Apiary

Apiary is a cute, small restaurant on the lower east side.  Consistent with the restaurant name, the walls are decorated with deconstructed beehives.  While the decor is modern, the tables/chairs are surprisingly comfortable.

While waiting for our table, several of us sat at the bar (Apiary will not seat you until your entire party arrives).  While we are a loud bunch when we get together, we were seated at a bar, at a popular restaurant, not a library or an intimate restaurant.  A gentlemen (I use that term loosely here) seated at a table in the bar area proceeded to scream at us to be quiet (the irony).  Appalled, we asked to be seated at our table in the dining room far away from this man immediately.  To our disappointment, the hostess refused to seat us so we had to continue to sit (uncomfortably) at the bar about 10 feet away from this irrational man.

Despite this early outburst, the rest of the evening was lovely.  Apiary boasts a terrific and diverse wine list, featuring both moderately priced and high end wines.  If you are looking for a white wine to beat the summer heat, order the Apud Sariacum by Phillipe Raimbult bottle of Sancerre.  The bottle was somewhat reminiscent of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, which tend to be my favorite.  I plan on stocking up on a few of these for my wine fridge at home.

The servers were attentive throughout our meal and brought out an extra dessert, apologizing for the earlier outburst.

Every dish we ordered was perfection.  My only regret of the night is failing to take pictures of the Panna Cotta and Strawberry Rhubarb Tart.  The apology dessert Apiary sent over for the screaming man was a bland Blackberry Financier (the only lackluster dish of the night).  Skip it and go with either the Panna Cotta and/or the Strawberry Rhubarb Tart.



What To Eat:

Start with the Rock Shrimp Chittara.  It is listed as an entree so order it as an appetizer to share (the server had the kitchen split it for us which was a nice surprise).  Each portion was very large.  The bowl was overflowing with homemade chitarra noodles in a spicy, garlic, tomato broth and filled with tons of fresh rock shrimp and clams.





Order the Long Island Duck Breast for your entree.  I loved everything about this dish.  Apiary carved long, thick strips of duck breast (as opposed to small round pieces most restaurants serve).  Each bit was juicy, perfectly cooked, and tender. The duck is placed on a bed of parsnip puree (which I would have liked more of) and farro (which I would have liked less of). 




For something slightly (since there is a butter sauce, emphasis on the slightly) healthier, opt for the Atlantic Merluza.  I had no clue what merzula was and forgot to ask but the preparation sounded tasty so I figured it was worth a try.  This thick fillet of Hake fish resembled cod but was less oily.  The fish was prepared in a savory butter sauce accompanied by lightly roasted asparagus.


Looking for an intercontinental menu with a fantastic wine list?  Check out Apiary (and try not to get accosted by a cranky old man), 

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  Apiary offers incredible Sunday supper deals and no corkage for wine on Monday nights!

Peasant

Due to my current job location in Dumbo (Brooklyn), I find myself attracted to dining on the lower east side.  I can get there relatively quickly from my office and then get home quickly as well so it is the best of both worlds.

Peasant is a rustic Italian restaurant on the Lower East Side, that features a long dining room with high ceilings and an open kitchen at the back of the restaurant.  The host kindly obliged my request to sit near the kitchen so I could observe the staff at work.  The bar surrounding the kitchen was covered with bowls of fresh fruit, like, watermelon, cherries, and tomatoes, that were used as ingredients for dishes throughout the evening.

The wine menu is strictly Italian and represents every wine region in Italy.  I was in the mood for a red, probably due to my close proximity to the wood burning pizza oven but the table wanted white so we went with a Sauvignon from Fruili which was delicious.  In addition to the dining room, Peasant boasts a romantic wine bar downstairs that serves the restaurant's full menu.

After you order your meal, a large breadbasket, bowl of ricotta and olive oil appear on your table.  This is crucial to know before ordering because you can (and should) make the creamy ricotta on crusty Italian bread an appetizer.  Order light on the appetizers so you can go heavy on the ricotta.

The menu is huge and I could have (and should have) ordered several different dishes (gnocci pomodoro, grilled whole orata, etc..).  We ordered poorly because the burrata and pizza were both under seasoned.   Mitch ordered the Malloredeous which I actually found offensive and would have sent back.  Despite the server's warning from that the dish would taste fishy and salty, I think the more accurate description is foul and could never have consumed a bowl of it.  BUT....my entree was unique and sensational, which is enough to get me to come back to try some of the dishes I didn't order.

What to Eat:


If you like spicy food, start with the octopus, the whole octopus is sauteed in a spicy chile olive oil.  Don't order this if you can't handle the heat because it isn't a little spicy, it is hot.  The fresh octopus was tender and a good size for an appetizer.








As a main, I ordered the Maltagliati with braised rabbit and fava beans.  This short, wide, flat home made noodles were doused in a buttery braised rabbit sauce.  It was not exactly what I was expecting but happily enjoyed it anyways.  Despite having little room after the bowl of ricotta we devoured, I didn't leave a shred of braised rabbit or pasta behind.


While the food was hit or miss, I still think Peasant is worth a visit if you order wisely.

Need a wine bar with a full menu?  Head to Peasant on the Lower East Side,

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Jazz Standard

Blue Smoke has a jazz lounge below the dining room called Jazz Standard.  Most entertainment establishments (the Darby excluded) offer average food.  Sadly, Jazz Standard is no exception.  The brisket was dry and the sides were nothing exciting.

BUT the jazz, the reason why you are there anyways, was fantastic.  And so were the drinks.  Jazz Standard offers a long list of just about alcoholic beverage you could ever want to drink.  The service was very attentive, which must be somewhat difficult for the staff because there is definitely a balancing act between not disturbing the performance (and your enjoyment of it) and taking care of the customer's needs.

Here's a huge insider tip: if you have dinner, you don't have to pay for cover.  Which means if you are ok having average BBQ for dinner, you're night is a total steal!

What to Eat:

I started with a side dish, the Corn Bread.  I showed up ravenous and needed immediate sustenance.  Luckily, the server delivered the side of corn bread within minutes of ordering it.  I devoured it so fast I can barely justify reviewing it but it was slightly sweet, with a crusty outside and cake like inside.

None of the entrees we ordered were good enough to write about.








 Save room for (or only order) The Chocolate Cake.  The chocolate cake is as good as the menu says.  The moist, triple layer chocolate cake includes thick layers of rich, decadent chocolate frosting.  Make sure to ask for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Looking for a romantic date night?  Stick to the drinks and dessert,

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Zio

I finally made it to Zio!  Zio lingered on my list for almost a year due to a few cancelled dinners.  But with a quadruple birthday dinner celebration, I had a hunch this one was on.  Zio first caught my eye because their wine list features one of my favorite Tuscan wineries, Boscarelli, which I have never found on a NYC wine menu before.

On a Thursday night, Zio's bar/lounge area was packed while the restaurant dining room was approximately half full.  Zio means "uncle" in Italian, which may explain why the owners went with a fun, modern decor, giving the Italian restaurant a trendier feel.  There are many large booths at Zio to accommodate groups and ample space in between the tables so the six of us had plenty of space and never felt crowded by other tables/diners.

The wines by the bottle at Zio are more impressive than the wines by the glass so try to go with someone that will share a bottle with you (or if you can finish the bottle by yourself, more power to you).  The bar serves fun, unique cocktails as well.

We definitely had a few service hiccups, giving the restaurant an authentic Italian feel (the service was very slow, when the maitre d checked on us I let him know and he apologized but surprisingly, he did not send over a gesture dessert or something of that nature for the extended delays).   The kitchen was slow and our dirty plates lingered on our table, but the fantastic primis and secondis more than made up for it.

What to Eat:

 Start with a primi of the Pappardelle.  The wide, paper thin, home made noodles are tossed in a savory lamb ragu.  The sauce had a generous amount of long, tender chunks of braised lamb.  I would go back for a few reasons but this dish is reason enough.








For my secondi, I ordered the Branzino, which was heavily marinated in olive oil.  I definitely recommend this entree but be warned, you will need to take out the bones.  The Branzino comes with broccoli rabe but I asked for the crispy artichokes instead.  The crispy artichokes were delicious!  Zio should offer them as a side dish.  If your entree does not come with them, ask for them as well.  A side note (pun intended): the roasted potatoes are fantastic as well and they are offered as a contorni.


None of the desserts grabbed me (the Semifreddo was good but nothing outstanding) but the bigger problem is the mischaracterization on the menu of the Crostada.  The menu offers a berry crostata but it was just a custard fruit tart.  That's like saying you offer a chocolate souffle and then serve a molten chocolate cake.  A crostata is supposed to be a baked fruit tart and so in my eyes, Zio's missed the mark on it's dessert.

Despite the service delays and lackluster dessert, I still loved Zio and look forward to my next plate of their Pappardelle.

Looking for a new spot for a date night or group dinner?  Check out Zio's large menu and delicious food,

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Kellari

While there are many restaurants surrounding Grand Central, there are only a handful worth your hunger pains.  Kellari is one of those establishments.  Dining with my friend catching a late train from GC, we opted for a Greek night.

Kellari draws a large local business crowd at lunch and a slightly more diverse crowd for dinner.  The bar area, a great people watching spot, features jars of olives and other Greek small bites to sample so you can avoid drinking on a completely empty stomach. 

As you walk through the dining room to your table, you will pass a display of fresh fish available chilling on ice.  The dining room's high ceilings, wine barrels and wood tables evoke a NYC style Greek taverna.

Within a minute of being seated, our server introduced himself.  The dishes at Kellari are best shared so we ordered several small plates and a entree.  The pace of the meal was leisurely (we appreciated not having tons of small dishes dropped on our table at the same time) and the service was attentive throughout our meal.

The wine by the glass selection was somewhat lacking so I opted for a glass of the Vueve Rose champagne, which (unsurprisingly) turned out to be the perfect choice for a sticky, summer evening.

Immediately after we ordered, we were presented with a bread basket filled with warm, freshly baked rosemary bread and a sampler (which we destroyed prior to the picture, sorry readers) of olives, radishes and a savory white bean dip.  We asked for thirds and then fourths of the bread and bean dip.  I made the rookie mistake (again) of filling up on the bread and bean dip but still found room for the delicious food to come.


What to Eat:

We started with a Greek staple, the Traditional Greek Salad. The salad bowl was piled high with fresh garden tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives, and huge chunks of feta.  The salad was generously coated in olive oil, salt and pepper and a refreshing light dish for a hot, summer night.  The salad is large enough to share with 2 to 3 diners.





Sticking with Greek staples, we opted for the Spanakopida.  At Kellari, the Spanakopida should be shared by at least 2 or 3 people because the appetizer includes 3 gumbo size spanakopidas.  The mixture of feta and sauteed spinach is fried to perfect in the pastry triangle.  The fried treat isn't covered in grease and has a nice, crisp shell (the picture didn't come out, sorry readers!).

For an entree, if you love seafood, order the Seafood Yiouvestsi.  The hearty portion of oval shaped orzo is tossed in a light tomato sauce with peas and tiny cubes of carrots overflows.  The pasta bowl is practically overflowing with fresh shrimp, jumbo scallops, mussels and clams. 







Can't make it to the Greek Islands this summer? Don't despair, Kellari will let you pretend you're there,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  Kellari has an incredible NYC Restaurant Week menu for another week (featuring a few of my favorites above, like the spanakopida and seafood yiouvestsi)