Bruni Takes on WTF Prices; Harlem’s New Greenmarket

Lassi's new ready-to-cook entrées, and free Champagne and ice cream at a closing clothing shop in Nolita, in today's neighborhood food news.

Posted 07/09/08 in Grub Street : Neighborhood Watch

Tags: astor wine, blt market, east village, frank bruni, harlem, indy spirits, lassi, marlow and sons, mccarren park pool party, midtown west, neighborhood watch, west village, williamsburg

A Walkout at the Boathouse, a Williamsburg ‘Bromance’

Plus why Frank Bruni tuned out of 'Top Chef,' Tony's Danza'a meatball recipe, and more, in our morning digest of news and gossip.

Posted 06/13/08 in Grub Street : Mediavore

Tags: central park boathouse, dave gould, diner, frank bruni, market table, marlow and sons, mediavore, sam rembold, tim zagat, tony danza, top chef

Shack Shack Now Open Late; Pies Partner Cooking Lunch at Marlow & Sons

Check out the new menu at Freemans, Park Slope's high-end, and discounted Mexican in today's neighborhood food news.

Posted 04/23/08 in Grub Street : Neighborhood Watch

Tags: aquavit, barrio, east village, eurotrip, flatiron, freemans, graffiti, lower east side, marlow and sons, midtown east, mother's day, neighborhood watch, park slope, williamsburg

Bruni Finds Bar Stuzzichini Good Enough; Sietsema Worships Insieme

Frank Bruni gives Bar Stuzzichini one star, praising its small plates (which give him his obligatory Zeitgeist paragraphs at the top) and then pointing out that the room and service are basically that of a “midtown mess hall.” The moral? Aim low, price right, and execute, and the critics will give you the guarded praise you need to stay open. [NYT] Here's one we never would have predicted in a million years: Insieme getting the panegyric it deserves from Robert “horsehead soup in the Bronx” Sietsema. Interestingly, the one thing he didn't like was the lasagne, which was the place's proudest boast when it first opened. [VV] We predicted recently that it was just a matter of time before someone came down on Wakiya, but we never dreamed it would be Danyelle Freeman. She hits the place hard, mostly for the “dull” and “skimpy” food but, not a killer at heart, gives them credit for service, cocktails, and soup dumplings. But it won't be long before another, meaner critic really lets it fly. [NYND]

Posted 09/12/07 in Grub Street : The Other Critics

Tags: accademia di vino, bar stuzzichini, borough food and drink, centro vinoteca, danyelle freeman, frank bruni, insieme, johnny utah's, lauren collins, marlow and sons, moira hodgson, oriental spoon, paul adams, randall lane, robert sietsema, setagaya, southern hospitality, The Other Critics, wakiya

New York Oysters Are Fat and Sassy

Oysters are born in the summer and get nice and fat with the onset of winter. This year has brought an especially good crop of New York varieties: Pine Island, Fisher's Island, Blue Point, Great South Bay, etc. They're all the same species (Crassostrea virginica), but their flavors are marked by the waters in which they're raised. Here are three top places to slurp your share of the local abundance.

Posted 12/07/06 in Grub Street : What to Eat This Week

Tags: craftsteak, marlow and sons, the oyster bar, What to Eat This Week