5 Ways to Save Cash and Have Fun in NYC

The economy sucks, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit at home and mope in front of the TV. Though Manhattan can be expensive, there are plenty of ways to go out without breaking the bank. Here are a few ideas:

1)    DiningFever.com- You can find coupons that range from 15-20% off your entire check at a myriad of New York restaurants on this site. Even nice restaurants like Merkato, Crema and Devi have listings here. Follow DiningFever on Twitter for the latest updates.
2)    BYOB- Restaurant markups on wine are tough but there are plenty of places that will allow you to bring wine with a small corkage fee. Places without a liquor license, may even allow you to bring wine and beer for free. Call in advance to find out the fee. Try Kuma Inn, Nook, and Zabb City.
3)    Bar Deals- A lot of bars have special discount nights with half off certain beers, or free snacks. The Half King, on 10th and 23rd for example, has free salsa and chips and a free shot of tequila on Wednesday nights. I’ll be watching the election there tomorrow night, when they offer everybody a free drink and unlimited pigs in a blanket ☺
4)    Sunburnt Cow- Is a fun, Australian spot in Alphabet City. The $16 “Counter Meal” will get you 3 courses worth of food. Don’t miss the “burger with the lot” topped with bacon, egg, beets, cheese, grilled pineapple, lettuce and tomato. This is one of the best deals in the city.
5)    “Dine with Wine”- Is an event hosted by The Village Alliance and amNewYork plus the Food Bank of New York City. Now through November 17th, eat at a host of downtown restaurants on Monday nights (including Elettaria and 8th Street Wine Cellar) and receive half off your bottle of wine.

Are you doing anything to stretch your dollar? What are your favorite deals in NY or in your home city?

Insieme

At Insieme, the menu is separated into “traditional” and “contemporary” Italian dishes, and they offer a “pasta tasting menu” as well. Insieme means “together” in Italian, so it’s a fusion of old and new, with a focus on fresh ingredients as chef Marco Canora learned from Tom Colicchio. But in light of its recent Michelin star gain, Frank Bruni’s coveted “very good” review, and praises sung by my family members (who are hard to please), my expectations were as high as could be before my visit. With these high hopes, I couldn’t help noticing the strange service.

The oddities began at the very beginning, when our waitress warned that there were only 2 left of the special pork appetizer, despite the empty restaurant and the wee hour of 5:30PM we were dining at. I guess the lunch crew really loves their pork?  A friend of mine said she had a similar experience when they were nearly out of the lasagne on her visit. I get that it’s possible for a restaurant to “run out” of things, and dishes are not made completely fresh for each meal, but having it be a point of discussion was off-putting and seemed out of place in a fine restaurant. In addition, our waitress was uncomfortable with the menu and rather cold toward us. My Mom inquired about the lamb preparation and the response was that it was a loin and a shank. She then had to pry for more information. Is this the “warm hospitality” that Insieme prides itself in?

This, coupled with my Dad’s extreme difficulty in finding somebody to help select a Gruner Veltliner, started the meal on bad footing. Our waitress was missing so a bus boy tried to assist, followed by the manager, despite pleas for help from somebody familiar with the list. Eventually the beverage director assisted us.

The food itself, was really nice. I’m still dreaming about my sweetbreads with lemon, capers and parsley and a perfectly cooked papardelle with smoked lamb neck. A branzino “saltimbocca” wrapped in paper thin slices of prosciutto was delicately seasoned and accented by a lemon puree. I was still envious of my sister’s tender, rich duck breast with foie gras and hazelnuts though. The beverage director helped us select a cheese assortment that fit my “super stinky” requirement and brought some Madeira to close the meal. He truly salvaged the meal from our frigid waitress, hand-picking wines for each course including the Gruner Veltliner, a Garnacha, and an ‘03 Brunello.

In perspective, my complaints are not major, but worth noting. I love Hearth and Terroir, Grieco/Canora’s, other spots and I think they’re better than this. I hope that if you visit Insieme you order the papardelle, and a different waitress.

Insieme: 777 7th Avenue @51st Street
Cuisine: Italian
Average Entree Price: $20-$36

Filed under Food Discussion, Italian, Restaurant Reviews | Comment (0)

Michelin 2009: What the #$&%?

The announcement of next year’s New York Michelin star recipients was, to put it lightly, surprising. The list was briefer than last year, and I found that many restaurants were stiffed while others were given undeserved merit. For New Yorkers, Michelin ratings may have diminished in importance but the guide still remains an important yardstick for tourists. In the current state of world, when people now travel in herds for great buys in the U.S.A. , I think Michelin is all the more relevant.

Here is the lowdown:

3 Stars (excellent cuisine and worth the journey)

Jean-Georges
Le Bernardin
Masa
Per Se

2 Stars (excellent cooking and worth a detour)

Adour Alain Ducaisse
Daniel
Del Posto
Gilt
Gordon Ramsey at the London
Momofuku Ko
Picholine

1 Star (a very good restaurant in its category)

Allen & Delancey
Alto
Annisa
Anthos
Aureole
Blue Hill
Cafe Boulud
Cru
Dressler
Eighty-One
Etats-Unis
Fiamma
Fleur de Sel
Gotham Bar & Grill
Gramercy Tavern
Insieme
Jewel Bako
JoJo
Kyo-Ya
l’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Oceana
Perry Street
Peter Luger
Public
Saul
Spotted Pig
Sushi of Gari
The Modern
Veritas
Wallse
WD-50

Some observations:

• It looks like Mario Batali got shafted this year. I haven’t always been a fan of his attitude toward bloggers, but Babbo is still one of my favorite meals of all time. I hope it hasn’t gone downhill.
• Only Del Posto made it this year, my least favorite of the Batali restaurants.
• Where is Bouley?  So sad to not see it anywhere on this list. What gives guys?
• Eleven Madison Park was shafted once again. I happen to agree as I never got the hype of EMP as much as others. I bet many are surprised though.
• Spotted Pig was once again awarded a star. I just don’t get this one. It’s a hip, gastro-pub with great food (love the gnudi). Michelin star worthy? I don’t think so.  If anybody can explain why Spotted Pig continually gets Michelin stars I’d appreciate the enlightenment.
• I loved my meal at Public but I don’t think it stands up to the other restaurants in this category. Same with Sushi of Gari, which gets a star year after year.
• I may be alone on this, but I’ll come out and say it: Insieme doesn’t need to be on the list either. My meal last week there was good, but far from excellent.
• 3 cheers for Annisa! Anita Lo is doing some amazing stuff, and I’m so pleased to see her earn a star again.
• Country lost its star, not surprisingly.
• I’ve never been to, or even heard of, Kyo Ya, but apparently I need to make a visit! Anybody been?

So all-in-all, I am confused. Of course my observations are based on one-time visits, so one can take my opinion with a grain of salt. I suppose every year there are disappointments and surprises, but this year seemed to be particularly odd. Am I alone on this?

Is There an American Cuisine?

As a country founded by immigrants, some say that American cuisine is a fusion of everything. We have the best of Italy, France, Germany etc. and we’ve fused it together over the years, to create a melting pot of food culture. Dissenters on the other hand, may feel that American cuisine is actually the absence of any style. Fast food is our cuisine, it’s the only development we can truly consider our own. Regardless which camp you may be in (or maybe an entirely different one), it’s interesting to note a study by the James Beard House published this month, that sought to answer that very question: “Is there an American cuisine? If so, what is it?” The study was conducted among visitors to their web sites as well as readers of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and other “experts in various fields related to food, nutrition, and gastronomy.” A few hundred people participated overall. Overwhelmingly, participants felt that there is an American cuisine and described it using words like “comfort”, “melting pot”, and “regional.” The most fascinating part was a table that listed the top 5 American foods.

TABLE 2: Iconic American Foods

Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers 44.4%
BBQ 39.3%
Fried Chicken 31.6%
Mac’n’Cheese 29.1%
Apple Pie 26.5%

To me it was somehow a mixture of surprising and obvious. These are comfort foods that largely originated in the South and Midwest. But as a New Yorker I have to ask, what about pizza? Do people think of foods that are associated with one ethnicity (Italian food) as being Un-American? I think that whether it originated here or not, it’s just as much a part of American cuisine as hamburgers. And hey, didn’t hamburgers come from Germany anyway? Does something have to originate here, to be considered part of our cuisine? One could argue that all of our food was born out of another country. I’m of the belief that American cuisine exists and is ever-changing. One day sushi will be just as American as apple pie. I’m blabbering, but you get the picture here I hope. Do you agree with these 5? What’s missing? Do you feel there is an American cuisine?

siggi’s: The Yogurt of the Gods

Has anybody else discovered this incredible yogurt yet? While I was away in Nice, Mom came to my apartment and stocked the fridge with some treats (as she typically does ), amongst which was this Icelandic style strained skyr yogurt. It seemed like an odd ticket but I ventured into it this morning and was pleasantly surprised. It is decadently thick and mildly flavored with pomegranate and passion fruit. Siggi’s also comes in other flavors like Pear and Mint and Blueberry. It’s also completely organic, made without aspartame, gelatin, corn syrup or any of that other muck that you find in yogurts. Somehow this treat is only 120 calories and nonfat, made with skim milk!

I realize I am completely “geeking out” here about yogurt but I encourage any skeptics to try it. If you like Fage or other Greek style yogurts, you will definitely love siggi’s. Siggi is an Icelandic dude living in NYC so right now it is mainly available in Manhattan in Brooklyn. I read that select Whole Foods’ outside of the city carry it as well though. Stay tuned, It seems the word is spreading as this person and this person are just as excited as I am about it. Maybe Siggi’s will make it to a store near you.

Ohyea, and thanks Mom

A Nominal Issue With Naming

While enjoying my little lunch break here and doing my daily perusal of Eater, I’m reminded of a trend with restaurant names. Taking a quick peek at the Eater Radar of recently opened and reviewed restaurants we find:

Aja, Lokal, Bacaro, Nizza, Bocca, Fiamma, Moim, Grayz, Nusara, Omido…

Notice a trend? Not to get too Seinfeldian here but honestly…

What is the deal… with restaurants calling themselves by one, often made up, word? I’m sure there is a very logical explanation and thought process behind each of these but honestly, who can keep them all straight? What happened to the days when restaurants had normal names that actually sounded meaningful? What about Cookshop? Hearth? Or even Momofuku? (at least it’s more creative) Wouldn’t one prefer to separate themselves from the pack rather than being caught in a haze of the lexiconally challenged? For my out-of-state readers, is this happening near you as well or is it just a Manhattan trend?

Mercy! Uncle! Whatever the phrase is. I’ve had enough.

What Are Your Staples?

Even the most experimental of foodies has certain tried and true “staple foods.” These are the foods that you pick up at the grocery store each and every time, without fail. These are not your complex spices, aged cheeses, and cured meats that you put out for guests. This is the “meat and potatoes” so to speak, of your fridge. I am a loyal Fresh Direct shopper (unfortunately only applicable to New Yorkers) and my favorite part of the site is the quick and easy re-ordering that I can do of past orders. A fellow Fresh Direct fan and I were recently sharing our “lists” with each other and it made me wonder– what do other people buy?

A great addition to Fresh Direct and other online grocery stores would be a community based aspect where people could share their lists and get ideas. It’s certainly not for everyone, but I bet it’d be fun for those super food freaks like myself. In lieu of that, I’ll start with sharing my staples and then I’d love to hear all of yours. Let’s have everybody pick their top ten or twenty, shall we?

- Romaine lettuce hearts
- Friendship 1% Cottage Cheese (preferably whipped– could eat it all day)
- LaYogurt Nonfat Blueberry and Strawberry
- Blanched almond slivers
- Shredded, lowfat cheddar cheese
- Frozen, cooked shrimp
- Gardenburger Veggie burgers (preferably Portabella flavored)
- Mandarin Poland Spring Seltzer
- Diet coke
- Navel oranges
- Kalamata olives
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Amy’s Rice and Cheddar Cheese Burritos
- Ruby red grapefruits
- Luna bars
- Kohinoor Heat and Eat Meals (Indian side dishes like saag paneer and eggplant)
- Frozen shelled edamame
- Kikoman Light Soy Sauce

Mine are pretty boring. Anyone else’s more interesting?

I feel so exposed.

A Note On Reviews

I would like to comment on a situation that has recently developed with reference to a restaurant review. Specifically, a post about Apropos Cafe. I am not and do not claim to be, a professional food critic. I have no ads on this blog and I make no money from it. I choose to write about food because I love it. Those who are interested will benefit from my opinion, if they choose to take it.
As I stated in the comments in this post, I felt the portions at Apropos were small and the food bland. I’m sure that the portions were intended to serve only one person and were not intended to be shared. I have eaten in enough restaurants in my lifetime to realize that appetizers and entrees are generally for one person unless otherwise stated. I don’t think any of us were expecting to be completely full from one dish (we did try to order and share several dishes so that we would all have the opportunity to try different things, but we did not bust out our elastic waisted pants for the occasion), we just expected that there would be enough on the plate that we would each get a few bites of everything. If we had not ordered adequately, the waiter should have brought it to our attention. My opinions on the taste of the food are just that, opinions, that I am entitled to.

Since my post, Apropos Cafe has been harassing me. This morning they posted a lengthy comment in the post that I deleted. While I am not in the business of censorship, I am also not in the business of allowing restaurants to post tirades when they are offended by my opinion. I do not intend for this blog to become a forum for restaurant advertisements. If you request a review, a review is what you will receive. If you’d like to launch an advertising campaign, look elsewhere.I would suggest that they spend less time attacking one person’s opinion, and more time improving their restaurant.

No Place for Women in the Kitchen

An article in New York Magazine asked a very poignant question: Why aren’t more female chefs commanding top positions at prominent restaurants? It’s a question I have pondered in the past. Consider the top restaurateurs in the world and I bet the first to come to mind are all men. Perhaps one thinks of Eric Ripert, Joel Robuchon, Jean Georges Vongerichten and Thomas Keller. The highest reputations are not occupied by Michelle Bernstein, Kat Kora or uh…another-woman-whose-name-I-can’t-remember. You get the picture. One can go all day listing accomplished male chefs while the female chef list falls short. The article is an interview of top female chefs such as: April Bloomfield (Spotted Pig), Rebecca Charles (Pearl Oyster Bar) and Anita Lo (Annissa). Notice how all of these women had their restaurants in parentheses following their name. I for one, certainly needed the explanation. But do you think Thomas Keller would have required one?

But hey- what about the Food Network? Plenty of women on there, right? Not so much. As the article states, nearly all the women on the Food Network are hacks. Or more kindly put: “TV personalities, not chefs.” They prepare meals made for families and home cooking, not haute cuisine. Think Rachel Ray, Paula Deen and Ina Garten.

I am never one to point fingers at men when women are left behind. But it does beg the question: what’s going on here? What’s holding women back from achieving the same levels of success here as men?

Here are some interesting points that these ladies brought up that I would like to raise:

· Women have difficulty getting the funds for their restaurants. This is because of a certain “boys club” mentality that makes it easier for men to raise money for their restaurants. In addition, women are insecure about asking for money and have tremendous pride, a “do it yourself” mentality which can be self destructive. Men that do invest in female chefs see them as a gimmick.

· Women want to raise families and have children which is nearly impossible when running a kitchen at a top restaurant. It requires a lot of sacrifice.

· Professional kitchens are shamelessly sexist

These all seem plausible. And, while painfully traditional for me to admit, I bet #2 is a big player. So, what do you think? Why aren’t more women professional chefs? Could there be validity in these claims? Any reasons that they missed?

Esquire’s “Let’s Call a Thousand Year Ban On”

I don’t generally read Esquire for restaurant reviews. Or, anything for that matter. But I found this list of restaurant pet peeves and many were spot-on fantastic. Do any of these irk you as much as they do me? Or the dudes at Esquire?