Friday May 14th

6:30pm

40 Broad Street (located on the second floor of The Setai)

I met the Wine Dutchess for an afternoon work session at the Hive at 55 to design her new logo—and since we were already on Broad Street we felt compelled to stop in SHO for a Friday evening cocktail. SHO is located on the second floor of The Setai, luxury condos that are a brand extension of the Miami namesake. A quick elevator ride after entering the small black and red lobby you step in to the bar and lounge area of SHO. The space is very sleek and minimal, evocative of Miami Beach style – except here the Stock Exchange is steps away rather than the beach. Just past the entrance is a walkway lined with wine bottles from floor to ceiling set behind glass, which leads to the main dining area. I had dinner in the dining room back in January and the 6 courses were mostly a hit (one or two dishes were misses, they felt a little dated like they belonged in the movie Wall Street circa 1987), but I digress. Tonight was about the cocktails and a cheese plate, which at $20 for the chef’s selection of 6 came complete with a lesson in fromages from our server. We learned that fine blue cheese is often cored and served with champagne in the center, that fruit paste is meant to cleanse your pallet between tasting the different types of cheese (as ginger does for sushi) and that cheese plate selections are presented left to right from fresh to sharp.

Tip: Monday – Friday SHO offers a 3-course prix fixe lunch for $30, a small price for a fine dining experience.

Cocktail

• French 75 in Padua – Aperol, Citadelle, Prosecco, Blood Orange

Chef’s Selection of Cheeses

• Lynnhaven Goat Cheese, Comté, Langres and two that were off the menu including a blue and and a Sheeps Milk

  

  The cheese plate was small for $20, but delicious.

  

  French 75 in Padua made with blood orange and Prosecco

  
  
  

Good for: Expense check dinners, Special Occasion, Foodies, cocktails, award winning Wine list, Fine Dining in FiDI, Prix Fixe Lunch

Wednesday May 5th

12:30am
9 9th Avenue

After spending the evening across the street at the rooftop of the Gansevoort for a French Tuesdays party the group decided to grab one more drink before heading home. Pastis is not only a spot for classic French Bistro dining and brunch – it’s also got a great late night bar scene and the kitchen is open until 1am (2am on Thursday and Friday, 230 am on Saturday) featuring a paired down supper menu. The late night scene is dark and candle lit with a very laid back vibe. You can grab a seat at the bar if you’re looking to make new friends, or get a table if you’re looking to enjoy an order of Moules Frites or an omlette with fresh herbs. Owned by restaurateur Keith McNally chances are you’ve been to one of his other locations which include: Pravda, Balthazar, Schiller’s Liquor Bar (my personal favorite), Morandi and most recently Minetta Tavern. Pastis also offers outdoor seating, which in the Meatpacking District guarantees good people watching.

Cocktail

• Mojito – served in a tall glass over crushed ice with fresh mint, possibly the best one I’ve had in NYC

Good for: Late Night, Mojitos, Dine at the Bar, Outdoor Seating, Brunch, Dinner, Business Lunch, People Watching

Friday April 16th, 2010
12:45pm
15 west 56th street (Chambers Hotel)

After attending a morning session of the Behance 99% Conference at the Felissimo Design House I realized I was across the street from the Chambers Hotel, home to the newly opened Midtown outpost of Momofuku Milk Bar and David Chang’s newest venture Má Pêche. Since last Fall Má Pêche has been operating out of the mezzanine at the Chambers Hotel, only offering the Midtown Lunch – a $10 box lunch to-go featuring a choice of Banh Mi with a water or soda (add a Momofuku Milk Bar peanut butter cookie for an extra $1.85). The dining room on the main level recently opened for lunch at the beginning of April, but since I was dining solo I opted for the more laid back option of the 2nd floor mezzanine. It was set up like any other trendy hotel lobby upstairs – oversized couches, a few chairs and tables, shelves lined with books on Warhol and New York City photography- however you can sit wherever you like and order from a streamlined menu. Most of the items are around $16 (with the exception of the skirt steak at $29) and there’s no sides or accompaniments. In the true style of David Chang my pork spareribs were so tender and flavorful in a lemongrass carmel reduction that a few field greens on the side wouldn’t of added anything more to the meal.

NOTE: The Banh mi ($10) is only offered on the bar menu available on the mezzanine level and not the dining room, so if this is what you’re craving head upstairs.

Lunch

• Côtelletes de porc (Newman’s Farm, MO) – pork ribs, coated in peanuts and served in a lemongrass caramel reduction

Good for: Business Lunch, dining Solo, Pork, Milk Bar Treats, $10 Midtown Lunch (to-go), Did I mention Pork?

Friday March 5, 2010
1:15pm
29 Cornelia Street

I set up a networking lunch and needed to find a location along the A/C line. My first thought was the Cornelia Street Café located just around the corner of the West 4th Street station. Cornelia Street is one of those quintessential New York streets, lined with trees and small cafes in the heart of the West Village. While they accept reservations, you can generally just walk in for lunch on weekdays. The menu is a mix of American Nouveau with French bistro classics. A brunch menu is available in addition to lunch every day of the week, just  in case you need a mid-week egg bennies fix. The extensive wine list is also a draw. The front dining room is a little tight, but once seated you can enjoy a good meal and conversation in a leisurely setting.

Lunch:

• Sesame-crusted salmon over warm asian vegetables with a ginger wasabi vinaigrette (served medium)

Wine pairing:

• Torrontes (Argentina, a nice alternative to Sauvignon Blanc)

Good for: wine list, business lunch, casual meal, sidewalk seating, West Village charm, brunch, late-night, prix-fixe

Wednesday March 3, 2010
1:15pm
31 Union Square West

Meeting a colleague for a business lunch,we decided on the Union Square area since it was centrally located. BR Guest restaurants are consistent in their food and provide a nice atmosphere to escape from the office for an hour or so. The meal won’t be ground-breaking, but it will be good and usually served quickly. This may be an indicator that you’re food isn’t necessarily prepared for you, rather waiting for you – but they are catering to the business lunch crowd. We were seated immediately without a reservation even though the dining room was mostly filled.

Lunch:

• Seafood cobb salad with shrimp, crab and avocado (served in a deconstructed fashion)

Wine pairing:

• Sauvignon Blanc

Good for: business lunch, post-work happy hour, the seafood tower