Category Archives: new york

CARBONE OPENING IN GREENWICH VILLAGE PROMISES NEW OLD-SCHOOL ITALIAN

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Welcome “Carbone” with No Regrets to Rocco’s …  Yes, this is what I for one am hoping to say after the most anticipated new New York Restaurant “Carbone” has opened and is in operation, which is supposed to be this coming Friday, March 9, 2013  …  We have already said goodbye to an old friend, Rocco’s .. Well, me for one, as I am certain that of all the throngs of followers who are sure to pack into Rocco’s from day 1 (Friday 3/913) it is also almost certain that I will amongst the very few, 1% of the total who will pack Carbone and have eaten at its predecessor Rocco’s. Yes, I enjoyed eating at Rocco’s a number of times over the years. Rocco’s was one of just a few Old School Red-Sauce Italian Restaurant left in New York. I dying breed, much loved but going the way of the DoDo Bird. Rocco’s was solid, old school Italian New York, decor, food, and service.

    Well the guys who have taken over the old Rocco’s space, Chef/Owners Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi it so happens are the new keepers and reviver’s  of the so-called Red-Sauce joints. Restaurants that have become a dying breed and much maligned, it now seems is the hot new thing in Italian eating in New York. First spawned by The Two Frankies, Frank Castronovo and Frank Facanelli .. The two Frankeis were the first to do it back in 2006 by opening a Old School Italian Red Sauce Restaurant in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn. A casual Italian Restaurant that featured Red-Sauce Italian American favorites like; Meatballs, Braciole, and homemade Cavatelli. The restaurant with a nice casual decor, good service, tasty old New York Italian Food favorites at fare prices and the passion of the two Frnakies proved to be a winnining combination and instant hit at Frankies Spuntino which with a few short years gave birth to two more Frankies restaurants in Manhattan’s lower East Side and in Greenwich Village.

  Shoot ahead about four years and we have Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi opening a great little Italian Trattoria that operates as a very-casual sort Italian Deli serving Meatball Parm Sandwiches, fresh Roast Turkey Sandwiches, and Meatball Parm Sandwiches, Soup, and a few pastas by day and a 5 Course Set Menu as a restaurant my night. This little Italian Deli/Trattoria that featured Italian and Italian American Food with a bit of a modern twist and the Carbone-Torrisi touch. And quite a good touch at that. Torrisi was wonderful executed by Torrisi and Carbone and their place Troorisi Italian Specialties was pretty much a well deserved instant success. With this quick and wonderful success of Torrisi Italian Specialty it wasn’t long before the boys opened their second restaurant to be called PARM which featured Updated Red-Sauce Italian-American Food. The restaurant Parm was opened right next door to Torrisi. Parm was even more of an instant success than Torrisi Italian Specialty and from day # 1 has been packed day and night every single day, and i do man packed and I do mean every single day. A huge Success!

  Now we come to the unfortunate demise of Rocco’s, of which the owner was unable to support a huge jump in his Rent once his old lease was expired. he decided to throw in the towel, and close Rocco’s … A sad day in Greenwich Village, and a sad day for me. But when I heard that Torrisi and Mario Carbone who I had worked with at Del Posto would be opening a new place in the old Rocco’s space, my sadness quickly waned. These guys do things right. I really like Torrisi Specialties and Parm and was excited at the prospect of Mario opening a new place around the block from my apartment.

    Funny thing, when you go into this new restaurant that used to be Rocco’s, you are most likely to see many dishes that you would have seen at Rocco’s. Dishes like Baked Clams, Lobster Fra d’Avlo, Spaghetti or Linguine Vongole, Veal Picatta, Braciole, and such.

 

 

 “You’re seeing more protein at the table now, because they can afford it. They’re becoming more American. They’re embracing what it means to be American. They’re like: ‘I’m going to have protein for days. I’m going to show off. We’re going to have meatballs tonight, and they’re huge!’ ” 

         …….    Mario Carbone …… 

 

“It’s midcentury, Italian-American fine dining,”  “When you look at the menu at this restaurant,” he said, “it’s going to look very familiar, which is the goal.” 

“The table should be covered with food,” Mr. Carbone said. “If we do this right, you should not be able to see the cloth.”  says Mr. Carbone  

 

 

 

   So yes, we Welcome Carbone. I do for one, and one who has actually eaten at Rocco’s numerous times over the years. I loved Rocco’s and was sorry to see them go. But they are gone and nothing I can do about that. I can turn my back against Carbone, but knowing Mario and what a fine Chef and restauranteur he is, I’m certainly not going to do that. I will welcome Carbone, both the restaurant and Mario into my neighborhood and I spotted I enjoyed over the years, Rocco’s. And I’m looking forward to having many fine meals and wonderful times at Carbone over the years to come. “I’m sure I will.”

 

 

 

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

 

 

Note: I will be going to eat at Carbone soon, hoefully this Friday, but certainly very soon. And when I do, I shall report back, and I’m betting that I will love it, and again Welcome Carbone and No Regrets for Rocco’s ….. 

      Daniel

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CARBONE to EVOKE 1950′s DOWNTOWN ITALIAN NEW YORK  ….  181 Thompson Street,   Greenwich Village, New York

Image    READ ABOUT ROCCO’S, SUNDAY SAUCE, SINATRA and GREENWICH VILLAGE ITALIAN-AMERICAN NEW YORK

in “La TAVOLA”              Available on AMAZON.com

>Why Don’t More New Yorker’s Do New Orleans??? !!!

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“Arnaud’s” it’s awseome !!!
A “Muffuletts Sandwich” from Central Grocery.
Me and my “Muffuletta”

“Why Don’t More New Yorker’s Go Down to the “BIG EASY”?? “New Orleans” is the Bomb!!

This Question i Ask, truly Misti fies Me !!!!

I have traveled the World over! Been almost everywhere you can imagine, from; Cambodia, Saigon, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Thailand, Phuket, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Havana, all over Europe from the whole of Italy on more than a dozen trips, to Paris, Monaco, Brussels, all over the united States, “you name.”

Yes, I’ve been all over the World and love and adore many places. New Yorker’s are great travelers. They travel the World more than any other Americans, yet for some reason they don’t do new Orleans much, other than Frat boys and Girls looking to get “Their Wild-On” during Mardi Gras. but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the real New Orleans. The New Orleans of “Great Restaurants,” wonderful food, awesome architecture, Cool People, Great vibe, and the greatest Music Scene on the planet. “Yes, I’ve traveled the World, and i can tell you that New Orleans is one of the “Coolest” most wonderful cities on Earth, “though you hardly ever hear people say.” It is!

Why don’t New Yorkers go there, instead of lame places like St Thomas and Aruba???
I love the town. been there 5 times, and I’ll keep going. I constantly extol the virtues of “The Big Easy,” and not a one of all the people i know who travel a fair amount has ever been there. I’m on a perpetual effort to promote this city i Love, especially since Hurricane Katrina, for the people and the city of New Orleans can use our help. They need people to go down there and spend money in their restaurants, hotels, and bars. The people of New Orleans love to and are used to having people come to their city for a good time. They’ll welcome you with open arms.
Yes I’m a great advocate of New Orleans and constantly tell people about how great it is. Even before Katrina. “So America, and New Yorkers, you gotta check it out. “It’s truly one of the Worlds great Cities.”

>Best Cool French Bistro in New York

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>When it comes to Bistros in New York City, there is one that stands alone. No other can touch it. “Raoul’s” on Prince Street in Soho is far and above any other Bistro in all of New York. The total combined elements of Ambiance, Food, Music, Service, and combined Vibe, just can’t be beat. Raoul’s is just plain “Cool.” They serve some of the best Foe Gras in the city, along with a famous “Steak au Poive” and other Bistro Classics, along with the cool well-worn decor and the a great blend of music like; The Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Edith Piaf, and Best of All, “No Hip Hop.”

At “Raoul’s” they know what they are doing. They should, they’ve been doing it for some 30 years, and the way the do things, we’re sure they’ll be around for a long time to come.

RAOUL’S 180 Prince Street, Soho NY, NY (212)966-3518 www.raouls.com

Pricing: on the Expensive Side

>DUMPLING HOUSES of the Lower East Side

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99 Allen Pork Dumpling (the 1st to start the Dumpling House trend)

An order of Fried Pork Dumplings at “Vanessa’s Dumpling House and Vanessa’s
and

“Prosperity Dumpling” the Best Kept Secret of the Lot. Shaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!”

>New York’s Best Cheap Eats Deal, Pork Dumplings $1.00

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>Know what New York’s Best Cheap Eats Deal is? No, it’s not “Grays Papaya” 2 Hotdogs and a Fruit Drink for $3.50, we love “Grays” and yes it is a Great Deal, but it just can’t beat 5 tasty Hand-Made Pork Dumplings for just a “Buck.” No it can’t. This is an even better deal than the Great Cheap Street Eats in South East Asia. I have eaten all over Asia, and the Street-Food just can’t be beat or it”Excellence and Variety,” but if you consider that you get a great Dish for just about $1.00 allover Asia; Bangkok, Saigon, Phuket, Cambodia, all over. The food that you get is just amazing! But if you consider that New Yorkers make an average of 10 times as much as the average South East Asian and you can get an order of Pork Dumplings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan for the same amount of money you pay for a portion of Street Food in
South East Asia, then maybe the 5 Pork Dumplings on the Lower East Side isn’t just the Best Food Deal in New York, but the World!

99 Allen Fried Dumpling was the first to start the Dumpling House Trend. Then came No. 1 Dumpling (now called Vanessa Dumpling House) and caught on like “Gangbusters” packed day and night. They never stop. In a tiny little shop, and you used to always have to wait to get an order or two. One order is enough as a in-between meal, and two orders is enough to make a complete meal that will fill you at just $2.00
No. 1 Dumpling built up some great business, packed 24/7. They had a tiny little shop and decide to expand, doubling in size to make a little dining room enough to hold about 20 people as opposed to the former narrow 3 foot wide space between wall and counter and a small counter to accommodate about 5 people. They mad the place a “Fancier” compared to what it used to be.
They didn’t raise the “price” of the Dumplings but they did what the Candy Bar Companies used to do, keeping the price the same, but making the portion size a little smaller. “Yes, they kept the price at $1.00, but instead of giving you 5 Pork Dumplings like before, they cut the portion size down to 4 Dumplings for $1.00″ Yes, still a Great Deal (inflation). They also raised the price of the Sesame Pancake with Beef from $1.50 to $2.00. “Yes, still a great deal.
They have added a “Peking Duck Sesame Pancake” that’s yummy and a Bargain at just $2.25

Most of the hoards of people who pack into “Vanessa’s Dumpling House’ and wait on line, have no idea that just 2 blocks south is another great alternative to Vanessa’s. It’s “Prosperity Dumpling House” at 46 Eldridge Street and it’s never packed. Even more important is that the “Dumplings” are just as good as the ones at Vanessa’s. To top it off, you get 5 Dumplings whereby Vanessa’s gives you Four, and the Sesame Pancake with Beef is $1.50 to Vanessa’s $2.00
Hey, I don’t want to “Split hairs” but these things mean a lot to some people out there. I’m just reporting.

So, for just $3.50, you can get a great meal of Fried pork Dumplings and a tasty Sesame Pancake w/Beef sandwich. you can’t beat that. And if you want to “Splurge” on desert, you can go to one of several Chinese Bakery Cafes on Grand Street between Allen and Eldridge and have a coffee and a pastry for just $2.00 That’s just $5.50 for a meal followed by coffee and desert.
That’s what we call a “Cheap Date,” but the quality is just as good as if you paid $100.00 a head or more. Check it out.

>Keith McNally to Re-Open MINETTA TAVERN

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Keith McNally, the man who brought New York some of its most wonderful Landmarks in the form of the ODEON, Cafe Luxenbourg, Lucky Strike, Pravda, Balthazar, and Pastis is at it again. He has purchase the venerable old Greenwich Village institution “The MINETTA TAVERN” on Macdougald Street at the corner of Minetta Lane. Mr. McNally will be opening the Minetta Tavern sometime in the early part of 2009 with Executive Chefs RIAD NASIR and Lee Hansen who both helped Keith open and operate Balthazar, Pastis, and Schiller’s. The food is supposed to be Classic French.