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Showing posts from December, 2017

Best NYC Tastes of 2017

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2017 was a very strange year in the world of food.  It started out incredibly boring, with fast casual restaurants and big Japanese chains taking over the city.  And has ended unsteady and downright disturbing, with allegations of sexual harassment exploding in what seems to be every facet of the food industry and country as a whole.  I honestly feel more uncertain as a person than I ever have before.  Which is probably why I've leaned towards comfort food this year with big bowls of ramen, spicy chili oil wontons and other hearty, homey dishes dominating much of my time dining out. Union Square Cafe reopened at the end of 2016 and has been my go-to place for spicy, carrot studded Candele Pasta while their sister cafe Daily Provisions actually took the spot for best new restaurant of 2017. This may seem like an odd choice but it had everything I needed this year; incredible crullers for breakfast, inventive sandwiches for lunch and a quiet, relaxing environment for grabbing a

One Last Time at Temple Bar

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2016 saw the closing of two of my favorite cocktail bars of all time; the incredible Russian vodka room Pravda and the formidable Campbell Apartments in Grand Central Terminal.  Unfortunately as 2017 comes to an end another great spot will be closing its doors, the fantastic Temple Bar. My first visit to this fabulous spot was way back in 2003 when Yankees (now manger) Aaron Boone hit a walk off home run against the Boston Red Sox to win the American League Championship Series.  It was easily the best night of my young NYC life.   We had been watching the game at nearby Tom and Jerry's for about six hours prior and decided to move our celebration over to Temple Bar.  I'm not sure if the bar was actually closing down for the night or if the bouncer noticed our glassy eyes, hoarse voices and general rowdy drunkenness, but we weren't allowed inside.  No this place required a bit more reserved behavior, a bit more class; neither of which we had at that moment.   Late

NYC Tastes Holiday Gift Guide

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The holiday season is upon us so let's eat, drink and be merry while supporting the fantastic artisans, bakers and restaurateurs that make up this incredible city.  We've compiled a local food and drink gift guide for just about any New Yorker on your list.  Happy Shopping! For the Humanitarian Vodka Lover- Zirkova One+Together Vodka This is the one gift that isn't actually from NYC.  It's made in the birthplace of vodka Cherkasy, Ukraine, but we love their mission statement so much we're adopting it.  "Budmo" is a traditional Ukraine toast which translates to "Just Be".  That is the foundation behind Zirkova; that every human being is a unique and important part of this beautiful tapestry we call life and we should celebrate each other.  Zirkova showcases this commitment through their vodkas One+Together. One is a vodka meant for sipping; it has a long, smooth velvet finish perfect for enjoying on its own.  Together is meant to be e

Rizzo's Fine Pizza Co.

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New York City has always been a pizza town.  Back in the day there were dollar slice joints on just about every corner with some sort of "Ray" attached to the name. Today the pizza scene is much different; restaurants like Pasquale Jones and Roberta's are the norm with toppings like arugula, artichoke are egg replacing the classic pepperoni.  It's just not as easy to find a classic NY slice anymore, but they DO exist!  And some of the best can be found in Astoria at Rizzo's Fine Pizza. This tiny little pizza shop on Steinway Street opened in 1959 by two brothers and is exactly what a NY pizzeria should be.  A few seats up front with a small selection of pies and incredibly friendly staff, so friendly they gave me a slice of their signature square pie for free. The pizza here is thin- not quite as thin as the Vezzo/Posto empire but definitely skinny with crispy brown crusts, a hearty sauce and a great blend of parmigiana and mozzarella cheese.

New Brew Friday- Equilibrium DHop2

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Staying local once again this New Brew Friday with an absolutely fantastic brew from Equilibrium Brewing in Middletown New York.   Equilibrium uses a Mass Brewing Balance system which researches how to balance and maximize the flavors in beer.  The DHop2 was an exploration into the symmetry of their ale strain with a strong dose of Mosaic and Citra hops.  The result is a hazy frothy Double IPA that tastes like fresh squeezed orange juice with a hint of pine bitterness. This was an incredible brew that I enjoyed at one of my favorite Brooklyn beer spots Gold Star Beer Counter .  Cheers to the weekend! Equilibrium Brewing 22 Henry Street Middletown, NY 10940