• Gjelina

    Gjelina

    [From the 1/27/25 newsletter] I just had breakfast with my friend Diana at Gjelina NY, which is soft-opening right now in NoHo. We each had the Moroccan baked eggs and I scorched the roof of my mouth by piling the eggs on the bread and the taking a big bite before realizing how hot they…

  • Pitt’s BK

    Pitt’s BK

    [From the 1/30/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] Last night we hit up a brand new restaurant in Red Hook from the brilliant mind behind Agi’s Counter, Jeremy Salamon, called Pitt’s BK with our friends Jeremy and Jason. We immediately soaked in the environment which reminded us of a midwestern chain restaurant like Perkins, but like a…

  • Le Rock

    Le Rock

    [From the 2/3/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] For Craig’s big birthday restaurant meal, we went out with our pals Diana, Rob, and Kath to the snazziest New York restaurant — perfect for a birthday: Le Rock in Rockefeller Center. You may recall that I went to Le Rock with my parents and they found it “too…

  • Mile End Deli

    Mile End Deli

    [From the 2/13/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] Craig and I were embarrassed never to have been to Mile End Deli in our neighborhood, even though it’s often on lists of the city’s best. Suffice it to say: we have a new favorite local deli. That there is the smoked meat sandwich — I believe it’s brisket…

  • Ci Siamo

    Ci Siamo

    [From the 2/21/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] On Wednesday night, we met up with my L.A. pals Ryan and Jonathan at another favorite NY restaurant, Ci Siamo. The food at Ci Siamo is so, so, good — it’s the Italian answer to Le V’eau d’Or. Loved having these two restaurants fight over me on my birthday.…

  • Le Veau d’Or

    Le Veau d’Or

    [From the 2/21/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] My birthday dinner was at Le Veau d’Or, where we went once with my parents, but I was eager to go back. We met up with my friend Jenny who you know and love from Dinner: A Love Story and our pal Chris, whose birthday we celebrated in Mexico…

  • The Met Dining Room

    The Met Dining Room

    [From the 2/21/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] I hit the big 4-6 this Tuesday and my gift from Craig was “you can plan the whole day and I’ll tag along.” That’s quite a gift when you’re a control freak like me! The original plan was to have lunch at Café Sabarsky, one of my favorite places…

  • Eel Bar

    Eel Bar

    [From the 3/3/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] I met up with Craig at Eel Bar on the Lower East Side and it was such a buzzy, youthful spot. We felt like old men, even though Craig looks half his age in this picture: The food at Eel Bar was truly excellent. Highlights for me were the…

  • Bangkok Supper Club

    Bangkok Supper Club

    [From the 3/20/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] On Tuesday we went with our friends Henry and Chris to Bangkok Supper Club in the West Village. The food was so good! Zippy and extremely flavorful. The highlights were these chicken wings that had an electric citric acid-like powder on them: The pork jowl that came on garlic…

  • Chez Ma Tante

    Chez Ma Tante

    [From the 3/31/25 Amateur Gourmet Newsletter] On Saturday we met our friends Joseph, J.S., and their friend Whitney (who owns Chez Foushee in Richmond) at Chez Ma Tante in Greenpoint for their famous brunch. What makes the brunch at Chez Ma Tante so famous? One word: pancakes. Frequently cited as the best pancakes in the…