June 25, 2007

Dining Review: Ouest: Why we love Tom Valenti

Upon entering this Upper West Side gem, one might be fooled into thinking that this is a narrow space with maybe enough room to seat thirty people. Or, the dark wood & red accents might lead the mind to think “lounge”. To be sure, there are always some loungers at the solitary table that looks out onto the street. But once you are whisked down the hallway, past the circular booths, then past open kitchen and into the large, sunken dining room, you can see why it was important to make a reservation.

There are two kinds of people who eat at Ouest: those who want to enjoy the superb offerings that come from Tom Valenti’s kitchen, and those who think that this space is their own dining room, with which they may do what they like. Advice: Go after family hour if you wish to avoid the greater part of whining and occasional toddler food toss.

The menu features dishes that Valenti has crafted with care, and some of the best are the braised lamb shank and braised beef short ribs. Other deliciousness: the rabbit entrée, which includes roasted leg and grilled loin, or the roasted sturgeon.

It is possible to eat light here. Order the green salad and one of the “simple grill” items, which include tuna, chicken, pork chops, rack of lamb and steak. Follow up with a sorbet.

The wine list is very good, and the wines by the glass pair well with the entrees.

Prix Fixe is a great bargain, and popular among the early crowd.

Tags:   notable wine list, Ouest, Tom Valenti, Upper West Side Gems

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Posted on 6/25/2007 ( Permanent Link )
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June 14, 2007

Food – Fiction – Poetry – Port

The Biscuit Spoken Word Series is proud to present an Inkwell Evening.

When: Sunday June 24^th

What Time: 6PM to 8PM

Where: Downstairs at Biscuit BBQ, Park Slope, Brooklyn

5^th Avenue @ President

How do I get there: Take the N, R to Union, then head up President

Why Go: Words are good for you, especially the yummy, well-crafted kind

A creative pairing of poetry & prose, buttered biscuits & BBQ, succotash & provocative thought. Okay, maybe not the succotash. But stop by Park Slope’s Biscuit BBQ for an early evening reading and your favorite elixirs.

Join us for the poetry & prose of:

Alethea Black

Pam Burger

Amy Ralston Seife

Inkwell is a literary journal published by ManhattanvilleCollege, and features emerging & established writers & poets.

Alethea Black has published in the Antioch Review, and is currently completing a collection of short stories. Her first published story appeared in Inkwell.

Pam Burger is a poet and native New Yorker. She teaches writing & literature at Hunter College & NYU.

Amy Ralston Seife has published short stories in Zoetrope, Inkwell, Lumina, and the WestchesterReview.

Tags:   Alethea Black, Amy Ralston Seife, Art, Biscuit BBQ, Pam Burger, Park Slope, Poetry, Short Fiction

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Posted on 6/14/2007 ( Permanent Link )
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