N.Y.C. II - Food - December 2023/January 2024.
We were unexpectedly bumped up to business class.
Very classy.
Too bad it didn’t reoccur for our return to SFO.
Those who know me will know the ham was brushed aside.
The book was okay. It’s not well written & very wordy but gives quite an enlightening view of life in Bangalore. India in the 1920’s. I put it aside to read NY TIMES best seller The Wager, for my Old Spokes book club. Wow. Fabulous. Not being a big reader of non-fiction, I was enthralled. For the first time in a long time, all the book club attendees liked the book. More than that, really liked it. One guy read it twice so he could savor various sections again.
One of our favorite restaurants in Manhattan.
After settling in at Hotel Elysée, we walked the 1.6 miles crosstown & uptown. This 40 minute walk gave us a chance to be immersed into lights & myriads of people at Christmas time in Manhattan.
At the Cafe we were sitting next to a mother & son & the mother’s sister, all visiting from Paris. A sweet conversation ensued with the mom translating for her sister & son.
"Welcome to MATTO, the espresso bar that aims to change the world."
We were ready for coffee; it looked inviting, so in we went.
It was good.
The Foundry Bar in The Times Sq. Westin Hotel.
We don’t remember how or when we discovered this venue but it’s been a perfect spot for pre- theatre libations & food for years now. The street view is great to watch. We went twice during this trip.
Sahadi's @ Pier 57 James Beard Food Hall.
Sahadi’s was established in 1899 in Manhattan & moved their HQ to B’klyn in 1948.
I/we had never heard of them. We’ll visit their Atlantic Ave. Brooklyn location on our next visit to NYC.
Shahadi's @ Pier 57 James Beard Food Hall.
Freshly chopped tomatoes.
Dizzy's Club to see Carlos Henriquez Nonet:"A NUYORICAN TALE."
Jumbo Bagels where we went for bagels or bialys each morning. The one mile round trip from the Hotel Elysée was our warmup for the day.
La Delice Pastry Shop, Inc. 27th & 3rd.
Estab'd 1935. www.LaDelicePastry.com
La Delice Pastry Shop.
Twelve, count ‘em, 12, types of mandel bread!
Mandel bread…
…was one of my mom’s pastry specialties. She made one type, with or without chocolate frosting.
The pickles & slaw, for each person, come out before you have even ordered.
2nd Ave. Deli at…
…toidy toid & toid, Manhattan.
Across the aisle. The dad finished it all, with a tiny bit of help from his wife.
2nd Ave. Deli.
I did finish this.
2nd Ave. Deli & on Lexington Ave., Pastrami Queen, have the best pastrami.
Instead of the mini egg cream they used to serve with the check.
I was told that they had trouble getting the chocolate syrup in the large size.
In the Common Room of the Hotel Elysée.
They had an espresso machine, snacks & pastries available all day.
We were going to the MET to see The Magic Flute.
Il Violino was a few blocks away.
Il Violino - Trattoria Italiano.
We had these biscotti for several days, including on the flight home. Dipped in an espresso macchiato, yum!
Reminiscent of mandel bread.
Il Violino - Trattoria Italiano.
I noshed on a potato knish while we walked through the Lower East Side en route to Cafe Reggio.
Yonah Schimmel makes the best knishes.
Caffe Reggio.
Naomi’s caffè mocha wasn’t sweet in the least. It was hard to drink.
New Year’s eve dinner at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Lightscape - Catered by Danny Meyer Union Square Hospitality Group.
New Year’s eve dinner at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Lightscape - Catered by Danny Meyer Union Square Hospitality Group.
Épicerie Boulud on Broadway near Lincoln Center.
Ci Siamo - A Danny Meyer restaurant near Penn Sta. & the Hudson Yards.
Our third Danny Meyer experience in the week.
Ci Siamo.
That’s the Empire State Building in the window.
Ci Siamo.
Our server, Patricia, at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden not only told us about this restaurant but also suggested we order the “Cast Iron Focaccia tomato conserva.” Oh boy!
Pesce Fritti.
Our waitress, reading the same book as Naomi, mentioned that this was the slowest night of the year. It looked pretty busy to us.
Ci Siamo.
The Venezuelan bartender, Francisco, mentioned that the bitters were made in house.
“…FIRE!” I’d stay away from that one.
COOK SHOP Restaurant & Bar.
We talked about what I like; vanilla, orange, not too sweet & that evening, not much “structure” (alcohol). Francisco made me a sidecar.
Francisco was a magician with garnishes.
COOK SHOP Restaurant & Bar.
Cauliflower "Picadillo" - Cauliflower "Picadillo."
COOK SHOP Restaurant & Bar.
The fella in the photograph was a local who frequented COOK SHOP Restaurant & Bar very often.
Grilled Sea Scallops with butter bean & leek ragout, gremolata, frizzled shallots, pickled chile.
Next, a walk the Atlantic Theater Company to see Buena Vista Social Club.
COOK SHOP Restaurant & Bar.
A huge selection of nuts.
The Foundry Bar at the Westin Times Sq. - bread pudding dessert.
Grabstein’s Bagels on Washington St. in Prospect Hts.
They don’t ship. A shame. We brought 18 home with us.
Pea soup with finely shredded smoked turkey.
Perfection on a chilly afternoon.
We had seen this on the menu when we walked by on our way to the Brooklyn Museum. We stopped by on our return to apt. 602.
Someone once said that if the soup is good, the rest of the meal will be as well. On our next visit to Brooklyn, we’ll have to visit Cheryl’s for a meal.
Cheryl's Soulfood in Underhill.
Grand Army Plaza Saturday farmers market.
“Grand Army Plaza, the majestic entrance to Prospect Park” is undergoing a $9 million restoration.
The c. 1867 arch is under wraps & getting cleaned & restored.
We discovered Pizzeria 28 on our NYC visit last May..
We had gotten take out pizza from their Carmine St. location in Manhattan. Wow!
There’s a story here as we had seen B.E.C. on a subway car advertisement for American Express credit cards. We had no idea about B.E.C.
A local told us that it’s a New York staple & the “C” refers to generic “cheese.”
This is outside the Key Food Market on St. Marks Ave., Prospect Hts.
Back at Bien Cuit, Franklin Ave., Prospect Hts. for a Blueberry Pane Dolce.
Bien Cuit.
Gertrude's in Park Slope with a “Jew-ish “cuisine.
Excellent.
During our last visit to Brooklyn we ate at Jamie’s, in this location. Things keep changing.
Latkes with crème fraîche & trout roe.
Gertrude’s, Prospect Hts.
Black & White Seven Layer Cake for two (in our case, for four) at Gertrude’s, Prospect Hts.
I had to end with a dessert.
This photo is from Gertrude’s website.