NEW YORK, NY (November 1, 2010) – In the crowded sphere of philanthropy food and wine tastings, New York Taste 2010 is the leader of the pack. The superbly currated food and wine pairings from New York’s top restaurants and Côtes du Rhône wines by Gillian Duffy, New York Magazine Culinary Editor, was an undeniable success !!

New York’s top chefs stepped up and offered the sophisticated foodie crowd an array of haute cuisine never seen and tasted before.

Our Top Picks:

1.) David Burke Townhouse – Pheasant and Duck Liver Dumpling with Sage Cranberry BBQ.
Why? Pure Decadence.

2.) Chef George Mendes, Aldea – Lobster Soup with Coconut, Chorizo & Coriander.
Why? The soup was light and subtle. The chorizo flavor was not overpowering but was just a hint. After tasting so many plates, Chef Mendes’ soup was a warm comfort broth that cleansed the palate.

3.) Chef Amy Eubanks, BLT Fish - Caramelized Banana and Rum Parfait.
Why? By caramelizing the banana and adding rum, Chef Eubanks took this dessert to a haute level by letting the natural sweetness of the banana shine enhanced by the spiced rum. It’s just yummy perfection.

4.) Beef Cheek vs Beef Cheek, which Beef Cheek will prevail?
Left: En Japanese Brasserie – Washugyu Beef Cheek Braised in Red Miso.
Right: Sho Shaun Hergatt – Red Wine Braised Beef Cheek, Parsley Root Puree, Foie Gras Emulsion.
The Winner: Hats off to both restaurants for serving beef cheek because that part of the cow is difficult to prepare. And, both beef cheek plates were delicious. However, I slightly preferred the one from En Japanese Brasserie because the beef cheek was “melt in your mouth” in one bite.
5.) Chef Michael Lomonaco, Porter House New York - Smoked Beef Tongue Salad on Rye Crisp with Horseradish Mustard.
Why? Chef Lomonaco understands the foodie’s need for interesting dishes and he superbly executed a delicious plate using beef tongue. His choice of horserasdish mustard cuts through the fattiness of the beef tongue slivers just enough to bring out the smoked flavor.

6.) Chef Michael Psilakis, Fish Tag - Fluke with Boudin Blanc and Green Grapes.
Why? Chef Psilakis encouraged tasters to sample the dish in just one bite. It’s a yummy one bite because all the flavors in that bite worked together to create a delicious mouth full.

7.) Seafood vs Seafood
Left: Aquavit – Cold Smoked Nantucket Bay Scallop, Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, Horseradish Emulsion.
Right: Morimoto – Spicy King Crab.
The Winner: For presentation, Aquavit wins. For taste, Morimoto wins. The King Crab in the shell was sweet and meaty. And, the spicy sauce was just enough to electrify the palate for a few seconds without numbing it.

8.) Dessert vs Dessert
Left: Le Bernardin – Parsnip Custard with Dominican Chocolate, Hazelnut and Brown Butter.
Right: Daniel – Honeycrisp Apple Confit with Speculoos Biscuit, Smoked Cinnamon Ice Cream.
The Winner: It’s a tie. Foodies have high expectations for both French restaurants. And, they did not disappoint.
9.) L’Ecole, The Restaurant of the French Culinary Institute – Duck with Leek-Raisin Curry and Duck Egg.
Why? A well-balanced plate. It’s bright, flavorful and hearty.
10.) Graffit - Codfish Pintxo with Flavors of Land and Sea
Why? At first, I was afraid to bite into a whole onion pearl but Chef Jesús Núñez gave me instructions on how to eat the pintxo.  So, I started from the piquillo pepper caviar side and worked my way out to the carmelized pearl onion then the honey and almond gelatin with a touch of bacon then finished with the tobiko.  In four bites, it was a wonderful journey of Catalan flavors.

Celebrity Chefs:

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: (1) Chef Marcus Samelsson, Red Rooster Harlem. [Plate: Gravlax Waffles, Purple Mustard]. (2) Chef  Anita Lo, Annisa. [Plate: Squid with Damame, Fresh Peanuts and Thai Basil]. (3) Chef Dan Barber, Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barnes.  [Plate: Forono Beets, Pine Nuts and Blue Hill Yogurt]. (4) Chef Andrew Carmenelli, Locanda Verde.  [Plate: Lamb Meatball Sliders with Caprino and Pickled Cucumbers].

Libation, Top Picks:

Left: Pegu Club – Cucumber Apple Fizz, Plymouth Gin, Muddled Cucumbers and Apples, Cynar, Lemon Juice Club Soda.
Right:: Domaine de Mourchon, “Loubié”, Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret, Rosé.

Photos: © TheNYFashionista.com

(L-R) Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel and Miranda Kerr.  Photo by PrPhotos.com

The Victoria’s Secret Soho Store was abuzzed with activity on a Saturday as 3 angels descended to introduce the newest fragrance “Heavenly Flowers”.  The store was decorated in shades of pink, yellow and light blue – so girly!!  Fans lined up to get a glimpse of the models, shop and have their fragrance boxes signed. The scent was dreamy and sweet which is perfect for this summer.

Fashion’s Night Out at Intermix

Thursday, September 10^th 2009

Hosted by Sienna and Savannah Miller of Twenty8Twelve by s.miller

with

Special guest Alejandro Ingelmo

Featuring live art competition by ART BATTLES.

Music by DJ Harley Viera Newton and Cassie Coane

Intermix SoHo

98 Prince Street

7pm – 10pm

Mercer Kitchen is my new go to brunch place this summer. This ultra-hip restaurant is such a gem. You can choose to dine at street level, hotel lobby style or at the basement level, New York industrial style with sunlight seeping through from the translucent sidewalk pavement above. The cuisine is hearty, unpretentious and innovative. Try the tuna wasabi pizza and you’ll know what I mean.