Burgers at Bouley Upstairs

Taste of Tribeca favorite David Bouley is winning new fans with his Bouley Upstairs makeover. It is time to add it to the list of best burgers. Click to read the article in the New York Journal.

Corton Gets Three Stars from Frank Bruni

Here's a way to ruin my lunch- after months of peering in the windows and awaiting its opening my hopes of getting into Drew Nieporent's newest venture Corton are dashed. There's been plenty of buzz for sure, with that kind of pedigree what else could I expect? But as I read the NY Times over lunch today, I saw the 3-star review from Frank Bruni. Looks like I'll have to settle for a 5:30 reservation if I'm lucky.

I suppose we can still dream about seeing them at Taste of Tribeca 2009?

'Tis the Season: Duane Park Patisserie

'Tis the season and I will be ordering my annual Plum Pudding from Duane Park Patisserie. I bring it to a friend's Christmas party in Brooklyn and I better not show up without it. Now if you're thinking "fruitcake", just stop right there. There is no comparison. This is a lush, moist concoction that would do Dickens proud. And of course it must be set aflame! The folks at the bakery will give you the instructions but here's how I do it: warm a 1/4 cup (or more) of brandy in a covered saucepan over a very low flame. Rum, whiskey or cognac will all substitute nicely. Pour the spirits over the cake, dim the lights and touch a lit match. You'll be rewarded with a lovely blue flame that will slowly die out (Who cares that your apartment doesn't have a wbf?). Serve it up with the hard sauce that Duane Park provides (I always order extra). Be warned: Caroling may ensue!

Potluck Confessions

It was an evening event and I didn't really know the hosts who happened to have a posh river-view apartment on the UES. The invite specified "Finger food-entree. No red wine". Yikes! That's a pretty tall order and there was no way I'd be cooking on a weekday afternoon. Solution? Ring up Tokyo Bay. I had them put together a selection of maki rolls and about an hour later I stopped by to pick up their beautifully composed platter. Of course there was no way to pass it off as my own home-cooking, but I prefer to leave the sushi making to the professionals anyway. I represented Downtown very ably that night. And when I got home, I treated myself to a big glass of red wine.

The Best of Tribeca's Wine Stores

On last year's Taste of Tribeca walking tour of neighborhood wine stores I was thrilled to discover Chambers Street Wines. They always have a great selection of limited release wines, as well as filling the need for a great local wine store with affordable, delicious wines for a party.

The Wall Street Journal likes it , too. Click here to read more.

David Bouley Makes Top 10 List

Why does it feel like David Bouley owns Tribeca? Because for more than ten years, he's played musical chairs with various eateries around his favorite city blocks...

So writes Sylvie Bigar in her recent post titled New York's 10 Most Influential People in Food. Click here to read more.

Knitting Factory Founder Makes Wine

Michael Dorf's City Winery is already getting previews. Let's hope this mix of performance space, make-your-own winery, and party mecca will participate in Taste of Tribeca, May 16, 2009!

A Tribeca Thanksgiving

It's that time of year again, all the food and dining sections are preparing us for Thanksgiving. I hope you like stuffing... and which wine should it be? Beaujolais Village or Zinfandel? If I had my way this Thanksgiving I'd check out the Thanksgiving feasts at some of the Taste of Tribeca restaurants.

Blaue Gans offers a three course Thanksgiving dinner featuring traditional options such as roast turkey, red cabbage and brioche dumplings or, for those Turkey Day non-conformists, there's venison goulash with fresh herbed spaetzle. For more harvest favorites, visit The Harrison for Long Island duck breast with sunchokes, bartlett pears and an apple ginger glaze followed by a cranberry pecan bread pudding with anise ice cream. Cercle Rouge has a prix fixe Thanksgiving menu that offers a roast turkey dinner or wild king salmon, pumpkin, apple and potato gratin, fricassée of vegetables, cranberry chutney, and natural pan jus. An a la carte and children's menu is also available.

There are many options for Thanksgiving that do not require you to dirty any of your own dishes! Now THAT'S something to be thankful for! If you want more ideas, click around the Taste of Tribeca site for menues and more!

Tribeca Breakfast

Tribeca has a diverse and delicious assortment of really good breakfasts. Today our group of restaurant insiders had a working breakfast at Blaue Gans, on Duane Street. One dashing waiter plus excellent coffee, a full breakfast menu including apple pancakes, eggs and an incredible pastry selection of house made pastries to put Balthazar to shame equals one of the city's Best Morning Meals. Read about this morning delight in an article from New York Magazine's archives.

Chew On This.

Two ambitious food lovers have designed interactive wheels to help users select local, seasonal foods at their peak. Read more about this interesting product here.

Bazzini's Power Lunch

Today the Taste of Tribeca co-chairs had a late breakfast at the revamped Bazzini's on Greenwich Street. it's becoming more of a lunch spot, with an expanded deli sandwich counter. it is now open at night as a sandwich shoppe and ice cream parlor. It feels like a decades old cafeteria, come try it!!

David Bouley- Be All You Can Be

Our readers never rest on their laurels when it comes to a restaurant opening. Recently, David Bouley opened Secession (formerly known as Danube) with a brand new menu. Here is what one of our readers had to say:

David Bouley's newest venture Secession is off the ground and running. It says something that my husband scheduled two business dinners in one week at the same restaurant. He loved the roasted lobster and the bistro style oyster platters.

Taste of Tribeca Newcomer- Forge

Dinner at Forge was hopping on a recent Monday night. Even the seats at the communal tables didn't stay empty for long. I had the plump and tender potato agnolotti. The diver sea scallops were scrape-the-plate-clean good.

Who Sells Fish to Nobu Next Door?

F. Rozzo and Sons sells rock shrimp to Nobu Next Door. Read this detailed account of key food pruveyors and the restaurants who use their services in The New York Observer.

Pan- Asian at Tribeca Grill?

One of the Taste of Tribeca volunteers mentioned that they really liked the flavors in the food at Tribeca Grill. Is there a pan-Asian influence in the cooking? A few Asian flavors are happily nestled in between American and Italian fare including Rare Seared Tuna with sesame noodles and pickled vegetables and Coconut Rock Shrimp Tempura with a yellow curry sauce and spiced lemon grass yogurt. What other delights are hiding in the menu? Click here to see for yourself!

Looking for Lunch?

I was walking around Tribeca on a Sunday afternoon. I was hungry. Very, very hungry! Zucker's was the answer. I asked the counterman, "Do you have a signature sandwich with smoked salmon on a bagel? ".

He answered, "Yes."

Ask for the signature smoked salmon, onion, tomato, cream cheese, bagel sandwich for lunch any day of the week.

Greatest Cookbook Ever?

Food writers Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg are great friends to Taste of Tribeca. Their latest cookbook, The Flavor Bible, is destined to join the ranks of culinary classics. Click here to read Andrea Strong's review.

New Chef at Fresh

Andrea Strong tells us there is a new chef at Fresh, the seafood restaurant on Reade Street. They would be a great addition to next year's Taste of Tribeca. Click here to visit the official website.

Duane Park

Duane Park. It's a new restaurant with a new menu. They would be a great addition to the 2009 Taste of Tribeca, which will be May 16, 2009. Mark your calendars then read this Crain's review of Duane Park.

More Matsugen

Lovers of Japanese cuisine, rejoice! Matsugen offers wonderful soba, delicious tempura, and enough flavor and atmosphere to transport you back to those days you spent dining in Tokyo...even if you only read about those days in this article.

David Bouley

"Few chefs are as closely associated with a neighborhood as David Bouley is with Tribeca..." writes Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite of New York Magazine. Truer words were never spoken-David Bouley has been a big supporter of the annual Taste of Tribeca fundraiser which is just one of the ways he has made his mark in the neighborhood. Click here to read more.

Matsugen

Jean-Georges Vongerichten must be pleased by Frank Bruni's review of Matsugen in The New York Times today. Bruni writes about Matsugen with admiration, stating-

"None of this restaurant’s eight types of sushi rolls wears the tag “California” or incorporates avocado...The sushi and sashimi there receive less promotion than what’s on the third page: different kinds of soba — buckwheat noodles — presented in different ways. Soba is Matsugen’s defining mission, its central selling point. And that puts it on rarer, riskier ground than its neighboring peers inhabit."

Read the full review here.

Bazzini's

The Tribeca Whole Foods opened this summer. Convenience, name brand, wide selection...however, let's plug our local Bazzini's. Bazzini's is a founder of the Taste of Tribeca fundraiser and has been a community presence for many years.
With a wide selection of gourmet products, a great, welcoming cafe offering terrific breakfast and lunch specials Bazzini's is the perfect meeting palce for the Taste of Tribeca volunteers.

We love Bazzini's!

Becomingachef.com Talks About Forge

When Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page write about a restaurant one needs to take notice. This week they wrote about a recent trip to Forge featuring some exciting desserts:

...But when it came time for dessert, we were sorry to find the restaurant so quiet: On this visit, we did want to stand up and hoot and holler a while for talented pastry chef Jenny McCoy (ex-Emeril's Delmonico), who retired her knife-and-fork doughnut dessert in favor of a new one, whose sugared and jelly-filled doughnut holes are very good all on their own, excellent with the accompanying lemon verbena creme anglaise, and extraordinary in concert with both the creme anglaise and the accompanying glass of plum-ginger soda...

Click here and scroll down to the July 29th entry to read the full review on Becomingachef.com.

Mmmm! Spun Sugar...

All bistro-lovers should note: Landmarc offers cotton candy free to children ($3.00 for you kids who are old enough to vote!). They kept up this delicious practice at Taste of Tribeca. That's right, free cotton candy.

Rosanjin- Tribeca

Rosanjin promises "The Gift of Food", a feast of seasonal colors and flavors served in a beautiful setting. Could there be a better way to enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine? Here is what one of our readers had to say about this culinary journey to Kyoto:

"I had the pleasure of dining here last night and I have to say it was one of the best dinners I have ever had. The room is beautiful and the service was impeccable. My friend and I ordered a variety of dishes from the al a carte menu which is brand new and very exciting. This is not your every day sushi place. This is authentic Japanese cuisine served by expert staff in a beautiful atmosphere. Over the course of 3.5 hours we sampled sesame tofu, tuna, sea urchin, an assortment of tempura, abalone, and salads. My favorite was the dourade. The sake was flowing and the desserts were homemade and even though we were completely full, we found room to sample the pumpkin and strawberry ice cream. I cannot say enough about this place except that I am looking forward to my next experience and bringing all of my friends."

Forge

One of the stars of this year's Taste of Tribeca was Forge restaurant. Chef Marc Forgione should get bonus points because he participated in Taste before his restaurant was even open. You can read this preview on eater.com.

In addition, you can find out what one of our readers has to say:

"I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of this restaurant since their amazing debut at Taste of Tribeca. Forge was definately a standout this year with their Jamison Lamb. Well I have just received word that Forge will be open tonight and I am already planning a weekend dinner. The following is from their website:

Forge features Chef Marc Forgione's laid-back yet high-style approach to New American cuisine in a comfortable and energetic atmosphere. Menus change frequently to showcase fresh ingredients and new twists on seasonal American favorites."

If you are not already convinced, read Andrea Strong's preview on The Strong Buzz.

A Celebrity Favorite at Taste- Pulled Pork Sliders!

Here is an Excerpt from The NY Daily News, Rush & Molloy article:

"A cute-in-long-hair Michael Imperioli and so many others checked out The Harrison restaurant's pulled-pork slider at Taste of Tribeca that exec chef Amanda Freitag ran out of the delectable dish. Not one to rest on her laurels, Freitag dashed over to the Mai House booth to help pal and "Top Chef" sizzler Spike Mendelsohn, who told us how he stays so mellow on the Bravo show: "They try to get me to throw people under the bus, but cooking's all about teamwork and fun. You can't take it too seriously.""

Here's another chance to experience Freitag's popular dish at home. Check out her recipe for Pulled Pork Sliders.

14th Annual Taste Wrap-Up

The weather was in the 70's, beautiful, and the food was fantastic. Jon Stewart was walking around. Someone yelled "give him a free ticket". A hotdog vendor put on a Tribeca t shirt and tired to make a profit off of the festival. The weblicist was on hand and took some great photos of the Taste of Tribeca like the one above.

Check out the other great pics on his website here.

Just One More Day Stands Between Me and TASTE!

Two restaurant items for Saturday's (May 17th) Taste of Tribeca just caught my eye. Thalassa will be serving grilled octopus. I love Greek style octopus!!! And 'beca, that novel play on words, will serve mini kobe burgers. Just put the word kobe on any beef dish and I will order it!

If you need a little more to get you excited for Saturday, check out this video.

More Offerings at Taste...

Have you seen this?

Forge will be offering the following this year at Taste of Tribeca: Jamison Farms lamb, wild leek pesto and baby sorrel.

Just three more days!

Excitement Builds...

Just six more days until the pleasures of May 17th! There is a lot of chatter out there about all that Taste of Tribeca has to offer this year.

"I have looked at the restaurant page on TasteofTribeca.org. There are so many different cuisines available. The Odeon will serve "BBQ pork spare ribs, as well as vanilla ice cream cones". Flor de Sol begs me to get out my food encyclopedia with "Shrimp Ajillo". Max will offer "Meat Lasagna'. However, the real deal will be all the tasty and unexpected dishes currently listed as "Chef Surprise" at so many of the restaurants such as The Palm, Mai House, and Bouley... I can't wait to see what these chefs will serve!""

All this and more! What's even better is that you are helping New York City public school children with each and every adventurous bite.

Now that's a win-win!

New Participant in Taste of Tribeca

La Colombe Torrefaction has a new cafe in Tribeca and they will be participating in Taste of Tribeca this year.

To find out more about this Philadelphia based purveyor of fine coffees, check out this post from nycnosh.

Toast of the Town

We're all counting the days until May 17th- and it is coming up fast!

"It's hard to believe that Lower Manhattan was once a dining wasteland, since it's increasingly where the culinary excitement lies. On Saturday, May 17th, see what the Triangle Below Canal Street has to offer at the 14th annual Taste of TriBeCa... click here to read the rest of this Zagats post.

The 14th Annual Taste of Tribeca is coming!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 17 and join in the festivities planned to benefit Tribeca public schools PS 150 and PS 234.

A new section of market seating tables has been added to this year's event. You can buy one seat for $175. Enjoy selections from over 50 participating Tribeca restaurants- arguably some of the best in the world- and there will be music, children's entertainment and more! Read more about the Taste of Tribeca in the Tribeca Tribune and find out how to support our schools.

Cercle Rouge

A good bistro can elicit a sigh of relief from a hungry, world-weary diner. An opinion from The New York Times' Frank Bruni can tell you a lot but somehow it just doesn't mean as much as a recommendation from a neighbor. Here is what one of our readers has to say about Cercle Rouge.

"Finally, something real, warm and cozy. The fantastic food doesn't hurt either, everything I have ever ordered here is fantastic, best steak around, my husband and I usually share the 34oz prime rib for two. We introduced ourselves to the Chef, Pierre, who very graciously spent a few minutes at our table. The rest of the staff is very friendly too. Just a very nice, casual bistro, no attitude here. You can tell that this place is full of regulars too. The perfect place to meet people from the neighborhood. We stopped at the bar for a drink on the way out because we ran into some friends. A great place for a fantastic glass of wine and superior meal."

Petrarca Cucina e Vino

"Jars of pickled oranges, lemons and figs, cans of tomato sauce and hundreds of bottles of wine line the walls of Petrarca Cucina e Vino. Scarlet chairs add to the colorful tableau. Tables are spaced comfortably..." So begins the entry about Petrarca Cucina e Vino on Bloomberg.com. But there is so much more! Follow the links. Read on. Immerse yourself in Italian wine, maybe some pasta before you head out to the Tribeca Film Festival.

Isn't it good to live in New York?

Ago

Robert De Niro's new Tribeca restaurant Ago is getting quite a lot of press. Read the eater.com article.

Tribeca Film Festival and Food!

The Tribeca Film Festival is upon us. Whether you like to eat before a film to savor the anticipation or afterward to dissect the finer points of the narrative you're going to want to find some bar/ restaurant options near by.

Luckily, Bloomberg.com has some helpful suggestions for you.

For example, Ago is currently booked for peak dinner hours throughout the festival, but you can still consider it an option for drinks.

Tribeca Grill, Centrico and Mai House will all be offering special 'Film Feast' menus celebrating the link between film and food for the duration of the festival.

Salaam Bombay

Sometimes eating Take Out feels like failure, like you've given up hope of coming up with something good to eat on your own. Luckily, you have options that feel more like you had a stroke of genius. Maybe you'll be too tired to cook more often...

"Salaam Bombay was take out again tonight. My kids love the saag paneer (more spinach please!). My favorite by far is samosa chat--what flavor! "

Shocking Confessions of a Sweet Tooth

If you can't be trusted to watch a plate of cookies or keep your fingers off the frosting, don't worry. You are not alone. Many of us can't resist the allure of something sweet. Take comfort in the confessions of a Tribeca Taste reader:

"I don't usually participate in the rumor mill, but…did you know that there's a respected educator who confesses to spending her entire Taste of Tribeca ticket at the Duane Park Patisserie Booth? If the kids only knew! I'm a fan of their hot chocolate. They steam up the thick, dark base in the latte steamer and it's so rich, you can almost chew it."

Taste As If It Were The First Time...

Sometimes genius is not is inventing something new- but in re-discovering something that has always been there:

"I love how Roc can surprise you by elevating something mundane and, often, unloved: Brussels Sprouts. Who knew they could be so good, shaved thin, served raw with a lemony dressing and pecorino cheese? It was a revelation and I could have easily finished another plateful."

Gigino's

Everyone has their comfort food. One of our readers shares a favorite with us:

"There's something so welcoming about stepping into Gigino's on a raw March night. You can smell the pizza baking in the oven, the yellow walls and flattering light make it feel like home. In a way, it has been part of our home for over 13 years—as the take-out containers will attest. But there's nothing like going in, eating their wonderful olives and picking something off the specials list. My husband and daughter are devotees of the linguini and clam sauce—filled with manila clams and a sprinkling of red pepper. In the summer, I like those two small tables perched out on the stoop. It's the kind of restaurant every neighborhood needs."

Pepolino

When good food mingles with a beautiful space and attentive service you have the makings of a loyal patron and excellent word of mouth from one of our readers:

"We had a great dinner at Pepolino last night. I have actually not been here for sometime and I don't know why. The food is fabulous and the space is beautiful. Both of us each had one of the specials, my friend had the risotto which was amazing and I had the branzino, perfectly cooked and really tasty. When we got there we told the server that we had theater tickets so we only had an hour and we were still able to fit in three courses without feeling rushed. We finished with espresso and chocolate cake. I even had time to chat with Enzo, one of the owners, on my way out. Now that I have rediscovered this place, I plan to become a regular, like most of the patrons who were there last night."

Enjoy Tribeca with Friends

Here are some reader suggestions for dinner in Tribeca with friends:

Acappella is a great place to take out of town guests. Don't miss the three homemade pastas -- nothing better! Bandiera Italia: A combination of Three Pastas, Fusilli Pesto, Porpadelle Boscaiola and Paglia Fieno with Fresh Plum Tomatoes and Basil.

We went to The Harrison on a rainy night with a party of five and the warm service really cheered us up. We tried the fish specials -- yum! I also liked the Pumpkin Seed Salad.

When You Need a Little Something...

Sometimes you just need a little something... Maybe you need to bring something for a party or a morning pick me up. If so, here are a couple of suggestions to help scratch that itch:

Duane Park Patisserie made the cutest cookies for Easter. What a hit with the family when we brought a box over!

Zucker's Bagels is a nice addition to the neighborhood. I always see a friendly face when I stop in to pick up a homemade yogurt or bagel with tuna. The coffee is good too.

More Adventures for the Palate

Another restaurant lover chimes in about some Tribeca favorites:

Kiva Cafe has the best little carrot muffins.

Thalassa is my favorite place to go for fish. There is no place better. The Greeks know what they are doing! Try this starter too -- Anthos zucchini blossoms stuffed with jumbo lump crab meat.

Where to Get Fried Chicken and Spicy Beef

Here are a couple of recommendations from one of our readers:

"Cornerstone Grill does fried chicken and sweet potato fries like no one else! I love how hot the food arrives -- not bad for a little take out joint."

"Go to Mai House just to see the lovely entrance and great decor! The food is creative and spicy just like the drinks. A fun night out for my 40th birthday. Spicy Beef and Pomelo and Three Spice Lamb Chop were good. "

Bubble Lounge

Bubble Lounge is in the news hosting the NYC TV award winners. See link to DowntownExpress.com to get the full story.

In the mean time, one of our readers offers the following recommendation:

"The Bubble Lounge is a fun place to get a bite and a drink with someone you care about. They have good grilled sandwich like the Fontina with wild mushrooms and white truffle oil."

City Hall

Dining with children does not mean you have to sacrifice taste. Not in Tribeca! A local parent shares a review of City Hall:

"City Hall has really made dining with kids easy. We went for an early Saturday dinner with 5 children and 3 adults. We sat in the bar area (lovely) with another family with twin babies one table over. Menu placemats with fun pictures to color, Wikki Sticks to bend and sculpt, and juice cups with lids kept everyone happy until the food arrived. The fried oysters are not to be missed. The crab cakes are also yummy. Most of the kids picked burgers with fries. I wish the burgers came with more veggies -- but that is the mom in me. "

Tribeca Treats

A local parent describes a happy indulgence:

"If I walk down Reade Street with the kids, I have to expect a "PLEEEASE!". I know what they're talking about without any more details. Translation: "Can we stop at Tribeca Treats?" And it is a treat--these are not the kind of cookies you'll see at the school bake sales (and certainly not coming out of my kitchen). These are exquisite, caramel-filled, or ganache filled sandwich cookies ( a description that hardly does them justice). And I don't feel so bad about splurging--I suspect the ingredients used are top-quality and hardly the stuff you'll find in the shrink-wrapped chocolate chip cookies at the deli. They're dainty and satisfying without inducing guilt. For a place that deals in so much sugar there's a calm serene atmosphere: a table to sit at and cookbooks to peruse. So okay, sometimes we all need a treat."

Native Texan Finds Great Tribeca Alternative to Chicken Fried Steak Dinner

From a longtime downtown resident and native Texan:

Last week, I had dinner at Tribeca's Bubby's, whose buttermilk fried chicken is already famous. I was happy to find that one of the daily specials on Friday was Chicken Fried Chicken—a tender piece of white meat chicken battered and fried, then topped with a rich gravy and caramelized onions. It was incredibly flavorful and much healthier than the smothered chicken fried steak of my youth. Three tasty southern influenced sides came with the dish: hush puppies, collard greens and black eyed peas cooked with bacon. Accompanied with a chilled beer on tap, friendly, attentive service, and a modest tab, the meal was a keeper for this Texan turned New Yorker.