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 […]
Month: February 2012
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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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.
Continue reading “THE GERSHWINS’ PORGY AND BESS NOW ON BROADWAY AT THE RICHARD RODGERS THEATRE”
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.
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.
The Walman Report 