While New York and other cities are in the midst of a retro and classic revival— cocktails, speakeasies, supper clubs— here are a few restaurants and bars that are synonymous with old-school New York and are actually the real deal.
Grand Central Oyster Bar
Order a plate of local or West Coast oysters from the extensive list of mollusks, crustaceans and other seafood from the daily changing menu. Grab a table or a seat at the counter in the tiled, domed ceiling dining hall and soak in the history of New York in the nearly century-old lower level restaurant. Tip: Be sure to look out for or sign up to receive updates on seasonal offerings like spring shad and summer herring.
The Campbell Apartment
Named after American tycoon John W. Campbell, who once used the space as his office is now a cozy bar (think fireplace and wooden beamed ceilings) hidden in the back of Grand Central. Get dolled up, cozy up next to your date and be sure to limit your intake of the house punch, which will leave you spinning. Tip: The dress code here is somewhat formal— sneakers or shorts are not allowed.
Bemelman's Bar
Named after Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the children books Madeline, whose illustrations decorate the upholstered walls, Bemelman's Bar is a grown-up bar where you can order an Old Fashioned and be Donald Draper for a night. Tip: Check out Monday nights when Woody Allen often plays with his jazz band. You'll have to purchase tickets in advance.
Lombardi's
Brave the crowds and tourists—the slices of New York Neopolitan-style pizza are worth the wait. Sure, there are dozens of pizzerias in New York that are great, but Lombardi's boasts to be the first in America and uses coals to fire up their "Original" Margherita, clam, homemade meatball and white — mozzarella, ricotta, Romano cheeses with oregano, basil and garlic—pies. Tip: To avoid hour-long waits, Lombardi's also delivers within a vast one mile perimeter.
Peter Luger
With steakhouses and spinoffs dotted around greater New York, Peter Luger is the gold standard. Nestled by the Williamsburg Bridge, Peter Luger is worth the trek across the river for those who are not looking for a cholesterol-free meal. Order the dry-aged steak for two, three or even four with a side of German Fried Potatoes and, if that's not enough artery-clogging goodness, an appetizer of a thick slab of bacon. Tip: Go for lunch and order the Luger-Burger, but be sure to hit the ATM beforehand as they only accept cash.
Keen's
In an unlikely location in Manhattan's Koreatown near Herald Square lies a former pipe-smoking club and one of the city's best steakhouses. The dark room is lined with clay smoking pipes belonging to former members such as Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein and J.P. Morgan. The dim lighting, wood paneling and taxidermy complete the boys' club ambiance. Be sure to order their signature mutton chop — an enormous cut of bone-in lamb. Tip: For a less intimidating experience, grab a bite or a nightcap at the restaurant's pub.
'21' Club
This infamous former speakeasy is number 21 on 52nd Street. With various rooms— some private, multi-leveled, two different design motives— opt for a seat at the Bar Room. This famous boys' club is the site where Frank Sinatra, JFK, Richard Nixon (who had his own wines stored in the hidden wine cellar used during the Prohibition) and well-known CEO's invented the power lunch. Expect American classics from Chef John Greenley like shrimp cocktail, crab cake and a '21' Burger served with sautéed onions, preserved tomatoes, and frisée on a Parker House bun. Tip: Jeans and sneakers are not allowed and jackets are required for men.
Katz's Deli
In the midst of New York's sodium crackdown, the Katz's corned beef sandwich's astonishingly sodium equivalent of 10 McDonald's hamburgers hasn't slowed down thousands of New Yorkers and tourists from taking the trip to Mecca and a New York institution that has been open since 1888. Come in, take a number, queue up for the corned beef or pastrami sandwich on rye with lots of pickles, take a seat — perhaps where Sally sat in the infamous deli scene in When Harry Met Sally— and enjoy amongst other diners just looking for good food. Tip: Can't decide between corned beef or pastrami? Ask to try both and be sure to tip, the meat guys will reward you with extra meat.
Grand Central Oyster Bar
89 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017-5503
212.490.6650
The Campbell Apartment
15 Vanderbilt Ave
New York, NY 10017
212.953.0409
Bemelman's Bar
New York, NY 10021
35 East 76th Street
212.744.1600
Lombardi's
32 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012-4173
212.941.7994
Peter Luger
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.387.7400
Keen's
72 West 36th Street
New York, NY 10018
212.947.3636
'21 Club'
21 West 52nd Street
New York City, NY 10019
212.582.7200
Katz's
205 East Houston Street
New York, NY 10002-1098
212.254.2246
For us East Siders making an effort to jump in a cab and head to the Flatiron requires some motivation. Whether it be a gorgeous day to gallivant and discover new boutiques or a big sale at ABC Home. Today after reading online about Aldea it was a simple reflex.
Tip: Try the same dish you love at five famous restaurants and take a few mental notes while you are eating. Then compare notes with pals. Reviews can often be misleading. What could be tastier than blood-orange dressed scallops a top Farro risotto? Orgasmic. Pardon my French. It's $26 I could justify day in and day out. Tip: Cirtus with seafood balance textures and sweet with salty notes. The creamy farro serves as the pudding to comfort the glutton within.
People step out of your comfort zones and discover new spots, it's spring. Time for a fresh new beginning. And if that's not enough perhaps the basket of fresh beignets served with an orange compote, dark chocolate creme and apple caramel can lure you to new environs. Trick: This is a dessert you can whip up at home in a minutes that is perfect for all tastes. Just ask the server for a plate to dust off the excess sugar coating and you'll save a few calories to ensure your next trip.
Aldea
31 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
212.675.7223
The Mark
25 East 77th Street
New York, NY 10075-1711
212.744.4300
Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria
282 Bowery
New York, NY 10012
917.289.9357
ABC Kitchen
35 E. 18th Street
(Park Ave. So. and Broadway)
New York, NY 10003
212-475-5829
Cipriani SoHo
376 West Broadway
Between Spring & Broome Streets
New York, NY 10012
212.343.0999
Marea
240 Central Park South
New York, NY 10019-1457
212.582.5100
Brio
137 East 61st Street
New York, NY 10065
212.980.2300
Like the pride of any New Yorker, Australians boast the superiority of their representative state. The state of Victoria is the heart of footy and in some Aussies' opinion the home to the best footballers in the country. In the sport of Australian Rules Football, the State of Origin game was born in the late 1970's to determine which Aussies reigned supreme, the Vics or the Allies.
Aussies are just as competitive about their wine. The Land Down Under has quickly become the 4th largest exporter of wine in the world and is also the 2nd largest importer to the United States. With so many alternatives, which Australian region is choice for the best wines in the country? In the spirit of friendly competition, The Australian Restaurant and Bar hosted a "State of Origin Wine Tasting" featuring wines from all over Oz and exploring the varying tastes and possibilities of each region. Here's the low down on the vino contenders and their culinary support:
Chardonnay
Nugan Estate (King Valley, Victoria) vs. Robert Oatley (Mudgee, New South Wales) Paired with sticky shrimp with Asian, sesame soy sauce and spicy calamari with ginger.
With its varied terrain, King Valley's most popular grape is Chardonnay. The Nugan Estate Chardonnay has a deep color and smell characterized by oak and tropical fruit flavors. A fuller bodied wine, the legs drift slowly down the glass, while a delicate flavor persists and intensifies after each sip.
Produced in Mudgee, New South Wales, a region named "Nest in the Hills" by aboriginal Australians, Robert Oatley is a sweeter smelling Chardonnay with quick legs. Its buttery texture is defined by citrus flavors of orange and lemon with a trace of melon and apple.
Pinot Noir
TarraWarra (Yarra Valley, Victoria) vs. Jacob's Creek Reserve (Barossa Valley, South Eastern Australia) Paired with lamb lollipop with mash and veggies.
The Yarra Valley is the oldest and most visited wine region in Australia. Their tenure as the most experienced wine producers is evident in the TarraWarra Pinot Noir. A wine with slow legs and a smooth scent of caramel and deep fruits, TarraWarra has a delicate flavor that remains long after the last sip.
Barossa Valley has the perfect climate for medium-bodied reds like Jacob's Creek Reserve Pinot Noir. The drinker's experience of this wine opens with a strong fruity, acidic smell, and continues with an evenly balanced flavor with tinges of oak, strawberry, and rhubarb.
Shiraz
Green Point Reserve (Yarra Valley, Victoria) vs. D'arenberg "Footbolt" (McLaren Vale, South Australia) Paired with authentic mini meat pies and salad.
Because of the temperamental climate of the Yarra Valley, Shiraz is rarely produced. The Green Point Reserve proves that less is more when it comes to limited Shiraz production. A delicious wine with plenty of tannins and aromas of peppery cherry spice, this Shiraz boasts a silky, polished experience from start to finish.
Named after a racehorse from the early 1900's, the D'arenberg Footbolt comes from the McLaren Vale region of South Australia. Interestingly, this region's biggest concern in wine production is environmental sustainability. Wine producers avidly avoid using chemicals to prevent pest and disease. Their interest in the earth pays off with this deep red-purple colored Shiraz. The mixture of berry and then pepper scents entices the palate. Footbolt is well--rounded in taste with rich, earthy tones after the initial fruit flavor burst.
Dessert Wines
Pfeiffer Muscat (Rutherglen, Victoria) vs. Chateau Reynella Tawny Port (McLaren Vale, South Australia) Paired with an Australian dessert favorite, Tim Tams, chocolate biscuits filled with a light chocolate cream.
The Pfeiffer Muscat hails from Rutherglen, Victoria, a region that is world famous for fortified wines with high sugar levels. Muscat is one of the most noted fortified wines. The Pfeiffer is rich with cherry flavors and a nutty finish. While initially sharp to taste, once this wine opens up it goes down easily with a clean, quick finish.
The Chateau Reynella Tawny Port is a red-amber color distinguished by an aroma with hints of fig, dried fruits, and nuts. This fortified tawny port is aged for 12 years in oak casts, which makes the first taste on your tongue, well...shocking. However, the port evolves into a sweet spirit with spice as it runs down your throat, finishing with hazelnut and almonds.
Vic vs. The Rest
In the end it was unanimous, the wines from Victoria were superior as a result of Victoria's cooler climate, which in turn produces wines with a lower acidity. However, all of these Aussie wines are winners in the book of great wines for great prices with all bottles priced at $20 or less. It is certain that Australian wines can compete with some of the best reds and whites produced all over the world.
Coming from a Sicilian background, Italian food can be a tough sell. Italians always have one bold opinion, "Nothing beats my Nonna's sauce." Nevertheless, I'm always traversing around Brooklyn and Manhattan on a mission to find my favorite Italian place (other than my family's kitchen). While walking through Park Slope, Brooklyn, I happened upon Provini, a quaint, dimly lit Italian place on the corner of 8th Avenue and 13th Street.
It was a Friday night, and the place was packed from wall to wall. I was soon to find out that it wasn't because of the actual size of the place. Provini's décor is a mixture of old and new Italian with small marble dining tables and white, decorated tiles lining the walls and ceiling to brighten up the candle-lit room. Luckily for my friend and I, we spotted two seats at the end of the long wooden bar and sat for a drink and appetizer. The ambiance of Provini naturally says, "Sit down. Take your time. Enjoy." Despite the place being full, there was no rush in ordering from the extensive list of Italian wines presented by our bartender.
Full of hidden gems, Provini's wine selection is definitely worth more than one visit. The Amanzio 2008 from the Colacino vineyard in Calabria was the most deceptive wine I've ever tasted. A bold fruit scent misleads your palate's intuition into believing it will be overly fruity. However, the tinge of berry followed by a vibrant, deep, long-lasting finish makes your taste buds crave another sip. The Britto, also from Colacino, was another hit. A full-bodied wine with strong tannins and hints of oak, this velvety vino was definitely my favorite of the evening.
After enjoying the Villabella Montemazzano 2005, which was decently priced and delicious with a lively, earthy scent, and tinge of nutmeg, our appetizer arrived. The mussels were perfectly soft and not overly chewy with a white wine, marinara sauce that warmed your stomach. Served with crostini, the sauce beckoned another piece for dipping.
In the end, we dined at the bar with the background noise of colorful, hand gesture driven conversation in a mixture of Italian and English. Amongst discussions about Italian cinema and the butchery of the Italian language, I enjoyed a dish of Gnocchi Ragu, which was a bit past al dente; however, the sauce was its saving grace and a knockout from the first bite.
While the entree wasn't the shining star of the evening, the attentive service definitely was. As for the sauce, it may not have topped Nonna's, but Provini's attention to complex, yet simple flavor was without a doubt on par. The wine alone was enough to make a return visit, not to mention the list of Italian craft beers offered. Call me a sucker for generous tastings of wine or anything Italian in general, nevertheless I left Provini absolutely sold.
Provini is participating in Dine In Brooklyn, running from March 15-25.
Provini
1302 8th Avenue
(between 13th Street & 14th Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.369.2154
Tags : Povini Park Slope, Park Slope restaurants, Brooklyn dining, Dine In Brooklyn, Calabria, Colacino, Villabella Montemazzano 2005, Behind the Burner, Christina Licata
One of the things that I am best at in this world is cheating...on a diet that is. I can cheat with the best of them and sometimes it pays off; just as long as I don't quit. You know what I mean. We get through the morning with a nutritious breakfast of egg whites with red peppers and whole grain bread. You feel great. Then the afternoon hits, your blood sugar is low and you can't stop for food en route to an important meeting. By the time you hit the pavement in search of lunch you are ravenous and you grab the first thing you see: a hot dog, a slice of pizza. Oh no, you blew it. You cheated on your diet. It's at this point you do one of two things; stay a cheater or become a quitter.
So you can dust yourself off and say "Okay I ate that pizza. It tasted good but I will do better for the rest of the day." Or you wallow in your own self pity and throw all caution to the wind and say "well I blew it, I might as well just throw in the towel today and start again tomorrow. I might as well have that chocolate brownie sundae and also that fried chicken I've been craving for dinner." That quitting attitude is a recipe for failure. You will only make the same mistakes tomorrow and you will never successfully break the cycle.
Tip: If you fall off the wagon, clean yourself up and get right back on. We all stumble, we all need breaks. Trick: By allowing yourself to cheat once in awhile or even a tiny bit every day with a maybe a dark chocolate morsel here or spoonful of frozen yogurt here, you really win. Your body will thank you, you will not feel deprived and you will see results because you will have the energy and ambition to push forward. It's one of the great lessons I've learned on this long journey of weight loss, and it has helped me the shed of 10 unwanted pounds faster than I thought possible.
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