The choice corner lot that formerly housed Tiny Fork Oyster Bar (RIP) is now home to a bright and casual Southern-Inspired bar and dining hall called The Derby. While this lower east side neighborhood has its share of up-and-coming eateries boasting a farm-to-table ethic, as far as location goes, you probably couldn’t ask for a better spot to enjoy an early summer evening dinner. Weather permitting, the front room keeps the doors and windows open to the street while the rear dining area remains flooded with natural light from its east-facing span of tall windows. The vibrant yellow-painted metal chairs, dark wood tables and antique bistro lighting (possibly left over from the space’s previous incarnation) add to The Derby’s welcoming vibe. Of course, the people watching is excellent.
Photos By Anne Raso (Click on Any Image to Enlarge)
Tucked away on West 40th Street, midway between the Times Square Subway Hub and Port Authority, The Hudson Bond is a restaurant that’s ideally located to attract both an “after work cocktails” commuter crowd and the destination dating set. Seamlessly incorporating the best aspects of a hip, high-end lounge, a neighborhood sports bar and a comfortable mid-priced eatery, The Hudson Bond is welcoming and trendy at the same time. Continue reading The Hudson Bond: Dining and Nightlife in Midtown→
“Pop Art”: Illuminated Wall of Jarritos Soda. All Interior Photos By Gail, Most Food Photos By Anne Raso
Hey do you like Mexican Food? I sure do. While there’s always been a dearth of authentic Mexican – or even the revered California Style Mexican – cuisine in Manhattan (and, let’s be honest, in the entire tri-state area) the Upper West Side has a new contender for at least a Top Ten List fixture with the arrival of Orale Mexican Kitchen, which has been open for just under a month.
It’s a fact that Foodies can get Fickle Fast. Even restaurants that have laser-like focus on a successful culinary groove may need to change things up in the kitchen sooner than anticipated. On a review visit to traditional Mexican eatery Teqaback in the late summer of 2011, this self-proclaimed ‘Taqueria & Tequileria’ was savoring its position as a hip newcomer and was all about promoting a ‘Tacos and Tequila’ vibe that would attract a fresh crowd to its Murray Hill neighborhood. But it wasn’t long before anyone with a Mexican food hankering could find Tacos and Tequila every few blocks. It was clearly time for a re-think, as Teqacame under new ownership, bringing in a new Chef, 28-year-old Steven Cruz (a private catering expert also formerly of the Lower East Side’s Orchard House).
All Interior Photos By Gail, All Food Photos By Anne Raso
Hudson Square, a downtown neighborhood distinguished by its proximity to the Holland Tunnel’s entrance, probably isn’t an area that gets a lot of random foot traffic. In fact, if you never heard it referenced in a conversation about the location of a cool new eatery, you would likely be in good company. Things are different now though, thanks to the recently launched Cherrywood Kitchen, a gorgeous new restaurant serving a mix of American Bistro and BBQ fare. If this Soho-adjacent, not-quite-Tribeca address on west Spring Street was ever in need of a destination dining establishment, Cherrywood Kitchen has all the bases covered.
