Goodman's Cafe, NYC

March 22, 2009

I was meeting a business associate and friend for lunch this week in midtown. Because I haven't worked in that section of the city for many years I asked her to choose the restaurant and she provided 2 choices that are both near her office on West 57th Street, Trattoria Del'Arte or as she called it "Ladies Lunch at Bergdorf's". I've been to Trattoria before and I was more than a little intrigued by "Ladies Lunch" so off we went.

If I was alone, I am not sure I would have found the small, one-room cafe tucked away a few steps down from the beauty level in Bergdorf Goodman's. The lunch menu consisted of pea soup and soup of the day, an assortment of a few other appetizers, a variety of very interesting chopped salads, tea sandwiches plus about five other specialty sandwiches. I chose the Gotham Salad which had chicken, ham, gruyere, beets (which I left out), tomatoes, bacon and egg all gently chopped and tossed with iceberg lettuce. I LOVE chopped salad and the heaping plate that arrived at our table definitely did not disappoint (either did the people watching!).

The service was top shelf which is not something that I normally associate with the traditional "cafe" but welcome nonetheless. Goodman's was nearly full (with women of all ages) yet there was something zen and relaxing about the environment especially compared to many bustling midtown restaurants that I have had lunch in over the years. It was not as hoi polloi a vibe (in a good way) as one might expect to find in the world renown Bergdorf Goodman's. I have given alot of thought about the pricing which ranges from about $14 for sandwiches to an average of about $20 per salad. I guess it is a bit of a splurge compared to a pizza place or Cosi or Cafe Europa but not compared to most other midtown restaurants. If you have a sweet tooth, all of their desserts are priced at a reasonable $7 so you may opt to just go mid-afternoon for a cup of coffee and a brownie, a sundae or a piece of carrot cake and the relaxing solitude that comes with it here.

If you want to take a "load off" during a busy day of working or shopping or are coming into the city for the day for a show or for sightseeing, this "off-the-beaten path" eatery is worth a visit. Goodman's has quickly become my new favorite place "to lunch" when I am in the area. It is a a fun and different dining experience and also great for window shopping!

Enjoy!
Foodie

Goodman's Cafe
Located Inside Bergdorf Goodman
754 Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th
NY, NY
Phone: 212 872 8708
view menu on www.menupages.com

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Giorgione, NYC

March 11, 2009

Giorgione in downtown Manhattan is always a good dining experience. I used to work in the area so I have been there more times than I can count for lunch and dinner and I actually planned and hosted an event there for my previous company. About a week ago, when visiting for lunch, I was reflecting on the fact that I couldn't remember ever having a bad meal there so I thought I would get out my highlighter and mention it for all of you foodies out there.

The menu is straight-forward Italian comfort food and the service is good. It is not somewhere that you need to travel great distances to go to, but if you are in the neighborhood or even visiting the city for the day it is a definite recommend. During the busier lunch and dinner hours, it does tend to get a little loud so if you are looking for a quiet evening, go somewhere else. Also, it is always good to check the menu on-line to make sure it is in your price range because I did feel that their lunch menu may have recently had a price-infusion compared to past visits.

They have eight or more thin crust pizza offerings from the traditional margherita to quatro formaggi, to prosciutto and I have probably at one time or another sampled all of them. At my recent visit, my friend had the Bresaola Pizza with air dried beef, parmigiano and arugula which he said was very good. For the first time, I ordered the veal milanese because I always had food envy watching one of my former colleagues eat it every time we were there (and I was starving!) and I was glad I finally took the plunge. It is really thin and comes covered with a mixed green and tomato salad and it is very tasty! I can also vouch for the "Spaghetti Chitarra al Pomodoro" and have had the risotto of the day more than once, depending on what it is. From the appetizer menu, the "Mozzarella di Bufala" melts in your mouth and the "Fritto Misto", crispy calamari and shrimp with lemon and sea salt, are a good way to get started though many of the salads and prosciutto look to be yummy as well. For dessert, they have lots of traditional Italian sweets, but as you know, I usually go with the cheese offerings and I never regret it!

Of note, for dinner they also have a raw bar with oysters and other fresh seafood.

Bon Appetit!
Foodie

Giorgione Restaurant
307 Spring Street, NYC
Phone 212 352 2269
Website www.giorgionenyc.com

Empanada Mama, NYC

February 24, 2009

Foodie is pleased to announce the return of Senor Food in his second guest appearance:

Senor Food is back and this time I have brought with me a friend, and that friend is...The Empanada. Some of you may be asking "What is an Empanada?" An empanada (not to be confused with the Portuguese empada) is a stuffed pastry. The name comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. The empanada is made by folding a thin circular-shaped dough patty around the stuffing, creating its typical semi-circular shape. To put it simply, it is awesome! (definitions courtesy of Wikipedia and Empanada Mama's website).

I recently returned to Empanada Mama in NYC with a friend and it was even better the second time around. Now understand this is not a fancy place by any stretch of the imagination and I would not suggest making a special trip in to the city to eat here but if you are in NYC or are going to be and you want something a little different, it is amazing! The restaurant is small so if you are going for lunch, get there by 12:15 or after 2pm as it fills up very quickly.

I was not shy when I ordered and recommend you try as many varieties as you think you can handle. If you are a fan of foods that have cooked pineapples in them, I STRONGLY suggest you order the Hawaiian (ham, sauteed pineapples and mozzarella cheese). I also scarfed down a Cheese Steak, Reggaeton (Caribbean style roast pork with sofrito seasoned yellow rice and peas), Spicy Chicken, Beef & Broccoli Teriyaki, Spinach & Cheese, Mushrooms (sauteed portobello & white mushrooms with onions) and Chorizo.

Settle down with the judging as this was done over TWO visits, not just one. The empanadas range in price from $2.25 to $3.oo each. Very affordable, even in harsh economic times. The menu also offers many full entrees as well as salad, tapas and soup selections. They have a fun and interesting drink menu featuring Postobon Sodas, natural fruit shakes, coffees and hot chocolate.

It is something different when you just don't know what you want for lunch. If I could, I would probably head there right now.

Arriba!
Senor Food

PS: The guacamole is great and the website is a riot.

Empanada Mama
763 9th Avenue (between 51st and 52nd street), NYC
Phone: 212.698.9008
Website: www.empmamanyc.com

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DIET GIRL I AM

January 21, 2009

I have been reading a certain Dr. Seuss book to my kids every night for about 3 weeks so I thought I would share my own life-version with you. Can you guess which book?



I am Sam
Sam I am.
I do not like that Sam I am.
Do you like salads every day?
I do not, no way.
Do you like them here or there?
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I would not could not, in the rain.
Not in the dark. Not on a train.
Not in a car. Not in a tree.
I do not like them, Sam you see.
Not in a house. Not in a box.
Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.
I do not like salads every day!
Try them, Try them and you may.
What's that you say?
The no-fat dressings make you sob?
Try balsamic from Olde Cape cod.
Chop the salad really small and
you will be walking tall.
Sam, if you will let me be,
I will try it you will see. (pause)
I DO LIKE SALADS EVERYDAY!
I will do what you say!
Chop, chop, chop and Olde Cape Cod
Give a girl a happy bod!

The truth of the matter is that I started my diet about 15 days ago (but who's counting?) and after 1 week and 7 or 8 salad dressings later, I could not imagine how people eat a salad (or 2) everyday and actually enjoy it. I literally came home every other day from the grocery store with 3 new no-fat or low-fat salad dressings and I thought they were all terrible. Everyone makes a balsamic dressing but they all tasted bitter.

I was sharing my dilemma over a non-diet dinner with one of my friends and she suggested OLDE CAPE COD'S BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE (the bonus is that it is fat free). I must admit that I was skeptical considering I had already tried so many other brands but what did I have to lose so I picked up a bottle anyway. Much to my surprise she was right- it made the salad bearable, dare I say almost enjoyable? By the way, did I say that she is my skinniest, healthiest, salad-loving friend? I should have never doubted that she would be right about which dressing was the best so a shout out to her- you know who you are- keep those tips coming!

A couple of other salad tips that have been learned along the way:

Chop, chop, chop...I really do think it makes a difference if the lettuce, vegetables and everything else are chopped into very small pieces. I think the flavors mix together better and it is easier to toss with the dressing. My father-in-law makes a fabulous chopped salad which is what made me think to try it. It is also reminiscent of my favorite chopped salad of all time at ISABELLA'S on 77th street in NYC where I used to go for lunch any chance I would get. It takes me back...


Depending on your diet, if you can add fruit, an egg, some shrimp or chicken or chopped or shredded cheese, it definitely gives the salad a little extra UMMPH (albeit with a few more calories)! One add-on that I have found that really pushes the salad over the edge for me is croutons (or crunchy chinese noodles). I am willing to forgo the extra 1 or 2 pounds that I might lose over the course of a year in order to add them considering if you buy the right brand you can have 10-20 of them in your salad and it is only 1 to 1.5 grams of fat and 35 Calories. (I like CHATHAM VILLAGE GARDEN HERB)

I hope you have found some of these tips helpful (and healthy).

Note: My beloved salad is still on the menu at ISABELLA'S and it looks like they have added some additional chopped salads as well. As it turns out they are also starting a year-long celebration for their 20 year anniversary and are offering up recipes on-line from their original menus as well as some specials so check out their site if you are interested- details below.

Sadly, I have not lost any more weight since last week but I am staying the course for a little bit longer because I feel skinnier and healthier and it is mind above matter, right?

Gotta go eat lunch now.

Until next week...
Diet Girl

Restaurant: Isabella's
Location: 359 Columbus Avenue, NYC (corner of 77th street)
Phone: 212.724.2100
Website: www.brguestrestaurants.com

Affordable Pre-Theater Restaurants

December 17, 2008

This post is in response to an off-line question that I received this week…

Q: Where can I go in NYC this week before the Christmas Spectacular that is not too pricey?

A: First, you should look at Jean-Georges’ blog and website that you can access through Foodie Favorites (lower right hand corner) or at www.Jean-Georges.com . All of his restaurants are currently offering price-fixes and some also have wine and drink specials. The locations are scattered throughout the city and the food is always great so it will really depend what you are in the mood for, how easily you can get around and how much time you have.

A long-standing theater-district favorite of mine which I first went to as a teenager with family friends is Becco at 355 W 46th Street, phone 212.397.7597. They have a great lunch and dinner pre-fixe that usually includes salad and/or antipasti and unlimited servings tableside of the 3 pastas of the day. Check the website for more details. www.becco-nyc.com (Besides the pasta special they have a full a la carte menu.) They also have a good and reasonably priced wine list- all bottles around $25.

If you really want to keep the prices down and/or are looking for a very family-friendly locale, there is always John’s Pizza which sounds like a little pizza joint but is a huge, two floor, Italian/pizza restaurant in the heart of Times Square- 260 W44th Street, phone (212) 391-7560, www.johnspizzerianyc.com They have great thin crust pizzas but lots and lots of other Italian favorites.

I would recommend a reservation at all of the above places, especially during the holiday season.

Good luck! Let us know how it works out and/or chime in if you have other recommendations! (just click on the comments tab under this posting and you can add your own post!)

Aqua Grill, NYC

December 12, 2008

I recently ate lunch at one of my old downtown NYC staples, Aqua Grill. It was a busy and bustling Friday and while I had a lovely glass of Beaujolais Blanc Chardonnay amongst a full bar of diners, the camaraderie of the patrons and the staff reminded me of a scene right out of “Cheers”.

One of my favorite things about the menu here is the very large selection of oysters (25-30 different varieties every day)- you can order as few or as many as you wish and will not be limited to ordering by the dozen or the half dozen. If you normally eat oysters with cocktail sauce, you will be forever converted after you have had the amazingly tasty vinaigrette that they serve. While you are pondering the menu, you get a tasty bread plate with focaccia, corn bread and a roll- all freshly baked. Of course I had the oysters to start and then taking a cue from a fellow guest, I ordered one of the specials- Lobster, Crab, Mushroom and Pumpkin Gnocchi and it was DELICIOUS!

The everyday menu has a good seafood selection, and is balanced out with a mix of sandwiches, pastas and salads and having eaten here a number of times, everything is consistently very good. There is also a nice selection of both wine by the glass and the bottle.
If you’ve never been to Aqua Grill, it is definitely worth a visit and if you have, it is always good to see old friends!

Enjoy!

Foodie

Restaurant: Aqua Grill
Location: 210 Spring Street, NY, NY
Phone: (212) 274-0505
Website: www.aquagrill.com