Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 | Take Five | Pierce
Take Five: Best of the BYOB
Photo Courtesy of WTL Photos
Here at Gobbl we know that eating out can be a serious matter for your wallet. New York is an expensive place to eat, not to mention the staggering effect that markups on wine and liquors at most restaurants can have on your pocketbook. Therefore, we’ve concocted for you a Take Five of the best Bring Your Own Booze (BYOB) establishments that Manhattan has to offer. So, grab a bottle of your favorite go-to drink from home and head out to one of these spots for a good meal and a great time.
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Monday, August 18th, 2008 | Special | Meredith
Special: Travel the Boroughs for Food
Photo Courtesy of [Left] Loreley Restaurant and Biergarten, [Right] NYTimes
The end of summer is rapidly approaching but there are still some adventures to be had! Gobbl suggests buying a one day metro card and traveling the boroughs for some of the best that the so-called “Empire State” has to offer.
Breakfast - Egg
The lines may be long, but the wait is worth it, say fans of the Williamsburg staple Egg. It’s easy to forget an hour long wait for a table once you take a bite of their amazing french toast. Wash that down with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice, and make sure you try the biscuits and gravy, a dish that’s often difficult to find in New York. A breakfast at Egg is the perfect way to wake up on a sleepy Saturday morning, and prepare for a day of gastro-traveling.
Egg 135 N. 5th Street, Brooklyn
Lunch - De Mole
The search for good Mexican in New York is an arduous and neverending one. But if you’re willing to travel to a relatively deserted area of Woodside, Queens, De Mole will be more than satisfying. The food here is authentic, but the service and ambience is much better than most others (even the restaurants in Mexico!). The moderately-priced burritos, enchiladas, and tamales are delicious. Best of all: you don’t need a passport and plane to get here quickly, just a Metrocard and the 7 train. Take note that this restaurant doesn’t have a full liquor license–make sure to bring a bottle of tequila so your server can make you a margarita.
De Mole 4502 48th Avenue, Queens
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 | Take Five | Pierce
Take Five: Fall Restaurant Openings
Photo Credit: Manhattan Skyline by David G. Kelly
As the dog days of summer fade away, making way for the changing leaves of autumn, New York’s culinary world also undergoes a number of changes, including the opening of new restaurants, the revamping of menus, and the shifting of culinary staffs. Gobbl is proud to highlight for you a few of the new restaurants that are slated to open later this year in New York City.
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Thursday, August 14th, 2008 | Gobblin Around | Cindi
Gobblin’ Around: Because We Love a Good Deal
Photos Courtesy of [Left Image] Chocolate Bar; [Right Image] Hatsuhana
Get 15-20% discounts at critically acclaimed restaurants like Hatsuhana and Bocca [Dining Fever]
Chocolate Bar is offering Happy Hour 5pm-8pm till Sept. 15th. $5 snags you a mini brownie, a truffle, and the choice of a iced hot chocolate or an egg cream! [Bottomless Dish]
Aroma, named one of the best wine bars in NYC by Gayot, offers wine by the glass at half price on Fridays. As cheap as $3.50 per glass… [Aroma]
Aquavit declares Aug 11-17 “Crayfish Week”. Prix-fixes are offered at $48 as is a “(1lb of) Crayfish Peel&Eat” deal for $25. [Zagat Buzz]
Madewell, the “hipper” sister store of J.Crew, is offering icy treats and discount coupons for free. Check the site for locations. [Daily Candy]
Thursday, August 14th, 2008 | Gobbl Rank | Meredith
Gobbl Rank: BEST OF THE BrUNCH
Photo Courtesy of the Le Parker Meridien
While brunch places and specials abound throughout the city, only a select few were able to withstand the rigorous scrutiny of the Gobbl formula. The ten left standing are:
10. Norma’s 118 W. 57th St., New York NY 10027 (pictured above) Read more >>
9. Jane 100 W. Houston St., New York NY 10012
8. Prune 54 E. 1st St., New York NY 10003
7. Five Points 31 Great Jones St., New York NY 10012
6. Ocean Grill 384 Columbus Ave, New York NY 10024
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | Special | Pierce
Gobbl Late Night For Mobile Devices
It’s past midnight, you’re hungry, tired, and maybe you’ve had a little bit too much to drink in a New York neighborhood far from home. What are you to do?
Gobbl is proud to announce the launch of Gobbl Late Night, a new website for mobile devices that provides New Yorkers with a listing of over 200 restaurants in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. Gobbl Late Night organizes restaurants by neighborhood for easy access and provides accurate, up-to-date information on closing times, locations, and types of cuisine.
To check out Gobbl Late Night, point your Internet-enabled mobile phone to http://late.gobbl.com (or test it on your browser).
Also, view our snazzy press release announcing the official arrival of Gobbl Late Night.
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | Take Five | Meredith
Take Five: Great and Unpretentious Service
Photo Credit: Meatball Sliders at the Little Owl by Kathryn Yu
Poor service is a frequent complaint about restaurants in this city. In a 2007 Zagat survey, 48% of those surveyed said poor service irritated them most about New York dining (while only 10% cited prices). Every New Yorker has a story about the awful and inattentive waiter or the pretentious maitre d’hotel that they may have happened upon at some point.
Here are five restaurants, brought to you by Gobbl, where you’ll never meet a haughty hostess or snobbish server, where every guest is treated like Frank Bruni and where, best of all, the food is deliciously satisfying. Please note that restaurants like Per Se aren’t included in this list, which is meant to be accessible–places where a reservation isn’t needed two months in advance.
Read more >>
Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | Restaurant Insider | Cindi
Insider: Melissa Murphy of Sweet Melissa’s Patisserie
Perfection is Melissa’s drive, and it shows. At Sweet Melissa’s Patisserie, a spacious cremerie located in Cobble Hill, the executive chef Melissa Murphy serves up an array of desserts that couldn’t get closer to perfection. Her original butterscotch pudding is offered in dessert menus across the country, and her chesnut honey madeleines were so good that a NY Times writer once devoted an entire article to them. Gobbl was fortunate enought to sit down with the kind and energetic pastry chef to talk about past inspirations, ambitious future plans, and her favorite sweets.
Photo courtesy of Melissa Murphy
Gobbl: Tell us a little bit about your background.
Melissa: I went to school at the French Culinary Institute and graduated in ’95. I worked in a number of restaurants and pursued a career in pastry arts while working in the Hamptons.
Gobbl: How did you decide to open Sweet Melissa’s?
Melissa: You know when you work hard for other people, at some point you want to do it for yourself. I wanted to serve pastries not only for the mornings and lunches but also during the evenings and I wanted one right next to a theater. That way you draw that night crowd as well as a morning crowd.
Gobbl: You have such a variety of pastries here at Sweet Melissa’s. Where do you get inspiration for each of these treats?
Melissa: Most of these are drawn from childhood experience. These are all old-fashioned American desserts with great ingredients and great technique. I’m classically French trained so all my desserts are American classics with a French twist.
Gobbl: Is the process difficult?
Melissa: Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it takes two months to perfect, like my butterscotch pudding. I didn’t want to use cornstarch as a thicker which really works to stabilize the salt and the vanilla. Without the cornstarch, the salt and vanilla tend to separate. So I had to experiment with egg yolks and different temperatures. At any time I could have used cornstarch, but I’m a perfectionist. Sometimes that’s the biggest stumbling block, but in the end it was worth it. It’s in dessert menus across the country.
Gobbl: What treats do you enjoy making the most?
Melissa: I love baking fresh fruit pies. I grew up in upstate New York in Putnam County, and my family always went strawberry picking. Those inspired me the most.
Gobbl: We noticed you have podcasts on your site.
Melissa: I hope to do a baking show someday and podcasts are a great way to work on my teaching techniques. I love teaching recipes, and I think these podcasts are informational and very approachable.
Gobbl: How is your TV show coming along? Read more >>
Monday, August 11th, 2008 | Penny Pinch | Cindi
Penny Pinch: Burger Joint, Le Parker Meridien
Photo Credit: Le Parker Meridien New York
For most burger fanatics, its the Shake Shack burger that occupies their #1 cheap eats spot. But the lines can get unbelievably long (the wait is usually about 45 minutes) and in the sweltering heat, that can seem like an eternity. The Gobbl Alternative? The Burger Joint, a celebrity favorite tucked away behind a small neon sign inside the Le Parker Meridian. While the air-conditioned location may be a tad difficult to find (the place hides behind dark velvet red curtains), the elusiveness of the joint adds to its exclusive underground club feel. The T.V. screens, the booths, and the Samuel Adams by the pitcher also make the Burger Joint a great place to just hang out with a couple of friends. As for the food, the burgers, priced at $7 ($7.50 for the cheeseburgers), are cheap and delicious, and the fries ($3.50) are definitely noteworthy. But be warned, the place only accepts cash and can sometimes get crowded with impatient businessmen (so be careful not to step on their $1000 shoes!).
Burger Joint at the Le Parker Meridien 118 W. 57th St., New York NY 10019
Thursday, August 7th, 2008 | Restaurant Insider | Cindi
Insider: Dawn Casale of One Girl Cookies
Visiting One Girl Cookies is kind of like coming home after a long day. For one, everyone seems to be family here at One Girl Cookies. The waitresses are friendly and helpful, and the owners, Dawn Casale and her husband David Crofton, seem to know everyone who walks in the door by name. For another, the cookies and sweets here are not only delicious but comforting and evocative of childhood memories. Gobbl made its way to the relaxing Brooklyn shop to talk with the founder, Dawn, about the beginnings, her current projects, and her love for cookies.
Gobbl: When did you get the idea to start One Girl Cookies?
Dawn: I had previously worked at Barneys as an accessories manager. I loved my job but I was ready for something new and in the culinary world. I just got to the point where it was the right time. I really just left and it wasn’t even clear at first that it would be cookies. But as I thought about it, I realized there was a void in the cookie world.
Gobbl: Why did you think that?
Dawn: I loved cookies from an early age and no matter what culture you grow up with, you grow up eating cookies. But unlike chocolates which are packaged so beautifully and with such care, cookies never got that same kind of respect. They were always just thrown in a tin or something. So I wanted to elevate cookies to that kind of level where they would be made special and pretty. I wanted them to be special and more giftable.
Gobbl: How did you launch your business?
Dawn: I started it in my apartment. Though I didn’t have a formal pastry background, I came from a very culinary family and I had really learned to appreciate food and its ability to bring people together and make them happy. I had also learned how to prepare certain foods and to use old school techniques. The first leap of growth started when I rented kitchen space from a caterer. It was so nice to have a professional kitchen and I didn’t even know how cramped I was before till then. This current shop was the next move. That happened almost 3 years ago.
Gobbl: What’s the classic collection? Read more >>
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