Is This A Pizza Restaurant?

Naples is known for its pizzaioli; less so for its hip-hop artists. Alberto Polo Cretara happens to be both, although the rapper M.C. actually got his pizza training in Rome, at the legendary Il Forno. “My teachers were very severe,” Cretara says. “They really cared.” And so does he, about the integrity of the four-foot-long pies he’s baking in a Tagliavini triple-decker electric oven at Farinella, the Italian bakery he opened. Roman style in shape and substance, Cretara’s pizzas are traditionally topped and sold by the slice; the same dough is used for sandwiches like broccoli rabe and smoked mozzarella, or stracchino with walnuts and radicchio. Intended to be a fast and affordable lunchtime beacon in the Civic Center wilderness, Farinella will also serve frittatas, a baked special and soup of the day, and Italian-accented breakfast items, plus packaged bread products like grissini and freselle. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Tribeca's Kurt Gutenbruner Wins Lamb Cook Off!

The 15th Annual Taste of Tribeca featured a few new attractions including a Greenmarket New York State wine tent with guided wine tour and a table of firefighters serving their own firehouse jambalaya.
Most exciting of all was The American Lamb Board Cook Off in which Taste of Tribeca's Kurt Gutenbrunner (Blaue Gans) bested a Top Chef winner. You can read more about the attractions at this year's Taste in Time Out New York.

2009 Taste of Tribeca in Pictures

New York came out in full force last Saturday to support PS 150 and PS 234 at the 15th Annual Taste of Tribeca. Thousands enjoyed samplings from some of New York's finest restaurants while taking in some of the local color. I could go on and on, but since a picture is worth 1000 words...





Thanks to Juren David for the great pictures and there are still more to come! Check back here for more on this year's Taste.

Taste of Tribeca Newcomer- Bar Artisanal

Today's the day! Taste of Tribeca 2009 will be on Duane and Greenwich from 11:30- 3:00 today! Another of our readers has written a recommendation of one of this year's newcomers- Bar Artisanal. Happy Eating!

A foodie friend invited me to Bar Artisanal the week it opened. Chef Brennan was in the house and stopping by the tables. What did I like best? This is a tough one. Pristine scallops lightly dressed in citrus and jalapeno. One scallop remained to be divided among the four of us--it was so good we cut it into 4 tiny wedges. Then, there's the cheese. If Artisanal is doing something with cheese, just order it. The mushroom flatbread (can't really call it pizza) might have won my heart. It was drizzled with white truffle honey. I confess to taking more than my share. The room is open and airy. It was hopping with people happy to welcome this uptown chef to Tribeca. Bar Artisanal is a great fit for the neighborhood.

That Old Time Montparnesse- Cercle Rouge

Just days before the eagerly awaited Taste of Tribeca (this coming Saturday, May 16!) a reader fills us in on the Cercle Rouge experience:

I was having serious flashbacks in Cercle Rouge the other day--it feels like a bit of Montparnesse. Bistros and brasseries are a dime-a-dozen in Manhattan but this one has a real air of authenticity. The chef, who makes regular rounds of the tables, confirms that he's genuine--hailing from Toulouse. I had a rich duck stew with green olives and a nice glass of red. It made me very happy on a rainy day. If it were a nicer day I would have loved sitting in the sidewalk cafe. I can see this becoming a regular stop. Great options for kids too--serious french fries of course.

Kori

Another offering from The Forklifter:

Tucked away on a quite stretch of Church Street is Kori, a great oasis for Korean cooking. You won't find the table-top grills here (but I'm always wary of having to do that much work when I'm eating out--the novelty wears off quickly). We stopped into Kori for lunch the other day to discover a great bargain and a newly redecorated space. First off, a bowl of steaming savory broth is brought to your table when you sit down. The lunch special is generous bento-box style. I opted for the smoky spicy chicken, which was as promised. There were dumplings, salad, noodles and rice. Ten bucks. And there were several variations. My favorite part of the meal might have been their special fruited iced drinks- incredibly refreshing and loaded with slices of asian citrus Yuzu. Perfect counterpart to the cuisine and the muggy days that await us.

Beaujolais at Capsouto Freres

Most are familiar with Beaujolais Nuveau, however, there are many more wines to enjoy from this region. During the month of May Capsouto Freres Restaurant, a Best Beaujolais Bistro since 1995, will be featuring a Morgon, Brouily, Julienas, Saint-Amour and others. Delicate or robust, dry or flowery, they are certain to engage and enchant you.

The Palm- Kids Eat FREE!

Finding a kid-friendly restaurant that is also parent-friendly is always a challenge. Luckily, we have our faithful readers to help us navigate those culinary waters!

The Palm Tribeca is offering a Kids Eat Free on Sundays for Spring and Summer . They open at 5:00 and kids 12 and under eat free when accompanied by a paying adult. The Palm Tribeca is very kid-friendly and boasts an awesome kid's menu. My daughter had the fillet mignon and cleaned her plate. My son had the Chicken Parmagianna and it was an adult-sized portion which we brought home and had for lunch the next day. I had the Veal Oscar which was great and my husband had the Veal Marsala also a wonderful choice.

The Palm Tribeca also offers a membership in what the call The 837 Club, which awards you points that can be redeemed for free meals when you reach a certain level. It also alerts you to any specials the restaurant is offering and offers exclusive specials to club members. The membership fee is $25.00 but they give you a $25.00 gift card on the spot when you sign up.

The Excitement Builds

This year's Taste of Tribeca will be on Saturday, May 16 from 11:30 AM- 3:00 PM. You'll find notices popping up all over the place, like this one on Eater.com.

Amanzi Tea at Taste of Tribeca

Amanzi Tea, a new tea bar and shop at 166 Chambers Street, is one of the newest participants in this year's Taste of Tribeca (May 16, 2009). Amanzi Tea boasts over 100 custom blends, including Rooibos, Yerba Mate, Herbals and White, Green, Oolong and Black teas. They also serve hot & cold teas, tea smoothies, tea frappes, tea lattes, sparkling tea and bubble teas. Welcome to Tea Paradise!

Petrarca Cucina e Vino- Outdoor Seating!

A Taste of Tribeca reader (and dedicated citizen!) starts off the day at jury duty and ends it with an enjoyable meal (outdoors) at Petrarca Cucina e Vino. It is, quite possibly, the happiest jury duty tale ever told:

I was in the area serving jury duty and was released early. Deciding to celebrate a little, I set off towards a lunch in the sunshine since it was a gorgeous Spring day. After wandering into TriBeCa I saw this place as I neared Canal Street. It had outdoor seating along the sidewalk and a nice lunch menu - salads, individual pizzas, pastas, a burger etc, and also a wine list that sold a vast and interesting array of 1/4 bottles (Italian mostly.) Exactly what I was looking for! A friendly, very pretty waitress sat me outdoors at a table (I was solo), which was along a row of them that wrapped around the corner. Soon I was brought water, delicious crusty bread and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and menus. I got the lunch omelette - goat cheese and herbs, and a 1/4 bottle of a delicious white wine which I think was called Tribbiano. The omelette was perfectly prepared - fluffy and light, and it came with perfectly crispy french fries and a small salad. Sitting there, people watching, enjoying the weather and the food and wine, I practically felt like I was in Europe (although the view of the iron front buildings is pure NYC). I had a very nice lunch, the service was very good, and the prices seemed fair. The only nit pick I would have is that you can only buy wine by the 1/4 bottle - but hey that's no big deal! Recommended!

Taste of Tribeca - Breaking News!

Bar Artisanal, the latest creation of Chef Terrance Brennan, will be participating in the 15th annual Taste of Tribeca on Saturday, May 16, 2009. Newly opened, Mr. Brennan wants to participate in the city's best food event!

Arqua- Classic Cooking

Restaurant lovers searching for good Italian food take heart! Arqua has won the heart of one of our readers:

Once we arrived, our biggest problem was trying to decide what to have. The selections were all great (as usual). We helped to solve our dilemma by tasting each other’s orders. The food is prepared in a classic method, nothing trendy about it at all. And for me, that is a big plus! So many times, I’ll read the ingredients listed on the menu in a particular dish at other restaurants and all is great until there is that one, wacky ingredient that never before appeared in, say, pasta primavera. I believe a chef is expected to demonstrate creativity but, for me, classics can only be improved by the quality of the ingredients. And the quality at Arqua is among the highest. The venue lends itself to relaxed dining and good conversation – the hallmarks of the Italian dining experience. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the wines and suggested a great one to go with our meal. All in all, an unforgettable dinner. We’re still taking about it!