NYC FOODIE SANDWICH OF THE WEEK: NINO'S TRATTORIA'S CHICKEN PARM AND ITALIAN HOAGIE

The NYC FOODIE "Sandwich of the week" comes to us from Nino's Trattoria, a restaurant I hold dear to my heart, for it is right down the block from my apartment. 

I have been ordering their #3 Sandwich ($6.95) for years; Genoa Salami, Provolone, Cappicola with tomato, romaine lettuce, onions, roasted peppers, oil, vinegar & oregano on semolina bread--or what I call an "Italian Hoagie" (I always add mayo too.) I think it is the best in Midtown and never disappoints. I love it! 

Last week I had their Chicken Parmigiana sandwich ($6.95) topped with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. My friend Frank who works there, recommended I add a little vodka sauce to give it a little kick, which I did, and I chose to add grilled onions as well. It was a terrific sandwich. I loved it too!

So for some of Midtown's best sandwiches, Nino's Trattoria hits the spot. Trust me, you'll love it!

Nino's Trattoria
39 W. 46th St. (Bet. 6th and 5th Ave)
New York, NY 10036
212-719-4015

www.ninos-trattoria.com

NYC FOODIE LUNCH OF THE WEEK: LONDON LENNIES

Last week I was invited to lunch at London Lennies, a seafood restaurant in Rego Park, Queens, that is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year. My last time at London Lennies was around twenty years ago, so I was excited for this culinary reunion! 

The restaurant is a charming large space, very comfortable for seafood consumption. The restaurant was debuting a new "Seafood on a Shoestring" menu, where for $18 (for lunch) you get a choice of starter, entree, and dessert, which is an amazing deal, and great bang for your buck!

Before the meal came we were all brought a bowl of coleslaw. This was not your ordinary coleslaw though, this was the BEST coleslaw I had ever had! It was so good and addictive, I could not stop eating it throughout the meal.

I ordered the New England clam chowder and the lobster roll.

The chowder was absolutely perfect and delicious. Sometimes restaurants make the chowder too watery, sometimes its too thick, this one was just right, and delicious!

My lobster roll was wonderful; light, simple, and tasty. The fresh lobster was the true highlight of this sandwich- as it should be. It was the perfect lobster roll.

We also ordered a plate of calamari and bay sea scallops for the table.

The calamari was really good and the sea scallops blew my mind. They were very simple, but I could taste the freshness, and they practically melted in my mouth. They were like butter!

My dining companions ordered a chicken breast sandwich and a caesar salad with shrimp, which I didn't try, but I know they were satisfied.

London Lennies is the perfect seafood restaurant. With great fresh seafood being served for 50 years, it truly is an institution in Queens. I'd call it the "king of seafood" of Queens.

London Lennies
63-88 Woodhaven Blvd. 
Rego Park, NY 11374
718-894-8084

www.londonlennies.com

NYC FOODIE MEAL OF THE WEEK: CASA MONO

Last Friday my family and I celebrated my younger sister's 27th birthday at Casa Mono, which happens to be my favorite tapas spot in NYC. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share and ALL of them were great! Check them out:

Bacalao Croquetas with Orange Alioli ($9)- Yummo!

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Croquetas ($9)- these were amazing!

Scallops with Blood Oranges and Rainbow Carrots ($15)- Hello Gorgeous!

Duck Egg with Mojama ($16) - a classic dish at Casa Mono, this pic does not do it justice, but crack that yolk and have fun!

Fideos with Chorizo and Clams ($18) - the highlight of the evening, crunchy noodles melt away in the flavorful, delicious broth; succulent and orgasmic, yea I said it.

Artichokes with Mint ($9) - tasty, lemony goodness! (just a touch of mint)

Patatas Bravas ($9)- probably the best I have ever had- a sauce just spicy enough and extremely addictive.

Gamba with Black Bomba Rice ($14) - Question: "What's black and red and tastes great?" Answer: "This dish."

Crispy Pork Belly and Apple Salad ($19)- great texture, great flavor, addictive = daddy like! (my father liked this dish too)

Sheep's Milk Cheese and Quince Jelly ($9) - I love cheese! If God serves cheese in heaven, this would be that dish.

Bread Pudding with Caramel Ice Cream ($9) - What a sweet and delicious ending to an amazing and magical meal. Happy Birthday Briana Beckerman!

Casa Mono
52 Irving Place (at 17th Street)
New York, NY 10003
212-253-2773
www.casamononyc.com

NYC FOODIE HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 42ZOMBIE

For everyone looking for a spicy great cocktail to celebrate Halloween, check out this press release from 42BELOW Vodka (sounds delicious!):

"For those past the age of Trick or Treating, 42BELOW has a sweet alternative for Halloween festivities with playful cocktails for the young at heart. Those crazy Kiwis have whipped up some tasty cocktails with all natural ingredients to ease the embarrassment of being one of about thirty people dressed as Michael Jackson at the party. Available exclusively at gothic New York City hot spot Cellar Bar at the Bryant Park Hotel, the 42Zombie has already become a favorite among the tastemakers and fashion elite.

The 42Zombie

Tsp brown sugar

1 part lemon juice

1 part Bacardi Oro

1 part Bacardi 151

1 part 42BELOW Passionfruit

1 part unsweetened pineapple juice

1 part fresh lime juice

1 part Passionfruit syrup

1 dash Angostura bitters

Method: Dissolve sugar and lemon juice, then add all other ingredients and shake well with crushed ice. Pour entire

contents into a Collins glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Garnish with a pineapple leaf

NYC FOODIE WINE OF THE WEEK: LUCE WINES

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get invited to a wine tasting for Luce Wines, a fabulous Italian vineyard. Luce was the first wine ever produced in Montalcino by blending Sangiovese and Merlot. I was able to tast a bunch of different vintages, from a smooth 2006 to an amazing and seductive 1997, this was some of the best Italian wines I had ever tasted. I definitely recommend heading the your nearest wine store and picking up a bottle!

NYC FOODIE COOKIE OF THE WEEK: CHIPN'ETZEL BY SARA SNACKER

Last week I had the pleasure of receiving two boxes of Chipn'etzel cookies from the Sara Snacker Cookie Company. The Chipn'etzel is "a sweet and savory cookie made from everyone's two favorite snacks - potato chips and pretzels!" I tried ones hand dipped in dark chocolate and hand dipped in white chocolate and I loved them! The combination of the sweetness of the chocolate and the saltiness of the potato chips and pretzels makes this a truly addictive cookie! I came home one night and ate 10 in a row - by accident. If you crave a sweet and salty snack, the Chipn'etzel hits the spot. Just be careful, cause I bet you can't just eat one!

www.sarasnacker.com

NYC FOODIE COFFEE OF THE WEEK: STUMPTOWN COFFEE

I love coffee. I live on it. It gets me through the day. Ok, I probably don't even need coffee, as I am pretty hyper and energetic without it, but it makes me feel good. I get tall iced coffees from Starbucks on a daily basis. Is Starbucks coffee good? It does the job- for me at least- and they are on every block. Seriously, there are 4 Starbucks within a one block radius from my apt, surrounding me on all sides, like they are at war with me, at least at war with conquering my craving for caffeine- and Starbucks wins every day. I think once I was in a Starbucks and found another Starbucks inside that Starbucks; it was nutty. 

Anywhoosies, I do enjoy venturing out to more independent coffee spots in NYC and will say that 100% of the time the coffee is a tad better, but they all have the same effect- getting me wired, which is all that counts. 

I had heard about Stumptown Coffee opening up in the Ace Hotel and stopped by last week for an iced coffee and enjoyed it. I stopped by again this past weekend, and asked one of the baristas what he recommended, and he told me the cappuccino, which I ordered. And, I must say, it was the BEST cappuccino I have ever had. Now, you might ask, "What made it the best, NYC FOODIE?" I really can't say exactly; it was smooth and bold, and delicious. Maybe it was the cute little swirl he made which, I called a "swirly". Maybe it was all in my head. But I recommend you go for yourself to try one, and let me know what you think. Even if you don't think it is the best, you'll still get your caffeine fix, and that is all that really matters.

Stumptown Coffee
18 W. 29th Street (and Broadway in the ACE Hotel)
New York, NY 10001
www.stumptowncoffee.com

NYC FOODIE DESSERT OF THE WEEK: BREAD PUDDING FROM THE DESSERT TRUCK

The NYC FOODIE "Dessert of the Week" is actually a dessert I had three weeks ago that I forgot to write about, and unfortunately, it is from a truck that has since been shut down. But, I feel compelled to tell my readers about it.

After a disappointing meal at DBGB, I spotted the Dessert Truck on St. Marks and 3rd avenue. I had seen an episode of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" on the Food Network where Bobby battles the guys from the Dessert Truck against their bread pudding, and decided I should check out what all the hype was about. I don't think I ever had bread pudding until this night too, so this was a great opportunity.

The bread pudding ($5) came with a bacon anglaise, and after one bite I could see and taste what all the hype was about. It was amazing, fabulous, wonderful, and truly orgasmic! The combination of the bacon anglaise and the not too sweet chocolate was truly harmonious. It was just as good as sex, and for 5 dollars, a lot cheaper than getting a prostitute. 

The Dessert Truck cannot sell to people on the street for now, due to an invalid permit, but they are still available for catering. So, if it is an orgasm you crave (one not induced sexually,) get one induced by by some bread pudding!

Dessert Truck
www.desserttruck.com

NYC FOODIE DRINK OF THE WEEK: THE MOONWALK

This past Monday, July 20th marked the 40th Anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s 1969 Walk on the Moon. Grand Marnier was celebrating a bit of the brand’s own history that day as well: the famed liqueur was used in the first cocktail the astronauts enjoyed upon their return to earth. Aptly dubbed the Moonwalk, the cocktail was created by Joe Gilmore, the head barman at the Savoy Hotel in London to mark the first moon landing. (The name also is the name of a popular dance from the 1980's made famous by a famous pop singer.) 

I was invited to Dutch Kills, the new bar in Long Island City owned by Sasha Petraske, (Milk & Honey, Little Branch, etc) to try the drink. The bar and drink were both great, and I highly recommend both!

The Moonwalk
Ingredients:
1 part Grand Marnier
1 part fresh grapefruit juice
2 dashes Rosewater
Moët & Chandon (top with)
Shake ingredients well and strain into a wine glass. Top up with Moët & Chandon.

Dutch Kills
27-24 Jackson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-383-2724
www.dutchkillsbar.com

NYC FOODIE PASTA ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK: SCARPETTA

Last Friday, continuing my quest for NYC's best pasta dishes, I headed to the Meatpacking District, to hit up Scott Conant's Scarpetta. I had heard raves about this place since it opened, most notably about Conant's Spaghetti Pomodoro, and I was excited to try it.

Scarpetta looks like a restaurant you'd find in the Meatpacking district, sleek and stylish, with a more conservative than casual feel. I took a seat at the bar and knew exactly what I wanted; the Spaghetti with tomato and basil. I also requested their bread basket, which at first the bartender told me they didn't serve at the bar after 10:30, which for a foodie, is just a dumb rule, but for a drinker, who cares. I of course used my magic, and made a bread basket appear. 

I'm glad I made them bring me the basket for the various breads are good, and I enjoyed the three sides to put on them; olive oil, eggplant, and marscapone butter.

The Spaghetti with basil and tomato was delicate, perfectly cooked, and very good. Did it blow my mind? No. It was spaghetti. Would I ever order it again? No. It was spaghetti. I'm not sure why the dish has gotten so much press, maybe since I don't eat a lot of spaghetti at restaurants I don't have much to compare it too, but again, it was fine, just not mind-blowing. Would I recommend Scarpetta as an Italian restaurant to go to in the Meatpacking district, of course.

And so my journey continues for the best pasta dishes in NYC!

FOLLOW-UP NOTE - I went again to Scarpetta tonight (8/6/09) for a little party, was given another plate of the spaghetti, and must tell you that it was actually more mind-blowing than my first experience! Not sure what it was-but it was Great!

Scarpetta
355 W. 14th St. (at 9th ave)
New York, NY 10014
212-691-0555

www.scarpettanyc.com