Christmas Eve at Cibo E Vino - The NYC Appetizer Crawl Continues!

CIBO E VINO
2418  Broadway
New York, NY
212-362-0096
www.ciboevinony.com

On a chilly Christmas Eve I ventured out with my friend Bud and knowing Christmas was going to be a big "cooking" day, we opted to walk around the corner to the very charming Cibo e Vino.

Considering it was a major holiday we thought the restaurant might be empty. No such thing. It was packed solid with groups of people waiting to be seated. Opting to sit at the bar, we quickly ordered a couple of smart cocktails and decided to do a festival of appetizers.

Bruschetta

Split between us we ordered the bruschetta. Towers of taste treats! Micro greens sat atop seared ahi tuna followed by vine ripened tomatoes, avocado, and a crispy toasting of Italian bread all enhanced with a balsamic drizzle. More than a mouthful, we decided to use knife and fork so as not to miss a morsel of this appetizer. Fresh, bright and surprisingly light, the bruschetta was a great choice. 
 

Meatballs

Next up were the meatballs swimming in the house tomato sauce with dollops of basil burrata puree. Tender and flavorful, the sweet tang of the tomato sauce was the perfect juxtaposition to the addition of the aromatic basil burrata. Plus it looked very Christmas-like, with red and green. (Or the Italian flag with the white plate.)

Cauliflower

But wait, there's more. The crispy cauliflower with truffle béchamel sauce was our favorite of all three appetizers. Cauliflower is the perfect blank canvas for any culinary artist and the chef didn't disappoint. Quickly deep fried and topped with a delicious white sauce scented with the truffle, it had the perfect sprinkling of salt, that took the app to the next level.

The next time you find yourself on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York, check out Cibo e Vino.

Buon appetito!

 

The Appetizer Crawl Continues in New York City! Petrarca Cucina E Vino in TriBeCa

Petrarca Cucina e Vino
34 White Street, New York, NY
212-625-2800

On a recent trip downtown to catch The Seeing Place Theater's production of Cloud 9 at the Access Theater I was challenged to find a nice restaurant to have appetizers and drinks at  before the show.

Located in what is called TriBeCa in the city (for those of you who don't know, TriBeCa = TRIangle BElow CAnal street) I discovered that just a block away from the Access Theater, which is located at 380 Broadway, was a very inviting restaurant called Petrarca Cucina e Vino. 

The Roxy Hotel

And Petrarca was, to my surprise, across the street from The Roxy Hotel (rated #15 out of 465 hotels in NYC on tripadvisor!)

Arriving on the early side, we were seated at a quiet table with a great view of the restaurant and beyond.

We ordered glasses of pinot grigio as a basket of fresh bread appeared. Note: the bread was gorgeous. The crust was so crunchy delicious that I immediately discarded my low carb diet and inhaled more than my share. But I was smart enough to leave some for what was to follow.

Piatto Rustico

We decided upon a stunning Piatto Rustico with prosciutto, speck, salami & porchetto.

Calamari Fritti

And a we also had a light and refreshing order of their Calamari Fritti, fresh fried calamari with a tangy marinara sauce.

As I devoured the appetizers and the pinot grigio I decided to order one more appetizer. (Hey, the show we were going to see was on the long side, 2 hours and 40 minutes...I needed my nourishment!)

Caprese Salad

So I opted for the Caprese...bufala mozzarella & tomato salad with fresh basil. So light and it really cleansed the palate after enjoying the selection of meats.

A delicious find in TriBeCa and I can't wait to return to Petrarca for a full dinner to experience their entrees and desserts.

Buon appetito!

Saju Bistro and Bar - A bit of Provence in the heart of NYC.

Saju Bar and Bistro
120 W. 44th Street
New York, NY
(212) 997-7258

Having dinner with friends Mary Lou Santora and her brother-in-law Bud Santora, we chose Saju Bistro, which was a block away from Town Hall where they were headed for a concert. It's a great choice if you're looking for a restaurant East of Broadway but still within the theatre district. The Belasco Theatre is also nearby as is Rockefeller Center.

Mary Lou and Bud

(NOTE: If visiting NYC and in need of a good hotel recommendation, check out the amazing Beekman and many others to choose from.)

The restaurant boasts that they serve "authentic French Provencal cuisine in a casual bistro setting." And it's true. Charming decor and tables not too close to each other make this restaurant very pleasurable. Add to that, the friendliest service in town and it's a keeper.

Front seating overlooking the sidewalk - great for people watching

Bar

My favorite, the back area

We started with a round of appetizers . . .

Tartelette au Chevre Chaud - Warm goat cheese tart

Bud and Mary Lou split an appetizer (there were two tarts) of warm goat cheese tartelettes with fresh herbs nestled into a pastry dough and a small greens salad. Both really enjoyed it. I ordered . . .

Moules Provencales

. . . the mussels Provencales, with a heavy handed garnish of whole parsley. The mussels were fresh and plump but  honestly, the best part for me is the broth. I was hoping for a bread dunking sauce, which forces me to shout out, "They should bottle this!" But it was rather bland. I was even searching for a hint of garlic, but no such luck. And yes, the parsley was inedible at that size and amount.

On to the main courses, Bud opted for their . . .

Salade de poulet

. . . chicken salad. The salad of mixed field greens, string beans, asparagus, apple and avocado with a lemon vinaigrette. He especially loved the salad.
 
Mary Lou ordered the . . .

Spaghetti puttanesca.

. . . spaghetti puttanesca. Tossed with fresh tuna, tomato, capers and a rather large basil plant growing out of it (kidding). Between the basil and the parsley, there's a garnish king or queen in the kitchen. But she loved it. And I had . . .

Fettuccine with shrimp and scallops.

. . . one of the night's specials - fettuccine with shrimp and scallops swimming in a yummy and light tomato sauce. I've had my share of parsley for a year now! The dish was delicious. I'll be back to Sajun again. Great locale and food of Provence.

Added points for the floral arrangement in the restroom!

Bon Appetit!

The Appetizer Crawl Continues In Woodbury, MN

Crave
9100 Hudson Road
Woodbury, MN

651-756-1000

Hotel Note: For anyone visiting the Woodbury area here's a link to the Hampton Inn and many other options if you need accommodations.

A warm summer weeknight and I ended up at Crave Restaurant with my brother and sister for what was supposed to be a quick bite but we ended up ordering a lot of food.

I was forewarned by my brother who lives in Woodbury that Crave was a chain of establishments and being such, it would be satisfying but maybe nothing to write home about. (Translation: blog about.) But au contraire older and sometimes wiser brother! From the outside it did look a bit warehouse-y, but I'm sure that on a cooler day the outdoor seating would have been full of happy eaters, offering a warmer, more hospitable curb appeal.

But who knew all these people were in here?

The place was bubbling with energy. A hostess walked us by a very impressive glass enclosed wine cellar . . .

Hey, I thought this was a quick sit-down at a fast food joint? Nope. With quite an extensive wine list I quickly ordered a Torrontes Colomé, Argentina - fresh, crisp, fruity but dry and with an after note of peach, my sister had the Oysterbay New Zealand chardonnay - hints of apple and full-bodied, it was a great pairing with the food she was about to order. And brother who was driving had an Arnie Palmer (all puns intended.)

With a diverse menu offering classic American and Japanese fare - first up we ordered . . .

. . . the crab artichoke dip served with crunchy herby toasted pita triangles and crispy cornmeal fried calamari with their jalapeno aioli sauce. Both really great. I was very pleasantly surprised. Next up (I warned you, this was no quick bite.) Jambalaya - shrimp, andouille sausage and langostinos (Yes, in Minneapolis!) with a spicy pepper tomato sauce. Really yumpcious! . . .

. . . and a very contrasting order of Hungarian goulash! Braised short ribs with a mushroom cream sauce and a horseradish chive sour cream served over fettuccine and sprinkled with micro greens. Comfort food to the nth degree.

So much for fast food chain establishments. I had never heard of Crave before and then looked up their locations and realized there were none in the New York or North East areas. They should change that . . . come on over!

BON APPETIT!

The Salt Cellar - The Appetizer Crawl Continues with Smart Cocktails in Saint Paul, MN

The Salt Cellar

173 Western Ave.
St. Paul, MN
(651) 219-4013

My beautiful niece, Leigh-Anne, and I decided to drop in at the Salt Cellar, and check out their much celebrated happy hour.  The Salt Cellar is diagonally across the street from the A W Frost & Company!

If you're in need of accommodations while in Saint Paul, there's always the terrific Saint Paul Hotel - and many others to choose from.

How's this for Happy Hours hours?? Two sets a night, Tuesday through Saturday!

Happy Hours

Tue - Thu 3pm - 6pm & 9pm - Close

Fri - Sat 3pm - 6pm & 10pm - Close

This very casual but classy bar/restaurant, has an amazing cocktail list with the likes of....Old Blue Eyes, The Longest Winter and a Ritz Old Fashioned. But they also have daily drink specials, which I settled for. 

In the foreground is a Sanrita! A combo of Italian red wine, tequila and a splash of Cointreau, orange liquor. I considered it a risky mash up of alcohol but it sure went down easy, "Tastes just like candy!" (hiccup). And the background drink is a classic sidecar...bourbon, Cointreau and lemon juice with a sugared rim. Another hit at the table.

Wanting another smart cocktail, but not on an empty stomach, we decided upon their prime rib sandwich - shaved prime rib with horseradish Havarti and mushroom conserve with addictive fries. A super sophisticated French dip sandwich that literally melts in your mouth. Add the earthy undertones of the mushrooms with the pungent horseradish Havarti cheese = heaven!

We also had an order of the wild shrimp cakes with lovage (think pungent plant) tartar sauce.

We'll be back for sure, maybe for a proper sit down dinner. Their menu looks amazing. In the meantime, tell Sean, the bartender, that The Dizzy Traveler sent you.

BOTTOMS UP!

The NYC Appetizer Crawl Continues - Monument Lane - West Village

Monument Lane 
103 Greenwich Ave
NYC
212.255.0155

Happy Hour with Bar Menu
Weekdays 3pm - 7pm
Weekends 4pm - 7pm 

Pardon my shameless self-promotion but it's demonstrating how much I really like Monument Lane. In my latest novel, Dizzy: A Fictional Memoir . . .

. . . a very important scene in the book takes place in what is called, Farm To Table, which in reality is Monument Lane. For those of you visiting New York City, here is a link to the Standard Hotel and other great stays in the West Village.

Monument Lane is a charming, rustically decorated restaurant, located in the west village. With an ever changing seasonal menu, they support regional farmers and growers while promoting sustainable culinary practices. It also has one of the most gorgeous bathrooms in New York City. An important barometer when judging restaurants, I think.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the West Village area was pastoral, with marshlands full of mussels and oysters and orchards of apple and cherry trees. Who knew? New Yorkers living in crowded "downtown" escaped the madness of city living by coming up to the "country" on a road called Monument Lane, which is now Greenwich Avenue. The restaurant has a beautiful and romantic dining room . . .

 and bar . . .

 
but my favorite place to sit is at the large communal table situated in the front corner window. But alas, it was taken. On a beautiful spring day like today, you'd think you were anywhere but in New York City. There are also several quaint tables outside that you can sit at.

Here was today's bar menu . . .

And you can't beat the prices - snacks $3 - $4, NY State wines $8 and Craft beers on tap $5. I ordered the Brussels Sprouts with Bartlett Pear and the Smoked Whitefish with Grilled Bread . . .

And a glass of their Cabernet Franc.

The lightly smoked whitefish was so fresh and luscious when topped on the grilled bread. The bread alone, was crazy delicious. I must get a flame grill for my NYC apartment. Or at the very least, a blow torch. Don't worry, I have a fire extinguisher. I just have to read the directions on how to use it.

And I love Brussels Sprouts and make them all the time but these were insanely addictive. Maybe roasted? Served with shavings of Parmesan and sweet Bartlett Pear and I think a hint of balsamic vinegar. These taste treats vanished within seconds. What a great and unexpected pairing of the vegetable and fruit. And the full-bodied Cabernet Franc was the perfect libation to enjoy with these appetizers.

Having arrived on the early side of Happy Hour, this quick glass of wine and yummy bar snacks hit the spot and held me over till dinner time. Can't wait to return...and I promise I'll have pics of the restrooms!

ENJOY!

The Metropolitan Museum plus more Appetizer Crawling

First destination is The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Located at 5th Avenue between 85th and 79th Streets it's a glorious but gigantic building. Like most museums of this size, it's best to pick an exhibit or a small section of the museum to explore, otherwise it's all too overwhelming.

If you don't live in the NYC area and need a good hotel recommendation on the Upper East Side,  the Sherry-Netherland Hotel is a glorious option. Included in this link are plenty of other hotels to choose from in this neighborhood.

I was here to visit the Vigée Le Brun: Woman Artist in Revolutionary France exhibit.

Self-portrait of the artist.

Louise Elizabeth Vigée was a prominent French painter who arrived on the scene at the mere age of 19-years-old! She became the court painter preferred by Marie Antoinette.

It's amazing the amount of portraits she produced. And her ability to paint clothing and hair was exceptional. It's also said that she had the ability to recreate exact likeness of her subjects. This is one of my favorites of her paintings...a wealthy business man close to the King.

But with the rumblings of the French Revolution surfacing, fearing her close relationship with the Queen, Le Brun was smart and fled to Italy. There she was embraced wholeheartedly in Florence, Rome, and Venice. She then traveled to Vienna, Switzerland, and then to Russia where she continued to paint royalty. If you live in New York City or are going to be visiting, I highly recommend this exhibit - it will continue through May 15, 20016. Before heading off to an early dinner, I had to stroll through some of my favorite areas of the Met.

The Greek statues.

The American Wing. Look - Lampposts!!!

First stop on this continuation of the Dizzy Traveler Appetizer Crawl is Isabella's. Located at 77th Street and Columbus Avenue, this restaurant has been serving Upper West Sider's for decades.

Isabella's

Taking a seat at the bar, my appetizer crawling companion and I ordered the fried calamari and jalapenos served with a spicy red sauce and a creamy dill...

Fried calamari and jalapenos.

...and the charred artichoke heart salad with arugula and thinly shaved onions with a light vinaigrette.

Charred artichoke salad.

Both were delicious. I'm going to try to copycat the artichoke dish at home it was so yump-shish.

Walking back up town, we stopped in at Osteria Cotta located on Columbus Avenue between 84th and 85th Streets.

Not quite sure why I'm making this face.

I've been wanting to try this rustic Italian restaurant for months but it so popular, getting in was virtually impossible. But we dropped by on the early side and it was great. 5pm to 7pm is their happy hour and drinks are discounted as well as a list of their thin crust pizzas, which were only $7 each! One was definitely plenty for two.

We chose the prosciutto and BRUSSELS SPROUT pizza with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Yes, Brussels sprout = to live for! I'm going to try this one at home too. I inhaled it.

Buon Appetito!