Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Best Keith McNally Restaurant

Minetta Tavern 
113 MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012

After dining at most of Keith McNally's restaurants in New York, I was resigned to the fact I would always leave his restaurants wanting more. Sure, the decor at Schiller's is inviting and it's a great place for a cocktail; the brunch at Balthazar is yummy (minus the wait) but the dinner is underwhelming; the pasta at Morandi is satisfying but nowhere near the bar set by other Italian places in NYC; and Pulino's is a good go-to when other spots on the Bowery are booked for brunch. Overall, I felt that Keith McNally was a restaurateur so successful that he had settled for mediocrity in his restaurants counting on his reputation to keep them busy... and then I went to Minetta Tavern. Minetta Tavern is Keith McNally's shining star, his golden nugget. My friend Ari and I arrived at Minetta Tavern an hour early for our 9pm reservation. Within fifteen minutes we were enjoying a martini, and were offered the option of eating at the bar. Even though we decided to wait it out for a table and the full experience, I made a mental note of the availability and efficiency of eating at the bar for my next visit. The full experience at Minetta Tavern started with our pre-dinner drink and intense people watching - the restaurant was packed on a Monday night and there was a constant stream of handsome people moving in, about, and out of the restaurant. We were seated promptly at the time of our reservation and started with a glass of Beaujolais that was served chilled - it was light-bodied and fit perfectly with our anticipation of a heavy dinner. We began our meal by splitting the mesclun salad with warm goat cheese and roasted bone marrow with baguette soldiers and shallot confit. Both dishes were classic - simple yet packed with flavor. Next came the black label burger with caramelized onions and pommes frites. Our waitress insisted that as first-timers, we had to try our initial bite of the black label burger "naked" - and we ended up devouring the entire thing sans ketchup or any other fixings. You can always find a good burger in NYC - Shake Shack, Bill's Bar and Burger, Fanelli's Cafe, Burger and Barrel - but the black label burger is on an entirely different level. Overall, we were so impressed with Minetta Tavern from start to finish - and if you are ever looking for a classic NYC restaurant experience, head to this Keith McNally favorite, the Best I've Ever been to.


Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Best Wine Bar

Corkbuzz Wine Studio
13 E. 13th Street
New York, NY 10003

Master Sommelier Laura Maniec just opened a much-needed wine bar in Union Square. Gone are the days of wandering the area looking for a place to grab a drink and begrudgingly ending up at Heartland BreweryLillie's, or the overcrowded Rye House. My friend and I decided to try the new place - Corkbuzz Wine Studio - on the second day it was open. Needless to say, we went in expecting to see a lot of kinks yet to be ironed out. We did find some faults, but were pleasantly surprised to see Laura Maniec actively trying to solve issues behind the bar. Laura's passion for and deep knowledge of wine was apparent to everyone seated at the bar - she engaged all customers with a contagious smile! It was refreshing to see her visible excitement and her presence enhanced our experience. We initially went to Corkbuzz for the wine but also with an appetite. Just when I was ready to settle for the average food usually served at wine bars (wine is the focus), Laura pitched us the chef's resume - Daniel and then Le Benardin - and my focus drifted from the wine menu to the food. We first ordered a bottle of Domaine des Espiers Sablet ’06 – Côtes-du-Rhône Villages, France, a blend of grenache and syrah that was savory, spicy, and paired perfectly with our small plates. For food we started with the brussels sprouts and pecorino and the mushroom salad with crispy pig ear and radish. Both dishes were inventive and delectable, and left us wanting more. To round out our order, Laura suggested we try the bone marrow with Bayley Hazen and marmalade. The bone marrow mixed with the blue cheese and spread on thin pieces of bread complimented our meal and only affirmed our thoughts that the food at Corkbuzz is on par with the wine! An accomplishment I haven't seen at any other bars around the city. We finished our night with a glass of Thymiopoulos Xinomavro Young Vines ’09 – Naoussa, Greece, the only Greek wine I have ever tried. Overall, our night was filled with surprisingly good food, the discovery of new wines, and a vibrant atmosphere. If you are looking for any or all of the above, make your way to the new wine bar Corkbuzz Wine Studio, the Best I've Ever been to.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Best Thin-crust Pizza

Posto
310 Second Avenue @ 18th Street
New York, NY 10003

Over the past three years, my friends and I have been on a constant search for the best pizza in the city. We quickly found that pizza was too broad of a topic, and that a slice from Artichoke is not comparable to the thin-crust mastery at Posto (equally delicious, but serve different purposes). That being said, Posto, a small pizza place conveniently located on my block, is the winner for the best thin-crust pizza in NYC. In the summertime they fill the adjacent sidewalks on 18th street and 2nd avenue with big picnic tables and outdoor table service. In the winter the small cozy restaurant oozes warmth and the smell of pizza permeates the block. All of the salads are good (my favorite is the tre colori), but I usually head straight for the reason I am there: the thinnest crust pizza you have ever seen. A number of the house pies are worth a try - especially the classica and the shroomtown, but after a few times eating here, I finally fell into a groove with my own custom pie, marinara sauce & cheese for the base with homemade sweet italian sausage and fresh mozzarella on top. Although the location is quite convenient for me, I would still travel across manhattan (and I know people that do) to get my special thin-crust pizza from Posto, the Best I Ever had.

* Posto's Murray Hill brother, Vezzo, is just as good if you happen to find yourself in that neighborhood.


Monday, November 28, 2011

Best Fried Chicken

MOMOFUKU Noodle Bar
171 1st Avenue (between 10th and 11th street)
New York, NY 10003


If you are a young broke food lover like me, there are only a few ways to experience the mastery of David Chang without breaking the bank. As much as I would love to try MOMOFUKU KO or Ma Peche, I have happily resorted to sitting at the noodle bar for a pork bun and some brisket ramen, and on two special occasions I have scored the much sought after fried chicken reservation. The fried chicken dinner for 8 people consists of two whole fried chickens (one buttermilk fried and one korean-style), mu shu pancakes, fresh veggies, and a number of different sauces. Every person has a different way of consuming the fried chicken, but we all kick off dinner with a full sail session lager and a pork bun. My favorite part of the meal is when the waiter walks through the restaurant with the humongous plate of fried chicken - people at other tables stop eating to watch it go by and our table inevitably fields questions about where on the menu we found the fried chicken. Most of my guy friends go straight for the chicken - no sauce, no veggies - they just dive right in. One of my friends goes straight for the hoisin sauce, the chicken being an afterthought. As for me, I grab a mu shu pancake and slather it with sauce. I usually start with the korean-style chicken and pick it to the bone to produce enough meat for my pancake. After we all start eating, the silence ensues for at least 15 minutes or until the chicken on the plate is scarce. Finally with a chance to breath, the eight of us spend the rest of dinner in a food-induced coma, struggling to fit more in our stuffed stomachs, and raving about the fried chicken, the Best We Ever ate.



*The reservations go live at 10am every morning for a revolving seven day period. Go here and create an account. Then click and pray!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Best Thanksgiving Sandwich

Provisions
Straight Wharf
Nantucket, MA 02554

In honor of my favorite holiday and my favorite place, I am going to stray a little bit from my NYC focus to tell you about the sandwich shop on Nantucket Island, Provisions. One of the many things I love about Thanksgiving (there are a lot) is the sandwiches made from leftovers. Even if my family doesn't spend Thanksgiving at my house, we are always sure to put our own turkey in the oven just so we can have the leftovers. This special lunch delicacy lasts only for about a week, and by the first week in December, I am already looking forward to next Thanksgiving. Lucky for me, I was introduced a few years ago to a sandwich shop on Nantucket and their Turkey Terrific sandwich. Provisions is located on Straight Wharf in Nantucket and is adjacent to and owned by one of the best restaurants on the island. They have a number of sandwiches on the menu, but if you've ever been inside or asked anyone who has, there's really only one choice: Turkey Terrific with smoked turkey, stuffing, cranberry & mayo on portuguese. After my first bite of a Turkey Terrific, I realized that I could now have the treat of leftovers from Thanksgiving year round - my favorite time to consume one is during beautiful summer day on the water. Next time you are in Nantucket be sure to head to Provisions for the Turkey Terrific and a taste of Thanksgiving regardless of the season, the Best I Ever ate.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Best Cheap Group Dinner

Otto
One Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003

In my broke post-college life, there is nothing I dread more than a big group dinner. Usually a result of a birthday or visitor in town, I always found group dinners expensive and underwhelming. A few years ago, when my brother came to town (visitor=group dinner), I set out on a mission to find a restaurant for a big group that was equally delicious and well-priced. Otto was the answer to this tricky quest. Otto is a Batali restaurant, and even though my brother begrudgingly goes to Italian restaurants, the price was right and I scored a reservation for us and a few friends on a weeknight. The restaurant is warm and inviting; I especially liked the train-station flap board table announcements. The group started with some antipasti, favorites were the Cauliflower "a la siciliana" and the Funghi misti. For main courses our group was pretty much split between pastas (all $10!) and pizzas. For pasta I had the spaghetti alla carbonara (obviously) and also got to try the fusilli con sausage & escarole and taccozzette con stracotto. For pizza our group chose the funghi & taleggio, cacio e pepe, and prosciutto arugula. All of the dishes were solid basic Italian pastas and pizzas, nothing fancy but delicious all the same. Since my initial visit to Otto, I have gone back plenty of times - especially when I am tasked with making a rez for a large group when friends visit or we have something to celebrate - because it is perfect for a cheap group dinner, the Best I Ever had.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Best Huevos Rancheros

Clinton Street Baking Co.
4 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002

One funny thing about being a teacher is that I quickly learned that just like the kids, we covet spontaneous snow days and sporadic holidays.  I never realized this growing up because I never imagined that my teachers had lives outside of school, no way! Well, when I do have a day off, I spend my time wisely and usually take advantage of restaurants that otherwise require a long wait during peak hours. My first snow day as a teacher, my friend and I decided to try Clinton Street Baking Co. which we had heard so much about but were always scared off by the hour+ wait on a weekend for brunch. As those who know me well might tell you, I am not that big of a breakfast eater. When I sit down to brunch, I immediately flip to the lunch portion of the menu and disregard the breakfast - unless, of course, they are offering huevos rancheros. When I sat down at Clinton Street Baking Co., my eyes were instantly drawn to their huevos rancheros and my mind was made up about my order before my friend even opened her menu. After little deliberation, my friend ordered the clinton st. omelette with egg whites, spinach, swiss and chorizo. Being the omelette connoisseur that she is, I was impressed at her declaration that her omelette was above par and agreed after I tried a bite. My dish, and Clinton Street Baking Co. as a whole, lived up to the hype - the huevos rancheros came with sunny side up eggs, red beans, guacamole, jalapeno sour cream, salsa picante, and pepper jack cheese on a flour tortilla, add chorizo? Yes please. Overall, it was a great meal and a perfect place to spend a lazy snow day brunch before braving the blizzard outside. If you ever find yourself in the lower east side on a weekday, stop at Clinton Street Baking Co. for some huevos rancheros, the Best I Ever ate.


* I have to give a shout-out here to an out of town favorite for huevos rancheros, Black-Eyed Susan's, a small restaurant on Nantucket with big flavor and amazing brunch.