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Get Cultured: 6 Yogurt Cocktails for a Bit of Fermentation in Your Glass

Nevin Martell July 27, 2017 Leave a Comment

Yogurt is a common ingredient in smoothies, not so much in cocktails. That’s changing thanks to bartenders who love its tang, creamy smoothness, and power to mellow out the sharpness of other ingredients. Here are six yummy yogurt cocktails – no spoon required.

Proédros at Harvest Table, St. Helena, California
Proedros is Greek for ‘president,’ a nod to the fact that this drink riffs on a classic El Presidente. Cachaça is subbed in for the usual rum, though the vermouth and grenadine stay the same. Calamansi limes add a touch of tartness, while yogurt creates a silky mouthfeel. Make a reservation at Harvest Table.

Balm.Com at Ēma, Chicago, Illinois
A mix of vodka, cachaça, blueberry, coconut, and lemon balm gets a touch of tang from some yogurt. TheBalm.com is TheBomb.com. You can quote us on that. Make a reservation at Ēma.

Breakfast Time at All Set, Silver Spring, Maryland
Greek yogurt plays nicely with amaretto, spiced rum, maple syrup, and lemon juice. It’s creamy and zippy with an earthy sweetness. Everything you want in a well-balanced breakfast. Make a reservation at All Set.

Lion’s Milk at Kapnos, Washington, D.C.
Don’t worry, there’s not actually lion’s milk in this dessert cocktail. Instead, you’ll find mastiha (mastic liqueur), lemon, lime, yogurt liqueur, egg white, heavy cream, rose water and soda. Guaranteed to make you roar with delight. Make a reservation at Kapnos.

NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2017 Specials: Book Your Tables Now

OpenTable July 26, 2017 Leave a Comment

Diners, start booking your tables if you haven’t already. NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2017 is here and on its 25^th anniversary, the offerings are better than ever! There are hundreds of participating restaurants, offering up $29 lunches and $42 dinners, July 24-August 18. Here’s a look at a few of our favorites menus.

Bâtard
For the first time ever, Bâtard is participating in NYC Restaurant Week. Don’t miss three courses, Monday-Friday. Dishes include chef Markus Glocker’s crispy branzino, steak tartare, and beets linzer, and sommelier Jason Jacobeit has specially priced wines at $11 a glass that are ideal accompaniments. It’s a hot ticket, so this Michelin-starred Tribeca fave is extending their offering the weeks of August 21 and 28. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Batard.

Noreetuh
Known for chef Chung Chow’s modern take on Hawaiian cuisine and a poke that is consistently ranked as one of the best authentic offerings in New York City, Noreetuh is serving dinner for seven days along with optional wine pairings for just $25. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Noreetuh.

db Bistro Moderne
Executive chef Chris Stam and executive pastry chef Daniel Kleinhandler have a superb seasonal menu at long-running participant db Bistro Moderne that includes tomato and watermelon gazpacho, corn risotto, hangar steak, blueberry clafoutis, and a chocolate gateâu. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at db Bistro Moderne.

Auden Bistro & Bar
Tucked into the elegant Ritz-Carlton on Central Park South, Auden is lunch and dinner menus from chef Joseph Lallave. Options include sushi flatbread, a burrata Caesar salad, New York Strip steak, and crispy Skuna Bay salmon. Red and white pairings are available from the sommelier. End your meal on a very NYC note with the New York-style cherry cheesecake. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Auden Bistro & Bar.

Tribeca Grill
One of the very first participants in New York City Restaurant Week in 1992, this Tribeca mainstay is offering lunch and dinner Monday-Friday as well as Sunday brunch. Look for potato, leek, and watercress soup, heirloom tomato tartine, grilled Berkshire pork chop, and stone fruit cobbler. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Tribeca Grill.

Morimoto
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has a sushi feast for less. Swing by during lunch Monday-Friday for dishes like Angry Chicken, Veggie Bop, and chocolate pavlova, plus signature cocktails such as the Serenity Now (and who couldn’t use a bit of that?). Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Morimoto.

Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant
You don’t have to head to the Bronx to enjoy Chazz Palminteri and chef Enko Purisic’s Italian fare. Their three-course lunch offering includes insalata di buffalo or calamari fritti, tilapia livornese or filetto di maia scallopini, and a choice of cheesecake, gelato, or tiramisu. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Chazz Palminteri’s Italian Restaurant.

Nobu Downtown
At the newly relocated iteration of Nobu, the three-course lunch offerings include the signature Nobu tacos, Nobu’s famed black miso cod, and yogurt panna cotta. The space is a stunner, so don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy it at a generous discount. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Nobu Downtown.

Megu
Head downtown for some Asian-accented dishes from chef Frances Tariga (from Chopped, Top Chef, and Cutthroat Kitchen), at the recently reopened Megu in the Meatpacking District, such as salmon belly nori tacos, Okinawa sweet potato ravioli, and matcha crepe cake. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Megu.

The Palm Court
The always elegant Palm Court in The Plaza Hotel has equally elegant menus, from ahi tuna tartare to tandoori spiced chicken wings. Curated cocktails, including the Hemingway Daquiri and the Orson Welles Negroni round things out. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at The Palm Court.

Boucherie
Newly opened, this year is Boucherie’s first experience in NYC Restaurant Week. Guest can dine for lunch or dinner and expect signature steak entrees from the French Brasserie like the Steak Frites au Poivre at dinner), a Pat LaFrieda New York strip with four peppercorn cream sauce and crispy French fries or the Onglet de Boeuf a la Lyonnaise (lunch), hanger steak and white wine shallot demi-glaze. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Boucherie.

Ocean Prime
Executive chef Eugenio Reyes delights with all the jewels of the ocean in the way of dishes like flash-fried Point Judith calamari and teriyaki salmon, but there’s plenty for landlubbers, such as Murray’s Farms chicken and chocolate peanut butter pie. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Ocean Prime.

Philippe
The Upper East Side celebrity hotspot that has catered to dazzling celebs and promises to dazzle with modern Chinese fine dining lunch and dinner menus from executive chef John Villa with dishes such as the famous chicken satay, nine seasons spicy prawns, and fortune cookie red velvet cake. Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Philippe.

Bar Primi
Chef Andrew Carmellini and chef-partner Sal Lamboglia are participating in lunch and dinner and have Italian favorites, including burrata cremosa, eggplant caponata crostino, casarecca with zucchini and salsa verde, garganelli with vodka sugo and proscuitto, and gelato del giorno. Mangiamo! Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Bar Primi.

Leuca
The stylish restaurant in Brooklyn’s tony The William Vale hotel is known for it’s cuisine inspired by Southern Italy. Lunch and dinner selections include fire-roasted cabbage, seabass tartare, malfadini with rapini pesto and sweet & sour peppers, black shells with ruby shrimp and local calamari, budino “cioccomenta.” Make an NYC Restaurant Week reservation at Leuca.

Sweet Beats the Heat: The Ultimate Summer Desserts

Carley Thornell July 24, 2017 Leave a Comment

Strawberry-rhubarb crostada … peach tatin … sweet pea cake with lemon curd and basil whipped cream… summer desserts have come a long way from the ice cream truck! Here are a few mouth-watering seasonal favorites with a twist for your ultimate summer desserts set list.

Deuxave, Boston, Massachusetts
Sweet meets the heat with pastry chef Shaun Velez’s Asian-inspired peach tatin, featuring the best of the summer’s fruit. Served with macerated peaches, candied Thai chilis, peach-thai-chili sauce, and lemon verbena oil and a peach ice cream, diners are also surprised with a pop of color with verdant microgreens. Make a reservation at Deuxave.

Vinoteca, Los Angeles, California
Was avocado ice cream invented to make us feel better about indulging during bathing suit season? The Cococado at Vinoteca, the wine- and espresso-bar concept in Culina, one-ups the trend with a pretty plate that pairs antioxidant-rich chocolate, agave sweetener, the silken texture of whipped avocado for creaminess and healthy fats, and refreshing avocado ice cream along with an indulgent chewy brownie. Make a reservation at Vinoteca.

KYU, Miami, Florida
Anyone who’s attended a wedding in the past year has no doubt noticed the “naked” cake trend — thinly iced sides to show off the decadent layers inside. Chef Michael Lewis updates his mother’s family recipe for one of Miami’s favorite desserts, a delicately tiered coconut cake with cream cheese and coconut frosting, served alongside a dollop of coconut ice cream. Make a reservation at KYU.

Coffeemania, New York, New York
With a name like Coffeemania, who would know they serve up some of the best food on Bryant Park? But a meal here at this first U.S. outpost of this popular Russian restaurant deserves to be followed by a cup of joe and one of several summer desserts to fall in love with—especially the light and refreshing Love Me, Love Me Not, featuring strawberry mousse and fresh raspberries. Make a reservation at Coffeemania.

8 Cool Cobalt Cocktails to Help Chase Your Blues Away

Nevin Martell July 20, 2017 Leave a Comment

Feeling blue on this #ThirstyThursday? Now you can sip nearly every shade – from azure and Tiffany to sapphire and turquoise. These eight cobalt cocktails will help chase your blues away.

Oceanaire 2.0 at Oceanaire, Washington, D.C.
Indulge in a taste of the tropics. A heady mixture of white rum, banana syrup, lime juice, and ginger liqueur takes on a Tiffany blue hue thanks to curaçao. It’s garnished with “seaweed,” which is actually slender strands of lime peel. Make a reservation at Oceanaire.

Señorita Margarita at RJ Mexican Cuisine, Dallas, Texas
Hola, señorita! This sassy lady from south of the border boasts two types of rum and blue curaçao (see a trend here?), plus sweet and sour mix. Beware: this turquoise temptress can be deadly if you don’t watch yourself. Make a reservation at RJ Mexican Cuisine.

Blue Armadillo Margarita at H3 Ranch, Fort Worth, Texas
Coconut tequila infused with vanilla beans and freshly cut pineapple is the backbone of this sapphire sipper. The teal tipple is a showstopper, so plan on snapping a shot before you take a sip. When you post it, don’t forget to hashtag it #cocktailporn. Make a reservation at H3 Ranch.

Blue Dream Mimosa, Madison, San Diego, California
Blue-green algae (yes, you read that correctly) adds a cerulean caste to this fetching proposition. The cocktail is filled out with organic lemon juice, alkaline water, Fuji apple juice, and ginger, so it’s practically a health elixir. Champagne is also involved, but we won’t tell your doctor if you don’t. Make a reservation at Madison.

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