Friday, June 14, 2013
5 Fun Things to do with Dad on Father's Day in NYC
There’s one day in the year dedicated to letting him know he’s a great dad. What better way than to treat him to his favorite things with his favorite people in the city that has everything? If you live in beautiful New York City or if you’re just visiting with your dad when Father’s Day rolls around here are some sure-fire activities he will never forget doing on his special day.
1. A Day on the Green
For those dads who love to golf, this is a perfect idea, and the urban jungle is actually home to many top rated golf courses! A couple favorites for travelers are The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers and Golf Manhattan on W 39th St, but Silver Lake Golf Course of Staten Island and Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn are local favorites. Give good ol’ dad breakfast in bed, a new set of clubs and let him share a game with his kids (or treat him extra well and send him off with the boys.)
2. Bond on a Food Tour
Guys love to eat, so what better activity is there than chowing down together on a Foods of NY Tour? Fill an afternoon with food and information about the city with any one of Foods of New York Tours top rated food tours. There are five tours to choose from depending on your dad's taste buds. Go for an all Italian tour in the Original Greenwich Village or head to Chinatown if he’d love a tour of Asian flavors. Not in NYC this Father’s Day? Get him a Foods of NY gift certificate to use on the next trip to the Big Apple!
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| Your tour guide will feel like family! |
3. The Mets Take on the Cubs
Head over to Citi Field on Saturday or Sunday for an exciting baseball game with dad! Grab a couple of hot dogs piled high with toppings and a couple of mid-day beers to wash it all down on a beautiful day in NYC. There are plenty of great food options at Citi field’s Food Court though, so you don’t have to stick with the classic franks. Cheer on the Mets and still have some time for a night attractions afterward.
4. Fresh Brews in the City
Every dad loves beer! Share some hops and try new blends and flavors at a local NYC brewery. Brooklyn Brewery offers a great price for their beer and you can have a nearby pizzeria deliver food to your tastings. Singlecut Beersmith in Queens has nothing but rave reviews. Enjoy music off their record player and take a growler to fill so dad has something to keep enjoying after his special day is over!
5. Hit the Lanes
At Bowlmor Lanes dad’s bowl for free on Father’s Day! From 2-7 on June 16th have a fun afternoon on the lanes with your dad. Bowlmor has a fun atmosphere with multiple location throughout the city to accommodate wherever you’re staying or other plans. Draft beers are $4 and their burger is $8.
From the sports to the foods of New York, there are tons of special ways to tell dad how much he means this Father’s Day in New York City!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Shopkeepers Secrets #12: Rafele
Meet Raffaele Ronca, Executive Chef and owner of Ristorante Rafele the newest restaurant on our Original Greenwich Village Tour!
Whenever a new restaurant is added to the tour, the tour guides get together for some "research," i.e. we go out for dinner as a group and try as much of the menu as possible. We had the pleasure of dining at Rafele recently where Chef Raffaele prepared a tasting of nearly the entire menu. Here is a slideshow of what we got to try:
MUST EAT ITEM: This is Raffaele's first restaurant (that he owns) so everything on the menu is very personal to him making it impossible to pick a favorite. Since Raffaele is the king of the house, he lets his mood dictate what he is going to eat for dinner, but if he had to pick what he is most proud of it would be the steak or the chicken. Honorable mention also goes to his house made pastas.
WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Born and raised in Naples, the food capital of Italy, food has always been an integral part of Raffaele's life. He comes from a long line of fishermen and butchers, a background which he credits with his ability to artistically de-bone a chicken.
Immigrating to New York 20 years ago, before NYC restaurants were 'authentically Italian' instead of 'American Italian,' Raffaele missed the foods from his homeland. So Raffaeli picked up the phone to call home and got some cooking advice and began to cook at home. Without stepping inside a formal cooking classroom, Raffaele learned to cook. Day in and day out Raffaele would call home to his Mom, his Grandmother, his Aunts and Uncles and work through those old Italian recipes. He would cook – so he could eat. Raffaele was like most immigrants, his talents were born out of necessity.
This video is of Raffaele sharing childhood memories of his mother cooking meatballs on Sundays. The meatballs on the menu are inspired by his mother's meatballs.
Thank you Raffaele for an amazing meal!!!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Shopkeepers Secrets #11: RBBTS
Meet Tom, owner of Rabbits (RBBTS) on
our Central Village/ Soho Tour!
MUST EAT ITEM: Tom eats a hamburger from the shop every day. To him, it is the perfect “feel good” food. Made with marinated premium ground beef from Pino’s Prime Meat Market up the street on a brioche bun from Grandaisy Bakery in TriBeCa with lettuce tomato and cheese. Tom made mine with muenster and after he raved about their bacon, I just had to add it to my burger.
Now, I have been bit of a “burger connoisseur” around NYC and this is up there with the best! The extra step of marinating the meat is what sets this burger apart from the rest. Unfortunately for us, the recipe is top secret!
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Tom’s recipes are full of secrets and these secrets are one of the many things that set this sandwich shop apart from others. When I asked Tom where he gets his bacon he said “outer space” and I believe him, it was out of this world!
Simple breakfast sandwiches are brought to a new level with Tom’s “secret” egg seasoning that gives the eggs a home-style fluffy quality. I stopped in the next morning for Tom’s go-to breakfast sandwich “The American” with bacon, scrambled eggs and American cheese on a toasted brioche roll. The most popular breakfast sandwich is “The Bedford” with turkey, scrambled egg, avocado, muenster cheese and spinach on multigrain… hmmm… maybe tomorrow…
Don’t let all of the secrets make you feel like you’re an outsider. Rabbits is probably the most chill place on all of our tours. You feel more like you’re hanging out at a friend’s house than at a café. They want customers to get what they want and are more than happy to customize their menu items to your liking. Everything is made to order, so as they say if your impatient call ahead. But I suggest you order a glass of their homemade fresh squeezed lemonade (which Tom admits to drinking way too much of) and relax. You become cooler and cooler every minute you hang out at Rabbits.
Stick around long enough and you wont be able to resist the organic triple chocolate chip cookies… They are magical!
MUST EAT ITEM: Tom eats a hamburger from the shop every day. To him, it is the perfect “feel good” food. Made with marinated premium ground beef from Pino’s Prime Meat Market up the street on a brioche bun from Grandaisy Bakery in TriBeCa with lettuce tomato and cheese. Tom made mine with muenster and after he raved about their bacon, I just had to add it to my burger.
Now, I have been bit of a “burger connoisseur” around NYC and this is up there with the best! The extra step of marinating the meat is what sets this burger apart from the rest. Unfortunately for us, the recipe is top secret!
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Tom’s recipes are full of secrets and these secrets are one of the many things that set this sandwich shop apart from others. When I asked Tom where he gets his bacon he said “outer space” and I believe him, it was out of this world!
Simple breakfast sandwiches are brought to a new level with Tom’s “secret” egg seasoning that gives the eggs a home-style fluffy quality. I stopped in the next morning for Tom’s go-to breakfast sandwich “The American” with bacon, scrambled eggs and American cheese on a toasted brioche roll. The most popular breakfast sandwich is “The Bedford” with turkey, scrambled egg, avocado, muenster cheese and spinach on multigrain… hmmm… maybe tomorrow…
"The American"
Don’t let all of the secrets make you feel like you’re an outsider. Rabbits is probably the most chill place on all of our tours. You feel more like you’re hanging out at a friend’s house than at a café. They want customers to get what they want and are more than happy to customize their menu items to your liking. Everything is made to order, so as they say if your impatient call ahead. But I suggest you order a glass of their homemade fresh squeezed lemonade (which Tom admits to drinking way too much of) and relax. You become cooler and cooler every minute you hang out at Rabbits.
Stick around long enough and you wont be able to resist the organic triple chocolate chip cookies… They are magical!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Shopkeepers Secrets #10: Lucy's Whey
Meet Nathan, manager of Lucy’s Whey on our Chelsea Market/ Meatpacking District Tour!
MUST EAT ITEM: Nathan is obsessed with the grilled cheddar and fig sandwich, which we taste on the Chelsea Market Tour!
Made with Cabot Vermont Cheddar and Mitica Fig Jam (the jam is sold at Lucy’s Whey) it’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty that Nathan craves. Every day, he finds a way to sneak away to their hidden office under the stairs before of after the daily lunch crowd descends on the market to have one. (How very Harry Potter of him.)
“The mission of Lucy’s Whey is to showcase quality American cheeses, support the craftspeople and farms who make and grow good food, and educate the public about artisan cheeses.” All of their cheeses are carefully selected, but when asked for some highlights, Nathan says his “comfort cheese” is the Pleasant Ridge Reserve, an Alpine style cheese similar to a Gruyere.
If you’re planning a wine and cheese party, Nathan recommends the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, because it’s sure to please both cheese experts and cheese novices.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Speaking of wine and cheese party… don’t overlook the importance of the presentation of your cheese. Lucy’s Whey has beautiful olive wood cheese boards that are handmade in Tunisia. Or if you want to stick with the American theme, they also carry boards by Brooklyn Slate Company. A must have for any NYC “foodie.” Either one will definitely take your next party up a notch.
Alas, all parties must come to an end and maybe you have some left over cheese… I’m guilty of throwing it in a ziplock and saying goodnight… if I’m being diligent, I’ll wrap it in plastic wrap, but Nathan informed me that is not a good idea either. Plastic wrap suffocates your cheese, which masks the flavor and increases spoilage. Nathan recommends purchasing “Cheese Paper” (sold in the store). A two-ply paper, one side standard butcher paper, the other has a film that allows the cheese to breath and gives it the right amount of humidity.
A small price for such a precious commodity.
MUST EAT ITEM: Nathan is obsessed with the grilled cheddar and fig sandwich, which we taste on the Chelsea Market Tour!
Made with Cabot Vermont Cheddar and Mitica Fig Jam (the jam is sold at Lucy’s Whey) it’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty that Nathan craves. Every day, he finds a way to sneak away to their hidden office under the stairs before of after the daily lunch crowd descends on the market to have one. (How very Harry Potter of him.)
“The mission of Lucy’s Whey is to showcase quality American cheeses, support the craftspeople and farms who make and grow good food, and educate the public about artisan cheeses.” All of their cheeses are carefully selected, but when asked for some highlights, Nathan says his “comfort cheese” is the Pleasant Ridge Reserve, an Alpine style cheese similar to a Gruyere.
If you’re planning a wine and cheese party, Nathan recommends the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, because it’s sure to please both cheese experts and cheese novices.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: Speaking of wine and cheese party… don’t overlook the importance of the presentation of your cheese. Lucy’s Whey has beautiful olive wood cheese boards that are handmade in Tunisia. Or if you want to stick with the American theme, they also carry boards by Brooklyn Slate Company. A must have for any NYC “foodie.” Either one will definitely take your next party up a notch.
Alas, all parties must come to an end and maybe you have some left over cheese… I’m guilty of throwing it in a ziplock and saying goodnight… if I’m being diligent, I’ll wrap it in plastic wrap, but Nathan informed me that is not a good idea either. Plastic wrap suffocates your cheese, which masks the flavor and increases spoilage. Nathan recommends purchasing “Cheese Paper” (sold in the store). A two-ply paper, one side standard butcher paper, the other has a film that allows the cheese to breath and gives it the right amount of humidity.
A small price for such a precious commodity.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Recipe: Easy Summer Cucumber Salad
Recipe courtesy of Original Greenwich Village Tour Guide Sephrah!
Yield: 2-3 side dish servings
Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers diced
¼ red onion chopped
1 tsp. dill chopped
3 Tb. O&CO. MINT OLIVE OIL
2 Tb. O&CO. WHITE BALSAMIC
½ lemon juiced
Dash of black pepper
1/2 clove minced garlic
Pinch cinnamon
¼ cup golden raisins
2 Tb. O&CO. OLIVE OIL
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Mix cucumbers, red onion, gill, mint olive oil,
white balsamic, lemon juice, black pepper, garlic, and cinnamon together in a
medium bowl.
Heat golden raisins and olive oil in pan until
plump. Add a pinch of sea salt.
Let stand 5 minutes and add to the above mixture.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Shopkeepers Secrets #9: Home
Meet John Cordova, Chef of Home Restaurant on our Original Greenwich Village Tour!
MUST EAT ITEM: You MUST try John’s signature savory cheesecake with artichoke hearts and Benton’s Country Ham topped with tomato caper salad.
Of course, cheesecake is a must have on any trip to NYC, but John’s savory version brings the experience to a whole new and more sophisticated level. After some diligent “taste testing”… Rachel, the manager of Home Restaurant recommends pairing it with the Shinn Estate Red. A wine made by the founders of Home Restaurant David Page and Barbara Shinn who now spend full time at their winery on North Fork of Long Island. The wine & cheesecake pairing is often offered for $15 during happy hour from 5pm to 7pm.
It’s an exciting time at Home Restaurant! This past Thursday, April 4th they celebrated their 20th Anniversary with a 4-course prix fixe that combined “throwback classics” and new favorites including the savory cheesecake. They are also getting ready to launch their new spring menu. Home prides itself on serving local seasonal produce and John is looking forward to having more options with the changing season. I took John’s suggestion and tried the duck liver mousse cooked in sherry, probably not something I would order without a personal push from the Chef and I was pleasantly surprised and would encourage more people to give it a try.
John also recommended the roasted pork shank with spring beans (right now, gigante), wilted greens and spring onion which was melt in your mouth delicious!
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: All amazing suggestions… but what does John eat on a regular basis?!? Like many restaurants, the staff has a “family meal” at about 4pm before the restaurant opens for dinner. John usually takes a back seat and lets his kitchen staff do their thing. Yaya makes a mean meatloaf wrapped in bacon… hmmm that might be a fun addition the menu.... And for a restaurant that specialized in local cuisine, John loves when Alejandro makes Mexican food. John will soak beans ahead of time to give Alejandro a hint that it’s time to go south of the border.
After the restaurant closes it’s home to his family in Brooklyn, but “if it’s a good night” he’ll first cap it off (and you can too!) with a Bulleit Rye on the rocks, which I had the honor of John’s company for a round after I finished my meal.
I hope it was a good night… it sure was for me!
MUST EAT ITEM: You MUST try John’s signature savory cheesecake with artichoke hearts and Benton’s Country Ham topped with tomato caper salad.
Of course, cheesecake is a must have on any trip to NYC, but John’s savory version brings the experience to a whole new and more sophisticated level. After some diligent “taste testing”… Rachel, the manager of Home Restaurant recommends pairing it with the Shinn Estate Red. A wine made by the founders of Home Restaurant David Page and Barbara Shinn who now spend full time at their winery on North Fork of Long Island. The wine & cheesecake pairing is often offered for $15 during happy hour from 5pm to 7pm.
Rachel
It’s an exciting time at Home Restaurant! This past Thursday, April 4th they celebrated their 20th Anniversary with a 4-course prix fixe that combined “throwback classics” and new favorites including the savory cheesecake. They are also getting ready to launch their new spring menu. Home prides itself on serving local seasonal produce and John is looking forward to having more options with the changing season. I took John’s suggestion and tried the duck liver mousse cooked in sherry, probably not something I would order without a personal push from the Chef and I was pleasantly surprised and would encourage more people to give it a try.
John also recommended the roasted pork shank with spring beans (right now, gigante), wilted greens and spring onion which was melt in your mouth delicious!
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: All amazing suggestions… but what does John eat on a regular basis?!? Like many restaurants, the staff has a “family meal” at about 4pm before the restaurant opens for dinner. John usually takes a back seat and lets his kitchen staff do their thing. Yaya makes a mean meatloaf wrapped in bacon… hmmm that might be a fun addition the menu.... And for a restaurant that specialized in local cuisine, John loves when Alejandro makes Mexican food. John will soak beans ahead of time to give Alejandro a hint that it’s time to go south of the border.
After the restaurant closes it’s home to his family in Brooklyn, but “if it’s a good night” he’ll first cap it off (and you can too!) with a Bulleit Rye on the rocks, which I had the honor of John’s company for a round after I finished my meal.
I hope it was a good night… it sure was for me!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Shopkeepers Secrets #8: Emporio
Meet Paul, Sous Chef at Emporio on our Nolita/ Noho Tour!
MUST EAT ITEM: Paul confesses he is “boring” when choosing what to eat before Emporio gets busy with the dinner crowd. He could eat pasta every day and his favorite is the Pappardelle Ragu, hand cut spinach pasta with traditional Bolognese “sugo” (aka sauce). The secret is the meat! Beef, veal and the end of the prosciutto instead of the commonly used parmigiano reggiano rind for flavor. And I gotta tell you, it is NOT boring!
Emporio is known for their Roman style pizzas, which you can try on our Nolita/ Noho Tour. Paul is partial to the classic Margarita and says it definitely stacks up to the pizza he tried on his trip to Italy.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: You can experience Emporio on many levels; happy hour is from 5:00 to 6:30 where you can enjoy $5 house wine and complimentary slices of pizza, olives and polenta bites.
Then head to the romantic back dining room with the giant skylight and enjoy the daily specials, which is where the chef and his staff get to experiment and have fun. I took Paul’s recommendation and tried the wild striped bass with pureed leeks, Brussels sprouts and Umbrian lentils, which was absolutely gorgeous!
MUST EAT ITEM: Paul confesses he is “boring” when choosing what to eat before Emporio gets busy with the dinner crowd. He could eat pasta every day and his favorite is the Pappardelle Ragu, hand cut spinach pasta with traditional Bolognese “sugo” (aka sauce). The secret is the meat! Beef, veal and the end of the prosciutto instead of the commonly used parmigiano reggiano rind for flavor. And I gotta tell you, it is NOT boring!
Emporio is known for their Roman style pizzas, which you can try on our Nolita/ Noho Tour. Paul is partial to the classic Margarita and says it definitely stacks up to the pizza he tried on his trip to Italy.
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW: You can experience Emporio on many levels; happy hour is from 5:00 to 6:30 where you can enjoy $5 house wine and complimentary slices of pizza, olives and polenta bites.
Then head to the romantic back dining room with the giant skylight and enjoy the daily specials, which is where the chef and his staff get to experiment and have fun. I took Paul’s recommendation and tried the wild striped bass with pureed leeks, Brussels sprouts and Umbrian lentils, which was absolutely gorgeous!
