When you rank as the second best bakery in New York City on TripAdvisor, and the 2nd best place to eat out of over 12,000 locations in the best city in the world, chances are you are doing something pretty epic and right with your business. Well, the hype is real, as Levain Bakery reigns supreme in The Upper West Side as one of the best damn bakeries in NYC… period. With getting press up the wazoo including appearances on the top NYC affiliates such as CBS 2 and NBC 4’s “New York Live”, oh, and… OPRAH… Levain has developed themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the sweets world, inside and out of the city. So what makes this place so damn good to where the lines are literally out the door to get a taste of all the tasty treats they are concocting? [Read more…] about Believe the Hype about How Awesome Levain Bakery Is
East Hampton
Bay Kitchen Bar- Sea To Table In The Upper East Side
With summer in full swing all across New York City, the endless days of cold and staying in are nothing but a distant memory and the days of warmth and being outside are ever so present in our daily lives. That of course equates to fun with your friends and family, and the delicious food that you will devour in doing so. With the Upper East Side already known for so many top notch & incredible restaurants, why not try something new with a fresh and unique taste on Sea To Table Cuisine? Let me introduce you to Bay Kitchen Bar, which is conveniently located right off the 6 train on East 73rd Street between 2nd and 1st Avenue.
Already receiving stellar reviews for its sister restaurant in The Hamptons, Bay Kitchen Bar recently open its other location with the same strategy as its original. With less than six months under its belt of opening, the space itself (shortened to BKB) has the essence and finesse of a place that has been opened for much longer than what you expect. The pale colors on the walls mixed with the beautiful wood furnishings all throughout really make Bay Kitchen Bar such a relaxing and calm environment. It actually has a beachy-sea type of mood for it, which works well with the cuisine that was presented to us early last week.
Overall, the food quality and selections were phenomenal. Locally sourced (which is always a big plus in my eyes), the food was expertly prepared and tasted completely fresh throughout each course. For starters, or their snack course, I would highly recommend the Short Rib with Baby Carrot & Crisp Corn Floured Shallots. The Short Rib itself is slow cooked to perfection with fall off the meat bone quality and a dense taste to it with the carrots and shallots complimenting it quite well. The Shrimp Cocktail was another great starter, not just due to the abundance in size of the shrimp but the Horseradish & Jalapeno Sauce added on the side really elevated a great kick to the shrimp itself.
For the main courses, I would go with the Hand-Shucked Lobster Roll on a Toasted Potato Bun and the BKB Burger with Caramelized Onions, Special Sauce, Aged Cheddar & Crisp Lemon Potatoes. Tis the season for in season Lobster, and that is exactly what you get with this roll. It is absolutely delicious and has such a delectable flavor profile that I would highly recommend getting this as a main or something to split between you and a friend. Same goes for the tasty burger as it is cooked very well and has a great amount of flavor in it- in particular the sauce. Overall, Bay Kitchen Bar really steps it up when it comes to flavor profiles, variety of high quality food you can try out, and decor that is inviting to an assortment of people.
For more information on Bay Kitchen Bar, check out their official site. They will be throwing a Happy Hour on July 8th and 22nd this month with a free exclusive cocktail crafted by Maura McGuigan between 5-7 PM. Something else to note- during these happy hours there is $10 Rose’ and $1 oysters and clams from my hood- the north fork on Long Island.
Happy Eating Everyone!