Tag Archives: cuisine

Food and Drink, Lifestyle

8282 Brings Elevated Korean Fare to NYC’s Lower East Side

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interior with signage photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

There is much to be said in favor of being ‘unassuming,’ and when speaking of a new favorite dining spot, all the better. Picture a restaurant whose non-descript exterior hints at a place where they serve a mean poke bowl or avocado toast. Once you’re inside and seated, however, you’re swept away by a menu rich with wildly inventive, farm-to-table creations that would be right at home in a Michelin-starred establishment. This was my inaugural experience at 8282, a recently-opened LES eatery serving distinctive modern Korean fare in a casual, comfortable setting. If a restaurant was ever a hidden gem, this is it.

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Food and Drink, Lifestyle

Honest Vegetarian Indian Restaurant is Love at First Bite!

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honest indian store front photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

In NYC right now, it’s exciting to see  favorite neighborhoods making a post-pandemic comeback. New stores and restaurants are opening everywhere, revitalizing the local economy, and getting us all pumped-up for a fun summer in the city. Being a downtown girl, I love seeing what’s new in places like Bleecker Street, in the heart of Greenwich Village, where there’s always something  interesting to discover — especially when it comes to good eats. If you love Indian food as much as I do, please allow me to put Honest, a recently-opened fast casual Indian Vegetarian Restaurant, on your radar.

Honest has a fascinating history: a journey that’s taken this family business from its genesis as a street cart in India to an international chain with over 31 locations in the US, all serving delicious, healthy Indian specialties. Now, Honest has arrived on Bleecker Street, and that’s definitely worth getting excited about.
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Food and Drink, Lifestyle

Restaurant Review: Red Peony Chinese Cuisine

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Red Peony Menu Logo
All Photos By Gail

In a city that loves to eat, Chinese is among the most popular cuisines in Manhattan. From Chinatown to Midtown, I frequent a handful of Chinese restaurants that consistently serve my favorite dishes with no disappointments, but there is always room to add one more to that list. Open since late August 2019, Red Peony, located in the heart of midtown’s upscale shopping district, is an elegant Chinese restaurant that feels like a secret oasis within the congested urban landscape. Specializing in both Cantonese and Szechuan-style dishes, Red Peony aims to be fully inclusive of every palate; with an extensive menu featuring both familiar favorites and exotic-sounding, visually tempting dishes I’ve not seen on other menus. Judging by the number of Chinese families gathered at its large round tables on the night of my visit, Red Peony offers a truly authentic dining experience.

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Food and Drink, Lifestyle

Vatan Indian Restaurant Offers All You Can Eat Vegetarian Feast in an Authentic Setting!

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Table and Menu
All Photos By Gail

One of the most enjoyable parts of dining in an Indian restaurant, especially if you possess an adventurous palate, is the experience of tasting many different dishes as part of one meal. If I am looking for an incentive to step beyond the comfort zone of my ‘stand by’ favorites, and the quality of the food is still reputably high, I might check out a place that has unique décor, or that features the dishes of a region or state whose food I haven’t yet tasted — because all Indian cuisine is definitely not the same.
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Food and Drink, Lifestyle

Benares Indian Restaurant: Cozy Fine Dining in Tribeca

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Table Top Art Shot
All Photos By Gail

If you’re looking for delicious and authentic Indian cuisine in NYC, it really isn’t hard to find. There are even a few neighborhoods — like East 6th Street or Curry Hill — with a concentration of reliable eateries that can satisfy any craving you might have for Indian Cuisine from a variety of regions. Great Indian restaurants are everywhere, but I have a couple of favorite places that stand out for me as being worth going out of my way for, and one of those is Benares. My foodie friend Anne and I attended an event at Benares back in 2012 to celebrate the opening of its now-former midtown location, and I still recall the delicious small bites and refreshing craft cocktails, along with gracious service and a comfortable but classy vibe that we experienced. So I jumped at the chance to revisit Benares now that the restaurant has relocated to Murray Street in Tribeca. We felt welcome the minute we walked in the door.

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