Stuff to Do

AllNY.com's look at things to do in NYC written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers and serious New York tourists.


Celebrate 150 Years of Women’s Rights in Dining at Historic Delmonico’s Restaurant

150 years ago, Delmonico’s lifted the ban on female diners needing to be accompanied by men. At a pivotal, first-of-its-kind Ladies’ Luncheon, the restaurant hosted “unchaperoned” women at a private meal, marking the first time women were allowed to dine (or be served) alone in a restaurant anywhere. It was also the first time that women were allowed to congregate as a group, alone.

Commemorating this event — the original Power Lunch for women — three-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune has created a special menu, putting her spin on the original $1 Ladies’ Luncheon meal which consisted of consommé, fish, lamb and dessert. The “updated” menu will be served as an option through April 28, along with Delmonico’s traditional menu. Menu choices include consommé, cold poached mackerel with pickled celery hearts, Colorado lamb loin chop and brûléed rice pudding with strawberry meringue and macerated strawberries.

At this landmark restaurant, established in 1837, Delmonico’s paved the wave for women’s rights activities to come and became a leader in the hospitality industry. The luncheon was organized by the Sorosis Club, the country’s first women’s rights organization and a model for other women’s clubs through the end of the century. Sorosis, by virtue of its existence had proven that women could work together, and men and women could dine together, without anyone being injured by the experiment. It further demonstrated that woman were capable orators, that they could propose a toast as men could, and that they could sing a song without being unwomanly.

The club came about in response to a males-only New York Press Club dinner honoring Charles Dickens. After her application to attend was refused, Jane Cunningham Croly, an experienced journalist and editor, was so outraged that she founded the all-female Sorosis to give women a venue for congregating and communing. She also approached Lorenzo Delmonico with the idea of allowing women to dine alone. The result was the Ladies’ Luncheon. The women were treated with such consideration at the luncheon that they chose Delmonico’s as their regular meeting place thereafter.

Delmonico’s, still in its original location, is known for its eponymous Delmonico steak, and many menu firsts including Baked Alaska, Lobster Newburg and Eggs Benedict. Considered the first fine-dining restaurant in the country, Delmonico’s takes diners to a time of opulence with its leather seats, lavish chandeliers, gracious service and beautiful art. Delmonico’s Restaurant 56 Beaver Street, New York City.

Bookmark and Share

Carnivores Take Note: Tickets still available for April 25 Brisket King Competition in Brooklyn

Brisket King of NYC returns for a seventh year to a new venue in Williamsburg. It makes perfect sense to crown the King of Brisket in Kings County, aka Brooklyn, right? There will be plenty of brisket, beer, cider and spirits. More than 20 chefs will compete for the glory of being the Brisket King NYC 2018.  The new location is 110 Kent Avenue. The event will be held from 6-9:30pm.

The original idea of the event was to celebrate NYC culinary traditions, slow-cooking through the lens of brisket, inspired by NYC culinary history. NYC brisket will be on display, with results inspired by the BBQ from all parts of the U.S.

Having been to the event before, I recommend that you go with friends so you can divide and conquer the many brisket and drink stations. And, of course, go hungry! Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brisket-king-nyc-2018-tickets-4272352621 for $85 per person.

Previous winners have included hometown favorites:

2012 John Brown Smokehouse, Queens
2013 Daniel Delaney, BrisketTown, and the People’s Choice: Mighty Quinn’s BBQ
2014 Will Horowitz, Ducks Eatery, 90-day dry-aged brisket
2015 Billy Durney, Hometown BBQ, Red Hook, Brooklyn
2016 Ari White, Wandering Que, (kosher)

2017 Sruli Edelman, Izzy’s Smokehouse (kosher), Brooklyn

2017 Winner Izzy’s Smokehouse

This year’s competitors see the return of some from the past, along with new entries with chefs from outside of NYC as well:

Cherry Street BBQ, Chef Lawrence La Pianta, Toronto

Hill Country BBQ, Chef Ash Fulk, NYC
Randall’s BBQ, Chef Jared Male, opening soon  in NYC
Chef John Gower of Quiet Waters Farm, from England, with John Patterson, The Salt Cured Pig
Chef Jesse Jones with John Sauchelli of Jersey Barnfire Sauce
Dinosaur BBQ, Brooklyn
Salt and Bone BBQ, Queens
El Atoradero, Chef Noah Arenstein
Judd’s Memphis (kosher)
Kimchi Smoke, Robert Cho
Brooklyn Q, pitmaster Robert Fernandez
Ribs Within collaborating with Hunts Point BBQ Eatery and Meat Shop, pitmaster Robbie Richter, original pitmaster for Hill Country BBQ and Fatty Cue, NYC

Smokehouse Tailgate Grill, Mamaroneck, NY, pitmaster Eric Johnson
Lex Taylor, TV chef
Main House BBQ (kosher)
Papa Smokem, Chef Mario
Sands Jerk Hut
Willie B’s

Celebrity judges include Dana Cowin, former editor of Food and Wine, cookbook author Peter Kaminsky, Bravo’s “Top Chef” contestant Grayson Schmitz, food writer and professional carnivore Nick Solares, the Texas huntress Ashley Chiles, author David Rosengarten, Gear Patrol’s Bryan Campbell, cookbook author Donna Gelb, and Food Network’s Vivian Chan.

Spirits curated by Modern Distillery Age :
Astoria Distilling
Empire Spirits
Frederick Wildman & Sons
Hudson Whiskey
Market Street Spirits
NY Distilling

Craft beer and hard cider:
Original Sin cider
Shmaltz Brewery (kosher)
Sixpoint brewery
Austin East Ciders
Bronx Brewery
Lagunitas brewery
Essentia water

General website www.brisketking.com

Co-founder / executive producer Jimmy Carbone (Jimmy’s No. 43, Food Karma Projects). Other co-hosts of the event include Brisket King NYC co-founder Jake Schiffman (The Food Network), Jonathan Deutsch (Drexel University), Annie Hauck-Lawson (Mompost), Mory Thomas (f/o Food Network), Cricket Azima (Kids Food Festival).

Bookmark and Share

New York City: The Perfect City for Solo Travel

New York City was just voted one of the top cities for solo travelers. There are myriad reasons why this is the case. You’ll never be bored. You can pretty much talk to anyone here. Or you can simply blend in with the crowd and be as visible or as anonymous as you like. New York City is the king when it comes to being the melting pot.

New York Philharmonic

Personally, I find the many cultural options perfect opportunities to enjoy a solo experience. If you’re not quite ready to commit to a major play or opera as a single, look into the New York Philharmonic rehearsals, for example, an inexpensive and friendly way to test the solo waters at a cultural event.  https://nyphil.org/concerts-tickets/explore/open-rehearsals Also, a Wednesday or Saturday matinee on Broadway might feel less daunting than attending an evening performance by yourself.  Visit www.playbill.com for a full listing of Broadway and off-Broadway shows with matinee times.

Central Park

Meandering through the city’s myriad parks will let you observe, think, and relax all on your own time. And maybe you’ll find a casual food stand or restaurant there, where you can test your ability to dine alone.

I asked one of my favorite solo travelers, Shari Bayer, to share some suggestions of how to manage traveling solo. Shari is a pro when it comes to dining solo and traveling solo and can be heard sharing advice on her show, All in the Industry, on Heritage Radio Network, a weekly show about the hospitality industry.

  1. Location, location, location. When choosing where you stay, make sure it is in a central and safe neighborhood.  Check travel review sites, such as TripAdvisor. You can narrow your search to “solo” to see what other single travelers had to say about their experiences. Look for a consistency in the responses, as when many people post that it’s a “great location,” you can be confident that it will be.
  2. Plan your trip your way.  There is not one right way to travel, and when you’re going solo, you can do whatever you want without compromising your itinerary. You can sleep late and skip breakfast. Go to a museum for several hours, or only for a quick walk-through.  It’s up to you.
  3. Don’t think you have to do everything solo on your trip.  You can partake in group outings, city tours, food crawls and fun adventures where you will meet other travelers and have unique experiences together.  If you want some companionship, you can find it.
  4. Keep connected with technology. Nowadays, our smart phones can be our best friends and very useful for soloists.  From researching top city attractions to utilizing maps and posting on social media, you may forget that you’re alone with so many tools are your fingertips.
  5. Be confident in your decision to be traveling solo and don’t let anyone invade your time or privacy.  Ignore naysayers who many question why you are alone. It’s none of their business. Some people who haven’t traveled solo for themselves may not understand it, but it’s not your job to explain it.  Live and let live.
Bookmark and Share

More than 1000 Cars and Lots of Surprises at 2018 Car Show in NYC

There are some pretty sweet cars and experiences waiting for you at this year’s New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center, Manhattan. From all-electrics, concept cars, and sportier SUVs, to new reveals, and virtual reality and robot simulators, you can spend many hours immersed in the world of automobiles from March 30-April 9.  You can buy your tickets here. Then, hop in your car, and drive to the nearest drive-in, Sonic Hamburgers in North Bergen, New Jersey. I’m still searching for one in New York City.

That’s just what I did today on the intro media day filled with press conferences, demos and car intros.

Here are some of the interesting reveals that you can expect to see at the show.

Camaro:  It’s the 50th year of Hot Wheels and Camaro is celebrating it.

Essentia:  Genesis unveiled its groundbreaking Essentia Concept. The all-electric, high-performance concept elevates and re-imagines Genesis’s “Athletic Elegance” design.

Toyota RAV4: The all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4 gets a sporty re-do that’s both attractive and practical for the this small sports utility vehicle, the creator of the small SUV segment.

Cadillac XT4: Cadillac unveiled its new XT4, an all-new compact luxury SUV, powered by an all-new 2.0L Turbo engine.

Nissan Altima: Nissan revealed a newly designed, very stylish version of its popular Altima, the first Nissan sedan to have available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in the U.S.

Acura RDX: The 2019 Acura RDX debuted a sportier version of its SUV, the RDX A-Spec sport with larger wheels, gloss black accents and distinctive interiors including an available two-tone red and black interior.

Hyundai Kona Electric: For the eco-minded driver, Hyundai unveiled its new U.S. version of the Kona Electric crossover.

Audi RS 5 Sportback: This new Audi arrives in the US with distinctive styling and a distinct sound from its V6 biturbo engin

Mercedcs-Benz-AMG: The ever-popular C-Class shines with the addition of C 63 now  available in sedan, coupe and cabriolet versions with extended individualization options.

Alfa Romeo: Expanding the Giulia and Stelvio lineup, Alfa Romeo’s new Nero Edizione package seductive and striking dark exterior accents.

BMW introduces a sleeker version of its X1 small luxury SUV, the new X2 with more angled lines and slightly smaller interior space.  (No, that’s not the X2 in the top photo, but I can still dream).

Bookmark and Share

12 of the Sweetest Treats and Special Menus in New York City This Easter

Evelina, the charming Italian restaurant in the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn, offers a special lunch menu to celebrate Easter created by Executive Chef Lanfranco Paliotti (Daniel, Boulud Sud). Highlights include braised Salt Meadow lamb with parmesan grits, flash fried squash blossom with buffalo mozzarella, rabbit loin porchetta, and ricotta, lemon, and vanilla pancakes with orange flower.

Nearby Miss Ada gives  you both a charming outdoor space and a holiday brunch menu with sweet and savory dishes inspired by the streets of Israel. Featured are include Yemeni such as the jachnun, a flaky dough coated with a date honey that has been slow-cooked in an oven overnight and topped with brown egg, tomato and schug; malawach, a layered pan-fried bread paired with a hard-boiled egg, tomato and schug; and ziva a flaky pastry with layers of the malawach filled with sweet potato, fontina cheese, asiago and mushrooms.

Another Brooklyn favorite, Greenpoint’s Sauvage – from the team being the wildly popular Maison Premiere in Williamsburg — will be serving a special brunch menu for Easter with dishes like the decadent almond French toast with persimmon, coconut and mascarpone; or an egg white frittata with tomato confit, spinach and raclette .Melding the outdoors with the indoors in a manner true to its “wild savage” name, the restaurant is a lush profusion of planted herbs and botanicals with large windows facing nearby McCarren Park.

Add a little taste of Paris by visiting Le District, the French market place located in Brookfield Place. At atmospheric Beaubourg, you’ll enjoy Sunday brunch outside on the terrace with beautiful views overlooking the Hudson River, while sipping on mimosas and enjoying entrées such as Fresh Ham Benedict, with smoked tomato, poached eggs, béarnaise, and baby field greens. In keeping with the French esprit, a pastry basket with assorted croissants, a cookie plate and a cocktail are included.

For a Spanish-inflected Easter brunch, Basque-inspired Ortzi by Jose Garces in the new LUMA Hotel Times Square will offer a 3-course Easter Brunch with dishes including tortilla Española, a Spanish potato omelet with spinach, roasted peppers and tomato jam; and Spanish shrimp Eggs Benedict with asparagus, English muffin, and Nora Chile hollandaise. Dessert treats include Crema Catalana with cinnamon and citrus custard, topped with brûléed sugar.

Feeling like something sweet for the holiday? Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer’s Easter CrazyShake The Peeps Shake is a cherry shake with a vanilla frosted rim with Easter M&Ms, topped with yellow chick Peeps, whipped cream, Easter sprinkles and a cherry.

The Palm Court at The Plaza will be having an Easter Grand Buffet that mixes sweet with savory, seasonal favorites. Choose from holiday specials such as strawberry spring salad with dry aged goat cheese, pine nuts, and balsamic vinaigrette, a carving station with herb-roasted rack of lamb with mint chimichurri sauce and bourbon, and apricot-glazed ham with violet mustard. Don’t miss the special holiday dessert, a Gianduja chocolate egg with a banana cream center and hazelnut sable.

All-day brasserie Bowery Road from Chef Ron Roselli (Locanda Verde, The Standard Hotel Meatpacking) takes its inspiration from the nearby Union Square Greenmarket, serving up a seasonally appropriate Easter special of Green Eggs ‘n Ham with salsa verde and spring pea deviled eggs alongside LaQuercia prosciutto.

For Easter at Marco Canora’s East Village restaurant Hearth, guests can celebrate brunch and dinner by arranging a medley of small dishes or choosing the “Family Easter Feast.” Starters spotlight spring flavors like the stracciatella with ramps and shoots, or sourdough bruschetta with peas, Feta and chile. Also featured are charred Norwich Meadows carrots with lemon confit and sunflower, and gnocchi sardi with pancetta and peas. The family dinner skews more traditional with roast lamb leg roulade, potatoes, spring vegetables and broccoli casserole.

Riverpark offers brunch with views of the East River. Tom Colicchio brings out the best of spring with brunch specials such as grilled bread and ricotta with rhubarb and thyme; smoked brisket hash with fingerling potatoes, spring onions, asparagus and poached egg; and Nashville hot chicken with skillet corn bread, honey butter and house-made pickles. Desserts are ingredient-driven as well such as the restaurant’s signature “Cereal & Milk” with chocolate ganache cake, caramelized rice puffs and vanilla malt.

Temple Court in the Beekman Hotel features old and new classics, reinvented with Colicchio’s signature, seasonal touch. This Easter, guests can enjoy a two-course brunch with family-style appetizers such as doughnut holes with banana caramel or citrus-cured salmon with bagel crostinis, followed by mains including pork belly hash with roasted Brussels sprouts, apples and eggs; or a breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon , gruyere, spicy aioli, arugula and a roasted tomato on a poppy seed roll.

The exclusive Polo Bar in midtown will serve a classic Sunday brunch to celebrate Easter with dishes such as popover Benedict with poached eggs, creamed spinach, ham and gruyère; Ralph’s corned beef hash with sunny-side up eggs, sautéed kale and cayenne hollandaise; and challah French toast with fresh berries and Vermont maple syrup. Reservations must be made by phone.

Bookmark and Share

Time to Book Your Dinner Reservations: Here are The James Beard Awards Nominees for 2018

The James Beard Foundation today announced the finalists for its restaurant awards of 2018. The ceremony will be held in Chicago in May.

New York City, the location for restaurants representing more international cuisines than another city, offers a solid list of high-profile restaurants among this year’s JBF nominees.  Below is the list of finalists, followed by the longer list of semifinalists that were announced last month. Now’s the time to book your reservations, as these restaurants will become even “hotter” after the James Beard awards are conferred.

Ignacio Mattos

BELOW, THE LIST OF FINALISTS FROM NYC:

Best Chefs in NYC

Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy

Ignacio Mattos, Estela

Missy Robbins, Lilia

Alex Stupak, Empellon Midtown

Jody Williams, Buvette

Outstanding Baker

Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels

Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit

Outstanding Restaurateur

Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (High Street on Hudson and Philly restaurants)

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Clare de Boer, King

Best New Restaurant

Empellón Midtown, Alex Stupak’s latest

Outstanding Restaurant

Balthazar, the seminal French brasserie in SoHo from Keith McNally

Gabrielle Hamilton

Outstanding Chef

Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune

Outstanding Restaurant Design, 75 seats and under

De Maria, The MP Shift, Amy Morris, Anna Polonsky, and Julie Nerenberg

Daily Provisions, Rockwell Group, David Rockwell, Greg Keffer, and the Rockwell Group Design Team

Outstanding Restaurant Design, 76 seats and over

abcV, ABC Carpet & Home, Paulette Cole, Amy Ilias, Maya Nakano, and the ABC Home Creative Team

HERE’S THE WHO WHO’S LIST OF SEMIFINALISTS ANNOUNCED EARLIER:

Greg Baxtrom

Best Chefs in NYC

Greg Baxtrom, Olmsted
Emma Bengtsson, Aquavit
Rawia Bishara, Tanoreen
Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy
Charles Gabriel, Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken
Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko
Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau, Shuko
Ignacio Mattos, Estela
Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca
Joe Ng, RedFarm
Erik Ramirez, Llama Inn
Missy Robbins, Lilia
Justin Smillie, Upland
Rita Sodi, I Sodi
Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske, Contra
Alex Stupak, Empellón Midtown
Alex Raij and Eder Montero, Txikito
Ann Redding and Matt Danzer, Uncle Boons
Jody Williams, Buvette Gastrothèque
Helen You, Dumpling Galaxy, Queens, NY

Best New Restaurant

Cote, the Korean steakhouse in Flatiron from Simon Kim and chef David Shim
Empellón Midtown, Alex Stupak’s latest

Outstanding Baker

Dianna Daoheung, Black Seed Bagels
Zachary Golper, Bien Cuit

Bargoto Photo by Daniel Krieger

Outstanding Bar Program

Bar Goto, the LES Japanese cocktail den from Kenta Goto
Clover Club, the Cobbe Hill mainstay
Dante, the more than 100-year-old negroni specialist in Greenwich Village

Outstanding Chef

Andrew Carmellini, Locanda Verde
Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune

Outstanding Pastry Chef

Natasha Pickowicz, Flora Bar
Stephanie Prida, The Pool

Balthazar

Outstanding Restaurant

Balthazar, the seminal French brasserie in SoHo from Keith McNally
Frankies 457 Spuntino, popular Carroll Gardens neighborhood Italian
Momofuku Noodle Bar, David Chang’s eclectic East Village ramen restaurant

Outstanding Restaurateur

Andrew Tarlow (Diner, Marlow & Sons, Reynard, and others)
Ellen Yin, High Street Hospitality Group (High Street on Hudson and Philly restaurants)

Outstanding Service

The Red Cat, Chelsea restaurant open since 1999

Outstanding Wine Program

Corkbuzz, wine bar near Union Square

Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional

Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, Evil Twin Brewing
Jordan Salcito, Ramona

Rising Star Chef of the Year

Clare de Boer, King

Bookmark and Share

Planning a trip to NYC?