by David on March 23, 2013
This is based on my monthly column in the WestView News, a paper that serves as the voice of the West Village. In April, we are launching “WestView Picks,” a personally curated list of restaurant recommendations, along with recommendations from readers. In this article I mention well known chef’s restaurant picks from a recently published book. I include surprisingly high- and low-brow recommendations, and all of them are accessible to the general public (reservations and feedback is encouraged!).
As someone who is often asked, where should we eat…as a community service and to help highlight what I think is food to spend good money on, we are putting together a list of where to eat in the West Village. These are not meant to be the most expensive places but the best in terms of experience and value. New York is a town of great food so we are lucky to live in what is considered the best place to eat in the United States according to the DailyMeal.com. In a recent listing 9 of the top 16 restaurants in USA are in Manhattan and another is Blue Hill at Stone Barns and just north of the city. [click to continue…]
by Elizabeth on November 16, 2012
One food trend of 2012 is the ever-growing interest in Nordic food, but in 2003, when Marcus Samuelsson took over the helm at the midtown Swedish restaurant, Aquavit, there was less enthusiasm for a cuisine based in pickled herring and dill. Since then, Marcus has become synonymous with global flavors rooted in tradition and adventurous dining with a good portion of soul! Today’s blog is a small tribute to a chef who has truly changed the face of dining in New York City, in four parts.
First, Marcus Samuelsson is a philanthropist as well as a chef: you may know him from his win in 2010 on Top Chef Masters, where as well as the title, he won $115,000 on behalf of the UNICEF Tap Project. He followed that up by winning Chopped All Stars: Judges Remix, and $50,000 for Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). In a very topical act of serving his community, recently Red Rooster Harlem, Marcus’ restaurant on 125th Street, announced a Sandy Prix Fixe Menu with 20% of the proceeds from each dinner ordered going to City Harvest. His attitude of giving extends from a deep root of gratitude- Marcus understands how food builds community and humanity, but I’m getting ahead of myself! Let me backtrack a bit, and share a few thoughts about his recently published memoir, Yes, Chef. [click to continue…]
by David on October 10, 2012
Chelsea Market Baskets owner, David Porat, has a regular monthly column in the WestView News, a paper that serves as “the voice of the West Village.” After traveling in Provence for August’s article, he’s back in New York, and pleasantly surprised by a trendy new restaurant in the West Village and the passionate, food-loving owner.
I walked by the corner of Greenwich Avenue and 10th Street about a month ago and wondered where this new buzz came from, but figured I should just keep walking. Concurrently, friends were saying that I needed to go to Rosemary’s, yet another Italian restaurant, in the West Village and then George Capsis said we must write about this new place. Well, I am happy to report that we had a very satisfying meal there last night and at the same time managed to learn the origins of Rosemary’s.
This heavily trafficked corner, which had been a bakery a long time ago and then a party supply store in recent memory, has been gutted and transformed into an airy, rustic, Enoteca and Trattoria with the help of Deker Design. It was created by Carlos Suarez, a young restaurateur, whose first restaurant is Bobo, a bit further west on 10th Street. Carlos’ mother is Rosemary, who lives in Lucca, Italy with her husband and has infused in her son a love of great food and many things Italian although of English and American decent. Carlos went to boarding school in England and then to Penn. He pursued a career in finance but quickly gave it up for his love of good food. Wade Moises is a chef that Carlos networked himself towards, who spent a good bit of time in Italy, particularly in Puglia and Sicily and his food reflects a rustic country aesthetic that is thoughtful, not too far a flung and not too much tomato. Prior to spending time in Italy, he spent some time at Babo and helped open Luppa and worked at Eataly. In speaking with him, I was struck by his lack of pretense and passion for food. Carlos, Wayne and a second floor rooftop farm, where since the restaurant has opened in June, has grown herbs, tomatoes and other ingredients, all make for a winning formula. [click to continue…]
by David on August 29, 2012
Chef Seamus Mullen who is a bit my hero now, just authored a book named Hero Food, How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better ($35.00). I saw it at the gift show last week and decided to order it right away. Just a week later, we now have it in stock-something I will be reading very shortly. The book is based on cooking healthy Spanish cuisine with a rustic farm to table flare. The book is broken into chapters that represent one ingredient, such as almonds, grains, squash and carrots.
I am a fan of Seamus Mullen and have eaten many times at Trutulia on 6th Ave. I have even hosted a dinner at the chef’s table earlier this year, which was impressive. The place, in true New York fashion does not look like much from the outside but the service, the food, and the experience is all great; aside from it being loud and as an older person I lament… why do all these young people have such good taste and abundant money?
[click to continue…]
Chelsea Market Baskets owner, David Porat, has a regular monthly column in the WestView News, a paper that serves as “the voice of the West Village.” After travelling abroad for last month’s article, he’s back in New York! He revisits an earlier series about the bargain to be had at restaurants offering a prix fixe lunch menu, and the joy of a meal eaten at leisure in the middle of the day rather than mindless bites hurriedly consumed at a desk.
Gotham Bar and Grill has been around since the last century or 1984, to be exact, yet it remains a highly rated, modern and elegant place to eat. Jeanne & Gaston is a new restaurant but with a traditional menu that is pleasantly old-fashioned French, a charming outside garden and unique in the city. Both restaurants have a prix fixe lunch that makes them especially worth celebrating this summer. [click to continue…]
![Today\](http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/7039580cbe4511e2b61c22000a9f4de7_7.jpg "Today\")
