General food news, new chefs, new restaurants, closings, dining events, etc. Hit up a Chicago-centric food hall, feast on all things steak, and cry in your bowl of soup over the closure of two stalwarts: a diner and steakhouse. And, in case you missed it last week, NYC has some newly-minted James Beard Award winners.
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The 411
76-Year-Old Bar Leaves the Scene
The family-run Donohue’s Steak House has officially left the city, but never the hearts of many Upper East Siders. After 76 years, owner Maureen Donohue-Peters, who inherited the restaurant from her father, decided to close. It’s not because the place wasn’t popular, she just simply wanted to retire. New York Times writer Pete Wells penned an excellent piece on the end of this institution, with a side of nostalgia.
The Golden Oven
Forno d’Oro, the Golden Oven in Italian, is a new pizzeria from pizzaiolo Salvatore Olivella and his three nephews from Italy. The geographical focus is Roman-style pizza, a thin-crust, crispy pizza, almost inverse to the Neopolitan style, which is thicker and often slightly soupy in the middle.
In addition to pizza, the menu also boasts classic Bruschetta, Octopus Carpaccio, and the classic Roman pasta dish, Bucatini Cacio e Pepe. Want to know who else makes Cacio e Pepe in town? We’ve got the best of the best right here.
World Cup Woes
While we’re super excited that the FIFA World Cup has partially taken place at MetLife Stadium across the river in New Jersey, it’s not great for everyone. Namely, those who work for tips. Turns out America really is the only country that expects at least a 20% addition on every meal. The New York Post dug into the story.
The Soup Bowl Hath Run Empty
What always seemed like a near-permanent mainstay on Broadway and E. 8th St. will be no more. Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger, which has been making—surprise, surprise—soup and burgers to faithful diners since the Nixon Administration, permanently ceased operation on June 21.
A New Food Hall Worth Your Money and Calories?
Since the rise of the food hall in New York City about a decade ago, the concept has been very hit or miss. One of the most highly anticipated food halls has just swung open its doors. Shaver Hall, located in the erstwhile Lord & Taylor department store on Fifth Avenue, is 35,000-square feet of food and drink.
Eleven stands will produce high-quality grub, including Pick & Cheese, a London-based cheese-centric spot that has a cheese conveyor belt; Tallow Steakhouse, hailing from Chicago and offering a $49 prix-fixe menu; and Butter Chicken Social, another Chicago restaurant, from the chef of recently opened Indienne. Shaver Hall will officially open on June 26.
Steak Shack
Don’t confuse the name Palermo at this new steakhouse. It’s not Sicilian, it’s 100% Argentine, named for the tony neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Located in SoHo, Palermo Argentinian Bistro offers carnivores a prime Argentine steak experience, all centered around a wood-fired grill. To find out about some of the other buzzy new restaurants in town, click here.
On the Menu
This week, you’ll find a trio of colored martinis on offer, a cool collaboration between a famous Jewish deli and a taco hotspot, and oddly delicious new doughnuts.
Ginger Ristorante’s New Three-Colors Martini
Ginger Ristorante, a new-ish health-conscious Italian restaurant originally from Rome, has a new set of cocktails it wants you to sip. At the restaurant near Rockefeller Center, you can enjoy a trio of colorful cocktails, all made with Italian-based Quattro Gati gin: Yellow Martini, a bright, citrus-accented cocktail with hints of basil; Red Martini, a fusion of ginger, lemon, and egg whites; Green Martini, a creamy blend of citrus, avocado, and egg white.
A Truly Strange Delight
Strange Delight, a delightful all-day seafood-centric restaurant in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene, has just put a couple of curiously delicious new doughnuts on the morning menu. Meet the Blueberry Buttermilk Doughnut and the Chocolate Ganache and Toasted Almond Doughnut.
If NYC Jewish Delis Made Tacos…
Much buzzed-out Santo Taco is doing a summer-long steak series with a handful of edible institutions in New York. The first week was a collaboration with Keens Steakhouse. This week, starting June 23, it will be with Katz’s.
Stop in to munch on Pastrami Tacos, Katz’s iconic pastrami, pickled escabeche, habanero and avocado salsa stuffed into Santo Tacos’ heirloom corn tortilla. We’ll have what they’re having! The Pastrami Taco will only be available at the Santo Taco on University Place, just south of Union Square.
A Tropical Caffeine Buzz
This week Coffee Project NY is giving customers a tropical-style caffeine high. For a limited time this summer, get a Strawberry Yuzu Spritz, Pineapple Cloud, and Coconut Paradise at various New York locations of this coffee chainlet.
Don’t Miss This Week
Need some dining out recommendations? Try these three hot spots with us.
Monday: Lauded cocktail-centric restaurant Ataboy recently began doing BYOB Mondays. It’s a good reason for us, and you, to stop by for the $75 Korean-accented prix-fixe menu, bottle from home in tow.
Wednesday: After reading writer Julia Rittenberg’s guide to bookstore bars, we’ve decided Wednesdays are for reading. And our first stop this week is Book Club Bar, novel in hand.
Thursday: Dinner and dancing has us heading to La Nacional, the oldest Spanish restaurant in New York, this evening. Did you know the venue is one of the last remnants of what used to be called Little Spain, a neighborhood of recently off-the-boat Spanish immigrants.
But why are we going today? Well naturally, Tango Thursdays, from 7 p.m. to the ungodly Spanish hour of 2 a.m. Bonus: there is instruction included and a live musical performance.
