What Are You Doing New Years…. Or Christmas For That Matter

Reynard in the Wythe Hotel

If you’re one of those people who likes to celebrate Christmas but can’t possibly face cooking, eating out in New York City there are some fantastic options.  If you are one of those last-minute people who were just planning on having take out but have had a change of heart, we have two favorites, one decidedly Uptown and one hipster Brooklyn.

Celebrating their first Christmas this year is Reynard, Andrew Tarlow’s restaurant housed in the super hip Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg.  They offer a hearty farm to table five-course Christmas meal from chef Sean Rembold.  The Christmas Goose Dinner includes oysters & pate, goose with bread pudding and is finished off with a festive French Bûche de Noël.  If this sounds delicious but you already have Christmas plans, then you might get lucky and score a table for New Year’s Eve here.  You know it will be a cool crowd and they are serving up a decadent four-course dinner which includes raw shellfish, caviar and lobster.

Jean Georges on Central Park is our favorite swank restaurant in the City (it’s also one of Woody Allen’s).  For Christmas they offer an extravagant seven-course menu which includes beautifully cooked arctic char, caviar, lobster and venison. They have an equally fancy New Year’s dinner on offer complete with party favors and DJ.

We’ve eaten at Jean Georges at Christmas in years past and were moved to childlike thrills of excitement when we were given our own individual gingerbread house for dessert and then a box of gorgeous house made chocolates to take home after the meal.  This place has not a whiff of forced holiday cheer, just extraordinary food, amazing service and a truly elegant New York experience.

Jean Georges. 1 Central Park West. New York. Tel: 212 299 3900

Reynard. Wythe Hotel. 80 Wythe Avenue. Williamsburg. New York. Tel: 718 460 8004

An Unexpected Weekend Brunch

On 9th Avenue and 24th Street in Chelsea is Co (pronounced Company), a wonderful, some might say gourmet pizza joint.  They have very quietly introduced a “non pizza” weekend brunch menu that has quickly become one of our favorites.  We love the Avocado Toast, served on rich multi-grain Sullivan Street Bakery bread, topped with a perfectly poached egg and order it with the Grapefruit Salad with frisèe and pickled mustard seeds. For the lover of meatballs, they serve the perfect dish.  A steaming bowl of meatballs in a huge bowl of homemade red sauce, served with crusty bread and a bowl of butter.  There are those that would swear that these are the best meatballs in the City.

There are still signature Co. pizza’s on the menu but they also offer brunch pies like Spicy Bacon & Egg and the mouth watering Florentine Pie, made with béchamel, parmesan, gruyère, spinach and a baked egg.

No good weekend brunch would be complete without an excellent brunch cocktail and Co. serves up drinks just as good as the food.  The Co. Bloody Mary is made with sake, fresh tomato, Sriracha, togarashi and vegetable & yuzu juice. There’s also a wonderful Mimosa, Bellini and the decadent Sake Sparkler made with sake, passionfruit and sparkling Verdicchio float.

The cosy, modern rustic room with a flickering fireplace projected on the wall is a wonderful spot to wile away a cold winter afternoon.

Brunch Menu Saturday and Sunday until 4pm. Co. 230 Ninth Avenue. New York. Tel: 212 243 1105

New York’s Latest “It” Restaurant

The Beatrice Inn, hidden away discreetly on 12th Street in the West Village, officially opened this month and is enjoying its moment as the “it” restaurant in the City.

Owned by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and Emil Varda, a legendary and charming Manhattan maître d’, the Beatrice Inn is housed in what was once a hip dive club run by DJ Paul Sevigney.  It’s grotty past is well behind it and now on any given night, you’ll be likely to see super models, movie stars and a very we dressed Manhattan crowd, chowing down on former Per Se sous chef Brian Nasworthy’s upscale steakhouse menu.

Photo Credit: MoeJackson.com

Antique filled and classically elegant, its entrance is hidden down stairs below street level at the bottom of an unassuming apartment block in the West Village.  The only giveaway is the original Beatrice Inn sign that has hung on the side of the building since its early days as a neighborhood Italian restaurant.

Like any hip new spot, it has been open secretly for the past few months, with Anna Wintour kicking off the opening back in September with a private dinner.  It is now open to the general public for reservations but like anywhere that’s the hot spot of the moment, getting a reservation may be a challenge.  If you’re dying to check it out, this quiet holiday weekend is probably the perfect opportunity.  Reservations are only by email.

The Beatrice Inn. 285 West 12th Street. New York. For Reservations Email: beatrice@thebeatriceinn.com

Photo Credit: GuestofAGuest.com

The Glass Corner At Japonica

There are only a handful of restaurants New Yorker’s consider good enough to eat at every week.  These are places that remain constant hits year in and year out.  We consider them best kept secrets and might get in trouble from friends for sharing this one. Japonica is the favorite casual Japanese restaurant Downtown and has been so since it opened it’s doors in 1978.  It’s the go to spot for a quiet Japanese lunch or early peaceful dinner any day of the week.

It’s not just that it’s authentic and yummy, it’s also the location. A glass encased corner on the nicely buzzy University Place and 12th Street makes this a wonderful place to watch the world go by whilst devouring a divine Japanese meal.

When we can’t decide what to order, we always go for the Bento Box.  Well priced and a marvellous selection of choices, it’s a feast in a sleek box.  We love heading to Japonica for a great Sunday brunch.  You can usually always get a table by the sunny window and the quiet vibe, makes it a perfect place to catch up with friends.

Japonica. 100 University Place. New York. Tel: 212 243 7752

The Best Indian Food In New York

All of our Indian friends say that Saravanaa Bhavan is the best Indian restaurant in New York City.  We tried for weeks to go there on the weekend and every time there was a long line outside, so we gave up.

Yesterday we thought we’d give it another go.  Lunchtime, mid week, summer, we had to be able to get a table.  We were right, we walked right in and there was actually one table still available.

The menu initially confused us and we so wished we’d come with some Indian friends to explain the delicacies floating past us to other tables.  Eventually we just started leaning over to other tables and asking diners what they had ordered.  This served us well, we ordered a mouth-watering dosa, a plate of curries with whole wheat naan and a vegetable baji.

Everything was washed down by fresh mango lassi to drink.  In this all vegetarian restaurant, the spices were sensory heaven and the flavors out of this world.  It was love at first bite and now we are planning our lives around trying to eat there all the time.

The sleek modern white interior, with huge windows onto the world outside, gives a wonderful ambiance and energy to the all around delicious experience.

Saravanaa Bhavan. 81 Lexington Avenue. At 26th Street. NY. Tel: 212 679 0204

The Best French Fries In New York

You often find lines on the street at this tiny hole in the wall spot.  Serving falafels and fresh made smoothies, this is a favorite West Village neighborhood spot.  Inside you’ll find a few cramped and tiny benches, where if you’re very lucky you will find a small place to perch and eat your mouth watering falafels.  Otherwise you can just take it to go and eat it on an outside bench or the nearby Hudson River in the park.

Made fresh just for you, the falafels are some of the best we’ve ever had .  The smoothies are a meal unto themselves and we love the date, lime & banana as well as the pear, mint & lemon.  Naturally they make a fantastic hummus and yummy fresh pita bread as well as a vast array of fresh salads.  Everything here is vegetarian and super fresh.  The one thing we can never resist are the french fries which we swear, are the best we’ve had, literally anywhere in the world.

Taim Falafel & Smoothie Bar. 222 Waverley Place. New York. Tel: 212 691 1287

Winter Blues

Charlotte Simone’s Winter Popsicles

Grab a Cardigan

Beau Coops Boots

Wendy Nichol’s Of The Moment Bags

Chris Ofili At The New Museum

Zero: Countdown To Tomorrow At the Guggenheim

Nick Cave’s Two Amazing Chelsea Shows

Art At Lincoln Centre

We LIKE It First – Heather Taylor, Houseware Designer

We LIKE It First – Alyson Eastman

WE LIKE IT FIRST – Meghan Farrell, Jewelry Designer