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Lacey Burke Blogs |
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Restaruants |
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| Author: | laceyb | Created: | 2/10/2007 | | | See my latest ventures in restaruants in New York City, and all over the world! |
| Georgia's Eastside BBQ | |
| By laceyb on7/25/2007 | |
| Born and raised on a farm in New Hampshire that was built “before this country was a country”, Alan Natkiel exudes a quiet confidence, subtle intelligence, and a deliciously twisted sense of humor. I showed up a little late for the interview only to be scolded by a tall, lanky white boy with a full mane of crazy, black corkscrew curls. With a PBR in hand, (and several empty cans lurking in the background) Alan looked like a cross between a hillbilly and a folk singer, complete with a big ol’ dog. His new BBQ joint in the Lower East Side gives off a rustic and authentic feel. I sat down with him to get the lowdown on his take on bona fide southern BBQ, done city-slicker style.
 After a boarding school education, he moved to Atlanta to help build an ... |  | |
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| | Bar Masa: Taking on the Time Warner Building, Part 1 | |
| By laceyb on6/3/2007 | |
| 
“We’re going to eat at every restaurant in the Time Warner Building!”
Theese are the famous last words of my friend Rich. He declared them late at night after several drinks mixed by yours truly. Never one to refuse a potentially valid, drunken offer, I agreed under on circumstance: That Kitty accompanies us to each and every one of those fine-dining establishments. The Time Warner is home to several restaurants I’ve been dying to try out, including Per Se, Masa, Café Grey and Stone Rose Lounge. For such illustrious tenants, the decidedly unglamorous name is a bit ill-suited, but none the less, it houses some of NYC’s best eateries.
Our first trip was to Masa Bar, the slightly more casual (and more accessible) ... | | |
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| | 8 Courses, 3 Girls, 1 Chef: Mendin's NYC Omakase Menu | |
| By laceyb on5/19/2007 | |
| Have you ever had the pleasure of sitting down to a custom Omakase menu? No? Well, let me tell you, it’s a must do. I feasted upon 8 delectable dishes hand- crafted and catered to my very own palate. My friend Jose Mendin of SushiSamba Miami was recently in town to bring some of his talent and flair to the New York locations. He cleverly concocted a mélange of exotic flavors in the form of my very own tasting menu.
 I had told Jose I was planning on coming in with a few girlfriends for his ultimate collection of dishes. Upon arrival, he presented us with our Omakase menus, hot off the press. Omakase basically means chef’s choice in Japanese. However, in this case, our palates were the first and only consideration. His attention to detai ... | | |
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| | L'Atelier du Joel Robuchaun | |
| By laceyb on2/28/2007 | |
|  Foie gras, caviar and some red wines elicit words every time you taste them. That is why, constant readers, I must tell you in explicit detail the flora and fauna of my amazing meal at L’Atelier du Joel Robuchon.
As I entered the foreboding and austere Four Seasons Hotel on 57th, I was drawn around the mezzanine toward the bustling, crowded bar area of the hotel. On the way, I gave the hostess at L’Atelier my name and headed to the bar for a drink. After being accosted by some unwanted conversation with a much older patron, my partner in culinary crime showed up. We slipped off to the dining room, which was much smaller than I could have ever imagined. The stark, cold marble foyer yielded to a warm, intimate dining room in juxtoposition to the ... | | |
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| | STK:First Impressions | |
| By laceyb on2/27/2007 | |
| I had heard all the buzz about STK being one of those silly club restaurants, where the focus is more on attracting trendy clientele and less on the food. And of course it was. However, on my recent trip there, I certainly managed to have a good time. Perhaps it was the many bottles of Caymus 04 Cabernet (I lost track after 4), maybe it was the delightful company I kept, more likely, it was the fact that I went there not expecting much. When your expectations are considerably low, there isn’t much to be disappointed by.
I have to give it more credit though. The foie gras French toast was so tasty, we ordered a second. The tuna tartar wasn’t half bad either. The only oysters in the house were Kumomoto (of course) but they satisfied my crustean cra ... | | |
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| | The E.U. | |
| By laceyb on2/24/2007 | |
| “Super Euro-fusion gastro pub” is one way to describe The E.U. “A warm, rustic eatery with simply delicious food and a great staff” is another. Recently, Team Shiftdrink dropped in for a little Monday night madness, and got friendly with the staff.
Upon entering the farmhouse styled east village venture, you immediately feel welcome and want to spend time there. I started out by sampling a few of their unique beers. One that really stood out was a tart, clean and crisp apple beer, called Lindemans Pomme. It was granny greensmith which exploded all over my palate, quite refreshing.
When the rest of the crew arrived, we moved on to a few bottles of Beaujolais Blanc. Since Team Shiftdrink consisted of 5, we were able to sample almost the entire menu.
First to hit the table was a delightfully coiled grilled octopus tentacle. It had a tenderness that’s hard to come by and had a wonderfully smoky taste. It was complimented with roasted tomatoes and chickpeas. Another grilled option ... | | |
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| | The Best of the Best... | |
| By laceyb on2/16/2007 | |
| I had a year filled with decadent meals, amazing finds and a few disappointments. I’d like to take this time to reflect on the moments and tastes that trumped the competition. I must confess, many of these experiences went late into the evening. Or morning. I’ll try my absolute best to properly convey these memories.
The Best Indulgence: Luxurious Lunch
There’s nothing like a 2 hour lunch, filled with oysters, steak, French wine, or whatever it is. Its clearly on a day when you don’t have to work, and you can just relax and eat. I’ve spent the most leisurely afternoons at Union Square Cafe.
The Best Foie Gras: Public
I basically make a point to try this every time I see it on ... | | |
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