Run for the Border....

I recently went to Empellon, a seemingly cozy Mexican spot in the West Village. My friend Laura offered it up to the group as a place we should try. And try we did. We arrived and were told by the very bothered hostess our table would be ready soon. So, like any other starving diner, we bellied up to the bar and ordered a drink. 10 minutes later, our table was still not ready. We ended up in the worst place at the bar. I was in the middle and constantly had to duck servers with trays of food. Strike ONE. Finally, our super model by day, hostess by night, came over and said our table was ready. We were taken to the back of the restaurant. When I say back, I mean back. It was the "you aren't cool enough to be in the front room" section where folks like us sat. I think secretly we were all happy since we were away from the hoopla in the main dining room. At the end of the day, we were here to visit with each other and eat delicious food, or so I thought.

Our waitress came bouncing over and asked us if we wanted chips and guacamole. We said, sure, we would love that and also please being us the wine menu. We promptly got our guac and chips from a food runner that told us he was day #2 on the job. Our waitress finally came over with a wine menu. We asked her for a bottle of Barbera. After 15 mins of chatting and eating, we had no wine. Our waitress finally came over and told us that she was out of the barbera and what else would we like. We punted and ordered something similar. At this point, we were salivating for wine. Finally we got our wine. Note this was after a good 30 minute wait. Our bubbly, bouncing server came back and asked for our order. We decided to try the short rib sopas and then order three different kinds of tacos: spinach, steak, and lobster.

Our sopas were tiny. Smaller than a sand dollar. The short rib was average, not bad but certainly not fantastic. Two bites and they were done. And I think 3 were 15 bucks. Wayyyy too pricey. But this didn't outrage us like the lobster. 10 minutes or so later, the food runner on day #2 came over with all sorts of food. We were ready to dive-in but realized we didn't order scallops or pork. Where could our food be? It turned out the table next to us ordered all this lovely food. So we gave it up and waited for our tacos. 5 minutes later our server took our chips and guac. Why she took them we don't know as we still had chips and guac left. So off the chips and guac went with a frown from all of us. Less than 5 minutes later another server delivered our tacos. After switching tacos so we each had a taco, we started munching. Spinach was OK. Not great but OK. I felt like the tacos were half filled with stuff. Where was the rest of the filling? The real atrocity was the lobster. $42 bucks for 3 tacos. And the meat wasn't even lobster meat!!!! It was crayfish. STRIKE TWO. I can't believe these people at Empellon thought we wouldn't realize this!!! I did. Had I not been starving I would have sent this back but we were hungry and we didn't realize the imposter meat until after. The taste of the lobster a.k.a crayfish was so so. Slightly fishy and drowned in tons of butter. Our last taco was steak. They always say you leave the best for last and we indeed did this with our steak tacos. They were filled with the right amount and had the nicest marinade. Absolutely lovely. But again, who can really screw up steak tacos?! After we finished, our re-fried beans and crema appeared from the day #2 food runner. He tried to give us the food and then take it away. It was the strangest exchange as he couldn't understand what was going on with our table. STRIKE THREE. The final blow came when we got the bill and we realized we spent $42 bucks on crayfish. Because of all the waiting and insanity, we called the manager over and complained. He took our bill and knocked our wine off the menu. This was a nice gesture but was made miserable by our no longer bouncy waitress. She was PISSED. She handed us our bill and said not one word. We paid and left her 18%. We could have left less but decided it wasn't exactly her fault. So we paid and got up to leave. As we walked out, the front room filled with cool people was like a lounge with people draped all over the chairs. Nobody was there to eat. People were there to be seen and look like they were eating. And this pretty much sums up Empellon. Go there if you want to be seen, but don't go for the food. It stinks!

5 minutes or less...

Dear Manhattan Friends,

Please check out these places:

The Dutch--SOHO

Ciano (been 5x times and still love)--Park Ave South

Bell, Book & Candle--West Village

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed The Dutch. I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did. Call for a resi NOW. Ciano is amazing. I have ordered off the menu and been happy. I have also ordered the pasta tasting menu and loved. You really can't go wrong. If you go, get the meatballs. TRUST ME! Bell, Book, & Candle is a little gem in the village. Food is really good and consistent. The space is inviting...great for a birthday party. Best part, you won't spend a fortune!!!

Review coming soon: Empellon. A new west village Mexican!

BBQ Gone Bad

I love BBQ. While my home state of Florida isn't a hotbed of great joints, I have spent a few finger lickin' good nights at some great BBQ places in the US. [ Shout Out to County Line in Austin,TX]. I could call myself a full on BBQ critic with the amount of time I have logged thus far :) Trust me on this.

A few years ago, I was so excited to learn that New York City had drank the Southern Kool-aide and some great pitmasters were headed my way. Many came, and many conquered. One of the great names that came our way was Pat & Gina Neely. You might know them from their Food Network Show which I happen to watch often on the weekends. So when I found myself doing a double movie header and needing a place for dinner near 62nd and 1st, I called upon Pat & Gina to feed me. It went something like this:

We walked in to the restaurant and were overcome by the smell of smoke. Cigar smoke to be precise. I asked the ladies to seat us outside. The outside was so crowded and tight. We sat down, our waiter came over and we ordered. We split a wedge salad, and then I ordered the brisket and my pal Clarissa ordered the pulled pork. Less than 10 minutes later, our entrees appeared. Clarissa said you the server, where is our salad. He said, "Oh, I forgot." So he asked us if we wanted and we said forget it. So we started to eat our mains. My brisket was tender and flavorful. I enjoyed the slight spice. The pulled pork on the other hand was dry and in need of sauce. Sadly, our waiter didn't appear so we had to eat before it got cold. Halfway through my meal, Clarissa asked me if I noticed mold on my okra. I looked, and viola, I saw mold. I couldn't eat anymore. Without asking, the manager appeared and asked us how we liked our meal. He looked 16. I said it was OK. Clarissa said, you are being way too nice. I said, I won't come back so forget it. Not worth a fight. Next thing we noticed was the man behind me talking to his girlfriend (at least I hope it was) in a very sexy tone. I can't even tell you what he said. Suffice to say, you would be blushing too :) Finished with our meals, we paid and vowed not to come back.

I plan on writing Pat & Gina Neely a note. They need to know. The best part of the night was seeing DRIVE with Ryan Gosling. Loved the movie. I even bought the soundtrack.

My words of caution, eat BBQ carefully.....

Spring has Sprung!

OK, so I admit I have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus. First off, it was a cold, dark winter and I spent some serious time on the sofa. I did flex my cooking muscle a bit and made some interesting meals. Some I will make again and some I will retire. My latest invention involves chicken, lemon pepper panko, and of course, my sprouts. I love them so much!

Now that spring has sprung, I am back in full dining mode. I recently went with a large group to Ciano. WOW. WOW. WOWSER. It was awesome. I was a bit skeptic when I arrived - the front of house wasn't on its game. Once everyone arrived, we were taken to a private room on the 2nd floor. It was perfect. Wine all over and cozy. I started with the famous meatballs. Oh how much I want them again! Perfect size. I next had the burrata with toasted bread and an onion jam. Again, a great dish that was a perfect size. My final course was the veal with a veggie ragout. Lovely and I am not a huge veal fan. Nice size, not too much. I opted for another glass of wine for dessert! Overall, lovely. A great meal that is worth every penny.

Ciano, 45 East 22nd Street, (212) 982-8422.

Molte Bene!

Delicious Danji

I have worked in Midtown for over 12 years now...and I have always been on the West side. Consequently, I have hit almost every restaurant in a 10 block vicinity and have some battle scars to prove it. Recently on a review of the Dining section of the Times, I discovered a little Korean fusion joint that had just opened.

Danji is located on 52nd street between 8th and 9th ave...quite an unassuming block. I recently had the pleasure of sampling this place with a friend who was also up for a new dining adventure. The menu is a blend of modern and traditional plates that are meant to be shared. We ordered the pork belly sliders, the skirt steak, the rock shrimp tempura with flying fish roe, and the stir fried vermicelli with beef and veggies. The pork belly sliders were my favorite. Super spicy (my nose ran) but so lovely. The moist pork belly was served on top of a perfectly grilled brioche bun. 3 bites and it was gone! The rock shrimp were good, not the best ever. The skirt steak was tender and had the perfect blend of Korean spices...I wish they gave us more! The dish I wouldn't order again was the vermicelli. Too many noodles and not enough beef. We were much too full for dessert....sorry readers!

The prices were a little high but the food is definitely worth it! During the week you might not have a problem getting a table but book a resi on the weekend for sure!

A Steeler Superbowl

Here we go Steelers, here we go! Here we go Steelers, here we go! OK, I had to say it one more time, actually twice before I let it go for the year. So sad for the loss, but I know they will work hard and be great next year. I had the lucky fortune of going to Megan's house for the great game. Megan and her boyfriend extraordinaire served quite a feast. 3 kinds of wings with blue cheese, chips, salsa, delicious chocolate chip cookies with peanuts, and the best bloody Mary's ever. Our friend Sarah made a spinach dip to remember. Apparently it was a Paula Dean recipe that I am hot to get! She is one of the best cooks I know and she gives all her dishes a farm to table feel. She never sacrifices flavor!

Congrats to Green Bay...

Recent Adventures

I just came back from my first Nascar race in Darlington, SC. I must admit, I was hesitant. I had no idea what to expect but was comforted by the fact that I was surrounded by my co-workers. Much to my surprise, I really liked it! The people watching was FANTASTIC. The cars and drivers were impressive, and the Southern BBQ hit the spot. All in all, happy I did it once in my life!

I haven't had a bad dinner in NYC in a long time. Make that a really long time. Recently, I went to Fig & Olive on 63rd and Lexington with a friend. We started with an assortment of crostini. Upon first bite, I realized the bread was 1/2 stale, 1/2 yuck. Totally gross with a capital G. The toppings were flavorless and ice cold. Imagine eating freezing cold pesto! If that wasn't bad enough, we both ordered pasta dishes. I had the penne with shrimp, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic. My friend had the mushroom pasta. Both dishes had ZERO taste. It was basically a bowl of pasta with a few cherry tomatoes and some cilantro. The shrimp weren't even deveined. I didn't eat but one bite. My friend tried to eat her pasta but also felt that it was tasteless. We gave up on our dinners and ordered another glass of pinot!

Question to my readers....should I have complained? Sent it back? Asked for it to be taken off my bill?

Stuck

Dear readers,

I have been M.I.A. I know, don't get too upset. Life has been busy! I have surfaced though and want to begin anew. Lots of things have happened since my last post! I am considering changing my subject matter to focus on things besides food...yes, I love to write about food but it isn't exactly good for the hips if you know what I mean:)

I want to thank all my dear friends who have given me guidance on this project and have given me tons of positive support. You all made the negative people go away!

I'll be back real soon,

The Chick, formerly known at The Food Chick.

3 Cheers for Corsino

I hit the new restaurant jackpot a few Friday night's ago. I went to a place called Corsino that is owned by the guy who did 'inoteca and 'ino. I can't remember the last time I was so excited by a restaurant! Not only was my company top notch, but I also got 1,000 points on Open Table! The West Village location makes for a cozy spot on a chilly Friday night. We started with a glass of Montepulciano while perusing the menu. We decided to order a medley of things and share. First to the table was the assortment of crostini. We had the brussel sprouts and pecorino, the butternut squash and garlic, ricotta and honey, shrimp and arugula, and basil pesto. As I learned that evening, a crostino is a smaller slice of bread that is crispy. We liked all of them but my favorite was the brussel sprout and pecorino. I thought the pecorino would be grated into the brussels but in fact it was under everything. Lovely! We then feasted on baked ricotta with toasted ciabatta. A nice mid course before our cheese plate. Cheese is always a treat indeed. We ordered a selection of Italian cheeses that were served with a spicy jam. While I love cheese, I think I could have skipped this course and ordered more crostino! The superstar of the meal was hands down the Heritage Brisket Meatballs with tomato and pecorino. 3 GIANT meatballs that were just taking a nice tomato bath waiting to be forked by me! As a compliment to the GIANT meatballs, we ordered a side of their brussel sprouts and butternut squash. Both lovely but if I had to pick I would go with the brussels!

Bottom line: Corsino is such a nice addition to my rolodex of restaurants. I love everything about the place. The value, the food, the atmosphere. Everything gets a 10 from me. Families will be comfortable too as the back part of the restaurant has several 10 person tables. Foodie Chick readers, I highly, highly, highly recommend.

www.corsinocantina.com

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I have been MIA way too long. Good reasons though: 1) I was swamped at work and couldn't bear to turn on my computer at home after a long day at the office. 2) Because I was "over" eating out so much and had to take a break and 3) my wallet needed some relief!

Now, the show must go on!

I had an absolutely AMAZING dinner at Keste. For those that read other food blogs and follow the local restaurant beat, you will know that Keste was rated the #1 pizza place in NYC. If I told you I knew Keste was awesome before NYC did you all wouldn't believe me. But I knew months before that Keste was the pizza destination of Manhattan. All thanks to my cousin Liz from Pittsburgh. As it turns out, the owner of Keste is a man named Roberto Caporuscio who hails from a town outside Naples. Roberto moved to Pittsburgh years ago and opened up a shop in Bellevue, PA. My cousin Liz found Roberto's place and instantly became hooked. So when Roberto decided to pack up and head for the big apple, he naturally emailed his best customers and told them to come see him on Bleecker street. Naturally, Liz forwarded his email to me and then I was in the know! My mom recently came to see me and we went to Keste for dinner one evening. There were a few of us and we all ordered different pizza's. In hindsight, I think my friend Alicia had the best looking pizza--and I know it was tasty as she didn't share a bite!!! Below is her sausage and broccoli rabe pizza that was cooked to perfection:

Bottom line: Keste is a great deal in our city. Cheap wine and delicious pizza. Great for kids! They don't take reservations so make sure you are OK waiting!

www.kestepizzeria.com

Top 5 Cheap Eats in NYC

Cheap and New York City don't really work in a sentence. If you said this to a random person on the street, they would probably laugh deep from their belly and think you were crazy. But here is the thing foodie chick readers, cheap DOES exist in Gotham. Let me clarify my idea of cheap. Buffets don't count. They are a big NO in my book. Yes cheap, but scary and gross. Also, I am not going to count the endless array of cheap salad shops, chipotles, pret a mangers, etc, etc, etc. They don't count in my book. Here is how I define cheap: delicious food with good ingredients and a nice wine list all under $25 bucks per person for dinner. This can be accomplished! I assure you! Here is my current list of cheap eats:

1) 'INO --> I have been coming here since they opened. Its the kind of place you always want to go back to time and time again. I have taken loads of friends here and even my dear mom who gave it two thumbs up. What I like so much about 'ino, is the hominess of the space, the awesome staff who always remembers me, and the most delicious food. I can't go here without always starting off with a glass of proseco. For $8 bucks a glass that is a steal. Depending on my company, I either have their antipasti plate or their Italian cheeses. Both are served with sullivan street bread and cost $12 bucks. If I don't have antipasti or the cheese, I definitely order bruschetta. Their butternut squash is divine as is their pesto. 1 bruschetta costs $3 bucks. I always order a panini except I doctor it up a little. My favorite is the mozzarella, basil pesto and pepperonata with caramelized onions added. SOOO good. Each panini is only $11 bucks. I am always too full for dessert but they have some very nice options including toasted bread with nutella! So, proseco + 1 bruschetta + a panini = $22 bucks!

www.cafeino.com

2) 'INOTECA --> This is owned by the 'ino people. I remember when I was at 'ino and they told me they were opening this place. I thought they were brilliant to do so. Considered one of the first restaurants that helped make the LES a dining destination, 'inoteca has been packing them in night after night. One of my favorite dishes, a shaved brussel sprout salad, is currently off the menu but I am hopeful it will return soon. When it was on the menu, it was around $8 bucks. 'Inoteca also serves proseco that is a must for anyone who likes the bubbly. My absolute favorite item on the menu is the "lasagnette di melanzane". Basically, this lasagna has no noodles and is made of eggplant and has onions, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and parmesan cheese. I must tell you all that nobody makes a better melanzane in the city. I have ordered at many other fine establishments and have been utterly disappointed. Gemma to name one place that massacred such a lovely dish. 'Inoteca charges $12 bucks this entree. Ok, so I am a little over the budget with my order here. Proseco + brussel sprout salad + lasagna = $32 bucks. If I didn't have the bubbly I would be on the mark with a buck to spare! I have been here so many times that I have ordered practically everything on the menu. My other favs include their meatballs, the wagu beef panini, bruschettas, rice balls, mozzarella in carrozza, brick chicken, and their beet salad. You won't be disappointed here at all. Go at off times as prime time dining can make you wait a long time for a table.

www.inotecanyc.com

3) Alta --> I wish I could take complete credit for finding this place. But I can't. My friend Laura is responsible for finding this cozy hidden restaurant tucked in an adorable West Village townhouse. The menu is comprised of small plates that range from duck to pizza to cheese to potatoes. There is probably something on the menu for everyone. What is best is to go with a big group of people so you can try a bunch of different things. My absolute favorite is none other than the crispy brussel sprouts with fuji apples, crème fraiche, and pistachio nuts. I also love the fried goat cheese in lavender honey, the catalonian flatbread with mushrooms and cheese, the bacon wrapped dates and olives, and the Ricotta Parmesan Gnocchi. The wine list is equally impressive with lots of choices that don't break the bank. Depending on what you order, you could keep it at $25 or you might go a little over but it is well worth it. It should come as no surprise that I am a huge Top Chef fan and recently I saw Padma dining at Alta! Unlike 'Ino and 'Inoteca, Alta takes reservations and is GREAT for a group of people. Be warned that they only take cash and American Express!

www.altarestaurant.com

4) Kefi --> This Greek taverna made me like Greek food again. There are a lot of high end Greek restaurants in NYC but the cheap options weren't so good until Kefi arrived...or came back depending on how you know the place. The restaurant comes from the dynamo chef Michael Psilakis who has taken our city by storm. His high end Greek restaurant, Anthos, is one of the best in the city. He recently opened a Gastro Pub called Gus & Gabriel on the UWS that needs to work out some kinks still. Kefi on the other hand, is a well oiled machine that cranks out delicious food at the most affordable prices. Opened at a new location on the UWS, Kefi serves Greek food for both lunch and dinner. The Greek salad is delightful. Not your typical take but rather an inventive re-creation that puts the D in Dill. The spread selection includes tzatziki, eggplant, red pepper, and fish roe all served with perfectly baked pita bread. The Chicken Souvlaki sandwich with tzatziki on pita bread is really nice and a good value as it comes with a side Greek salad and chips for $11.95. The sheep's milk ravioli with brown butter is heavenly as is the sheep's milk dumplings with a spicy lamb sausage. All are priced in the low teens. Kefi also serves great fish dishes with lots of fresh herbs like the grilled swordfish with tomato, olives, and cauliflower. On a recent visit I had the hanger steak with broccoli rabe and it was awesome. Perfectly cooked and so full of flavor. The wines by the glass are so reasonable for NYC ---$6 bucks for a nice house red! Kefi is great for all occasions and party sizes. They do take reservations and they are on open table! Kefi will definitely fit in your budget.

www.kefirestaurant.com

5) Otto --> Who doesn't like pizza, cheese, and wine? Otto began the pizza revolution that has taken over NYC and is taking over America. The idea of serving pizza in a nice setting with an extensive wine list was the brainchild of none other than Mario Batali . On many occasions I have popped into Otto and Mr. Orange clogs himself was sitting at a table stuffing a pizza in his mouth. Otto is where I began my love affair with truffle honey and coach triple cream goat's cheese. Otto is also where I have seen tons of celebs like Holly Hunter, Michael Moore, and Spike Jonze. Otto is also very special to me as a dear friend of mine who has since passed away loved it too. My go-to pizza at Otto is the goat cheese with whatever vegetable they are pairing with it. I typically also order some of their cheese so I can get the truffle honey. It's all about the honey! I also like their balsamic marinated brussel sprouts (duh) and their eggplant caponata . If you don't like a pizza on the menu they will make you whatever you like...but I doubt you would have that problem! Otto also serves a few pasta dishes but they are really small servings and haven't been good in the past. Stick with the pizza. Otto takes reservations and can be really busy so book well in advance. Otto also has wine classes that are really fun. Check out their website for more info! The pizzas range between $7 - $14 bucks and all the pastas are around $10 bucks. The starters vary but you can get the brussels for $4 bucks! Otto is definitely affordable and keeping to $25 bucks is easy.

www.ottopizzeria.com

Bottom line: Check out all these places and let me know what you think. I love them all for different reasons. Eating in NYC doesn't have to be so hard! In a few months I will revisit my list and give you an update! Happy [cheap] Eating!

5 min Review: Socarrat Paella Bar

Who would have thought that NYC had its very own paella bar! I certainly did not until my friend Laura suggested it for dinner one eve. Located in Chelsea, Socarrat is a shoe box size restaurant that serves all sorts of tapas items and several different kinds of paella. We started with the pan tomaca (toasted bread, fresh tomato, olive oil), patatas bravas (spicy potatoes, garlic aioli), and a very gooey eggplant dish that jiggled a lot. The pan tomasca was delicious but the portion was minimal. The patatas bravas were also yummy but we didn't get as much as I would have expected for the $. The eggplant salad was just OK. There was no zip which is perhaps why it was a special starter and not a regular on the menu. The centerpiece of the dinner was the paella for three. We played it safe and had the "Paella Socarrat" which featured chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, cuttle fish, green beans, mussels, and cockle clams. When our server presented us with our dinner, she told us to let it sit for 5 minutes so the rice could cook longer. We did and then we dove in head first! My first bite was glorious. A little rice and a piece of shrimp. All seasoned perfectly. The dish was generously salted but not too much. I can't recall the last time I had such good paella! My friend Emily who was with us said that this paella was as good as what she got in Spain this summer!

Bottom line: Definitely worth a visit. The paella is moderately priced but skip the starters as they are definitely over priced. Also, if you go with a group of 4 or more, ask for the front table in the window!

socarratpaellabar.com

5 min Review: Permanent Brunch

Last weekend my friend Alicia organized an outing to see Still Life at the Lucille Lortel theatre. We decided to have brunch before our play and Alicia let me pick the place. I read about Permanent Brunch a few months ago and put on my short list of places to check out. We met on the early side since they don't reservations and we were a party of 5 which can be hard to seat. After waiting about 40 mins, we were seated at a front table meant for 4! Oh well, we squeezed. We had water immediately from the busboy and menus but didn't see our server for a good 10 mins. Finally, we all ordered. I had scrambled eggs with whole grain toast and herb new potatoes. Sarah and Lauren had the same thing. Alicia had buttermilk pancakes with a fruit sauce on the side. Martha had the baked eggs with a short rib ragu and duck fat fingerling potatoes. We also ordered up a sampler from their bacon bar and these special donuts called zeppolis. If I told you we all got our food at the same time I would be lying. Alicia had her pancakes a good 5 mins before I got my food. Martha's baked eggs came last. About 10 mins after Alicia's pancakes. The zeppolis came out as a starter. The bacon came out between the scrambled eggs and the baked eggs. A total cluster. We asked for syrup. Didn't get for 10 mins. We asked for ketchup. Didn't get for 5 mins. Coffee? We didn't get for 30 mins!!! I actually asked a busboy for a cup. Because our food came out at random times, we couldn't wait to eat together as cold eggs are gross. The food was good. Not great but good. But not worth suffering through the terrible service. On a positive note, the space was really cool and they have this ipod station where you can hook up your device and then play guest DJ. The concept is cool too, heck we all like eating breakfast food at dinner! But get your act together!!!

Bottom line: Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Glad I tried but not rushing back. Perhaps going at an off hour would be better instead of during prime brunch hours. Visit at your own risk.

thatstheticketblog.blogspot.com (read Alicia's blog for the play review)

www.permanentbrunch.com

5 min Review : Locanda Verde

A few weeks ago I dined with some faithful foodies at Locanda Verde. The word on the street was positive and it was Italian--how could you go wrong? Plus, the menu looked delicious and the prices were descent. The chef, Andrew Carmellini, comes with quite an impressive resume having been a James Beard award winner and a F&W Best New Chef in 2000. One would think all of this would make for a wonderful dinner.

Think again.

We started with 3 cicchetti's or small plates for those not familiar with the term:

Mozzarella crostino with eggplant & pesto on prosciutto bread
Blue Crab crostino with jalapeno and tomato
Lamb Meatball Sliders with caprino and cucumber

The lamb meatball sliders were by far the tastiest in the bunch. I could have ordered several more! The blue crab was so so as it had a fishy taste. The crostino was good but just pretty ordinary. Nothin' special.

For our entrees, we all picked something different:

Homemade Pappardelle with lamb bolognese, mint and ricotta
Ravioli
Gigantone with Sunday night ragu and provolone picante

The pappardelle was VERY pretty. Big, fat noodles with a nice meat sauce. Again, pretty standard. The gigantone was awfully close in taste to the pappardelle and wasn't that special. My foodie friend liked it but wasn't mesmerized. My ravioli had a lovely taste but the portion was extremely small. It could have been a starter! I had so few of them that all I can recall is that they had parmesan cheese on them!

Bottom line: Save your money and go to your local Italian joint for equally delicious food at half the price.

http://locandaverdenyc.com

Da Bronx

I confess, I am lukewarm about watching baseball. As a kid, I remember watching the Pittsburgh Pirates with my gram and always looked forward to this occasion as it came with a root beer float. Gram was a master float maker. She would serve these heavenly drinks in these great big beer mugs that practically covered my face they were so big. After the floats always came a rush of sugar to my head and in no time I was fast asleep next to her. She would wake me after the game and tuck me into bed and whisper how much she loved me and that the Pirates would win next time. I always think of her when I watch baseball....

A few Friday evenings ago, I headed up to the new Yankee stadium with my pals. It was chilly out and the rain cloud channel 4 predicted actually came and sat over the stadium for most of the evening. Despite the rain, we had a wonderful evening that was highlighted by a visit to Lobel's meat mecca. Lobel's has been around for over 100 years and I have passed their Madison avenue store many times but never had a reason to visit. Finally, I had a reason and their steak sandwich was calling my name. My pals and I stood in a relatively short line and all ante'd up $15 bucks for the steak sandwich. Since NY law now requires calories to be posted on all menus, we knew that the steak sandwich was 435 calories. The steak was sliced and covered in its natural juice and then placed on a perfectly baked roll. Back at our seats, we pulled the sandwiches out of their bags and all took a bite. Silence. Imagine, 4 girls not saying a word? Impossible, right? Ha! As the rain poured down on us and added more moisture to our rolls, we continued to eat them. Nothing could get between us and our sandwiches. The meat was so tender and the flavors were just perfect. I hate when meat is too salty and this was perfect. The buns were super fresh and the horseradish sauce I added made everything even better.

Wet, cold, but very full, we headed back downtown while the Yanks kicked some White Sox toush in the final inning.

www.lobels.com

Bottom line: skip the burgers and waffle fries and treat yourself to Lobel's. Worth every penny! Too bad I won't be back to Yankee stadium anytime soon!

I was pleased at Apizz

Last night I had the good fortune of dining with 3 lovely ladies at a gem of a restaurant on the Lower East Side. Apizz, pronounced A-Beets, is a wonderful little Italian spot nestled in a cozy space on Eldridge. I have been here maybe 4 times before and everytime I leave happier than when I arrived! The main dining room feels like you are in the Keebler Elves treehouse. It is that awesome. The main star of the room is the open fire pit that cooks everything from pizza to meatballs. Luckily for me, my dinner dates are all people who like to share so I actually got to taste much of the menu.

Our waiter started us off with an usual bread basket: Sullivan Street bread served with ricotta and a little bowl of fresh tomato sauce. Delicious! Each bite was perfect or at least I made it that way! We then ordered 3 starters, two to come very soon and one as a mid-course. The flatbread pizza with chiorzo was out of this world. Just enough cheese and the right amount of Chiorzo. Not one ingredient overpowered the other. The 2nd starter was the Gambero, a dish full of lemon shrimp and chiorzo in a breadcrumb based EVOO sauce. So flavorful and enough sauce to warrant another helping of bread to soak up the herd infused EVOO. We paused for a bit and enjoyed our wine. I had an Italian wine called Orvieto that was so mellow and refreshing. Our mid-course, Meatballs, is what makes Apizz famous. The polpette e pomodori are veal-beef-pork meatballs cooked in the open fire pit. They are made to order so they take 20 minutes. This is really nothing in the grand scheme of it as these meatballs are perhaps the best I have ever tasted. I can't say I have ever had really good meatballs though. A few years ago I tasted Rocco DiSpirito's meatballs at The Restaurant, which has since closed. I thought they were good but I really had no base of comparison. Now I do and Apizz is the winner!

Our entrees were all shareable. We had the gnocchi with the honey braised prime beef, the handkerchief pasta with fresh crab and tomato sauce, an open face ravioli with a mascarpone ricotta cheese and caramelized butternut squash, and the oven baked skate fish. Let's deconstruct the mains, shall we?

Gnocchi: delicious but if you don't have a big appetite skip. The gnocchi are dense and the meat is abundant. Full of flavor and one of the best pasta dishes on the menu.

Handkerchief: everytime my sniffer smelled something divine I knew it was the chef cooking the garlic for this dish. The crab is so delicate yet really stands up to the tomato sauce. It is a great pairing. The flat pasta is merely the conduit to getting this lovely crab/tomato sauce in your mouth!

Ravioli: the cheese paired with the butternut squash is so heavenly it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. So yummy but a few bites is all you need.

Skate: lovely lemon/caper sauce that adorned the fish. Perfect slices of potato infused with rosemary served as a side. Nice, but the pasta is a better bet!

Dessert: no room at all but the choices were great!

If you put me in a corner and asked me to pick my entree, I would say the handkerchief crab pasta. Loverlee!

The only ding I have to make about Apizz is our waiter. He was weird. He forgot to bring stuff and we had to ask multiple times for a few things. Also, he told us that Apizz's sister restaurant The Orchard was nowhere near the deliciousness of Apizz. Weird, right?

Bottom line: Great date spot men!! Order any pasta but the penne (I had on a previous occasion and didn't like) and make sure you get the meatballs. Opentable takes resi's for them so you can even earn your 100 points! The prices are in the middle, not as cheap as I would like, but not super duper outrageous. I am sure you will also be pleased at Apizz:)

www.apizz.com

Next Up: Yankee Stadium dining!

3 weeks of Groceries or Gramercy Tavern?

Gramercy Tavern. For sure. Hands down. Even if this means I have to eat out of my freezer for a week...oh Lean Cuisine how I hate thee.

About 10 years ago (yes, I have been in NYC that long), my mom came to visit and asked me to make a resi at the best restaurant in town. I had no clue where to go. My idea of fine dining in the late 90's was Maryann's Mexican Cantina (all the UES locations have since closed). So, like anyone who needs to know something, I asked around. Everyone said either Gramercy Tavern or Union Square Cafe. One friend suggested I read something called Zagat (sadly, I did not know what this wonderful guide was back then). So, I picked Gramercy Tavern for one reason and one reason alone. A tavern meant colonial history, which I love, and I hoped a Ben Franklin look alike might be our server. In the end, Mom and I ended up having a lovely dinner but I was too young and too much of a brat to really appreciate the meal (that changes when you pay for it yourself).

2nd time around was an incredible dining experience! After checking-in with the host (they don't let anyone by without a full interrogation) I headed to the bar and had a glass of delicious Oregon Pinot ($12 bucks) while I awaited my 3 fabulous foodie friends. While at the bar I indulged in a bowl of the cumin sugar almonds that melted in my mouth. After all arrived, we tucked into our table and casually looked around for any celebs (nobody was there). Presented with leather bound menus, we all reviewed and decided to do the tasting menu--- a starter, an entree, and then a dessert for $86 bucks. 2 other tasting menus are available-one vegetarian and one chef's pick. Both looked really good but were north of $100 so we decided to be slightly conservative with our stomachs and wallets.

Our waitress could have passed for a young Sally Jessy Raphael. She had red glasses and the Sally hairdo. She was definitely an actress during the day judging by her body movements when we asked, "Beef or Pork"? Unlike my dinner mates who all ordered the Pork, I ordered the Sirloin two ways, grilled and then done short rib style. We finished our order by selecting a North Fork Sauvignon Blanc from Channing Daughters. Great wine for $38 bucks.

Starters: I had soft shell crabs with scallions and fingerling potatoes, Alicia had the black tagliatelle with chorizo, mussels, and calamari, and both Sarah and Martha had the lamb papardelle with olives and lemons. I cheated on my soft shells with a bite of the lamb pasta and wished I had ordered that instead! It was superb. To complement our starters, we were given the choice of rolls- olive or a ciabatta. My only complaint thus far was that they weren't warm and they were hard to chew.

Our entrees came soon after and the presentation was spot on. So much so that one server came back to my friend Alicia's dinner and moved the plate ever so slightly to make it perfect. My lovely sirloin rested on a bed of fresh summer peas that were so sweet and pretty I couldn't help but eat! My meat was v. juicy but not quite as juicy as the pork belly Sarah let me try. All 3 of my foodie friends ordered the pork which was prepared as both a rack of pork and also as the the pork belly. Both styles rested on heirloom cauliflower and some other kind of earthy veggie I can't even pronounce (kohlrabi). Judging by our immediate silence after our entrees came, I think we all agreed they were a hit.

Dessert was tough. Peanut butter or chocolate. What is a girl to do? I ordered the warm chocolate bread pudding that was beyond good. Sarah did a berry tart that was OK. Not enough custard to pull it all together. Martha and Alicia had the peanut butter semifreddo that gave them both sweet dreams that night. As a thank you for being such great diners, Sally Jessy gave us a free strawberry tart that was also delicious but not quite as good as my bread pudding or the peanut butter dream.

We all rolled out (literally) and Sarah and I climbed into our yellow chariot that took us uptown.

$150+ bucks later....Hello freezer, whatcha got in there?

Bottom line: Highly recommend. Go now with people you like (Dinner was 2 1/2 hours!) Feast like you haven't done before because you don't know when you will go back! The menu changes seasonally so one could justify 4 visits per year:) If the $86 bucks scares you, opt for the front tavern area where it is first come, first serve and the menu is al a carte. Both the tavern and main dining area are warm and inviting and if you let yourself dream a little, you might think you were at Hogwarts or somewhere else magical.

www.gramercytavern.com

Next Up: A restaurant called "Collage" located in the heart of historic St. Augustine, FL.

No Gossip at The Palace Gate

I happily admit it. The thought of sitting on the lovely outside terrace of The New York Palace hotel drinking a swish cocktail was enough to send me and my two friends there on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Secretly, we hoped Blake Lively would pop out in something fabulous and drama would ensue. No such luck. The closest we got to any gossip was asking our waitress for any insider scoop. She had nothin' for us but expensive drinks and an even more expensive snack menu. Ah, c'est la vie.

The Palace Gate recently opened in early June and is already a hit with the uber trendy NYC crowd. According to a certain foodie friend, if you want to get a seat for happy hour you MUST show up no later than 5:15 pm (note: they open at 4pm daily). For some of us, this is an impossibility so you can either send a friend to hold a table or do what we did and go on a Saturday. We decided to splurge and order very expensive drinks. I had a a nice $20 pinot noir from Oregon, while Nancy tried a Dark & Stormy (her fav), and Karin had a Pimms Cup. Both were also $20 bucks each. Since we had already ordered up $60 bucks worth of over priced cocktails, we decided to go for gold and try their truffle french fries. Served with a spicy garlic mayonnaise garnished with chives, we devoured along with the free grissini. At $12, we couldn't leave any fries untouched (note: the truffle fries are the cheapest snack on the menu).

I cautiously recommend The Palace Gate. This is the place you go for ONE drink after a fabulous dinner or to show off your city to visitors. If you don't like fries and you didn't come already fed, get a snack before you come and save some money!

http://www.giltnewyork.com/palace-gate-home.php

The Chick is Ready to Chirp

Welcome to The Foodie Chick! Read and bookmark me if you want...

1. Very frank food reviews on restaurants around the NYC ( special reports from NY, NJ and CT). No sugar coating here.

2. My constantly updated *short* list of best eats at the best prices in a very expensive city.

3. Restaurant recco's and foodie destinations around the globe. Upcoming trips include St. Augustine, Austin, Vero Beach, and London. Who wants a bad meal when traveling?

4. Where to buy ____ report. Who has the best selection, who has the best price, who has freshest stuff. You get it.

5. Special guest star reviews! Bakeries, restaurants, food shops, etc. All are up for a surprise visit from me and my fellow foodie friends.

If that doesn't convince you to follow me I don't know what else will;)

Big thanks to all my friends for nudging me to do this and serving as my creative consultants. You know who you are!

Next up: Gramercy Tavern. A long time favorite of many in NYC best characterized by the use of seasonal ingredients in a homey space. I will put the restaurant to the test this Thursday along with my dinner dates.