At Kanoyama, the located-in-the-midst of-the-East-Village-yet-still-widely-unknown sushi spot, Japanese food aficionados are treated to an ideal meal. The space used to be Iso; however, when its sushi chef/owner was ready to leave, the staff of the previous version decided to take a stab at it themselves, not wanting to give up the little niche and devoted [...]

If you happen to be in the West Village and have a craving for delicious scallops, consider stopping into Kingswood, the space that opened in the Jefferson space about a year ago. Sit at the bar and get lost in the line up of three meaty, melt-y sea scallop appetizer. They come perched on a [...]

They might have an out-of-date name, but Old Fashioneds, made well, are always in style. Old Fashioneds at Freeman’s are a reason to wade through the mob that has been clogging the alley that bears the same name since the restaurants’ opening several years ago. Old Fashioneds aren’t a signature cocktail of the bar; however, [...]

When the mastermind’s behind two of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan teamed up, I could only imagine what they’d stir up together in the kitchen. Smith’s, the resulting union between Danny Abrams of Mermaid Inn and Cindy Smith of Raoul’s is a delicious take on seasonal cuisine. Everything about the restaurant from décor to dish [...]

I went to my first crawfish boil a few weeks back. It was in honor of a little boy’s first birthday and, while his memories of it may turn out to be foggy, I think the guests will remember this celebration for a long time to come. His dad grew up in Louisiana and, since [...]

Squid’s been showing up on my meal ticket quite often lately. Besides the squid I had recently at Smith’s (delicious!), I’ve enjoyed it prepared very differently at a few other places as well. At Surf Bar, an aquatic themed restaurant where the dining room floor is covered in sand. There, it’s served in a red [...]

There are many items on the menu at the Williamsburg stand-by, Relish, that I could eat everyday. The Tuna au Poivre served with grilled vegetables is always ever so slightly seared to a satisfying pink and accompanied by a charred medley of eggplant, fennel, and zucchini. The plate is drizzled with a rich but not [...]

Superfine sugar is a recent discovery of mine. I accidentally bought it thinking it was powdered, and what I ended up with was a shortcut in baking delicious treats. Superfine sugar is, as the name suggests, a tiny granule of sugar. They dissolve more easily than the larger crystals in cold and hot liquids. They [...]

This is the easiest and most impressive recipe for rolled sugar cookies. Get any shape cookie cutter you’d like, make this dough and you’re contribution to a potluck or a child’s birthday will certainly be lauded. I recently made them in airplanes and cars. ½ cup butter, softened 2/3 cup superfine sugar 1 plus 1 [...]

Along a tree-lined block in Manhattan, twenty or thirty people are having the best meal of their lives. The lighting sets a warm glow that sparks a mood of intimacy, inspiring romance and epiphanies alike. There is never a line or a wait to be seated, and there is no pretense at the door. Diners [...]