travel: until tonight becomes tomorrow…

~ When a volley of pink blossoms overtakes Gramercy Tavern and the big, picture-windows on Fifth Avenue begin blushing with brighter, bolder colors; when chefs get grabby for ramps and peas at the Union Square greenmarket, and the walls at casa mono finally swing open to seduce those turning the corner of 17th and Irving with the smell of pork and clams; […]

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travel: until tonight becomes tomorrow…

~ When a volley of pink blossoms overtakes Gramercy Tavern and the big, picture-windows on Fifth Avenue begin blushing with brighter, bolder colors; when chefs get grabby for ramps and peas at the Union Square greenmarket, and the walls at casa mono finally swing open to seduce those turning the corner of 17th and Irving with the smell of pork and clams; […]

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travel: fêtes and feasts…

James Beard Awards Lincoln Center, New York, New York New York is such a scene, isn’t it, what with its gossip girls and tourists, bomb threats and celebrity wars? During the first weekend in May, New York becomes temporarily mobbed with chefs and their groupies, all flocking to attend what has been dubbed, “the Oscars […]

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travel: fêtes and feasts…

James Beard Awards Lincoln Center, New York, New York New York is such a scene, isn’t it, what with its gossip girls and tourists, bomb threats and celebrity wars? During the first weekend in May, New York becomes temporarily mobbed with chefs and their groupies, all flocking to attend what has been dubbed, “the Oscars […]

Continue

rumination 4: levittable…

Recent news that Gordon Ramsay sold his eponymous New York restaurant to The London hotel (owned by the Blackstone Group) and his restaurant in Los Angeles, got me thinking.  If he hadn’t opened so many restaurants to begin with, and stuck with the one that had earned him some respect, maybe he wouldn’t have to […]

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rumination 4: levittable…

Recent news that Gordon Ramsay sold his eponymous New York restaurant to The London hotel (owned by the Blackstone Group) and his restaurant in Los Angeles, got me thinking.  If he hadn’t opened so many restaurants to begin with, and stuck with the one that had earned him some respect, maybe he wouldn’t have to […]

Continue

review: riserva…

11-month dry-aged Porterhouse Carnevino, Las Vegas, Nevada Reports of an eight-month dry-aged steak seemed like a figment. I had to check it out. What: Carnevino (the logo, a cow kowtowing to a bottle, translates this Italian name rather effectively: “meat wine”) Who: Batali-Bastianich (and it looks very Batali-Bastianich) Where: Palazzo in Las Vegas I had […]

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review: riserva…

11-month dry-aged Porterhouse Carnevino, Las Vegas, Nevada Reports of an eight-month dry-aged steak seemed like a figment. I had to check it out. What: Carnevino (the logo, a cow kowtowing to a bottle, translates this Italian name rather effectively: “meat wine”) Who: Batali-Bastianich (and it looks very Batali-Bastianich) Where: Palazzo in Las Vegas I had […]

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travel: lost wages…

Trevi Fountain Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace The temperature had already reached 90 degrees when I headed out for my run at 6:30 a.m. In a three-mile stretch, I passed the Doge’s palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, the Trevi Fountain, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire […]

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travel: lost wages…

Trevi Fountain Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace The temperature had already reached 90 degrees when I headed out for my run at 6:30 a.m. In a three-mile stretch, I passed the Doge’s palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, the Trevi Fountain, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire […]

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travel: america’s left bank…

Do people on the West Coast live longer than those on the East Coast? In five days and over the course of seven meals (four of which were tasting menus), foie gras only showed up once.  Seafood outnumbered the hoofed and fowl.  And vegetation of countless shapes, sizes, and colours dominated every plate (I’m purposely […]

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travel: america’s left bank…

Do people on the West Coast live longer than those on the East Coast? In five days and over the course of seven meals (four of which were tasting menus), foie gras only showed up once.  Seafood outnumbered the hoofed and fowl.  And vegetation of countless shapes, sizes, and colours dominated every plate (I’m purposely […]

Continue

review: the perfect plate of pasta…

Vetri, Philadelphia Is there anything more pleasing than a perfect plate of pasta? Perhaps. But not much. I can pinpoint the day and hour of my last plate of perfect pasta. It was corzetti, and it was more of a taste, rather than a plate. I ate this standing up, negotiating armfuls of *stuff* – […]

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review: the perfect plate of pasta…

Vetri, Philadelphia Is there anything more pleasing than a perfect plate of pasta? Perhaps. But not much. I can pinpoint the day and hour of my last plate of perfect pasta. It was corzetti, and it was more of a taste, rather than a plate. I ate this standing up, negotiating armfuls of *stuff* – […]

Continue

review: home run…

Aquavit, New York A restaurant that has been disparaged, or has received wobbly reviews at best, has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Aquavit was such the underdog. I like underdogs. Needless to say, expectations have a lot to do with one’s dining experience. Regarding Aquavit, mine were heavily guarded, which probably explains, in […]

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review: home run…

Aquavit, New York A restaurant that has been disparaged, or has received wobbly reviews at best, has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Aquavit was such the underdog. I like underdogs. Needless to say, expectations have a lot to do with one’s dining experience. Regarding Aquavit, mine were heavily guarded, which probably explains, in […]

Continue

review: of the place…

Canapes, Del Posto I was assured that Mark Ladner, Executive Chef of Del Posto, was cooking for us when the server came to our table to apologize that he had no clue what the chef was preparing. Apparently, Ladner had remained “tight-lipped” about our dinner. The courses would be revealed to our servers as the […]

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review: of the place…

Canapes, Del Posto I was assured that Mark Ladner, Executive Chef of Del Posto, was cooking for us when the server came to our table to apologize that he had no clue what the chef was preparing. Apparently, Ladner had remained “tight-lipped” about our dinner. The courses would be revealed to our servers as the […]

Continue

review: bait and tackle…

Antipasto: “Porri Selvatici” “There are no baby eels,” our server solemnly announced. I was crestfallen. But, only for a second. Good, that meant that I could order the “Fegatini di Pescatrice,” monkfish liver, as an antipasto. Or, did I want the “Fritti” – crispy halibut cheek? But it’s ramp season, and there was an entire […]

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review: bait and tackle…

Antipasto: “Porri Selvatici” “There are no baby eels,” our server solemnly announced. I was crestfallen. But, only for a second. Good, that meant that I could order the “Fegatini di Pescatrice,” monkfish liver, as an antipasto. Or, did I want the “Fritti” – crispy halibut cheek? But it’s ramp season, and there was an entire […]

Continue