NYC Tastes

I love Park Avenue Winter; the concept of changing not only the menu, but the entire decor of a restaurant for each season is just amazing.  Bright rays of yellow dot the ceiling in the summer, brown and gold leaves in fall, and in winter an elegant sheath of white sprinkled with sparkling glass globes.  It's simply stunning.  Now they've introduced a nightly wine dinner where guests can chose any appetizer, entree and dessert with unlimited tastings of four different wines for just $69. Our meal began with glasses of Prosecco as we mulled over the extensive choices for dinner.  Then it was onto a bright, grassy Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which paired perfectly with my blood orange & chili Hamchi Curdo. Next a lovely Pinot Noir from California poured alongside a Roasted Halibut dressed with earthy black truffles...  ...and to finish a hearty Antinori Sangiovese with dessert. Once we tasted our way through all four wines we were free...

We celebrated our anniversary this year at Bâtard, Drew Nieporent's charming and elegant French restaurant in Tribeca. After having just eaten at Frenchette and Le Coucou, I was a little hesitant on choosing another French spot.  But Bâtard not only meet all of our expectations, it stood out among the three as our favorite.   I began with a lovely Steak Tartare dressed with horseradish cream and everything bagel spice.  Mr. T had read the description from the menu, commenting that this dish was meant for me and he was absolutely right.  It had all the ingredients I love, with the heat from the horseradish pairing perfectly with the silky ribbons of steak and spice.  He chose the Carrot & Coconut Soup dotted with crispy sweetbreads, vadouvan and spiced peanuts.  There was a wonderful interplay of spicy and savory with the curry powder teasing the richness of the coconut and sweetbreads. Lobster Tagliatelle ($8 Supplem...

It's always hard to choose our dining spots in Paris.  There are so many places the decision seems absolutely overwhelming.  However after a ton of research online and fantastic advice from the great people on  Chowhound , I settled on La Condesa and it ended up being one of the best decisions of the entire trip. We were the first ones to arrive for the lunch and although we were incredibly early they welcomed us warmly with a seat at the window overlooking some beautiful flowers and a lively street in the 9th Arrondissement.   La Condesa has no set menu; guests simply choose the 3, 4 or 6 course tasting and everything is left completely up to the Chef.  Since we were planning to spend most of the day eating we decided on the 3 course tasting and kicked things off with some Crémant as the parade of food began. Amuse Bouche~ Crispy Corn Galette with whipped corn mousse Amuse Bouche~ Mushroom Tempura with Sorrel mayonnaise 1st Cours...

Our first full day in Bordeaux got off to a sleepy start. We had treated Brussels a bit like spring break with 10:00 AM brewery visits each day and nonstop eating and drinking thereafter.  I guess my body was a little tired, because I didn't open my eyes until it was almost noon. Luckily I woke up just in time for lunch at Gordon Ramsey's Le Bordeaux.  I've honestly never been a huge fan of Gordon Ramsey, but this restaurant was absolutely gorgeous.  A lovely patio sat out front, overlooking the elegant Bordeaux Opera House, while inside was a much more formal affair, with white linen tablecloths, cushy red velvet love seats and a beautiful spiral staircase extending from the center of the room. Le Bordeaux offers an amazing three course prix fixe at lunch but I wasn't excited about the options, so Mr. T and I decided to split a few appetizers beginning with the delicious Cesar Salad stuffed with chicken, marinated anchovies and Parmesan cheese with a thick, egg...

In between the boisterous sports bars and dark Irish pubs of Murray Hill sits Vatan; a neighborhood staple known for its bejeweled elephant facade, thatched roof tables and the distinct vegetarian cuisine from the  Indian state of Gujarat. Vatan has only one menu, a $34 prix fixe that includes appetizer, entree and dessert, all served thali style.  Guests can reorder as much as they would like and the entire vegetation menu is also available vegan, gluten free and nut free. Simply choose your drink of choice, spice level (entree only) then sit back and let the parade of food begin. Appetizer thali:  Chana Masala~ garbanzo beans spiced with onions and coriander,  Khaman~ puffed cream of wheat flour cake, Batatavada~ fried potato balls in chickpea flour batter, Mirchi Bhajia~ fried hot pepper with garam masala, Sev Puri~ crispy bread filled with potatoes, garbanzo beans, yogurt & chutney; Ragda Patis~ potato cutlet in white bean sauce, Samosas~ savory p...

I absolutely love when it snows, it makes everything look magical with big flakes dotting the tops of yellow cabs and street lamps, turning the city into one big snow globe.  Last storm I headed to Fusco and found the perfect spot in their front windows for watching the snow fall while indulging in their brand new two course espresso lunch.   Guests have a choice of appetizer and pasta finished with espresso and biscotti for just $28. There were so many great appetizers to choose from; Hamachi Crudo tossed with chili and ginger, Kale Parmigiana Salad with almonds and a hefty Short Rib Spätzle served with bone marrow custard. I had an incredibly tough time choosing what to order, but it was the beautiful Burrata that won in the end, thick and creamy, studded with radicchio, fresh basil and pignoli vinaigrette. Onto entrees Fusco's Tajarin, a thin yellow pasta tossed with garlic, bonita flakes and clams that had all the freshness of the ocean ...

I absolutely love Winter Restaurant Week.  It always starts at the end of January and completely saves me from my first "Sunday without football" blues. Okay I guess the Pro Bowl was on this past weekend but I don;t think I've ever watched that.  This year I decided to head uptown to Vaucluse, the beautiful French restaurant that took over the Park Avenue Winter space a few years back. I love the interior of this restaurant; everything is so comfortable and elegant with big fluffy white banquettes lining the walls and crisp linen cloths on each table.  I was dining solo so I opted to sit in the beautiful bar room to sip on my cocktail and listen to the jazz trio serenading the brunch crowd. 1st Course Lobster Bisque~ Three meaty chunks of lobster and crab enrobed in a silky lobster broth, poured table-side, with tarragon and creme fraiche.  This soup was phenomenal.  I could taste all the big, bold flavors of the ocean without that ...

Gotham made my pick as the best fancy lunch spot  for 2017 and this NYC institution just continues to wow me in every way.  My last visit I stopped in for a relaxing meal at the bar and opted for the three course Greenmarket lunch. First Course- Roasted Celery & Beet Root Soup with cranberry foam.  This was so creamy and smooth it could almost been seen as a veloute but with a distinctly lighter finish, while the drizzle of cranberry foam added a seasonal warmth to the dish. Second Course- Free Range Chicken with farro, broccolini, cauliflower and cippolini onion in a charred meyer lemon sauce.   Third Course- Brown Butter Parfait with with poached pear, brown sugar cookie and smoked cinnamon ice cream.  This was actually the very first time I veered away from the signature Gotham Chocolate Cake  and it was every bit as fabulous.  I absolutely loved the  crunchy brown sugar cookie crumbles on top of the ...

Every year around the holidays I take a few hours off from work, hit up the Rockefeller Center tree and all the 5th avenue windows, then finish the afternoon with a fancy lunch.  This year I decided to stay right in Midtown and dine at the gorgeous Greek restaurant Avra Madison Estiatorio.  This sprawling spot just steps from Central Park was bustling with a large contingent of "Ladies who Lunch" enjoying some wine and chattering away about the latest NYC gossip.   Every meal at Avra begins with a platter of rosemary dusted flatbread served alongside a thick, creamy hummus, sliced radish and black olives. It's a delightful and delicious change from the usual basket of bread. First course Tuna Tartare with avocado and crispy shallots dressed in a soy ginger sauce.  This was exquisite, the tuna was chopped a bit more firm than most tartares giving a nice texture contrast to the fresh cut avocado while the ginger added a slightly spicy kick. Second course Chi...