Eric Clapton Delgrange Open Bigger Bilboquet

Original Bilboquet

On East 60th Street

Lost Lease After 27 Years

Phiilipe Delgrange (Owner)

with Chef Julien Jouhannaud

In NEW 100 Seat BILBOQUET

LEGENDARY GUTARIST

ERIC CLAPTON

A Partner 

At New BILBOQUET

Keith McNally Closing Pulino

Keith McNally To Close Pulino's

A New Restuarant "Cherche Midi"

Will Be Opened in Its Place By McNally

Mr. McNally Will Be Doing What He Does Best

"FRENCH BISTROS"

Great Idea Keith

The Master of New York Restaurants "Keith McNally," forget it Drew "You Are Way Behind Keith," (Drew Nierporent), Mr. McNally will for the first time be shuttering a restaurant. Word has it that Keith McNally will be closing his Pizza Inspire Restaurant on the corner of Bowery and Houston "Pulino's" this January. McNally who has been a hugely sucessful restuarantuer since his opening of The ODEON in 1981, along with Cafe Luxenbourg, Nell's, Lucky Strike, Pravda, Balthazar, Schiller's, Pastis, Morandi, Minetta Tavern (my favorite for the past 3 years), and now we guess the unsucessful Pulino. Hey Keith, we love you, and I have been one of your biggest advocates, "Your a Genius" of the business, but lets face it, despite Morandi (which I never go to unless dragged there), "Italian Is Not Your Bag." Yes, Morandi is highly sucessful, but for me, a Italian-AMerican and someone who has been to Italy some 14 times, Morandi reminds me of a Italian Restaurant that would be in Disneyland, in-other-words, "Fake Faux Italian," and for me or anyone to say that about a Kieth McNally Restaurant, is not good. Morandi is for "non-Italian" Folllowers, and so too was and is "Pulino's." Lets get back to what mr. McNally is "Great" at, and that is French Bistros, which he does so well, brillantly in fact. From the Grand Bistro Brasserie Balthazar, to Pastis, and Luck Strike and soon to be Cherche Midi which we are sure will be wonderfu. "We're hoping anyway."

I's like to just mention someone who helped Keith McNally become the famed restaurantuer he is today. Let's remeber the Great Patrick Clarke who in my opinion was one of the Greates Chefs to ever don a Toque (Chefs Hat) in the great city of New York. Patrick Clarke was Keith McNally's first chef at his first restaurant The Odeon down on West Broadway in Tribeca. His food was marvelous, I know, I worked at Odeon and Luxenbourg for the man when I was a cook just starting out, a few years before I became a chef myself. Patrick was a black kid from Brooklyn who followed in hsi fathers and uncles footsteps as a chef. He attended New york Technical College Food & Restaurant program (as did I .. His uncle was 1 of my professors and cosuin one of my classmates). Patrick went on to study and work with Michel Guerard. Patrick came back to New York and was the Chef at the famed nightclub Regine's before being scoffed-up by McNally to head the kitchen at Odeon.  He was one of the Greatest Chefs in the history of New York, noone ever talks about him, so just wanted to give one of my idols a nod that he way more than deserves. Patrick Clarke passed away a few years ago at the age of 42 .. R.I.P. For those who really know about food and aren't one of the followers who go to places like Morandi, or watch thos "Horrible Food Host on The Aweful Food Network," they know of the Great Patrick Clarke, a "Real Chef" in every sense of the word.

So, yes Keith McNally is a master of the restaurant business and especially at creating wonderful French Bistros in New York. H e has great concepts, picks great locations, he actually creates neighborhoods like Tribeca and The Meatpacking District which were both dessolate and not very cool neighborhoods until McNally opened restaurants in Tribecca and the Meatpacking District. We look foward to Mr. McNally's Cherche Midi and wish him well. Bravo Keith!

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

A $95,000 TRUFFLE

NELLO'S
EURO-TRASH CENTRAL

And Home of Extreme Pretension

White Truffle season is upon us, and the fancy fungus is now popping up on city menus at the usual outrageous prices. Uptown restaurateur Nello Balan has gone one better by getting his mitts on what he "claims" is the World’s biggest White Truffle, weighing in at a mouth-watering 4 pounds. But regulars (Euro-Trash) at his "Pretensious" Madison Avenue eatery won’t get even a whiff of it — Nello says he sold it Thursday to Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin for $95,000.

Potanin, who has a $14 billion fortune, is the fourth-richest man in Russia and a business partner of Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov. Potanin mainly lives in Moscow, so it’s unlikely any of us will get an invite to his place for a truffle dinner.

NEW YORK & The $3.00 PBR

 

PBR

New York and the $3.00 PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer has been a God-Send to many New Yorkers. As you all know, the US Economy has been in the Shitter for the past 5  years or so.

Many people are out of work, and many who are working, are taking home Half-as-Much Money or more of what they used to make. People have had to buckle down and give up or curb many things they enjoyed previous to the current state of our economy, which is in almost a Depression Era State.

Yes, everybody says that we are not in a Depression, we're in a recession. Those are the Rich and Well-Off, The 1%-ers  talking. To many, the state of our Union and their feelings are of Depression.

So, because of the Terrible State of our Economy you have given up eating out 3 times a week, you buy less clothes, spend less on Entertainment and any number of things. You haven't had a vacation in the past two years, maybe more. You've given up a lot. We all have.

Now when it comes to socializing, going out for a few Beers or Cocktails with some friends, you've had to cut back on that too. But hey, you gotta draw a line somewhere, and everyone is entitled to a few drinks to unwind every now and then, and to be with friends. Yes times are bad, people are hurting, you need your friends more than ever. And having a few Beers or Drinks is one of the most common adult ways to do so. It's natural and part of everyday life. You should be able to have two or three drinks or beers and not have to spend a small fortune doing so. You should be able to have 2 beers for about $10 including tip, and about $16 for tow drinks including tip. That's reasonable. That's what most people pay around America, and even less. But we don't live in America, we live in the greatest City in The World, New York, and Cocktails and Beers here can be oh-so-dear. "Expensive!" Expensive as Hell, "Ridiculously Expensive." It's absurd and outrageous, with many places thinking it's normal and OK to charge $16.00 or more for a measly little Cocktail made by a friggin so-called "Mixologist." Ha!  It's not OK, what's a person to do? So yes, we live in New York, and having a couple cocktails here can be a costly undertaking.. What is a Poor Working Guy or Working Girl to do??? Well Boys and Girls, let's Thank God for that great thing of wonder and the Bars and establishments who so graciously and kindly serve it, The $3.00 PBR, That's right, a $3.oo Beer in The Land of The Over-Priced $16.00 Cocktail, Manhattan, New York, NY..... It's quite Sad, Greedy too, not to mention "Ridiculous Ludicrous and Insane."

Yes, Thank God and let's thank the Kind-Hearted proprietors who serve $3.00 PBR'S or any Beer for just $3 or $4 in a New York Bar. You are doing your fellow man a public service and we thank you for that. Whoever you are, you are to be commended, and Shame-On-You, all those places that serve $14 PLUS Cocktails. "RIP-OFF" !!! Wish the masses would Boycott these places and patronize places like Blue & Gold Bar, 7B, and anyplace who has a heart. Bars that serve 3 and 4 Dollar Beers.

I just have to say, it's great to go to a place like Blue and Gold Bar on East 7th Street and know that you can have 3 or 4 Beers for just $12 to $16, accounting for a Buck a Pop for the Barkeep. Now that's pretty good. I have had the best times hanging at Blue & Gold with some friends. You sit at the Bar or get into a nice comfy booth, drink your Beers ($3 PBR'S), relax, listen to the Music, Chit Chat, and just enjoy, and it's not going to cost you The Shirt Off Your Back.

Yes, you can have 4 Beers, tip included for the price of 1 Rip-Off Drink at one of those Rip-Off Joints. And if you are Dumb enough to have four drinks in one of those places, guess what it's going to cost you? About $75 my friend.

Well, do the Math, and if you can afford $75 for only 4 drinks, God Bless You. And if you can't, you've got an alternative. Right, your local $3.00 PBR Joint. They're a God-Send.

 Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Copyright 2008 Daniel Bellino Zwicke

PLACES To GET A $3.00 PBR in NEW YORK

BLUE & GOLD BAR in the East Village, on East 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Blue & Gold has long been a favorite of mine ever since I lived in the East Village from 1982 to 1994. It's just a cool ol normal old style bar with a pool table, standard 50's 60's Bar Decor, and Best-of-All $3.oo PBR'S and $6.00 Cocktails. I love it.

7B   a.k.a. The Horseshoe Bar, also in the East Village, a bastion of cheap and fare prices in Manhattan and Land of The $3.00 PBR and other $3 and $4 Beers.  7B  is located on the corner of Avenue B at 7th Street, hence the name "7B"  ... The nickname Horseshoe Bar comes from the shape and dimensions of the bar, "Horseshoe Shaped." The bar has been the setting of numerous movie shoots, including the scene in Godfather II when Frankie Pantangeli (Frankie 5 Angels) goes to this bar for a meeting with the Rosato Brothers, and Danny Aiello raps a Piano-Wire around his neck. A scene from Crocodile Dundee and other movies as well ....  But Best of all, at 7B they serve $3.00 Beers, cheap drinks, and they have a photo and sell Potato Chips and Pretzels which practically no bars in Manhattan ever do any more. And this is a good thing when you get the munchies from the Beer. Glory Hallelujah, thank God for 7B .. 

  .

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

Daniel Zwicke

   

          .

GINO'S SECRET SAUCE

The CHERISHED GINO RESTORANTE

Lexington Avenue

New York, NY

Across From BLOOMINGDALES

After 65 Wonderful Years

Now SADLY CLOSED

DINING AT GINO'S

SUNDAY SAUCE  by Daniel Bellino Zwicke to feature Sunday Sauce and other Italian American favorite dishes, including the "Secret Sauce" recipe "Salsa Segreta alla Gino's"

SUNDAY SAUCE To INCLUDE SECRET SAUCE RECIPE

SUNDAY SAUCE For NOVEMBER 2013 RELEASE

WILL INCLUDE

 GINO'S SECRET SAUCE RECIPE

New York based Italian cookbook author Daniel Bellino Zwicke is set for a late November 2013 release of his latest book "Sunday Sauce" by Broadway Fifth Press ... Said to be include in the book are wonderful stories of Italian-American life; the people, the Food, the Kitchen, and rituals of the table. Featured recipes are of the famed Italian-AMerican Sunday meal, The Sunday Sauce, aka "Gravy," of which Daniel has include several recipe, including; Clemenza's Mob War Sunday Sauce "Gravy," DiMaggio Family Sunday Sauce Gravy, Sinatra Family Spaghetti & Meatballs, and the cherished Old School New York Italian Red-Sauce Restaurant "Gino's" of Lexington Ave.  (across from Blooming-dales, now closed after 65 years). Daniel will include a recipe for Gino's famed Salsa Segreta, "Secret Sauce" along with a multitude of Italian-American favorites. The book is quite wonderful, containing the best of Italian-America in recipes and colorful stories. We can't wait.

CARBONE OPEN For LUNCH

Breaking News

New York's Hottest Restaurant of 2013, "Carbone" is now open for Lunch .. Carbone, which has been serving dinner 7 nights a week since its opening in March, will now be open for lunch Monday - Friday along with Dinner 7 nights a week.