It's a Meat Feast: Boston Market's New Rotisserie Brisket and Prime Rib

By: Finance Foodie

Growing up, Boston Market was known as my spot for some juicy and tender rotisserie chicken (plus all the fabulous fixings on the side, especially that to-die-for cornbread). But now I hear they have expanded their offerings to the other white meat - beef!

An Asian Sensation at Uncle Sam's New York

By: Finance Foodie 

This past weekend, the Mister and I were craving different cuisines for lunch - he wanted a burger and I wanted Asian. Thankfully, Uncle Sam's came to the rescue - no not the American taxation icon, but the Beijing-based burger joint that just opened its first location in New York City earlier this year. Serving American style comfort foods (like fries and shakes) combined with Asian flavored burgers, Uncle Sam's brings a creative and exotic twist to all-American fast food cuisine.

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A Family Friendly Brunch at Greenwich Street Tavern

By: Finance Foodie 

This past weekend, the Mister and I checked out Greenwich Street Tavern (GST) in Tribeca for brunch. I had previously heard about this joint through my "downtown finance foodie" friends -- given its close proximity to the Wall Street banks, GST is known as the go to spot for bro-ey bankers in search of booze after (or sometimes during) work.  Since I was intrigued by GST's new brunch menu that promised an upscale twist on American pub fare (and because the Mister wanted to eat at a place where he could watch his English Premier League matches), this resto was a no-brainer pick for some weekend nosh.

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How Divine! Brunch at Madison and Vine

By: Finance Foodie 

As the last days of the hot summer weather slowly trickle away, the Mister and I find ourselves determined to do as much open patio brunching as possible. However, feeling lazy this past Saturday after a week of work travel, we wanted something close to our 'hood (Midtown East). Luckily, we stumbled upon Madison and Vine, a cute and cozy American bistro located on the bottom floor of the Library Hotel.

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Scrumptious Sunday Brunch at Davio's New York

By: Finance Foodie

As the weather has finally turned warm, there is no better way to celebrate than a peaceful and elegant Sunday brunch. This past weekend, the Mister and I headed to Davio's to check out their brand new brunch menu. I have always been a fan of their high quality steaks for dinner so I was excited to check out what they had in store for lunch!

Fried Egg Yolks

The Lodge Club—Bringing Gastro Goodness To The West Village!

By: Anne M. Raso

I really enjoyed the dark dance club atmosphere of the dining room at the back of The Lodge Club in the Village. The music varied from disco to punk rock to today’s alt rock and the food was fine gastropub fare. They are getting famous for their roasted bone marrow, but I stuck to more basic Modern American versions of the comfort food classics that are on the menu. Portions were respectable and most can be shared between two diners. The Lodge Club is from the same folks who brought you Bounce and Vero Midtown, so you just know they have high standards for ingredients and kitchen staff. Chef Olnowich has works for Olives NYC and the restaurant at L’Ecole (the French cooking school downtown) so you just know that he’s creative before you set foot in The Lodge!

Morton's The Steakhouse: The Legend Lives On (And For Good Reason)!

By: Anne M. Raso

The luxurious Morton's Steakhouse on Fifth Avenue is as great as ever and I think ever steak maniac should have it on their "bucket list"! There is a nothing like a prime piece of Midwestern grass-fed beef grilled in a specially made broiler just for the restaurant--and you can watch from one of New York's most luxurious dining rooms that actually has a dark yet modern ambiance. Wait, let's make it more of a Hollywood glamour ambiance! The decor is definitely Hollywood movie star inspired with oversized ceiling lamps and comfy banquets with the wonderful, brightly lit cook staff area at the helm. On the trip downstairs to the restrooms, black and white photos of current Hollywood megastars line the walls including one of then late 30s George Clooney with Morton’s staff.

Comfort Food Classics at Harding's New York City

By: Finance Foodie

As Fall comes to full swing in the Big Apple, there really isn't any better way to feel all warm and cozy than an All-American comfort food brunch. Therefore, this past weekend, the Mister and I took a trip to the Flatiron district to check out Harding's new "Tastes of American" autumn brunch menu.

The Aloha

Ellary's Greens: Proving That Eating "Green" Can Be Exciting!

By: Anne M. Raso

Last week, I was lucky enough to try Ellary's Greens in one of the historic storefronts on Carmine Street (#33 to be exact) and I was dazzled by the super farm to table freshness of this 1 1/2-year-old eatery—which named after owner Leith Hill’s grandmother and great grandmother. The decor is quaint, with exposed brick walls, dim lighting, old-fashioned glass cases filled with healthy desserts, and high ceilings featuring an overlay of laser cut metal (the motif seems to be of leaves growing on stems, almost like a beanstalk).

Green Thai Curry Tofu

Chloe 81: A Superlative “Speakeasy” On The Lower East Side Brings You Back In Time!

By: Anne M. Raso

I’m not sure if it’s because of the success of Boardwalk Empire (set in the Prohibition Era) or just because hipsters need a new retro movement to follow, but bars and restaurants with a 1920’s speakeasy look have taken over the artier neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Chloe 81 is one of these places—it features a lot of pale yellow subway tile and dim lighting, and actually has a semi-secret club room downstairs that features a bar, dancing and a DJ. I went to Chloe 81 for an early dinner because a crowded 11 PM scene with beautiful people is just not my thing at the advanced age of 53, LOL!

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Beauty & Essex’s Champagne Brunch Is Back—And It’s Beautiful And Bountiful!

By Anne M. Raso

I love Beauty & Essex’s retro glamour vibe with a funky edge—there is even a pawn shop with high-end collectibles from guitars to 14K gold cabochon earrings! The Champagne Brunch not only gets you’re a family style spread of eight different dishes, but each diner gets two glasses of Moet & Chandon Brut Classic from California. Knowing that most eateries charge $16 a glass for this type of champagne makes this brunch special a real deal! There are a lot of the “young and beautiful” to look at as well.

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The Derby: Soulful Southern-Inspired Cuisine Takes Over The Lower East Side

By: Anne M. Raso

I had fallen in love with The Derby in its previous incarnation--the Tiny Fork--which was a seafood-driven establishment where customers feasted on large raw-bar trays. The ownership is the same, but there is an all-new staff. The Derby has only been open 2 1/2 months at the time of this writing, and friendly manager Gabe Voytas is as helpful as they come. He can answer your questions about every fussy detail of every dish. This is his first foray into the restaurant world; he previously managed several hot nightspots in the city.

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Bonding With Great American Food At The Hudson Bond!

By: Anne M. Raso

I just had to check out The Hudson Bond this week—I noticed that lots of commuters stop there on their walk from their offices to the Port Authority and the décor was a pleasant surprise. It’s modern but with a lot of natural wood and high ceilings—and there is even a patio/atrium out back for smokers (probably one of the only ones allowed in the city these days). There are gorgeous elephant shaped topiaries on the back patio--which seems to serve as a bit of a man cave even though it is very elegant. There are big screen TVs all over The Hudson Bond but the sound is often turned down while dinner music plays—while I was there, I heard both electronica music and a best of disco era R&B collection. The crowd tends to be business people in their 30s, but by no means is it a “meet market.” It’s comfortable, spacious and non-pretentious.

Bar Area

Crescent Grill: LIC’s New “New American” Rocks!

By: Anne M. Raso

Long Island City seems to be the next Williamsburg with numerous hotels and hip eateries opening up. Crescent Grill appears to be the “go to” restaurant in the neighborhood thanks to the rave reviews both in the press and via word of mouth. It’s a farm to table kind of place with co-own Shaun Dougherty overseeing the picking of the produce, some of which is picked up at the Jackson Heights Farmer’s Market. Brother and co-owner Dan Dougherty operates the Crescent Grill on a day-to-day basis, visiting at each table and asking if everything’s going well. He is an affable, hands-on owner and a friendlier and more concerned restaurateur you will not meet. It is only a four or five block walk from the N train at 39th Avenue in Long Island City but the restaurant will send a complimentary car anywhere in the neighboring area including the nearby subways if you do not want to walk—and you can even call the restaurant last minute when you get off the train! The Dougherty boys are knowledgeable on art and support local artists by selling and exhibiting their art at their gallery near the maître d’s podium in front; they even host events for local artists.

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Here Batter Batter at NYY Steak Midtown

By: Finance Foodie

I might not know baseball but I do know my steaks. So when I heard that NYY Steak, the premier steakhouse at Yankee Stadium, had opened an outpost right in Midtown Manhattan, of course the Mister and I had to check it out.

From the Second Floor  - Interior Shot

Keep on Rollin’ at the Hard Rock Café New Menu Preview

By: Finance Foodie

With 140 cafes in 56 countries, Hard Rock has become a truly global phenomenon. From its first cafe in London, England, Hard Rock continues to offer great American food in a rock ‘n’ roll environment. Like all good things, evolving is key – which is why the Hard Rock Cafe is unveiling a new menu in US and European cafes starting April 1st – the first time the brand has done a complete overhaul of the entire food and drink menu! The brand surveyed more than 3,000 guests in cafes across four continents and 14 cities to collect feedback on more than 100 items from its existing and redesigned test menus.

New Menu Items

Seafood Bonanza at the Ivy Bar and Grill

By: Finance Foodie

I knew I had to add the Ivy Bar and Grill to my “Must Try” list after Team FF’s Anne raved about her dining experiences there not once, but twice! The other night, the Mister and I both happened to be in the area during dinnertime, so naturally we paid a visit to this Midtown hidden gem.

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An Inside Look at Betony New York via FiLMUiN

By Finance Foodie, in collaboration with FiLMUiN

Just last night, the Mister and I attend a holiday dinner at Betony, the new Modern American restaurant overseen by Executive Chef Bryce Shuman (the former Executive Sous Chef of Eleven Madison Park). This was a pretty sweet party, as the whole restaurant was shut down just for us. Since I am working with the cool new video review website FiLMUiN, I just had to document at least a tiny portion of my experience. Below, I take you inside Betony where you can see what I had for my first course (a citrus salad) and also see what the ambiance is really like (classy and elegant). And be sure to check out FiLMUiN's library of videos featuring restaurants, hotels and nightlife around NYC to see what venues are really like (oh, did I mention signing up is free?).

Link to video on FilmUin: https://filmuin.com/venue/10619/comments/Betony-West-57th-Street-New-York-NY-United-States

Betony
41 W 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 465-2400
betony-nyc.com
Cuisine: Modern American

Brother Jimmy’s BBQ Murray Hill: The Perfect Place For Weekend Family Fun!

By: Anne Raso

The Brother Jimmy’s BBQ location in Murray Hill is considered their “flagship store” and one of the few eateries in NYC with permission to smoke meats in their basement. On top of that, they are one of the few restaurants able to spit roast a full size pig, something they did in honor of their fifth birthday recently. VIPS from the food press as well as longtime neighborhood customer came to eat the hog “on the house”! (Bet you can’t name too many people who would have a party where anyone in the neighborhood could turn up and eat for free.)

Wooden Pigs Hanging

Light Up Your Life at Bell Book and Candle NYC

By : Finance Foodie

Last year, I had the good fortune of being introduced to the quaint West Village gem Bell Book and Candle (BBC). Although that visit only consisted of drinks, their whimsically quirky named cocktails had me dying to experience more of this place.

Photo: BBC