INOTECA
From stemmed glasses to fine wine selections, in New York City everyone likes to swirl and sip on the most elegant and affordable wines out there. With light snacks and cheese plates that bring out the expressions of many varietals, some places do it right while others.. do it better. Check out our picks for some of the top wine bars in the city.
35 Downing Street New York, NY 212-691-0404
On Thursday, April 26th at 7:00pm, check out Taste of the Lower East Side, an exciting night of unlimited food and drinks to benefit local families in need. Guests will enjoy endless food tastings from the neighborhood's hottest restaurants, including Beauty & Essex, barrio chino, Clinton St. Baking Co., CO-OP Food & Drink, Inoteca, The Meatball Shop, The Stanton Social, Think Coffee and many more. The event will also feature an open bar with creative cocktails, a lively silent auction, raffle prizes and a live DJ, the event is a must for foodies, proud locals and those who love partying for a good cause.
Bar Suzette
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave.
New York, NY
10011
917-207-7552
For a portable snack, or meal on the go, one might first think of pizza. Then maybe a sandwich? Or even an ice cream from a convenient dessert truck. The iconic French crepe seems to be overshadowed in popularity by the former examples. However, at around $10 or less, and with ever-changing fillings and the option of savory or sweet, you might want to spend some time at Bar Suzette.
Fornino
254 5th Avenue
(btwn Carroll and Garfield
streets)
Park Slope
forninopizza.com
Like most restaurants or commodities that gain popularity in this city, keeping up with high demand can jeopardize the quality of the product. Let's hope that is not the case with Michael Ayoub's newest project in Park Slope. With the success of his brick-oven pizza at Fornino in Williamsburg, Ayoub has built a loyal carb-cravin' clientele that swear by the thin crust and fresh, gourmet flavors of his pies. So why not bring a slice of his success to another branch of Brooklyn?
Thistle Hill Tavern
441 Seventh Avenue (at 15th Street)
Park Slope
347.599.1262
thistlehillbrooklyn.com
There has been mounting anticipation for the new Park Slope restaurant, Thistle Hill Tavern, to open. The unassumingly cute and cozy restaurant comes to us via some well-known names in the culinary world, and beyond. First there are the partners; David Massoni and Rebecca Weitzman. She used to cook at ‘inoteca, while he did the managing there. Before that, Weitzman worked at three of Bobby Flay's restaurants and learned how to go from a line cook to refining and honing her chef's palette. The third partner is somewhat surprising - Michael "Fat Mike" Burkett from NoFX will be an ingredient of this new venture. Cocktail creations are shook up by John Bush, formerly of Niagara in the East Village.
'inoteca
Cuisine: Italian
Price Range: Inexpensive
Lower East Side
98 Rivington Street
(at Ludlow Street)
New York, NY 10002
(212) 614-0473
www.inotecanyc.com
No frills Italian food at surprisingly affordable prices is being dished up at 'inoteca. With two walls of louvered windows thrown open to the street, 'inoteca is the perfect place to people watch while munching on mortadella and pickled red peppers. Cream colored walls and dark polished wooden tables offer a homey feel. The wooden bar offers more than three hundred and fifty wine selections, presenting 'inoteca with much praise and a thirsty crowd. Your dining experience will be intimate, as the lights are low and the tables are close. If elbow room is essential to your pasta indulgence, reserve a table downstairs in the climate controlled wine cellar.
The owners of the former Bar Milano on 3rd Avenue seem to have found one way to weather the financial storm and survive in a failing economy: They have transformed the upscale Italian restaurant into a second branch of their more economically viable, Lower East Side casual dining spot ‘Inoteca.
Bar Milano was closed for two months as the transformation took place, and tonight, for the first time, at 5 P.M. ‘Inoteca will emerge from its cocoon like a frugal butterfly.
Eater informs us that “Envisioned like the West Village’s ‘Ino and the LES ‘Inoteca but on a larger scale, this ‘Inoteca will have all the usual sandwiches, snacks, cheeses, meats, and a few additional categories.” Looking at the menu, it seems like you can get some enticing meals for reasonable prices, like the grilled quail for $16, lasagnette di melanzane for $12, Pollo con panzanella for $16, and an array of paninis all for $11.
The restaurant is on 24th and 3rd, and will soon be expanding to offer a lunch menu and delivery. It will be interesting to see how this gambit to beat the recession pays off.
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