Top Ten: Dishes for Two

What is better than sharing a delicious, hearty meal when dishes are meant for sharing? Dishes for two tend to bring you closer together with the ones you love. The "mmmms" and "yummsss" will be hummed in unison as you try these ten delectable dishes all around Manhattan.
by Sarah Mintz, Contributing Writer


10. Calle Ocho 45 W 81st Street  nr. Columbus Avenue

Dinner: Traditional Costa Rican Soft Tacos with Grilled Beef, Salsa Verde Shrimp & Chipotle Chicken $26 -OR-

Breakfast: Traditional Costa Rican Soft Tacos with Scrambled Eggs, Guacamole, Salsa, Sour Cream, Chorizo and Home Fries $28

Dishes for two at breakfast and dinner - how can you go wrong?

9. Ciano 45 East 22nd Street nr. Park Avenue
Giannone Chicken for Two Baked in a Clay Pot with Castelluccio Lentils and a Mushroom Ragu $55

Extremely moist, tender, and juicy chicken encased with its accompaniments and enclosed by a dough topping makes for one of the season's most comforting dishes.

8. Maialino  2 Lexington Avenue nr. 21st Street

Spigola Salt Baked Sea Bass for Two & Mushrooms $72

Sure, the description sounds simple but the taste is far from it. We can't deny that pork and pasta are crowd favorites here, but the Spigola is hands down Maialino's unsung hero.

7. The Breslin  16 W. 29th Street nr. Broadway

Pig Foot for Two with Winter Vegetables and Shallow Crème Fraiche $48

Stuffed with sausage, deep fried, and underneath a creamy sauce - this dish adds up to the most well-worth it heart attack you'll ever have.

6. Craft 43 East 19th Street nr. Park Avenue

30-Day Dry-Aged Rib Eye Bone Marrow & Bordelaise $125

The rib eye is cooked to perfection but the bordelaise reduction alone is worth the trip to Craft.

5. Commerce 50 Commerce Street nr. Bedford Street

Whole Roasted Chicken for Two with Winter Vegetables and Truffled Potato Puree $58

Foie gras stuffing? Enough said!

4.   The Modern 9 West 53rd Street nr. 5th Avenue

Squab and Foie Gras Croustillant for Two with Caramelized Ginger Jus and Farm Vegetables (included in price of $98 prix fixe dinner)

The buttery and flaky crust of the croustillant encaptures the most decadently smooth foie gras and perfectly tender squab, keeping all flavors tightly sealed until each bite hits your mouth. Oh and don't forget the truffle sauce hiding underneath it all!

3. Babbo 110 Waverly Place nr. Washington Square West

Deconstructed Osso Buco for Two with Saffron Orzo, Cavolo Nero and Chestnut Gremolata $75

Come hungry as the Osso Bucco for two can easily feed a family of four. Regardless, it will be hard for you to put your fork and knife (potentially a butter knife this meat is so tender!) down- the dish packs in so many dynamic flavors, you might forget it comes with a fantastic side of saffron-laced orzo.

2. Nuela 43 West 24th Street nr. 6th Avenue

Arroz con Pato with Roasted Duck Breast, Confit Thighs under Crispy Skin & Gizzards Seared Foie Gras, Verde Rice, and a Soft Duck Egg $64

Although "duck with rice" doesn’t sound pretty, this Arroz con Pato sure is! This is Nuela's signature dish and was named one of the New York Times best dishes in 2010. Think paella, but expect five parts of duck and delicious combinations of savory and sweet mixed among the crispy rice. Hands down a crowd pleaser! 

1. Locanda Verde 377 Greenwich Street nr. North Moore Street

Fire-Roasted Garlic Chicken for Two Served with Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Vegetables  $48

I know. I hate ordering the ubiquitous chicken when I'm out to dinner too, but trust me when I tell you that Andrew Carmellini has perfected this dish. Moist and simple, but this chicken is just so perfect.

Top 10: Gluten-free Options in NYC

by Sarah Mintz, Contributing Writer

January 13, 2012

There seems to be a misconception that being gluten-free also means being banned from eating many foods and in general, eating out. No more bread, soup, pasta, sauce, beer, cake, or cookies. Wrong! Gluten-free options and full gluten-free menus are becoming quite commonplace around NYC. From what we've found, gluten-free alternatives often taste better than regular menu items. Here's our top 10 restaurants for all of our gluten-free friends:

Lilli and Loo's Gluten Free Crunchy Sesame Chicken
Photo credit: Foodspotting

10. Lilli and Loo 792 Lexington Avenue nr. 62nd Street

Navigating Asian cuisine with a gluten allergy may be near impossible. Wontons and dumplings? Wrapped in wheat. Lo-mein noodles? Made from wheat. Fried dishes? Battered in wheat. Savory sauces? Almost all contain some wheat derivative. Not at Lilli and Loo! Along with a great regular menu for your non-celiac pals, Lilli and Loo offers a gluten-free menu with over 50 items to choose from, such as dumplings with gluten-free soy sauce, rock shrimp tempura, Kung pao chicken, and even pad thai.

Sambuca's Brownie sundae
Photo credit: Just Desserts NYC 

9. Sambuca 20 West. 72^nd Street nr. Central Park West

Head to the Upper West Side for family-style Italian at this neighborhood gem. Sambuca has offered a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its regular menu for over seven years - quite ahead of the trend! Don’t expect pasta with red sauce here; instead, you'll find almost 40 gluten-free dishes including chicken scarpiello, spinach ravioli, and pesto pasta. You can also expect gluten-free beer, dinner rolls, chocolate truffle cake, and warm brownies!

Risoterria's Risotti
Photo credit: Une Vie Saine

8. Risotteria 270 Bleecker Street nr. 6th Avenue

Everyone gets a taste of a gluten-free lifestyle at this West Village risotto haven. Every meal starts with light and airy gluten-free breadsticks, whether or not you are gluten-free. Don’t worry, refills of these tasty sticks are on the house so let your non-celiac  friends indulge! The menu is extensive and clearly indicates with a "g" every dish that is gluten-free. Choose from options such as meatballs with bolognese sauce, risotti (creamy Italian rice without the cream) with calamari, roasted garlic, and Italian parsley, as well as paninis and pizzas. Definitely save room for the gluten-free éclair! Risotteria doesn't take reservations and with only 20 seats (re: this place is really tiny), I recommend arriving early to avoid a wait. For a restaurant that calls itself “gluten-free heaven”, you almost have to check it out!

S'MAC's Mac n' Cheese
Photo credit: S'MAC

7. S'Mac 345 E. 12th Street nr. 1st Avenue

Lip smackin' mac n' cheese comes out piping hot and fresh at this East Village eatery that's been around since 2006 - essentially a lifetime in the NYC dining scene. The best news is that a gluten-free lifestyle can fully indulge here. After extensive testing and overhauling ingredients in 2009, S'Mac successfully found ways to make every regular menu-item without gluten. Béchamel can now be made without wheat flower, and breadcrumbs are made from gluten-free cornflakes. I recommend the classic 4-Cheese skillet (cheddar, Muenster, gruyere, and Pecorino) and the Parisienne, which combines creamy brie, roasted figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms & fresh rosemary. This Parisienne is definitely unorthodox in the mac' world but is an amazing balance of savory and sweet. Eat-in (limited seating), take-out, or for a truly indulgent meal, get it delivered!

Meatballs & delish sauce!
Photo credit: At the Sign of the Pink Pig

6. The Meatball Factory 231 Second Avenue nr. 14th Street

Not to be confused with the Meatball Shop, the Meatball Factory and its chef, Top Chef alum Dave Martin, offer three gluten-free meatballs and six gluten-free sauces among the plethora of menu options. Braised and ground pork shoulder, bacon fat, mascarpone and a dash of red chili paste? Yes please. Fire roasted marinara sauce with fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, & sweet onion, fresh basil and sherry? Yes please. Sauces are made from scratch, atmosphere is casual and prices are more than reasonable. And for your friends who don't mind a little gluten in their diet, there are plenty of salads, pizzas, and additional meatball options to choose from. Don't let them leave without trying the Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese. And as of 2012, The Meatball Factory delivers!

Taim's classic falafel
Photo credit: Eatery Expert

5. Taim (222 Waverly Pl.)

No question, Taim makes the best falafel in city. Taim offers three types of falafel daily, all of which are gluten-free and fried to order in 0% trans-fat oil. Taim also makes the freshest gluten-free hummus that is always a perfectly smooth yet creamy consistency. I'm partial to the green falafel, a traditional flavor combination with parsley, cilantro, and mint - it's basically perfection in a pita. Others prefer the falafel platter, which provides a sampling of all three falafel flavors, hummus, tabouli, and Israeli salad. Keep your eye out for Taim Mobile driving around town if you don't want to head to the West Village!  

Bistango's Shrimp, Calamari, Scallops & Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce
Photo credit: Bistango

4. Bistango 415 Third Avenue nr. 29th Street

Get lost in the charming ambience and limitless gluten-free options at this family-owned Italian trattoria in Murray Hill. Bistango used to have a separate gluten-free menu, but the owner Anthony has since decided to make everything on the entire menu adaptable to be gluten-free.Tell your server you're gluten-free when you sit down and you will be served complimentary bruschetta on a piece of fresh radicchio rather than the typical bruschetta. Menu items include wild mushrooms & ricotta ravioli, spinach & ricotta ravioli, and cheese tortellini. For an extra $2 dollars, Bistango is more than happy to make any pasta item on the menu gluten-free, including gnocchi with slow-cooked short-rib ragu. Don’t forget to order one of the two gluten-free beers and top off the meal with one of eight gluten-free desserts including carrot cake with buttermilk frosting.

Cupcake heaven, minus the gluten!
Photo credit: Tu-Lu's 

3. Tu-Lu’s 338 E. 11^th Street nr. First Avenue

When owner's Tully and Jen were diagnosed with gluten intolerance, they became determined to eat the things they had always loved in the past. The hardest replacements for Tully to find were high-quality baked goods, so she took it upon herself to make her own and share them with others. This is how Tu-Lu’s was born. This 100% gluten-free bakery features cupcakes, cakes, muffins, cookies and even paninis. With dense and moist brownies (with chocolate chips!), chewy oatmeal, cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies, and fluffy cupcakes with rich creamy frosting, it is essentially impossible to tell that the treats are gluten-free. 

Blue Smoke's Gluten-Free Rib Sampler
Photo credit: Blue Smoke 

2. Blue Smoke 116 E. 27^th Street nr. Park Avenue South

BBQ lovers rejoice - Danny Meyer to the rescue! Blue Smoke in Flatiron and its Executive Chef Kenny Callaghan offer a separate gluten-free menu in addition to its full-fledged stick-to-your-ribs barbeque menu. The gluten-free menu includes appetizers such as iced oyster, deviled eggs, and baked chipotle wings. Main courses range from citrus-crusted tuna and shrimp & grits, to filet mignon and NY strip steak. With additional gluten-free BBQ options like Kansas City spareribs, Memphis baby back ribs, and Texas salt & pepper beef ribs, there is no reason to feel “left out” at dinner! 

Rubirosa's Vodka Pizza
Photo credit: Rubirosa

1. Rubirosa 235 Mulberry Street nr. Prince Street

Ranked “Best Slice” by NY Mag in 2011, #5 on Eater’s January 2012 “38 Essential New York Restaurants” and #1 on its “15 New York Restaurants with the Hottest Servers”, and #1 on our Gluten-Free Top 10, Rubirosa has taken the NY pizza community by storm since it opened in 2010. This classic pizzeria with chic Nolita flair serves super thin-crust yet supple pizza (the family recipe is over 50 years old!) along with a host of other Italian classics including fresh pasta made in-house and chicken parmigiano. The gluten-free menu includes pure deliciousness such as risotto balls with marscapone and prosciutto, calamari fritti, penne pasta, and six pizzas. Do not, I repeat, do not leave Rubirosa without trying the vodka pizza. Creamy, alcohol-spiked tomato sauce with fresh mozzarella? What more could you ask for? Gluten-free items are cooked in separate pots, pans and fryers as to not cross-contaminate any food items. 

Top 10: Best Holiday Gifts for Foodies

It's that time of year when the snow and holiday stress starts to mount almost simultaneously, so while the Eatery Expert team can't control the weather, we certainly can help alleviate some of that stress by providing 10 excellent and delicious gift options for the epicurean in your life. All of these gifts are available for purchase online and are still shipping, but not for long...

Place your orders today so your food-loving friends' taste buds will be satiated just in the nick of time!

1. Taste:NY - So we're a little biased, but of course we think our assortment of NYC-made treats is the best out there and completely fit for a foodie. Ten delicious treats are included, like the The Redhead's Bacon Peanut Brittle, Mamoun's Hot Sauce, & Chef Sara Jenkin's Porchetta Salt Rub. Order while supplies last! Bonus: Free pick-up or delivery for residents in New York City and Brooklyn! $91.99

2. City Shuffle Dining Deck: Lead your friends to places they would never try in neighborhoods they would never go by giving them a deck of deals! Some of our favorite bars & restaurants are included like Coppelia, Jimmy's No. 43 & Pure Food and Wine. Every card is a $10 gift certificate. Perfect stocking stuffer? We think so! $19.95- $29.95, Available at Union Square Holiday Market, Barnes & Noble (86th St. & Lexington Ave.), and Bed, Bath & Beyond locations in New York.

3. Hands-On Cooking Classes at The Astor Center 399 Lafayette Street @ East 4th Street Wishing your significant other would learn to make you that romantic lobster dinner you have always dreamed of, or how about an authentic Tuscan feast? Take one of the many diverse cooking classes together at the Astor Center and enjoy hands-on training from culinary experts. Feast on the fruits of your labor while a sommelier tells you which wine pairings go best with the dishes you have prepared. The pairings are usually included with the class! Prices vary; $129-$150 per person


EE Tip: Take a class with Chef Emily Peterson - her Italian pasta making class is our personal favorite!

4. Daniel Boulud: Cocktails and Amuse-Bouches for Her and Him: World-famous chef Daniel Boulud and DANIEL mixologist Xavier Herit put together this two-volume collection of sophisticated drink recipes, making the classics a bit more mod. Each book has 20 cocktails and 10 amuse-bouche recipes to inspire it's recipient to finally throw that cocktail party - of course you'll be the first on the guest list!

5. Fat Toad Farm Caramel: A favorite of Top Chef Master Rick Bayless, this farmstead caramel is made the traditional Mexican confectionery way known as Cajeta in a small, family owned goat dairy farm in Central Vermont. While most caramel sauce recipes are based on sugar and high fructose corn syrup, cajeta is dairy based, making Fat Toad Farm’s variety incredibly silky and creamy. Available in a variety of flavors including Original, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon and Coffee Bean. Sounds like the forbidden fruit just got a heavenly makeover. $26.95 for 4, Bedford Cheese Shop, 229 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn

6. 508 NYC Craft Beer Growler: The ideal gift for the beer aficionado in your life, 508 NYC offers growlers-to-go of their brewed-on-premises craft beers. Bring along a growler of a new brew from New York's only gastrobrewery and you will be the best guest any holiday host could ask for. Make sure to tell the giftee that they can take their growler back to 508 NYC for a refill anytime. It will cost them $17, but they will always remember that you were the one that got them hooked. $24 for growler filled with special brew. Available for pick-up at 508 NYC, 508 Greenwich Street @ Spring St. 

7. Jonathan Adler Shoes Salt & Pepper Shakers: These stylish shakers just give the foodie in your life all the reason to season! Not only are the shakers pretty snazzy, the shoebox packaging is just amazing as the product. $48.00

8. Edible Manhattan Magazine Subscription: Published six times a year, it is the most delicious reading any city guy or gal can do between bites of their weekend brunch. Everything about up-and-coming local purveyors, chefs, restaurants, markets, shops and tastemakers is included, accompanied by gorgeous food porn-esque photography. You'll probably buy a subscription for yourself - it's only natural. $35 for one-year subscription

9. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whisky: The perfect gift for the man that loves to watch Boardwalk Empire with a glass of something respectable in his hand. A single grain bourbon, made from 100% New York corn. This was the first whisky produced by Tuthilltown Spirits and the first legal pot-distilled whiskey made in New York since Prohibition. How does it taste? Mildly sweet and smooth with hints of vanilla and caramel. Sounds like the holidays to us. $45.00, Yorkshire Wines & Spirits, 1646 First Avenue @ 86th Street

10. Treatful E-Gift Cards: We know, gift cards aren't the most creative gift of all, but when you're redeeming a dinner at Gramercy Tavern or Buttermilk Channel, who can really complain about that? The way you gift a 'treat' is you select a restaurant from a large, quality list, set your gift price, and add a personalized message. Your e-card will be delivered instantly via e-mail. 

Top 10: Pumpkin Dishes

10. Ice Cream Sandwich with Pumpkin – The Meatball Shop

(64 Greenwich Ave. @ Perry St.)

 Imagine this, homemade pumpkin ice cream wedged in between your choice of homemade cookie.  Many associate The Meatball shop with having the best balls around.  It's true - they do, but what most people fail at  is saving room for dessert.  You can choose from a selection of their homemade cookies, but we highly recommend their seasonal pumpkin ice cream wedged between their chocolate chip cookie .  Perfect amount of spice combined with a creamy and sweet finish!  Or if you are feeling adventurous, mix and match the top and bottom cookie.  It's hard to go wrong!

9. Japanese Pumpkin Pancakes – Clinton Street Baking Co.

(4 Clinton St. nr. Houston St.)

They serve pancakes in the morning, in the afternoon and at night which makes us believe they know what they are doing.  In fact, they do!  Pumpkin makes everything just a little sweeter and these pancakes are proof.  They're adorned with a pumpkin seed streusel, warm maple butter and topped with pumpkin puree.   

8. Pumpkin Pizza – Forcella

(334 Bowery St. nr. Bond St.)

Forcella is a newcomer to Manhattan and they've already proven themselves with their pumpkin pizza.  Pumpkin once again steals the show as the key ingredient.  It is topped with smoked mozzarella, and speck from Alto Adige.  It's not too sweet, not too smokey, and not too meaty.  I bet Goldy Locks would think it's just right!



7. Pumpkin Pie – Good Enough to Eat

(483 Amsterdam Ave. @ 83rd St.)

Pumpkin pie - a staple at Thanksgiving dinner.  But we think it should be served year round.  In our quest to find the perfect pumpkin pie, it was a no brainer.  Take a look, you'll know why.  The crust is flakey and delicious and the pumpkin heavenly.  

6. Candied Pumpkin and sugared "Hay" – Prune

(54 East 1st St. nr. First Ave)

The most interesting  pumpkin dish we found.  Gabrielle Hamilton is well known for a number of reasons and this really should be one of them.  We're still not entirely sure how she makes the hay, but we don't care - it's delicious!  Add to that the candied pumpkin,  Greek yogurt and honey and you've got one heck of a dish.  

5. Pumpkin and Goat Cheese croquettes – Casa Mono

(52 Irving Pl. @ 17th St.)

Casa Mono is consistently one of the best restaurants in New York due to their ability to create exciting dishes.  This is one of those dishes.  Within the tapas style menu, the perfectly fried croquettes with a creamy and flavorful center truly standout!

4. Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding– Sugar Sweet Sunshine

(126 Rivington St. nr. Essex St.)

The pumpkin eggnog pudding is a ray of sugar sweet sunshine at this bakery in the LES.  The layers of pumpkin cake only add to the depth of flavor and the eggnog pudding and whipped cream add to it's fabulosity.  The Nog is served five different ways, A shot 10 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz & the grandaddy 64 ounce tub.  We recommend the grandaddy -  It's pumptastic!

3. Bergère– Buvette

(42 Grove St. nr. Bleecker St.)

 Ever wonder what a Bergère is?  Me either!  But now that I do know, I never want to forget! A Bergère translates to shepherdess in French so this is essentially a shepherd sandwich.  It's filled with brie, radicchio and roasted pumpkin on toasted French bread.   If shepherds eat this well then sign me up! 

2.  Pumpkin Coppetta - Otto

(1 Fifth Ave. @ 8th St.)

Otto may be known for their pizza, but their desserts deserve a lot of credit too!  This is a great example.  The rum ginger cake, cassata crema, coffee bourbon sauce, candied walnuts & cranberries make for a special combination with the pumpkin.  It's a no brainer - save room and order the coppetta.  

1.  Seasonal Pumpkin Doughnut- Doughnut Plant

(379 Grand St. nr. Essex St.)

"Mmmmm, Seasonal Pumpkin Donut."
        -Homer Simpson


I don't think we can put it any better. 

Top 10: Fried Foods

It’s pandemonium on Wall Street these days. The stock market is crashing! Standard and Poor’s has downgraded the United States and it’s likely France is next. People are rioting on the streets of London. The world, it seems, is coming to an end. If our time has come there’s not much we can do to stop it so I say let’s embrace the end. Let’s toast to the dark side! Put down that low-cal smoothie. Step away for the steamed tofu. Join us as we celebrate Eating Unhealthy: Top 10 Fried Foods. If the world’s gonna end, we might as well eat like it!

10. Fried Oyster Sliders – The Dutch

(131 Sullivan St. @ Prince St.)

Andrew Carmellini’s foray from Italian comfort food to American comfort food has brought us lots of tasty treats but these just might be the tastiest of them all.

9. Fish and Chips – A Salt and Battery

(112 Greenwich Ave. @ 12th St.)

We’d be remiss to have a top fried foods list without fish and chips and the combination is at it’s finest at A Salt and Battery.

8. Korean Fried Chicken – Mad For Chicken

(314 5th Ave. @ 32nd St.)

Korea town got a little more crowded when KyoChon invaded the neighborhood but nobody has yet knocked off the Korean fried chicken champ.

7. Fried Potatoes – Barbuto

(775 Washington St. @ 12th St.)

You can fry just about anything in duck fat and make it taste good. But this good? Only Johnathan Waxman could do it.

6. Fried Pork Dumplings – Vanessa’s Dumpling House

(118 Eldridge St. @ Broome St.)

The gold standard in all things dumpling fries ‘em up better than any others we’ve tried.

5. Fried Oreos – Led Zeppole

(328 East 14th St. @ 2nd Ave.)

Does this one really need any further commentary? The brains behind Artichoke Pizza do it again.

4. French Fries –  Pommes Frites

(123 2nd Ave. @ 7th St.)

Easily the toughest decision we had to make was which French Fryer to add to the list but the sheer magnitude of fry variations – all delicious – give Pomme Frites the leg up on the competition.

3. Empire Roll – Sushi Sen-Nin

(30 East 33rd St. @ Madison Ave.)

It’s really nothing more than a glorified shrimp tempura roll but the best one at that. Shaped and colored like the empire state building gives it it’s namesake, perfect taste and crunch land it on this list. (we couldn't find a picture, but trust us on this one!)

2. Fried Chicken – Dirty Bird To Go

(204 West 14th St. @ 7th Ave.)

We can’t talk fried foods without fried chicken right? So let’s talk about it. Dirty Bird is nothing more than a small take-out place but what it lacks in size it makes up with some of the dirtiest fried chicken in town.

1. Pretzel Dusted Fried Calamari – ABC Kitchen

(35 East 18th St. @ Broadway)

You don’t win a James Beard award for nothing. You win for taste and creativity, two of the defining characteristics of this dish from Dan Kluger.