September 29, 2008

Is it loud in here, or is that a…..

New York is not the noisiest place on Earth, and New Yorkers are not hands down the loudest people you’ll ever meet. But there is some strange Doppler-like effect easily noted in many of our fair city’s finest eating establishments whereby after 6PM ambient noise becomes a noxious din.

I complained long ago about the airplane-hangar noise level of the now closed “Sasha” in the Meatpacking district. That was unbearable, truly. I left with ringing ears & a hollow wallet. Now I return to the topic of noise because our restaurants are damn noisy!

Last Saturday night, we went to Les Halles on Park Avenuefor dinner. We couldn’t hear each other never mind the server, who couldn’t hear us. Let’s just say mistakes were made. One of the people at a our table, a former New Yorker now living in San Francisco, remarked on how much noisier NYC restos are.

But why?

First, there are the acoustics of some beloved NYC spots, such as City Hall Restaurant, where every clank of a dish echoes around and around the room until settling into your ear. Then, there is the ever-present pulsating disco-type music pumped in to inspire all to drink as though at a night club (a hallmark of the Meatpacking District where the line between resto and disco is indeed thin). And then there are loud talkers, the kind whose whiny voices can be heard over the noise of a subway line.

Does it have to be this way?

The answer is no, it does not. For example, Eleven Madison Park could be an acoustic nightmare, yet it is not. One can have a conversation there without feeling hoarse afterwards. And there are plenty of places like Fig & Olive where the music is hip & cool but not deafening. As for loud-talkers, well…..

So, if you are on date and don’t want to hear what the other person is saying, go to Les Halles, City Hall Restaurant, Spice Market, Ocean Grill, Coffee Shop, Artisinal.

Stay tuned as we rate the noise, and find great places where you can hear your dinner date say, “Are you having the grouper?”

Tags:   Artisinal, city hall restaurant, eleven madison park, Les Halles, noisiest restaurants in NYC, noisy

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Posted on 9/29/2008 ( Permanent Link )
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September 23, 2008

A Superb Pig Roast at Il Buco

Just last week we were salivating over Il Buco's annual pig roast, and suddenly the day was upon us.

Arriving at the heralded one p.m. start time, we were thrilled to see the 200-pound Ossabaw porker beautifully laid out for our collective consumption.

A line had gathered down almost all the way to the Bowery, yet the line moved quickly.

Neighbors and friends gathered; we spotted Chuck Close among the celebrities present, as well as the Il Buco celebrities.

The pork was succulent, as were the sausages, and Flying Pigs Farm porchetta panini on ciabatta with an intriguing blueberry balsamic mostarda. Credit goes to Executive Chef Ignacio Mattos and his team for such innovative creations and a festive atmosphere.

Tags:   bond street, chuck close, ignacio mattos, il buco

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Posted on 9/23/2008 ( Permanent Link )
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September 19, 2008

Just in Time for Fall: Edible Manhattan

For those of you who adore the Edible series of magazines & events and who love Manhattan, the magazine celebrated its premiere with a moveable feast and launch party at the old Fulton Fish Market at South Street Seaport.
Everyone's favorite cheese shop, Murray's, was there, mobbed by happy fans. Murray's is the rock star of cheese in Gotham, and we couldn't get enough. Thankfully, Shinn Estate Vineyards was nearby, where after a cheese-gasm we tasted a Merlot from this respected Long Island winery. Aged 18 months in French oak, this wine is made from grapes grown without the aid of fertilizers or pesticides. When the crowd thinned a bit, we went back to try the Chardonnay.

We enjoyed the slow roasted pork butt provided by Heritage Foods U.S.A., a Manhattan-based purveyor of heritage meats and artisanal products. We followed up this savory portion with a nut brown ale by Kelso of Brooklyn, the house brand of Greenpoint Beer Works, a relative newcomer to brewing scene but one that serves a niche market in the greater New York City area and is a favorite among those who prefer the brewed to the distilled.

And then there was the Manhattan, one of my favorite cocktails of all time. This signature mix was pushed aside during the heady days of the Cosmopolitan and the Apple-tini. But the Manhattan is poised to make a comeback as interest in Bourbon grows. These Manhattans were made with Woodford Reserve, a small-batch premium bourbon from Kentucky. And I loved it.

For dessert, there was Vere Chocolate, the official chocolate of edible Manhattan. Worth every calorie!

Other vendors included Lenz Winery, North Fork Potato Chips, Heartland Brewery, Pasanella & Sons Vintners, Paumanok Winery, Channing Daughters Winery, Russ & Daughters (smoked fish & bagels form the LES), Peconic Bay Oyster Farmers (with varieties such as Widow's Hole, Pipe's Cove & Bill Pell's), Bedell Cellars, Fizzy Lizzy, Woodford Reserve, Bodum, Stonehouse Olive Oil, Jack's Coffee & Barbarini Alimnetari.

The farmers were out in force, including Hoboken Farms and Katchkie Farm, an organic farm producing everything from arugula to winter squash, also featured tastings of its signature ketchup, thunder pickles, and spice mixtures.

Hudson Valley Farmhouse had on display and on small plates samples of their signature pastas, including beet & carrot.


Our only complaint was that there were not enough small plates & napkins (Heritage ran out of things to put the pulled pork on, so diners were forced to seeks out napkins for other vendors); plenty of non-paying guests wandered in and partook – good for them, but this caused some of the vendors, like Lenz Wineries, to run out of product two hours early.

All the activity and interest proves that this event will one day rival Harvest in the Square and other Manhattan dine-arounds!

Tags:   Channing Daughters Winery, edible manhattan, Heartland Brewery, heritage foods usa, hoboken farms, Katchkie Farm, Lenz Winery, murrays, North Fork Potato Chips, Pasanella and Sons Vintners, Paumanok Winery, shinn estate vineyards, south street seaport, vere chocolate

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Posted on 9/19/2008 ( Permanent Link )
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