travel & food writer
What’s new that I really love?
Mellisa Dennis books Sfoglia weeks ahead and explains the changing menu. Photo: Steven Richter
What’s new and good, all my friends ask? Of all the restaurants I’ve written about on InsatiableCritic.com since shortly before we launched, where do I want to eat again? Going backwards chronologically from November 5, 2007...
Bun. In the exposed kitchen of this narrow bargain Vietnamese noodle shop, Chef and mini-mogul Michael “Bao” Huynh whirls and dashes…filling orders a la minute for sensational pho with beef and sweetbreads, and the duck confit with duck egg and dikon pancake that I can’t stop eating. A few steps away his wife Thap Nguyen’s serenely fashions classic rolls, two by two, for a demanding crowd. 143 Grand Street between.Crosby and Lafayette. 212-431-7999.
Irving Mill. Unabashedly flaunting the genes of Gramercy Tavern, what’s new and exciting is chef/partner John Schaefer’s delicious food on a trim but tempting market menu. Try grilled baby octopus, savory cockle-and-chorizo stew and arctic char on lentils with Savoy cabbage, speck and cippolini. 116 E. 16th Street between Union Square East and Irving Place 212 254 1600
Shorty’s .32. After twelve years in Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s kitchens, chef/partner Josh Eden concealed in his own downtown, turns out wonderful cavatelli with arugula and wild mushroom ragout, fine braised short ribs served alongside macaroni and cheese of my childhood dreams, splendid roast cod in a gruyere broth, and a burger with crunch-perfect fries. He’s wooing the neighborhood, so no reservations for us. 199 Prince Street between Sullivan and MacDougal 212 375 8275.
TBar Steak & Lounge. Tony Fortuna’s recasting of the Lenox Room means a noisy scene at the bar and impressive steaks, a juicy pork chop and no more tasting tiers. He’s got it in his head that desserts should come in large crystal bowls and be big enough for eight to share. Go for chocolate sundae with molten brownie, and the layered banana parfait mille feuilles. 1278 Third Avenue between 73rd and 74th. 212 772 0404
Shelly’s La Tradizionale. Nudged by the mercurial Shelly Fireman, this is now a Ristorante di Pesci with wonderful and original pastas, sparkling shellfish, the gorgeous lobster Catalana, and – you shouldn’t starve from lack of beef – first-rate steaks. 41 West 57th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. 212 245 2422
Primehouse NY. Steve Hanson’s sprawling and elegant new steakhouse sticks mostly to the classics, splendidly turned out, with tableside theatrics, a crowd that loves itself because it’s hot, and an aging room for all the cow sired by Hanson’s own pedigreed bull. 381 Park Avenue South at 27th Street. 212 824 2600
Park Avenue Autumn. Fall may not be as exciting as summer in the Stillman clan’s seasonal evolution but Chef Craig Koketsu’s has found himself, and Richard Leach manages to show his dessert mastery without resorting to weirdness. Try the wild quail and the venison, now before winter arrives and turns the place ice white. 100 E.63rd Street. (between Lex & Park Ave.) 212-644-1900
Toloache Bistro . An earnest Mexican bistro yearns for the big time with Chef/partner Julian Medina’s menu skipping around Mexico and beyond. Savor huevo ranchero, brisket with tomatillo salsa stuffed into corn tortillas or baja style hamachi tacos. 251 W. 50th Street near Broadway 212 581 1818
Fiamma. Chef/partner Fabio Trabocchi’s complex dishes and star chef confidence in the freshly gussied up space are impressive in a very early tasting. I plan to go back. 206 Spring Street near Sixth Avenue. 212 853 0100.
Accademia di Vino. I never got to taste entrées in two evenings here because I loved the grilled pizza, salads and pasta so much. Wish it had opened in my neighborhood. 1081 Third Av. at 64th St. 212 888-6333
BLT Market. I’ve been back twice on my own credit card for Laurent Tourondel’s lush and delicious play on seasonal food (though I wished autumn leaves had chased away the sunflowers earlier). I’m even getting used to the idea of the Ritz Carlton dining room looking like a suburban luncheonette. 1430 Sixth Avenue or 50 Central Park South 212 521 6125
Kefi. I will suffer the annoyance of no reservations, no plastic, crowded tables, and lines out the door for the rustic country classics of Greece from the town’s reigning Greek Hero, chef Michael Psilakis. Here is the food that inspired his gentrified odes in midtown at Anthos (below): cuttlefish stuffed with spinach and beans, mussels with gigante beans, radicchio and feta, a mellow moussaka. 222 West 79th Street near Broadway 212 873 0200
Yes, Yes Yes. That's a burger to savor at Old Homestead's sidewalk cafe. Photo: Steven Richter
Prime Burger Café. I can
get a comforting hamburger fix steps from my home at Fairway Café and a really exceptional burger is as close at Brooklyn Diner. But I confess, I’ve been obsessing about the giant peppered prime beef burger at Old Homestead’s outdoor café since I first tasted it. 56 Ninth Avenue at 14th Street 212 242 9040
Insieme. Craft veteran Chef Marco Canova reaches beyond the rustic boundaries of Hearth and doesn’t rely on bizarre juxtapositions to catch our attention with his Italian dishes, traditional and modern. Don’t miss sensuous baby beef tartare and the sea urchin risotto. 777 Seventh Avenue at 51st Street. 212 582 1310
Tree. A real find in the East Village for its gently priced comfort food classics by Gramercy Tavern veteran Andrew Robinson. But once the chill closes the garden, it will be teeny again. 190 First Avenue near 12th Street. 212 358 7171
Daisy May’s BBQ. The ready-to-go ribs are fine but Adam Perry Lang’s luscious couturier barbecued rack of lamb and the addictive fat-riddled short ribs smoked on the bone bring us to his ambiance-challenged back room as often as our arteries can stand it. 623 Eleventh Avenue, corner of 46th Street. 212 977 1500.
Wild Salmon. I haven’t been back to this celebration of the Northern Pacific since a friends-and-family tasting with the boss man himself, Jeffrey Chodorow. I might have been snowed by too much attention, but Chef Charles Ramseyer is a serious pro and I was impressed by his variations of salmon. 622 Third Avenue at 40h Street. 212 404 1700.
Anthos blossoms under Chef Michael Psilakis's ardor. Photo: Steven Richter
Anthos. This is the stage for Chef/partner Michael Psilakis’s obsessive dream - an homage to his mom’s rustic home cooking, everything Greek respun - lighter, more refined, sophisticated, and tantalizing.
I am especially grateful for the $25 lunch. 36 West 52nd Street near Fifth Avenue. 212 582 6900.
Sfoglia. Again and again I go back to Sfoglia. Linguine with monkfish balls was a summer discovery. Both the Road Food Warrior and I invariably have the exceptionally fat mussels with sausage in a fragrant broth. At dessert, we debate: Shall we have the nightly fruit crostata or the chocolate bread pudding, warm from the oven? 1402 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street. 212 831 1402
This summer I rediscovered Oceana with its new chef Ben Pollinger. I found Stanton Social noisier than ever but great fun -- and most everything so delicious -- for a birthday party. Perry Street with its talented new chef de cuisine would be a serene place to hide out if they didn’t keep you waiting an hour. What a shock it was to find marvelous raisin crumb coffee cake at Eli’s E.A.T. for just $5 a slice.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Catering services for Christmas party
By: Peter Jones | 07/12/2009If you are considering giving a Christmas party this year, one of the largest costs of the event will be the food. There are some initial thoughts when deciding what level of service and in what format you need for your Christmas event.
Sweet Temptations at The Chocolate Room
By: Pranay Rupani | 05/12/2009What you see – A nice lawn greets you as you walk towards the entrance of The Chocolate Room food joint. in Madhapur, Hyderabad. The décor of the place is understandably in different hues of brown and peppered with red sofas and chairs. On the lawns outside is a small hut enclosure appropriately named The Chocolate Hut.
Thank God it’s Friday - TGIF Hyderabad
By: Pranay Rupani | 05/12/2009Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF) is located on the first floor of RK Cineplex, in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. The entrance has a formal reservation desk and a staff member waiting to usher you to your seat. Though a reservation is not mandatory, it is recommended since the place is very popular.
The Great Kabab Factory
By: Pranay Rupani | 05/12/2009The Great Kabab Factory (TGKF) started on November 10th, 2008 in Hyderabad. Ever since its inception in 1988, TGKF has graduated to being a classy restaurant chain branded and managed by the prestigious Radisson Hospitality Group.
Best Pizza Places in the Twin Cities
By: Kasan Groupe | 04/12/2009If you’re looking for a good slice of pizza or an entire pie, there are a lot of great local and chain pizza restaurants in the Twin Cities area. We may not have some of the classic places like say Chicago or New York may have, but we have a good selection of options. Here are a few of my personal favorites.
Starting a catering business
By: brookepens | 03/12/2009Making the decision to start your own catering business is an important step and you must do the necessary research to ensure you get the best start possible and go on to build a thriving business.
Indulge in Christmas Hampers the Mediterranean Way
By: Claire Woolstamp | 01/12/2009Spanish food is some of the most well loved in Europe. Its collection of dried and cured meats, from chorizo and Serrano ham, to morcilla and salami, are considered second to none.
History of Favorite American Restaurants
By: Gail Mercedes | 01/12/2009Many of our famous American restaurants were founded by individuals or married couples.
Four Seasons at 50
By: Gael Greene | 10/02/2009 | Restaurant ReviewsGael Greene reviews the Four Seasons after her initial visit in 1970.
An Opium Dream at the Macao Trading Company
By: Gael Greene | 06/01/2009 | Restaurant ReviewsHardline nocturnal moths flinging themselves at the latest cocktail bar or lounge will surely already have dipped their wings into Macao Trading Company, offspring of Employees Only, the popular West Village tippling spot.
Susur Lee’s Magical Mystery Tour
By: Gael Greene | 15/12/2008 | Restaurant ReviewsIt says a lot about the souped-up speed of gentrification in New York and even more about Susur Lee that he was willing to close his rocking hit restaurant Susur in Toronto for Shang, a hotel dining room above Orchard Street. It must have seemed quite a lure at the moment of commitment: The Thompson LES hotel with a world class restaurant in Manhattan’s hottest new zip code. Now, with escalating financial wipeouts and even crazed nocturnal nomads pinching dollars, there’s more riding on Lee’s b
The John Dory, Barbao
By: Gael Greene | 08/12/2008 | Restaurant ReviewsNew reviews of The John Dory and BarBao
Call it Bistro. Call it Café. Call it Almond
By: Gael Greene | 02/12/2008 | Restaurant ReviewsAlmond, with its clamorous warmth, white paint splashed on wood-planked walls and an apricot glow at the bar, its eclectic American menu and reasonable prices, is a haven for these nervous times...
Picking Up the Pieces
By: Gael Greene | 01/12/2008 | Restaurant ReviewsNot everyone gets to read their obituary in the New York Times. Indeed not everyone gets a premature obituary in the Times. So I guess it was a triumph of sorts. I got fired and the paper of record actually cared. Friends from around the world saw the story and sent bracing words. I read it Wednesday morning with my heart pounding. Not exactly what I would have written myself but hey… almost totally kind.
Gael Greene is Out After 40 Years at New York Magazine
By: Gael Greene | 24/11/2008 | Food & BeverageGael Greene, the brand name of restaurant journalism for 40 years at New York magazine has been fired by the magazine, effective immediately. The magazine gave her one last hurrah with a coverline on "The Most Important Restaurants in 40 Years" in its 40th anniversary issue October 6, 2008, and said goodbye six weeks later.
Best so Far
By: Gael Greene | 10/11/2008 | Restaurant ReviewsWhat’s new and good? all my friends ask. Of all the restaurants I’ve written about on InsatiableCritic.com where am I eager to eat again?