First off, let us set the record straight. Gotham Bar and Grill and Gothamist are not related. We do not share any parent holding company and there is no sordid history to tell of. The experience that we are about to share is an unbiased tale of a wine geek, just trying to find a quality glass of wine and a comfy stool at the bar. more ›

September 7: Sake Tasting more ›

All the foodies are in a tizzy today as the coveted James Beard Award nominees were announced last night. The actual awards ceremony and reception will be held on May 8, at an event celebrating "the culinary legacy of New Orleans." Reservations for the May 8th event can be made by calling 212-367-9490 or toll free at 1-866-362-6442. Admission is $375 ($325 for James Beard Foundation members/$120 for students - find your old ID cards fast!). A portion of the admission price will be donated to a charitable fund established to support the rebuilding of New Orleans’ restaurant community. more ›

Charlie Suisman over at Manhattan User's Guide broke the French omerta on the New York City restaurants Michelin guide and listed the restaurants receiving 1, 2 or 3 stars. Only thirty-nine restaurants were reviewed. Here's a quick analysis: more ›

The big NY Times Dining feature is about how dining in the year 1985 shaped NYC's restaurant going experiences through today. Led by chefs and restaurateurs David Bouley, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Danny Meyer, Drew Nieporent, and Alfred Portale, diners were treated to fine fare in sketchy neighborhoods, less pretension, smaller checks, lighter California cuisine, and the reliance on fresh, Greenmarket ingredients. An overall democratization of going out for a delicious meal (freed from the restraints of what Nieporent calls the "Le/La restaurants") which might have become the genesis of the modern day foodie. more ›

September 25-29: Latin Beer Tasting more ›

Alfred Portale Simple Pleasures: Home Cooking from the Gotham Bar and Grill's Acclaimed Chef, by Alfred Portale (Morrow, 2005) more ›

Gothamist spends a great deal of time at the greenmarket in Union Square, so we were thrilled to be able to attend the 9th Annual Harvest in the Square, a fundraiser benefiting the Union Square Partnership, with funds from this year specifically earmarked for the capital campaign for the completion of Union Square Park. The standard greenmarket tents were replaced by several much larger tents, housing staff from over 45 different local restaurants and wineries. We walked in, and despite having received a list cataloguing each restaurant and what they were serving, we were completely overwhelmed. Where to go first? Old favorites, like Union Square Cafe or Gotham Bar and Grill? Or places we haven't yet tried? Should we pick according to the descriptions in the list we were given, making sure we had a variety of veggies, seafood, and meat options, and making sure to leave room for dessert? Panic proceeded to set in. more ›

Other Nominees: more ›

Sausage Stuffing With Caramelized Onions from Tom Colicchio of Gramercy Tavern and Craft; Braised Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta and Toasted Bread Crumbs from Suzanne Goin of Lucques and A.O.C, Los Angeles; Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup and Chipotles from Bobby Flay, Bolo and Mesa Grill; Corn Pudding With Herb-Braised Chanterelles and Spicy Greens from Charlie Palmer of Aureole; Creamed Red and White Pearl Onions With Bacon from Barbara Lynch of No. 9 Park, Boston; Roasted Parsnips With Orange Zest from David Pasternack of Esca; Wild Rice With Mushrooms, Cranberries and Walnuts from Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill; Roasted Maple-Glazed Baby Carrots With Dried Grapes from Chris Schlesinger of East Coast Grill, Cambridge, Mass.; Jerusalem Artichoke Pancakes from Michael Romano of Union Square Cafe; and Mixed Mushroom and Sweet Potato Stuffing from Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter's, Chicago. more ›

The new Zagat rankings for New York restaurants are out and the top restaurant is again Union Square Cafe, which had reigned as New Yorkers' favorite restaurant as tallied by Tim and Nina for 6 straight years (1997-2002) except last year, when sister restaurant Gramercy Tavern took over. The Le Coze fish shrine, Le Bernardin, is number one in food quality. more ›

Omnium Gatherum, the new play at the Variety Arts Theater in the East Village, gets a write-up in the Times. However, in the food section, because the play centers around a lavish meal. And in a brilliant marriage between art and edible art, the play's publicist and its designer David Rockwell struck upon the idea of nearby chefs supplying the food - Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill will finish up his rotation, and Bobby Flay is next up, then David Walzog of Strip House. The lines in the play that concern food change with the new menus, and the chefs keep the actors food issues in mind, since it's 90 minutes of Method eating. more ›