Anywhoosies, I do enjoy venturing out to more independent coffee spots in NYC and will say that 100% of the time the coffee is a tad better, but they all have the same effect- getting me wired, which is all that counts.
I had heard about Stumptown Coffee opening up in the Ace Hotel and stopped by last week for an iced coffee and enjoyed it. I stopped by again this past weekend, and asked one of the baristas what he recommended, and he told me the cappuccino, which I ordered. And, I must say, it was the BEST cappuccino I have ever had. Now, you might ask, "What made it the best, NYC FOODIE?" I really can't say exactly; it was smooth and bold, and delicious. Maybe it was the cute little swirl he made which, I called a "swirly". Maybe it was all in my head. But I recommend you go for yourself to try one, and let me know what you think. Even if you don't think it is the best, you'll still get your caffeine fix, and that is all that really matters.
Stumptown Coffee
18 W. 29th Street (and Broadway in the ACE Hotel)
New York, NY 10001
www.stumptowncoffee.com
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( 2.9 / 176 )Yesterday afternoon I went to the first day event of "Epicurious Entertains NYC", a five day event hosted by Epicurious.com for foodies and food lovers.
It is "a one-of-a-kind event with daytime demonstrations and celebrity chef dinners in a homey pop-up space. Epicurious invites you to attend a culinary event like no other this September 30th to October 4th in the city that always eats."
I must say that I was blown away with yesterday's event "The Ultimate NYC Lunch Break". Some of New York's best restaurants and vendors there creating "a power-lunch smorgasbord like no other"! I had EVERY dish and EVERY dish was excellent! Not only was the food great, but the event was well-executed, for I did not have to wait at all for anything. The best part of these day events is that Epicurious is making it accessible for everyone at $20 a ticket--now that is what I call a great bang for your buck!
Check out my lunch!!
Lobster Roll from The Mermaid Inn
Beef Slider from Hill Country
Sausage and Cole Slaw from Dogmatic
Cuban Sandwich and 'something else tasty' from Cafe Habana
Taco from Yerba Buena
Lamb Bacon BLT from Boqueria
Indian Chicken Wrap from Tabla
Crostini from 'Ino
Chicken and Thai Basil Dumpling from Rickshaw Dumpling Bar
Assorted Treats from the Treats Truck
For More Info: http://www.epicurious.com/community/eve ... ertainsnyc
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( 3 / 165 )Sunday night I had dinner at Sora Lella, an Italian restaurant in west Soho. The original Sora Lella was opened in Rome in 1959. My dining companion and I were the only ones there when we arrived, which is a shame, because there is some great Italian cooking going on there.
The place is bright with white and yellow hues and a ceiling two stories high. It's a very comfortable place to dine. Before we even ordered, the chef sent us out two croquettes, which were delicious! We were also sent out a bowl of chickpeas and sliced pasta in a tomato sauce, which tasted very homey and comforting.
We started with Sora Lella's version of Caprese ($18), fresh mozzarella, tomato, and a basil pesto. The dish was beautiful to look at, and was like a work of art. This was one of the more unique versions of caprese I have had, the tomato seemed to be in a gelatin form, but tasted great. I really enjoyed the hint of basil. The mozzarella was extremely fresh and wonderful. The addition of the basil pesto was ingenius and really complemented the mozzarella and tomato perfectly.
Our next dish was the gnocchi di patate all’Amatriciana ($18), which was home-made potato gnocchi in a classic Roman sauce of smoked guanciale, tomatoes and Roman Pecorino cheese. This was one of the best gnocchi dishes I had ever eaten! The gnocchi were cooked perfectly, and had so much flavor packed into them. I loved the smokiness and saltiness of this dish; it was absolutely wonderful.
The next dish we tried was the veal cheeks braised in a sweet white wine sauce with peppers ($32). I had never seen veal cheeks on a menu, and was excited to try this dish. I am glad I did, for the meat was so tender that I did not need a knife to cut it. The lightness of the sauce, as well as the addition of the sweet peppers, was a great balance for the rich and decadent meat.
For dessert we had the chocolate “salami” roll with crunchy almonds, dry cookies and caramel sauce, served with chocolate sorbet ($10) as well as the Marsala wine and whipped egg yolk ice cream with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar ($12). Both desserts were fine, but nothing to write home about.
Sora Lella is a little Roman gem that sits next to the Hudson. The cooking here transports you to Italy, with its authentic and homey flavors. If you can't make it to Rome, take a cab or subway to Spring street; it's the next best thing, and cheaper than a plane ticket!
Sora Lella
300 Spring Street (bet. Hudson and Greenwich)
New York, NY 10013
212-366-4749
www.soralellanyc.com
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( 3 / 256 )Last week an old high school friend and I stopped by Veloce Pizzeria in the East Village for a quick lunch. I had been there before and the place has gotten some good reviews. Gourmet pizza has been very popular in 2009, with such places as Keste, Co., Tonda, and Motorino, leading this culinary fad in NYC. Veloce Pizzeria is part of this culinary trend and the pizza here is really good.
We started with their batter fried calamari with lemon and arugula ($9). I really enjoyed this calamari because the batter was very light and simple. There was no sauce for dipping, just the lemon, which was fine, because that is all the squid needed. It was a great appetizer.
We went with the regular margherita pie ($15); tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. The pies at Veloce are Sicilian style and are cooked in a square pan. The bottom of the pie was slightly burnt which I actually really like. The sauce had a nice sweetness too. As I ate my square slices I actually said to myself "this is really good."
So for some great square pizza, Veloce Pizzeria hits the spot.
Veloce Pizzeria
103 First Avenue (bet. 6th and 7th)
New York, NY 10003
212-777-6677
www.velocepizzeria.com
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( 2.9 / 209 )Last week was fashion week here in NYC and I decided to go to one of the city's newest and hottest spots for dinner: The Standard Grill. This is the restaurant that is beneath the Highline and part of Andre Balazs' Standard Hotel. It is a large restaurant with outdoor seating, many seats in the bar area, and more seats in the formal dining room. I chose my seat at one of seven chairs that overlook the kitchen. It was a Monday night, and the place was packed.
I started with the charred Spanish octopus with sweet potato and chilis ($13). This was a great dish. The octopus was perfectly cooked, and the textures and flavors all complemented each other perfectly.
For my entree I had the Berkshire pork chop with spiced salt ($21). This was a big, juicy, hunk of meat, and was really tasty. The spiced salt came on the side so I could salt it according to my liking, which I thought was interesting. I'm used to having the chef choose the amount of seasoning for me; I'm not sure if I like this or not, but it still was a nice chop. There was a side of apricot and pineapple chutney too which I thought was too sweet for my taste, and I would have preferred either a different side to complement the meat, or nothing at all. The chef, Dan Silverman, also sends out with every entree a bowl of patatas bravas, which were good, and a nice touch.
The Standard Grill is a place to see and be seen. It is definitely a hot spot, and the food here delivers. So if you are craving good food with a great scene, The Standard Grill is the place to be. (Also, this restaurant could have the coolest bathrooms in NYC; unisex in a cavern-like setting!)
The Standard Grill
848 Washington Street (at 13th Street-under the Highline, part of The Standard Hotel)
New York, NY 10014
212-645-4100
www.thestandardgrill.com
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