If there is one thing Manhattanites can all agree on is that weekends are pretty much for sleeping in after a long night out, and then heading off to grab some delicious brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. It is sort of our little version of the best day after remedy you could possibly imagine. With the weather being as cold as it is outside, we are hurrying our little butts off to whatever brunch place we love to enjoy what they have to offer. So what do we here at Manhattan Digest think are some pretty great Winter brunch spots to enjoy with your friends and family? Take a look.
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Last Minute Valentine Day Locations In NYC For You & Your Boo
The biggest day of love is only six days away! Haven’t found a great place to go to to celebrate with you and your honey? Well, fear not! Manhattan Digest has found some pretty awesome places that are still available to book this week. So calm it down, read this through, and find something that works best for you and your boo. Not only can I write, but I can rhyme too, damn, where’s my guy? Chris Pratt will find me eventually. In the meantime, check out these great hotspots.
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Where Are the Best Place to Eat for Valentine’s Day in NYC?
Valentine’s Day is coming up! So far here at Manhattan Digest, we have given you great things to buy your sweetheart, as well as where you should stay on the most romantic night of the year. But let’s be real here… the food can be just as important! Where are the best places to eat and experience a fun night with the love of your life (or night)? Check out some fun places we found that will fill you and your honey up with deliciousness.
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A Manhattanite in Washington, D.C.- Where to Eat?
Sure, there are a zillion great places to eat in New York City. I mean, come on, it’s NEW YORK CITY for Pete’s sake! However, it is always a good and refreshing thing to go outside your inner circle and see what the rest of the world has to offer. Last weekend, I visited our nation’s capital when I stayed in Washington, D.C. for a couple of days for a much needed vacation. During my time there, I got to experience the best of what D.C. has to offer when it comes to the varieties of cuisines it prepares for its everyday locals and tourists to devour. All of the places I tried with my friends had something special to them, and each I would highly recommend trying out the next time you are on the Amtrak down to D.C. Check them out.
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Nerai in Midtown East- Delicious Brunch Food With A Greek Twist
Sometimes its good to try something new and get yourself out of the everyday norm that has become your food situation. Especially when it comes to the variety of foods you can have for the ever popular event that happens all throughout New York City- weekend brunch. With so many different options out there, including cuisines and locations, it can be hard to find something that best suits you and your palate. If Greek, however, comes to mind when it comes to a cuisine that sparks your interest, you really should try Nerai located in Midtown East on East 54th Street between Madison and Park Avenue.
Midtown East is already such a beautiful part of Manhattan with several areas that you can find yourself in to appreciate why this is the best city in the world. Nerai is another great example of this particular location. The place itself has a very calming presence with stunning architecture including fantastic floors and walls that exemplify the Greek lifestyle. I prefer settings like this for brunch rather than your run of the mill location that can tend to get loud and rowdy where it should really be a place for you to recooperate from the late night that you had before. I was also very impressed by the professionalism from the staff themselves, who kept me and my friend satisfied throughout the entire meal. This part alone made the experience that much better.
Of course you can’t go to brunch without talking about the food itself! I was quite impressed with the spread they gave us which of course had a Greek vibe and taste to it. They have a great assortment of the usual cocktails you can have for brunch however if you wanted something Nerai-specific I would go with the Greek Island Ice Tea with Linden Honey and Lemon. Sweet and goes down really well all together. For starters I would recommend the Grilled Octopus with chickpeas, onions, capers and roasted red peppers and the Spinach Pies with spinach, feta and ouzo yogurt . Two great starters that definitely had that Greek kick to them, in particular the pies with its yummy yogurt and the Octopus which was cooked to perfection.
For mains, I would go with one savory and one sweet. For savory, the Maine Lobster Benedict with a poached egg and lobster hollandaise and the Tsoureki French Toast with bananas and seasonal berries will definitely fill you up in the best way possible. The Lobster and hollandaise really bring that particular dish together and I really fell in love with the french toast as the berries and bananas on top really made it taste that much more scrumptious. Each of these options comes with a Bloody Mary, Mimosa or Persephone, so there is an added incentive- alcohol!
To finish the meal with something sweet (which I always recommend) I would go with the Lavender Mousse with pineapple, lavender honey and pecans and the Fiji Apple Bougatsa with semolina custard and cinnamon. I loved the shaved pineapple with the mousse as well as how sweet yet filling the Bougatsa really was. Overall, a 10 out of 10 in my book.
For more information on Nerai, please check out their official site. Happy eating everyone!
City Winery Boasts Great Music, Food, Wine… Need I Say More?
What happens when you put together the best of the best in music, wine and food in the heart of New York City? You get City Winery. City Winery has four locations across the United States (Chicago, Napa, Nashville) yet if you are a Manhattanite you can take the 1 train down to Houston, turn right and it is footsteps away on Varick Street. According to their site, City Winery bills itself as “striving to deliver the highest-end combined culinary and cultural experience to our customers who are passionate in sharing wine, music, and culinary arts. We are a unique facility, combining a fully functioning winery with intimate concerts, food & wine classes, private events in a variety of configurations, and fine dining. We have created a compelling mix for our sophisticated clientele of foodies, and active cultural patrons—bringing the wine country experience to the middle of a large city.”
If you are looking for a relaxing environment to take a date or a couple of friends, City Winery is the place to go. City Winery is the brainchild of Michael Dorf, who created the well known and loved Knitting Factory as his vision was to combine the elements of Knitting Factory (music) with his love for wine under one great establishment. Based off of my experience on Friday night, I would say that Michael did a pretty great job of accomplishing his vision as the place was jam packed in both the restaurant part of City Winery and the part where live music was being played for everyone’s enjoyment.
City Winery is really a complex place as you can go there for multiple uses. One- it has a delicious menu for you to have a relaxing meal at with your choices of some of the best wines in the world. Something really unique at City Winery is that they actually have wine… on tap. Now normally that is a foreign concept as it is usually beer on tap, and when places to wine on tap it is essentially just pulled from the bottle. According to head winemaker, David Lecomte, City Winery more than likely sells the most volume of tap wine out of all and wine bars on the East Coast. Benefits for drinking wine on tap include lower stress levels (in that case, I need it by the gallon), Minimal SO2, and keeping their wines to a truer nature. Wines on the tap include Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Riesling just to name a few. For a full list of their incredibly impressive line of wines, both on tap and many others, check out their official list here.
Regarding their winemaking, it goes way beyond the simple pop of a cork and into the glass kind of a location. Per Michael Dorf– We take great pride in sourcing our grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the world – Cabernet Sauvignon from Bettinelli in Napa, California to Pinot Noir from Hyland Vineyards in Willamette Valley, Oregon or even Malbec from the esteemed Catena Vineyards in Agrelo, Mendoza Argentina. We are proud to focus on terroir–the French expression of certain varietals growing better in specific climates and soils. Being a winery in the middle of the city allows us the luxury to seek the most expressive and world-class fruit for our customers.
But we are not just winery behind closed doors—our aim is to give fans of wine, food, and culture the chance to touch and feel all the aspects of the winemaking process—the crush, the fermenting, the blend and ultimately, the opportunity to create your own private barrel, or on a smaller scale to bottle a few cases of our wine with your custom designed label.
Our facility is designed to integrate the winemaking process with consumption and enjoyment of wine. Wander from the winery into our Barrel Room tasting bar and restaurant, where you can try our house wines served fresh on tap, straight from the cellar. Our cuisine pairs the wines with flavorful dishes prepared to complement your glass. Tasting flights are offered to sample our many wines made in house, along with an award-winning wine list featuring over 400 wines from many of the top producers from all over the world. Whether for a concert, wine class, tasting dinner, or private party, you are never out of view of either the stainless steel tanks or French Oak barrels.
When it comes to the dining menus at City Winery, it runs a plenty for each of the rooms inside the location. According to Michael Dorf- “Where we pair the culinary experience with the cultural experience. We have created a setting to share your passion for wine, music and great food. Our company mantra is “Indulge Your Senses”- that the sounds, smells, tastes and views should combine to create a unique and special experience when you’re in our home.” They have a completely separate menu for when you come for their concerts (see here), but they also have ones right in the barrel room for brunch, lunch, dinner and a tasting one as well. We were treated to their delectable dinner menu, which consists of some really tasty treats on top of some wonderful wines to pair with whatever you are eating. Should you be there for dinner, I would recommend trying the following items with whatever wine suits you.
For the “Openers”, or appetizers, I would recommend their Duck Tacos, Butcher’s Table Meatballs and Crispy Mozzarella Arancini with Roasted Tomato Sauce. Small in size for all, yet very filling with each option. The Meatballs are usually my favorite no matter where I go and this was no exception. Paired with the delicious sauce, they were cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. For their Main Acts, you really can’t go wrong with a Steak Sandwich, and in this case it was sooooooooooooo right. Paired with Asiago cheese, tomato, lettuce, caramelized onions and smoked aioli, the sandwiches flavors were elevated ten fold and came with tasty French Frites. Overall a really delicious main course. Other great options include their Lobster Spaghetti, Pan Fried Chicken and Sweet Chili Tofu if you would like to go the non-meat route. To finish, their Salted Chocolate Cookies and Passion Fruit Creme Brulee were simply divine and a great way to finish off what already was a great meal.
For the concert and event arena of City Winery, they host a ton of events ranging from music, wine, comedy and more- all held inside a fun and great environment for you and your friends to enjoy. Even though April is almost over, there are still a ton of great events going on this month. Check out the site to see what piques your interest. Other amenities that City Winery provides is private events for you to have for your next outing and an outstanding wine shop. So even if wine isn’t your thing per se, you will find something at City Winery that will really spark your interest and keep you coming back.
For more information about City Winery, check out their official site. Happy Eating/Drinking/Dancing/Singing everyone!
Archie & Sons- Banging Grilled Cheese & More
Thrillist & Manhattan Digest agree… Archie & Sons is the shiz…
When it comes to being in a city like New York, you have the wealth of opportunities to go to endless diners that cater to that comforting type of experience that one comes to expect upon arrival. Archie & Sons, located in the heart of the East Village, does that and more. I surprisingly came to know this place not through friends but an article that was sent to me regarding the 8 new and amazing Grilled Cheeses in NYC. Per the website, “What’s best about this East Village throwback luncheonette is you can mix and match breads and cheeses with additional toppings for customizable sandwiches. Even knowing all that though, you should still go with the classic-est of classics: slices of American cheese melted between buttery white bread.” That was more than enough encouragement to try this amazing place out, so I took one of my besties and headed downtown to see what all the fuss was about.
From there we were introduced to the handsome and very kind Benjamine Levine, who is one of the owners of the business. As we sampled some of their great cuisine, including their array of freshly made salads, bomb grilled cheeses and so much more, he gave me more of an insight into Archie & Son’s and what to expect from it in the future. Take a look.
How did the concept of Archie & Son’s start?
Archie & Sons was born out of our last iteration of family run eateries. Originally started by my in-laws in queens in the 70’s as a traditional “luncheonette” common to New York, I then opened Archie’s Cafe in my hometown of Hewlett, Long Island. After losing the lease on the space, I considered opening in another location, in Hewlett, as well as other Long Island areas. However, with both of my sons living in the city, they convinced me that the city was in need of a place like Archie’s with its hometown feel and friendly environment of a local eatery. They simply said we need a place where the owner knows the names of his frequent customer. It’s not often, if ever, that you get that personal experience in Manhattan. And so now we are here, operating on a historic corner of NYC.
How would you describe the type of food that you guys make?
Our food is a spin on classic diner fare, with a much more limited menu focusing on our famous “salads.” Everything is made fresh from scratch, in house, on a daily basis. With recipes going back over 40 years, our salads, including vegetable tuna, chicken salad, egg white and spinach salad were the most desired items at the original Archie’s. We built our menu around this as we felt there was no place in NYC “known” for items like this. There is a “classics” section that includes some of the favorites from Archie’s in Hewlett, a fried food section that includes hand cut French fries and hand battered chicken fingers. Like your typical diner, breakfast is served all day.
It is a very casual, American dining experience. Is this how you want the public to view your location?
We want people to feel at home at Archie’s, and that’s how we feel casual dining strikes the mind. We have pictures on the wall from NYC from the 1950-1980s taken by a local east village artist. We have authentic Coca Cola items that have lined the walls of our restaurants for over 5 decades. We want people to have a feeling of nostalgia, no matter where or when they come from, of their hometown eatery.
What are some of the best items on the menu?
Our salads, which can be served as a sandwich, wrap or platter, are second to none. And I feel this way about them all, it just comes down to personal preference. The melts, whether it be a variation of our tuna or chicken salads, are a favorite with customers. Our homemade macaroni and potato salads are the best around. With the polar vortex of the winter, our homemade soups have been a huge seller, namely our signature spinach and egg soup. After I tell first timers, ‘just try it’, they always order a bowl and come back for more!
I saw that Thrillist named your Grilled Cheese one of the best in NYC. How did that make you feel when it was published?
It really hit home to how we make everything and what we stand for, making things simple, make it fresh, and make it taste like home. There are no bells and whistles with our food, no “in vogue” ingredients. Our food has been made the same way for more than 40 years, which we think is atypical in this foodie driven market. Getting recognized for that made us really proud.
Are you looking to add anything more onto the menu, something new and creative?
We are always up to try new things, and really listen to our customers for that. For example, we originally did not offer chicken fingers and hand cut French fries, but that has since changed. We also recently added our “carving station” to the menu, serving items like homemade meatloaf, turkey and corned beef on a daily basis as we saw a need to expand our dinner options. If you follow us on Instagram @archieandsons , you will get a sneak peak into our kitchen to see the new menu items we are toying with….thinking amazing sandwich combinations, daily specials as well as the expansion of brunch items!
What are your ultimate plans for Archie & Sons?
We want Archie’s to be on many streets of Manhattan. Heck, there should be one in every neighborhood! And we also see a huge opportunity in our catering business, which we are really expanding. Too many businesses settle on food when they cater, so we are really looking to change that. We take the typical sandwich spread but instead of being packaged deli meats, you get the same freshness of food you would from our store. We also cater for breakfast, which has been extremely well received.
Why not take yourself downtown this week and see what Archie & Son’s is all about. It is definitely an experience worth trying. Check out their official website for more information.
Sage Bistro Moderne Lights Up Long Island Restaurant Week
For two weeks a year, savvy & foodie Long Islanders gather up and down the LIE (Long Island Expressway) to see the best that our food joints have to offer in Long Island Restaurant Week. Taken place at the end of April to early May, each restaurant participating pulls out the stops for customers to be the best of the best in terms of taste, quality and overall ambiance for their location. I went to several different restaurants during this week, but the one that stood out to me more than anything else was Sage Bistro Moderne located in the heart of Woodbury right on Jericho Turnpike.
I happen to love this part of Woodbury, especially when the springtime comes around it just adds onto the beauty that is this town. Sage Bistro Moderne is located in one of their more popular shopping centers right next to the beautiful Inn at Fox Hollow which I have been to several times before. Their cuisine is French for the most part but goes out on a limb too which yummy dishes such as their Mac N Cheese and Sesame Glazed Tuna.
We were treated to a special “Restaurant Week” menu where they highlighted some of their best dishes as well as some you normally don’t see on their menu. Their vegetable soup in the appetizer was quite the kickstarter that my friend ordered but my personal favorite appetizer that we were served was the Seafood Cakes with a side of Vegetable slaw and spicy tartar sauce that really added onto the already delicious flavor that the cakes presented. For our entrees we were presented with this amazing ravioli that was stuffed with lobster and spinach in a really delicious sauce, but the standout that we were presented is pictured above. Bouef Bourguignon with vegetables, mushrooms and mashed potatoes in an amazing red wine broth that really brought the whole dish together. For dessert we were served this delicious bread pudding (my personal favorite dessert lately) topped with vanilla ice cream which was a great way to end this already outstanding meal.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is visiting the Long Island area or already lives there. If you happen to be shopping in the Woodbury outlets or just want to have a nice night out with friends and family, definitely go check out Sage Bistro Moderne. You won’t be disappointed.
Sage Bistro Moderne
7955 Jericho Tpke.
Woodbury, NY 11797
516-584-6804