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SHO Shaun Hergatt

*This venue is now closed.

The 2nd floor of the ultra luxurious The Setai Condominium located in the middle of the Financial District is home to Michelin star restaurant, SHO Shaun Hergatt, named after the Executive Chef/Owner Shaun Hergatt. In 2009 it was one of the most ambitious restaurants daring to open during the height of the recession. This fine dining establishment caters to the Wall Street elite “Gordon Gekko” types which justifies the “greed is good” description of the restaurant’s atmosphere by Sam Sifton of the NY Times.

SHO Shaun Hergatt’s luxurious lobby sets the tone and anticipation for what’s to come. The elevator door opens on the 2nd floor to a space with dimly lit red lights. Immediately guests are greeted by the hostess’ table with the restaurant’s “O” shaped logo hanging above. Guests are first ushered into “The Pearl Room” lounge/waiting area of this multi room restaurant. The Asian aesthetics of the space is fused with a sleek modern design. A long glassy black colored bar with dark wooden walls display top of the line liquors. Cozy sofas are available throughout the room for lounging while sipping pre-dinner drinks. The Pearl Room is also ideal for a casual dining since the main dining rooms enforce a dress code.

In order to get to the main dining room guests must pass through a hallway with a glass enclosed wine rack that also serves as a wall. There are 2 main dining rooms where a wall of vertical slatted wood serves as a separator between the rooms. There is another lounge in the main dining room that is equipped with its own bar and can be closed off. The ambiance in the dining rooms is modern elegant and luxurious with red velvet walls and wooden floors, while Asian accent are seen throughout. A serene dining atmosphere is provided with the white linen covered tables, dark brown leather seats and soft lighting – lights hang over the table perfectly allowing guests to admire the Zen-like precision of the chef’s the dishes. An open kitchen enclosed in floor to ceiling glass walls is showcased in the dining room where guests can witness Chef Hergatt directing his crew like a maestro conducting his orchestra.

Chef Hergatt’s technique, attention to detail and use of Asian ingredients blended with luxurious food elements is gastronomic beauty. I’ve been to SHO Shaun Hergatt several times, for drinks and dinner. At dinnertime the restaurant only serves a $75 three course prix-fix menu (it also offers a six course tasting menu for $125), but it’s more like a six course meal once amouse-bouche and a pre-dessert dish are added. I’ve tasted several dishes here, among the appetizers: the 64 Knoll Krest Egg with Santa Barbara Sea Urchin and the Gold Leaf and White Asparagus Panna Cotta with Kaviari Caviar and Chilled Green Asparagus Emulsion. Both were very delicious, the caviar tastes very good with white asparagus. For entrée I’ve had the Crispy Scaled Amadai with Edamame, Scallion Oil and Cilantro flower and Sous Vide Veal Tenderloin made with Grilled Burdock, Hon Semiji. Both dishes were great but the sous vide veal, which was cooked to perfection, stood out. The veal was tender and juicy, every bite was amazing. I’m not a huge red meat eater, but this dish was so delicious. The desserts were as good as the rest of the meal. The restaurant has a great wine list that goes well with every dish. In house concoctions are also great, especially the Blooodhound.

I’ve always had a great experience at SHO Shaun Hergatt, whether I was there for dinner or just drinks, the service is consistent. The bartenders are always engaging and the servers and hostess are very pleasant and accommodating. One of my colleagues stated that this restaurant can be intimidating with all the power players from Wall St., but the staff and the service creates a welcoming atmosphere for all guests.

Overall, SHO Shaun Hergatt is a magnificent restaurant and I highly recommend it. The restaurant is well deserving of a Michelin Star and it’s other accolades received (Esquire Magazine 2009 best New Restaurant and a 2 star rating from the NY Times to name a few.) Make a reservation and you won’t be disappointed by the way request the table next to open kitchen for a great dining experience.

SHO Shaun Hergatt
40 Broad St
New York, NY 10004
(212) 809-3993
Official Site

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Michelin’s Jean-Luc Naret and Inspector speaks to Nightline

The Michelin Guide and its star system is regarded as the top honor in the restaurant world. The gaining or losing of a star can either make or break the reputation of a restaurant. The guide has been highly influential in European countries. It wasn’t until the Michelin Guide was published in New York City in 2005 did it gain significance and influence in the US. With the weakened US dollar and the influx of European tourist, the guide’s influence is steadily increasing in NYC and the 2 other US cities, San Francisco and Chicago, where the guide is also published.

This Nightline video shows a brief history of the Michellin guide with Jean-Luc Neret it’s Director General explaining how the star system works. Also, this video shows a first time ever interview with a Michelin guide inspector.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to regard about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In complement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their status appears to be the same as yours.

Thalassa

Thalassa
179 Franklin St
(between Greenwich St & Hudson St)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 941-7661
Official Site

Thalassa has always been on my radar as a restaurant to visit; when I did, I was very impressed and returned a few times, for drinks, then lunch and finally dinner. The restaurant, located along Franklin St. in TriBeCa, is among the most beautiful restaurant’s that I’ve seen in New York City.

Thelassa, which means “sea” in Greek, explains the maritime inspired interior and decor. Upon entering this restaurant you are greeted by a sleek mosaic marble bar lit with oceanic colored lights with white cloths hanging above that give the image of a boat’s sails. At the end of the bar and toward the dining room is a marble table with exquisite fresh sea food in ice. This massive bi level restaurant showcases a luxurious main dining room with exposed red brick, white leather chairs and perfect lighting. Diners can witness Executive Chef Raphael Abrahante prepare their dishes from the open kitchen. Thalassa’s downstairs section, “The Wine Room” has a more casual setting. The room is equipped with its own bar and gorgeous custom made dark wooden tables; wine bottles are displayed on the walls from the restaurant’s extensive wine list.

Thalassa serves contemporary Greek cuisine with some of the freshest sea food found in NYC. The last time I was here I came for dinner. I started with one of their signature dishes, the Maine Diver Scallops wrapped in kataifi filo with sheep’s milk butter and a Kalamata balsamic reduction. I’m not a fan of scallops but this was delicious and the balsamic reduction really added to the flavor. My friend and I also order Fried Zucchini and Eggplant chips made with Tzatziki sauce and saganaki graviera cheese, it was recommended by the bartender and boy was he on point. The chips with the sauce melt in your mouth with every bite. For my entrée I had the grilled Mediterranean white fish and New Zealand langustine with lemon potatoes and haricot verts. The fish and langustine were cooked to perfection. To finish off the meal I had the Kataifi with cream, pistachios, and chocolate. The dessert was as good as the rest of the meal. Our server selected for us a bottle of sovignon blanc that superbly complimented our meal. The food at Thalassa is a bit pricey, entrées will run an average of $25-$35 dollars, but it is definitely worth the price.

The restaurant prides itself on its extensive wine list, but their small list of in-house cocktails is equally impressive. Their signature drink, The Agave Rocks, made by their friendly and knowledgeable bartender “Spiro” was amazing. The drink is made with Mango Muddled with Organic Agave Nectar, Combier, Cynar, Lime Juice and Silver Tequila, on the rocks. It’s sweet but not too sweet and very fruity – the combination of mango and agave nectar brings out the natural sweetness.

The service at Thalassa is great and consistent; everyone was friendly and very professional. I received the same service at each of my 3 visits. It’s massive space is ideal for events such weddings and fund raisers. It’s also great for a nice quite dinner . Thalassa has everything that a restaurant should have, great food, amazing service, an extensive wine list and last but not the least, the WOW factor – the incredible ambiance and décor. I truly recommend Thalassa to anyone who loves great sea food or great food in general.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication set to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you must ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile malfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their state appears to be the same as yours.

Red Rooster

I finally made it to Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster in Harlem after waiting nearly a month for my highly sought-after reservation. Considered to be one of the hottest new restaurants in NYC, Red Rooster has received a complimentary review and a two star rating by Sam Sifton of the New York Times and was the site of President Obama’s recent $30,000 a plate fundraiser.

When we walked in the restaurant we were greeted by a funky shaped bar that preceded the dining area. The striped mahogany bar was in the shape of three semicircles all looping into each other. The brightly lit bar wall that also doubles as a divider between the bar and the dining room, displays various bottles of liquors and wines. There was plenty of room at the bar for comfortable movement and conversation. At the left of the bar is a café-like area with bar stool s and tables next to a rustic wooden book shelf that artistically displays books, plates and photos. At the right of the bar are the hostess, the coat check room and the entrance to dining area. We waited for our table at the bar and enjoyed a nice variety of mixed drinks. One particular drink that I really enjoyed was The Savoy, made with vodka, lemon, muddled grapes and agave, it was very fruitful and tasty.

The main dining room was pretty cool, a semi open kitchen with a communal table next to it. On wall panels that resemble a blackboard’s surface, there is large stylized writing in chalk which adds to the hip, artsy yet subdued decor. Also on the walls, are appropriately hung contemporary paintings. The design concept is reminiscent of DBGB Kitchen downtown. Red Rooster has a very chic and hip atmosphere.

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The buzz of the crowd is audible but never loud or noisy. The beauty of this uptown restaurant in the heart of historic Harlem, is the diversity of the crowd. Persons of various races and ethnicities, the mid-town crowd, business men and women in suits, fashionable hipsters, locals, etc, all coming together having a great time and enjoying Samuelsson’s dishes.

Red Rooster serves American comfort food with a twist of Scandinavian cuisine. I came here for dinner and really enjoyed it. I started out with the Gravlax with Purple Musta for my appetizer; the salmon was very good and tasty. I then had the Grilled Red Snapper made with sour tomato broth and Israeli couscous for my entrée. My first reaction to this meal was it seemed to be too watery, it me made me feel like I had ordered a soup with fish. But when I tasted the dish it was so good!!! It has a sour taste from the broth that compliments the fish. I had a taste of my friends’ entrees: Ox tails and Lemon Chicken, both were great. For dessert I had the sorbet which was good but didn’t stand out from other sorbets I’ve had. The food prices are affordable, no entrée exceeded $33.

Unfortunately Marcus was on vacation when we dined there but I did meet Tiffany Derry who was a contestant on Top Chef Season 7 and Top Chef All star Season 8. She was cool, we chatted for a bit about Top Chief.

For those who are creatures of the downtown and midtown restaurant scene, Red Rooster is definitely worth the trip uptown to Harlem. The food is good and so is the service; the atmosphere and the vibe are also great, what more can you ask for in a restaurant? With the addition of Red Rooster alongside other noteworthy restaurants in the neighborhood, Harlem is a forced to be wrecking with in NYC dining scene.

Red Rooster
310 Lenox Ave
(between 125th St & 126th St)
New York, NY 10027
(212) 792-9001
Official Website

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are as a rule able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile malfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Perfect Pairings – White Wine With Red Meat

Red wine is generally the recommended wine pairing for red meat. However, I came across this old video with La Bernadin’s sommelier Aldo Sohm, considered the best sommelier in the world, pairing white wine with red meat. Wine pairing is really about what the individual prefers. I personally prefer white wine with all meals. I find that white wine helps me digest the food better. Red wine on the other hand, is a drink I enjoy on its own, or maybe with a light snack.

Buddakan

Buddakan
75 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-6699
Official site

Located in the fashionable and hip area of Chelsea that borders the Meatpacking District is Buddakan, one of the trendiest, hottest and chicest of New York City’s restaurant scene.

The look of the restaurant alone is awesome. Buddakan’s interior is a brave new world – the fusion of French royalty and Chinese dynasty with a modern twist. Upon entering you are immediately blown away by a huge European styled painting behind the concierge wall. After the concierge experience you are directed to a cool and very impressive bar lounge/waiting area. The Asian themed space is full of beautiful and fashionable people waiting to be seated.

From the waiting area you are escorted like royalty to your table by a tall gorgeous and elegant hostess. While walking downstairs to the dining area, you can’t resist being impressed by the aerial views of the French 18th century styled Grand Dining Hall. At the hall’s center sits a very long communal table which can seat several guests. The table is complemented by 4 stunning chandeliers hovering directly above. My guest and I were seated in the dining section at the left of the grand hall called the “Golden Library.” Walls inlaid with bookshelves filled with glowing golden books, the Golden Library is also complete with its own small lounge. A third dining section, “The Buddha Room,” is situated directly opposite the Grand Dining Hall and near the restroom. This Asian inspired room is decorated with many pictures of various interpretations of the Buddha, a change in ambiance from the modern “Golden Library” and the French styled Grand Dining Hall. Buddakan is huge, dark and loud but that’s the beauty of this amazing restaurant.

The food is Asian fusion served family style. The last time I was here I started out with the deviled tuna tartare with chilli mayonnaise and scallion, one of my favorite Buddakan dishes. For my entrée I had the whole crispy fish with napa cabbage, apple and water chestnut; and my guest had the broken chilli chicken made with Chinese thai basil. Both entrées were very tasty. We also ordered a side order of vegetable fried rice with coconut foam, the best vegetable fried rice I’ve tasted so far. The food here is delicious and very savory. The average appetizer price is about $15, entrees are $25-$40 and drink prices are pretty average for New York City. I spent $65 (excluding gratuity) per person for a three course dinner and 2 glasses of wine.

Service was top notch from the concierge personnel, the hostess, our waitress and even the bus staff and security. Our waitress was very attentive, friendly and answered all of our questions. It seemed as though she knew how every meal was cooked and all the ingredients included.

Buddakan has a great look and feel and if that wasn’t enough the food is also great. The soft lighting and cool music added just the right finishing touches; a great place for a date or to just to have a night out with friends.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication set to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their state appears to be the same as yours.

Modernist Cuisine: The Art of Science and Cooking

For the past couple of weeks Nathan Myhrvold’s six-volume cookbook, “The Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking,” has been the talk of the town, dominating the news media in NYC. Michelin star chefs like Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Wylie Dufresne all agree that the modernist cuisine techniques and taste are amazing.

A former Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, Myhrvold’s interest in both cooking and science led him to write this cookbook along with co-authors chefs Chris Young and Maxime Bilet. Young and Bilet both worked at Fat Duck in England, considered one of the best restaurants in the world.

The list price for the cookbook is $625, but it can be purchased at Amazon.com for $460., although it is currently out of stock.

Modernist cuisine is a very interesting culinary style. I don’t cook, but I would love to get my hands on all six volumes just to read about how the food is prepared and to learn about the interesting cooking techniques and gadgets that are used

Official wbesite

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication preassigned to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are as a rule able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other people even if their status appears to be the same as yours.

Wall and Water

[slideshow]

Wall and Water
@ the Andaz Hotel
75 Wall st.
New York NY 10005
212-699-1700
Official site

*This venue is now closed.

While walking along Water and Wall Street I discovered Wall and Water Restaurant, contemporary American cuisine in the heart of the Financial District. Although the entrance is located on Pearl St., the restaurant is actually above the lobby of the Andaz Hotel. When my friend and I arrived for dinner we had to pass through Bar Seven Five (a pretty cool looking bar) and go up a marble staircase to the restaurant. A huge marble table that mimics a kitchen center table is the first sight you will encounter. Situated at the center of the restaurant, the table showcased a variety of fresh sea food. I was impressed with overall décor; contemporary, simple and stylish. The layout was designed for comfort with nicely spaced tables and chairs allowing for diners to have the right amount of intimate space. The interior was designed by David Rockwell’s Rockwell Group the same group that designed NOBU TriBeCa and NOBU 57. I like the open space dining room which gives you a view of the action in the open kitchen. I requested to be seated near the kitchen to witness the chef prepare our meals. Pretty cool stuff!!!

Wall and Water uses seasonal ingredients that are grown from local Hudson Valley farms. We both opted for the chef family style tasting menu ($95.) which consisted of 4 courses with wine pairings ($63. without wines pairings.) We let the chef perform his magic and prepare a meal that he designed just for us. We were not disappointed. The ingredients were very fresh and the servings were large enough to share. The presentation was simple and the food was very tasty. The $95 price tag for the chef tasting menu was actually a bargain in NYC.

The staff was very friendly and the service was great. Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive. The chef de cuisine was also very friendly. Before he prepared our food he came over and introduced himself and asked for us if we had any dietary preferences or restrictions. Throughout the dinner he came by our table multiple times to chat and to make sure everything was ok. The Executive Chef Maximo Lopez May would be pleased to know that he has a very good chef de cuisine running the show.

The bar and restaurant had a generally good atmosphere. The crowd was the typical men in business suits from Wall Street, out of town business travelers and some locals catching a break to relax from the grind.

Although the Financial District is not typically known as a dining destination, but with restaurants like Cipriani, the Michellin star SHO by Shaun Hergartt, the Financial District might become more than just a place where people go to work. A bit premature to be compared with TriBeCa or the West Village dining scene, lower Manhattan has a few great restaurants worth taking the downtown hike – Wall and Water is one of them. I would recommend Wall and Water to anyone. Great atmosphere, stylish décor, amazing service and good food are the makings of a very good restaurant.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a curing prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you must ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile dysfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other people even if their status appears to be the same as yours.

Restaurant Discounting

Culintro: Restaurant Discounting: The New Marketing Frontier from Culintro on Vimeo.

More and more these days one can find several websites offering discount dinning deals for midrange to upscale restaurants. This video shows how these deals can benefit restaurants in New York City as well as across the country.

Vino Vino Wine Bar

*This venue is now closed.

I’m always looking to do something on a Sunday evening to ease my dreariness knowing that the weekend is over and its back to the grind. When I came across Vino Vino winebar in TriBeCa, I found what I was seeking.

Vino Vino is part wine store (Maslow 6) and part wine bar with one main entrance for both. The place is narrow and long with an exposed red brick wall and a glass partition at the center which separates the store from the lounge. At the end of the lounge is a bar that is hidden from the main entrance. The comfortable brown couches and stools and the lit candles on the tables gives Vino Vino a nice intimate and relaxing feel.

The wine list is impressive, 30+ plus wines are available by the glass. The food is also good, small tasty bites that complement the wine. What I love most is that it has one of the best deals in NYC; half off on all bottles of wine all day Sunday and Monday and half off from 5PM-7PM the rest of the week. On my last visit, my friends and I enjoyed two bottles of Les Saveurs white wine for a mere $30 bucks!!! That is unbelievable in NYC.

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I’ve been here on a few occasions (mostly on a Sunday night) and my experience has always been pleasant. The service is always good and consistent. Its nice quiet atmosphere allows you the pleasure of enjoying your wine while having a conversation in soft tones, rather than yelling above noise. The funky music playing in the background adds to the cool atmosphere, it does not overpower your conversations or your solo chill time. This is an excellent place to unwind after a long days work or just to meet up with friends.

The great wine list, cool décor, relaxing atmosphere and amazing deal makes Vino Vino a treasure possessed by TriBeCan’s and envied by the rest of us. This place is officially my number one Sunday night spot.

Vino Vino Wine Bar
211 W Broadway
New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-8510
Official Site

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you have to ask your druggist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are mostly able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile malfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.