NYC Tastes

On my continuing quest to find the city's best happy hour I stumbled into Gupshup, the trendy bi-level Indian spot that just opened near Union Square.  I had heard the cocktails were wonderful, but I wasn't prepared for the pure delight of the Gold Spot Soda.   Made with Spring 44 gin, fennel, lemon and cream soda this was like drinking a frothy vanilla and tamarind smoothie.  I almost drank the entire cocktail in one sip it was so delicious. There are no food specials during happy hour but I ordered the Delhi Butter Chicken anyway served traditional style with a thick, creamy sauce  and a side of Multi-Grain Naan which were spectacular.    Cocktails are just $10 during happy hour but plan to come early if you want to relax.  The bar was at full capacity by 6:00 PM. Gupshup 115 East 18th Street at Irving New York, NY 10003

Restaurant Week has descended upon NYC once again so I decided to do a solo lunch at Indian favorite Babu Ji.  This place was all the rage a few years back and I never got a chance to go.  Luckily they have since moved into a bigger space close to Union Square and I was able to easily grab a spot at the bar Sunday afternoon.  To begin the dish that Babu Ji is most famous for the Colonel Tso's Cauliflower; fried cauliflower tossed in a sweet and spicy Tso's sauce, finished with sesame seeds, chives and nigella seeds.  The flavor of these fried nuggets were spot on, sweet and sticky at first with a gentle heat that grew the more I consumed.  But the veggies were cooked uneven; some bites were perfectly tender while others were so hard my knife didn't even make a dent. Onto the main course Unauthentic Butter Chicken served with a bowl of basmati rice and garlic naan. Wow- this Butter Chicken was exquisite.  Big flavors of garlic, tomato ...

Ahhhhhh...Sunday mornings without a thing to do should always begin at Daily Provisions.  A piping hot cup of coffee for me and a bright green Iced Matcha for Mr. T perfect for kicking off the AM with some energy. Of course one can't survive on drinks alone so in addition to their amazing crullers a fluffy Egg Sandwich layered with thick cut Berkshire bacon and melted American cheese.  Ahhhh...e asy like a Sunday morning indeed. Daily Provisions 103 East 19th Street New York, NY 10003

Mr. T and I don't have any children and to be quite honest we have no clue what to do when we're around them.  I remember my sister-in-law bringing her twins into the city when they were about five years old and I suggested we eat at Eataly.  Within 60 seconds of walking into the store a barrel of oranges were rolling on the floor and both kids had manged to touch every single fruit in the immediate area.  Needless to say I didn't exactly think that spot through.  So when my friends suggested brunch with their newborn baby I really tried to think of a place that would be comfortable and quiet during brunch, with wide lanes for a stroller and a somewhat calm pace and Florian ended up being just that place.  The brunch menu at Florian definitely leans towards lunch fare like creamy Carbonara Pasta, hearty Chicken Parmigiana and a large selection of thin crust pizzas like the Braised Short Rib & Meatball with pomodoro and basil... ...and the crispy ...

The insanely popular Japanese noodle chain TsuruTonTan made its United States debut this past fall by dropping into the old Union Square Cafe space on 16th Street.  I'll admit I was biased from day one...anything that pushed out MY Union Square Cafe was terrible and should be shunned.   However after reading some great reviews and finally accepting the true fact that they did NOT push USC out, the landlord did, I jumped at the chance to check it out when Mr. T suggested we dine there.  First thing to note- this place always has a line.  Even at 5:45 PM we were quoted an hour and 30 minute  wait.  We were about to see what else was available when I noticed two spots at the tiny bar up front.  Udon is only served in the main dining room but the bar is a great place to sip some delicious cocktails while you wait . We were both starving that night so we may have slightly over ordered.   Here’s a rundown of our appetizers: ...

This city's seen no shortage of rainbow colored items in the past few years.  Just about everything from bagels to doughnuts, ice cream and cakes has had its colorful moment.  And now it's time to welcome in the newest bright and happy food the Birthday Croissant. Created by the pastry chef at Union Fare this flaky delicacy is loaded with lush pink mascarpone cream studded with rainbow sprinkles and Funfetti chunks baked right into the dough. The outside is then dusted with pink fairy dust made from the ground up sprinkles. It might not be as mind blowing as the first Rainbow Bagel (that was like WHOA!) but it's a fun delicious treat perfect for surprising a co-worker or friend who needs a little morning celebration in their life. Union Fare 6 East 18th Street between 5th & Broadway New York, NY 10003

In the never ending search for the city's best happy hour we stopped into Union Square's Tarallucci E Vino Friday night.  It was about 5:30 and this lively little wine bar was already jam packed with people at all of tables and bar stools in front. It was about 90 degrees outside so I'm pretty sure the usual patio goers had passed up those outdoor seats in favor of some cold AC.  In a move to beat the heat Mr. T and I went for our usual summer order of pink drinks; a dry Negroni and a crisp fruity rose. We were heading to dinner in a few hours but looking at their bar menu I started having second thoughts.  Eggplant Caponata with tomato and capers, Cashews, Peanuts and Pecans dusted with chili and sea salt, Blue Point Oysters; finally we decided to cave in and split an order of the Bufala Milk Ricotta. Creamy Ricotta cheese spread thick atop grilled baguette then dressed with roasted grapes and sweet honey.  This was the perfect little snack to comple...

Still one of my very favorite places to dine in the city...Gotham Bar and Grill just exudes a quiet elegance that no other restaurant with its tenure quite achieves.  I love the bright airy dining room, filled with a lively crowd at night but positively serene during lunch time and the fabulous three course Greenmarket menu which changes each season. Wild Striped Bass Crudo with radish, cilantro, jalapeno and watermelon lime emulsion. Pan Seared Halibut with romanesco cauliflower, shiitake mushroom, basil puree and verjus emulsion. And of course their signature Chocolate Cake to finish with a scoop of salted almond ice cream and chocolate crunchies.   Gotham has started putting a signature cocktail and wine on the lunch menu for only $10. My last visit it was the Singapore Sling with Flor de Cana Rum, Luxardo Maraschino, Sangue Moralacco and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao.  Just a little something extra delicious to round out a lovely lunch. Gotha...

The newest restaurant to hit our neighborhood is Tasca Chino loctaed inside the old Sushi Samba on Park Avenue South.  The restaurant helmed by Chef Alex Urena is billed as Spanish and Chinese fusion which is playfully evident from the decor of bullfighters and Chairman Mao covering the bright red walls.  We stopped in a few times for happy hour at the bar where the small food menu covers everything from dim sum to tapas. Each order begins with some warm complimentary breadsticks covered in toasted sesame seeds and some wonderful dipping sauces. There are crisp salty Spanish Croquetas in both Salt Cod and Ham served with a spicy szechuan pepper aioli; a perfect marriage of the two cuisines. Less successful plates were the Black Bass Ceviche and Spanish Mackerel Crudo. The bass was overcome by an aggressive tomatillo sauce and the mackerel had so much soy on top my tongue felt like sand paper after just a few bites.  Hopefully the...

Our neighborhood is brimming with various kinds of happy hour every day, but the longest running happy hour (and most crowded) in the hood is at City Crab where everything on the bar menu is half off.  This includes wine, beer and specialty cocktails like the Maryland Martini made with two kinds of Coconut Rum and a small menu of appetizers. I highly suggest the Buffalo Shrimp served extra crisp with a buttery spicy sauce or the Lil' Lobster rolls served on mini potato buns. Don't expect rolls on the lobster level of Pearl or Mary's but they're a tasty, quick snack perfect for nibbling on with a delicious cocktail or two.   City Crab 235 Park Avenue South at 19th Street New York, NY 10003

In the continuing battle to find delicious brunch spots without the insane brunch crowds we stumbled into Florian, an Italian cafe and trattoria from the Fireman Hospitality Group.  The restaurant was practically empty when we arrived which made Mr. T extremely happy and me a bit nervous.  Reassuringly full is more my mantra but after settling in to their namesake cocktail the Saint Florian and a round of creamy burrata my worries vanished into thin air. The Spaghetti Carbonara was excellent- thin noodles cooked al dente and dressed with butter, pancetta, fried egg and a slice of pecornio.   To balance the pasta a Very Nice Salad with arugula, endive, radicchio, anjou pear and apple-honey dressing.  I don't usually like fruit with my greens but this had a nice medley of bitter/sweet flavors that really worked. And to round out the meal a Thin Crust Pizza with a cracker thin base covered in fresh mozzarella cheese and sweet Pomodora Sauc...

I had high hopes for brand new Pavilion in Union Square; my first visit was very promising.  I loved the outdoor atmosphere, the french fries were wonderful and aside from some super boring mussels it was a delightful meal. My second visit didn't go quite as well.  I brought along Mr. T and we began with a few drinks....that took a very looooong time to arrive. Almost as long as our Popover but luckily this was worth the wait...crunchy exterior with layers of fluffy pastry inside and a fresh vanilla bean custard studded with raspberries. Unfortunately then we another loooooong wait for our entrees and it was a poor showing at best.  My Kale Salad had been chopped so fine it was almost impossible to get a full bite.  Add on a dressing with absolutely no flavor and you got a total kale salad fail. The only thing worse was Mr. T's Oatmeal. I would liken the texture to "soggy mush" and the flavor to wet cardboard.  They would have been ...

I've been following the on-going saga of this Union Square restaurant opening for years. Ever since my very drink inside the now defunct Luna Park I've been itching for something good to fill the empty space. Imagine my surprise when wandering through the park Tuesday, seriously jet lagged from my 10 hour flight, I see bright orange umbrellas waving in the breeze and people who seem to be dining right on the empty patio. Pavilion had finally opened! The main floor of the park has about 10 four person tables for dining in the front. Then up the stairs to the second floor there were even more tables for dining and a fresh, colorful bar area. It looked so nice and inviting I decided to stay and have a drink. There were some gorgeous looking cocktails listed on the menu. The Pavilion 75 seemed to be a favorite of the crowd made from Honey-Thyme Syrup, Gin and Sparkling Wine. I decided on a crisp glass of white from local favorite Dr. Frank. I had just c...

Monday I woke up- did some cleaning around the apartment (did that hurricane somehow come through the window?) and then walked down to ABC Kitchen for their $28 Lunch Special. I thought the place would be empty but it was packed with a 30 minute wait for a table! I grabbed my usual spot at the bar instead and ordered the prix fix lunch. Now let me start by telling you I was actually a little disappointed that I was eating here again. I hemmed and hawed about where to go a little too long and by 2:30 most places had stopped serving lunch. I was hoping to try out somewhere new and this was my last minute back up. Let me tell you…any doubts or disappointment I initially felt was blown out of the water with the very first dish. Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho with Basil. I’ve never been a huge Gazpacho fan- it’s okay but I’ve never felt love for the dish. Well love came a knocking this day my friends. It was easily the best gazpacho I’ve ever tasted. Big pureed bites of heirloom tomato ...