ITALY
Don't be fooled by the name, Paprika, located in the East Village, stems from Valtellina, a region in Northern Italy bordering Switzerland where the food is more Alpine and Austro-Hungarian empire than sun-drenched Italian. Chef and owner Egidio Donagrandi has been serving up non-regional Italian food for over ten years at his resto, but has now decided to shift his focus to his home and its unique cuisine.
The new menu focuses on the flavors and traditions of Valtellina, which is heavily influenced by neighbors Switzerland and Austria. Unique regional specialties and ingredients include buckwheat polenta, cheeses like bitto, crescenza, and casera --all of which are rare in New York. Another preparation Paprika uses is pickling, which is a technique used in Valtellina. Egidio pickles everything from red onions, beets and radishes to oyster mushrooms. Included on the menu are delicious appetizers like Dandelion Salad with pickled red radishes, soft crescenza, and spring onions and Bresaola Carpaccio with pickled oyster mushrooms and red radishes. Delicious pastas include Pizzoccheri Valtellinesi with buckwheat tagliatelle, savoy cabbage, casera cheese, potatoes and garlic, unbelievable Homemade Spaetzle with brussels sprouts and fava beans, and Buckwheat Lasagna with braised leeks and casera cheese fonduta.
Carlos Suarez of BOBO opened up Rosemary's in the West Village last Friday with executive chef Wade Moses (Eataly, Babbo). The restaurant, named for Suarez's mama, is inspired by her home in Lucca, Italy. The menu will feature produce from the rooftop farm, which was designed by Dekar to evoke an elegant Tuscan home. Seasonal Italian dishes from the menu include fresh pastas and a selection of focacce. Rosemary's will also offer take-out in the form of focacce, salads, panini, charcuterie, cheese, and roasted meats and the venue will be open for dinner, with breakfast, lunch, and take-out coming soon. The new joint features an impressive Italian wine list with 40 bottles, all priced at $40, as well as a reserve wine list and a broad selection of wines by the glass, including Prosecco on tap (awesome!).
Long before our eyes and palates turned away from our ethnocentric ideals and began to embrace the cultures and cuisines of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and elsewhere, it was all about Europe. France has had the stronghold on cuisine for over a century, being one of the first to formally establish a school of thought on the matter, as well as rules, formal techniques, and regulations. However, as many food historians would point out, if it were not for the Italian nobility (Catherine de' Medici comes to mind) that brought its dishes and techiques to france, as well as Italian explorers who brought exotic seasonings ands foods to Europe, French cuisine would not be what it is today. Both cuisines are rich, diverse, expansive, and quite different from each other, and the argument over which is better is one that has inflamed the passions of even the most casual eaters.
Steve Forest and Nicola Fasano, the duo behind Pitbull’s smash hit, “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” are quite the production couple. The Italian pair with a Latin flair started creating music together at a young age and have succeeded both as solo artists and collaborators. Their resume includes managing their own record label and production company (Jolly Roger - Sound of Pirates); collecting ASCAP awards (the pair won Ascap Latin Award for ‘Best Urban Latin song’, Ascap Pop Award for ‘Best Pop song’ and an Ascap Rhythm & Soul Music Award for ‘Best R&B/Hip-Hop, Rap and Gospel Music song’ in 2009) and remixing the likes of Armin Van Buuren, Alex Guadino, Bob Sinclair, Eric Morillo and Roger Sanchez. On the production end they've worked with stars such as Chris Willis, Kat DeLuna and Pitbull and have collaborated with singers like Max C and Katherine Ellis.
That's right folks, Paprika, the northern Italy eatery in the East Village is taking half off bottles of vino, every Monday night, all night. Now instead of dreading Mondays, you can at least have something to look forward to once the work day is over! The concise but adventurous wine list features wines from all over Italy, with the majority from northern Italy, including Piedmont, Alto Adige, Friuli, Veneto, and Lombardy, with a special focus on Valtellina, where the chef and owner Egidio Donagrandi hails from. Regularly prices bottles are between $28 and $91. Talk about a deal! Get over those Monday blues and turn them into mad Mondays!
Most New Yorkers claim they know the best pizza joint in town. But tell your fave hub to move on over because recently opened PizzArte will surely give it a run for its money.
Step into this modern Italian resto unlike any other. Forget the red checkered table cloths, forget the dim lighting and noisy children -- this hot new spot is not clinging on to the same ol' Italian restaurant theme. Instead, owners Bruno Cilio and Dario Cipollaro de l'Ero (first time restaraunteurs) opted to decorate with mod tables and lights and walls covered in great Italian artwork (perfect, since it's situated just footsteps away from the MoMA). The artists that are currently being displayed there are Lello Esposito, Luciano Scateni, Giuseppe Falconi and Francesco Manes, all of whom are from Naples. The artwork will rotate every four to six months.
Carlos Sampietro, born in Lake Como, Italy, moved from the advertising industry to the arts. Don't worry about getting bored while looking at his collection, "The Street Is In The House," is truly unique. Sampietro's motto for the exhibit is "There is beauty in something that has been in the street for so long."
Pictured above, is one of Sampietro's police barrier tables. The artist wanted to bring something that is normally scary and used to separate people, and turn it into something that will bring people together. Many of his works use similar elements -- transforming an item from the street into something beautiful and something that makes a statement about society.
Snooki, the Situation, Pauly D and the rest of the tanned trainwrecks of the Jersey Shore are going to be replaced!
After wrapping up shooting for Season 4 in Italy - and is scheduled to premiere on MTV 08/04/11 - US Weekly reports the Guidos & Guidettes are getting ready to shoot their final season next month back in Seaside Heights, NJ.
Reason for the recasting? Perhaps the gang has gotten too classy after their adventures overseas...ha. By bringing in a new cast, the show would be much cheaper to produce.
The renowned Broadway has been famous for theatre, its inclusion in songs, Time’s Square and well, just being Broadway. Now it seems it has a whole new claim to fame with the opening of Eataly in the flatiron district. The 50,000 square foot (yes. fifty thousand!) market includes multiple eateries, each with a different focus and a surplus of Italian groceries, produce, and wines.
The architectural details alone are a marvel in their own right, but the inclusion of a fishmonger, a butcher, and an oyster bar really push this place over the top. Eataly seems to be similar in concept to the Chelsea market with the benefit of being new.
It can be a challenge to accomplish much, however, due to the sheer volume of people that hurtle through the doors every day (parallels have been drawn with the subway at rush hour.) Nevertheless Eataly is a great new place to grab lunch, a bottle of wine, or groceries!
In a city like L.A, where dozens of exotic foods dominate the restaurant genre, it’s not easy to find simplicity these days. But after us Angelenos satisfy our eccentric cravings of escargot and “pho,” we will never turn down the pure simple goodness of a piping hot pizza. One can try but you will never escape the great Pizza Craze.
If you’re a lover of Chicago style deep-dish pizza, no need to get on a plane to Michigan Ave. Look no further than Masa of Echo Park. This L.A. deep dish is comparable – if not better – than some deep dish I’ve tasted in Chicago. With it’s fine dining atmosphere of low lights and a fully stocked bar, Masa of Echo Parkwill hold its own to arguably be the best deep-dish place in So-Cal. Get their “Lots of Meat” pizza, it will satisfy any meat lover’s appetite.
Next on the list is a small pizza spot I discovered while visiting downtown L.A.’s monthly art walk. I found Pie Boy Pizzeria on 5th and Hill and was pleasantly surprised at their caliber of quality. Its modest restaurant space is modern and cozy with pop-rock music blaring on the speakers and the perfect hotspot for local teens. My favorite is their pepperoni pizza, rich with flavor and mouthwatering at every bite. Their scrumptious thin-crust pizza hails imported ingredients - sauce from Italy and bread from the east coast, proving that mileage doesn’t have to compromise superior taste. Pie Boy Pizzeria will stop at nothing to show west-coasters that our pizza can measure up to our east-coast neighbors.
Casa Bianca is another favorite amongst the locals of Eagle Rock. This popular spot has been around since 1955 and is the top pizza choice of the area. Their fan base is evident, as you drive by and see the long line of people waiting for tables or to-go orders. If you want it fast Casa Bianca won’t be your first choice. Everything is made fresh to order and they know their loyal customers will not be waiting in vain. Their sausage pizza is top on the menu with their famous garlic bread to compliment the savory sauce and succulent meat.
And to round up my top best is Mulberry Street Pizza located in Encino and Beverly Hills. A few New Yorkers I know say it’s the best New York Style pizza this side of the coast and I would not beg to differ. Their home-style vibe is the perfect compliment to the old-school pizza parlors of the day, paying homage to the simplistic goodness of a well-made delicious pizza. Their “White Pizza” and “Eggplant Parmesan” is top on the list and anyone not accustomed to eggplant on a pizza will be in for a delectable surprise.
If the pizza craze hasn’t taken a hold of you yet, just wait until you try one of these places and soon enough you’ll be one of us.
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