Sunday, June 21, 2015

DANTE NYC Not Really Italian






What is It ???

SMALL PLATES ECLECTIC MENU

Non-Driven Italian Wine List

Old Patrons Probably Won't Like It


Screen Shot 2015-06-21 at 5.00.55 PM

The New Dante
South Room Bar




Linden Pride

Caffe Dante's New Owner


DANTE The new owners, including Linden Pride, formerly of AvroKO, have spruced up the 100-year-old cafe with green leather banquettes, but the space retains a vintage Italian Greenwich Village look with its pressed tin ceiling. The menu is now mostly small plates: beef tartare, burrata, flatbread and cold pasta salad. Italian aperitifs dominate the cocktail list: 79-81 Macdougal Street (Bleecker Street), 212-982-5275




A Picture of Former Caffe Dante Owner
Mari Flotta on the Homepage of The New Dante

The new Dante on Macdougal Street in Greenwich Village is
absolutely nothing like the former beloved Caffe Dante, a caffe
that was a fixture of Greenwich Village for exactly 100 years
before closing earlier this year, when former owner
Mario Flotta sold Caffe Dante to Linden Pride who has been
quoted as saying the new Dante will be very much like the old
one with some changes. "Not" !!! The new Dante looks very nice
although quite different from the former caffe .. The entire concept
of the new Dante pretty much has nothing to do with the old one.
The New Dante has been billed as a Small Plates / Apertivo Bar 
that has little resemblance to anything remotely Italian .. It's billed
as an Italian Apertivo Bar, yet the Wine list has barely 20% 
Italian Wines in its makeup an the food apart from a few
Italian items, seems anything but Italian.

Although the new owner (s) has stated that the New Dante
will be very much like and in the spirit of the former Caffe Dante,
it seems doubtful that writers & students would be able to go into
the place, get a Cappuccino and sit writing for an hour or two.
The former Caffe Dante was a Greenwich Village Italian Caffe where
people could go just for a Cappuccino or Espresso and maybe a
pastry if they liked, hang out with friends or be there on there own just 
relaxing, reading, writing, whatever ..

There was a rumor that the new Dante would be serving dinner and drinks
at night and that is what customers would be expected to order, and
spend probably a minimum of $30 and upwards, but during the day 
people would be able to just go in for a Cappuccino or Espresso. it seems
doubtful that this will be possible, but time will tell. Time will tell what the
New Dante is, if its successful or not and if it stays the same as the owners
now intend or if it will morf into something else.


Screen Shot 2015-06-21 at 5.00.37 PM

The New DANTE
North Side Dining Room



APEROL SPRITZ

On The Menu









 .
.
.





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?

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

JOSH OZERSKY Has Passed Away RIP

That's Very Sad News  .... R.I.P.  You Will Be MISSED !
 
 
A TRIBUTE to THE GREAT JOSH OZERSKY
 
One of The Best Food Writer New York (The World) Has Ever Seen
He Was GENUINE & REAL
 
 
Loved His ENTHUSIASM 
 
 
Like His Love for EISENBERG'S
 
and Everything & Everything That Was
 
REAL & TRUE
 
and
 
TASTY
 
JOSH Would SALIVATE
 
It was Real
 
It was CONTAGIOUS 
 
Josh Ozersky at EISENBERG'S
 
One of His FAVORITES
 
A REAL OLD-SCHOOL DINER
 
One of Just a Few in Left in New York
 
 
 
Josh Looks Happy
 
He's Got a Yummy Cheeseburger
 
 
JOSH with ANTHONY BOURDAIN
 
at KEEN'S STEAK HOUSE
 
NEW YORK
 
Josh Tell's Tony, "You Don't Drink Wine Here .. It's Whiskey, Single Malt 
Scotch Whiskey ... And the THING to Get, Is MUTTON CHOPS !!!
 
 
 
 
 
MUTTON CHOPS at KEEN'S
 
 
 
 
 
 
BLACK LABEL BURGER
 
at
 
MINETTA TAVERN
 
Josh Prefers The BLACK LABEL
 
I Like The MINETTA BURGER BETTER
 
So Do Many Others
 
Go There & Decide Yourself
 
 
MINETTA TAVERN
 
Macdougal Street & Minetta Lane
 
GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
"WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK"
GOT ANY KAHLUA ?
 
aka
 
The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK
 
 
 
ABIDE !!!
 
 
 
 
Josh Extols The Virtues
 
of
 
The HAMBURGER
 
Josh Ozersky on ABC NEWS
 
 

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

CARNEGIE DELI CLosed by CON ED Over GAS ISSUE

CARNEGIE DELI CLOSED
 
And There's Lots of Un-Happy PASTRAMI LOVERS
 
An Empty CARNEGIE DELI was CLOSED DOWN
by CON EDISON
Tehy Have Been Allegedly Accused of Siphoning Gas
 
Con Ed Inspectord Found an Illegal Y Pipe That Siphons Off Gas Before It
Goes Through The METER .. Con Edison Says The CARNEGIE DELI OWES
THEM $40,000 For GAS Not PAID for .. The Carnegie Deli Cut Con Edison
a $40,000 plus CHECK on The Spot ...
 
Did the owners of The Carnegie Deli Steal Gas ?
 
People are more worried about not being able to get their Pastrami, Corned Beef,
Beef Brisket, and Matza Ball Soup ... Don't forget the Chopped Liver and Pickles ...
 
 
 
 
 
The Famed PASTRAMI
 
 
Carenegie Deli Manager Sandy Levine
 
with
 
The LEBRON JAMES SANDWICH
 
 
 
BROADWY DANNY ROSE
 
 
WOODY ALLEN Shot His Masterpiece Broadway Danny Rose
 
at The CARNEGIE DELI ...
 
The Movie Centers around a group of Jewish Comedians hanging-out at
The Carnegie Deli, telling stories of an eccnetric Jewish Talent Agent / manager
known as BROADWAY DANNY ROSE ... It'd s great movie which I consider a
Absolute MASTERPIECE .. The movie stars; Woody Allen as Broadway Danny Rose,
Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte and a cast of fabulous Character Actors, and
includes cameo appearances by SAMMY DAVIS Jr.
and MILTON BERLE  ..
 
 
 
 
 
GOT ANY KAHLUA ?
 
The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK
 
 
 
 
 
SUNDAY SAUCE
 
 
 
When Italian-Americans Cook
 
 
 

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Carbone Santina 2 Stars NY Times

SANTINA
in
THE MEATPACING DISTRICT

.
.
.
 CARBONE-NY-ME

photo Copyright Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

2 STARS FROM NEW YORK TIMES
The TORRISI BOYS




RICH TORRISI
&
MARIO CARBONE

Roast Peppers




RIGATONI

PASTA alla NORMA

.
.
1b7e8-screen2bshot2b2015-03-102bat2b11-26-192bpm





 ITALIAN GRAVY !!!!

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Z

.
.

SANTINA REVIEW NY TIMES

Friday, April 17, 2015

JOE Jr. BURGER BEST of NEW YORK

JOE Jr. BURGERS
NOT THE BEST of NEW YORK
 
BUT
 
ONE of THE BEST
 
 
IT's a GOOD ole SOLID BURGER
 
Honest and Unpretentious
 
PURE & SIMPLE
 
IT'S JUST GOOD
 
 
The JOE Jr. CHEESEBURGER
 
Dam Good !!!
 
 
 
 
LEARN HOW to MAKE GREAT BURGERS
 
at
 
HOME
 
 
 
RECIPES & INSTRUCTIONS
 
by THE DUDE
 
In
 
THE BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK
 
 
GOT ANY KAHLUA?
 
 
by Daniel Zwicke
 
 
 
ABIDE
 
&
 
GET YOURSELF a COPY
 
 
 

Monday, April 13, 2015

Italian American Gagootza a.k.a. Cucuzza

ZUPPA di CUCUZZA
 
"THATS a GAGOOTZA" !!!


RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA 

by Daniel Bellino "Z"

 
 
 
RECIPE
 
Zuppa di Cucuzza
 
Excerpted Form Daniel Bellino's
 
Grandma Bellino's Italian Cookbook
 
 
 
 
ZUPPA di CUCUZZA

    “Gagootz” !!!!


This is a soup that my mother used to make every now and then. Usually when her friend Mary Santangelo gave her a couple big Cucuzza, from their backyard garden in Garfield. My mother Lucia learned this recipe from her mother who used to make it back in Sicily, and she learned how to make it from her mother, my Great Grandmother Salemi. This dish is one of the quintessential recipes of this book, and also of both the Italian-American and Sicilian-American table as a whole, and of course of Sicilians in Sicily, especially in the years of the first 70 years of the 20th Century from around 1900 to 1970’s or so. The soup is easy to make and quite economical, feeding about 15 or 16 portions of which you can serve over a 3 - 4 day time. Cucuzza are not always available in every store, however more and more super markets are carrying them during their growing season, and you can always get them at any produce store that specializes in Italian foods.

This zuppa is a soup of course, but almost a pasta dish as well, and you can vary the amount of pasta as you like. Cooking pasta separately on the side and when you are serving it, you will use double the amount of pasta or more, with less liquid in the soup and using the soup actually as a sauce. I always do this, as there are always leftovers when making a pot of it, and serving it as a pasta is a nice welcome alternative to give one variety from the same dish. I do the same with Lentil Soup to make Pasta Lenticchie, a pasta dish. In addition, if you like, you can sauté one link of Italian Sweet or Hot Sausage, serve up the soup as either pasta or soup and add a link of sausage or two to each plate. You will love it any way you do, as do the Bellino’s and millions of other Italian’s have over the years. So make it, and enjoy, and always Mangia Bene Amici!






GAGOOTZ


 
RECIPE :

INGREDIENTS :

1 large Cucuzza ak.a. Gagootz
1 large onion, peeled and diced
6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced thin
8 tablespoons Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
½ tsp. Black Pepper
6 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
1 pound fresh cooked Fava Beans, or frozen Baby Lima Beans (or canned lima beans)
1 pound imported Italian Ditalini (or Ronzoni)


Cut off ends of the Cucuzza and peel it with a vegetable peeler. Cut the Cucuzza in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Cut into 1 ½ inch cubes.

Put olive oil and cucuzza in a large 6-quart pot. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes more.

Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add red pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Add water and cook on medium-low heat for 12 minutes.

Add Fava Beans (or Lima Beans) and cook on low heat for 6 minutes.
Cook Ditalini according to directions on package. When finished cooking, drain in a colander, making sure to reserve 2 – 3 cups of water to add to soup.

Add all the pasta to the soup. Add salt 7 Black Pepper and stir.
Add water little by little to the soup until you reach the consistency that you like. The soup should be fairly thick, yet slightly watery.

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of each bow of soup and pass grated cheese for your guest to put in their soup.

Save any remaining soup in a closed container to enjoy anytime for lunch, dinner, or anytime in-between.




 
 

ZUPPA di CUCUZZA
 
 
Mangia Bene !!!






MINESTRA di CUCUZZA SICILIANA




GOING to SICILY ?

ANYWHERE in The WORLD ?


FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE

"FLY WITH EXPEDIA"







PASTA con CUCUZZA



PASTA con CUCUZZA SICILIANA

VIDEO RECIPE









3 SICILIAN CUCUZZA Recipes

From a REAL SICILIAN


POLEPTTE (Meatballs) di CUCUZZA

CUCUZZA eb PANDELLA

CUCUZZA with TUNA






POLPETTE di CUCUZZZA

CUCUZZA MEATBALLS





HOTELS WORLDWIDE


 
 
 

 
 
 
 
ALSO by DANIEL
 
 

SUNDAY SAUCE
 
WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK