Category: travel

where my mouth has taken me…

review: solid and steady…

Café Boulud, New York I was trying to not eat. But, that didn’t work. So, then, I thought I could just eat light. Yeah, that didn’t work either. Despite the fact that I had a reservation at per se that evening, I tempted myself into having lunch at Café Boulud.  A couple of friends who […]

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review: solid and steady…

Café Boulud, New York I was trying to not eat. But, that didn’t work. So, then, I thought I could just eat light. Yeah, that didn’t work either. Despite the fact that I had a reservation at per se that evening, I tempted myself into having lunch at Café Boulud.  A couple of friends who […]

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review: goddess…

dévi, New York Every time I utter the word “dévi,” peoples’ eyes light up. Then, they glaze over and roll into the back of their heads in a moment of nostalgic ecstasy. When they recover, they inevitably make some enthusiastic exclamation followed by, “It’s *very* good Indian food.” I like *very* good Indian food. But, […]

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review: goddess…

dévi, New York Every time I utter the word “dévi,” peoples’ eyes light up. Then, they glaze over and roll into the back of their heads in a moment of nostalgic ecstasy. When they recover, they inevitably make some enthusiastic exclamation followed by, “It’s *very* good Indian food.” I like *very* good Indian food. But, […]

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disaster…

Michelin Guide Rouge Main Cities of Europe Did you know that the word “disaster” derives from the Latin dis (apart, away from) + astrum (star)? I present to you, fragments of a dialogue, in two parts. It’s entitled: “Disaster” Part I Time: Shortly after a dinner at dévi. Setting: Online food forum (if you rummage […]

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disaster…

Michelin Guide Rouge Main Cities of Europe Did you know that the word “disaster” derives from the Latin dis (apart, away from) + astrum (star)? I present to you, fragments of a dialogue, in two parts. It’s entitled: “Disaster” Part I Time: Shortly after a dinner at dévi. Setting: Online food forum (if you rummage […]

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review: a trolley like no other…

Picholine, New York Like many a personality on the Upper West Side, Picholine got a facelift. The last time I was in the restaurant, Spring of 2006, I was there on a non-eating mission. The food might have been fantastic, but the oddly-configured restaurant itself struck me as terribly tired, somewhat outdated, and immensely frumpy. […]

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review: a trolley like no other…

Picholine, New York Like many a personality on the Upper West Side, Picholine got a facelift. The last time I was in the restaurant, Spring of 2006, I was there on a non-eating mission. The food might have been fantastic, but the oddly-configured restaurant itself struck me as terribly tired, somewhat outdated, and immensely frumpy. […]

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review: get it together…

Antipasto: Octopus Carpaccio Insieme It’s astonishing how powerful three words, strung together, can be. Beef heart risotto. See? It didn’t take much to convince me to put Insieme on my itinerary. Sure, I had heard wonderful things about Insieme from valued sources. That it’s one of Marco Canora’s and Paul Grieco’s restaurants was also encouraging. […]

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review: get it together…

Antipasto: Octopus Carpaccio Insieme It’s astonishing how powerful three words, strung together, can be. Beef heart risotto. See? It didn’t take much to convince me to put Insieme on my itinerary. Sure, I had heard wonderful things about Insieme from valued sources. That it’s one of Marco Canora’s and Paul Grieco’s restaurants was also encouraging. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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review: eclipse…

Eleven Madison Park Last time, the earth stood still. This time, my meal at Eleven Madison Park was a total eclipse. Neither the sun nor moon disappeared. But, for the five blissful hours that my hosts and I dined, it seemed as if the whole world’s attention had been diverted to our table. Eleven Madison […]

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review: eclipse…

Eleven Madison Park Last time, the earth stood still. This time, my meal at Eleven Madison Park was a total eclipse. Neither the sun nor moon disappeared. But, for the five blissful hours that my hosts and I dined, it seemed as if the whole world’s attention had been diverted to our table. Eleven Madison […]

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travel: a spandex week…

A Spandex Week It all began two minutes off the jetway at LaGuardia on the way to baggage claim. A text message popped up: “Where R U? Shke Shck ice crm of day = cffee + dnuts.” Me: “B rght there!” And thus kicked off what would become my most gluttonous run at New York […]

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travel: a spandex week…

A Spandex Week It all began two minutes off the jetway at LaGuardia on the way to baggage claim. A text message popped up: “Where R U? Shke Shck ice crm of day = cffee + dnuts.” Me: “B rght there!” And thus kicked off what would become my most gluttonous run at New York […]

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james beard awards (2008)…

2008 James Beard Awards For the second year in a row, I had the honor of attending the James Beard Awards Gala and Reception in New York City.  As last year, the ceremony was held at the Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center. It was hot.  It was a zoo.  At times, the event was somewhat […]

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james beard awards (2008)…

2008 James Beard Awards For the second year in a row, I had the honor of attending the James Beard Awards Gala and Reception in New York City.  As last year, the ceremony was held at the Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center. It was hot.  It was a zoo.  At times, the event was somewhat […]

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 […]

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