April 19, 2010 6:22 pm

Music to My Stomach: Brunch at Chelsea's Vnyl

In New York, the majority of the week we're on the go and too busy to leave the house with much more than a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. We all look forward to weekends and the sheer number of NYC restaurants to grab a great brunch and Bloody Mary with friends. Deciding to stray from my regular weekend visits to The Smith, I met some of my girlfriends at Vnyl, a hip brunch spot in Chelsea.

Vnyl is everything music, although I must say I was surprised when Celine Dion came blaring from the speakers. The extensive menus are printed on old, vinyl covers with choices ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Rod Stewart. Tip: Don't be fooled by Justin Timberlake's dressing room...it's the unisex bathroom with a life-sized painting of Justin himself.

With spring finally peeking out behind fickle city weather, the outside seating at Vnyl (though sparse) is relaxing and refreshing. If you're not lucky enough to snag a spot outside before it gets packed, the spacious booths in the fifties style diner are comfortable enough to take a nap in. Trick: Vnyl's large windows open up the space and sunlight showers the inside, making it seem like you are almost sitting out on the sidewalk.

While the service was definitely not superb (not the norm from my friend's experience), we couldn't complain about the extra "free" Bloody Mary our table received. The mimosas were just as tasty and cheap. Besides the delicious mixing power of the bartenders, the extensive selection of alcohol behind the bar also stirred my curiosity about happy hour at Vnyl, which runs weekly from 4PM to 9PM at the bar.

The Vnyl Scramble, a tasty heap of scrambled eggs, scallions and watercress on top of a pile of homemade hash browns with a side of bacon and toast, was enough to fill my stomach until dinner. My friend's sole reason for frequenting Vnyl a little too regularly is the Brioche French Toast. Tip: The Make Your Own Omelet is a popular choice for those who are undecided or have diet restrictions.

By the time our dishes were empty, Vnyl was still booming. Although we had to wait for our coffee and food longer than we expected, we were comfortable and thankful that we didn't have to make it ourselves. After all, weekends are all about relaxing. I'll definitely return to Vnyl, but my heart and stomach still belong to The Smith.

Vnyl: Chelsea
102 8th Avenue
(between 15th Street and 8th Avenue)
New York, NY 10011
212.400.2118

Vnyl: Hell's Kitchen
754 9th Avenue
(at 51st Street)
New York, NY 10019
212.974.2003

— Written by Christina Licata

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Tags : Vynl, Chelsea brunch spots, Manhattan brunch, Christina Licata, Behind the Burner, Vynyl happy hour, music cafe, Vynyl Scramble, Brioche French Toast, Make Your Own Omelet

March 22, 2010 12:36 pm

Provini: Park Slope's Place to Get Saucy

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

— Written by Christina Licata

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Tags : Povini Park Slope, Park Slope restaurants, Brooklyn dining, Dine In Brooklyn, Calabria, Colacino, Villabella Montemazzano 2005, Behind the Burner, Christina Licata