NYC Tastes

There are so many reasons to be thankful this year.  I'm honestly always thankful to have Eataly in my neighborhood but this year I'm even more thankful because they're hosting a pop up called Riso e Risotto.  Located in the Le Verdure restaurant this pop up is all about the rice based dishes of Northern Italy and the king of Italian rices Carnarali.   The menu includes five different Risottos with various toppings like mixed mushroom & thyme, Bartlett pear & mascarpone or simply the classic with butter and parmigiana cheese.  Alongside the rice dishes are a slew of new Le Verdure specialties including these pillowy Pumpkin Gnocchi's topped with cheese, melted butter and crispy sage. It's also truffle season at Eataly so every dish is available with white or burgundy truffles for an extra price.  There's never been a better time to Eataly. Riso e Risotto At Le Verdure- Eataly 200 5th Avenue New York, NY 10010

It was another crazy and amazing year that seemed to go by way too quickly as always.  Things got off to a great start with the return of  Founders CBS  one of my favorite beers of all time.  I really didn't think this would ever be brewed again so I spent the first two months drinking it as much as humanly possible.  Fried Chicken Sandwiches became all the rage; Fuku , Delaney BBQ and the Brooklyn Shake Shack continue to have epic lines for these crispy creations.  The Blue Hill pop up WastED  was also a huge highlight of the year.  It was amazing to see the community of chefs, farmers and retailers come together to shine light on the extreme waste of food in the industry and celebrate these "leftovers" by incorporating them into incredible new dishes.  And as a personal success it only took me two full years but I finally got a  Cronut !   Of course as time passes the culinary landscape must change and...

I love every restaurant inside Eataly but veggie-centric Le Verdure is my favorite.  Everything is focused on fresh seasonal ingredients which means the menu is constantly changing. Our last visit they created an amazing Panko Crusted Eggplant with fresh basil, tomato and stracciatella. The eggplant was sliced just thick enough so it stayed firm and crisp down to the very last bite.  The aromatics from the basil and creamy stracciatella cheese then elevated this simple dish into heavenly food status.   This was easily the best fried eggplant I've ever had and one of my favorite dishes this year. Their potato Gnocchi didn't quite reach that level of transcendence.  The Black Summer Truffles were missing that robust, earthy flavor I've come to love.  It was still a delightful dish but one I'll save for winter when it's paired with heartier accouterments. Le Verdure 200 5th Avenue New York, NY 10010

It's been a while since I've stopped for a meal at Eataly's fresh and seasonal restaurant Le Verdure.  I love seeing how they create new dishes using all of the fruits and vegetables from right next door in the produce section.  I began with a special that day  Polentina- warm polenta bites with ramps, mushrooms, mozzarella, marinara and watercress. This dish made it very easy to fall in love with polenta.  The squares had crisp charred edges and the fresh mozzarella with bitter ramps were absolute perfection.  I added on the special Mushroom and Barley soup. The tomato broth was thicker than a normal vegetable soup and with big hunks of mustard greens and carrot.  Hearty, earthy and delicious. Le Verdure   

The season is almost over so we're ending with two Ramp specials from Eataly. First up from Le Verdure Bruschetta with Tomato and Chargrilled Ramps. This was a celebration of the season for sure! The char on the ramps brought out a meaty flavor to the plant and along with it a salty smoky aftertaste. The sweet tomato and delightful pour of olive oil underneath made this the best bruschetta I have ever had. Over in the Piazza Mr. T tried out a different Seasonal Special Soft Shell Crab with Grilled Ramps. I still can’t get over the texture of Soft Shell Crabs so I only tried a bite but Mr. T thought it was delicious. I was happy when he used some free bread to make it into a sandwich so I didn’t have to see him just chow down on the whole crab. However at almost $20 a pop this was a little overpriced for what you received. So there’s one last little celebration of the ramp dishes. Hope you all enjoyed!

Le Verdure is Eataly’s restaurant that focuses on fresh produce. Now although I love salad and brussel sprouts, etc. I’ve never been to a place that is known solely for their vegetables. I’m a protein person for sure but Le Verdure really intrigued me. So I stopped the other day and got a seat at the bar. Now since I would be feasting on some produce I figured a light, bubbly Prosecco would go well with whatever I ordered. Eataly has a couple to choose from but my favorite is the Flor Prosecco Rose. The waiter came over and told me about the specials for the day and then helped guide me through the menu. He had a lot of recommendations and after much deliberation I finally decided on the Pinzimonio Bagna Cauda. Bagna Cauda I came to find out is an Italian sauce made with garlic and anchovies. When the waiter described it I immediately thought of a Cesar dressing so I gave it a shot. I’m so glad I did because the sauce was fantastic. It had the same elements of a Cesar b...