Friday's Bite

We hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving! This week for Friday's bite we're doing things a little different. Below is a photo and brief synopsis of what we wait 364 days a year for. Feel free to comment on who did it best. Enjoy! xx

From 12:00 on this glorious Thanksgiving clock: Sugar and salt-cured ham; whipped mashed potatoes from scratch draped with old-school, rich, silky gravy; orange, cinnamon cranberry sauce; [middle] sausage, mushroom, chestnut, and ciabatta stuffing; creamy cauliflower and brussel sprout gratin with toasted breadcrumb and pine-nut topping; classic maple whipped yams; steaming hot homemade buttermilk biscuits; and finally, tender, juicy turkey with herb butter. <3 lk, the little foodie.

Thanksgiving with a Santa Fe twist. Oven-roasted Turkey with sage, rosemary, and thyme. To top it off, thick home-made, herb-seasoned gravy, spiced with fresh pepper. In the back, Home-style Green Bean Casserole featuring hand cooked onion rings, walnuts, and cremini mushrooms. Mashed cauliflower florets sprinkled with fresh chives and pepper, and of course, a healthy dose of butter. The stuffing brought a spicy kick to the dinner table in true New Mexican fashion: turkey and jalepeno pepper sausage with diced and toasted whole wheat bread, sage, celery and onion, all baked to perfection. The Roasted Sweet Potato Puree with maple syrup and toasted pecans was a huge hit, as was the slowly-simmered cranberry relish with orange rind, cinnamon, and lemon zest. I hope your Thanksgiving was as tasty as mine! MC

Get ready. Starting with juicy, deep fried Turkey dressed in homemade gravy. Salty, flavorful stuffing with smoked chorizo. Baked maple glazed sweet potato. Grandma's ULTIMATE cranberry relish--tart and sweet. Mashed potatoes whipped with butter and pepper, dressed in the homemade gravy. In the middle there, artichoke hearts sauteed with pancetta, carrots, and thyme. Last but not least, boiled mini onions sprinkled with shaved parmesan. Salivate away.  Xx AT

Thanksgiving in Virginia means a 27 pound grilled turkey, fresh whipped mashed potatoes, ooey, gooey, crunchy macaroni and cheese, simple, delicious sweet potatoes, white and dark meat turkey with handmade cranberry sauce and traditional stuffing, green beans with garlic, and roasted vegetables. xx MS

XO the Razz Girls

Friday's Bite

To commemorate the Eater awards this past Monday night, we felt it necessary to highlight Torrisi Italian Specialties for this Friday's Bite. Winning "Restaurant of the Year" in both NYC and nationally, Torrisi is one of the most wonderful restaurants in Manhattan, but may not be what you expect. On the brink of Little Italy, this 18-seat, no-reservation burrow is reminiscent of an old-school Italian deli. The menu is written each day on the chalkboard, including five antipasto, one pasta, choice of two entrées, and a dessert tasting. No vegetarians, no allergies, no substitutions, no nonsense.

 The walls are peppered with cans of tomatoes, breadcrumbs, and dried pasta and the vibe is refreshingly comfortable. But, don't let the casual charm fool you. Chefs and owners Rick Torrisi and Mario Carbone are extraordinary chefs with experience at some of the greatest fine dining institutions in NY, and you can taste that experience with each fleeting course and each exquisite bite. As Sam Sifton put it in his NY Times two-star review, "It is not fine dining, but it sure is fine."
              
<3 lk, the little foodie
Little Foodie Blog

 Fresh Mozzarella Hand-Pulled to Order Served with Parsley Garlic Bread

House-Made Lamb Sausage with Pickled Eggplant

Beets with Créme Fraiche, Apples, and Dill

Salt Cod (Baccala) and Preserved Lemon Crostini

Calamari Pasta

Duck over Broccoli Rabe

                                                                                    

Friday's Bite

Sardines, Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Just as the splendid autumn leaves must succumb to the unrelenting New York winter, us New Yorkers must also accept that the coming months will undoubtedly be filled with rosy-cheeks and numb toes.  But this year, instead of hiding under a blanket in your West Village studio, warm yourself up with a full-bodied Chianti and rib-sticking pasta at Lupa Osteria Romana. Charming, cozy and candle-lit, Lupa exemplifies everything you want in a neighborhood restaurant; ideal for intimate dinners, and perfect for a night out with friends. 

Prosciutto Di Parma

Owned by the Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich restaurant empire and boasting the same Executive Chef as four-star Del Posto, the food at Lupa is unsurprisingly outstanding. This unassuming trattoria serves inexpensive, straightforward Italian fare prepared perfectly. It is one of those rare and incredible restaurants in New York that anyone and everyone would love.

 <3 LK, the little foodie

Little Foodie Blog

Contorni: Beets with Pistachio

Special Rotini Pasta

Butternut Squash Tortellini 

Bucatni All'Amatriciana

House-Made Maple Gelato

Friday's Bite

As a theater and dance major at Trinity College, it’s only natural for me to be drawn to anything theater related. I based where I chose my apartment around theater—just steps away from Times Square and the abundance of Broadway productions and prix fixe “before the show” dinner options. I’m a huge fan of restaurant row (46^th between 8^th and 9^th) because it boasts a small neighborhood feel that intertwines with theatrical charm. After sampling cuisine at all of these cozy gems, twice, I found myself searching for what I love most—a French bistro. I finally found EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for, and it lies in Chez Josephine.

Chez Josephine’s name is a tribute to Josephine Baker, who was viewed as the “toast of Paris” in the 1920’s and a stage and screen star in the 1930’s. The original restaurant opened in Paris in 1926 and was named, Chez Josephine Baker, which was always crowded with a medley of celebrities and renowned locals; which eventually developed into a devoted following from patrons all over the world. Today, the legendary performer’s son, Jean-Claude Baker, moved his loyal fan club to the heart of the theater district where he’s serving up French culinary masterpieces like lobster cassoullet, chinese ravioli with creamy goat cheese, and steak tartare topped with a perfectly fried quail egg.

The décor is a Parisian display of glamour and sophistication. The blue-tin ceilings, red velvet walls, and vintage chandeliers light up the many portraits of Josephine Baker. The overall ambience only added to the already sensational menu.

We opted for the escargots bourguignon, the grilled pork chop with grilled asparagus and potato gratin, the fish du jour with a fall vegetable medley, and to wrap things up on a fantastic note, an apple rhubarb crepe cake. Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly.

If you’re heavily salivating, get a group of friends together and head to Chez Josephine for a decadent French meal and a bottle of their finest red.

Located 414 West 42nd st

Reservations: 212-594-1925

Friday's Bite

REDEYE GRILL—It is no secret to anyone I know that I love food. I live for anything cheesy, salty, melty, crunchy, and last but not least, sweet. Believe it or not, 30% of New York’s appeal was that I would be placed in the mecca of some of the best restaurants in the world. I think about food at the most inappropriate times; while I’m on the treadmill, while I'm watching Thintervention, and 30 minutes after I just finished a seven course pasta tasting at Babbo. In fact, I’m enjoying some creamy hummus with sautéed garlic tomatoes right now. With that being said, you cannot have a well-rounded blog about New York City without mentioning what it does best—eats.

This week, I’m taking you to one of my personal favorites: Redeye Grill. Located right next to Carnegie Hall on 7^th Ave, it supplies old New York glamour with new school allure. As soon as you enter this palace of deliciousness you are greeted by one of the most beautiful sights anyone could ever lay their eyes on: a raw bar. Although Redeye offers a wide variety of meats on their menu, their specialty is the ocean. I like to mix both. My friends and I ordered some of my personal favorites; peking duck quesadillas, clam chowder (the best), Danish smoked salmon smorrebrod, short ribs that have been braising for 3 hours with chive spaetzle, dover sole meuniére, and their world famous banana cream pie.

If you’re looking for a night to indulge in some high quality seafood while surrounded by some of the most elegant New Yorkers in the city, I highly recommend Redeye. If food doesn't interest you, that's probably why you're cranky. 

Xx,

AT

http://www.redeyegrill.com/