London Restaurant Festival opens today

by Sean McLachlan on

England has an unfair reputation for bad cuisine. While this is the land of jellied eels and mushy peas, things have changed in recent years and now there are a lot more choices, especially in the nation’s capital.

From October 8-13, the London Restaurant Festival will highlight the amazing range of eateries in the city. You can find literally any kind of food here from familiar favorites such as French and Italian to more exotic choices such as Nigerian and Afghani. And of course there are countless Indian and Chinese restaurants.

But don’t forget British food! Celebrity chefs will be showing off at different venues throughout the festival, and will get together at London’s Leadenhall Market this Sunday, October 11, to host the city’s largest Sunday roast.

If you make it to only one event in this festival, make it to this. Sunday roast is an age-old British tradition and shows the national cuisine at its best. Celebrity chefs such as Richard Corrigan and Fergus Henderson will be cooking up beef, lamb, pork, wild roe deer, and game birds along with the usual trimmings such as vegetables, gravy, and pudding. British game such as quail and grouse is especially good.

Even if you can’t make the festival, try out a Sunday roast at a carvery or pub, but be careful because some venues serve pre-prepared meals they only heat up. A good Sunday roast made from scratch like I get at my local pub in Oxford is heaven for meat lovers.

Five Upper West Side brunch favorites

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Step onto any Upper West Side sidewalk on a Saturday or Sunday, and you’re bound to be swarmed by brunchers – coming from, going to or lingering outside their favorite spots. Though there is no shortage of unknown and overexposed eateries in this neighborhood, it’s not unusual to find yourself saddled with a long wait even if you have a reservation. Or, you could score with a great restaurant and no line.

Ultimately, knowledge is what makes the difference. Forty-five minutes could be worth it for a great meal, or you could find out that a restaurant has no line for a reason. Having a sense for the different options can define your weekend. So, here are five “sure thing” alternatives for brunch on the Upper West Side.

1. Café Luxembourg: This bistro is best for brunch before 10 AM – no lines, excellent service and a deep menu. Go with the steak and eggs (decent piece of meat compared to most breakfast steaks), and definitely order the hash browns. You can taste the butter!

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2. Alice’s Teacup: My friends made fun of me for this one, because the place is definitely “girly.” The scones, however, are nothing short of amazing, and the attentive waitresses occasionally don fairy wings. Even if you’re hungry, leave room for dessert. Nothing matches the frustration of seeing those treats and not being able to handle another bite.

3. Good Enough to Eat: To be honest, I’ve never had great service here, but the food is outstanding. The sausage is served in the shape of a meatball, but it’s not a meatball! The length of the omelet selection is impressive, but skip the coffee. This is a place for food (at which it excels) and nothing else. Arrive at least a half hour before the restaurant opens.

4. Sarabeth’s: Yeah, everybody knows about it, and to go there for brunch is to live a cliché. But, Sarabeth’s deserves its reputation, and the cheese blintzes are a must. To minimize your wait, plan to show up about 15 minutes before the restaurant opens.

5. Fred’s: Satisfy your “puppy love” in a restaurant named for the family dog. The walls are adorned with the pets of satisfied customers, and you’ll probably want to add your canine to the pack. This is another stellar omelet find, so egg-lovers will be right at home.

Detroit’s first Restaurant Week kicks off Friday

by Katie Hammel on

Nearly every major city has a Restaurant Week – one week per year when dining establishments all over the city offer multi-course menus at a deep discount. Restaurants see it as a way to pull in new customers or boost sales during a slow period, while diners jump at the chance to try out new places or revisit their favorites for a smaller price.

For the first time, Detroit will be running its own Restaurant Week. It will run for 10 days, from September 18 to 27, and encompass two weekends. 17 restaurants are participating, with each offering at least three courses for $27, not including tax and tip. Some are also running drinks specials during the time. Each menu is being created specially for the event but will be consistent with the restaurant’s usual fare.

If your travel plans are taking you to the Motor City, or if you live in Detroit, you’re in for some good eating. Restaurants participating in the promotion include: Atlas Global Bistro, The Whitney, Coach Insignia, and Cuisine. A three-course dinner at the posh Whitney could easily set you back $50 per person. A feast at Coach Insignia, on the top of the Renaissance Center, would cost even more. And the others aren’t exactly diner dives – these are some of the top restaurants in the D when it comes to fine dining, so $27 for three-courses is quite a deal.

Blogger Kendra Bailey Morris

by Kendra Bailey Morris on

Where was your photo taken? At the 17th Street Farmer’s Market in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. I’m a produce stand junkie. As soon as market season begins, you can find me sifting through piles of fresh veggies, meats and other locally made delicacies nearly every week.

Where do you live now? Richmond, Virginia, where I spend the majority of my days writing, cooking, and planning where to go next and what to eat.

Scariest airline flown? Can’t remember the airline, but you can bet I remember the flight. Went like this. Hopped a flight from Richmond to Newark. Plane takes off late at night. Enter massive Southern-style electrical thunderstorm. Plane gets tossed around like dice on a craps table. White knuckle it for about 10 minutes before huge lightning strike creates a power outage inside the plane. I begin bawling like an infant-complete with moments of hyperventilation. (I’ve never been a great flyer.) Plane finally lands. Exit aircraft, knees still knocking. Greeted by a cabbie, who takes me to a nearby bar, where I promptly buy a six-pack of Miller High Life and drink it in the backseat of the car. Note to self: check weather status before flying.

Favorite city/country/place. My grandmother’s kitchen in Bluefield, West Virginia.

Most remote corner of the globe visited. Spent the night on Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano which overlooks the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with nothing but newspapers to sleep on, and a decent bottle of Scotch to keep warm. Woke up in the middle of the night to the distant sound of bagpipes and discovered a wild red fox sleeping next to me. Legend has it that Arthur’s Seat is the original home to Camelot, so to this day, I have always thought that fox was the ghost of some noble knight sent to protect me.

Favorite guidebook series. Been a big “Let’s Go” fan ever since college.

The most unusual food I’ve ever eaten is…raw monkfish liver. Tastes like a fishy foie gras.

When I’m not writing for Gadling, I’m…cooking, eating, or thinking about eating.

Favorite foreign dish? Restaurant? Poached beef marrow with coconut bread (served straight from the bone) at Poleng in San Francisco. Steak frites in Brussels. Doner kebab while walking the streets of London at 2 a.m. A bottle of cheap Bordeaux, a baguette and any park in Paris. Stewed Opihi’s (snails) at Paolo’s Bistro on the Big Island in Pahoa, Hawaii.

Favorite trip: Eloping to the Turks and Caicos to marry my husband, Tim, on Grace Bay in Provo, with an Italian couple and a handful of locals serving as our witnesses. Truly magical.

Continental’s Restaurant Week could increase revenue

by Tom Johansmeyer on

On its face, Continental Airlines’ participation in International Restaurant Week seems like just another promotion. Think harder, though, and you’ll see that it’s really a way for the airline to bring in a little extra cash. Since passengers with a bit of extra girth may be charged for an extra seat, it only makes sense to fatten up fliers and reap the rewards.

A dozen New York restaurants are participating in 2009 International Restaurant week this year, which stretches from today to May 10, 2009. Continental chose these restaurants because they replicate the cuisine from some of the airline’s top destinations. A first, each restaurant will create a signature dish, and diners can rate the offerings (by May 10), with the winning restaurant netting $25,000 for the charity of its choice.

“We are thrilled to have Chef Tom Colicchio as our judge for this year’s Signature Dish contest and look forward to tasting the winning dish,” says Mark Bergsrud, Continental’s senior vice president marketing programs and distribution. He continues, “While we certainly love bringing New Yorkers to each of our international destinations to experience exquisite cuisine first-hand, we’re excited to offer International Restaurant Week and create authentic dining experiences for our customers that don’t require a plane ticket.”

Guests can use the Continental Airlines International Restaurant Week website to make restaurant reservations and take advantage of special offers.

Participating restaurants and details are after the jump.

Alfama (Portugal) – Diners will experience an authentic 4-course meal, ending with a glass of port from Alfama’s extensive collection, included with the meal. They’ll also take home a box of Pasteis de nata, traditional Portuguese custard cakes.

Allen & Delancey (United Kingdom) – After enjoying Chef Kyle Bailey’s 5-course meal and specially designed signature dish, guests will be able to recreate the experience with Chef’s signature dish recipe and a package of couscous.

Avra (Greece) – For a truly personalized experience, a manager will help design a menu for each reservation, providing insight into the menu and wine pairings. Guests will take home some Greek delicacies chosen by the Avra team.

Boqueria (Spain) – While there, diners will get to know Chef Seamus Mullen as they enjoy his specially designed shared tasting menus – for lunch or dinner. Each diner will receive a complimentary bag of house-made candied Marcona almonds.

China Grill (China) – Guests will enjoy an exclusive 5-course tasting menu created by Chef Jamie Knott, with a specially paired cocktail included in the meal. Each diner will also take home a box of delicious ginger and almond cookies.

Delmonico’s (United States) – After enjoying an exclusively designed menu featuring Delmonico’s most famous dishes, diners will take a personal tour of the restaurant, a National Historic Landmark, and take home a complimentary signed copy of the cookbook Dining at Delmonico’s.

Del Posto (Italy) – Diners will be invited to tour Del Posto’s extensive wine cellar and bring a taste of the restaurant home with a special gift bag filled with the chef’s favorite Italian delicacies.

L’Ecole (France) – Guests will begin the evening with a behind the scenes look at L’Ecole’s teaching kitchens. After, they’ll indulge in a unique dessert and cocktail featuring rare Grapefruit Thai Basil Tea, included with the meal. Diners will take home a sample of the exotic tea along with the recipe, to recreate the experience at home.

Maya (Mexico) – Chef Sandoval offers a uniquely designed 3-course Cinco de Mayo menu with special beverage pairings. Diners will be gifted with a complimentary signed copy of his cookbook Modern Mexican Flavors.

Nobu (Japan) – Nobu’s talented chefs will kick start the meal with a complimentary Chef’s Selection Amuse-Gueule. Diners will finish on a sweet note too, with a signature fruit sake or shochu, included with the meal.

Plataforma (Brazil) – Guests will go behind the scenes on a tour of the kitchen with one of Plataforma’s Master Carvers. Every table will be gifted a complimentary caipirinha making kit to bring home a taste of this traditional Brazilian cocktail.

Tabla (India) – Guests will be invited to take a personally guided tour of Tabla’s kitchen. After savoring an exclusively designed 4-course prix fixe menu with an optional wine pairing to match, they’ll take home one of Pastry Chef Melissa Walnock’s uniquely designed desserts, packaged along with the recipe.