Soft pastels and snowy white hues lend a dreamy tone to a whimsical fairyland meets enchanted forest themed dinner party at a private residence. Flowers by Flower Girl, Denise Porcaro.
Beet Lollipops rolled in Candied Almonds and Roasted Thumbelina Carrots with Hijiki Salad and Cumin canapes begin the evening alongside Sparkling Elderflower-Lemongrass Cocktails. Catering by Silkstone Events.
Image courtesy of Hudson Terrace
On the edge of west side midtown Manhattan, this dual floor venue boasts an exclusive modern space with all-season indoor and outdoor use suitable for a multitude of private events. On the second floor, The Salon mimics the design of a nightclub with a hint of old-world opulence, decked with a DJ booth, low slung leather couches, a built-in bar and an adjacent dimly lit terrace. The sprawling, breezy rooftop terrace on the third floor resembles a hip hotel with fantastic wrap-around views of the Hudson, heated floors for year-round events and a cabana like haven where falling back into the garden lounge chairs while sipping a sunset cocktail could induce sheer city bliss – and the best thing is, it’s all yours.
I’ve had a crush on you since I moved to NY. And eight years later, you are still winning me over. If it was not the witty and personable barman then, it’s the same youthful spirited (though grown up) barman now. If it not from the grilled octopus with limoncello vinaigrette or the sweet summer corn “farrotto” then, it’s assuredly from the spicy sausage mint love letters that you are serving me now. If it not a most momentous pairing of braised oxtail ravioli in brown butter paired with sweet Oloroso sherry then, it’s the outstanding, unexpected goose liver ravioli, doused in balsamic vinegar to the tinge of burnt, paired with 2001 Vin Santo now. The cool and understated older brother – handsome, confident, adventurous and unequivocally timeless, you inspire an evening of self-appreciation and worthy indulgence – don’t change a thing.
On more than several occasions, I have been asked by friends to join for dinner during their mother’s visit to NY. And on more than several occasions the preferred restaurant of choice is Gramercy Tavern. I never hesitate for a moment before confirming it’s a great idea and that their mother (even if I haven’t yet met her) will assuredly like it. On a blistery Sunday eve in December, early eve, this is where I happily found myself, beginning at the bar amongst a vivacious crowd, candied pecans, and a glass of perfectly complex ‘96 Berres, Auslese Riesling from the Mosel.
The immediate environ offered homey comforts and smells, a faint cloud of honey and sauteed shallots reminiscent of mandatory Sunday night family supper, with a subtle breeze of Manhattan sophistication to perk the senses. If my company wasn’t so delightful, I might have lost myself in the wine list longer, drifting off to Hungary for the Kiralyudvar Tokaji Sec before cruising back stateside to Napa for Sine Qua Non Grenache, but promptly selected a medium-body Northern Italian Lagrein and began feasting my eyes upon the menu with a serious appetite for the hearty and wholesome dishes one only craves in the brisk of winter.
What is to love, amongst many things, is the way each dish reads (and delivers) as an uplifted, inspired classic, a creation beginning from the traditional and further embellished with the most complimentary and essential accessories: parsnip soup with romanesco, calamari and carrot salad with preserved lemon dressing, toasted heirloom cauliflower alongside almonds, capers and lemons. Satiating and healthful, not overly fussed – dishes infact, that Mom would dress the table with family-style, lovingly and proudly. The entrees were the stars of the evening, notably the the arctic char (pictured) cooked to a turn and suggestive of the prettiest and most delicate peach rose, and the house-made smoked kielbasa with sauerkraut and grain mustard, as juicy and flavorful as if hailing from the farm down the road. We all concurred that apple pie would be the most fitting finale for this occasion and my dining partners went as far as to order the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and served with a cinnamon stick stirrer. When there is no place to go and it feels like home, this is seemingly quite a natural choice.
Walter Foods, a recently opened restaurant on a stretch of land in Billyburg with not all that many offerings for gastronomic splendor, is exactly what it should be. A neighborhood joint, a pub, a bustling bistro – call it what you’d like – it’s a lesson in aligning simplicity and honesty with food and service in a comfortable and well-dressed space. Blending the warm tones of an English gastropub with a menu of American classics, Walter Foods delivers for a marked NY crowd sans attitude. A cocktail list featuring classics that “Sinatra would so desire after a show,” such as a Tom Collins, Gimlet, and Manhattan debuts at the bar. At the table, dishes that delightfully fulfill comfort cravings such as French Dip (Filet Mignon with horseradish sauce), Pigs in a blanket (seemingly en vogue this Fall on restaurant menus), Fried 1/2 Chicken with spicy honey, and a Lobster Club on Pullman bread (nothing wrong with this at $16) are a must for the table as are the two spoken desserts. On the nights I was there it was a painfully good chocolate banana bread pudding and an apple crisp. The tiny box of a kitchen with Justin Ernsberger at the helm further enhances the charm of the space, and as the local bus tugs along outside on Grand Street and I sink into my forest green leather banquette, there is a distinct impression of old meets new New York.
Pigs in a blanket
By day, Ramscale Gallery is a working contemporary art gallery and consultancy for the art world housed in an historic landmark NY building. By evening, it functions as a stunning penthouse event venue – city lights popping through the floor-to-ceiling windows and harbor views visible from the adjoining 1000 sq ft sculpture terrace. Its dual function fuses together handsomely and smartly and ensures that each event is one of a kind, offering a blank canvas to stage a spectacular party.
Email info@esse-consulting.com for more info.
Come Autumn in New York there are dozens of restaurants opening alongside newly opened restaurants perfecting their role in the culinary landscape. French wine bar, Solex, in the East Village has recently redesigned its menu to emphasize the role of the “pizzette”. Italian sandwich is to panini what French pizza is to pizzette. And there is noone in the city serving up pies like these from a blazing brick oven. Nestled onto perfectly crisp layers of dough are toppings such as, carmelized onion, (pictured below), escargot-parsley-garlic, tomato, raclette, and mushroom. Minimalist menu descriptors conceal the intricacies of flavor in each one.
Not to be overlooked are the other small dishes on the menu, especially the golf-ball size gougeres. Popover-like, these doughy, eggy, savory creations encrusted with a baked layer of gruyere are ethereal. The steak tartare, dosed heavy with worcestershire and served alongside frites with a mysterious curry-sugar dust, also comes in strong. The merging of a sharp, sleek space serving humble, comforting plates of sweet and salty creations and terroir-driven wines will capture the hearts of Francophiles and Francophobes alike.
Biking through Southampton in a fervent hail storm last week, out of the corner of my squinched eye, I caught the sign for Nova’s Ark Project. The weather precluded my exploration until the following day, with a dear friend who was looking for a site to have her wedding out east. An “integral art and sculpture park” situated on 100 acres of farmland, the Ark Project is one of the most impressive sites I’ve seen all year. Not only does the artist who owns the land provide an inspiring setting to work and make art but he seeks to organically tie nature, architecture and art into a unified form. Horses graze in the pastures amidst towering modern sculptures in a breathtaking landscape of the Hamptons.
The barn, pictured below, (a refurbished dairy farm) is a wonderful venue for a dinner after a ceremony on the lawn, featuring dark wooden beams, a stage for music, and an adjoining terrace for cocktails beforehand. A unique and moving venue for those looking for a wedding in the country.
The newly revamped Montauk Yacht Club situated in the marina offers the classic with a twist for your next event. Whether a cocktail party, rehearsal dinner or wedding, the fresh, breezy setting with spruced up nautical themed overnight rooms, sprawling green lawn, and sliver of private beach, presents a sophisticated but relaxed feel for a daytime or evening event.
Thai chile paste is to heat what Szechuan chile oil is to fire. Both fiercely pump natural endorphins and can challenge Red Bull’s synthetic energy any day. And both are equally addictive. I think my lips are still burning from the meal I recently had at Shui Hu Ju in Hong Kong’s SOHO district. Just up the hill from a boisterous intersection on a narrow brick-laden slope (a treacherous path for pumps, ladies…) this small gem of a restaurant, is a clandestine, sultry and spicy hideout.
Hot and sticky from the summer heat, the carafe of Vodka, Prosecco and Lychee cocktail chilling in a bucket on ice devilishly smiled at me as the onset of Northern style Chinese dishes arrived: Abalone served in their glistening shell with pickled threads of black seaweed, okra with wasabi and soy sauce, fiery crunchy squid served with golden garlic aioli, and deep-fried sliced lamb shank with a crunchy layer of fatty skin (still dreaming about this). Nestled in a corner table amidst traditional Chinese wood carvings and artifacts, I felt like I was dining in someone’s home. And, each dish was served on a special antique platter which furthermore enhanced that sentiment. Already heaving from the crispy squid and generously drinking my lychee elixir to cool off, a big bowl of deep fried black chicken with Szechuan chili arrived (pictured below) and the games continued – round two. A plate of green crunchy melon with ginger shreds was placed beside the chicken for palate chasing amidst bites, which I thought was wonderful. I had eaten a similar Szechuan chili chicken dish in New York before, and without the heat and at laughably expensive prices, I can’t say that I was inspired to order it again. And, it wasn’t prepared with black chicken the way this one was. Literally, skin, bones and meat of this special breed called the silky fowl are black (though it has white feathers), and it is believed to be healthier than other breeds with its additional dose of anti-oxidants. Though I couldn’t really determine whether or not the chicken was that much tastier than white chicken because of the overpowering chili flavors, its an alluring idea and made for a both an aesthetically pleasing and mouth-teasing, delicious dish. With a bit more room left, we polished off mango custard for dessert and prepared ourselves for the teeming Friday night madness on the streets below, endorphins still bursting!
