Donna D at A Brooklyn Biergarten
September 24, 2012
Radegast Hall & Biergarten in Williamsburg, Brooklyn conveniently located right next to one of my favorite chocolate stores, Mast Brothers Chocolate, is a great place to bring friends and family for afternoon of eating and drinking. With a wide selection of beers and traditional German fare, I often end up spending hours laughing with friends new and old. The pretzels and pickles are a must.
Munich Pretzel with Spicy Mustard and Cornichon
German Folk Band
Beer, Bratwurst, & Radegast “Easter” Sausage
Beer on Tap
Pickles & Bratwurst
Friends
Donna D brings us to LIC Market
September 10, 2012
Located in the heart of Long Island City’s business district, LIC Market is a charming farm house inspired restaurant that serves up local seasonal food. I stopped by here one Sunday morning to enjoy their brunch. We arrived at few minutes before 11:00am to avoid having to wait for a table, like most popular brunch places in the city this place can sometimes be a bit of wait. But the food and price are well worth it. The gazpacho, a favorite of mine was perfectly chilled and tasted like the tomatoes were just picked from the vine. It was a very refreshing start to our meal. We also enjoyed roasted baby turnips, juicy shredded brisket with a tangy red cabbage slaw, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and slow roasted duck hash. I can’t wait to go back and try their dinner menu.
Roasted Baby Turnips with Parsley, Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Aged Balsamic
Complimentary Pastries with Housmade Berry Jam & Butter
Fried Eggs Over Easy
Gazpacho
Slow Roasted Duck Hash with Crisp Potatoes, Red Onion, Peppers, Dried Cherries & Pine Nuts under two Fried Eggs
Buttermilk Pancakes with Toasted Pumpkin Seed Butter & Maple Syrup
Shredded Brisket & Red Cabbage Slaw
One For the Book
September 5, 2012
Earlier this season I attended the launch party for this fabulous idea known as One for the Book. Not just your typical event photobooth, but one that allows guests to snap their own shots, select their favorites, and even get a print-out on the spot. It not only captures studio quality images, but adds some entertainment in the process. The food was much a success as the party, thanks to Chef Allison Augstein. Ranging from watermelon cubes with chevre and mint, vegetarian rolls with ginger orange dipping sauce, coconut chicken balls, fig and smoked gouda tea sandwiches, it was certainly One For the Book. If you’re looking to plan an event soon, check out their website!
Watermelon cubes with chevre and mint
Vegetarian spring rolls
Walnut roasted pepper spread on toast & coconut chicken balls
Zucchini and parmesan pops
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
August 31, 2012
For those of you getting out for the last hurray of summer… safe travels and have fun! Here’s a little July flashback to a Saturday afternoon dining at Navy Beach in Montauk.
Edamame
Salmon tartare
Mojito
Corn on the cob
Navy burger
Bloody Mary
Calamari salad
Yunnan ribs
Pumpkin Hill Bistro
August 20, 2012
Pumpkin Hill Bistro, located in the heart of the Finger Lake’s wine region, is a fantastic place to grab lunch. Set in an 1800’s farmhouse, the porch overlooks the vineyards and Cayuga Lake. After a recent excursion to shop and explore the village of Aurora, we settled in for a turkey sandwich, salad, Maryland style crab cakes and smoked gouda/artichoke dip with toasted pita.
Turkey sandwich and salad
Salad
Crab cakes
The garden
Cheese dip and pita
Aperitivo in Milano
August 8, 2012
Americans traditionally think of happy hour as a time to enjoy discounted drinks once the workday is over. Italians however, have an entirely different (and far better) concept for these pre-dinner, post-work hours. I was first introduced to aperitivo, or drinks with complimentary food, in Milan a couple years back when visiting my friends. I imagined bowls of chips, pretzels and popcorn. I should have known better that this would be a disgrace to the Italian culture, and rather we would feast upon an open buffet of various pastas, meats, cheeses and vegetables. Fast forward to 2012, and I found myself once again in Milan, enjoying an evening with friends at Luca e Andrea Cafe on the Naviglio Grande. Although meant for just a warm-up to dinner, their macaroni and cheese and pasta salad left me far too full for anything else.
Cocktails on the canal
Pasta, couscous, chicken and vegetables
Navigli
Pasta
Macaroni and cheese
Breakfast on the Beach
August 6, 2012
Now if only I could transport myself from the office back to Cinque Terre on this lovely summer Monday morning for some breakfast sandwiches on the beach… Have a wonderful week! x
Ham and cheese sandwich
Bar Eden Gelateria
Ham & Cheese
Moustiers Sainte-Marie
July 31, 2012
From a distance, you could easily mistaken the ancient architecture of Moustiers Sainte-Marie for the gorgeous cliffs that rise up behind it– but take a second look, and it’s actually a vibrant hiker’s town with restaurants and exquisite pottery boutiques. After a long day’s drive, it was time to settle down for some local wining and dining in the center of town. The welcoming signs of Restaurant Les Comte had us sold. We thoroughly enjoyed a delicious burger and pesto pasta while admiring the camper’s vibe around us before calling it a night.
Pesto Pasta
Pesto Pasta
Restaurant Les Comte and a pottery boutique
Burger and Fries
Around town
Fries
Moustiers Sainte-Marie
Crillon Le Brave
July 26, 2012
The fresh air and rolling hills, the winding stone corridors, the hourly chimes of the bell tower and the to die for menus are all part of Crillon Le Brave, the quintessential Provencal destination. What was once ruled by Henri IV’s fiercest generals during wars of the 16th century has now evolved into one of Travel + Leisure’s top European hotels for 2012. And well deserved, my time spent there could not have been better. Lounging poolside, a relaxing massage and the impeccable service was all quite lovely, but of course my favorite was the fantastic food shoot that took place with the help of chef, Phillippe Zemour. After our morning at the market, it was down to business in the kitchen. Known for their elegant and refined style, the menu is all locally sourced offering a true flavor of southern France. Although it was difficult to leave, it’s certainly on my list of places that I no doubt will return to once again.
Setting the table on the terrace
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Artichoke
Gratin of fish soup
Fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Roasted bull fillet, fricassee of seasonal vegetables, fingerling potatoes and bearnaise reduction
Hotel entrance
Roasted shop veal, green asparagus from olivier’s garden, stuffed potato with white truffle
Terrace view
Bocce ball
Roasted shop veal
Pool area
Asparagus
Fresh bread and rosemary
Seabream in salt crust
Seabream in salt crust
The view
Vegetables from the garden in barigoule refreshed, bacon shavings from bigorre, coriander reduction
Crackelin marinated red mullet and squid, nicoise socca and fennel aioli
Fresh vegetables
Fried cherry with basilic
Fried cherry with basilic
Apricot tart
Apricot tart
Lunch at La Coquillade
July 18, 2012
While driving from Crillon Le Brave to Moustiers Ste Marie, I was told to stop for lunch at La Coquillade, another one of France’s Relais and Chateaux accommodations. While I was slightly unsure if I translated the French scribbles into my GPS accurately, I relied on my surroundings, and was positive that we were driving into the middle of nowhere. But sure enough, in the midst of wine country, signs sprouted up and we were in luck. The dining room was actually closed due to a birthday celebration for the owner, but they were kind enough to allow us lunch in the pool area. A perfect mid-day break, we lounged poolside, taking in the gorgeous views while trying some local rosé, a fresh salad and gazpacho.
Heirloom tomato gazpacho
Fresh caprese salad
Salad
Tomato spread on toast
a camera in the kitchen 