Results tagged “unionsquarecafe”

This week the Times revisits Danny Meyer's groundbreaking restaurant, Union Square Cafe. Critic William Grimes gave it three stars in 1999, and now Frank Bruni, on his way out the door, takes one of those stars away. But it's only because he cares: "I can’t think of another New York restaurant that enjoys such acclaim, basks in such adoration and yet exhibits such humility... The courtesies explain something else, too: the blind eye many Union Square regulars seem to turn to its slippage; their silence about its drift. In my occasional trips to Union Square over recent years and in a more concentrated series of visits over recent months, I never had an experience whose caliber was consonant with the restaurant’s enduringly lofty reputation. I had a few flatly mediocre meals." The Times also has a glowing review for Bed-Stuy trattoria Saraghina.

The 8th Street Winecellar is a cozy subterranean spot in Greenwich Village that opened up just over a year ago. But don't let the name fool you -- owners and longtime restaurant industry vets Michael Lagnese (left) and Jonny Cohen (right) want this to be your all-around neighborhood bar, even if you don't live in the 'hood.

Celebrate the extension of the vendors' permit through the end of their season in October and add on extra festivities for Mexican and Central American Independence Day. Caesar Fuentes, the organizing force behind the vendors, promises that "the food vendors committee will host a livelier than usual weekend event - more soccer games, pinatas, music, and a 2 day art exhibit featuring photographs taken by the food vendors." Sounds good to us.

8th Street Wine Cellar: This long awaited cozy wine bar is a welcome addition to the block between 5th and 6th Avenues in Greenwich Village. Union Square Cafe alums Michael Lagnese and Jonny Cohen are offering an excellent and diverse selection of wines both by the glass and by the bottle, in addition to a full bar, and have a tasty-looking small plates menu, featuring cheese, charcuterie, oysters sandwiches, and even pigs in blankets. 28 West Eighth Street, (212) 260-9463.

- Ed Levine wonders aloud if there is such a thing as a "cheap 4 star" eating experience, and then tells us about his, at the Del Posto Enoteca.

at Union Square. Meyer is known and beloved as the guru behind many restaurants, such as Union Square Cafe, Blue Smoke, and Shake Shack, while the excerpt of Lewis' Blind Side in the NY Times Magazine two weeks ago made everyone curious about Ole Miss left tackle Michael Oher and his new family. Clearly, this calls for B&N to offer podcasts/streaming video of their author talks.

We were scoping out the Open Table lunch reservations to take advantage of next week's Restaurant Week deals, and unsurprisingly, the usual suspects didn't have availability for 2 at 12PM: Think Cafe Boulud or the River Cafe or Union Square Cafe. Even though the lunch prices have risen 20%, from $20.12 last year to this year's $24.07 (NYC & Company explains this number will remind people that NYC is 24/7 - yo!), Gothamist thinks it's still a great deal to try out some fancier places - even though some of the offerings tend to be boring chicken and salmon entrees - because $3.95 is about the price of a speciality coffee drink at Starbucks or a celebrity tabloid magazine you don't want to admit you buy but you know you do. Where the restaurants hope you spend your money is the wine (or coffee), so if you're watching your wallet, beware of the upsell. However, one area we do recommend you splurge a little on - if you can - is the tipping; even an extra dollar is a nice gesture, especially if the service was great.

The 2006 Zagat guide to New York City restaurants comes out today. First, the stats: Over 30,000 people surveyed 2,003 restaurants. The average meal cost in New York is $37.61, making it the most expensive in the U.S. The most popular restaurant list looks quite a bit like last year's: Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, and Babbo knocking Daniel out of it's previous number three slot. Top food rankings go to Le Bernadin, Daniel, and per se (which got the top ranking for service), while three Brooklyn restaurants, Tempo, Stone Park Cafe, and Applewood, made it into the top end of the newcomers' list.

The big NY Times Dining feature is about how dining in the year 1985 shaped NYC's restaurant going experiences through today. Led by chefs and restaurateurs David Bouley, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Danny Meyer, Drew Nieporent, and Alfred Portale, diners were treated to fine fare in sketchy neighborhoods, less pretension, smaller checks, lighter California cuisine, and the reliance on fresh, Greenmarket ingredients. An overall democratization of going out for a delicious meal (freed from the restraints of what Nieporent calls the "Le/La restaurants") which might have become the genesis of the modern day foodie.

through October 9: Shacktoberfest at the Shake Shack

The James Beard Foundation will be honoring Chef Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe for his contributions to the food industry at its annual Chefs & Champagne Benefit at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York. Hang in the Hamptons and enjoy tastings by chefs including Florian Bellanger of Fauchon, Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, Josh DeChellis of Sumile, and Kerry Heffernan of Eleven Madison Park along with Champagne Charles Heidsieck and the Estate's own award-winning wines. Proceeds from the event will benefit the preservation of the historic James Beard House in Greenwich Village, as well as the new East End Long Island Culinary Scholarship and the programs of Spoons Across America: The Source for Children's Culinary Education. Tickets are $150 for members of The James Beard Foundation, and $200 for guests. 5-8 pm. For reservations, call 212-627-2308 or order online.

Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe: 160 New Recipes from New York's Favorite Restaurant, by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano (HarperCollins, 2001)

The 2005 edition of the Zagat New York City Restaurant Guide is out today, and no, per se didn't blow everyone else out of the water -- at least not yet. Although it earned 29 out of 30 points in all three categories -- food, decor, and service -- it was too new to qualify for this year's guide.

Gothamist spends a great deal of time at the greenmarket in Union Square, so we were thrilled to be able to attend the 9th Annual Harvest in the Square, a fundraiser benefiting the Union Square Partnership, with funds from this year specifically earmarked for the capital campaign for the completion of Union Square Park. The standard greenmarket tents were replaced by several much larger tents, housing staff from over 45 different local restaurants and wineries. We walked in, and despite having received a list cataloguing each restaurant and what they were serving, we were completely overwhelmed. Where to go first? Old favorites, like Union Square Cafe or Gotham Bar and Grill? Or places we haven't yet tried? Should we pick according to the descriptions in the list we were given, making sure we had a variety of veggies, seafood, and meat options, and making sure to leave room for dessert? Panic proceeded to set in.

Edith Bellinghausen, Queens For A Day

Sausage Stuffing With Caramelized Onions from Tom Colicchio of Gramercy Tavern and Craft; Braised Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta and Toasted Bread Crumbs from Suzanne Goin of Lucques and A.O.C, Los Angeles; Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup and Chipotles from Bobby Flay, Bolo and Mesa Grill; Corn Pudding With Herb-Braised Chanterelles and Spicy Greens from Charlie Palmer of Aureole; Creamed Red and White Pearl Onions With Bacon from Barbara Lynch of No. 9 Park, Boston; Roasted Parsnips With Orange Zest from David Pasternack of Esca; Wild Rice With Mushrooms, Cranberries and Walnuts from Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill; Roasted Maple-Glazed Baby Carrots With Dried Grapes from Chris Schlesinger of East Coast Grill, Cambridge, Mass.; Jerusalem Artichoke Pancakes from Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe; and Mixed Mushroom and Sweet Potato Stuffing from Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter's, Chicago.

The new Zagat rankings for New York restaurants are out and the top restaurant is again Union Square Cafe, which had reigned as New Yorkers' favorite restaurant as tallied by Tim and Nina for 6 straight years (1997-2002) except last year, when sister restaurant Gramercy Tavern took over. The Le Coze fish shrine, Le Bernardin, is number one in food quality.

Hurricaine Isabel forced the Harvest in the Square Event to be rescheduled tonight. In its eighth year, Harvest in the Square brings Union Square area chefs to offer tastings of food prepared from Union Square Greenmarket Farmers Market, accompanied by Long Island and other New York Wines. Tickets are $90 in person (cash only), $75 in advance, and will benefit the Union Square Local Development Corporation, which is currently looking to enhance the North Plaza of Union Square Park.