LUCKYRICE wants you to eat, drink, and get lucky at the Fourth Annual LUCKYRICE Festival. The flagship festival, April 28th-May 5th, celebrates the diversity and culinary culture that is found throughout the Asian region. With proceeds going to City Harvest, the LUCKYRICE Festival is made up of large-scale tasting events, festive dinners celebrating traditional and innovative Asian fare, and other gastronomic gatherings.
Returning this year are LUCKYRICE’s most popular events the Night Market, the Grand Feast, and the Cocktail Feast. New to this year’s festival is the LUCKYRICE Parlor on Bowery at the Old Bowery Station where nightly pop-up dinner parties will be held. These exclusive dinner parties will be prepared by Chef Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food, Tokyo’s Chef Ivan Orkin, Chef Siapin Chutima of Lotus of Siam in Vegas, and others.
Over the past couple years, New York City has enjoyed and enveloped itself within the revitalization of Asian culture and cuisine. In commemoration of the Asian awakening, LUCKYRICE.com hosts a festival of Asian significance, joined by culinary superstars. An aggregate of culinary heavyweights-Daniel Boulud, Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, David Cheng, Masaharu Morimoto, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and others-preside over The Lucky Rice Festival, a weekend long celebration of Asian eats.
Hosted by Kelly Choi, the festival's kick-off event comprises an evening filled with Asian-inspired cocktails and snacks, all to benefit City Harvest and the Asian American Federation. Apothéke's Albert Trummer is the mixologist mastermind behind the evening's lip-smacking cocktails. Drinks and snacks are supplied by such watering-holes and culinary establishments as Momofuku, Daniel, Prime Meats, Apothéke, Fatty Crab, wd-50, and many well-known others.
Gemma
Cuisine: Italian
Price Range: Moderate to Expensive
East Village
335 Bowery
(at 3rd Street)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 505-9100
www.theboweryhotel.com/dining
Classic Italian dishes comfortably shine at Gemma, a New York eatery that may not be raising the bar, but they’re certainly keeping it at an appropriately delicious level. With old world elements like thatched wine bottles hanging from rafters, half-burned candelabras, farm-style tables made from distressed wood, and chic counter-parts like the copper-covered bar, Gemma has the feel of an old shoe that just got resoled. Dark wood paneling and soft lighting give your meal a touch of intimacy, while an extensive wine list with a wide range of moderate to super expensive choices allow for a nice evening out.