Nino’s 208

Technorati Tags: Italian,restaurants,New York,Winelist,creative

208 E. 58th St.
Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cross Street: Between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Entree Price: $21 to $34 (Pasta from $16)
Phone:               (212) 750-7766         (212) 750-7766
Hours of Operation:
Lunch: Monday – Friday: 11:45am – 4:00pm
Dinner: Monday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 10:30pm, Friday: 5:00pm – 11:00pm, Saturday: 5:00pm – 12:00am, Sunday: 4:00pm – 9:30pm
Payment Options:
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Public Transit: N, R, W, 4, 5, & 6 trains to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue.
Parking: No

Bargains: Prix Fixe Lunch $18. Prix Fixe Dinner $35.
_________________________________________________________

Review by Nancy Walman

Seven is His Lucky Number

Click Here to Play Podcast

NY ICON NINO SELIMAJ OPENS SEVENTH RESTAURANT, NINO’S 208

Iconic and lively New York restaurateur Nino Selimaj, (Above) is proudly announcing the official opening of his seventh restaurant, Nino’s 208. Located at 208 East 58^th Street, Nino’s 208 is on the same block as the first restaurant Nino worked in as a dish washer when he arrived in America.

Nino’s 208 sports a new, contemporary interior design,  as well as a modern menu. Housed in the former premises of Ada, the fancified Indian nouvelle restaurant, Nino’s 208 brings the stamp of this excellent restaurant group to East 58th Street at affordable prices. The bi-level design is easy on the eye with its black and white color scheme, which extends to double cloths on the comfortable tables, banquettes and booths. A dramatic winding staircase leads to the second level, which is ideal for private parties.

Service is solicitous and excellent. The host is a seasoned pro, who will guide you through the menu and a vast array of specials. There is an excellent bar and the wine list is well chosen and priced with 19 wines by the glass, starting at just $8 and several pleasant bottles priced under $30. The ever dependable Michele Chiarlo Barbera d’Asti, 2004 is bargain priced at $29 It is loaded with spice and good acidity and opens up in 15 minutes. Heavily weighted in California and Italian options, there are some excellent bottles listed in the “Special Selection” pages for folks willing to spend over $200.

Executive Chef Merlin Tlapa, honed his skills alongside Tyler lorence and Bill Telepan,  and brings a fresh spin to rustic cooking. Says Tlapa: “Our Philosophy at Nino’s 208 is to incorporate exotic ingredients not traditionally found in Italian cooking and use them to compliment authentic tastes.” 

.

In the food department, there is a value oriented $35 prix fixe dinner, including appetizer, main course, dessert and coffee. A la carte is also easy on the pocket and the food fresh, light and carefully prepared. A good beginning is a shared Buffalo Mozzarella, Wrapped In Bresaola with sliced beefsteak tomatoes, roasted yellow sweet beets and arugula pesto (Above), Roman Artichokes polenta crouton, chicken liver pâté and shaved parmesan cheese.     

.

Other Other options include Sea Bass Carpaccio on potato blini, accompanied by asparagus, horseradish and sour cream, Chicken Meat Balls in Tomato-Cream Sauce and the best Duck Confit imaginable. A special, it should be a leading player.

Pasta is al dente and well sauced, if a tad over-salted for our taste: Two unusual selections offer Pappardelle with braised short ribs of beef bolognese and Spaghetti with lamb meatballs, mint pesto, Tuscan kale and alio olio. Even the traditional Linguini with White Clam Sauce, gets a lift from Cockles and Broccoli Rabe.

Entree suggestions include Grilled Organic Salmon (Pictured Above), braised greens, white beans and garlic confit or Braised Pork Osso Buco, barley risotto, exotic mushrooms, rosemary and lemon zest. Check out daily specials. We chose a Porterhouse Special for 2, which arrived cut and sizzling as it finished cooking on the platter. The meat was first rate and the grilling superb. Don’t miss the terrific roasted Brussels Sprouts. A huge Veal Chop, braised in Barolo was also wonderful.

All desserts are stylish, including a puckery lemon tart, apricot tart, panna cotta (Above),  and chocolate mousse cake. Nino’s 208 is is a very upmarket product, offering surprisingly gentle prices and waiting to be discovered. Go soon and you can be the lucky winner.

 The Lovely Bi-Level Dining Room

Perfect For Private Groups

Swifty’s can make it easy for you.

As Thanksgiving approaches, you might be looking for options.
Swifty’s can make it easy for you.
Have us cater your Thanksgiving at home, or reserve a table at the restaurant.

Either way, our menu is traditional and delicious!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING MENU
PRIX FIXE $65 at Swifty’s from 12pm-9 pm

First Course:
Wild Mushroom Barley Soup
Smoked Irish Salmon,
Crème Fraiche, Capers, Brioche
Steamed Artichoke,
Mustard Vinaigrette or Hollandaise
Selection of East Coast Oysters
Corn Chowder, Maryland Crabmeat
~~~
Salad of Field Greens Interlude

CHEZ JOSEPHINE Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, leave the cooking and entertaining to CHEZ JOSEPHINE and its ever-gracious host, Jean-Claude Baker. Families and friends will have more to be thankful for when they enjoy their Thanksgiving meal along with live music at this charming Theater District jewel – clad with red velvet walls, blue-tin ceiling and a cavalcade of chandeliers that light up the vintage portraits of icon Josephine Baker.

Technorati Tags: French,restaurants,New York,Holidays,Thanksgiving

TWO-WEEK TOUR TO PATAGONIA TAKES TRAVELERS TO THE SOUTHERNMOST REACHES OF THE GLOBE

The "Bottom of the World" Cost is Around $300 a Day
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – This fall, winter and spring, inquisitive travelers can take advantage of a new two-week tour that visits Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city, spectacularly located on the island of Tierra del Fuego at the very tip of the South American continent.   Beyond this remote port lies the legendary Beagle Channel and then the open waters of The Drake Passage, where the deep rich waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans converge amidst some of the most challenging seas on earth.

Because it designs adventurous trips to such far-flung northern destinations as Iceland, Greenland and the archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland, The Great Canadian Travel Company has built a reputation for travel to the "Top of the World."  Its expertise, however, also helps clients explore intriguing destinations at the "Bottom of the World."

Back by Popular Demand, The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester Again Offers “Thanksgiving-to-Go

Hotel’s Unique “To-Go” Program Lets You Enjoy the Holiday with No Hassle

For the second year in a row, The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester is offering local residents the perfect way to enjoy a stress-free Thanksgiving with it’s unique “Thanksgiving-to-Go” Program.  “Last year’s introductory program was so successful, that we decided to bring back the offer again this year,” said Executive Chef James Dangler.

Created by Chef Dangler and his staff, the “Thanksgiving-to-Go” is a full dinner for four, six or more people, featuring traditional Holiday foods enhanced with Ritz-Carlton flair. All you need to do is place your order and then arrive at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, to pick up your boxed dinner.

The festive meal will begin with harvest squash bisque, followed by an array of refreshing salads including traditional Caesar, mixed baby potato salad garnished with sweet apple and mint, and a roasted beet salad with goat cheese and micro arugula. For the main course, select either a 14-16 pound whole roasted Turkey with sage cornbread stuffing or a honey glazed ham.

Frei Brothers Reserve wines

Technorati Tags: wine,california,Frei Brothers

Always Outstanding & Better Than Ever

 

Perfect For Thanksgiving

Thanks to

Jim Collins, Chief Viticulturist

By Nancy Walman

The 2006 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (53,800 9L Cases; $24) is maturing nicely, and 2006 was a year when a wet winter and spring gave us surprising depth along with elegance in the final wines. Should be balanced right on point now, with clear structure and plenty of fruit.

The 2007’s  are the  Russian River Valley Chardonnay (84,600 9L Cases; $20), the Russian River Valley Syrah (10,300 9L Cases; $24), and the Dry Creek Valley Merlot (41,400 9L Cases; $20). The 2007 vintage was a real bull’s eye for us: a relatively dry winter, long spells of warm, sunny weather. Beautiful varietal typicity in all of them, and that Frei Brothers sense of place. A great year to be a grape.

You get a feel for the maritime influence in the Russian River wines, especially in the cool-climate Syrah, and over in the Dry Creek, you get nothing but sun in the Merlot.  The Syrah is like a well-upholstered chair, plush, but with a strong frame. The Merlot has everything you want in a red wine: voluptuous fruit, friendly tannins, long finish.

The Russian River Chardonnay is a Burgundy transplant that is right at home here and come from vines in what used to be an apple orchard. It is a Russian River classic with a fine entry, a mouth filling middle and nice oak balance on the exit.

From 2008,the Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc (6,000 9L Cases; $20), a charming, clearly defined wine from a weather-challenged vintage. 2008 was a tough year: drought, late frost, and heat spikes before it all settled down for a nice, stable ripening period. A smaller crop gave  tremendous intensity in the wine. 

KITANO NEW YORK’S HAKUBAI RESTAURANT INVITES PATRONS TO EXPERIENCE THE JAPANESE NEW YEAR’S CULINARY TRADITION OF OSECHI TO ENSURE GOOD HEALTH, FERTILITY AND HARVEST FOR THE YEAR TO COME

Technorati Tags: hotels,holidays,new york,japanese

-The distinctive meal served in a traditional format celebrates 2010’s arrival on January 1-2 at one of the country’s most authentic Japanese restaurants-

As 2010 approaches, many cultures will celebrate the New Year with age-old culinary traditions. From pickled herring in Poland and pork and sauerkraut in Germany to black-eyed peas and cornbread in the Southern U.S., many cultures believe that a prosperous New Year starts with special dining customs. The Japanese also strive to achieve a well-balanced way of living in the New Year by obtaining good health, fertility, a good harvest and a long life. To ensure these blessings in the coming year the Japanese partake in a special New Year’s Day meal called, Osechi. On January 1-2, 2010, New York City’s first and only Japanese hotel, The Kitano New York, will offer a traditional Osechi meal for lunch and dinner at its Michelin-rated Hakubai Restaurant. The lunch selection is available for $90 per person and the dinner menu is available for $115 per person. Reservations will be accepted from December 1-31, 2009 and can be made by calling (212) 885-7111.

The Opposite House Receives Top Honors in Beijing

Adding to the string of international and local Beijing publication awards won since its opening a year ago, The Opposite House was named one of the country’s best in Robb Report China’s Best of the Best 2009 issue. The hotel was also awarded the "Best Urban Hotel" and "Best Design Hotel" from The Bund, one of China’s most well received publications.

Restaurants Bei and Sureño also received the "Best Taste" creation award from Surface magazine.
"It’s great to get this recognition. It really is a tribute to our fantastic designers Kengo Kuma + Associates and Neri + Hu Design and Research Office and our passionate team of young people delivering the service everyday," says Anthony Ross, general manager of The Opposite House.

DOVETAIL RESTAURANT SOARS ANEW: RENOVATIONS GROW SPACE AND REINFORCE STYLE

Technorati Tags: restaurant,west side

Renovations debut tonight at Dovetail, the three-star restaurant (The New York Times) on the Upper West Side, enriching every aspect of Chef/Owner John Fraser’s modern American dining experience.  Architectural expansions have created a roomy bar area of 16 seats – with a new bar menu and new cocktail list – and added 20 seats to the main dining room through a seamless extension of the modern-rustic design from celebrated architect Richard Bloch.  The wine list has grown by 500 bottles, reflecting a significant expansion of the wine cellar.  And to celebrate the realization of Dovetail’s original vision (the restaurant was always intended for these dimensions), cheese cart and Armagnac cart services now complete the refined offerings.

The spacious new dining room was designed by Bloch as an interplay between the building’s 110-year old historic be

Technorati Tags: restaurants,west side

auty and a modern, streamlined sensibility.  Renovations have extended this design scheme into a more spacious dining atmosphere with additional seating (90 total), creating an even higher level of comfort for Dovetail’s guests.  New floor treatments in deep grays and blues tie the space together while softer lighting now exists throughout the restaurant adding gentle definition to new wall photography from artist Vincent Versace. The new design elements compliment and enhance Dovetail’s brick columns and walls, refined maple wood panels, sheer drapery, and striking floor-to-ceiling windows.