Junoon, the highly regarded Indian restaurant in Chelsea, recently expanded their menu to include brunch. Indian food is known for its bold and spicy flavors, so apart from a Bloody Mary, you might be wondering how they manage to pull off a brunch as good as their lunch and dinner. Executive Chef Vikas Khanna wows all with his modern take on traditional Indian dishes and incorporating Indian versions of American classics.
Feel free to take your pick of dishes from Junoon's many choices of brunch fare, or smartly opt for the prix fixe, which includes an appetizer and main dish, along with unlimited Mimosas, Bloody Marys or Bellinis for just $35. Trust us, you'll leave the restaurant both full and with plenty of leftovers for later. To start, try their innovative Naan French Toast, served with house spice-infused maple syrup or the Indian-Style Masala Omelet, made with onions, garlic, chilies, and cilantro.
New York can be charming, classy, and unpretentious all at the same time --if you know where to go. El Quijote in Chelsea has been operating since 1930, as it proudly states on their menu and their matchboxes. Serving some of the best lobster dishes in the city, the restaurant has seen it all, untouched by time the restaurant sticks to authentic Spanish cuisine.
The old world look and feel lingers around every table, every booth, and every stool along the old, dark wood bar. There's character here that is understated because it’s real and not re-created from last centuries interior designs.
It just happened that my first experience dining at Pierre Loti Wine Bar was shared with a group of people I had just met. And for such an intimate spot, with candles illuminating the exposed brick walls and the slightly cramped tables which caused me to virtually rub shoulders with my neighbors, I got to know everyone pretty well.
The menu is inspired by Mediterranean flavors, including the favorite grilled halloumi cheese served with a frisee salad of dried Turkish apricots and cherry tomatoes. The burger patties with grounded lamb, pine nut, black currents and walnuts were a lovely little starter for the other meat items on the menu including grilled lamb chops,poached beef dumplings (that everyone at the table couldn’t stop forking at), soft marinated baby lamb ribs, and the delicate cornish hen.
Seattle-based artist, Christopher Boffoli is famous for the mini food landscapes he creates. The photographer beautifully tranforms food into the picturesque world that tiny people live in. His series made a big splash and is now headed to New York with a solo photography show, "Edible Worlds," which will opened June 21st at Winston Wachter Fine Art in Chelsea through August 24th.
The inspiration for the work came from the strong, culturally recurring theme of visual size disparity which was common in the movies and TV shows he saw as a boy, such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids and The Incredible Shrinking Woman. But it is a theme that goes back to the social satire of the 18th century’s Gulliver’s Travels.
The Chelsea hot spot Pounds & Ounces is kicking off a new Happy Hour from 4-7pm on weekdays, as well as after 11pm on Sundays through Thursdays!
Dine at the bar or a communal table and choose from a selection of bar bites, including lobster corn dogs, battered fries dipped in Gunpowder sauce (yes, that is the lingo for homemade BBQ sauce with Pop Rocks - we're psyched too), and more.
The rockin' bites range from $4-$5, which is practically free by New York standards.
And if you've ever been to Pounds & Ounces, you know it's always popping --the perfect spot for late night eats and cocktails.
The second floor, dubbed, The Market Bar, boasts a more intimate atmosphere, ideal for private parties and events and even has its very own beer menu. Then there’s the mezzanine, aptly named The Wallace Room, not because Stringer Bell is hiding bodies, but for William Wallace, the Scottish rebel where you’ll find features mahogany and leather couches.
Delicious beers on each floor, and a personalized menu fit for every meal and all occasions, Smithfield’s isn’t just for the sports fanatics, but for anyone looking for n exceptional place to grab some grub with pals or throw a private party for someone special.
Hummus is a healthy culinary staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine that has been enjoyed in the area for a millennia. Used as either an appetizer dip or as an addition in many popular dishes, hummus is simply prepared from the same ingredients used in the earliest hummus recipes recorded in 13th Century Egypt. Hummus is prepared from cooked and mashed chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and a dash of salt. In Lebanon, they love hummus so much that in May of 2010 they set the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest dish of hummus ever prepared. 300 chefs came together in a village near Beirut to make a batch of hummus that weighed approximately 23,000 pounds!
The golden mosaic tiles of the pizza oven of Donatella Arpaia’s namesake restaurant, Donatella, acts as a beacon calling to diners, “come inside, you look hungry. I’ll cook something for you” just as countless Neapolitan mothers have done for centuries. Once you’re off the busy streets of Chelsea, sit down at one of Donatella’s marble topped tables, drink a glass of the finest Italian Campanian wines, and snack on a plate of crostinis while you painstakingly decide which of the pizzas you plan to try. Keep in mind though; Donatella’s is not your typical New York City Neapolitan pizza-focused restaurant. Donatella Arpaia, who is a recurring guest judge on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” series, a contributor to NBC’s “Today Show,” as well as being behind a number of successful restaurants, such as Kefi and Dona, feels that Donatella is her most personal endeavor to date. Her goal for Donatella was to capture the traditional foods she enjoyed while summering in Naples during her childhood and bring them to New York. By using authentic and fresh ingredients (We mean fresh as in picked up from customs that very morning.) Donatella celebrates not only the famed pizza of the region but the pastas, desserts, and wines as well.
As reported, Maritime Hotel’s Hiro Ballroom and Matsuri Shutter restaurant are closing its doors, making way for Marc Packer and Rich Wolfe of the Tao Group to take over. According to Eater, Mr. Packer is looking to open a Tao Downtown restaurant in the Chelsea location, although finer details are scarce for now, don't look for any openings until early 2013.
If you love designer bags, shoes, and accessories, a new boutique has come to Chelsea called DF Discount. As covered in Time Out NY, the boutique offers in-season designer goods from Prada, Fendi, Tod's, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, and more. Savings average about 20% off what you would normally pay. We were a little confused as to how this was possible --we always assumed we had to pay full retail for our designer goods! According to the owner, all items are 100% authentic and the key to their business is that they import their goods "duty-free" from overseas in small quantities, passing the savings on to their customers (which apparently includes celebs in-the-know). As described on their site: "We travel throughout Europe to bring you current authentic merchandise from top highend designers. We keep our over head low so we can offer you the lowest price possible. Visit us often as new styles are always arriving."