Solace Update

NAME: Solace

ADDRESS: 406 East 64th Street
(Between First Avenue and York Avenue)
New York, NY 10021

WEB SITE: www.solacenyc.com

TELEPHONE: (212) 750-0434

FAX: (212) 750-0438

HOURS: Lunch: 12:00 Noon – 3:00 PM, Mon.-Fri. Dinner: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Mon.-Sat.
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Sun.
Brunch: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, Sun.

CUISINE: New American

(Famed chef David Regueiro, formerly at
Aureole, Bouley, The Water Club, prepares
classic seasonal dishes combined with
market-driven, innovative new global ones.)

CREDIT CARDS: All major

PRICE RANGE: Lunch (entrees): $14.00 – $21.00
Dinner (entrees): $21.00 – $29.00

DRESS: Casual Elegant

RESERVATIONS: Recommended

SEATING CAPACITY: Front Dining Room: 30
Rear Dining Room: 40
(Seasonal Garden seats 38)

NUMBER OF ROOMS: 2
(Seasonal Garden seats 38)

PARTY FACILITIES: Available upon request
(Rear dining room is frequently used for
private parties and special events.)

Review

Award-winning website, Punchin-dot-com, features the Walman Report and reviews of restaurants, travel, wine and theater. Solace (Soul-us) features two dining rooms and French doors o ening onto a charming seasonal garden. The rear dining room is enhanced by cream-colored leather banquettes and golden hued backlit walls.

Chef/Owner David Regueiro is formerly of such esteemed restaurants as Bouley. Food and service are miles above your average neighborhood restaurant and price points are surprisingly modest. Chef Regueiro loves Provençal flavors in appetizers like Eggplant, Goat Cheese and Tomato Terrine. But seasonal appetizers such as Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Maple and Spice Crème Fraiche are delightful, and nowhere will you sample a better Charred Yellowfin Tuna, here done with pickle relish, herb oil and peppercress.

His passion for classic cuisine is demonstrated in Bourbon and Honey Lacquered Duck Breast with Savory Date Puree. The Butter Braised Lobster may be the best in town. A special, Sauteed Monkfish with Truffle Butter and Cauliflower Puree, was indeed special and sides like creamed spinach, with a touch of Star Anis, are terrific.

There is a fine wine list (assembled by Mary, the chef’s wife, a former sommelier and wine consultant), with an emphasis on American wines and small producers. The list by the glass is also beautifully chosen and fairly priced. The meal completes with delicious desserts: Warm Glazed Corn Cake, the best Key Lime Tart I’ve ever tasted, and a Chocolate Terrene with Milk Chocolate Chantilly and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream that reminds one of the old Cafe Chauveron’s (are you old enough to remember) signature dessert.

Soon, you can come on Saturday and sample Chef Roemer’s Roast Suckling Pig, served in the garden, as a special, for $26. It pays homage to his Cuban heritage and is noteworthy. Solace 406 East 64th Street, is among the best small restaurants to open in 2008 and rates “A Major” on the Walman Report

Oak Knoll

Affordable Wines To Drink In The New Year From Oak Knoll

Oak Knoll
2006 Pinot Gris
Willamette Valley

This Pinot Gris has a long history of
National Attention and Awards

This wine exhibits an amazing purity of fruit flavors, an elegantly rich mouth feel, and a clean, vibrant finish. Fermented in small stainless steel barrels on the yeast lees, the absence of oak allows the subtle floral, mineral, and spice notes to deftly balance the wine’s melon and apple fruitiness.

Suggested Retail: $12.00

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2006 Oregon Chardonnay

Unwooded

An elegant dry white wine with subtle notes of green apple, melon, and spice. This Burgundian style Chardonnay emphasizes finesse and balance rather than power, with a pleasing crisp texture and long, clean finish. The absence of oak brings out the true flavors of quality chardonnay grapes. This delicious wine will complement a wide range of foods, particularly poultry and seafood.

Hassler Roma

Hassler Roma Offers Special Helicopter Package

The Hassler Roma’s famous view from atop the Spanish Steps is as good as it gets in the Eternal City – on ground, that is. For those wanting to take it to the next level, this Valentine’s Day the world-renowned hotel is offering a special Roman Skyline Package that will whisk guests around the city via helicopter.

Offering a helicopter ride to guests is a brand-new concept to Roman hotels, and it is hard to imagine a finer way to see the city. Circling over the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, the Pantheon – all are seen with an adrenaline rush from the air. After, guests have five-star amenities and top-of-the-line service waiting upon their return to the hotel.

The Hassler Roma’s super-luxe Roman Skyline Package, based on double occupancy, costs 6,570 Euros (approximately $9,500) and includes:

Tarabia

Tarabia

ADDRESS: 1071 First Avenue
(Between 58th and 59th Streets)
New York, NY 10022

WEB SITE: www.tarabianyc.com

TELEPHONE: (212) 888-0809

FAX: (212) 888-0209

HOURS: Lunch: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Mon.-Sun. Dinner: 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Mon.-Sun.

CUISINE: Turkish

Award-winning website, Punchin-dot-com, features the Walman Report and reviews of restaurants, travel, wine and theater. Executive chef was formerly at Turkish Kitchen (Manhattan’s first great Turkish restaurant). At Tarabia, he prepares classic Istanbul dishes dating back to the Ottoman Empire.

A wide variety of daily Turkish appetizers are offered on a cart in the traditional style of Istanbul. They are all excellent, if a trifle too cold. The elegant dining room is enhanced by candlelit tables with handmade Turkish table-cloths and napkin holders, handsome mahogany and leather chairs and fabric-upholstered banquettes. Cream-colored walls support Turkish chandeliers. Lovely fresh flowers enhance the effect that care was given to every detail.

Outstanding starters include octopus or calamari salad and lightly pan fried phyllo, rolls, filled with feta cheese or pan fried zucchini pancakes served with garlic yoghurt sauce. Of entrees, go for lamb or chicken shish kebob, stuffed vine leaves, grilled lamb chops or whole fish. They are all prepared with care and finesse. Leave room for rich desserts baklava or almond pudding. There is also a selection of Turkish wines, from a short wine list that should contain more options under $30. There is an excellent Turkish beer for $6. Service is warm and accommodating at Tarabia, 1071 First Avenue, which is the best Turkish restaurant to open this year and rates “B Major” on the Walman Report.

Rayuela Announces New Estilo Libre Latino Dinner Menu

Rayuela Announces New Estilo Libre Latino Dinner Menu for

NYC & Company’s Winter Restaurant Week

January 21–25 and January 28–February 1, 2008

Rayuela, a hot new Latin American restaurant located on the Lower East Side, today announced a new three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $35 per person, to celebrate NYC & Company’s Winter Restaurant Week, January 21-25 and January 28-February 1, 2008. The menu, created by Executive Chef Máximo Tejada, the force behind Rayuela’s Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino) cuisine, includes the options of Caraminola, Ceviche de Camarones, Morcilla Humita as appetizers, Vieras a la Parilla, Bacalao con Esparrago and Paella de Carne y Setas as entrées and Tres Leches de Chocolate and Brazo Gitano for dessert.

“I wanted to create a collection of all new dishes for one of New York’s largest and most prestigious culinary events,” said Chef Tejada. “New York City has the greatest diversity of restaurants in the world and New Yorkers are very open-minded. We are delighted that more people will have the opportunity to experience Rayuela’s ground-breaking Estilo Libre Latino cuisine.”

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW YEAR

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW YEAR…
Decadent Dining And Seasons ‘Eatings’ For The Holiday Season

Christmas Eve

New York City:

Abboccato Ristorante (136 West 55th Street, 212-265-4000): Celebrate in Italian style at the extraordinary “Feast of the Seven Fishes,” served annually by Chef de Cuisine Jake Addeo, who has put a contemporary spin on this delicious tradition. The menu, priced at $85 or $125 (with wine pairings), will feature dishes such as a Blood Orange-Butter Poached Salt Cod with fork smashed red bliss potatoes and Local Blackfish cooked in parchment with marinated artichokes, Meyer lemon, and salsa verde. Available only on Christmas Eve, this one-of-a-kind culinary experience is not to be missed.

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue): A favorite of political dignitaries, celebrities, in-the-know travelers and New Yorkers for over 75 years, The Carlyle will be offering guests three fabulous options for a sophisticated and elegant Christmas celebration: On Christmas Eve, Executive Chef James Sakatos will serve a three-course prix-fixe dinner with two seatings (6:00 pm and 8:45 pm) for $95 per person. The menu will feature items such as Terrine of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, quince and apple butter with toasted brioche and Butter Poached Maine Lobster, chanterelles, baby turnips and syrah reduction. On Christmas day, guests can enjoy a Christmas feast with Santa Claus greeting one and all and performances from Christmas Carolers that capture the spirit of the day, ideal for children as well. Chef Sakatos will prepare a four-course prix-fixe menu for $140 per person that will be served at three seatings (noon, 3:00 pm and 7:00pm), and will include specials like House Cured Gravlax, pickled cucumber and dill, horseradish cream and Filet Mignon, ragout of braised oxtail, potato and truffle strudel, bordelaise jus. On Christmas Day, Café Carlyle will be serving an exquisite Christmas brunch buffet for $130 per person, with dishes that include Prime Beef Tenderloin and Roasted Pennsylvania Turkey, enhanced by live piano music along with the joyful sounds of carolers. There will be two seatings, one at 12:30 p.m. and one at 3:30 p.m.

Beyond New York:

Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui

Wine On Line®http://www.wineonline.net/ E-Mail: mailto:wine@punchin.com

UNIQUE SPARKLING WINE IN DECANTER BOTTLE

PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY TOASTING OR GIFT GIVING

Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui 2006 WINE ON LINE RATING: A Holiday “A Major.” From the ever trustworthy Banfi Vintners

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That’s easy for you to say: Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui,(pronounced rOH-za rAY-gAH-lay brAH-ket-tOE dAH-kwee) is a unique red sparkling wine from Italy, embodying all that is festive for the holiday season.

We loved the 2004 and the 2006 is even better, with a vibrant ruby red color and a frothy pink mouse that rises to the top of the glass like the fur trim on the hat of an elf, Rosa Regale charms at first sight. It has the flavor of fresh raspberries and an effervescence that is softer than that of champagne yet as persistent as it is delicate. Served chilled, it breaks the ice as a cheerful aperitif, is a great accompaniment to antipasti, fruits and pastries, and one of the world’s most enlightening pairings with chocolate. Its fizz cuts through the richness of the chocolate while its fruit nuances wrap themselves around the cocoa flavor in a fusion similar to that of a chocolate-covered strawberry or cherry bon-bon. And as a bonus, it’s low 7% alcohol content also makes it a prudent choice for holiday gatherings.

Fitting its inherent qualities, Rosa Regale sports a customized deluxe package that was over a year in the making. The elegantly shaped bottle was created by Rosa Regale’s family proprietor John F. Mariani and modeled on a traditional fine crystal wine decanter. In response to consumer call for half bottles, Mr. Mariani also designed a 375 ml. bottle that he calls “perfect for a romantic duo.” The bottle shape is now registered by Rosa Regale.

Accademia di Vino

Accademia di Vino is a dynamic 200-seat enoteca, restaurant and pizzeria, located at 1081 Third Avenue at 64th Street in New York City. Accademia di Vino is open seven days a week, from 12 noon to 12 midnight. Reservations: 212-888-6333. The restaurant’s bold, refreshing approach to Italian food, extensive and reasonable priced wine list and inviting, casual ambiance has made it a top dining destination on the Upper East Side.

DESCRIPTION: Accademia di Vino is a 200-seat informal enoteca, restaurant and pizzeria, serving traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine. “Accademia di Vino” or “Academy made of wine” – a deliberate pun, carries a collection of over 500 bottles of wines, representing every winemaking region of Italy.

Accademia di Vino will launch its signature wine programs in the fall of 2007. The program will include private and public wine tastings, food and wine pairings, and related classes.

ADDRESS 1081 Third Avenue at 64th Street, New York, New York

HOURS: Accademia di Vino is open seven days a week from 12 Noon to 12 Midnight.

RESERVATIONS: Tel: 212-888-6333
www.opentable.com

PRICING: Grilled Pizzas: $15-$18
Main Courses: $18-$30
Desserts: $7-$10
Wine by the Bottle: from $28 Up
Wine by the Glass: $8-$25

MANAGEMENT: Executive Chef: Kevin Garcia
General Manager: John Fanning
Managing Partner and Wine Director: Anthony Mazzola, Partner, Off The Menu
Restaurant Group, LLC (owners of ‘Cesca and San Luigi Restaurants)

DESIGN: Total Square Footage: 5,902
Interior Design: Jack Baum, Tree House Design, New York, NY
China: Fortessa
Flatware: Oneida
Glassware: Schott Zwiesel

PRIVATE PARTIES: Private Room: 40 seated
Private Areas: 12 – 20 seated
Second Floor Dining Room: 160 seated (200 standing)
Entire Restaurant: 200 seated
For more information, contact John Fanning at 212-888-6333.

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