BFlay's Gato Lives Up To The Hype

Bobby Flay. One of the best known names on the Food Network. The king of "celebrity" chefs. 

I love Bobby Flay myself but it's never easy to live up to your hype once you become a household name. When Chef Flay was set to open up Gato, his first new restaurant opening in 8 years, critics were unsure if he still had it. After a 2 star review in the Times and countless rave write ups, he proved that not only did he still have it but he was back and better than ever. 

Gato is located in NYC's NoHo hood in a gorgeous, insanely well decorated, 100+ year old building. The space is seriously stunning. The bar is huge which I love and the dining room fairly spacious for Manhattan standards. 

I suggest going with a group and trying everything! The cocktail program is amazing. I would highly suggest the Jimmie or the Martinez. All of the cocktails are very unique and the ingredients super fresh. The dinner menu is Mediterranean inspired with many of my favorite components including seafood, goat cheese and lamb. Our server, Marc, was awesome. Very cool guy and he never missed a beat in regards to steps of service. The vibe is hip yet still very refined.

Like at all of NYC's hot summer restos, make your reservations in advance. I hear if you go during the week and grab a seat at the bar, you may even get a chance to see Flay in action. Sadly we were not so lucky:-( Maybe next time...

See below for menu highlights and some very satisfying food porn. Eat Up!

The Zagat nominated "Best thing I ate this year..." Roasted Octopus with orange, bacon and oregano. I don't know if it's the best thing I've eaten this year, but it's definitely one of the best octopus dishes I've ever had. Order it.

Our assorted Bar Snacks. These are also a must order and perfect for sharing.

The Seven Layer Potato and the Eggplant was our favorite. So pretty and delish.

My incredible Lamb Pizza. When I go back I'll get this again. So. Good.

The signature Kale and Mushroom Paella. Our server mixed up the perfectly cooked egg at the table, very nice touch.

Our Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with Blood Orange Sauce. You want to save room for this AND the Blackberry Crostata. YUM!

Clams, Clams & More Clams!

If you read my last post, you can clearly see I'm loving my seafood (specifically clam) centric restaurants this summer. What says summer better than a glass of rosé and a fresh raw bar?
Ummmm, nothing in my opinion.

When I heard about a little place called The Clam opening up on Hudson Street in the West Village, I knew it was double date time for Ryan and I and our food loving friends. The Clam is literally a menu of clams, clams and more clams. I was impressed with the plethora of ways chef and co-owner Mike Price was able to incorporate these little guys into virtually every dish. I knew the Clam Dip, the Clam Fried Rice and The Fried Clam Belly and Lobster Sandwich were must try's so naturally we ordered all of them. The dip was actually my favorite out of the three and served with delicious crispy chips, very addicting. Order it. The rice was a nice combination of plump clams, fatty, salty pork belly (one of my faves!), and fresh pickled onions. The pickled onions added a nice crunch and freshness to the dish that would have been missed otherwise. The portion size was perfect, I cleaned my plate with out feeling excessively full. Ryan ordered the sandwich and said it was tasty but he preferred a regular lobster roll to the addition of the fried clams.

Other major stand outs was the raw bar or "Iced Delicacies" as it's called on the menu. OMG. It was heaven. I would have been happy with just the raw goodies alone. We enjoyed raw clams, raw oysters and crab cocktail. Beyond fresh and served with house made sauces that complimented every bite. The Old Bay Fries were the jam and our friend said his Soft Shell Crabs were amazing. I didn't try the crabs but the plating was lovely and they looked like they were fried to perfection. Sadly, we didn't get to try the Spaghetti and Clams. I heard they were also a signature must try, but that's ok...I'm sure we'll be back...

FYI: The space is tiny, I would say it sits around 35 people so make a reservation and do so way in advance. We did go on a weekend during prime dinner hours so it was packed but I've heard it's pretty full most evenings. Book those ressies and eat up!

The epic "Iced Delicacies" at The Clam. 

The raw bar was my favorite part of the meal.

Their signature Clam Dip with house made chips. So creamy with a little sour tang. 

An amazing snack to start a meal.

The monster Fried Clam Belly and Lobster Sandwich with Old Bay Fries.

ENJOY!

Have you heard of ZZ’s Clam Bar?

Well, have you? I’ve recently discovered this West Village gem and I’m a huge fan. I had never heard of the place until about a week before I went. ZZ’s is actually under the Major Food Group umbrella, the team also responsible for Torrisi and Carbone. I did my research and even the Yelp reviews were outstanding. Looking at the menu, I gasped. $20 for a drink? Wine $20 and up? This is pricey even for Manhattan standards. All the food is light, seafood inspired and small. It's the only small plate menu I've seen that ranges from $18-$150. 

Say whaaatttt!?? I admit. I was skeptical.  

You must make reservations as the space is teeny tiny! By tiny I mean the size of a bedroom. When you walk in there are 3 tables to your left, a few bar height seats to your right and a bar that looks like the bartender is about to test a chemistry experiment, surrounded by colorful jars, fruits and tools I've never even seen in a restaurant. Don't be alarmed by the door guy outside (he’s actually the best way to know you've arrived as there's virtually no signage outside), he's just there to monitor guests. The space is pretty much reservation only since their capacity is about 15 people.

As you settle in to your table or bar stool, get ready for an amazing experience. Cam, the only server I've seen there is a pro. Super charming and knowledgeable. The space itself is something to be seen and the spectacular food and cocktails only heighten this "only in NYC" experience. Come prior to having dinner for drinks and bites as it would be hard to get full here, at least for less than $100 per person sans drinks. But hey, we do eat a lot:-)

Where the magic happens...

ZZ's Coconut Cocktail. $20 and takes about 20 minutes to make but totally worth it. 

Well, at least once:-)

Goods from the raw bar. Fresh oysters and clams. Fresh, briney perfection.

ZZ's Tuna Toasts. One of the best bites I've had in a long time. The olive toast is crisp and super buttery with the most amazing raw tuna (a spicy concoction) perfectly piled on top. Divine.

Our tart and creamy Key Lime Pie. 

Very tasty.

Eating Local is Easier Than You Think...

I love meat and dairy. LOVE IT! I’m of course aware of the negative effects dairy can have on your body from digestion problems to increased fat intake to mucus (gross). I’m also aware of the damage commercial meat production has on the environment and the cruel and inhumane treatment of animals. I’ve seen just about every vegetarian and vegan documentary ever made. I’ve even made vegetarian attempts but found an all veggie diet just didn't work for me. About 2 years ago, I made the decision to do the next best thing: reduce my meat and dairy intake, saving it for dinner only and/or special occasions and buying organic (and when possible, local) meats. Living in NYC, this change is easy. I have a plethora of gourmet grocery stores, farmers markets and organic/local restaurants at my finger tips. What about everyone else out there? I mean, it is getting easier with mass markets like Whole Foods and Earth Fare but these stores are not in every town and city. I started doing some research in regards to farmers markets and small, local farms offering shipping. There are SO many and several lovely websites have consolidated this info in an easy to navigate way. I’ve done the research so you can just click away!

FOR LOCAL FARMS

Eat Wild (my favorite!)

Farm Aid

Local Harvest

FOR FARMERS MARKETS NEARBY

USDA Directory

Farm Stand (a great app!)

Local Farm Markets

Modern Venetian Cuisine? A'llonda Makes It Work

Restauranteur Chris Cannon & Chef Chris Jaeckle have recently come together to create All’onda, a modern Venetian inspired restaurant located near Manhattan’s lively Union Square. Chef Chris Jaeckle’s resume reads like a list of best and most coveted restaurants in NYC. Eleven Madison Park, Morimoto and Chef Michael White’s Ai Fiori just to name a few. As a huge Michael White fan I knew All’onda was a must try. I mean, Chris Jaeckle was Ai Fiori’s Chef de Cuisine when they were awarded a 3 star review from the New York Times. Not too shabby right? I arrived at All’onda expecting amazing food and off-the-charts pasta. 

The bi-level space is lovely, very woodsy and rustic. Ryan and I grabbed a drink at the bar while we waited on our friends. It just so happened one of our buddies loves food as much, maybe even more (if that’s possible) than I do so please don’t be appalled by the following list. We proceeded to consume...

To start-

The Arancini: Fantastic start to the meal. Fried to perfection with hints of black truffle and parmesan. 

The Stracciatella: If I see fresh mozzarella, burrata or stracciatella on a menu, I’m ordering it. The cheese itself was so fresh and creamy. The dish was topped with a nice heavy drizzle of olive oil and served with toasted bread. 

Hamachi Crudi AND Tuna Crudi-Again, insanely fresh ingredients. Both light and flavorful. 

Mid-Course-(Pasta)

The Garganelli: I had heard a lot of good things about this dish and it was very good. The pasta (like all of the pastas we enjoyed) was cooked to perfection with a wonderful bite and chew. The citrus and tarragon complemented the crab nicely in the sauce.

The Cavatelli: I actually wasn’t expecting to love this pasta as much as I did. It’s very simple but tasted like summer due to the ricotta, fresh tomato and basil. Wonderful.

Lumache: If the cavatelli was summer, this pasta dish is winter. Very rich and flavorful with an abundance of tender duck and hints of chocolate in the ragu.  

Main Course-(Entrees)

The Porchetta: This was our least favorite dish. The meat was cooked well and had that nice salty bite one would expect but the exterior skin was very tough. We knew it would be crispy but it was so much so we were hardly able to eat it. No worries, we of course ate around it.

The Short Rib for Two: This dish is a signature and has received well deserved, rave reviews. Get.it.

Dessert-(Yes, we had room for dessert. Don’t judge us.)

The Olive Oil Cake: Outstanding. Not too rich or sweet. Nice crunchy texture and just the right amount of oil. This was my favorite out of our two desserts.

Hazelnut Mouse: This was yummy but very basic. Next time I’ll just get another order of The Olive Oil Cake. ;-)

Little balls of Italian joy otherwise known as Arancini with black truffle and parmesan. 

Just delightful.

Stracciatella. One of my all time favorite cheeses with toasted bread. 

Do yourself a favor and order this.

A light and refreshing Hamachi Crudi. A nice compliment to our "heavier" apps.

I was surprised this dish received sub par reviews in the NYT. I found the Lumache with aged duck ragu and chocolate to be one of the highlights. The sauce was flavorful, duck plentiful and the chocolate was a heavenly touch, very mild but added just the right amount of warmth to the dish. 

Ie. Winter 

Their signature Short Rib for Two. The texture was almost like a brisket with a smokey char on the outside and tender, pink meat on the inside. The Short Rib itself was spectacular. I wasn't a huge fan of the tomato risotto base (on their current menu it’s now a saffron risotto)

 but the dish is definitely a must try.

Tourist Trap or one of the Best Cupcakes in NYC?

The Cake Boss. You've all probably heard of him. Pastry Chef Buddy Valastro got his start in Hoboken, New Jersey. After landing his own reality TV show on TLC, he opened up a Manhattan location outside of Port Authority Bus Station in the heart of Times Square. The brand is super hyped, very commercial and the location is a total and complete tourist trap. True New Yorkers usually avoid these types of places at all costs unless they need to take the bus or have friends or family visiting. 

I'm often in the midtown area so a while back I decided to pop in and check out the hype. It was packed, mainly with tourists but the space is large and there's plenty of people working behind the counters so service moves fast. Here you can find so much more than just cake. This is a good thing as it seems NYC's cupcake craze is slowly coming to an end (see Crumbs closing). You'll find not only luscious looking cakes and cupcakes but cookies, cannolis, brownies, cheesecakes and other sweet & fruity creations. Regardless of food crazes, I'm a massive cupcake fan so I picked up a chocolate on chocolate for me and a peanut butter for Ryan. I also threw in a brownie for good measure.

Let's start with the brownie: Very good and super gooey but I prefer Fat Witch in Chelsea Market for brownies.

The cupcakes were outstanding. I've tried almost every cupcake in the city-Crumbs, Magnolia,  Sprinkles & Buttercup Bakeshop just to name a few. I have to say The Cake Boss comes out on top or at least top 3. I would need to literally sit down and try The Cake Boss, Magnolia and Buttercup at once to be sure. This is a test I may need to try sooner than later...

The cake at The Cake Boss is very dense which I love and the frosting is thick and super sweet. If I'm going to eat a cupcake, this is how I want them to be. The Cake Boss proves even a commercial tourist trap can pump out one hell of a product. The hubs and I both agree Buddy Valastro bakes up one of the best cupcakes in NYC.

RIP Crumbs:-(

Do you have a favorite cupcake spot in NYC? Let me know so I can give them a try!

I ate both of these last night...I just couldn't help myself :-)

Eat up!

Happy 4th of July! What's In Season Now...

Summer is our favorite season for cooking. Between the abundance of our favorite fruits and veggies to BBQ’s and outdoor grilling, I don’t think we’ve ever enjoyed the summer more. I’ve listed some of our fave in-season produce (A to Z) below with links where possible to additional information and guides made possible by About.com...Happy 4th friends!

Apples come into season mid- to late-summer (best in late summer) and are harvested into fall in most apple-growing regions. I see a lot of apple picking in our future...

Basil grows alongside tomatoes very well (in the garden and on the plate with a little fresh mozzarella and olive oil!). Look for unblemished, leafy branches without flowers or buds.

Blueberries are the only berries that have a dull, matte finish to them when ripe. These little guys are a personal favorite for my Fruit and Veggie Smoothies.

Cherries are the best. I live for when cherries come into season. They're ready to harvest at the end of spring in warmer areas. Sweet cherries, are available from May to August. Sour cherries have a much shorter season, and can be found for a week or two, usually during the middle of June in warmer areas and as late as July and August in colder regions.

Chiles (hot peppers or hot chilies) need heat to ripen and get hot - look for them at the end of summer into early fall and spice up those dinner plates.

Corn is best the minute it is picked from the stalk, so best to look from local growers for sure. Grill up and slather with a little organic butter and dashes of salt and pepper.

Cucumbers can be as much as 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. Crazy! I love serving my cukes with hummus or dicing up in a Greek salad. 

Garlic is another produce item that we forget has a season; fresh garlic is at its sweetest best in late summer and fall. Yum!

Grapes ripen towards the end of summer where they grow best; the harvest continues into fall. Even though it’s still early summer, I’ve already been getting some very good red grapes thus far. 

Green onions should have fresh, green tops and firm, white bottoms (fresh-looking, pale roots still attached to the whites are a good sign too). We use these babies to add flavor to just about everything. 

Huckleberries (I hear) are a true treat of summer in areas lucky enough to have them. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a Huckleberry so I’ll have to add them to my list. For those who eat them often, enjoy!

Limes are the only citrus at their best in summer. Look for small, heavy-for-their-size fruits. Margarita time?!

Mangoes need tropical heat to ripen and come into their sweet best in late spring and summer in Florida and Hawaii. I love mangos but still unsure of how to peel one properly. I always buy them cubed even after many youtube videos. Any one out there with advice on this matter?

Okra needs heat to grow, so a nice long, hot summer in warmer climates brings out its best. Look for firm, plump pods. A true southern staple.

Peaches are one of the highlights of summer eating. Look for fruits that feel heavy for their size and that give just a bit when pushed. They make me miss GA. Peaches and fresh Vidalia onions...

Ramps are foraged in the spring and early summer and sometimes available at farmers markets and specialty stores. Ramp season is just waaaaaay too short :-(

Raspberries are the most delicate of all berries and also a summer smoothie staple.

Rhubarb is the first fruit of spring in many areas but stays in season into summer in most areas - look for heavy stalks with shiny skin. Perfect for jams and pies.

Shallots are milder, sweeter, and less bitter than their onion and garlic cousins—nice for salad dressings and good in really any dish you want add them to.

Spinach has a season?! It varies with your climate but yes. Year-round in temperate areas, summer and fall in cooler areas, fall through spring in warmers regions. A must in my smoothies and fresh salads.

Strawberries are mostly grown in California or Florida, where the strawberry growing season runs from January through November. Peak season is April through June. Who doesn’t love a good strawberry?

Tomatoes may be one of the number one draws to farmers markets and local eating. Try to sample tomatoes before you buy them if you can and don’t forget the aforementioned fresh basil and mozzarella! 

Watermelons should feel heavy for their size. Unlike other melons, watermelons don't tend to emit a smell even when they're ripe and ready to eat. A lovely dessert at summer BBQ’s and also a great component to cocktails, juices and smoothies. 

Zucchini & Other Summer Squash have a harvest season from summer into fall in most climates. Absolute perfection on the grill. Just marinade with Italian dressing, salt and pepper and voila! The perfect summer side dish. 

Below are pics from a recent trip I made to Athens Farmers Market in Athens, GA. Pretty!

Eat those fruits and veggies (when they’re in season if poss)! Your body will thank you.