Fiorini Combines Old World Charm And Carefully Prepared Classic Italian Cuisine

Fiorini Restaurant

ADDRESS:209 East 56th Street

(Between Second Avenue and Third Avenue)

New York, NY 10022

WEB SITE:www.fiorinirestaurantnyc.com

TELEPHONE:(212) 308-0830

FAX:(212) 308-9399

HOURS:Dinner:               5:00 PM  -  10:00 PM, Mon.-Sat.

(Closed Sunday)

Lunch:                  12:00 Noon – 3:00 PM, Mon.-Fri.

CUISINE:Regional Italian

CREDIT CARDS:All major cards accepted

PRICE RANGE:Lunch (entrees):  $16.00 – $28.00

Dinner (entrees): $18.00 – $45.00

DRESS:Smart Casual

RESERVATIONS:Recommended

SEATING CAPACITY:Dining Room:           120

Private Dining Room:                   50

NUMBER OF ROOMS:1

(Private Party Room seats 50)

PARTY FACILITIES:With semi-private and private dining areas available,

as well as the whole restaurant if required, Fiorini

can cater parties large and small for both daytime

and evening events and is highly recommended as a party and event venue.

EXECUTIVE CHEF:Xavier Quispilema

PASTRY CHEF:Xavier Quispilema

WINE DIRECTOR:Stefano Conenna

OWNER:Lello Arpaia

OPENING DATE:August, 2006

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Fiorini

The Elegant Main Dining Room (Above)

“Little flower” Fiorini is a smartly simple, nonchalantly elegant Italian restaurant designed for midtown Manhattan neighborhood and New York City destination dining at moderate prices. Fiorini showcases regional Italian food traditions, rooted in the freshest, highest quality ingredients available – a reflection of owner Lello Arpaia’s passionate commitment to authentic cuisine. He is equally dedicated to fostering a warmly welcoming atmosphere, one built on the firm foundation of knowledgeable, gracious service from a staff of hospitality professionals. Indeed you will find no better service in any NY Italian restaurant and Mr. Arpaia is a consummate professional, walking from table to table making each guest feel pampered. 

Mr. Arpaia, whose previous restaurants include Lello, Scarlatti, Cellini and Bellini,  is also a chef and along with his Executive, Chef Xavier Quispilema, collaborates to craft a menu featuring an eclectic selection of classic, regional Italian dishes, refining and updating them with a modern flair.The easy to negotiate menu is enhanced with numerous daily specials, which are thankfully listed on the menu with prices.

Firorini offers a handsome 20-foot long custom-made marble and oak bar, located at the front of the restaurant, and features a specially curated, predominantly Italian wine list, with some good bottles in the $50 to $70 range and a variety of wines are available by the glass. In addition, specialty cocktails such as Fiorini (Prosecco and Fresh Strawberry Puree), Melograno (Absolut Citron, Reduced Blackberry Puree, Hint of Triple Sec, Fresh Mint), and L’Amore (Southern Comfort, Muddled Pomegranate and Apple Compote, Fresh Lime Juice) are also available. The Dinner, Lunch, and Bar Menus can be enjoyed at the bar as well.

With our beautifully made cocktails we enjoyed a crispy fritto misto, combining bay scallops, shrimp, calamari and zucchini. Even better, was a fork-tender Mediterranean grilled octopus with tomato, caper-berries, olives, arugula and red onions. With it we chose a 2009 Pio Cesare Langhe Arneis, from Piedmont, Italy ($52). It was fresh, sprightly and full bodied enough to enjoy throughout the meal.

 

We followed with 2 pastas:  Fresh PAPPARDELLE CON GRANCHIO or Jumbo Lump Crab Meat, Garden Peas, Garlic, Olive Oil Cherry Tomatoes and Lobster Broth, a house specialty,  and LINGUINE ALLE VONGOLE, Little neck clams, garlic, olive oil, white wine and fresh parsley. The linguini was “Italian” al dente, a bit more to the bite than most Italian restaurants in America serve it and just to our taste. Neither dish was smothered with sauce, another commonly found error in many NY Italian restaurants.

 

 

 Linguini and White Clam Sauce (Above)

 

Our entrees consisted of a huge Grilled Ribeye in Brandy and Green Peppercorn Sauce (a special)  and a honey of a Grilled Veal chop with sautéed caramelized pearl onions. Both were beautifully grilled, tender and juicy.

What A Chop (Above)

Fiorini is not the place to skip dessert. Along with fine cappuccino, don’t miss the amazing Baba, a feathery sponge cake filled with Marsala and Mascarpone cheese and served with a shot of rum to douse as you please. The Chocolate Soufflé was more like a molten chocolate cake, but delicious nonetheless.

 

Desserts of Distinction (Above)

Fiorini’s stylish, sophisticated dining room is enhanced by an 8-foot high ceiling, fabric-upholstered banquettes and chairs, mahogany tables with white tablecloths, woven fabric walls, hanging fabric light fixtures and sconces, rich varnished wood floors, and  there is a charming Private Dining Room, located in the back of the restaurant.

As one of the last remaining luxury Italian restaurants in Manhattan, Fiorini is highly recommended. And wonder of wonders, having a good experience, even for first-timers, is a no brainer.

 

OWNER/DESIGNER:Lello Arpaia (Above)

Book A Reservation Online By Clicking Here

 

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

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EMPIRE STEAK HOUSE DEAL of DEALS

EMPIRE STEAK HOUSE

36 WEST 52ND ST

NYC 10019

212-582-6900

WWW.EMPIRESTEAKHOUSENYC.COM

Fine Wines and Giant Lobster Special

Mondays and Tuesdays Only

$129 per couple

Share a 4-41/2 lb Lobster along with a bottle of wine from the following selection:

Chateau Montelena (Cabernet)

Joseph Phelps (Cabernet)

Jordan (Cabernet)

Shafer (Merlot)

“J” Wines Reserve (Pinot Noir)

Chateau Simard (Bordeaux)

Ruffino, Reserve Ducale Gold Label (Chianti)

Santa Margherita (Pinot Grigio)

Far Niente (Chardonnay)

Tax and Tip In Addition.

This should run for a minimum of 3 months

The restaurant is very upscale, service is excellent and the food ranks with New York’s best Steak restaurants.

And What A Deal!

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

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THE GERSHWINS’ PORGY AND BESS NOW ON BROADWAY AT THE RICHARD RODGERS THEATRE

All photos by Michael J. Lutch

The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS, which began previews on Saturday, December 17th, opens tonight, Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street, between 8th Avenue and Broadway). Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 877-250-2929 or by clicking the link below

http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Gershwins-Porgy-and-Bess-tickets/artist/974187

Or The Following  Events Site. Click Here

View A Video At This Excellent Site Click Here

The cast includes Audra McDonald as Bess, Norm Lewis as Porgy, David Alan Grier as Sporting Life, Phillip Boykin as Crown, Nikki Renée Daniels as Clara, Joshua Henry as Jake, Christopher Innvar as Detective, Bryonha Marie Parham as Serena and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Mariah, as well as Allison Blackwell, Roosevelt André Credit, Trevon Davis, Joseph Dellger, Wilkie Ferguson, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Heather Hill, David Hughey, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Alicia Hall Moran, Cedric Neal, Phumzile Sojola, Nathaniel Stampley, Julius Thomas III, J.D. Webster and Lisa Nicole Wilkerson

The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS comes to Broadway in a stunning and stirring new staging, featuring such legendary songs as “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” and “I Got Plenty of Nothing,” plus a remarkable cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Ragtime, “Private Practice”), Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis (Les Misérables, Sondheim on Sondheim) and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier (Race, “In Living Color”). The classic story by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward is set in Charleston’s fabled Catfish Row, where the beautiful Bess struggles to break free from her scandalous past, and the only one who can rescue her is the crippled but courageous Porgy. Threatened by her formidable former lover Crown, and the seductive enticements of the colorful troublemaker Sporting Life, Porgy and Bess’ relationship evolves into a deep romance that triumphs as one of theater’s most exhilarating love stories

Our Review Will Be Available Soon.

Ivana Wines Win Awards.

The first word that pops out of your mouth, when it comes to wine, may not be “Ivana,” but don’t tell the wine-world. The legendary lady, who only  needs a fist name to be recognized, launched her new collection late 2011 to accolades from the press and wine critics alike, in events gliding from her New York town house to Palm Beach wine venues.

Follow the links below to her personal website: http://www.ivanawine.com/

and the website where the wines can be purchased online. http://www.ivanatrump.com/Press.html

Madam Trump “is limiting her own drinking to St. Tropez,, where she spend half the year.”

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

100% Stanton Estate Varietal Petite Sirah Will Blow Your Socks Away . . . In A word . . . WOW

 

As you can read, we are continuing our Petite Sirah series with this remarkable wine. If you can take your eyes away from the mesmerizing deep violet hue, and scintillating legs, get a whiff of that nose: full of spice and coffee and let it roll down the tongue to the back of your throat to fully appreciate the big, powerful, intense (did we miss anything) mouthfilling taste. The finish may be the longest in the history of Sirahs.

For goodness sake, don’t drink anything before or after, but enjoy this masterpiece from aperitif to meat, pasta, oily fish, game, cheese and chocolat desserts A Wine On Line. A Major all the way.

Hard to find. Very limited production. Here’s the website. Go Now!

SUGGESTED RETAIL:
$45.00 per 750ml bottle

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

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Ripken Vineyards and Winey 2008 Petite Sirah

 

Ripken Vineyards & Winery, Inc.
Winery and Tasting Room

Tasting Room
2472 W. Sargent Road
Lodi, CA, 95242 USA

Tel:209-367-WINE
Tasting Room hours:
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 12-4pm
or by appointment.
Email: info@ripkenwine.com

http://ripkenwine.com/index.html

Ripken Vineyards & Winery appeals to adventuresome wine drinkers with mostly non-traditional varieties producing extraordinary flavored wines.Considered as an artisan “barnista” winery that is uniquely different, electric, eclectic, quirky, esoteric, even wacky, but never boring or weird. Their motto is, “No Boring Wines, but wines of conviction!

They go down the road less traveled to appeal to wine drinkers that wish to explore the joys of Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Carmine, Petit Verdot, Alicante Bouschet, Tempranillo, Graciano, Souzao, Touriga National, Grenace, Mourvedre, Montepulciano, Barbera, Dolcetto, or Corvina as blends or varietal wines.

The winery produces very small lots of different wines mostly under 100 cases, using classic techniques such as gentle crushing, barrel fermenting white wines, selecting yeasts, hand punchdown, less stirring, long barrel aging, gently crushing, and bottle aging. Our chant is, “These wines were made one bucket, one barrel, one bottle at a time.”

The grape growing focuses on maximizing flavors, reduced but adequate irrigation or non-irrigation, sunlight to the cluster, full ripeness for flavor, moderate size crops, adequate soil fertility and organic matter in soils. All this attention to detail leads to full flavored wines of good mineral content which are balance and enjoyable when released.

The first vintage was in 2003 but they are not new to wine grape growing being third generation growers since 1950. In addition, they grow our own rootstock and have collected different wine varietal clones and selections for forty years. The whole family is involved. See “Meet our Family” to read more about the family members and personalities of Ripken Vineyards & Winery.

We liked this wine a lot. It was especially interesting since this is a SMALL winery that does not produce lots larger than 300 cases a year. The surprise is the sophisticated balance of fruit, oak, alcohol and tannin.  Ripken’s Petite Sirah  has an appealing bouquet and complex fruit, which includes hints of black-berry, plum and — did we get a touch of apricot? Lots of spice and pepper: give it plenty of air time. The finish is long and lasting. Wonderful with black trumpet mushroom risotto, topped with Parmesan cheese.

The owners add their own twist – “Luscious, juicy, meaty, and bouncy!”
Alc 14.9% • Cases 30 • Price $25

 

What more needs to be said? Delicious and lovely wine for the money.

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

Disclosure

Gnekow Family Winery 2007 Merlot, Bennet Valley Chateau Meroux

Website: http://www.gnekowwinery.com

The diversity of Merlot can lend itself to a wide array of matching options. Cabernet-like Merlots pair well with many of the same things that Cabernet Sauvignon would pair well with such as grilled and charred meats. Softer, fruitier Merlots share many of the same food pairing affinities with Pinot noir and go well with dishes like salmon, mushroom based dishes and greens like chard and radicchio.

A deep garnet red colored wine. It has a strong nose of dark fruits, dark cherries & blueberries. It has some nice toffee notes with cedar woods. Balanced wine with lots of generosity, smooth with silky tannins. The taste reveals more pleasant dark fruits ending with caramel and oaks. Enjoy the bold fruit forward merlot now or later.

Try it with roast chicken, veal, lamb, salmon and hard cheese.

With a suggested retail price of $39, what’s is the bottle is worthy of the price tag.

 

Copyright 2012 By Punchin International. All Rights Reserved.

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