Results tagged “food”

In the distressing news pile today, a new study was released revealing that people are still going hungry in NYC in increased numbers. According to a report by the NYC Coalition Against Hunger (PDF), the number of people seeking emergency food services has risen nearly 21 percent from last year. While the survey finds "fewer agencies ran out of food than the year before," thanks to federal stimulus money, some food pantries are struggling to meet the growing need.

           

Down at the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center, this year's Canstruction exhibit is underway, with 100,693 cans being used to make ingenious sculptures to benefit City Harvest. All these sculptures were assembled in a single night, and yesterday the winners were announced, with jurors declaring "Feed the Bank (Piggy Bank)," by Arianna Braun Architects, PLLC, best in show. The award for Best Use of Labels went to the Beatles-inspired "We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends," by Ted Moudis Associates. Best Structural Ingenuity went to "A Fungus to Feed Us" by Platt Byard Dovell White Architects

In a real world example of supply and demand economics, the proliferation of Southeast Asian eateries on and around Williamsburg's main commercial street has hurt business, according to neighborhood restaurateurs. The pad thai business is ailing in a three block area centered around Bedford Avenue and North Sixth Streets, where four Thai and three Asian fusion restaurants compete, according to the Brooklyn Paper — which dubs the enclave "Brooklyn's Little Bangkok."

The NY Times reports that Michael Ronis, the chef who helped develop the Carmine's concept, died at age 60 last week from brain cancer. "Carmine’s was the brainchild of Arthur Cutler, who asked Mr. Ronis, who had previously worked with him, to come up with a menu and concept reminiscent of Dominick’s, a famed Italian restaurant in the Bronx. The idea they reached was to serve every meal in the style of an Italian wedding feast, offering piles of spaghetti and meatballs and other Italian-American standards in a nostalgic environment...[the] first location opened in 1990 on Broadway near 91st Street, and its medium-budget fare struck a responsive chord during a lingering recession."

       

Nestled between a Williamsburg condo construction site and another building occupied by a battalion of fashion models, the swank new tapas restaurant Bar Celona seems poised to cash in on (and advance) the neighborhood's steady drumbeat of gentrification. At first glance, one might assume this chic place is just a tad out of step with the still slightly scruffy South Side, but let's not forget that the well-appointed Dressler is just a few blocks away, and Aurora isn't exactly a dump, either. Bar Celona's interior design may be seductively or surreally luxurious, but that doesn't take anything away from the stellar cocktails or chef Jordy Lavanderos's first-rate menu. Also: fireplace.

Yesterday suspiciously perky cooking celebrity Rachael Ray, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, City Council speaker Christine C. Quinn and other government officials held a press event at P.S. 89/I.S. 289 in Tribeca to preview a new menu that Ray created for NYC public schools. On Thursday, 600,000 students, from kindergartners to 12th graders, will have the option to sample the menu Ray developed: whole-wheat flatbread with roasted chicken, a ratatouille-style stew with beans, and corn salad on top. (Plus a side of broccoli.) But yesterday there was also a side of cockroach!

This weekend, the NY Times has a long confessional-style feature from a Park Slope Food Coop member who was suspended after she fell behind on her hours. Yes, Alana Joblin Ain wasn't able to keep up with the 2.75 hours required every four weeks to keep her as a Food Coop member in good standing, "Flushed, defeated and taken aback — I knew I owed the co-op some work, but I didn’t know I had been blacklisted — I slunk around the corner for a takeout burrito. But no amount of mushrooms and spinach could diminish my shame and guilt."

Okay, so the school Bake Sale is on its way out, and with that the kiddies vending machines will also be trimmed of their fat. The NY Times reports that under their new regulations the Department of Education are stocking up schools with healthier choices; "New vending machine contracts expected to be approved on Wednesday could mean less junk food — and less money for schools."

After Olives and Libertine owner Todd English bailed on his wedding at the last minute, friends and family of the jilted bride-not-to-be decided to party on, making the most of the celebrity chef's leftovers. The Post reports that 150 guests of Erica Wang decided to forge ahead with the fancy affair at the the St. Regis Hotel, enjoying a five-course dinner on English's dime. The scene sounded similar to the non-wedding bash had at the Mandarin over the summer when baller Richard Jefferson left his fiance at the altar.

Unhealthy food purveyors are fed up with what they see as City Hall's scaremongering about their products, so they've gone on the offensive with a $1 million nationwide ad campaign. In New York, the Center for Consumer Freedom—a "consumer advocate" front for a collective of food corporations—is asking people, "When did the Big Apple become Big Brother?" We thought it started around the time Peter Stuyvesant imprisoned people harboring Quakers, but no; the answer to that rhetorical question is Mayor Bloomberg. His Health Department is behind a number of public health initiatives, including requiring chain restaurants to display calorie info, and, most recently, a public awareness campaign against soda.

We usually let you know about stuff like this in our indispensable daily events blast, GothamList, but we just didn't have room today, so here's a heads up on two very special food-oriented events going down this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday a dozen big-shot chefs, three mixologists, one ice-cream maker, DJs and artists from NYC and Paris will descend on P.S. 1 in Long Island City for Le Fooding d'Amour, a culinary celebration of the two cities.

Is Mayor Bloomberg's crusade to turn New Yorkers into healthy eaters really just a product of his own struggles with self-control, roller coaster dieting and poor body image? It turns out that the man who has banned trans fats, made us face calorie count signs on a daily basis and now has his squinty eyes aimed at sodium levels in restaurants and sugary soda drinks is the type of guy that "an unflattering photo of himself can trigger weeks of intense dieting and crankiness."

                   

The 2009 U.S. Open tennis tournament kicked off yesterday in Flushing with fireworks, Heidi Klum, an unseasonable chill, and a hotly contested match between Venus Williams and Vera Dushevina, a 22-year-old Russian who, despite being ranked 47th, gave the number 3 ranked Williams a serious run for her money. After narrowly losing the first set to Dushevina, Williams came from behind to squeak out a second set win, then pounded the white Russian 6 games to 3 to win the match—a victory she credited to all the fans shouting "Go Venus!" throughout the long two-and-a-half hour contest.

Dilemma! Who does one vote for in a Gwyneth Paltrow versus Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel deathmatch? The Daily News reports that Frankel, who is also a chef when she's not busy being a reality television puppet, doesn't want to see the Hollywood starlet-turned-lifestyle guru get her own cooking show; "I'd rather staple my eyelids shut than watch Gwyneth cook. [She] is afraid to [reveal] who she really is—she's so manhandled by publicists and managers. Her show would be way too boring to watch," she declared. As opposed to watching the Real Housewives of New York, which isn't boring or contrived and is just a delight for everyone watching. If you recall, Gwyneth recently roasted a chicken, which apparently put the fear into Frankel—there have been rumors that she left the Bravo show and is working on her own food series.

     

Step inside Sazon, the new Latin Caribbean restaurant and lounge from the team behind Sofrito, a popular mid-price Puerto Rican spot in midtown east. The bi-level place opened quietly last month in the Reade Street space formerly occupied by Fresh Tribeca; the swank and sexy interior design features bright tropical colors, black lacquered chandeliers, a tufted leather back wall, and a coveted private booth secluded behind thick drapes. The elegant yet relaxed vibe extends to the downstairs lounge—tagged wall-to-wall by street artist James De La Vega—where a second bar facilitates weekend salsa dancing parties.

Doug Quint is part bassoonist, part ice cream man. And not just any old ice cream man at that. Just last month he and boyfriend Bryan Petroff launched the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, a venture that's blown up beyond what they ever imagined. With the help of Twitter (they have over a thousand followers to whom they tweet toppings of the day, truck location and solicit suggestions), the truck has become a bit of a summer hotspot to those seeking both a good cone and some good humor.

This story—and we do hope it's a story—makes the guy who complained about a snake head on his plate at TGI Friday's seem like a big fat baby: A German tourist claims that while eating steak and spinach at the Waldorf Astoria on Friday night, he bit into something you'd only expect to find on the menu at a Red Roof Inn. There's really no delicate way to put this: Axel Sanz-Claus tells ABC News that during his meal at the legendary hotel's Bull and Bear Steak House, he bit into a blood-soaked tampon. UGH: "I had it in my mouth, chewed it and nearly swallowed it," Sanz-Claus says, adding, "This is so disgusting, I've felt sick ever since."

It's Timbit time: After last week's announcement from fast food chain Riese Restaurants that it would convert its Dunkin Donuts franchises into Tim Hortons locations, there were collective cheers from Canadians (and those familiar with the mostly north-of-the-border chain) and a little confusion from DD devotees. According to a press release, nine of its ten Manhattan locations are opening today; two others are opening in Brooklyn (full list of locations after the jump). Tim Hortons considers its new NYC presence in its cap and wants to take the Big Apple by storm; COO David Clanachan said, "New Yorkers are savvy customers, they understand good value and quality. We are focused on earning the loyalty of New Yorkers and adding them to the millions of people who make Tim Hortons their daily stop for breakfast, lunch and snack times."

If you're by Columbus Circle today you can get some free food with Hair! The cast of the hit Broadway revival will be performing at 12:45 to launch NYC's summer Restaurant Week at The Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center. And if a stirring rendition of the show's popular "Sodomy" ditty isn't enough to pique your interest, be advised that the free event also includes free lunch: Five NYC Restaurant Week eateries—Tribeca Grill, Porter House New York, Spice Market, Bice Ristorante and DB Bistro Moderne—will be offering free tastings from noon to 2 p.m. (Free Coca-Cola, too, people!) Reservations are now being taken for Restaurant Week, which takes place from July 12th through July 31st, excluding Saturdays. (Some restaurants offer the deal on Sundays.) Prices at participating restaurants are $24.07 for three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 for three-course prix-fixe dinners (excluding beverage, tax and gratuity). Peruse the full list of restaurants here, and head on over to the Time Warner Center (Broadway at 60th Street) now to crack wise about finding hair in your food. (NYC GO has a handy Twitter feed, too.)

La Cense, an 88,000 acre Montana ranch that uses sustainable farming methods to raise 100 percent grass-fed cattle, launched its first burger truck in midtown today, at 48th Street and Park Avenue. And the crowds went wild! La Cense's consulting burger chef is none other than Adam Perry Lang, the pitmaster-owner of Daisy May's BBQ, not to mention a classically trained veteran of the Le Cique, Daniel, and Chanterelle kitchens. And so a long line of determined guinea pigs formed almost immediately this morning, and according to some reports it stretched over a half hour long.

We suppose that even hawks get tired of killing their prey—yesterday, D. Billy at And I Am Not Lying wrote that he had a good lunch, "Well… there was this one part where A F***ING HAWK FLEW INTO THE RESTAURANT WHERE I WAS EATING, AND LANDED ON MY FOOD." What follows is an endearing story of shock and awe:

I was sitting at a window seat next to the open door, and my food had just been brought out. I looked down to see this guy (or gal - I don’t know hawks) just standing in the doorway, looking back and forth. After surveying the place for a few seconds, it flapped its way in and up onto one of the empty tables.

Continue reading "Hawk! Bird Of Prey Seeks Meal At East Village Chicken Joint"

Frank Bruni heads to Williamsburg to check out Rye, the South 1st Street joint from chef Cal Elliott (Dressler, Dumont). The NY Times restaurant critic admires the former bodega decor, where the "woodwork and pressed tin ceiling look like lovingly restored" and its "long, gorgeous mahogany bar," but ultimately offers one star: "Rye needs to be more consistent... when Mr. Elliott hits his mark, the cooking appealingly complements that atmosphere. It’s mostly a mix of bistro stalwarts and of-the-moment comfort foods like a side of macaroni and cheese, the non-slider sliders and the meatloaf sandwich, wet and wild enough to qualify as a sloppy Joe — an enormous, fantastic one at that. The mix of meats in its crunchy embrace included beef, veal, duck and pork."

Obesity, especially childhood obesity, is an issue that the city takes seriously. But one Upper West Side mother's tactics at P.S. 9 have caused the school—and many other parents—to become frustrated and weary. MeMe Roth, an anti-obesity activist who gets upset by "special occasion" junk food ("cupcakes that come out for every birthday, the doughnuts her children were once given in gym"), tells the NY Times, "I thought I was sending my kid to P.S. 9, not Chuck E. Cheese. Is there or is there not an obesity and diabetes epidemic in this country?”

Anyone have a spare block of extra firm tofu, a nail file, and a soft spot for graffiti gal UTAH? She's currently doing time on Riker's Island, and allegedly she can't get her hands on any vegan grub. Animal reports that after a friend visited her there, he reported back via Twitter, saying: “She said it’s not so bad, like a ghetto sleepaway camp. Suave shamps. She is starving b/c she is vegan. No tempeh on the island apparently.” The Department of Corrections directs inmates with special dietary needs to a nutritionist, who can issue an ID card for vegan meal procurement. Of course, it's actually easier to send a lawsuit-threatening letter than to go through this process successfully. And that is exactly what UTAH had to do in order to get soy milk and peanut butter.

The chef Julie Farias—last seen utilizing a hot plate, Swiss Army knife, and a box of clothespins in order to devise and cook some well-reviewed, three-course $25 set menus at Beer Table in Park Slope—has moved on to The General Greene. The San Antonio native also worked for Daniel Boulud and is the former chef at iCi. Farias also put together the menu at burger restaurant Stand, so here's hoping she'll be making some changes to the lackluster General Greene version. You may recall that General Greene owner Nicholas Morgenstern unveiled a custom ice cream cart a few weeks back (seen here); word is that someone apparently tried to steal the tip jar from the cart last week and was promptly arrested! Farias is said to be working on some menu tweaks, assumes kitchen duties this week, and will likely kick anyone's ass who tries something like that tip jar stunt again.

After tut-tutting the pat predictability of the Obamas' choice to dine at "locavore" restaurant Blue Hill last week, Frank Bruni at the Times has taken the opportunity to revisit Soho's Savoy, where chef/owner Peter Hoffman "began exalting all things organic, sustainable and humanely raised... a full decade before Dan Barber did likewise at Blue Hill." Bruni's two star-review, evocative of a comment-thread "FIRST!", declares that Savoy's still got it after almost two decades: "Raise a glass of wine (from an appealing, varied list) to Mr. Hoffman, an evangelist outpaced by younger adherents but not out of the picture. Not even close."

As predicted, folks curious about the fuss surrounding LA taco truck sensation Kogi BBQ have been lining up at 55th Street and Lexington for Kogi's special one-hour guest appearance at the Dessert Truck. Midtown Lunch is on the scene: "The line at 11:40am is already stretching down the block...Line count right now… 65 and growing- and the truck doesn’t open until noon!... 11:59 About to start serving food. Line is 2/3 of the way back to Third Ave." Midtown Lunch adds, "Lee Anne Wong from season one of Top Chef is on hand to help dish out the food. Why you might ask? Because she is now the executive chef of east coast operations of Kogi BBQ and will be in charge of the first Kogi BBQ truck in New York." (Kogi BBQ did give a shout-out to her on their website.)

When we mentioned Kogi BBQ, LA's breakout food truck, yesterday, a reader pointed out that the Korean BBQ-inspired Mexican food will be available for one hour today! The Kogi BBQ team, in town for a Citymeals-on-Wheels benefit, explains on its website, "It’LL be the Dessert Truck parked out on Lexington and 55th, but once those doors fLip open, it shaLL be the KoGi crew on the inside. We’LL be there from noon-1PM and then POOF! we’re outta there... NYC, let’s kick it à la ride-or-die styLe." And on its Twitter feed, it's the more intriguing: "NYC, WE ARE COMING FOR YOUSE" According to Midtown Lunch, there will be 200 Kogi-Dessert Truck sampling plates available for $4/plate—dare we predict a foodie mob? For a little more on the Kogi madness, check out this gallery from LAist.

reBar: This spacious bar/restaurant isn't new, but the chef and the menu are, so it's worth a mention for those making dinner plans in somewhat dining-deprived DUMBO. Self-described hippie owner Jason Stevens, who quit his job trading mortgage-backed securities at Merrill Lynch just before the crash, opened reBar in December 2006 in an old tea warehouse dating back the later 19th century. With an elegantly weathered, post-industrial design by the same guy who did the Zipper Factory Theater (RIP), the place has become a favorite watering hole for the locals. ($2 pints from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.!)

Charles, the clandestine West Village restaurant that Village Voice critic Robert Sietsema recently skewered for its affected, still-under-construction front, gets eviscerated by Frank Bruni at the Times today. He goes meta with this one, once again writing in the voice of a vapid, trend-spotting socialite pecking out an email to Graydon Carter, whose Waverly Inn inspired Charles's game of hard-to-get: "[The windows] are covered in old newspapers and blue tape, as if the space is under construction or even condemned, and they’ve been that way for so long that when I paused on the sidewalk the other night to read the fine print, I learned that Sarah Palin had resuscitated the McCain candidacy. The newspapers are at first funny, then odd, then just sort of sad, maybe because Charles doesn’t have enough else going for it. In the end I couldn’t get around that. I suppose it’s pretty inside, though it’s so dark you can’t tell, so dark that Bitsy and I never could decide if that was Maggie Gyllenhaal two tables away." For further reading, here's Charles's most recent DOH inspection results: a whopping 36 violation points...but maybe that's just they're way of dissuading you from dining there?