Posts Tagged ‘Williamsburg’

January 11 is National Hot Toddy Day – Here’s Where You Can Sample Some of the Best in New York City

Dining outdoors is fun but chilly. You need to pick your menu carefully so food stays warm. Think piping hot French onion soup, boeuf bourguignon and a bowl of spicy chili to stick to your ribs. Your drinks of choice need to stand up to the cold as well. Fortunately, winter is a time to imbibe hot toddies, a beverage famous for its abilities to ward off shivers and the flu, attend to nascent coughs and sniffles, calm a sore throat and provide an overall feeling of warmth. A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, is typically made with a base of whiskey or rye (or even rum) enhanced with water, honey, herbs and spices. It’s served hot in a glass or mug that will warm your hands as well. The hot toddy is so popular, in fact, that it has its own holiday on January 11, but feel free to order these at any time. They’re just what we need to stay comfy (and healthy) outdoors during the long, dark winter ahead.

Here are six choices in New York City that will keep you toasty through these chillier months.

MANHATTAN

Upper East Side

Amali - Lovers and Liars

Amali (115 E. 60th St.) takes a traditional hot buttered toddy and gives it a Mediterranean twist with peach brandy, Rockey’s liqueur, hot orange saffron tea, honey and butter. If you’re not familiar with it, Rockey’s liqueur is a delicious blend of green apple, pineapple, green tea, black tea, and citrus inspired by classic, clarified milk punch. Pair this with the restaurant’s black cod gyro, their labneh flatbread or any of their pastas, for a mini trip to Italy and Greece. The drink is called Lovers & Liars for reasons that you’ll have to figure out after you’ve had a few.

Theater District

Haven Rooftop

Haven Rooftop above the Sanctuary Hotel (132 W. 47th Street) in Midtown has put together an inventive Hot Toddy menu with versions like Apple Cheer Hot Toddy with lemon, cinnamon syrup, black tea, apple cider and bourbon; Bailey’s Hot Toddy with black tea, agave and Bailey’s Irish Cream; and Hibiscus Hot Toddy with black tea, hibiscus syrup, lemon, agave and bourbon. The drinks pair well with Haven’s eclectic menu of small plates, pizzas and steaks. To warm you up upon arrival, Haven offers a welcoming non-alcoholic shot of hot chocolate or hot tea, a wonderful option, too, if you’re observing Dry January.

East Village

Kissaki - Tokushima Toddy

Putting a Japanese spin on a hot toddy, elevated sushi favorite Kissaki (319 Bowery) features the Tokushima Toddy with Maker’s Mark, passionfruit, yuzu, sake, apple caramel and ginger beer. While hot sake is just so mundane, adding it to a Hot Toddy makes a lot of sense. It also goes surprisingly well with cold sushi and sashimi like chef’s creative nigiri and futomaki fat rolls.

The mixologists at cocktail mecca Death & Co. (433 E. 6th St.) have also embraced the Asian spirit, adding Japanese whiskey with dashi kombu, soup stock made with dried kelp, to their toddy. While bar seating isn’t currently offered, you can order the drink via Tock or Caviar from Death & Co.’s to-go and delivery menu. If you choose to dine on your balcony or in the park, The Super Cult Toddy is guaranteed to keep you happy.

BROOKLYN

Williamsburg

Ainslie

Italian sensation Ainslie (76 Ainslie St)  has a Sip, Stir, Cuddle hot toddy from mixologist Jessica Dure, made with Vecchia Tres Botti brandy, rye whiskey, Amaro Montenegro (from Bologna), honey, lemon, baking spices and Angostura bitters.  This is just the right drink to sip in their outdoor sidewalk patio or in their expansive beer garden with its open roof. Pair it with Ainslie’s shareable saltimbocca pizza, with just the right amount of prosciutto and sage adorning the melty cheese, or the lasagna with Bolognese sauce and linguine vongole.

Ten Hope - Todd’s Hot Date

Nearby, Ten Hope Outdoor Garden (10 Hope Street) offers a hot toddy called Todd’s Hot Date made with brandy, bourbon, date molasses, lemon and clove perfect for enjoying on the open-air, vine-laced patio. The Mediterranean restaurant’s flatbread with zaatar oil is a perfect accompaniment.  Naturally, there are heaters throughout to keep you toasty on the outside, too.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Two Ways to Explore Brooklyn: By Foot and By Bus

Are you mystified about Brooklyn? Brooklyn is the second largest borough in New York City and holds a myriad of cultural and culinary attractions.  Here are two ways to explore it, one by foot and one by bus.

Local Expeditions

Local Expeditions are walks and bike tours curated and led by local residents passionate about a topic.

This walk through Brooklyn is perfect for theater lovers, music fans, and anyone curioous about Brooklyn’s past. The tour meets in front of BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, and ends at the Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky’s Shakespeare Center 262 Ashland Place (at Fulton Street), Brooklyn. http://local-expeditions.com/expeditions/the-downtown-brooklyn-cultural-district/

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Once described as a “regional attraction to rival Times Square,” downtown Brooklyn was a popular destination of shops, restaurants and theaters. It is now enjoying a revival with the Brooklyn Cultural District, Polonsky’s Shakespeare Center, and the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (where you can drink and dine while you watch).

The tour is led by theater historian Cezar Del Valle and will explore downtown Brooklyn’s theatrical past, present and future. Sites visited  include those of the legendary Paramount and Fox theaters, the 14th and 15th largest movie houses built in America.

The walk ends at the Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky’s Shakespeare Center. Opened in 2013, this was the first major house for classical drama to be built in New York City since Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater in 1965.

Tickets are $30 per person.

Polonsky’s Shakespeare Center

Foods of NY

If you’re a foodie, you will love Foods of NY’s culinary tours.

It takes a while to explore (and eat your way through) Brooklyn, so a bus tour is actually a good idea if you want to cover a lot of distance in a short period of time. If Brooklyn were not part of New York City, it would still rank as the fourth largest city in the US, with 43 distinct neighborhoods with people from almost every country. With that comes an amazing array of traditions, history, and, of course, lots of fabulous ethnic foods. https://www.foodsofny.com/foods-ny-tours-2/the-best-of-brooklyn/#book-now

Table 87 Italian Cuisine

The half-day food, history, and cultural journey traverses four Brooklyn neighborhoods where you’ll learn about Brooklyn’s immigrant past and present. Areas visited include Williambsurg’s Hasidic area, Greenpoint’s Polish neighborhood where you’ll sample kielbasa and pierogies, North Williamsburg’s hipster areas with lots of street food and pizza choices, and more. All told, you’ll have six tastings of some of Brooklyn’s most representative cuisines from Middle Eastern to Italian, from hipster to traditional. Plan to come very hungry!

KROWLEWSKIE JADLO Polish Cuisine

Pick up and drop off are in Greenwich Village in Manhattan. After getting a taste of Brooklyn, you might just want to stay there a bit longer and make your way back to Manhattan by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge for its glorious views of both Brooklyn (look behind you) and Manhattan (in front of you).

Tickets are priced at $125 per person.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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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).

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Really Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dinner Reservations Still Available

If you’re like me, you often forget to book a reservation until the last-minute, or suddenly guests appear and you need more space so dining out works better. For all who find themselves in situations like these, here are a dozen great choices in New York City still offering Thanksgiving meals, with choices reflecting the wonderful ethnic diversity of our city.  Happy Turkey Day!

The East Pole on the Upper East Side offers a full American-inflected Thanksgiving menu. For just $85 per person, you’ll enjoy a three-course meal along with sides for the table and an optional four-course wine pairing for $45. Starters include options like Wild Mushroom & Ricotta Crostino with Truffle Oil & Herbs; or Black Barley Risotto, Autumn Squash and Goat Cheese Sage.  Entrees include Heritage Turkey Breast, Roasted Chestnut Ragu and Butternut Squash, or Seared Diver Scallops with Carrot Ginger Mash and Fig Salsa.  Dessert are traditional Pumpkin Pie as well as Goat Cheese Cake. http://theeastpole.brinkleyspubs.com/

Moving East, Tikka Indian Grill in Kew Gardens (Queens) and Williamsburg (Brooklyn) is serving an Indian-inspired version of traditional American fare with a prix fixe, three-course menu for $16.95.  The meal begins with a plate of savory street food. The main course features Tandoori-grilled Breast of Turkey, infused by Indian spices together with sautéed pumpkin and zucchini, and garlic cilantro rice. For a sweet finish, dessert is a traditional Saffron Zarda, a rice dish infused with sweet spices.  BYOB. http://www.tikkaindiangrill.com/

Michelin-starred Rebelle takes you to Paris with a menu referencing classic French dishes and techniques with a nod to Chef Eddy’s time at Spring in Paris. The $78 per person prix fixe menu includes a choice of Kale, Apple and Walnut Salad or Roasted Squash with pears and brown butter for appetizers; Roast Beef, Pan-seared Halibut or Roasted Turkey as a main; and a section of appropriate side dishes such as Foie with fat, Stuffing; Traditional Stuffing; Green Bean Casserole; Sweet Potato Brûlée, Brussels Sprouts with lardons, or roasted mushroom. Served family style, desserts include traditional Thanksgiving favorites, apple, pecan pie or pumpkin pie.  http://rebellenyc.com/

At beloved Harlem neighborhood restaurant and wine bar Vinateria, owner Yvette Leeper Bueno and Executive Chef Joshua Bedford will bring a  three-course menu featuring dishes like Roasted Baby Pumpkins stuffed with lamb sausage and farro; Grilled Sardines with lemon and olive bagna cauda, Whole Grilled Dorade with bitter greens; Roasted Leg Of Lamb with saffron cous cous and port reduction; Roast Pennsylvania Duck with toasted chickpeas, red watercress and warm spices; Warm Fig Tartlet; and Lemoncello Tiramisu. www.vinaterianyc.com

We’ll toast with Margaritas this Thanksgiving at the Thanksgiving Fiesta at Rosa Mexicano. It’s a three-course Thanksgiving Fiesta  for $40/person, featuring Sope de Calabaza: pumpkin soup garnished with pomegranate and toasted pepitas; a choice of two entrees: Chile ancho-roasted turkey with choice of mole xico or traditional gravy served with four sides, including Cranberry Salsa, Sweet Plaintain-Huitlacoche Stuffing, Mexican Chorizo Potatoes and Fall Roasted Vegetables, or Enchiladas de Pavo with pulled roasted turkey, topped with mestiza crema and orange-spiced crispy Brussels sprouts; and Empanadas de Manzana for dessert, filled with apples and cranberries and topped with vanilla ice cream. Guests can imbibe a special Thanksgiving cocktail: Blood Orange Cranberry Margarita with housemade cranberry bitters.  www.rosamexicano.com

This Thanksgiving, Michelin-starred chef Eduard Frauneder is serving an Austrian-inspired Thanksgiving feast at the Village’s Edi & the Wolf for $63 that includes. Choose Blue Hubbard Squash Ravioli, Salad with Boursin and acorn squash, or Potato Leek Soup to start. Your entree will be either a traditional Roasted Turkey with stuffing or Braised Short Rib with pommes puree, chanterelles and garlic brown butter. For the table, you’ll enjoy maple whipped sweet potato and roasted Brussels sprouts. Desserts are the restaurant’s wonderful apple strudel or a traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. http://www.ediandthewolf.com

Remember New York City’s Oystering Prowess with a special Thanksgiving and Oyster dinner at Maison Premiere the James Beard Award-winning oyster house and cocktail den of Williamsburg has Chef Lisa Giffen, who has worked under such esteemed chefs at Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse, at the helm. This Thanksgiving, Maison Premiere offers a three-course prix fixe turkey dinner for $75/person A selection of fresh-from-the-sea oysters will be available à la carte, a wonderful starter to Butternut Squash Veloute with truffle whipped cream and balsamic; or Foie Torchon with fig compote and pistachio appetizers. The mains offer a seafood choice, Turkey Breast with a less-traditional turkey leg roulade with liver and Mirliton stuffing, or Housemade Pasta with chicken liver, Treviso and Fresno chilies. Desserts are both French and American in spirit, with a choice of Pumpkin Pecan Tart or Rhum Cannelles. www.maisonpremiere.com

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Fall Foodie Events in Brooklyn and Manhattan

A beer party and three food benefits highlight this fall’s NYC culinary calendar. Buy your tickets early for these highly anticipated annual events.

Brooklyn Pour Craft Beer FestivalBrooklyn Pour Craft Beer Festival, September 27; Here’s a festival you don’t want to miss if you love beer. At the Village Voice’s fourth annual curated Brooklyn Pour craft beer tasting event, you’ll sample more than 100 craft beers from New York and beyond. Seasonal, micro and reserve brews will be featured. To make the event even more enjoyable, there will be live music, a food court, and your own tasting souvenir glass. Doors open at 2pm, but you can come any time until 6pm. Tickets are priced from $55-$85. Location: Skylight One Hanson, One Hanson Place, Fort Greene, Brooklyn. http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/643263

Gohan Society Aki MatsuriGohan Society Aki Matsuri, October 9; At this delicious evening, The Gohan Society invites all to sample exciting Japanese-inspired dishes as part of their mission to foster an understanding and appreciation of Japan’s culinary heritage in the U.S.  You’ll enjoy cuisine from twelve of New York’s finest restaurants: All’onda, Blue Ribbon, Boulud Sud, Gramercy Tavern, Hakata Tonton, Jean Georges, Morimoto, Nobu, Park Avenue Autumn, Ramen Co. By Keizo Shimamoto, Red Rooster Harlem, and The Sea Grill. The annual fundraiser also includes a silent auction with many culinary items. 6:30pm – 9:30pm. Location: Brooklyn Brewery, 79 N 11 Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. http://gohansociety.org/event/akimatsuri/

Food Network New York City Wine and Food FestivalFood Network New York City Wine and Food Festival, October 16-19; The four-day food extravaganza invites you to select from a broad range of events hosted by some of the country’s greatest chefs, food writers, editors, winemakers and food personalities. Programs range from dinners and tastings to seminars, panels, and master cooking classes. Presented by Food & Wine magazine, this is the only event that brings together legendary culinary icons from around the world and America’s favorite television chefs. Proceeds benefit the community-based, hunger relief programs of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign and Food Bank for New York City. Locations vary. http://www.nycwff.org/

MeatopiaMeatopia, October 19; Included this year as part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival, Meatopia is the world’s pre-eminent meat happening.  Starring the country’s greatest meat chefs, the Carnivore’s Ball will be held from 4pm-7pm on the last day of the festival. Location: Esurance Rooftop at Pier 92, 52nd Street and West Side Highway, Manhattan. http://nycwff.org/event_detail.php?id=163

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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It’s the Beginning of Summertimes Food Events: Happy Memorial Day

You know summer’s just around the corner in New York when deciding what to eat for lunch becomes your toughest decision all day. Food trucks are all the rage, and for good reason, since they take all the work out of finding good food around the city. With such a wide variety of vendors popping up at events around NYC, you’re guaranteed a mouth-watering meal, so forget run-of-the-mill and grab some grub at one of these food truck festivals! Go early and bring friends so you can try several dishes:

Mad Sq. Eats

Food truck vendors at Mad. Sq. Eats, presented by UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy, (http://urbanspacenyc.com/mad-sq-eats/) have been serving up dishes made from local produce and fresh ingredients since early May, and there’s still one more week to catch this pop-up shop before it hits the road until next year. Try new dishes created by some of NYC’s most celebrated chefs as you stroll through Worth Square, located near Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Park.

Feeling hungry and adventurous, but not sure what to eat? Sample one of ilili’s contemporary Lebanese and Mediterranean dishes, or try arancini – deep fried rice balls served with various toppings – a traditional Sicilian street food from Arancini Bros. And there are plenty of sweets to go around at Mad. Sq. Eats, too: cool off with an ice cream sandwich from Melt Bakery, home to New York’s first ice cream sandwich store, or grab an ice pop made with fresh, local fruits from People’s Pops.

Mad. Sq. Eats is open daily from 11am-9pm until May 31, at Worth Square (located directly adjacent to Madison Square Park on the intersection of Broadway, 5th Ave. and 25th St). Here’s the full list of vendors:

New:

Third Rail Coffee

Dreamscoops Ice Cream

Sunday Gravy NYC

SEOUL LEE KOREAN BAR B CUE

Eleni’s New York

Mason Jar NYC

Mrs. Dorsey’s Kitchen

MMM ENFES

Returning:

Arancini Bros.

ASIADOG

Bar Suzette

CALEXICO

Charlito’s Cocina

Graffiti / Mehtaphor

Hong Kong Street Cart

ilili

La Sonrisa Empanadas

Macaron Parlour

Mayhem & Stout

Melt Bakery

Mexicue

Mighty Balls

Mimi and Coco NY

Momofuku Milk Bar

Nunu Chocolates

Red Hook Lobster Pound

Roberta’s

Stuffed Artisan Cannoli

The Cannibal

people’s pops

Smorgasburg

100 to 115 food truck vendors from NYC and around the world are gathering every Saturday and Sunday this summer for Smorgasburg, a Brooklyn Flea Food Market (http://www.smorgasburg.com/). Both the locations (Williamsburg and DUMBO) andthe cuisine ensure a trendy experience.

New vendors in this year’s lineup include Scharf & Zoyer, famous for their noodle-kugel sandwiches, and Deji, where you can nosh on Korean pub food favorites and foie gras beignets. Looking for the ultimate indulgence? A plate of nachos at El Gato Nacho should do the trick. Satisfy your sweet tooth with peach cobbler crumb cheesecake from BITEME Cheesecake or some decadent cake truffles from CakeBites .

The Smorgasburg lineup changes throughout the season, so this one’s worth checking out more than once! Here’s the full list of vendors that will make an appearance this summer: http://www.smorgasburg.com/vendors.

When/Where:

Saturdays from 11am-6pm at East River State Park (Kent Ave. and N. 7 St.) on the Williamsburg waterfront;

Sundays from 11am-6pm on the DUMBO waterfront at the historic Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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