And have a Happy New Year!
We will see you back here in 2008.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Food Shop: Piemonte Ravioli
190 Grand Street
212-226-0475
http://www.piemonteravioli.com
During the holiday season we always make a big tray of lasagna. It is a great meal for a crowd, and you can prepare it the day before your party. The flavors always seem to be better after resting in the refrigerator overnight. It is then slowly reheated in the oven for about an hour before the guests arrive.
Our choice is to make a béchamel sauce and layer it between the pasta noodles rather than using mozzarella and ricotta cheese. We learned this from John Clancy’s Favorite Recipes - A Personal Cookbook, where this recipe originated. The red meat sauce is prepared with two large cans of San Marzano tomatoes, and a combined mixture of about two pounds of beef, pork and veal.
The most important component to us is using fresh lasagna noodles. We always buy the green spinach variety at Piemonte in Little Italy. They cost $3.25 for a 1 lb. package. The wide green pasta is very festive looking against the red meat sauce. Santa would be delighted if this year you left him a wedge of spinach lasagna on Christmas Eve.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Restaurant: The Four Seasons
99 East 52nd Street
212-754-9494
http://www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com
www.opentable.com
When it is time for a special occasion dinner you cannot go wrong with The Four Seasons restaurant. This is where high powered New Yorkers and industry heads have eaten since 1959. Even the wine list has photographs of socialite Brooke Astor, architect Philip Johnson and President Kennedy mixed in with the Bordeaux offerings. At our dinner last night, to nobody’s surprise seated at the next table was one of the newly crowned kings in financial services.
Our reservation was booked on open table.com, and a nice feature is you can specify what you’re celebrating or special requests for the maitre d’. We asked for the pool room as we did more than ten years ago when we last ate here. Nothing has changed. A wedding reception was going on over in the grill room.
We were graciously escorted to a large corner table looking out to this grand room. A generous bread basket started us off. After the toast with a large glass of champagne ($24) and a delicious rendition of a sidecar ($16), our first courses arrived. Two langoustines ($32) atop a sea urchin risotto, and the other was a couple of in-season Florida Stone Crabs ($38) coleslaw and a horseradish sauce. We both got the Chateaubriand ($110 for two) with a béarnaise sauce and string beans. The classic table side service is a nice show, but can be risky because our beef was kept on the flame a minute too long. We ordered an extra side dish called a salsify gratinee ($9.50) that was delicious.
The birthday surprise was a mound of white cotton candy that looked like a wig worn by Marie Antoinette with a single lit candle on top. Underneath was a scoop of strawberry ice cream. They packed up the cotton candy in a glossy Four Seasons shopping bag that we will proudly reuse on another day.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Food Shop: Di Palo Fine Foods
200 Grand Street (at Mott Street)
212-226-1033
No website
How would you describe the top food shop in NY and what makes it so great? We think the place is Di Palo’s, which was originally a latteria that made mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Today they carry all sorts of Italian food products. When you visit Di Palo’s you will find it to be a unique NY shopping experience. Over the years here are just some things we have personally observed during our Di Palo excursions:
212-226-1033
No website
How would you describe the top food shop in NY and what makes it so great? We think the place is Di Palo’s, which was originally a latteria that made mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Today they carry all sorts of Italian food products. When you visit Di Palo’s you will find it to be a unique NY shopping experience. Over the years here are just some things we have personally observed during our Di Palo excursions:
The store is always crowded and you need to take a number and wait your turn.
Sometimes newcomers don’t know this and despite the crowd they know when you are next.
They specialize in cheese from Italy and import the best products they can find.
It is a family run business passed on from one generation to the next.
People come from near and far to shop there—even the NYC guidebooks list it.
Nobody gets special treatment, not even famous NY chefs.
The typical customer will purchase an enormous amount of products.
Samples are always given out and usually shared with anyone in the general vicinity.
Even though you wait a long time it is okay, in fact you are apt to make new friends.
The owners, Lou, Sal and Marie and their Mother (who’s in on Saturdays) are extremely likeable people.
We are never without a chunk of Di Palo’s Parmigiano Reggiano in our refrigerator.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wine Shop: Union Square Wines
140 Fourth Avenue at 13th street
212-675-8100
http://www.unionsquarewines.com/
Printed on the window shade of the Union Square Wines & Spirits store is the USQ logo in big red letters. This is appropriate because we find a good portion of their red wine inventory to big, powerful and robust. And there always seems to be a large number of boxes stacked up by the exit door ready to be delivered. We look at USQ as one of the new breed of stores marketing wine and spirits in NYC.
The store is easy to navigate. Once you go inside just to the right is a huge Viking double refrigerator filled with sake. On their website, sake has a link with a drop down list. This is a product that is not so prominent in most wine shops around town.
USQ also has a large temperature controlled room for their high end wines. On the countertop in the center of the room is something called an enomatic wine serving system.(http://www.enomatic.it/). USQ has three of them located throughout the store with a selection of wine bottles attached for tastings.
The way it works is after they mail you an enomatic card, for every dollar you spend at USQ, you get five points credited to your account. Then, when you want to sample one of these bottles, you give them your enomatic card and they deduct the points from your account. The better the bottle, the more points they will deduct. It is a novel idea and we don’t know any other shops in NY that offer this type of tasting.
Once you are registered as a USQ customer, you can expect to receive occasional postcards in the mail alerting you to sales, and weekly e-mails about an upcoming tasting or special event. The store runs many of them, and the space works well for these programs. We always review the e-mails because you never know when a blockbuster 30% case discount is going into effect. It’s at those times that we most like to make a pilgrimage to USQ.
212-675-8100
http://www.unionsquarewines.com/
Printed on the window shade of the Union Square Wines & Spirits store is the USQ logo in big red letters. This is appropriate because we find a good portion of their red wine inventory to big, powerful and robust. And there always seems to be a large number of boxes stacked up by the exit door ready to be delivered. We look at USQ as one of the new breed of stores marketing wine and spirits in NYC.
The store is easy to navigate. Once you go inside just to the right is a huge Viking double refrigerator filled with sake. On their website, sake has a link with a drop down list. This is a product that is not so prominent in most wine shops around town.
USQ also has a large temperature controlled room for their high end wines. On the countertop in the center of the room is something called an enomatic wine serving system.(http://www.enomatic.it/). USQ has three of them located throughout the store with a selection of wine bottles attached for tastings.
The way it works is after they mail you an enomatic card, for every dollar you spend at USQ, you get five points credited to your account. Then, when you want to sample one of these bottles, you give them your enomatic card and they deduct the points from your account. The better the bottle, the more points they will deduct. It is a novel idea and we don’t know any other shops in NY that offer this type of tasting.
Once you are registered as a USQ customer, you can expect to receive occasional postcards in the mail alerting you to sales, and weekly e-mails about an upcoming tasting or special event. The store runs many of them, and the space works well for these programs. We always review the e-mails because you never know when a blockbuster 30% case discount is going into effect. It’s at those times that we most like to make a pilgrimage to USQ.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Hot Chocolate Stop at Shake Shack
Southeast Corner at Madison Square Park
(Enter at Madison Avenue and E. 23rd Street)
212-889-6600
http://www.shakeshack.com/
On Friday, we ate lunch at the Shake Shack. Hearing this food stand in Madison Square Park was going to stay open for the winter (with a closing around Christmas week), we decided to see how outdoor eating would hold up on a sunny but chilly December day. The usually long lunchtime line was mercifully short and we thoroughly enjoyed our cheeseburger, Wisconsin Bratwurst and fries. But we ate fast because in spite of the strong sun, it really was too chilly for outdoor dining.
(Enter at Madison Avenue and E. 23rd Street)
212-889-6600
http://www.shakeshack.com/
On Friday, we ate lunch at the Shake Shack. Hearing this food stand in Madison Square Park was going to stay open for the winter (with a closing around Christmas week), we decided to see how outdoor eating would hold up on a sunny but chilly December day. The usually long lunchtime line was mercifully short and we thoroughly enjoyed our cheeseburger, Wisconsin Bratwurst and fries. But we ate fast because in spite of the strong sun, it really was too chilly for outdoor dining.
We are always in search of some good chocolate treats around town, so we were happy to find a terrific hot chocolate now on the menu at the Shake Shack. Thick and rich with an intense chocolate flavor, the cup ($3.75) here comes with a giant marshmallow floating on top and a piece of toffee candy on the bottom. If you’re in the neighborhood on a chilly day and you’re craving some good chocolate, you can’t go wrong with a quick hot chocolate break at Shake Shack.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Holiday: Custom Gift Baskets at Dean & DeLuca
We stopped by the Dean & DeLuca shop in Soho this afternoon and saw that the back of the store has been transformed to a festive create-your-own gift basket emporium. We think it’s a great idea for a unique “Made In NY” food gift.
There are a wide variety of containers to choose from, including baskets, decorated boxes, and totes. And a helpful salesperson told us that we could select items from the store and usually within two hours or so, your basket will be attractively assembled and is ready to go. Prices start at $100. Courier service is available for local deliveries and UPS for more distant locations.
A similar service is available on their website. You can select a container, and while not as exhaustive as the in-store choices, there are many worthwhile options for filling it up.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Restaurant: Les Halles
411 Park Avenue South (bet. 28th and 29th Streets)
212-679-4111
http://www.leshalles.net/
http://www.opentable.com/
The name of the place is actually Brasserie Les Halles, and we sometimes go there when we have a yearning for Paris and tickets on Air France have not yet been booked. The large mirrors and the French posters inside can transport your mind to the other side of the Atlantic, and quite frankly the food here is better than a lot of the bistros in Paris.
Over the years, Les Halles has become one of our favorite NY steakhouses. The dish we almost always order is a cut of beef called hanger steak, which in French is called onglet. It is a long, thin piece of beef that can be a little bit chewy but has a real beefy flavor. Here it is quickly pan fried over a high heat to sear in the bloody juices. Served with a shallot sauce made with a rich beef stock and red wine, it comes with a pile of piping hot French fries and some mixed greens that wilt on the hot oval platter. This is a great value meal for $21, and especially hits the spot when it’s cold outside.
A unique and terrific thing about Les Halles is that you can buy the very same hanger steak from the butcher shop located at the front of the restaurant. It costs $10.50 a pound, and don’t forget to order some of the unadvertised shallot sauce for an extra $5 (roughly eight ounces). The last time we bought this rich thick brown sauce it was still warm from simmering on the stovetop. Be forewarned: the butcher shop hours are constantly changing and service can be slow.
If you look at their website you will see they now have other locations around the U.S., and you can read about the chef turned author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. His first book, Kitchen Confidential is a fun read for anyone who wants to know what really goes on inside the professional food world.
212-679-4111
http://www.leshalles.net/
http://www.opentable.com/
The name of the place is actually Brasserie Les Halles, and we sometimes go there when we have a yearning for Paris and tickets on Air France have not yet been booked. The large mirrors and the French posters inside can transport your mind to the other side of the Atlantic, and quite frankly the food here is better than a lot of the bistros in Paris.
Over the years, Les Halles has become one of our favorite NY steakhouses. The dish we almost always order is a cut of beef called hanger steak, which in French is called onglet. It is a long, thin piece of beef that can be a little bit chewy but has a real beefy flavor. Here it is quickly pan fried over a high heat to sear in the bloody juices. Served with a shallot sauce made with a rich beef stock and red wine, it comes with a pile of piping hot French fries and some mixed greens that wilt on the hot oval platter. This is a great value meal for $21, and especially hits the spot when it’s cold outside.
A unique and terrific thing about Les Halles is that you can buy the very same hanger steak from the butcher shop located at the front of the restaurant. It costs $10.50 a pound, and don’t forget to order some of the unadvertised shallot sauce for an extra $5 (roughly eight ounces). The last time we bought this rich thick brown sauce it was still warm from simmering on the stovetop. Be forewarned: the butcher shop hours are constantly changing and service can be slow.
If you look at their website you will see they now have other locations around the U.S., and you can read about the chef turned author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain. His first book, Kitchen Confidential is a fun read for anyone who wants to know what really goes on inside the professional food world.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Food Shop: Bûche de Noël at Payard
Every Christmas season, we treat ourselves to a traditional French “yule log” dessert. We’ve made them in our kitchen, bought them in Paris at patisserie Gérard Mulot, and in NY, our supplier of choice has been Payard on the Upper East Side.
We’ve dubbed François Payard, “the king of the Bûche de Noël." He sells so many, that on the day before Christmas, you don’t go inside the shop, but rather pick up your pre-ordered log outside from the back of a truck. Our favorite version is the Bagatelle, a wonderful chestnut creation (we’ve described all the choices in detail below.) To be certain of getting exactly what you want, you should pre-order, although we’ve had luck in past years by just stopping in the shop and buying one of the many extras on hand for those who didn’t plan ahead.
We stopped in at Payard yesterday to find out about this year’s prospects, and here’s what we’ve found out.
Ordering must be done by phone (212-717-5252, ext. 111) or in person, and is not available on the website. Items are available starting December 18th. All Christmas orders must be placed by 4 pm on December 22nd. Christmas pick up will be on Saturday, December 22nd (9 am to 11 pm), Sunday, December 23rd (9 am to 6 pm), and Monday, December 24th (9 am to 5 pm).
There are four sizes available, serving 4, 6, 8, and 10, priced at $26, $39, $52, and $65, respectively and the four choices are:
Louvre: chocolate mousse, hazelnut mousse and hazelnut dacquoise
Vienne: flaky sablé with dark chocolate mousse, orange marmalade and a soft caramel center
Sicilien: sablé Breton filled with cream cheese mousse, cranberry geleé and a dusting of ground Sicilien pistachios and cream cheese crumble
Bagatelle: chestnut sponge filled with chestnut mousse, candied chestnut and Mandarin geleé.
Joyeux Noël!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Wine School: Windows on the World Wine School
http://www.windowswineschool.com/
845-255-1456
The wine course we personally recommend to anyone is the Windows on the World Wine School given by the enthusiastic wine expert Kevin Zraly. We went back in 2000, and to this day it remains a memorable experience.
The price of the course is now $995, and takes place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel (45th St. and Broadway). And just as we experienced, it is made up of eight two-hour classes. The first three are on white wine (French-American-German) then four classes on reds (Burgundy-Bordeaux-California-Spain/Italy) and on graduation class night the subject is Champagne & Port. Kevin’s unique instruction will alter your sensibilities about the noble grape. A lot like a favorite professor may have done when you were back in school.
To this day we still chant his mantra on how to identify wine: color, country, region, and grape. No matter where you are on the wine knowledge scale, this course is worth your attention. The wines for every class are poured before you arrive and on a typical class you have a lot of fun trying to identify a jug wine from the first growth. His knowledge about all sorts of wine varieties is amazing, and best of all Kevin Zraly is laugh-out-loud funny about the subject.
Since we are both graduates, we are still on the mailing list and have gone back years later to re-take the Burgundy and Bordeaux classes (at $100 per evening). They were that good. Kevin’s bestselling book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course ($24.95) is very easy to read and it follows the course instruction. He recently published a new book titled, Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide 2008 ($12.95). Guaranteed this is one book that will be on our wish list to Santa.
845-255-1456
The wine course we personally recommend to anyone is the Windows on the World Wine School given by the enthusiastic wine expert Kevin Zraly. We went back in 2000, and to this day it remains a memorable experience.
The price of the course is now $995, and takes place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel (45th St. and Broadway). And just as we experienced, it is made up of eight two-hour classes. The first three are on white wine (French-American-German) then four classes on reds (Burgundy-Bordeaux-California-Spain/Italy) and on graduation class night the subject is Champagne & Port. Kevin’s unique instruction will alter your sensibilities about the noble grape. A lot like a favorite professor may have done when you were back in school.
To this day we still chant his mantra on how to identify wine: color, country, region, and grape. No matter where you are on the wine knowledge scale, this course is worth your attention. The wines for every class are poured before you arrive and on a typical class you have a lot of fun trying to identify a jug wine from the first growth. His knowledge about all sorts of wine varieties is amazing, and best of all Kevin Zraly is laugh-out-loud funny about the subject.
Since we are both graduates, we are still on the mailing list and have gone back years later to re-take the Burgundy and Bordeaux classes (at $100 per evening). They were that good. Kevin’s bestselling book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course ($24.95) is very easy to read and it follows the course instruction. He recently published a new book titled, Kevin Zraly’s American Wine Guide 2008 ($12.95). Guaranteed this is one book that will be on our wish list to Santa.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Chocolate Shop: Trappistine Quality Candy
1-866-549-8929
http://www.trappistinecandy.com/
Even though we have so many wonderful chocolate shops in NY, we’ve found a handful of places in other parts of the country where terrific chocolates are made. One such place is Trappistine Quality Candy in Wrentham, Massachusetts. We’ve regularly ordered from the Sisters from Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey for many years and can attest to their delicious “homemade” quality and fantastic value.
The milk chocolate butter nut munch is a dangerous box (10 oz. box, $11.75), to keep around the house. Addictive squares of almond butter crunch covered with milk chocolate and roasted hazelnuts disappear faster than a blink of an eye. Other recommended gifts are dark chocolate almond bark, fudge and for the holidays, milk and dark chocolate Santa pops for the child in all of us. And they also sell combination gift boxes if you can’t make up your mind.
We thought we’d mention Trappistine Candy, since Dec. 10 is the last day for web orders guaranteed for Christmas delivery although their order form states, “orders received after the holiday cut off date will be shipped in the order in which we receive them.” So, don’t hesitate!
http://www.trappistinecandy.com/
Even though we have so many wonderful chocolate shops in NY, we’ve found a handful of places in other parts of the country where terrific chocolates are made. One such place is Trappistine Quality Candy in Wrentham, Massachusetts. We’ve regularly ordered from the Sisters from Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey for many years and can attest to their delicious “homemade” quality and fantastic value.
The milk chocolate butter nut munch is a dangerous box (10 oz. box, $11.75), to keep around the house. Addictive squares of almond butter crunch covered with milk chocolate and roasted hazelnuts disappear faster than a blink of an eye. Other recommended gifts are dark chocolate almond bark, fudge and for the holidays, milk and dark chocolate Santa pops for the child in all of us. And they also sell combination gift boxes if you can’t make up your mind.
We thought we’d mention Trappistine Candy, since Dec. 10 is the last day for web orders guaranteed for Christmas delivery although their order form states, “orders received after the holiday cut off date will be shipped in the order in which we receive them.” So, don’t hesitate!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Holiday: Web Order Seafood Gifts
We love to go shopping around NY looking for yummy treats for Christmas gifts. But sometimes, especially for friends and family out-of-town, the web is the place to shop. Here are two of our favorites, both offering mouth-watering seafood with personal service--important because the coordination of such perishable gifts at times is best served with human interaction.
At least once or twice a year for the past five years or so, we’ve ordered the fresh, ready-to-cook Maryland-style crab cakes (but they come from Delaware) from Crab Cake Express, http://www.crabcakeexpress.com/. We’ve tried others, but keep coming back to these with the terrific jumbo lump meat. We’ve given them as gifts and have also served them for Christmas Eve dinner. They are always a hit and Scott is always helpful with the order.
The lobster meat from Hancock Gourmet Lobster in Maine is second to none, http://www.hancockgourmetlobster.com/. We love the “Downeast Lobster Rolls,” and have been both the recipient and sender of this gift. And by all accounts, they have been a great treat. One lovely couple we know reported that not only were they delicious, but they brought back wonderful memories of long ago times at the Maine coast. We’ve tried making our own lobster rolls and having them at well-known seafood places in NYC, but the ones from Hancock take first place for us.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Restaurant: The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Lower Level at Grand Central Station
212-490-6650
http://www.oysterbarny.com/
Lunch at the Oyster Bar, a NY classic since 1913, is arguably one of the most authentic eating experiences in the Big Apple. For the best time, be sure and visit on a regular business day during the noon to 2 pm lunch period.
The typical New Yorker who comes here will never bother with a reservation, but just walks in and sits at one of the horseshoe-shaped counters or at the higher barstools along the wall facing the busy oyster shuckers. It’s here you can watch the oyster stew cook doing his thing, but it gets repetitive after a couple of bowls. We prefer to sit at the middle horseshoe counter so we take in all the action in and around the open kitchen—a show of organized mayhem where they have a “kitchen MC” who uses a microphone to bark out the orders for the team of cooks. With the small army of waiters and waitresses coming and going it looks like Grand Central Terminal at rush hour.
At this time of day the acoustics of the place with its renowned vaulted ceilings can be deafening, but that just adds to the ambience. We always start our meal with a bowl of clam chowder. The tomato-based Manhattan or the creamy white New England are both excellent. Then it is a question of how hungry you happen to be. A main fish course, or perhaps something from the sandwich menu, or sometimes we just have raw oysters like the local Bluepoint variety. The classic oyster stew or the zesty pan roast, are fine one-dish meals. Another favorite is the fried oyster sandwich called the Po’ Boy. The ladies who work these counters know how to get the lone diners in and out in a matter of minutes, but if you are with someone and want to leisurely finish your white wine, that is okay too.
When paying the tab, be sure and take note of the cashier who stands in a tiny booth right near the door. He’s been a fixture of the place for as long as we remember, and is a quintessential New York character who helps to make the Oyster Bar such a classic.
212-490-6650
http://www.oysterbarny.com/
Lunch at the Oyster Bar, a NY classic since 1913, is arguably one of the most authentic eating experiences in the Big Apple. For the best time, be sure and visit on a regular business day during the noon to 2 pm lunch period.
The typical New Yorker who comes here will never bother with a reservation, but just walks in and sits at one of the horseshoe-shaped counters or at the higher barstools along the wall facing the busy oyster shuckers. It’s here you can watch the oyster stew cook doing his thing, but it gets repetitive after a couple of bowls. We prefer to sit at the middle horseshoe counter so we take in all the action in and around the open kitchen—a show of organized mayhem where they have a “kitchen MC” who uses a microphone to bark out the orders for the team of cooks. With the small army of waiters and waitresses coming and going it looks like Grand Central Terminal at rush hour.
At this time of day the acoustics of the place with its renowned vaulted ceilings can be deafening, but that just adds to the ambience. We always start our meal with a bowl of clam chowder. The tomato-based Manhattan or the creamy white New England are both excellent. Then it is a question of how hungry you happen to be. A main fish course, or perhaps something from the sandwich menu, or sometimes we just have raw oysters like the local Bluepoint variety. The classic oyster stew or the zesty pan roast, are fine one-dish meals. Another favorite is the fried oyster sandwich called the Po’ Boy. The ladies who work these counters know how to get the lone diners in and out in a matter of minutes, but if you are with someone and want to leisurely finish your white wine, that is okay too.
When paying the tab, be sure and take note of the cashier who stands in a tiny booth right near the door. He’s been a fixture of the place for as long as we remember, and is a quintessential New York character who helps to make the Oyster Bar such a classic.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Food Shop: Schaller & Weber
1654 Second Avenue (between 85th and 86th Streets)
212-879-3047
http://www.schallerweber.com/
Schaller & Weber is the kind of ethnic food shop that makes NY a great eating town. This big sparkling clean store to us defines old Yorkville—the neighborhood that once was known for its large population of German immigrants.
At the long counter there is a lot to choose from starting with ham, wieners, sausages and smoked meats. The Canadian bacon and the cucumber salad are always on our list when it is our turn to order. All the countermen have a long standing tradition of offering a slice of bologna to children that wait on line with their parents. We patronize S&W more in the fall when the weather is cool and it is time to make a steaming platter of choucroute. On their website you can find a recipe, but to us, it is a personal preference of what type of smoked meats you like piled on top of braised sauerkraut.
Another favorite, when it is cold outside and you are in no mood to cook, is the homemade sauerbraten with gravy and their fresh made spätzle. We were told restaurants order these delicious noodles to serve as their own.
A good snack before the choucroute or any tasty meal from S&W is a bag of their homemade soft pretzels. They are so fresh; it is almost guaranteed they will be eaten up quickly. They are far better than the pretzels sold by NY street vendors.
212-879-3047
http://www.schallerweber.com/
Schaller & Weber is the kind of ethnic food shop that makes NY a great eating town. This big sparkling clean store to us defines old Yorkville—the neighborhood that once was known for its large population of German immigrants.
At the long counter there is a lot to choose from starting with ham, wieners, sausages and smoked meats. The Canadian bacon and the cucumber salad are always on our list when it is our turn to order. All the countermen have a long standing tradition of offering a slice of bologna to children that wait on line with their parents. We patronize S&W more in the fall when the weather is cool and it is time to make a steaming platter of choucroute. On their website you can find a recipe, but to us, it is a personal preference of what type of smoked meats you like piled on top of braised sauerkraut.
Another favorite, when it is cold outside and you are in no mood to cook, is the homemade sauerbraten with gravy and their fresh made spätzle. We were told restaurants order these delicious noodles to serve as their own.
A good snack before the choucroute or any tasty meal from S&W is a bag of their homemade soft pretzels. They are so fresh; it is almost guaranteed they will be eaten up quickly. They are far better than the pretzels sold by NY street vendors.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Wine Shop: Mister Wright – Fine Wines & Spirits
1593 Third Avenue (bet. 89th and 90th Streets)
212-722-4564
Website under construction
Hours: Monday through Saturday 9AM – 9:30PM; Sunday 1PM – 6:45PM
In the big discount store category there is not a friendlier wine shop in NY than Mister Wright. It is rather refreshing compared to the places where the clerks have a know-it-all attitude, and don’t even pretend to listen to anything you have to say. So when walking around the store, do not be surprised by the number of times you are approached and asked if you need any help. Sometimes we will have a small question ready so not to disappoint the eager staff. This will also clue you in on the knowledge base of the clerk. If Jody is on the floor you will be in very good hands. She knows her wine and always has a recommendation on a good value bottle. Recently it was Argentinean Malbacs.
We use Mister Wright to buy a lot of our everyday drinking wine. They do not have a website. Nor do they mail out any promotional material. But with a big selection of labels not found in other stores this size, and a 10% case discount on still wine, you can do well here.
When the Wall Street Journal recently published a story on Spanish reds from the Ribera del Duero, we showed the piece to Jody and she quickly pointed us to two of the bottles that were reviewed. At other shops, usually you can never even find one listed in this type of article. The same thing occurred after we ate at A Voce and had a delicious Tuscan red, Le Volte, which was recommended by the sommelier. We found the 2005 was at Mister Wright for $27.99.
Mister Wright has a free case delivery policy in Manhattan. The delivery guys always in their Mister Wright orange sweatshirts have the same wanting-to-please attitude. So don’t be surprised if the case you bought beats you home.
212-722-4564
Website under construction
Hours: Monday through Saturday 9AM – 9:30PM; Sunday 1PM – 6:45PM
In the big discount store category there is not a friendlier wine shop in NY than Mister Wright. It is rather refreshing compared to the places where the clerks have a know-it-all attitude, and don’t even pretend to listen to anything you have to say. So when walking around the store, do not be surprised by the number of times you are approached and asked if you need any help. Sometimes we will have a small question ready so not to disappoint the eager staff. This will also clue you in on the knowledge base of the clerk. If Jody is on the floor you will be in very good hands. She knows her wine and always has a recommendation on a good value bottle. Recently it was Argentinean Malbacs.
We use Mister Wright to buy a lot of our everyday drinking wine. They do not have a website. Nor do they mail out any promotional material. But with a big selection of labels not found in other stores this size, and a 10% case discount on still wine, you can do well here.
When the Wall Street Journal recently published a story on Spanish reds from the Ribera del Duero, we showed the piece to Jody and she quickly pointed us to two of the bottles that were reviewed. At other shops, usually you can never even find one listed in this type of article. The same thing occurred after we ate at A Voce and had a delicious Tuscan red, Le Volte, which was recommended by the sommelier. We found the 2005 was at Mister Wright for $27.99.
Mister Wright has a free case delivery policy in Manhattan. The delivery guys always in their Mister Wright orange sweatshirts have the same wanting-to-please attitude. So don’t be surprised if the case you bought beats you home.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Chocolate Shop: Jacques Torres comes to the Upper West Side
285 Amsterdam Avenue (bet. 73rd and 74th Streets)
No telephone yet
http://www.jacquestorres.com/
On Saturday morning, when we pulled into a parking spot on Amsterdam Avenue, between 73rd and 74th Streets, to what did our wondering eyes appear, but a new Jacques Torres chocolate shop! Open only about three weeks, the façade still was under construction, but inside all was sparkling. The chandeliers were hung and the shelves around the store were stacked with irresistible goodies.
No telephone yet
http://www.jacquestorres.com/
On Saturday morning, when we pulled into a parking spot on Amsterdam Avenue, between 73rd and 74th Streets, to what did our wondering eyes appear, but a new Jacques Torres chocolate shop! Open only about three weeks, the façade still was under construction, but inside all was sparkling. The chandeliers were hung and the shelves around the store were stacked with irresistible goodies.
On one side of the shop, there is a long, wavy wooden bar with Jacques Torres’ mouthwatering chocolate creations on display, and right now that includes attractive chocolate Santas and a nice selection of bon-bons, some decorated for the December holidays ($55 for a box of 50). On the other side, there is a coffee/hot chocolate bar. We tried the classic hot chocolate ($3.25), which really hit the spot on what seemed like the first cold morning of the season. Service was very helpful. Walking around the shop we felt like a wonderful Parisian chocolate shop had been brightened, updated and then transported to the Upper West Side. What a terrific and much-needed addition to this neighborhood.
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