Category: Manhattan

Manhattan Musing: Film & Food

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GRAND GIRLS

We left 85 degree plus temperatures and bright sun in Florida for the cool gray of Manhattan.  We’ve had several days of cool weather with one bright warm bit of sun on Friday.   

Tulips in Jefferson Market Garden

After settling in and purchasing supplies, we spent the next two afternoons with our granddaughters.  At their ages (3 and almost 7) seeing their grandparents is still a real treat.  F. danced and spun around and just beamed as she told Grandpa all about an adventure making pretend pizza for one of her dolls.  Later E. trotted down the steps of the school bus and leaped into my arms to give me a hug. What could be better than these greetings!  

E. loves art and is quite creative.  One project was creating a museum in a large empty carton to display all the furniture and other objects belonging to her Calico Critters collection.  Of course, F. had to assist, but I was impressed by how cooperative she was and how much more controlled in her efforts than several months ago.  It was a joint effort and only near the end did the older sister become a bit frustrated with the younger one.  

It’s a routine that the girls read or are read to while they eat their dinner.  F. enjoyed hearing her new train book again and again while E. could easily have read the Clementine chapter book herself, but preferred to have Grandma sit next to her and read it aloud.  Being a grandparent and being able to spend lots of time with them several times a year is a gift and a pleasure at this stage of life.

NEW KIND OF ROM-COM

This is not the best season for catching new movies.  The available crop is not as appealing or wide-ranging as is the case leading up to the Oscars.  That said, “Long Shot” had good, if not stellar reviews, and seemed like it could be fun to see.  We showed up at a nearby theater for the 9:15 am show only to discover that it was truly upscale, and also that since it was Saturday there was no senior rate. Nixing tickets at $25 each, we opted to wait and go to Union Square for an early afternoon showing.

Long Shot is silly, funny, preposterous and a mixed bag.  First the good stuff:  Charlize Theron as Charlotte Field is wonderful as the immaculately groomed, exquisitely turned out U.S. Secretary of State.  And the scene of her in the situation room high on drugs sitting on the floor dealing bluntly over the phone with a foreign leader is priceless.  The romance between her and Seth Rogen as Fred Flarsky, a schmo of a journalist in cargo pants and a turquoise windbreaker, is improbable.  I think the filmmakers realize this since there is a very long lead-in before these two encounter each other as adults.  

But the film does turn the usual trope of the successful man and the less achieving, less talented woman on its head.  Charlotte is clearly the “alpha male” here, and that’s fun to watch. The dubious elements:  the F word embellishes or degrades every line, depending on your perspective; I found its overuse tiresome.  Also, the humor is often sophomoric, particularly related to a video used to mock Fred as a suitable mate.  Overall, I’d give the film a B, but then I’m probably not the target audience.

DINING OUT AT OLD FAVORITES

Highlands

At Highlands, a Scottish-influenced restaurant in the West Village, the bar was packed with a noisy crowd watching the lead up to the Kentucky Derby.  We were gratefully ushered to a quiet table in the empty dining room.  The very pretty coral sea trout mousse was a tasty and different starter and the beer brined chicken breast with grilled asparagus and artichokes delectable. Their penicillin cocktail was a hit as well as a glass of Central Valley chardonnay.  Less memorable was the fish and chips.  

Beer brined chicken breast

El Porron

This Upper East Side tapas place is very popular and always excellent.  This time we sampled the roasted red peppers and asparagus (wonderful!), smoked salmon fillet, and the chorizo sausages plus the Chief Penguin’s customary order of patatas bravas.  

Under the Bridge

On First Avenue at the Queensboro Bridge, this cozy Greek restaurant is also a favorite of ours. Service is efficient to brisk, but once you have all your food, they don’t rush you out the door.  We generally order small plates rather than entrees and again enjoyed the shrimp in tomato sauce with feta crumbles, a tomato and cucumber salad topped with a nice-sized wedge of feta, grilled halloumi cheese, and plenty of crusty bread.  We liked the complimentary strips of honey cake so much, our waitress brought us another plate!  Wines by the glass and also cocktails are available. 

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington.

Manhattan Dining: From Low to Haute

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DINING OUT IN MANHATTAN

We ran the gamut on our recent visit to Manhattan from lunches at diners to meals at moderate and splurge-worthy restaurants.

We were initially dismayed to see that the Lenox Grill on Lexington had closed.  While it wasn’t the best diner in the world, it was reliably good, convenient to where we wanted to be, and never so crowded you couldn’t get a table.

Here are some notes on where we did eat most recently.

DINER LUNCHES (Upper East Side) 

E & J Luncheonette

This old-fashioned diner on 3rd Avenue is probably the best one we tried.  We’d eaten here in the spring and it was very popular.  They serve a satisfyingly good grilled bacon and cheese, with the usual cole slaw and optional French fries.

Nectar Café

This cozy, I’d call it snug, little place operates on a cash only basis and you wonder where they’ve tucked away the kitchen!  But, if you don’t mind being cheek by jowl, then the food is very good and the service friendly.  I liked my tuna salad sandwich on multi-grain toast.

Gracie’s Corner Diner

Don’t bother.  This large diner on E. 86th Street has an extensive menu, and perhaps it was because I was tired of sandwich and so-so salad fare, but I was decidedly underwhelmed. Like so many diners, quantity was the byword here, bypassing true quality.  I ordered a green salad with grilled chicken on top, huge with a strange house dressing on the side and lots of chicken, but with little flavor.  The corn beef Reuben was open face and smothered with a thick layer of cheese and, frankly, didn’t look that appetizing.  The CP didn’t eat much of it either.

Gina Americana

This little hole-in-the-wall burger joint boasts a row of American flag posters in frames and other flags around its walls.  Bypassing all the varieties of burger meat and toppings, we opted for items from the Mexican Connection section of the menu.  The guacamole was excellent and the chicken quesadilla and the chicken taco very good—the only surprise was the lack of any salsa or hot sauce whatsoever!  Lime wedges came with the taco and the guacamole.

 

MODERATE DINNER FARE  (Upper East Side unless noted)

Island

Embracing a New England nautical flair, Island is a very popular spot for locals and the occasional hotel guest from down the block.  They cater nicely to folks of all ages, even kids.  We dined here two nights and found the chicken paillard, chopped Cobb salad, and fried calamari all to our liking!  The calamari was all rings and perfectly cooked.  The Cobb salad was not the usual mass of large pieces of lettuce and great gobs of avocado and chicken, but rather a nice melange of chopped greens with the chicken, avocado, bacon and blue cheese in appropriately sized small pieces.  The sum was definitely greater than the parts!

Little Frog

Very friendly French place and reliably good.  We like the charming and urbane maître d’ (who think is also the owner).  The cheese fritters were a wonderful starter, the salads are good, and the braised short ribs were sublime!  Perfect for a chilly evening.

 Table d’Hote

Snug little restaurant on the Upper East Side about the size of a tearoom and very popular.  We enjoyed lunch here so much we returned for the perfectly executed comfort food dinner!  Little gem romaine salad with an oregano vinaigrette and then roast organic chicken served with silky puréed potatoes and some mini carrots all in tarragon jus.

Jing Fong  (Upper West Side)

This Chinese restaurant on Amsterdam sports dim sum on its sign, but the night we were there there were no carts, just what was on the menu.  To be fair, the menu includes a wide variety of dumplings, a number of which our large group sampled.  They were good.  We also ordered a chicken and vegetable dish, beef and onions, steamed buns, and for the two kids, several orders of soup dumplings.  Very busy on a Friday night so best to make a reservation.

Via Carota  (West Village)

I consider this a very special place even though it isn’t at all fancy.  In fact, it’s almost rustic with its wooden floor and wooden tables and chairs with the menus rolled up in a back pocket.  We eat here at least once every time we come to New York and dig into several must-have dishes:  grilled artichokes, and either Meyer lemon risotto or the chicken with lemon.  All the pastas are delectable, the salad is a perfectly tangy mound of greens, and it’s hard to go amiss with any dish you order.  They don’t take reservations so we often arrive unfashionably early, whether lunch or dinner.

Pascalou

Disappointing. We really wanted to like this French restaurant as the menu was very appealing.  Our waiter had a twinkle, our table upstairs was quiet, and everything was going fine.  The first courses, salad for me and pate for him, were acceptable, but then the service deteriorated.  It was almost an hour between courses and one entrée had clearly been cooked the day before, and the other wasn’t quite done the way I had requested.  The place was full so I hope others had a better experience.

 

SPLURGES

Paola’s

A traditional white tablecloth Italian restaurant serving both lunch and dinner.  It’s another popular Upper East Side dining venue and reservations, at least for dinner, are essential.  Salads are fresh and tasty and the pastas and veal shine.  I’m especially fond of the veal-stuffed agnolotti dusted with black truffle.

 Boulud Sud 

This is Chef Daniel’s (as in Boulud) Mediterranean restaurant and it’s an elegantly simple dining room offering impeccable service.  We’ve had lunches here in the more distant past, and this trip went for the prix fixe dinner before going across the street to Lincoln Center.  Everything was delicious from my saffron linguini with lemon and bottarga to the grilled dorade on a red pepper emulsion to the  light chocolate gateau with an oval of sorbet.

Cosme

Superb Mexican-influenced cuisine on 21st Street.  The dining room is what I’d call chic industrial with high ceilings, exposed metal, and light wood tables and finishes.  Most of the dishes on the menu are not familiar so you, like us, might need some translations.

We tucked into the herb guacamole (chunky style with an aromatic bunch of herb leaves) to go with the slightly astringent margaritas.  We then followed with branzino that was light and delectable and the house specialty, duck carnitas, basically a whole duck deconstructed and then put back together under the skin and served with two sauces and blue corn tortillas.  For dessert, we ordered the meringue filled with corn mousse (very different, but quite tasty) and a combo of a pastry ball and a ball of orange sorbet.  This restaurant is definitely pricy so be prepared to spend a lot, but it’s definitely worth it!

 Note:  All photos by JWFarrington except for header photo of an E&J sandwich from foursquare.com

Manhattan Jaunts

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This week we’ve had some new adventures including a tour of a small historic museum, a jaunt over to Roosevelt Island, time in Central Park with our younger granddaughter, and even a film.  All food for body and mind as some days we’ve racked up 20,000+ steps!

HOUSE MUSEUM
Mount Vernon Museum and Garden is a former carriage house for a large house across the street. When the main house was destroyed by fire, the carriage house became a day hotel for seven years from 1826 to 1833. Today you can tour the house with a guide and see both furnishings and art from that early period.  

Most visits begin with a 12 minute video which explores the history of New York City and New York State in the 1820’s and 30’s including the building of the Erie Canal. The video is very well done and really gives a sense of all that was happening then. The population of New York during that time grew to about 300,000, but was all centered below 14th Street. The hotel at E. 61st Street was in the country and offered an escape from the noise and busyness downtown.

ROOSEVELT ISLAND
So near yet so far. Roosevelt Island is officially part of the borough of Manhattan, but it’s a world apart. Quiet, pastoral in parts, with few shopping and dining amenities.  But it’s also the site of Cornell University’s new tech campus, and the coming influx of graduate students will undoubtedly bring new energy and new eateries.

The island is connected to the city by a stop on the F subway line, but the more fun and picturesque way to arrive is by the tram from 59th Street.  Hovering above and alongside the Queensboro Bridge, it offers stunning views of the bridge itself, the city skyline and the water below.  The ride is just 4 minutes and is the price of one subway ride.  

We went over by tram on a lovely afternoon and enjoyed walking the river promenade, admiring the lingering cherry blossoms, scouting out baby goslings in Southpoint Park, and surveying Cornell’s striking new buildings.  The small visitors’ center also sells an informative map for just $1.

We saw only a few other pedestrians and even fewer cars or trucks. We would have liked to explore the Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park at the far end, but it’s closed on Tuesdays and it was Tuesday.  

Remains of Smallpox Hospital

A couple of historic buildings remain such as the shell of the Smallpox Hospital built in 1854 and the handsome and restored Strecker Laboratory (1892), now a power substation for two subway lines.  I definitely recommend this as a most pleasurable afternoon’s outing—a short jaunt away from Manhattan’s hustle and bustle!

WATER AND MUD
We spent a recent morning in Central Park with our two-year old granddaughter experiencing the Brooklyn Forest program for toddlers.  Developed in Brooklyn initially, it’s a gentle program that lets children play with sticks and stones, make mud pies in pails, and drop leaves, twigs and stones into a small stream.  Snacks take the form of apple slices, red tea, and warm bread.

The activity takes place in several different parts of the park (The Ramble) and ends with a round of songs with hand motions. Two teachers lead, but in a very non-directed way so that the children (about nine of them this time) with their parent or nanny discover things at their own pace.

WESTERN FILM

The Rider is a beautifully photographed film set in the vast expanse of North Dakota.  It’s the story of a young rodeo rider, Brady, who suffers a serious head injury which prevents him from doing what he loves best.  A blend of fact and fiction and feeling like a documentary, it stars the real Brady and his own father and mentally challenged sister.  There are some lovely scenes of Brady training a young horse as well as scenes of him with his cowboy friends around a campfire.  We see his recovery, his frustration with his physical limitations, and his efforts in a new job stocking shelves in a supermarket.

I did not realize until after the film was over that it wasn’t actors playing the key roles, but Brady and his family taking on this version of themselves.  Interestingly, the director is a woman, Chloe Zhao, from Beijing. The beginning is a bit slow as the scene is set and everyone introduced, but then it picks up.

Note:  All photos ©JWFarrington.

Holiday Time in New York

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HOLIDAY IN NEW YORK

We’re back in the Big Apple and for us Floridians (guess we’ve become that), it’s cold. But so far no snow predicted, only some warm rain over the next few days. We’re eating at old and new restaurants and while the lure of the West Village is strong, we are working to get to know the Carnegie Hill neighborhood where we’re staying.

We haven’t yet been down to see the Rockefeller Center big tree, but are enjoying the Park Avenue mall of lighted Christmas trees, cold winter-white hanging stars and light-wrapped trees on Madison, and holiday-themed store windows.  It’s a magical time to be in this city—made even more so by the presence of two delightful granddaughters.

SCREEN TIME
While some of these movies are playing at home too, we like seeing films in New York.

Call Me by Your Name. This is a beautiful film and a sensitively drawn portrayal of an intense relationship, sexual, between a 17-year old youth and his father’s visiting scholar. It is summer in Italy and life moves at a lethargic pace with time for reading, reflecting, dining al fresco, and swimming in the river. Elio is lost and overwhelmed by his conflicting sexual desires. Oliver is attracted to Elio and makes a subtle overture, but waits for Elio to reveal himself. The film is leisurely in its pacing, and the relationship slowly unfolds as summer reaches its peak. Timothee Chalamet is superb as the youth and Armie Hammer as Oliver also very good.

DINING
 Many Upper East Side restaurants are traditional Italian or the expected Continental farm to table serving kale salad, organic chicken, avocado toast, and steak frites or braised short ribs. Paola’s on Madison has a buzzy vibe with seating at the bar, near the bar, and along the front windows where it might be a tad quieter. The endive salad with walnuts and Gorgonzola was a tasty rendition of this dish and the agnolotti with veal and spinach in a veal stock reduction with black truffles simply superb. Rigatoni with spicy sausage and porcini mushrooms was equally good. Despite the crowded dining room the night we were there, the service was efficient and done with style.

Note:  All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved).