AlwaysPartying: National Poultry Day
March 19, 2010
The Label Rouge Roasted Chicken Special at Del Posto.
National Poultry Day, a reason to celebrate duck, turkey, and egg dishes everywhere. And of course, chicken. Recently, New York Magazine picked Maialino as having New York’s best roasted chicken. It’s true that it is a great rendition. Jeff has been eating it for lunch on an abnormally regular basis. But, the most incredible chicken we have tasted in the last few months was a Label Rouge Roast Chicken at Del Posto that is on occasion available as a special. This is something that you need to look out for, and our pick for National Poultry Day.
If you’re lucky enough to be dining at Del Posto on a night when the Label Rouge Chicken is being offered as a special— order it. Words like tender, juicy, well-seasoned, they all apply. Yes, it was tender. Like a perfectly-cooked, medium rare pork chop. Juicy, as in, this meat self-bastes-juicy. Salty. Sure, but that good salty— as if suddenly, chicken had a bacon-like quality to it.
Always Hungry: The Restaurant List
Jeff Zalaznick — January 05, 2010
Dishes from The Always Hungry Restaurant List.
If I had to choose, what restaurants would I take with me into 2010? Off the top of my head, what places do I know that I will choose to return to in the coming year? These are the questions that I asked myself as I thought about this year’s restaurant list. As I made the list, I have made sure that it not only reflects what restaurants to go to, but that it also lets you know exactly what to eat when you get there. As always, our goal is to arm readers with the information that they will need in order to have the best eating experiences possible. This list is a guide to a slice of the Always Hungry life. It is a roundup that will help you unleash your inner fat kid to the fullest in the New Year. If you have not tasted all of the dishes mentioned below, then you have a lot of work to do, but if you start now, you have a whole year to make it happen. So, without further ado, I present The Always Hungry Restaurant List: A Strategic Guide To New York Eating. Keep this close in 2010, and it will ensure that you Never Eat An Insignificant Meal Again.
Best of 2009: Trends and 2010 Predictions
Jeff Zalaznick — December 23, 2009
It’s that time of year again. Time for reflection and prediction. As we leave the aughts behind, we look back at the trends that changed New York City’s food landscape in 2009 and ponder what’s in store for 2010. We are going to take a positive spin: those that we hope will remain and those we eagerly anticipate.
TRENDS 2009
1. Best Steaks, Not From a Steakhouse New York has always been known for our steakhouses, but this year the best meat was ripped from the house’s hands and put into the control of some of the city’s best restaurants. Much of this loosened grip has to do with the all-star quality and distribution ability of Pat LaFrieda (watch video). Though I love me a Porterhouse at Peter Luger’s, a Rib-eye at Strip House and a Double Eagle Strip at Del Frisco’s, they have been surpassed by the Côte de Boeuf at Minetta Tavern, the Rib-eye for Two at Locanda Verde, the Strip at Marea. The list goes on and on. It was also the year that the bone in rib-eye finally rose up to overtake the porterhouse as King of all Steaks. It was only a matter of time. This is a major advancement across the board.
2. Haute Dogs The hot dog went gourmet and I am not complaining. Crif Dogs has been doing impressive things with the genre for a while now (though their new usage of “everything bagel spice” is very exciting), but restaurants like DBGB, Fatty Crab UWS and Cabrito are jumping into the mix with some seriously delicious contenders. This is one that I think will continue to grow in the next year.
3. Omnipresent Octopus Seriously, think about every restaurant you’ve visited lately and ask yourself if there was octopus on the menu. I guarantee that more often than not, no matter the cuisine or price-range, this cephalopod was probably present. And why not? It’s economical to serve, and recently, the average rendition is fabulous. I am so happy that chefs have finally learned how to prepare it so well, leaving the chewy childhood memories behind. Also, keep an eye out for sweetbreads, I think that they are starting to fall into the same category.
PREDICTIONS 2010
1. Artisanal Italian beer everywhere.
2. Large-format alternative (not steak or chicken) proteins for two.
3. Lamb belly becomes the new pork belly.
4. Italian Small Plate (aka “Stuzzichini”) Restaurants
5. Brain is the hot new Offal
6. Mexican Infusion: Fusion Cuisine and Sandwich Revolution.
AlwaysHungry: New York’s Great Bread Baskets
The Gluttoness — November 02, 2009
Complimentary bread basket at Bar Americain.
Complimentary bread baskets are a beautiful thing, they’re the reason why AlwaysHungryNY.com has a Worth-It Bread option in its Advanced Search Engine. After all, who doesn’t love free stuff? Well actually, Frank Bruni for one. Remember?
“If restaurateurs charged for bread, might those of us who hanker for bread on a given night end up with better bread as a result of the restaurant being able to treat it — and, indeed, being forced to treat it — like any other menu item?”
Maybe. But charging for bread could just as easily mean diners would be paying for the same mediocre bread baskets that used to be free. Regardless, the restaurants featured below already serve some of the best bread in New York City. A warm, fresh French baguette is a simple delight, but these baskets go above and beyond the call of carbohydrate duty. BLT Prime’s steamy, sea-salted popovers are inspiration in themselves to have a steak dinner whether or not you’re in the mood. And while Del Posto and Commerce operate out of disproportionately sized kitchens, both serve some of the best bread in town. We won’t even go into the famed lardo that Del Posto serves with theirs.
From tomato-dressed focaccia to buttered buns and French gougères, the bread baskets in the slideshow below really made it difficult to exhibit self control. Whether the bread was assorted, as at Bar Americain or purely in the style of the restaurant’s cuisine, as at Beyoglu, each basket was delicious in its own right—although they all tasted even better since they were on the house.
Go ahead, ask for seconds. We won’t tell.
AlwaysNYCWFF: SWEET
Arthur Bovino — October 12, 2009
Top, Del Posto’s Chocolate & Olive Oil Bastoncino. Bottom left, Chocolate Chip Cookies from Levain Bakery. Bottom right, assorted macarons from MAD MAC.
Wandering past tables of chocolates, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, ice cream and other treats at SWEET in la. venue at The Terminal Stores (view) for the New York Wine & Food Festival’s dessert event, you feel like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. Then you realize you’re Augustus Gloop, and you’re about to fall into the chocolate lake.
Besides the Blue Moon Burger Bash and Meatball Madness, Godiva Chocolatier’s SWEET event was of course, one of the festival’s most buzzed about events. And it didn’t disappoint on sheer sugar overload. But of all the confections available there were ten that stood out above the rest, starting with Brooks Headley’s Olive Oil Bastoncino, whose thin, oil-misted exterior instantly melted away in your mouth and then mixed with the cool gelato inside it. For both textural contrast and peanut butter and chocolate glory, Telepan, Gotham Bar & Grill and davidburke townhouse, deserve special notice. Not to be overlooked were Hotel Griffou’s Banana Pudding, Eighty One’s Concorde Grape Soda with Ricotta Gelato, and more’s savory Bacon and Truffle Cupcake.
It’s sometimes hard to fully consider cookies in the same category as desserts, but two über-cookies at Sweet deserve mention, the chocolate chip and dark chocolate chocolate chip cookies from Levain Bakery, and MAD MAC’s macarons (“The Authentic French Macarons and Madeleines”).
Photographs of our favorites SWEET desserts follow.
SEARCH: The Romanticism of a Good Bolognese
August 27, 2009
Del Posto’s Garganelli Verdi al Ragu Bolognese.
What do you do when your craving for romance is equaled by your intense desire for a good bowl of Bolognese? Rely on AlwaysHungryNY.com’s VERY ADVANCED SEARCH to find the ideal dining destination for a meal with your special someone.
Type Bolognese into the VERY ADVANCED SEARCH, check off Romantic in the By Occasion section and Italian in the By Cuisine section, then click the ‘Search’ button. AlwaysHungryNY.com will provide you with a list of Italian restaurants that make marvelous Italian Bolognese sauces in romantic settings so you can create the perfect evening of pasta and passion.
The rest is up to you.
Abboccato: Tagliatelle Bolognese ($23.00)
Bottega del Vino: Sedanini Alla Bolognese ($22.00)
Del Posto: Garganelli Verdi al Ragu Bolognese ($22.00)
Dell’Anima: Tagliatelle alla Bolognese ($17.00)
Emilio’s Ballato: Rigatoni alla Bolognese ($21.00)
Nino’s 208: Pappardelle with Short Rib Bolognese ($17.00)
Scalinatella: Fettuccine Alla Bolognese ($28.50)
Sfoglia: Pappardelle alla Bolognese ($16/$30)
HungryChefs: Chefs Love Lupa, Mixed on Hot Dogs
The Gluttoness — June 11, 2009
Roasted Pork Shoulder “Gyro” with Pickled Cucumber & Yogurt from Anthos at Street & Savory
Some of the country’s best chefs attended Citymeals-on-Wheels’ Street & Savory Tasting Event. We’ve already brought you pictures of all the dishes and rounded up our favorite plates, but we were also able to speak with the chefs.
Our questions were obvious: What are you AlwaysHungry for? Which New York City restaurant do you crave? And in keeping with the night’s theme: what would you serve if you opened your own street cart? Some chefs took the easy route, promoting dishes they had prepared for the evening, others were quite creative with their responses.
SEARCH: A+ Restaurant to Suggest to Boss for Romantic Date?
March 30, 2009
Use our very advanced search engine to always find the perfect place. Do you need to suggest to your boss an A+ date place for a romantic evening? Here’s what is AlwaysHungry Approved:
1. Babbo 110 Waverly Place
Recommended Dishes: Warm Lamb’s Tongue Vinaigrette, Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp, Pork Chop
2. Blue Hill @ Stone Barns 630 Bedford Road
Recommended Dishes: Everything
3. Del Posto 85 10th Avenue
Recommended Dishes: Lobster Salad Fra Diavola, Baked Ricotta Nudi, Garganelli Verdi al Ragu Bolognese, Beef Tenderloin For Two
4. Dovetail 103 W. 77th Street
Recommended Dishes: Corn Bread, Crispy Sweetbreads, Monkfish with Curry, Brioche Bread Pudding with Bacon Brittle
5. Il Mulino 86 W.3rd Street
Recommended Dishes: Clams Casino, Linguine with Clam Sauce, Truffle Ravioli, Veal Milanese, Lamb Chops, Chicken Special
6. Jean Georges 1 Central Park West
Recommended Dishes: Egg Caviar, Uni with Black Bread, Foie Gras Brulée, Jean-Georges Chocolate Cake
7. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon 57 E. 57th Street
Recommended Dishes: Langoustine Carpaccio, Gazpacho, Tomato Cappelini with Caviar, Beef & Foie Gras Burgers, Kaffir-Lime Meringue
8. Le Bernardin 155 W. 51st Street
Recommended Dishes: Kampachi Tartare, Peruvian-Style Geoduck, Poached Escolar in Red Wine Bernaise, Sea Urchin Risotto
The Round-Up: NY Magazine’s Best of ‘09
Jeff Zalaznick — March 03, 2009
New York Magazine has compiled their annual “Best of” list to help New Yorkers avoid a harrowing internal struggle when searching for which restaurant has the the tastiest “Cutting-Edge Chinese food” or most delicious “Newfangled Dessert”. While I can live with most of NY Mag’s ’09 pics, there are a few things that I have to say. Either way, here is a round-up of their single picks as well as some commentary for your enjoyment.
Bar Snack: Buttermilk Channel
Maple and Bacon Roasted Almonds
Jeff: “This could still go to the Bacon Peanut Brittle at The Redhead.
Biscuits and Gravy: Momofuku Ssam Bar
Jeff: “Fine, but why don’t we just save everyone time and just call it the ‘Momofuku Award’?”
Chicken Wings: Tailor
Tailor Made Hot Wings
Jeff: “AlwaysHungry sides with Cercle Rouge on this one.”
Cutting-Edge Chinese: Shang
Turnip Cake
Singapore Slaw
Jeff: “I am so happy that they created a category to applaud Lee’s genius.”
Traditional Chinese: Grand Sichuan
Sichuan Wonton Soup
Smoked Tea Duck
Jeff: “I could not agree more.”
Neighborhood Bistro: The New French
Chicken Liver and Date Crostini
Pulled Pork on Brioche Roll
Chocolate-Chip Cookie: Downtown Cookie Co.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Jeff: “Honestly, the one that I had at Hill Country today could give it a run, and at the end of the day, how could this not go to Momofuku Milk Bar, but I am very happy that they did not give two awards to Momofuku.”
AlwaysHungryOlympics: Shinji Nohara Hits the Big Apple
Jeff Zalaznick — February 19, 2009
The AlwaysHungry Olympics is a feature dedicated to gastronomic feats that defy normal human boundaries. These expeditions are a true test of strength, endurance and concentration that can only be achieved through practice and dedication of the mind, body and soul. The AlwaysHungry Olympics demonstrates how some can turn eating into a sport, and on that rare occasion, into an art form.
Shinji Nohara embodies the spirit of AlwaysHungry. As GastroGuide to any American food dignitary who arrives in Tokyo, Shinji is the man to call when you arrive in Japan hungry. Thus, it is no surprise that when I landed in Tokyo last October, he was there to greet me. A ten day Tour de Gluttony ensued, which took us from Tokyo to Kyoto. I left with not only an incredible understanding of the best food Japan has to offer, but also with a great friend who quickly earned the honor of being called AlwaysHungryTokyo. When Shinji emailed me last month and told me he was coming to NY for a night, I knew things had to get serious. Let the games begin:
7 p.m. – Hors D’oeuvres
We met in the Meatpacking District, and walked over to Morimoto as I thought that true Japanese American fusion would be a good warm up for Shinji.
Drinks: Morimototini & Signature Hibiscus cocktail
- Crispy Rock Shrimp Tempura with Spicy ‘Kochujan’ sauce & Wasabi Aioli
- Tuna Pizza with Olives, Anchovy Aïoli & Jalapeño
The Tuna Pizza is a great example of Japanese, Italian and American fusion anywhere, but Morimoto’s culinary genius is best seen in the Rock Shrimp Tempura; a dish that he first invented at Nobu years ago. This one is special because it is an Asian play on American Buffalo Wings, the spicy red sauce is a replica of traditional buffalo wing sauce while the heat of the green wasabi evokes honey mustard.
7:30 p.m. – Appetizer
For the next course, we walked across the street to Del Posto to indulge in some of New York’s best Italian.
Drinks: Prosecco, Dirty Vodka Martinis & Neroni
- Asaggi: Caviar Canapes, Shot of Honey-Wheat Soup, Fried Parmesan Balls, Chicken Tramezzino
- Bread Basket with Homemade Lardo & Butter (arguably the best bread basket in New York)
- Tris of Pasta: Gnocchi al Pesto, Orecchiette with Rabbit, Penne Pacchu-Picchu
Click to go on to the Main Course >>
Dish by Dish: Del Posto
The Hungry Goat — February 17, 2009
Mario Batali & Joe Bastianich’s much-decorated temple of Italian fine dining is the kind of grand place that just makes a diner feel special. The combination of Chef Mark Ladner’s refined, comforting fare and outstanding service is what consistently makes Del Posto an A+ dining experience, and one of AlwaysHungry’s favorite restaurants.
AlwaysPartying: Pigging Out at Cochon 555
The Gluttoness — January 26, 2009
Before we even descended into the Hiro Ballroom, glorious wafts of swine-scented air got our mouths watering for the feast awaiting us at Cochon 555. Situated in various corners of the Asian-inspired event space were five teams, each allocated their own 100 pound pig from five different farms around the country. The five competing chefs were complemented by five winemakers who offered the perfect reds and whites to supplement the swine.
Mark Ladner of Del Posto was gifted with a Tamworth Pig from Metzger Farm. For his complicated dish, pint-sized plastic containers were first filled with slow-roasted pork followed by headcheese and a bean stew. This was then topped with Ladner’s miniature homemade smoked pork sausages, with buns that perfectly absorbed the stew. Unfortunately, they ran out of buns quite early, and were left to present an uneventful headcheese paté served with a slice of cracklin for garnish.
Del Posto’s lackluster rendition was no match for Jose Cuevas’ Offal Paté with Mayo of Cornichons, Capers & Herbs. Unbelievably rich and creamy, the EightyOne chef put his Red Wattle Pig, known for its deep red flesh, to great use. Pork Meatballs & Cuttlefish were blanketed in a savory espagnole sauce, and instructed to be enjoyed with a shot of their tart homemade Apple/Celery Juice.
Bobby Hellen of Resto did justice to his Duroc Pig, turning the Good Farm offspring into a quartet of dishes. Headcheese was served over black lentils with a liver and mustard aioli, while boudin noir got a much better treatment than its blanc brethren in the form of a Boudin Noir Tart with Honeycrisp Apple Puree and Cheddar Cheese Crumble. But the best of Resto, and maybe even of the evening, was the addictive Liege Waffles with Pork Sugar & Pork Whipped Cream, simply the most satisfying sweet/salty snack I’ve had in a long time. They were instantly devoured the moment a new batch came, to the point that I kept finding myself (and many others) picking at the crumbs until the next round was ready.
Click here to continue pigging out >>
AlwaysPartying: High Line Chefs Dinner
September 17, 2008
The High Line is one of the great causes out there right now, as it is renovating and building a site that will one day be a crown jewel of New York. On Sunday night, in conjunction with Friends of the High Line, Chef Tom Colicchio hosted a dinner at Craftsteak to raise money for this wonderful cause. Each course was cooked by a different neighborhood chef, which in this case included: Morimoto, Batali, Marc Meyer, Sue Torres, Ralf Kuettel (Testle on Tenth) and, of course Tom himself. We were lucky enough to be invited to this AlwaysHungry-type occasion and have brought back some pictures for you to taste!
Click here for the Dish by Dish >>
Dish of the Week: Del Posto’s Orrechiette
The Gluttoness — August 22, 2008
Orrechiette with Lamb’s Neck Sausage
It’s not very often that one gets the opportunity to feast on the neck of an animal. The meat is sensationally succulent, and for good reason too. It’s understood that meat often tastes better when cooked on the bone (a bone-in filet is a rare and delicious find), since the bone’s natural gelatin imparts tremendous flavor to the surrounding protein. So the neck, with all its minuscule bones and tendons, often houses the best bites.
The last time that I nibbled on neck was at Chris Consentino’s offal-themed dinner at The Astor Center. The Spring Lamb Neck had the appearance of your average Osso Bucco but a flavor unparalleled to any ordinary shank. It was devoured accordingly, down to the bone, which was rendered useless once the luscious lamb had gone to a better place: my stomach.
A recent dinner at Del Posto allowed me to revisit this hallowed appendage, but in a more deconstructed presentation. Foremost, the meat from the lamb’s neck was ground into a delicious sausage, complete with all the fennel seed trimmings. The orecchiette, perfectly al dente because this is Del Posto after-all, was riddled with chunky amalgamations of sausage; the only sauce being the oily rendered fat that had escaped from the sausage during cooking. This is easily the most uniquely flavored pasta dish I’ve ever tasted, both here and abroad, and annual trips to Italy are a staple in my traveling regimen.
Sure I’m on Team Babbo as a whole, but never has a singular pasta dish wowed my palate like Del Posto’s Orecchiette with Lamb’s Neck Sausage. For the most part I find Italian dishes to be better or worse variations of things I’ve tasted before. But this dish encapsulated a flavor profile of its own—and if you’ve ever enjoyed lambs neck, lambs neck sausage is a whole new, mouth-watering world.
AlwaysInformed: Air Fare Gets an Upgrade
August 12, 2008
Apparently, the sky’s the limit for New York City chefs and their latest restaurant ventures. The New York Times reports that come September, Jet Blue’s recently refurbished Terminal 5 at JFK Airport will be home a bevy of exciting new dining options created by some of the city’s top chefs. From Spanish tapas to sushi to a rustic Italian trattoria, here is a list of the new restaurants offering jet-setters pre-flight fare way above the pizza and hot dog standard. (7/30)
AeroNuova, Rustic Italian Trattoria – Mark Ladner (Del Posto)
Deep Blue, Sushi & Asian restaurant – Michael Schulson (Izakaya, formerly of Buddakan)
La Vie, Brasserie – Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson (Balthazar and Pastis)
Piquillo, Tapas – Alexandra Raij (formerly of Tia Pol)
Revolucion, Mexican – Roberto Santibanez (formerly of Rosa Mexicano)
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