Virginia's - New American in Alphabet City

Virginia's
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My coworker Peter first introduced me to his friend, Reed Adelson, a few years ago when he was the manager at Locande Verde. I remember hanging out there for lunch and enjoying the most tender meatballs and pasta while chatting with Reed. Always the consummate host, he always accommodated my group (he handled last minute changes to a coveted reservation for the renowned Trufflepalooza dinner back in Nov 2013 with ease) and always treated everyone with respect and courtesy.

When I heard he was branching out and opening up his own restaurant with chef Christian Ramos, I was incredibly happy for them. You can't help but notice the airy vibe when you walk into Virginia's, (named after Reed and Christian's mothers) with the open windows and natural sunlight pouring in.

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Chef's Club New York - Ben Sukle, Birch

Chef's Club
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If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll notice that I have been dining at “Chef’s Club Studio” a few times recently. Conducted in the private room of a gorgeously decorated restaurant called Chef’s Club, the Studio seats only 16 guests per dinner for chefs that visit every month. These “popups” last 1-2 nights with a menu that hovers around 5 courses.

I keep coming back because it’s essentially a “new” restaurant every time with refreshing menus heralding from Providence, Dallas and Austin, and Portland among others. Each dinner is a unique experience filled with people from all walks of life; food bloggers, sous chefs at Michelin restaurants, culinary magazine editors, or just civilians who aren’t in the industry but enjoy the food and the interactions that come along in sharing a meal with like-minded folks.

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Degustation: Intimate Innovation

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Back in October 2014, my roomie and I met up for dinner at Degustation, where the Iberian, French, and American influenced cuisine is served as “tapas” styled dishes meant for sharing.

This shared intimacy extends to the open kitchen where the chefs bare their soul on a plate that is prepared merely 3 feet away from the counter. Every movement precise and full of purpose and every dish assembled gradually from seemingly disparate components that magically meld together at the last minute like a Christopher Nolan film.

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Marta: Thin Crust Nirvana

MARTA MANHATTAN
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My brother and I were running late for our reservation at Marta, a newly opened Danny Meyer pizza joint in the Martha Washington hotel. Both yellow cabs and Uber near Rockefeller Center were unavailable and the streets were clogged with tourists pressing their noses up against the shiny holiday displays on 5th Avenue.

A pedicab pulled up right in front of us at the curb.

"Where you need to go? I take you there quick. No way you're getting a taxi tonight, mang."

We zig-zagged past throngs of people oblivious to traffic lights and almost hit a few cabs that careened in our lane.

Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes to the chaotic stress while my brother relished every single stressful minute. 

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Arcade Bakery: Hidden Tribeca Treasure

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When my friend Vince told me that we should go check out Arcade Bakery, I listened. After all, he is a walking encyclopedia of food knowledge who could easily start his own food concierge service. I’m not talking about the info you can easily find from generic lists on Eater or bullshit places on Yelp that are overrated. Sure he knows all the touristy spots but his wheelhouse consists of quality spots that won’t break the bank and are just flat out delicious. Places where the food is the star while ambiance, service, decor, and Michelin stars take a backseat.

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