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Bluebell Cafe in Gramercy_March 29, 2010 : Bluebell Cafe, a welcome addition to dining in Gramercy
American comfort food bistro with a French country flare, Bluebell Café is the newest addition to the Gramercy Park neighborhood. What a pleasant surprise to discover this casual, warm and welcoming place with wood floors and décor filled with cottagesque decorations that compliment the county menu perfectly. Open only two weeks ago, the café offers such an interesting variety of menu items - familiar apps and entrees plus dishes you wouldn’t expect to see at a café. Many choices on the menu for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, from grilled sandwiches and salads, to main entrees and sides. My friend ate brunch earlier in the day and wanted to return for dinner, and I joined her.
The dinner crowd was comprised of a blend of curious first-timers and regulars all devoted to the restaurant; the restaurant was surprisingly busy for a Sunday evening.
Sheila McDonagh the owner’s wife was incredibly friendly and inviting. Sheila and her husband Pete O’Connell and partner John Ronaghan also own Molly’s Shebeen Irish pub just down the street. Sheila was proud to tell the story of her idea of offering a homey neighborhood restaurant for the locals. “Not everyone wants to eat in a pub or have a burger.” True. My friend had never eaten at Molly’s, yet when she walked by Bluebell Café, the openness and casual atmosphere was the draw.
Chef Scott Hawley prepared for us the most delicious comfort food “Macaroni and cheese” made with four different cheeses: Cheddar, Gruyere, Parmesan, Mascarpone. We opted for the appetizer portion for $8 (the entrée is $15.) Next, Pan Roasted Salmon (Lentils, Bacon, Mustard-Sherry sauce (for $18.); the salmon was perfectly succulent with flawlessly crunchy skin. I ordered the Crab cakes, Frisee, apple, smoked paprika remoulade ($18.) stuffed with large chunks of crab. For dessert we shared a rather large piece of Red Velvet Cake paired with coconut ice cream ($6) and a rich and tasty cup of coffee, which I discovered was Irving 71 coffee. (Irving Farm hand-blends and roasts fresh daily in their roasting facility located in the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York .) A perfect end to a delicious meal.
Bluebell Café is open 8am -11pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their website is still under construction and should be ready soon. I’m going back soon – the table next to us order the Trio of Beef Sliders Cheddar and bacon, Gruyere and Fried Onions, Blue Cheese and Arugula served with salad or fries 12.and that’s what I’m excited to try, next time!
Bluebell Cafe
Gramercy
293 Third Avenue

Bluebell Cafe in Gramercy_March 29, 2010

One If By Land, Two If By Sea_March 28, 2010 :

One If By Land, Two If By Sea_March 28, 2010

AY Kitchen_March 22, 2010 : DINING OUT WITH ANN WATT
****
AY Kitchen, Fine Turkish Cuisine
115 Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10016
212-213-0200
****

Opened only one month, already the place was packed and the people kept coming. My friend and I soon discovered why …the menu offered a great variety of appetizers and entrees for her vegetarian palate, whereas I enjoy eating just about everything, as long as it’s flavorful and well-prepared. My friend calls me fussy! But I say, “I’m a good cook and if I’m going to pay restaurant prices I want to eat something better than what I would cook at home.” In an ideal location, at the corner of Lexington and 28 Street, formerly occupied by Rice, AY Kitchen posts their Turkish menu outside with a cuisine that is Middle Eastern and Mediterranean. We were greeted right away by professional waiters. As we were seated we ordered wine, unfortunately we were told that currently the restaurant is awaiting their liquor license and is it is BYOB for now. The owner is Ramazan Ay (the "Ay" in Ay Kitchen comes from his name). Fourteen years ago he opened Kebab House in Little Neck which is successfully running strong. Ay’s son Ali explained to me that his Dad created this menu with a focus on fine Turkish cuisine. “My Dad could have easily offered three more pages of original recipes; however he prefers to offer a diverse menu with the freshest produce available.” First my friend and I shared an octopus salad ($12), which was big enough for the two of us. The raw onions were blanched, the octopus tender and moist. So many eggplant options, we chose the Iman Bayildi (oven baked whole eggplant stuffed with a vegetable stew for $7.) Next time (and there will be a next time soon) we will try the Kozleme Patlican, a char-grilled who eggplant topped with the chef’s special sauce. Ay’s home-made sauce means this dish can not be found anywhere but at the Ay’s restaurants. We also order the Branzino (a whole European sea b, char-grilled marinated in lemon & parsley for $21.) The fish was delicately filleted table side, and the side salad and rice made this delicious dish a complete meal. I always leave a little room for dessert and the waiter brought us Kadayif (baked shredded wheat stuffed with pistachios and topped with a light honey syrup - $5) and Kazandibi (a semolina pudding - $5.) The desserts were not too sweet, just a perfect compliment to a wonderful dinner. This neighborhood restaurant will soon become a hit since the food is well-prepared, service is friendly and knowledgeable and the prices are affordable. Look for their website, which will be up live in a week. Meanwhile, drop in, order out – they deliver.
Review and Photo By: Ann Watt/Society-Photos

AY Kitchen_March 22, 2010

Bemjamin Steakhouse_Feb 21, 2010 : DINING NYC STYLE AT BENJAMIN'S STEAKHOUSE
Dining Out With Ann Watt/Society-Photos

Benjamin Steakhouse
52 East 41st Street
New York, NY 10017
www.benjaminsteakhouse.com
(212) 297-9177
****
The ever looming question of "what's the best steakhouse in NY" will never be answered unanimously; there are too many variables to consider. I've been to what's considered New York’s top steakhouses and Benjamin ranks right up there at the very top. No surprise, considering Chef/owner Arturo McLeod spent the last 33 years working in steakhouses, and perfected his unique grilling techniques at Peter Luger. He left to open the elegant Benjamin Steak House. Chef McLeod knows meat. He supervises all of the buying and the menu planning; the menu features the finest and carefully selects prime USDA meat, dry aged for 20 to 28 days. Benjamin Steakhouse, conveniently located near Grand Central Station, in the heart of Manhattan, offers award-winning steaks, seafood & more. The 5,000 square foot restaurant features a ten-foot working fireplace, rich chocolate brown leather seating, oak wood paneling, vaulted decorative ceiling, & modern brass amber-toned chandeliers. Benjamin Steakhouse welcomes groups of all sizes. The entire restaurant can be reserved for up to approximately 215 guests. The private dining rooms on the second level will accommodate 60 guests. I don't think I've ever had steak that was so tender. The porterhouse for 2 was cooked to perfection, it had a great crust, juicy and the meat was aged, with great flavor. Who would go to a Steakhouse for seafood? We did, and the Chilean Sea Bass was generous and also cooked to perfection. The Caesar salad was exceptionally delicious, the creamed spinach was rich and flavorful and just creamy enough. Benjamin Steakhouse also offers a wide selection of wines and vintages for pairing and a variety of more than a dozen delicious desserts. Benjamin now ranks as one of the premier steakhouses in the city; for serious steak-connoisseurs, Benjamin is a must visit.

Bemjamin Steakhouse_Feb 21, 2010

PRESS NY Restaurant Review_September 13, 2009 : Press NY Restaurant
379 3rd Avenue (between 27th St & 28th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 679-4699
www.pressny.com
Sun-Thurs: 11am-Midnight; Fri-Sat: 11am-4am

Press NY has the best wraps in town! Think crepes, but instant. The Press chef makes the wraps on homemade tortillas by PRESS-ing the dough into a tortilla right in front of you. The tortilla comes out warm, soft, and chewy and really differentiates this place from the million other wraps you can get in the city.. You select stuff to stuff inside, add some dressing, grab a drink and some fries and there you have it.
The way it works is, you:
1. Pick your dough (whole wheat or flour) and they press it into a wrap
2. Pick your meat or veggies - I chose mushroom and zucchini.
3. Pick your toppings - All of the options are fresh, be sure to ask for the crispy onions.
4. Pick your dressing - I went with the Blood Orange Vinaigrette.
All this adds up to a really delicious sandwich! A wrap fit for the hungry.
Veggie wraps are $7.50, meat and poultry wraps are $8.50 or you can get a combo which comes with your choice of drink - wraps with choice of salad, soup or fries $12.00 or salad with choice of soup or fries for $13.00. You will have to wait a bit, and I can only imagine that during a rush it could be annoying. Still, with so many different possible fresh ingredients and toppings and dressings, it might just be worth it.
The place is small and the decor is simple and clean; there is ample seating to sit and enjoy your food. Small or not, it’s a nice place to go to eat and relax with friends. Got the late-night munchies? On Friday and Saturday Press NY is open till 4AM!

PRESS NY Restaurant Review_September 13, 2009

Le Pain Quotidien Restaurant_Sept. 6, 2009 :

Le Pain Quotidien Restaurant_Sept. 6, 2009

Swiftys Restaurant_Aug 29, 2009 :

Swiftys Restaurant_Aug 29, 2009

Franchia_Aug 21, 2009 :

Franchia_Aug 21, 2009

Swifty's at The James Beard House_January 31, 2009 :

Swifty's at The James Beard House_January 31, 2009

Lasgna Restaurant_Nov 12, 2008 :

Lasgna Restaurant_Nov 12, 2008

Manana Restaurant_November 10, 2008 :

Manana Restaurant_November 10, 2008

Vong Restaurant_Sept 17, 2008 :

Vong Restaurant_Sept 17, 2008

8 1/2 Restaurant_Aug 18, 2008 :

8 1/2 Restaurant_Aug 18, 2008

Top Chef's CJ Cooks Up Healthy New Breakfast Menu for Hilton Garden Inn_July 30, 2008 : CJ's Signature Waffle, a multi grain waffle with freshly-made blueberry thyme compote; Great Granola & Flax, a granola and flaxseed parfait with plain yogurt, fresh strawberries and honey; and The Hearty Hash, which is brisket hash with fresh kale, grilled whole grain bread and poached egg served with oven-roasted sweet potatoes. The new menu rolled out September 1st, with new items added throughout the year.

Top Chef's CJ Cooks Up Healthy New Breakfast Menu for Hilton Garden Inn_July 30, 2008

OakRoom at the Plaza, Chef Eric Hara :

OakRoom at the Plaza, Chef Eric Hara

Nook Restaurant :

Nook Restaurant

Tabla Restaurant :

Tabla Restaurant

Patroons Restaurant :

Patroons Restaurant

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