Showing posts with label Greenwich Village. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greenwich Village. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Caffe Dante Re Opens with JG MELON to Greenwich Village


BIG NEWS on MACDOUGAL STREET




Caffe Dante


 




The beloved Greenwich Village institution for 100 years,
the new CAFFE DANTE is open to open its doors on
Macdougal Street in New York's Greenwich Village where it 
operated for exactly 100 years before owner (44years) 
Mario Flotta called it quits in April 2015 and sold the
legendary caffe to new owners.

I just poped my head in there before and they look like they
ready to open any day now. Only thing is, although the place looks quite nice, it doesn't look like it will be anything like it was for some
100 years, which is a true and classic Italian Caffe that served 
New York's best cup of Espresso along with Cappuccino and 
Italian Pastries, Sandwiches, and homemade Gelato.
The new place looks like a cool new Italian Bar, or Wine Bar 
and not the type of place where a writer can go and linger
over a cappuccino for an hour while he bangs out his lates
novela. Actually, I've just heard that the new owner Linden Pride has
describe the new Dante as an Apertivo Bar celebrating the Italian
heritage of a New York institution. So statesthe mission statement on the new Dante's website.
Well, I'll find out soon when I go and chcek it out.




There's a picture of former owner Mario Flotta on the new Dante's website

whcih will no longer be called Caffe Dante, but DANTE NYC



PS .... In a post on Grubstreet, the articles headline is this;

"DANTE WILL BECOME a UNBEARABLE TRENDY 
SMALL-PLATES RESTAURANT"  end quote ...

Sierra Tishgart for Grubstreet March 25, 2015











JG MELON
in
GREENWICH VILLAGE





A CLASSIC JG MELON BURGER



Up Macdougal Street less than 100 feet from Caffe Dante comes
a big new suprise for New York and Greenwich Village as an
offshoot of the famed Upper East Side 's famed JG MELON
bar and Burger Joint will be opening shortly on the corner
of Macdougal & bleecker Streets. Yhis guy for one is huge fan
of JG Melon and their awesome Burgers and am looking forward
to a great classic on a corner that has one mediocre food
establsihment after te other for the past 30 years. JG Melon
with their great burgers and cool laid back ambiance will be
a welcome new neighbor.
And by the way, for this guy, JG Melon makes one of 
New York's Top Two Burgers along with The
Shake Shack, JG Melon and Shake Shack get my
# 1 and # 2 Votes ...






The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK



JG MELON BURGERS Are GREAT !

But The DUDE Prefers His

IN N OUT BURGERS

Learn How to Make Them
in
THE DUDES BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

"GOT ANY KAHLUA" ???







A Shuttered CAFFE DANTE

Ready to Spring into a New Chapter of Its Life

What Will It Be?








 JG MELON

The ORIGINAL

3rd Avenue at 72nd Stret, NEW YORK, NY


Danny Abrahms of The Mermaid & Red Cat
has partenered with longtime JG MELON Manager
Shaun Young to open a Greenwich Village outpost
of the famed JG MELON  ...

If all goes well, this Greenwich Village JG Melon offshoot
promises to be the 1st of many others. Maybe a bad thing?

Sunday, August 3, 2014

BRUNELLO REESES & ROCK N ROLL in GREENWICH VILLAGE

Image


  Greenwich Village Newport Steak, French & Italian Wine Dinner on Thompson Street in "The Village."  My buddy Chris B. and I had another nice little Wine-Dinner this past Sunday with his girlfriend Maria ... It was quite the dinner ... We had some really nice wine to drink, with cheese a Steak-House Salad, and the famed Newport Steaks of Greenwich Village ... Chris gave me a call on Wedsday and said we where on for dinner this coming Sunday Night (Jan. 12, 2014) .. We were both quite phyched for a nice dinner and the prospect of drinking some great wines and The Newports, our favorite steaks. "A little Cote de Beaune" Chris uttered, immitating Miles in the greatest wine movie of all-time "Sideways" And so it was to be "a little Cote de Beuane" from Michele Bouzereau  2001 and  Sancere from Les Mont Damnes 2012, both wines quite lovely and very good examples of their prospective zones ... Chris always picks out nice White Burgundy's and the Bouzwereau was no exception, it was wonderful ... Anyway, let me get back to the Newports and the order of things as concerned the dinner which was awesome as usual, and maybe a bit more awesome than usual ...  So Friday I called Chris and asked hwo many we were gonna be for dinner as the butcher shop is closed Sunday and I was going to get the steaks on Saturday for Sunday .  We agreed on the 3 of us so I was set with the number of Newport Steaks I needed to pick up ... Oh yes, and the butcher shop in question was none other than the butcher shop where the Newport Steak was invented by one Italian-Butcher named Jack Ubaldi way back in 1947 ..  Jack wanted to able to sell his cuts of Tri-Tip Sirloin more readily, so instead of selling 

Image

  Our THREE NEWPORTS From FLORENCE MEAT MARKET,  GREENWICH VILLAGE continued Tri-Tip in one piece which didn't sell as well, Jack cut the Tri-Tip Sirloin into 3-4 individual Steaks from the one triangular cut of beef .. He named the Steak after the Nike-like logo on a box of Newport Cigarettes and the rest is history as they say .. Florence Prime Meat Market is still open on Jones Street in Greenwich Village and that's where I get my Newports, either there or at Pino's Prime Meats on Sullivan Street which cuts a Great Newport and makes tasty home-made Italian Sauages as well .. Pino's is great, but I prefer and give an edge to Florence Market as they are the originator of the Newport and they look of the shop is much "Cooler" with all its original old fixtures ... 

Image

OUR LINEUP of WINES For The NIGHT: 

BURGUNDY, SANCERE, BRUNELLO & SAUTERN


   NEWPORTS in The PAN

NEW PORT STEAKS In The PAN

NEWPORTS COOKING on 2nd SIDE


NEWPORTS COOKING on 2nd SIDE[/caption] So I go to Florence and ask them to cut me 3 nice Newport Steaks .. One of the butchers goes to the walk-in (Refrigerator) and comes out with a nice fresh looking Beef Tri-Tip .. He puts it down on the thick wooden butcher block and starts trimming the tri-tip of some of its fat .. He then cuts me off three nice 2 1/2" thick Newports and wraps them in butchers paper .. The counter lady tells me it $18.99 for the Newports (about $6.50 a piece for 3 Prime Steaks). "A Bargain." I pay the lady, get my steaks and walk the 3 blocks back to my apartment, where I put my Newports in the frig to the next day.

The Hearts of Romain with Tomato Onion & Bleu-Cheese Dressing "A STEAK HOUSE SALAD"

The Hearts of Romain with Tomato Onion & Bleu-Cheese Dressing 
"A STEAK HOUSE SALAD"

So I get to Chris's house and as I'm climbing the stairs to his apartment I can hear some great Jazz playing . It was Dexter Gordon and quite fine . I was tired from walking up 5 flights of stairs, so I told Chris to crack open a bottle of wine, "I need to relax." Chris cracked open the Cote de Beaune Bouzereau, and it was quite nice and everything you'd expect from a nice mid-road White Burgundy. We both loved it .. Chris broke out some nice Brie Cheese and we sipped the wine, ate cheese and relaxed listening to some nice tunes before I started on the dinner; prepping the salad, the mushrooms, potatoes, and onions for our dinner to come ..

..FLORENCE MEAT MARKET GREENWICH VILLAGE "HOME of THE NEWPORT STEAK"
FLORENCE MEAT MARKET GREENWICH VILLAGE "HOME of THE NEWPORT STEAK"

Learn How To Make GREAT STEAKS, SUNDAY SAUCE MEATBALLS and More in SUNDAY SAUCE When Italian-Americns Cook by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

 NEWPORTS on The PLATE With MUSHROOMS & ROAST POTATOES ...

NEWPORTS on The PLATE With MUSHROOMS ROAST POTATOES
2014-01-12 13.51.58

REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS "THE PERFECT DESSERT"
 by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
  LEARN HOW To MAKE GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAKS


SUNDAY SAUCE alla SINATRA alla CLEMENZA "RECIPES in SUNDAY SAUCE by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE"

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Mamoun's Falafel Combo





I've been going to Mamoun's, "New York's Best Falafel"  for a number of years now. The pace is amazing. It's a New York and Greenwich Village Institution. It's famous. I've always just got the Falafel and nothing else. Why? It's the most famous. Anyway I was in the mood for Babba Ganoush, but I wanted Falafel too. I never relieved they actually sell combos. I asked for and got one, just $3.50, plus I threw .50 cents in the box for the guys.
Took it home to eat with some fresh OJ . Let me tell, it was dam good, the falafels good as ever, but with the added taste of smokey flavored eggplant, "Dam." It was good. Hit the spot, and at $3.50, the price just can't be beat.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

BELLINO & MINETTA BURGER vs OZERSKY & BLACK LABEL

Screen Shot 2014-10-10 at 1.14.05 PM


MINETTA TAVERN


  photo Copyright Daniel Bellino-Zwicke    


Image


The BLACK LABEL BURGER

MINETTA TAVERN


GREENWICH VIALLGE, NEW YORK

READ About BELLINO'S BETTER BURGER


    MINETTA BURGER "IT'S BETTER THAN THE BLACK LABEL BURGER" Minetta Tavern, Greenwich Village, New York, NY   "Yes," Minetta Tavern's Second-Tier Burger, The "Minetta Burger" is without question thee "Better Burger" served at Minetta Tavern. Noted Foodie, Writer (The Hamburger) Burger Authority Josh Ozersky would disagree. Well, Mr. Ozersky is entitled to his opinion, as well as I and Thousands of others and the majority who like the Minetta Burger better than the now Highly Touted Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger, who some feel is the top burger in New York, even the World some say.
So, I'm wondering if some say the Minetta Black Label Burger is New York's Best and even the World's, does that make The Minetta Burger, according to myself and the majority of those polled, "New York's" even the World's Best Burger. "Not quite."
    This is a very subjective matter and one of personal taste. I can see why Mr. Ozersky loves the Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger so much, proclaiming it New York's Top Burger and I believe he "May" said it is The Best in The World, but I'm not absolutely sure, so don't quote me on that. Yes it is a Good Burger, and if you feel it is Great, than Yes it is Great to You and Everyone else who says it is Great. As for me, without question the "Minetta Burger" is Better, "Hell, It's Tastier" and that's all that counts isn't it. And I'll tell you why it's tastier.
   First off, the Blend and Quality of meat in the Minetta Burger is "Better for a Burger." Note that I don't say that the meat is just better, but better for making a Burger. Why? Well, Dry-Age Meat with it's powerful gamey taste is not the best taste for Ground-Meat and a Hamburger. Fresher Meat that has not been aged, is much Better for a Burger, an it Taste a Hell of a Lot Better than ground dry-aged beef which did you Know that in it's aging process is actually deteriorating? Some people like that taste. Fine. I do not, especially in ground meat and in my Burger. I'd much rather have my ground meat for a Burger Fresh.
    And did you know that the Ground Meat Blend from Pat La Frieda for the Minetta Burger is a Blend of Prime Beef Short Rib, Beef Brisket, and Beef Clod, and this blend was La Frieda's "Premium Blend" before he came up with the Black Label Blend which is Dry-Aged Rib Steak, and cost a lot more, thus the more Expensive Price of Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger at $26.00 for the Cheaper and Superior $17.00 "Minetta Burger."
   Just because something is more Expensive, does not make it better, and the Minetta Burger vs The Black Label Burger is a Classic example of more Expensive not being better than cheaper.
Why? Well, because of our current state of a bad economy, New York Steak Houses, Restaurants, and Meat Purveyors such as Pat La Frieda and others found that expensive cuts of Beef like Prime Sirloin Steaks and Prime Dry Aged Rib Steaks were not selling as well as they used to. Expensive, people have less money. Put 2-And-2-Together. So, these meat purveyors found themselves not selling as much as the High-Ticket Cuts. What to do? Well, as a result of a Bad Economy and Boggers Loving Burgers for there Affordability and Blogability, Burgers have become Insanely Popular in the past four years or so. Pat La Frieda has a great idea, make and Market Ground High-End Cuts of Dry-Aged Beef, give it a Fancy name, "Black Label," and the rest is part of Hamburger History.
  As for me, I'll take the Better Tasting Burger that just so happens to be substantially cheaper to boot, the Minetta Burger.


by Daniel Bellino Zwicke




screen-shot-2016-10-02-at-1-19-48-pm


R.I.P. JOSH

Sadly since this posting Josh Ozersky passed away ... Josh was greatly loved by Foodies and Gourmands everywhere, but nowhere more than from his home-town fellow New Yorker's who called Josh our own .. Josh had a wonderful down-to-earth every mans look at the World of Food and dining out, and as a food-writer Josh had no equal with his special brand of food-writing and reporting that was uniquely Josh Ozersky. You've sadly passed Josh, but you'd be happy to know your great food journalism is till remembered and much loved, as are you.




BELLINO'S BETTER BURGER





4e89f-bi-leb-small



The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK







.
SUNDAY SAUCE


SUNDAY SAUCE





.




Thursday, June 26, 2008

Keith McNally to Re-Open MINETTA TAVERN



Keith McNally, the man who brought New York some of its most wonderful Landmarks in the form of the ODEON, Cafe Luxenbourg, Lucky Strike, Pravda, Balthazar, and Pastis is at it again. He has purchase the venerable old Greenwich Village institution "The MINETTA TAVERN" on Macdougald Street at the corner of Minetta Lane. Mr. McNally will be opening the Minetta Tavern sometime in the early part of 2009 with Executive Chefs RIAD NASIR and Lee Hansen who both helped Keith open and operate Balthazar, Pastis, and Schiller's. The food is supposed to be Classic French.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

GO GREEN WATCH PLANET GREEN

Have you watched PLANET GREEN TV on Channel 114 in Manhattan. This is a new TV Network dedicated to The GREEN MOVEMENT and being environemently consiencious and Eco Friendly. The content of shows are Wonderful, Very Informative on teaching people how to Go Green.

Adrian Genier the star of "Entourage" has a show whereby they show you how he live his Green Life, building a Green House, Recycling, walking, riding a bike and things like that.

Adrian Grenier's show is very good, there's a show with Steve Thomas formely of "This Old House" that show people how to renovate houses recycling materials and going the Green Way adding Eco Friendly heating units, Hot Water Heaters, using proper insulation and things like that, but by Far the Best Show of All is "Living with Ed" starring Ed Begley Jr. and his wife Rachel. Ed has to be considered the "Godfather" of the GREEN MOVEMENT. Everbody is jumping on the Band Wagon now, and there is nothing wrong with that, we need as many people as possible, "Save the Planet." Ed Begley has been doing this for 25 or 30 years, way before most others and this show is Talor Made for him. The show is very entertaining watching ED and his wife Rachel TEASING each other and having their disagreements. Ed busts Rachel about not doing enough and Rachel bust ED about doing too much. It's HILARIOUS. Rachel is a Godd Sport and ED is FUNNY as Hell. He's entertaining and informative, and should be an INSPIRATION to all who are getting into GREEN or need help or need to laugh and be Entertained, "WATCH ED" on Living with Ed.

There is a ton of Crap on TV. After paying the RENT every Month, the second most PAINFUL thing is paying the dam Cable TV bill. It's one of the biggest RIPOFFS of all. There's a Buch of Crap on TV. Very little good programing. Cable TV is definately not worth what you have to PAY for it, but unfortanately I can't live without it. Six channels would just not be enough. I just watch a small percentage of the channels on Time Warner Cable. The programing is HORRIBLE other than the Documentary Channels and Time Warner Cable has some of the WORST CUSTOMER SErvICE in the History of the World. They are going to lose TONS of customers and I'm sure there will be a mass exodus away from Time Warner the minute people are given another ALTERNATIVE. WHEN ,WHEN, WHEN will their MONOPOLY End???????

Anyway thank God for Documentaries, Anthony Bourdains "NO RESERBATIONS" and the new and Wonderful "LIVING with ED" with Ed Begley Jr.. "GREAT!!!!!!!!"

BUTCHER the BAKER

The BUTCHER The BAKER The CANDELSTICK MAKER



In earlier times up until the beginning of the last century, The Butcher, The Baker, and The Candlestick Maker
were some of societies most respected and needed citizens. These artisans provided light, bread, poultry, meat, pastries, and cakes to the local citizenry. Even far into the twentieth century there were still many small villages in Italy and allover Europe where there were still families who did not have an oven To cook in so they would bring things such as casseroles, pans of lasagna, and stews to the baker for him to cook their food inside the bakeries ovens.
Since the advent of electricity the candlestick maker is no longer a necessity to everyday life. Because of convenience foods and supermarkets neither are the butcher and to some extent the baker. In this day and age the baker is still important for holidays and special occasions like birthdays and weddings. The butcher however is used by a very small percentage of the total population.
For those of us of Italian ancestry the butcher is of extreme importance, especially in the areas of fresh pork sausage, Braciole, and properly cut veal scaloppini.
There are usually two different types of butcher shops that we deal with. There is the very personalized tiny butcher shop that usually just sells fresh cut meat and poultry as well as fresh made sausages. Pino’s on Sullivan Street next to St. Anthony’s and Florence Prime Meat Market
also in Greenwich Village are two good examples of the small neighborhood butcher shops of which most spots in Brooklyn, The Bronx, and small towns and cities around the country still possess in the form of the local butcher. These shops are run by master meat cutters who will cut your steaks, chops, and cutlets to order, just the way you like it.
The other type of butcher shop of which are frequented by Italian-Americans is the Pork Store. Pork Stores have master butchers the same as the Butcher Shop, but in addition to purveying fresh meat, they sell many other food products such as items imported from Italy like; Imported Pasta, Prosciutto di Parma, olive oil, vinegars, porcini, Salami, Italian Cheese, Mortadella, cured olives, and numerous other precuts.
If you were ever pressed to pick one item sold at a
Italian Pork Store or butcher shop that is most important to Italian-Americans, it would have to be without question, fresh pork sausages. To most Italians it is like a religion and of great importance. There are not many self-respecting Italian-Americans who would ever even think of buying mass-produced sausage at a supermarket. Every true Italian has their own favorite Butcher Shop or Pork Store that makes the sausage just the way they like it. As for me, the “Best,” hands down, would have to be Florence Prime Meat Market on Jones Street in The Village. Their sweet sausage is perfectly seasoned with garlic, salt, and black pepper. I love it, as well as their tasty lamb sausage which not every butcher makes. Faiacco’s Pork Store around the block from Florence is also the other local favorite were I can get many of the items necessary to cooking a proper Italian meal.
If you want to make Braciola, whether it is of beef or pork, the butcher is of great importance. You need to have your meat cut and pounded in a specific way to make the braciola. Also, if you’re in a pinch for time to make the braciola yourself, most good Italian butchers make very nice braciola that are all tied-up and ready for cooking in your own sauce.
Also of great significance to Italians is good quality veal, especially when it comes to the subject of scaloppini’s and cutlets for making dishes like; Veal Picatta, Saltimbocca, veal and peppers, Veal Parmigiano, and Veal Milanese.
Now to the baker and I think we’ll forget the candlestick-maker, although if you want to get the most beautiful hand-dipped candles you’ll ever see, I can tell you where to get them. There is a wonderful little shop in the tiny village of Sugarloaf, New York, about a hours drive north of New York City where you can get the most beautiful Candles in the world.
Back to the baker. In many of our wonderful Bellino Family dinners over the years, my aunts would make delicious cakes and cookies sometimes but not always. It is more than enough just to prepare the antipasto, pasta, and main course if there’s one other than the pasta. You don’t always have all the time it takes to make desert as well. This is where the baker comes in.
At any of our family meals or ones with friends, desert and coffee is extremely important, for after we are finished eating the previous courses we usually sit around the table for another two to three hours drinking coffee and Anisette along with some sweets, Italian Pastries and cookies. We chat and tell stories, especially Uncle Frank. One or more guests would stop at the Italian Bakery and get all sorts of goodies to munch on with coffee. Things like; Cannoli, Sfogiatelle, Eclairs, and assorted Italian cookies, so the baker was and still is of extreme importance to us all year long, not just at the holidays and birthdays but practically every Sunday when we had the famed “Bellino Sunday Supper” at Aunt Fran and Uncle Tony’s house in Lodi.
I know that many people all over the country get together and have the same type of big wonderful family meals as our family does. Sadly I know that there are some people who never have. I hope this book will inspire people to get together with friends and family to share a beautiful meal and happy moments, whether you have never had the opportunity before or if you have not done so for a while, may you be sparked to organize a festive dinner for the first time or to renew a old tradition.

Monday, June 23, 2008

MACARI VINEYARDS SAUVIGON BLANC 2007 HOTTEST WINE in NEW YORK

Macari Vineyards recent release Sauvignon Blanc "Katherines Feild" seems to be one of the Hottest Wines of the Summer of 2008. The vintage 2007 has been seen being sipped by the Fashionable, Beautiful, "In-the-Know-Set" at the Ultra Hot Celebrity Spot "BAR PITTI" in Greenwich Village. An even Hotter Celebrity destination in The Village is "The Waverly Inn," owned by Vanity Fair Magazine Editor Graydon Carter and Hotel and Nightclub "Super Empressario" Eric Goode. Celebs have been seen sipping Macari's "Early Wine," Cabernet Franc, and the Lush Desert Wine, Macari's "Block E"

Macari's Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is Textbook Perfect Sauvignon. It's Clean and Crispy with Classic Grassiness, Gooseberry, and Sage Flavors. The perfect choice to go with all Shellfish, especially OYSTERS and any Fish at all.