All posts in "Unique Dinners"

Quick Bites

By Khushbu Shah on February 13, 2013 / No Comments / Categorized Celebrity Chefs, Featured, Pop-Ups, Quick Bites, Underground Eats, Unique Dinners, Unique Events

Now that Nemo has come and gone and the snow is just puddles in the street, it’s time to stop getting food delivered and start venturing out into the eating world again. As luck would have it, there’s plenty of good eating happening this week. If the lingering cold weather has you imagining a vacation south of the border, head over to Brooklyn Brewery from 7:30pm-10pm tonight to learn how to put together a Mexican feast. Make tortillas from scratch, whip up a batch of fresh salsa, and try your hands at some Mexican desserts – all while sipping on quality beer from the brewery itself. Tickets are $5 per person, making this deal even cheaper than a happy hour margarita to nurse your cold weather blues.

 

Supermodel Karlie Kloss and Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar dressed in their 80's best

If you’re still busy with Fashion Week but need a cookie fix, look out for the free ‘Kookie’ truck today. The cookie, named “The Perfect 10″, is a collaboration between pastry genius Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar and super model Karlie Kloss.  They will personally be handing out cookies around Lincoln Center and throughout Manhattan (hopefully in the awesome 80’s outfits that they donned in this video). American Express will be tweeing the truck’s locations throughout the day so be sure to follow #AmexMakeMyDay for details.

Happy Pisco Sour Month!

Head over to Raymi after work today for happy hour with a twist. Join the cocktail gurus from Dipsology for the Shaken & Stirred: Peruvian Pisco Party. There will be cocktails mixed by Raymi’s resident Pisco expert, alongside hors d’eouvers, and plenty of knowledge about this grape brandy. Forty bucks will get you two hours of eating and drinking while mingling with fellow cocktail lovers. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Chef Craig Liekfelt at a previous Guns + Butter dinner at Parlor New York

 

 

Valentine’s Day on your mind? Why wait to celebrate?  Treat your date to an intimate late night dinner tonight at the Guns + Butter: Valentine Rendezvous Pop Up. Run by a Jean-Georges protégé, Craig Liekfelt, Guns + Butter is setting up shop at Mehtaphor in TriBeCa. Dinner starts at 11pm, allowing for dessert to linger into the early hours of Valentine’s Day.

  • 1 Fran Intro blog

    Chef Francis Derby introduces last night's American Psycho dinner at Nitehawk Cinema

  • Course 1 blog

    Squid ink ravioli, lemongrass broth, goat cheese profiteroles, "arugula ceaser" (and of course, fine Chardonnay)

  • Course 2 blog

    Peanut butter soup with smoked duck and mashed squash

  • Course 3 blog

    Sea urchin ceviche with fluke, cucumber, and fennel

  • 7 Russell Sam blog

    Nitehawk's Chef Russell Dougherty plating in the kitchen as guest watch American Psycho in the theater

  • Course 4 blog

    Cilantro crawfish gumbo and Corona with lime

  • Course 5 blog

    Roasted hanger steak with béarnaise and lemon tots

  • Course 6 blog

    Chocolate parfait with hazelnuts and cherries with a shot of J&B whiskey

Chef Francis Derby Kills It at Nitehawk

By Mikaela Flynn on February 8, 2013 / No Comments / Categorized Featured, Unique Dinners, Unique Events

Last night Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg hosted the first of its Film Feast series with a special screening of American Psycho and a six-course dinner inspired by the film.  The movie, which has a grown bit of a cult following, has surprisingly many food references throughout the film.  From the bankers’ obsession with restaurant reservations, to numerous Chardonnay mentions, and scenes of dining out, there was plenty of material for Chef Derby to work with in creating a fitting menu.

As the lights dimmed and the movie began projecting on the big screen, guests were poured a glass of Chardonnay and were soon served Chef Derby’s first course of squid ink ravioli, lemongrass broth, goat cheese profiteroles, and “arugula Ceaser.” This dish came just after a scene in the movie when the waiter announced to Patrick Bateman’s table, “Our pasta this evening is squid ravioli in a lemon grass broth with goat cheese profiteroles, and I also have an arugula Caesar salad.”

The evening continued like so, with mentions of food and scenes of dishes shown in the movie, and then voilà!,  a plate was placed on the small table in front of the theater seat.  When Patrick takes Paul Allen out for food and drinks at Texarkana, Paul tries to order the cilantro crawfish gumbo.  But of course due to a “fire in the kitchen” they are out.  Lucky for those who attended last night’s event, Chef Derby’s kitchen did not experience a fire, and cilantro crawfish gumbo was served (and was delicious).

Although it was easy to get caught up in the dramatics of the film, in order to fully appreciate Chef Derby’s menu it was important to pay attention to detail.  Even when Patrick is trying desperately to break things off with Evelyn, they are served desert with the silhouette of cutlery made from sprinkled powdered cinnamon.  This small detail was not missed by Chef Derby as his kitchen team gently sprinkled powder over a fork on every plate for his sixth course of chocolate parfait with hazelnuts and cherries.

We are looking forward to more thematic dinners like this one at Nitehawk as plans for the next Film Feast event are settled upon and finalized.  Perhaps the next film will be slightly less disturbing, but everyone who attended last night seemed to agree that somehow blood, gore, sex, and psychosis ended up pairing perfectly with a lovely six-course meal.

Browse above gallery for images of Chef Derby’s six courses. Photography by: Melissa Hom

Quick Bites

By Mikaela Flynn on February 8, 2013 / No Comments / Categorized Featured, Pop-Ups, Unique Dinners, Unique Events

Burger Conquest founder, Rev. David Cianco, at the Polar Brrrger Club in Madison Square Park with a Shake Shack burger in hand

As the snow starts to fall this afternoon and many head home early before getting stuck at their office, die hard burger fanatics will be braving the cold, wind, and snow to take part in Burger Conquest’s third annual Polar Brrrger Club takeover at Madison Square Park’s Shake Shack.  Organizer, Rev. David Cianco, founder of Burger Conquest, invites all serious eaters to join him at Shake Shack, typically one of the busiest lunch spots in Manhattan, when most people will be hiding from the storm inside.  Brave the weather and meet him at 1pm TODAY.  Follow hashtag #PolarBrrrger on Twitter to get all the latest updates.

Tonight in TriBeCa the new supper club Loft Dinners will be hosting a five-course dinner in celebration of citrus.  Dinners are hosted in a loft apartment and a portion of the suggestion donation price for dinner go towards a featured NYC organization.  Take a look at tonight’s citrus-infused menu here.  Reserve your seat by emailing loftdinner[at]gmail.com.

Table is set at a Loft Dinner event

Before Valentine’s Day arrives, you may be wanting to heat things up a bit.  On Monday Feb. 11th brave a  five-course menu of spicy foods from around the world.  Chef David Santos at Louro is offering courses highlighted by spices from Jamaica to Bangladesh.  If you think you can handle heat, this is your chance to finally prove yourself.  The dinner is BYOB, so be sure to bring plenty of your favorite beverage to help wash away the burn.  Take a look at the menu and decide for yourself if you are up for the challenge.

If spice is not your friend, then you may want to wait for Chef Santos’ Black History Month dinner on Feb. 18th.  The five-couse menu will feature dishes inspired by Mohammed Ali, President Obama, Jackie Robinson, Muddy Waters, and Martin Luther King Jr.  Learn more here.

Next week the Williamsburg pop-up Chez Jose will be hosting a two-night Valentine’s Day dinner at neighborhood cocktail bar Donna.  Chez Jose is run by former Isa chef Jose Ramirez-Ruiz and has been hosting dinners at the cafe Whirlybird.  Dinners will be offered on both Feb. 13th and 14th.  There will be live music and Donna’s expert cocktail team will be mixing up some special concoctions for  the dinner series.  Reserve your table by emailing chezjosebk[at]gmail.com.

Corey Isgur, Jeremy Kean, and Philip Kruta of Boston's The Whisk

If you happen to be in Boston next week for Valentine’s Day and are looking for a clever way to get your significant other “in the mood” then by all means, look into attending pop-up supper club, The Whisk‘s aphrodisiac dinner on Friday the 15th.  The young culinary threesome behind the pop-up restaurant are putting together a tasting menu using all foods known to be aphrodisiacs.  The menu itself is kept hush-hush before the big day, but expect to enjoy the usual suspects of oysters, asparagus, strawberries, and an avocado tartare.  Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.

 

  • soup

    Chilled Pea Soup, Buttermilk Snow, Kumquats Chips, Pea Crisp, Peas, Mint Encapsulation, Pea Shoots

  • salad

    Smoked Baby Beets, Puffed Wild Rice, Puffed Quinoa, Shaved Pickled Beets, Beet Yogurt Purée , Beet Powder, Candied Beets, Crème Fresh Snow

  • seafood

    Fresh Cut Spaghetti, Sous Vide/La Plancha Prawns, Stewed Tomato, Chili Powder, Candied Sun-Dried Tomato, Garlic Chips

  • mushroom

    Mushroom Textures, Hazelnut Butter, Anise Meringue, Pumpernickel Soil

  • fish

    Plantain Crusted Sea Bass, Sunflower Seed Risotto, Corn Emulsion, Chanterelles, Garlic Chive Pudding

  • meat

    Short Ribs, Garlic Horseradish Purée, Horseradish Chips, Savory Granola, Heirloom Carrot Confit, Pickled Walnuts

  • desert one

    "Not Your Every Day Peanut Butter and Jelly"

  • picture of six

    From top right: Short rib, sweet potato explosion ravioli, desert tasting of a "PB&J", black sesame panna cotta, Chef Michael Patlazhan plating, table set for 12

Brooklyn Supper Club Brings Guests on a 10-Course Culinary Journey

By Mikaela Flynn on February 5, 2013 / 1 Comment / Categorized Featured, Supper Clubs, Unique Dinners

This past Saturday evening a dozen hungry New Yorkers braved the winter chill and traveled to Brooklyn where they would meet (many for the first time) and dine together in a cozy apartment.  As guests shuffled in and warmed up with some wine they brought with them, the star of the night, Chef Michael Patlazhan was busily preparing what would be a four-hour long decadent and playful 10-course meal.

Michael began a career in finance only to then abandon the industry and purse his dreams of becoming a chef.  He enrolled at the French Culinary Institute and continued on to work under esteemed chefs at The Dutch and Park Avenue.  He now runs his own catering business called Cooking With You and For You while also venturing into the world of underground supper clubs.

February 2nd marked Michael’s second ever supper club dinner, the first took place this past fall.  Both dinners featured ambitious menus with a molecular gastronomy focus that wowed guests and took them on culinary journey of the senses as each course bursted with unique flavors, colors, and textures.  The menu, which included courses like “Soup Course,” “Seafood Course,” and “Meat Course” was anything but predictable.  One of the favorites of the evening, the “Mushroom Course,” was a delicious and surprising dish of “mushroom textures”, hazelnut butter, anise meringue, and pumpernickel soil.

It is an impressive feat for any chef to succeed in a well-timed, exciting, and delicious 10-course tasting menu, and as Michael fought with temperamental home kitchen appliances and pressed on despite lack of sleep (he had spent the last few nights prepping for Saturday’s dinner) it was hard not to appreciate his hard work, ambition, and talent.

The small gathering of adventurous eaters shared stories, bottles of wine, as each course was plated and served.  The entire evening lasted four hours, which may sound like agony to some who prefer their dinner plans to be only a portion of their Saturday night, not the entire main event.  But for those who attended on Saturday, the did not seem to be an issue.  People were happy to be there and taste all the unique flavors and textures of Michael’s molecular gastronomy techniques.    For many it was the first time experiencing molecular gastronomy and as each dish was served “Oooh’s” and “Aww’s” could be heard across the table.

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On Jan. 28th Jimmy's No. 43 will host a special Spanish prixe fix dinner with tapas and Spanish beer pairings

Meatballs as a Midnight Snack; NYChilifest Returns; Reynard Welcomes Guest Chef; and Other Upcoming Edible Events

By Mikaela Flynn on January 25, 2013 / No Comments / Categorized Featured, Supper Clubs, Underground Eats, Unique Dinners, Unique Events

Tomorrow night Midnight Brunch, the midnight roving dining series started by Mouth of the Border‘s Emily Cavalier) will be hosting a Whiskey and Meatballs From Around the World party in a secret Brooklyn location.  The late night feast will include four different kinds of balls of various nationalities including Sicilian, Swedish, Greek, and Spanish.  Specialty cocktails made with top notch whiskey and homemade syrups will include concoctions like the “Breakfast with the Devil” (Black Grouse Blended Scotch Whiskey, sherry, fresh OJ, Fernet Branca, and Bittermans Hellfire Bitters).  Shenanigans start at 11pm and continue through 1:30am.  Last remaining tickets can be purchased here.

Enter BBQ heaven tomorrow at the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival

Also tomorrow is the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival.  The festival’s 2013 tour makes a pit stop at NYC’s La Venue / The Tunnel for an all-day whiskey, beer, and porkathon.  Complete with two sessions, The Bacon Bash Tasting Session (12pm-4pm) and The Whole Hog Pig Pickin’ Session (5:30pm- 9:30pm), the festival will have live music throughout the day along with seminars lead by whisky distillers and pit masters.  Prepare yourself as you’ll be transported to the deep south for day.  Find out more here.

Sunday is the annual NYChilifest at Chelsea Market.  Chefs from some of NYC’s favorite restaurants including Gramercy Tavern, Delaney BBQ, Pies ‘n’ Thighs, and Fatty ‘Cue will compete in the ultimate chili showdown.  Samuel Adams is providing a selection of beers to help wash down the spice.  Learn more here.

Monday night at Louro Chef David Santos will be offering a five-course Portuguese dinner as part of his weekly Nossa Mesa Supper Club.  Chef Santos, who is of Portuguese descent, will be getting back to his roots by offering traditional dishes of Portugal featuring winter’s seasonal offerings.  Learn more and purchase tickets here.

On the very same night, another dinner inspired by cuisine from the Iberian Peninsula will take place at Jimmy’s No. 43 when the pub hosts a prixe fix dinner of Spanish tapas paired with Spanish beers and hard ciders.  Try unusual beers and ciders from Spain during five courses of traditional tapas and of course plenty of Jamón Iberico.  Find more info and purchase tickets here.

Dinner with Friends Series at Wythe Hotel's Reynard begins Jan. 30th

On January 30th Wythe Hotel’s Reynard will kick of its new guest chef series by welcoming Chris Fischer, the chef and manager of Bettelebung Farm in Chilmark, Massachusetts.  Chef Fischer will be teaming up with Andrew Mariani, the owner of Scribe Winery in Sonoma, California in offering a four-course dinner with wine pairings at the Williamsburg hotspot.  This first installment of the “Dinner with Friends Series” will be taking residency at Reynard for a total of three nights, Jan. 30th- Feb. 1st.  Make reservations by calling 718-460-8004.

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