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Exciting Adventures in Good Eating
and Drinking
by R. Allen Leider and Barbara J.
Rearick
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Bamboo 52
344 West 52nd
Street, NYC
between 8th and 9th Avenues
A Revamped BAMBOO 52 Restaurant Boasts New Menu &
New Look.
Restaurateur/ chef John Greco, owner of four popular
venues in New York City, including Philip Marie in Greenwich
Village, 123 Burger Shot Beer and the lounge Posh in
Hell's Kitchen, has re-designed and re-launched his
gourmet Japanese restaurant BAMBOO 52, 344 W. 52nd Street.
It's a trendy Space with Great Prices on Gourmet Sushi,
especially at Lunchtime. The spacious bistro
an outdoor patio as well as a comfortable lounge area
with banquettes in the back. The lighting is low, a
D.J.-spins tracks, drinks flow at the amazing 40-foot
bar, and mural-size celebrity portraits. The new menu
boasts a wide selection of sushi and sashimi, including
the addition of over 20 designer rolls, offering a wide
selection of fresh fish and tantalizing ingredients
at consumer-friendly prices.
Lunchtime at BAMBOO 52 is a diner's paradise with terrific
deals that include a choice of miso soup or salad, a
glass of sake and dessert. Bento Boxes with the choice
of three items start at $12.95 or go the sushi route
for only $9.95 with the choice of two rolls from such
a wide selection as delicious spicy salmon, tasty albacore
jalapeno, exotic eel avocado to yellowtail, peanut avocado,
and vegetarian.
Dinner is equally enticing with a wide variety of custommade
designer rolls that include: "Lovely" <Chilean
Sea Bass and crunchy Tempura>; Lobster Tango <lobster,
mango and eel>; Bagel <smoked salmon, kani and
cream cheese>; and Dragon <kani, cucumber, eel
and avocado>. There are also the very popular "Samurai
Boats" that feed three - four guests, ranging in
price from $l5 - $25.
Catering to large parties is a hallmark of BAMBOO 52
on W. 52nd Street, a strip in Hell's Kitchen chock full
of clubs and bars. Greco has designed an extensive menu
fulfilling the needs of large groups from party to sushi
trays.
To compliment the party, there is an open bar menu with
options to choose from one - three hours. Speaking of
bars, BAMBOO 52 boasts one of the best Happy Hour deals
in the city weekdays from 11AM - 9PM: signature cocktails,
well drinks, house wine and beer are two for one. The
bar boasts an "inspired martini" menu of premium
libations along with "signature cocktails"
and an eclectic choice of sakes.
With credentials from the Culinary Institute of America,
Greco has a rich palette of experience. Artistry is
paramount; given his time spent at Le Cirque, working
directly with Alain Sailhac. Afterwards he enhanced
his culinary prowess by working at San Domenico. He
was soon called to open the famed restaurant on Central
Park South. Next, it was a return to Italy to work at
the famed Harry's Bar in Venice. In demand, Greco was
asked to return to the states to help Harry Cipriani's
in the Sherry Netherland on Fifth Avenue. Sushi is a
masterful craft: Greco learned from chefs that know
best, using his experience and knowledge to recreate
and innovate a diverse, mouthwatering gourmet menu.
BAMBOO 52 is open daily for lunch and dinner from 11AM
to 2AM. The restaurant offers nightly parties with guest
DJs, $1 oysters, and various drink specials. Ladies
Night is Wednesdays, beginning at 9PM with two for one
drink specials all-night. A special bonus: late night
sushi happy hour after midnight nightly.....buy two
rolls at full price, receive the third one for free.
On Tuesdays, BAMBOO 52 offers "Karaoke Kraziness!"
starting at 9:30PM...take to the microphone, receive
one-free drink.
Reservations are strongly recommended by calling 212-315-2777
or events@bamboo52nyc.com For further information for
BAMBOO 52, located at 344 W. 52nd St., call or visit
the web site at www.bamboo52nyc.com
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Legal Seafood
Locations in
Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington
D.C., Maryland, and Florida.
Legal Sea Foods is probably the best seafood restaurant
we've been to in 20 years. Not since out first trip to
Philadelphia's famed Bookbinders ages ago, have we savored
delicacies of the oceans prepared with such care, style
and talent. Legal Sea Foods began to correct the notion
that seafood was risky to eat, smelly and only for those
living close to major fishing ports. With a few exceptions,
Americans had become accustomed to inferior restaurant
seafood and eating seafood at home often meant fish sticks! George
Berkowitz, the company's founder, and his son, Roger,
were determined to make seafood as fashionable and acceptable
as really good steaks. A few words about the "chain" concept
- these restaurants are many steps above our usual perception
of chains. The decor and structure from one location to
another is individualized and unique, even at the many
locations in Boston itself. The link that binds all these
eateries together is the consistency in the freshness
and quality of the food - especially the seafood that
is exclusively shipped from their own processing plant
in Massachusetts. One of the secrets of Legal Sea Foods
is the flexibility of the menus, with various nuances
and specialty dishes from place to place depending on
the tastes of the chefs, who may be inclined to add Carribean,
Jamaican, Asian or European flavors to their own menus. When
we were at the Boston Long Wharf location, there was a
two-week promotion of Icelandic fish varieties.
Our feast consisted of some complimentary canapes - wood
grilled scallops on toast with raspberry sauce and goat
cheese with the important touch always needed for a successful
dish - one could taste the variety of flavors. The clam
chowder was legal Sea Foods' own recipe and hearty with
chunks of fresh clam meat. I am also assured that the
Lobster Bisque is unlike any you've encountered and runs
rings around other seafood restaurants' bisque. In a menu
of exotic choice, I must admit I was a Philistine, drawn
to the crispy fried clam roll by the fact that I haven't
had one in ages and here it was - a scrumptious, huge
heap of lightly fried, whole bellied sweet clams done
to a golden brown in appropriately hot, non-trans fatty
oil mixture ( canola, safflower and grape seed ) on a
large, soft toasted roll with some of the best French
fried poatoes, accompanied by Heinz organic ketchup, I've
had anywhere in the last 50 years. The whole of it was
washed down with Legal's own Arnold Palmer Ice Tea. We
didn't need dessert, but we were only there for one meal
and could not resist. The desserts run the gamut from
the kitchen made ice creams and sorbets to the delicate
pastries such as profiteroles, Bananas Foster, and the
best Key Lime and Boston Cream pies you'll ever eat. An
additional note from my wife, the Key Lime Pie should
be given serious consideration even if your belt must
be let out a notch. An additional delight to the evening
was the entire tab for the dinner for two, sans wine,
but with one cocktail, was only $65.00. Yes, the place
is usually packed and waiting is to be expected even with
reservations, a must to make at least a couple of days
in advance depending on the size of your party. Dress
is casual neat.
A new edition of the eight year old TheNew Legal Sea Foods
Cook Book has recently hit the shelves with new mouth-watering
recipes by the many chefs whose artistry graces the tables
at the various branches of the company. The recipes reflect
the many locales and sociological strata that are served,
from the basic baked, broiled or fried to the very, very
cosmopolitan and ecclectic tastes of New Yorkers and Bostonians. Some
young adult patrons seemed to be enjoying the wine, champagne
and cocktails as much, or more, than the meals, but there
were still plenty of bountifully laden platters being
ferried on a regular basis from the kitchen to the waiting
tables. The restaurant presented a totally relaxed and
enjoyable dining experience, and was just a few paces
away from the bay, the new Aquarium and the IMAX theater.
Legal Sea Foods also has a thriving mail order and online
order business that ships the freshest lobsters, angus
steaks, chowder and fresh seafood delicacies anywhere
in the world. www.shoplegal.com
is the URL for a dining experience like none other or
call 1 800-EAT-FISH. If your location is land locked and/or
you're a landlubber who must have a regular fix of fresh,
quality seafood, check out their offerings. They make
great gits, too!
George and Roger Berkowitz are on a quest to urge Americans
to eat more FRESH fish and the best way to do that is
to open the best seafood restaurants in the country. George
began Legal Sea Foods in 1968 with his original recipe
fish and chips served on paper plates in a location in
the Boston fish market. Thirty-five years later, Legal
Sea Foods restaurants dominate five retail fish markets. Their
motto is "If it's not fresh, it's not legal", and all
their seafood is less than two days old, never frozen
and served with loving care. Generally the fish that makes
it to your local grocery is up to four days out of habitat. The
company has it's own seven step process to monitor freshness
and food safety. They have a 75,000 square foot Quality
Control Center in Allston, Massachusetts devoted to provide
their restaurants with the freshest, tastiest fish and
seafood available anywhere. Imagine using the Legal seafood
buyer as your guide when visiting the fish market! The
owners have a policy of respect for the fishing industry,
a continuation of all species and maintaining a safe and
clean ocean environment.
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 Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
Times Square, NYC
Ripped from the pages of the bestselling novel and from the hit Tom Hanks feature film, this sensational Forrest Gump themed seafood emporium serves some of the best Louisiana cuisine we've tasted in ages. The restaurant has been open less than a few months in the center of New York's ever-expanding Times Square area on Broadway and already there is are long lines of both dinner and lunchtime tourists and native New Yorkers to savour the recipes attributed to Bubba's Mama. Certainly, there is no other restaurant in the area serving these tasty New Orleans style treats - and in such large portions.
The waiters spout Forrest Gump trivia and there are movie props and and endless loop of the film on monitors all over. The staff is perky and eager to please, the service is swift, even in the high volume hours. The sizable dining floor ( formerly a BIG bank branch ) has many different themed areas, all fashioned like sets from the film thatmake you real right at home when the cajun tunes start wafting from the sound system.
 Start with one of the imaginative appetizers like 3/4 pound of peel and eat shrimp steamed in beer with delicious sauces or nibble on the exclusive Hush Pups with seafood ingredients embedded in the in Pups ready to be immersed in Bubba's Remoulade Dip. Some in our party found great delight in the Cajun Checken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dip and Cajun sauteed shrimp with garlic bread.
Once you have the digestive juices flowing, dive into one of the Shrimp Specials or Forrest's Favorites. More exclusive shrimp recipes than you could imagine. My favorites are the Coconut Shrimp with Cajun Marmalade and the Shrimp New Orleans with spices on a bed of rice. My sidekicks got their thrills from Bourbon Street Mahi Mahi and Mama's Southern Fried Chicken which runs rings around KFC or any other fast food poultry. This is one of the definitive New York 'roll up your sleeves and dig in' eaterys.
There are also crisp and tasty salads and thick, chewy sandwiches. Personally, I am partial to the BBQ Pork ( with special sauce ) and Dixie Fish sandwiches. If you have room, you can finish with one of the creative desserts - Gumpberry Cobbler, Authentic Key LIme Pie or one of the floats, smoothies or sundaes.
The fare is moderately tourist priced - about $15-18 per entree.
Sandwiches are about $10 each and worth every penny.
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 Burger
Joint - Le Parker Meridian Hotel
119 West 56th Street, New York City
Reviewed by Monis Rose
My blood boiled. I was livid. My boss wouldn’t let me go to a Spike TV function. I’m leaving, I said to myself. I think I actually said aloud, “Oh, my stomach hurts so bad. Truth is, my stomach was aching. It need to be filled with some good food.
I went on an adventure to find the Burger Joint. First I walked into Le Parker Meridian Hotel. A $500-to-a-few-thousand-dollars-a-night place. It’s Snoop’s joint when he needs to smoke a doobie in Midtown. It was swank, chic, posh, haute, whatever the new trendy word hipsters are saying these days. White on white everything with high ceilings. Every aspect of this place looked and felt expensive. Then, there was the Burger Joint. There was no signage anywhere telling me where to go. I knew it was in this hotel but I couldn’t find it. I asked one of the many security guards and he hastily pointed north. I went around the lobby desk and saw plastered on the wall near a narrow corridor a neon burger sign. I walked towards it and stepped down a flight of stairs.
Dive-ier than anything Guy Fieri would ever step into. I loved it. Greasy, no-frill burgers where I can be a mess like I usually am. This place was for me. Wooden tables surrounded by hanging movie and music posters. One cashier, one line. The menu sat next to the cashier that read: THE WORKS: BUN, MEAT, CHEESE, LETTUCE, TOMATO, ONION, PICKLES, MAYO, MUSTARD. NO SPECIAL ORDERS. YOU GET IT AS IT IS. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING OR DON’T UNDERSTAND, GET IN THE BACK OF THE LINE AND TRY AGAIN. $5. CASH ONLY! The other options where sides. Coke or shake and fries. That’s it. KISS: keep it simple stupid. I appreciate that motto. Because it’s such a small place, it’s crowded no matter what hour you go. I couldn’t find a table so I took my burger up to the roof.
Le Parker Merdien has a roof top pool on the sidelines of Central Park and scarfed my burger down. This was a true moment of bliss. Washed it down with a thick all-natural ice cream shake and crunched on some ruffled extra crispy fries. After a good 45 minutes, I took a dip in the pool. I had to seize the moment. |
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 The New China Club
268 West 47th Street New York, NY 10036
Tel: (212) 398-3900
A New York tradition, the famous China Club has relocated into the heart of Times Square's Theatrical District with bigger and more luxurious facilities. Owners Daniel Fried and Michael Barrett have topped the atmosphere of their previous uptown location with this mutli-storied complex of hot music, delicious food and non-stop excitement.
A New York tradition, the famous China Club has relocated into the heart of Times Square's Theatrical District with bigger and more luxurious facilities. Owners Daniel Fried and Michael Barrett have topped the atmosphere of their previous uptown location with this mutli-storied complex of hot music, delicious food and non-stop excitement.
 China Club chef, Elban Ross is a French Culinary Institute graduate with a pretiguous resume of past accomplishments. His Asian-accented menus for the club's dining room have to be tasted to be believed. Try specialties like char sui barbecued ribs or the special steamed veggies and sticky rice. Ross also provides the bountiful scrumptious appetizers for the Shei Shei Lounge and the dance club. And with a background as a pastry chef, you just know the desserts will be out of this world. The new club boasts 16,000 square feet of space to dine and dance on two floors. There are three bars, elevated seating decks, and a performance stage just on the second floor alone. The main floor is where you will find the Shei Shei lounge ( that's 'thank you' in Chinese), a 3,200 square foot bar and resturant executed in red mahogany, under theatrical lighting with appropriate oriental decor including palms and screens with plenty of room for 200-300 serious hedonists. While the club is frequently the favored site for business events, Broadway and cinema premier parties and society functions, it is a great place for that special date or private celebration. The food is out of this world, definitely blessed with the Oriental touches from Chef Elban Ross. There are several menus to choose from and very item is a delicacy in itself. If the night is special, this is THE place to go for food, drink, dancing and a memorable night on New the Great White Way, York's famed night spot has moved to a hot new location inTimes Square with all the excitement and music and celebrity that Broadway is famous for, plus some of the best food in Mid-Town. |
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