahini ($16) was the first to arrive. It's  rice-flour dipped then flash-fried to give it an amazing crackly crunch with some bamba (peanut butter-flavored Israeli snack). Really [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:10:15-05:00October 24th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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La Fonda del Sol, Midtown, NYC

A Connecticut friend was in the city and wanted to get together before jumping the train home so I heading up to Grand Central for conversation and to grab something to eat. We sat outside at La Fonda del Sol as the weather was conducive to alfresco dining.My dining partner had the fried calamari with a chile aïli ($10). I'd recommend as the pieces were tender, not overcooked and didn't have too much breadcrumb coating. Looking for a breakfast item, I had the huevos rotos, a sunny side egg over fried yucca and chorizo pieces ($15). Small but tasty. We both had drinks with prices typical for NYC, especially near [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:08:18-05:00October 22nd, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Bombay Sandwich Co., Hell’s Kitchen, NYC (“F**king A”)

On my way to Signature Theatre to see one of Suzan-Lori Parks' play "F**king A," that is her sort of take on The Scarlet Letter, I stopped in at a press tasting at the 35th Street location of Bombay Sandwich Co. The play is about a local abortionist (Christine Lahti), branded with an "A", trying to buy her jailed son’s freedom. (Click here for review on Theater Pizzazz ) I learned that Bombay Sandwich Co. started as a booth at NYC's Smorgasburg where the success of its kale & sweet potato wrap ($8.27) led to the opening of the Manhattan stores. The first one opened in 2014 at 48 East 27th [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:07:49-05:00October 20th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|1 Comment
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Citrico, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NYC

Citrico's a petite restaurant with about 20 sears located in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn serving freshly made southern Mexicanfood from Noor Shikari and her husband, chef Luis Davila. I was invited to sample their fare.     After reading about sal de chapulin rim of the Mezcalrita ($13) made with espadin mezcal, triple sec, and lime juice, curiosity got me and I had to try it. That rim consists of dried and toasted adult red grasshoppers ground with Oaxacan chilies and sea foam salt. Interesting for sure. After that, the food kept coming, as they wanted us to sample a number of their specialties. Our favorites were the pescado taco, battered fried [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:07:09-05:00October 18th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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City Vineyard & Wine Garden at Pier 26, Tribeca, NYC

We'd walked past City Vineyard & Wine Garden at Pier 26 many times while going for a long Sunday walk. This time we made a reservation for brunch. My friend ordered a sparkling rose ($16), I tried the Mezcalarita -- a blend of mezcal, Aperol and Luxardo Liqueur in a salt and chili pepper rim ($15). The bar was awfully slow at filling our order. The restaurant is right on the Hudson, with a rooftop and regular outdoor seating, plus a dining room where the full-length windows were wide open making indoor outdoor. We had had a reservation, yet there was no seating for us outside, where we would have been [...]

By |2017-11-10T09:25:25-05:00October 16th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Island Oyster, Governors Island, NYC

I read about Island Oyster, the only stand-alone mostly outdoor restaurant on Governors Island that opened mid-summer, and had to try it before it closed at the end of October. The restaurant's chef is Kerry Heffernan, also the chef at another seasonal operation, Grand Banks, a restaurant on a schooner moored at Pier 25 in the Hudson River.     I took the ferry ($1 to $2 round trip, depending on your age) and followed the signs to the restaurant right at the pier. We arrived early enough to luck out and get one of the tables at water's edge. We started with a bottle of the rosè, a Sabine, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2016 [...]

By |2017-11-06T09:01:34-05:00October 13th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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I Ravioli, Eataly Downtown, NYC

Curiosity got me to head to Eataly downtown to what was billed as the fastest press event ever. Only thirty minutes to celebrate the launch of their new fast service ravioli bar. I was the first to arrive, getting a tour of the pasta making facility before ordering the ravioli of my choice. They offer three pasta options each with a sauce ($11.80 - $13.80). The Classico(ricotta and organic spinach with fresh tomato and basil sauce) Piselli (peas, mint and Pecorino Romano with an asparagus and Parmigiano Reggiano sauce) and the Prosciutto con Sugo del Giorno (prosciutto di Parma ravioli with the sauce of the day. I chose the latter one [...]

By |2017-11-06T14:51:57-05:00October 12th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Narcbar, Standard Hotel, East Village, NYC

Narcbar is a spinoff from Narcissa restaurant at the Standard Hotel in Cooper Square. The tequila-based Souvenir is the drink we tried. It was was okay, albeit a bit watery, made with fresh watermelon juice, Campari and lime juice ($12). With that, we ordered a few items from their limited menu. The chunks of watermelon in fish sauce with peanuts and Thai chilis ($8) needed more heat, so we asked for additional chilies that never came. The rude boy ceviche of snapper served with tortilla chips ($14) was fine, as were the overpriced “green pea tostada,” which contained three round tortilla chips topped with a schmear of avocado spread with [...]

By |2017-11-06T08:59:01-05:00October 10th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Route 66 Smokehouse, Lower Manhattan, NYC

Route 66 Smokehouse is located on the historic Stone Street, a narrow cobblestone street in the heart of the NYC's Financial District . The menu from Executive Chef Billy Kooper, formerly a sous chef at Blue Smoke, offers modernized versions of classic dishes. I started with their Frozé, a frozen rosé cocktail ($10) made with vodka and a blend of strawberry, cherry and grape juices, topped with two blueberries. Refreshingly delish... Having been invited as their guest to sample their fare, we ordered a variety of apps. Do not miss the brisket sliders with thousand island dressing, cole slaw, pickled jalapeños on small egg buns ($13 for 3), my favorite starter [...]

By |2017-10-04T21:55:48-04:00October 8th, 2017|NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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