NYC Tastes

It's been so brutally cold this week.  When the temperature drops this low there's only one thing you can do...hunker down inside, drink a few beers and warm up with a big filling meal. That's what Mr. T and I did on Friday. We grabbed a few bar stools at Torst and after a few delicious brews we were starting to feel all warm and toasty inside.  The perfect time to seal the deal with a big bowl of food. This Short Rib isn't exactly pretty to look at but man was it delicious.  The meat was so tender it just fell apart, soaked in its own juices on top a heaping pile of thick lentils.  It's the perfect example of comfort food and exactly what I want to be eating in this chilly weather.  So hunker down- it's cold out there! Torst

After a long hard day of work sometimes I like to skip dinner completely and stop into one of my favorites places for a decadent treat and a glass of wine.  The most recent stop was back at Otto for their Black and White Sundae made with Milk Chocolate chip gelato, hazelnut croccaante, creme fraiche gelato, chocolate sauce and caramel crema. The tangy creme fraiche is usually on top with the rich milk chocolate on the bottom. Take a spoon and reach down deep to experience every layer in one single bite.  It's silky and smooth... everything a girl needs to treat herself once in a while. Otto Pizzeria

Before heading to our regular beer fest at The Blind Tiger this year, we decided it may be a good idea to lay a nice base for the night at Minetta Tavern. Does this Bone-In NY Strip Steak look amazing or what.  It was everything a great steak should be...but let's start at the beginning. The old speakeasy style restaurant was packed full of party goers with festive decorations on the wall and a general air of holiday cheer.  There were so many fantastic appetizers it was hard to choose just one. I was certainly a little excited about the Winter Salad...it arrived with a creamy cauliflower flan and a little quail egg on top that looked amazing. Luckily my Raw Scallop Carpaccio was just as incredible with segments of juicy mandarin orange dotting the plate.  For entrees I had a few bites of Mr. T's enormous Bone In NY Strip before moving onto the Minetta Burger. Everyone raves about the Black Label Burger but it's just too steak-like for me.  When ...

It was another great trip to Western New York for the holidays this year.  We got to check out a few new spots like Providence Social.  This came highly recommended by my good friend Ben and it did not disappoint. These Belgian Bacon Waffles were awesome.  I'm a big fan of any baked good with pockets of maple syrup but the dollops of honey maple butter just put this over the top. The Monte Crisco wasn't too shabby either.  It came layered on grilled french toast with excellent smoky ham and fresh preserves.  Both dishes came with a fantastic basket of muffins and $1 Mimosa's all brunch long. I could stay here all day!   We also stopped into one of my old favorites Seabar for a salty, delicious Beef on Weck Roll. Yep that's caraway seeds and horseradish mayonnaise:)  They also have a fantastic lunch special that includes a piping hot miso soup...  ...tangy sesame noodles, pickled cucumbe...

It was another great New Years Eve at the Blind Tiger this year and I spent the whole following day relaxing with friends.  There's not much to complain about right now. 2013 certainly had it's fair share of ups and downs but in the end everyone I love is happy and healthy which is all that matters. Last year I didn't accomplish a lot on my wish list.  I finally brewed my own beer but the whole "Spending more time in Chinatown" didn't exactly happen.  I'm crossing my fingers for more of those two things this year in addition to my 2014 Wish List: Betony Tanoshi Sushi Charlie Bird Battersby Sushi Nakazawa Chez Sardine Fung Tu The Elm The Butterfly Supper Club Han Dynasty Morgans BBQ Colony Grill (Stamford, CT) Le Philosophe Cheers to the New Year and let's hope for a snowy "white weekend"!

There's only a few more hours to celebrate so here's a couple ideas to keep the holiday spirit alive: Sip an Eggnog at The Nomad The white frothy head is so thick it sits like a big marshmallow cloud on top a nutty concoction of bourbon, rum, cognac and scotch before getting finished off with a dusting of fresh cinnamon.  It's a little boozy, a little sweet...it's everything an eggnog should be. Enjoy this at the long bar up front or head to the back room for a true holiday experience in the library.  Take a Trip to Lanterns Keep This tiny bar tucked into the back of The Iroquois Hotel is a bit of a Midtown secret.  It has an old school speakeasy feel and boasts a number of classic cocktails along with a few creative twists on some old favorites.   We visited last week and while the fireplace was barely at a flicker, the cozy low light spot still exuded a special holiday charm. The Daisy de Santiago was quite charming as well made from...

As I look back on the past year I'm shocked by how much delicious food was involved.  I didn't come even close to hitting all the restaurants on my 2013 Wish List.  I made it to only two out of fourteen...yet I still consider this year an incredible success of food and drink moments for both old favorites and brand new places.  To the list! Best Wings-  Pork Slope/Talde This is a complete tie between Dale Talde's two Brooklyn restaurants.  Both are fried in rice flour for an ultra crisp exterior; the first coated in garlic, butter, Sriracha, Franks Red Hot and honey while the second combines crunchy peanuts, sweet chili and hot sauce.  I can't choose between the two and with both restaurants being just blocks apart there really isn't a need to:) Best Foie Gras-  Marc Forgione There aren't enough words to adequately describe how silky and luxurious the Foie Gras is at Marc Forgione.  This may have been the best thing I've eaten all ye...