Cheeseburger & fries at Buttermilk Channel restaurant in Brooklyn, NY
Manhattan may still be the best bet for fancy five-star meals, but now a foodie trip to NYC can’t be complete without a trip across the river for what’s being called “new Brooklyn cuisine”—farm-to-table fare featuring adventurous ingredient combinations, and served in a laid-back, barnyard-chic setting. These three newbies do it best.
Buttermilk Channel (524 Court Street): Every bite is a surprise at this somewhat-out-of-the-way Carroll Gardens restaurant. Complimentary popovers are dotted with sea salt and honey; house-made pickles bring a tangy, spicy kick; and roasted almonds are doused in maple and bacon. Read More »
Bar Pleiades at the Surrey Hotel
As you may have noticed, once overlooked hotel bars are slowly but surely becoming some of the best spots around for quality cocktails. These three new drinks are some of the most creative concoctions we’ve spied around Manhattan.
Aviation Cocktail: This gin-based drink served at the Grand Bar and Lounge at the Soho Grand Hotel has been popping up on an increasing number of classic cocktail menus in recent years. However, it’s still hard to find made, as it is here, with the originally intended ingredients. The secret is Creme de violette, a rare French flower-based liquor that just recently became available in this country. 31o West Broadway
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Lemon Fennel Doughnuts at Perilla
[Flickr / roboppy]
With the sixth season of Top Chef one episode away from crowning a new champ, we decided to take a look at where New York diners can find meals from the show’s former chef-testants. Of course, the not-so-secret problem behind the show’s premise is that the $100,000 Bravo gives winners to open the restaurant of their dreams is actually a pretty measly amount to anyone who has ever tried to open an eatery in a prime New York location.
Very few Top Chef-ers have actually been able to drop the sous from their title and open their own kitchens, at least not in Manhattan. But there are a few:
L'Ecole
[Flickr / roboppy]
Having grown accustomed to elaborate foodie feasts during the boom years, recession-era New Yorkers are always looking for a high-end restaurant discount. Some of the best deals can be found at restaurants attached to culinary academies, where you’ll get meals prepared by soon-to-be top chefs — complete with A-list ingredients, white tablecloths, and all the fancy trappings of a five-star restaurant — but at a fraction of the price because everyone from the kitchen crew to the waitstaff are still in school. These aren’t exactly bargain basement meals, but considering the quality of what you’re getting, they’re some of the best deals around. Read More »
