I love food, wine, and the occasional adult liquid refresher. Here are some of the places I like to eat, drink, and be merry at, as well as some recipes I highly recommend.
RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Artichoke Basilles Pizza
328 East 14th Street (between First and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10003
Benjamin
603 Second Avenue (at East 33rd Street)
New York, NY 10016
Beppe
45 East 22nd Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue South)
New York, NY 10010
Best Wingers
711 Second Avenue (between East 38th and East 39th Street)
New York, NY 10016
Bus Stop Cafe
597 Hudson Street (at Bethune Street)
New York, NY 10014
Byblos
200 East 39th Street (between Second and Third Avenue)
New York, NY 10016
Café Español
172 Bleecker Street (between MacDougal and Sullivan Street)
New York, NY 10012
Chicky's on 86
355 East 86th Street (between First and Second Avenue)
New York, NY 10028
Christopher Golden Woks
159 Christopher Street (between Washington and Greenwich Street)
New York, NY 10014
Corner Bistro
331 West 4th Street (at Jane Street)
New York, NY 10014
The Cottage
360 Amsterdam Avenue (at West 77th Street)
New York, NY 10024
Cowgirl Hall of Fame
519 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
Darbar Grill
157 East 55th Street (between Third and Lexington Avenue)
New York, NY 10022
East of Eighth
254 West 23rd Street (between Seventh and Eighth Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop
174 Fifth Avenue (at West 22nd Street)
New York, NY 10010
El Quijote
226 West 23rd Street (between Seventh and Eighth Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
Empire Szechuan Village
173 Seventh Avenue South (at Perry Street)
New York, NY 10014
Fiddlesticks
56 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Gene's Restaurant
73 West 11th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
Ido Sushi
29 Seventh Avenue South (at Bedford Street)
New York, NY 10014
Jane
100 West Houston Street (between Thompson Street and LaGuardia Place)
New York, NY 10014
Julius'
159 West 10th Street (at Waverly Place)
New York, NY 10014
La Petite Auberge
116 Lexington Avenue (at East 28th Street)
New York, NY 10016
Malibu Diner
163 West 23rd Street (at Seventh Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
Manatus
340 Bleecker Street (at Christopher Street)
New York, NY 10014
McCormick & Schmick's
1285 Avenue of the Americas (between West 51st and West 52nd Street)
New York, NY 10019
Molly's
287 Third Avenue (at East 22nd Street)
New York, NY 10010
Paris Commune
99 Bank Street (between Hudson and Greenwich Street)
New York, NY 10014
The Park
118 Tenth Avenue (at West 17th Street)
New York, NY 10011
Popover Cafe
551 Amsterdam Avenue (at West 87th Street)
New York, NY 10024
Porter House New York
10 Columbus Circle, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Rafiqi's Delicious Food
NW corner of East 39th Street and Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Second Avenue Deli
162 East 33rd Street (between Third and Lexington Avenue)
New York, NY 10016
Serendipity 3
225 East 60th Street (between Second and Third Avenue)
New York, NY 10022
Tavern on Jane
31 Eighth Avenue (at Jane Street)
New York, NY 10014
Ukrainian East Village Restaurant
140 Second Avenue (at East 9th Street)
New York, NY 10003
RECIPES
Bella's Breakfast Sandwich
My mother is the best cook I know, and this simple little creation is one of my very favorite things that she makes for me. Only recently have I been able to make it myself without burning it.
Bella's Calamari Salad
Bella is Italian for beautiful. My mother is not Italian but she is beautiful, and she cooks Italian food that would put both Lidia and Mario to shame. If you have only ever had calamari fried in a restaurant, you will be surprised how delicious this cold salad is. Pronounce it "gollamod" if you want to sound like you're from Brooklyn.
Bella's Egg Salad
Egg salad is one of those great comfort foods. My mother's egg salad is still the best I have ever had. The key is having the eggs in very fine pieces and adding diced onion (a little diced celery is nice too but my mother eschews celery in her egg salad).
Caviar Dip
This is a quick, elegant, and tasty dip combining three of my favorite ingredients: caviar, sour cream, and onions. Serve it at your next party and see for yourself.
Chicken Salad
Here is another classic comfort food that often gets mangled by amateur deli people. Follow the same principle as with Bella's egg salad and finely dice the chicken. For a great timesaver, use one of those already cooked rotisserie chickens from the supermarket.
Chinese Dumpling Sauce
I made this up while doing a recipe I had gotten from a magazine for Asian chicken wings. I wasn't crazy about the wings but this sauce is delicious.
Classic Italian Sub
This is a monster of a sandwich - definitely not for the seven grain with sprouts and avocado crowd. For best taste, make ahead, wrap in tin foil, and refrigerate for a few hours before eating.
Colorful Pasta Salad
A delicious, easy, and pretty dish - just like me!
Coq au Vin
The classic French dish of chicken and wine. This is mostly the recipe from The New York Times Cookbook with a few tweaks by moi. Because it is basically a stew, coq au vin tastes better the longer it sits. My advice is to make it at least a day before you want to serve it, refrigerate it, and then reheat.
Eggs Benedict Arnold
I think I am a pretty good cook, but I am especially good at breakfast. If you ever sleep over, you will find out for yourself. If a western omelette and eggs benedict had a child, this delicious dish would be the result.
Faux Poached Eggs
Here is another great recipe from Denis O'Shea. All of the great taste of poached eggs with none of the effort. As Denis might say, "Less work for mother!"
Funny Coffee
A few years ago at Christmas dinner, to my horror, Denis O'Shea poured a snifter of Grand Marnier into his coffee. He then gave me a sip. I was hooked. So simple yet sublime. Since then, I have learned never to question the Daddy Bear. Grand Marnier in my Corn Flakes? Sure, if you say so.
Gazpacho
The classic Spanish cold soup.
No Fry Fried Rice
Another great recipe from my mother - trust me, this fried rice is just as good, if not better, than what you will get in most Chinese restaurants.
Pasta Gazzara
Here is a hearty pasta dish I totally improvised one night with a few simple ingredients from the market. I must humbly say that I really impressed myself. Why Pasta Gazzara? I dunno. It sounds really Italian and I have always thought Ben Gazzara was a terribly underrated actor. He has never been nominated for an Oscar - the least someone could do was name a bowl of macaroni after him.
Swedish Meatballs
Here is a recipe that is not only a delicious main course, but it's all done in one dish in the microwave in under thirty minutes - take that, Rachael Ray! Also can be made as smaller meatballs and served for hors d'oeuvres.
Vegetable Cream Cheese
Make this next time you have bagels and don't worry about anyone schmearing you!
Vegetable Dip
Trust me - after you try this, you will never buy dip in a can again.
Western Scramble
This is basically a western omelette but done as scrambled eggs. Especially good if you're making breakfast for a lot of people.