Tag Archives: new york times

O Ya Puts Boston on the Culinary Map

If you have been on every “best of” list like Boston’s O Ya restaurant, can things get any better? From being named the number one restaurant in the country by the New York Times to receiving accolades for being one of the world’s 10 best new restaurants by Food & Wine Magazine, the praise is well deserved. This cozy little gem serves up contemporary Japanese fare, including nigiri, sashimi and Wagyu beef. Don’t miss the chilled homemade soba noodles, which can be perfectly paired with some sake. Be sure to call ahead and make a reservation as this Leather District hot spot fills up easily and waits can be long at the intimately lit O Ya tavern, which is located in a former firehouse. Valet parking is available at the corner of South and East Streets in Les Zygomates.

Insider’s Tip: O Ya is expensive, with some entrees running up to $60, but nearly all diners leave happy, saying every bite was worth every penny. Visit oyarestaurantboston.com for more information.

Jean Georges Always Gold for Restaurant Critic Frank Bruni

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There’s only one restaurant in New York City where you’ll never hear a bad word from former New York Times Restaurant Critic Frank Bruni; it’s Jean Georges. This celebrity chef has made a name for himself with star-studded favorites Spice Market and Mercer Kitchen, but his self-titled Jean Georges is the creme de la creme of his culinary empire.

“In my job I get a lot of calls and emails saying, ‘Well you know I had heard that X restaurant was great’ or ‘you had said that Y restaurant was great,'” Frank Bruni said to citybuzz of his tenure at the New York Times. “So I get a lot of complaints, and a lot of feedback that’s positive as well, and that’s a restaurant, Jean Georges, that I almost never, ever field a complaint about.” Picture 13

These are words that every chef would like to hear, especially since it’s a commentary from not only one of the most respected food critics in the business, but also of the overwhelmingly happy clientele at Jean Georges.

What makes this place so great? The four star restaurant prepares every meal to perfection, and that is not a cliche here. Every dish steals the show from perfectly seasoned scallops to signature dishes like the checkerboard hamachi and yellowfin tun and roasted squab with a corn pancake and an elegant splash of foie gras. The Trump Hotel restaurant (Hey, if it passed The Donald’s seal of approval, you know it must be incredible) has cleaned up nearly every award in the book: 4 Stars from the Times, 3 Michelen Stars (one of only four NYC restaurants with that Michelen rating), and chef Jean Georges Vongerichten has won 2 James Beard awards for this restaurant alone.

Or, as Frank Bruni simply put it, “Among food lovers who go to the city’s four star restaurants, I think Jean-Georges in the Trump Hotel in Columbus Circle is a restaurant that almost never disappoints.”

*** Frank Bruni is the former restaurant critic for The New York Times and is now working for the Times Magazine. Bruni is also a best-selling author, with works including the politically themed Ambling Into History and his recent memoir Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater.

3. NYT Art & Leisure Weekend 1/7-1/10/10

Picture 9The New York Times Art & Leisure Weekend is an incredible opportunity to learn from major stars of the film, television, culinary, and dance worlds- that are interviewed by some of the most prestigious journalists in the world from the New York Times.

Each seminar is better than the next covering all aspects of art and entertainment. Listen in as Frank Bruni interviews the stars of Top Chef, Journalist Patrick Healy interviews Natalie Portman, Journalist Bill Carter interviews Jimmy Fallon, Journalist Jason Zinoman interviews the makers of Cirque du Soleil and much more. From soap opera stars to chefs, this an incredible way to spend a glamorous New York weekend– and possibly get a few tips from the pros.