Tag Archives: fresh

Danny Meyer’s Untitled at the Whitney Museum of American Art

Danny Meyer’s newest venture, a cafe for the Whitney called Untitled, takes the coffee shop of the ’60s as its inspiration but manages to incorporate what’s best about most of Meyer’s operations: locally sourced, seasonally fresh fare, prepared by talented hands (Executive Chef Chris Bradley, formerly of Gramercy Tavern) and offered at reasonable prices.

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch during the week (with both menus offered all day), and for dinner on weekends; we stopped in for a late breakfast on a quiet Tuesday, when the kitchen is open despite the galleries being closed to the public, and started our day with a chocolate egg cream ($5)–chocolate syrup, seltzer, and milk. However, a more traditional start is also available, with coffee from (who else?) Stumptown roasters, or a selection of housemade juices.

The restaurant’s suppliers are proudly listed on a chalkboard over the bar: Milk from Battenkill Creamery in Salem, Oats & Grains from Cayuga Pure Organics in Ithaca, and Apple Pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn–just to name a few. The inspiration may be coffee-shop classics, but the quality results seem anything but.
Untitled

Whitney Museum of American Art
945 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10021 (map)

Capogiro Gelato Rivals That From Italia

In Italian, capogiro means dizziness from something wonderful. The heavenly treats at Capogiro Gelato are beyond that!  The exquisitely crafted flavor combinations are quite simply out of this world, with the New York Times raving that there’s nothing subtle about Capogiro’s gelato.  Everything at this artisanal shop is handmade and they use fresh ingredients for the creamy treats, meaning that the seasonally driven menu is always changing based on the harvest. This treat rivals the gelato and sorbetto in Italy-  and there’s even been rumors that Capogiro is better.

Fresh Fish with a Philly Twist at McCormick & Schmick’s

Next to the towering City Hall at the top of South Broad Street, the self-proclaimed “fresh fish authority,” McCormick & Schmick’s stands proud in the heart of Philadelphia. Over 30 varieties of fresh seafood is flown in daily from around the globe, and although these restaurants are located across the nation each one offers local specialties.

In Philly, it’s the classic fried oysters and chicken salad for lunch as well as a selection of microbrews from Philadelphia’s own Yards Brewing Company that make this seafood joint unique. M&S has grown a reputation over the years for their famous Happy Hour – offering bar food six nights a week for only $1.95. And it’s hard not to be curious about this clever take on the classic Philly cheesesteak – The Philly Tuna Cheesesteak features Ahi Tuna, Onions, Peppers and Melted Provolone.

This downtown hot spot is a great place to eat before a show (since it’s located on the Avenue of the Arts) or meet with friends for a drink. The dark mahogany walls, handcrafted stained glass ceilings and mosaic tiled floors will have you sitting back and relaxed in no time.

Journalist Maureen Orth Seas BlackSalt is Best

Maureen Orth is an award-winning journalist that has covered beats for the likes of Newsweek and Vanity Fair, but when she goes out to eat she only likes the best, BlackSalt Fish Market Restaurant. As the capital’s premier seafood restaurant, quality fresh fish is their pride and joy. Picture 6

One part fish market, one part restaurant, BlackSalt is your one stop gourmet shop for everything seafood. Rated one of the best restaurants in D.C. by Washingtonian Magazine, Chef Jeff Black makes each seafood item shine- from mussels to shrimp to lobster and grouper. Pairing the perfectly seasoned and cooked dishes with a crisp Chardonnay brings the experience to a whole ‘nother level.

The Fish Market is based on Chef Jeff Black’s desire to provide chefs-in-the-making at home with the best seafood possible. So whatever you choose is guaranteed to be delicious, but if you’re unsure of what to take and how to prepare it, Fishmonger Keith Slepper’s always there to lead you in the right direction.

Dine in or take out, Maureen Orth can attest to the fact that this is the place for seafood in D.C.

*** Maureen Orth is an award-winning journalist who started her career at the prestigious Newsweek Magazine and is a special correspondent for Vanity Fair and the founder of the K12 Wired Foundation.

Potager: Where the Perennial Meets the Seasonal

Picture 15The name means “kitchen garden,” and with good reason. Though Potager’s dining room is decidedly urban- with its high ceilings echoing cement surfaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and exposed ducts- it leads to a positively pastoral back patio surrounded by, you guessed it, a vegetable and herb garden. Chef Teri Rippeto was espousing locavorism before it was trendy, and to this day her oft-changing menu is rife with farmer’s market finds and sustainably raised meats, be it Gnocchi with pea shoots, baby leeks, mint, bacon, and goat cheese or a Grilled Pork Chop with rhubarb sauce and pickled turnips. The wine list, too, emphasizes boutique labels. And Rippeto’s eco-consciousness doesn’t end there: Potager recycles, composts, and relies partly on solar and wind power. No wonder it’s perennially popular. On that note, be prepared for a wait at the bar: reservations aren’t accepted.

Cliff House

The Terrace Room’s wall to wall windows reveal a delicious panorama of Ocean Beach and the Pacific Ocean to diners who can momentarily tear themselves from their plates. This House specializes in sure-fire seafood and serves up live harp music on Sundays, when brunch is more of a banquet with options like poached salmon and prawns.