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The Taste of Tin dinner series featured a dish from several restaurants you’ll find at the Tin Building. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
We all know the drill: you and your friends want to go out but you can’t figure out what you want. Some of you truly would be happy with anything, while others are too nice to say that you’re not in the mood for that one place.
Instead of letting this oft-repeated ritual lay claim to yet another one of those nights where you all opt to go to the neighborhood pizza spot and proclaim that the next time, you’re going to that place you were reminded of mid- mid pizza bite, how about heading to a place that has it all?
Enter the Tin Building. Located in the Seaport and boasting great views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Tin Building by Jean-Georges brings a new definition to the classic food hall. Filled to the brim with specialty shops, grocery stores, and more cafes, restaurants, and bars per square foot than you managed to fit in your Sims superblock community, the Tin Building truly has it all. Whether you need freshly cut flowers or are trying desperately to find that gourmet French cheese you tried when you studied abroad, the Tin Building is where you’ll find it.
The tuna tartare with lotus root chips. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Everyone from the on-the-go New Yorker looking for a quick coffee to the visiting from out-of-town family looking for a memorable sit-down meal will find something for them in the Tin Building’s two-story footprint. Through a multi-year effort, world-renowned Chef Jean-Gorges Vongerichten was inspired to create the Tin Building based on his many years of eating various cuisines while traveling around the world, and of course, those from his native French home. One can grab a coffee from T. Cafe, a pastry from the T. Brasserie, and for lunch, a sandwich, taco or salad from the multitude of other eateries in the building.
Chefs checking in on the bass. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Dinner and drinks really are where the Tin Building shines. Last week, The Knockturnal was invited to a special Taste of Tin dinner series that highlighted just a couple of the myriad choices you can choose for dinner in the building. The Taste of Tin dinner series featured a five-course meal that was each paired with a wine chosen by the building’s beverage directors that you will be sure to find on your next visit.
Sitting at two large communal tables with people who would later become friends, we knew we were in for a treat when the night began with clam chowder and champagne. I spoke with Wes, one of the sommeliers for the night, about a Skurnik-imported wine (one of my favorite distributors in the city– no wine they import will steer you astray), and he mentioned just how quickly diners are requesting the perfect wine pairing for each dish, let alone a meal, and how much fun he’s having choosing the wines. Our experience was no different.
First up was a yellowfin tuna tartare that was paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, just a stone’s throw from
Preparing the sea bass | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Sancerre. The wine’s citrus notes brought out the tartare’s lime and chili flavors, but I think the real winner of the dish was the crispy lotus root chips that acted as an unconventionally perfect vessel for the tartare, something you’ll find at the Fulton Fish Co. as soon as you walk into the building.
Next up was a butternut squash agnolotti, a quality dish found at the Italian-French fusion restaurant, The Frenchman’s Dough. Paired with a buttery chardonnay from Domaine Jerome Fornerot, the agnolotti immediately melted in your mouth as you tried to scoop as much of the basil and butternut jus at the bottom.
The steamed black sea bass might take it home for me and the four people around me that I did little cajoling to admit was their favorite dish. Paired with a German riesling from Dönnhoff (another Skurnik wine!), the bass was topped with ginger, scallion, red chili and coriander that left the whole table asking for more. Luckily you can get it too at the Tin Building’s Chinese-inspired restaurant, House of the Red Pearl.
Is it art or is it dessert? Poached pear with a dark chocolate brownie. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Just when we thought we had seen it all, a 28 oz. bone-in ribeye served with potato puree and roasted brussels sprouts was laid before us as was a 2019 Bordeaux blend from Chateau Les Grands Sillons. Reader, believe me when I say the whole table let out a collective “ahh” as we all managed to find extra room for the steak. Juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection with each bite reminding you of the care and attention that went into its preparation. Asking for seconds was encouraged, but by the time a few guests asked for thirds and fourths, the steak was, rather obviously, already devoured. Instead, we all know now to head to T. Brasserie for that special treat once again.
Not too long afterward, our plates were once again filled with a part-art piece, part-delectable dessert: a poached green
Two communal tables left us with filled stomachs and great friends | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Clapp pear with a dark chocolate brownie, pear sorbet, and a whipped dark chocolate ganache. Again served with a Skurnik-imported wine – this time, a Banyuls from the Languedoc – the dish was almost too beautiful to cut into. Plating was half the artwork, however, because that feeling soon waned as the table took their first bite and voraciously wanted more of the sweet poached pear and bitter dark chocolate.
The Taste of Tin dinner series truly showcased what the Tin Building has to offer, and that was just a small percentage of everything else we can find in the food hall. So next time you and your friends are having trouble deciding what to eat, make your way to the Seaport and you’ll find something for everybody.
The renowned dim sum restaurant Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao has long called Flushing, Queens home since 2006, and for almost two decades, visitors from all over would flock for authentic Shanghainese cuisine and to try some of the delicious soup dumplings. Now, people have even more opportunities to grab a quick bite with the opening of Nan Xiang Express in the Upper West Side.
The cavernous dining room at Hutong
There are fancy restaurants in New York that bring a specific cuisine to the forefront and fuse it with typical American flair [and fare], and then, there are restaurants that make you forget you’re in the city altogether. Hutong does neither of those things. You’re constantly reminded of where you are and of the melting pot that makes New York so great, and even more, you’re pushed to question every meal you’ve had and why you’ve only had it prepared that one way.
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CityPickle is the perfect place to go instead of a bar for Dry January
Yes, you can have fun out with friends without drinking alcohol, and you can stay fit too! Join the rest of the country in playing the fastest-growing sport in the nation, pickleball, instead of going out to a bar and spending another weekend day recovering from the night before.
CityPickle, along with the sport, is growing in popularity all across the city. With its Long Island City location home to New York City’s first indoor pickleball court, you can now play pickleball all yearlong and beat the snowy and cold outdoors. CityPickle’s LIC location offers brand new, state-of-the-art nets, paddles and equipment– and sure looks way better than any tennis court or gym we’ve been. A cute “CityPickle” in subway-mosaic tile lettering adorns a large wall that catches your eye as soon as you walk in– just as there’s a bar in the back that serves up all of the non-alcoholic (and also alcoholic for those who do want to drink!) cocktails you can ask for.
Pickleball offers a social and low-impact sport that anyone can participate in
The Knockturnal recently visited the LIC flagship (a very short bike ride from the author’s native Astoria home) to celebrate CityPickle and pickleball as a perfect accompaniment to people taking on the Dry January challenge.
As the new year unfolds, many people seek out a fresh start and healthier lifestyle choices. And Dry January is no stranger to that movement, gaining much popularity as a month-long challenge that prompts poeple to reconsider their relationship with alcohol. It offers numerous health benefits, including improved sleep, enhanced mental clarity, and increased energy levels. And people love it, saying the break from alcohol gives them a reset buttton to start the year off with a clear mind.
You probably have a few friends who are attempting the challenge or you may be yourself! And oftentimes the challenge always comes down to one question: how do I hang out with friends without alcohol?
That’s a question Hilary Sheinbaum, author of The Dry Challenge and her newest book, A Journal for Bad Days, has answered countless times before, and she has plenty of advice: literally anything else.
Pickleball counts as one of those things. The Knockturnal joined Sheinbaum and several others interested in the sober-curious movement at CityPickle to play the nation’s fastest-growing sport and to have fun, all sans alcohol– and boy did we have fun.
Sheinbaum gave a speech about joining in on the Dry January challenge over four years ago, saying she and her friend were curious about it and wanted to challenge themselves– and each other. While her friend gave in during the month, Sheinbaum didn’t, and ended up participating in the Dry January again and again.
CityPickle’s Co-founders Mary Cannon and Erica Desai
With CityPickle co-founders Mary Cannon and Erica Desai expressing their gratitude for everyone trying out pickleball, and with a hands-on training on how to play and best tips, we took to the courts. A few swings later, we were professionals and ready to tackle any pickleball that passed through our court.
And seriously, let this author be a pickleball convert because it is so much fun. Having grown up going to public school in Queens where our school trips involved trips to the U.S. Open because it was just a stone’s throw away, I thought tennis was where it’s at, and wow am I so wrong.
One of the most remarkable aspects of pickleball is its inclusivity. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a beginner looking for a new hobby, pickleball caters to all skill levels. The rules are straightforward, and the learning curve is gentle, making it easy for anyone to pick up a paddle and enjoy the game.
Often described as a fusion of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, pickleball offers a unique blend of fun, fitness, and social interaction– and that last part is what makes me consider giving up drinking for good if it means I get to play a quick game of pickleball. You won’t see me talking much during a tennis or ping pong game (not to mention the countless sports bars in the city with inadequate ping pong tables– rest assured CityPickle has all the space you need not to feel clustered), but you will see me chatting away between points in pickleball– probably about how much of a pickleball convert I’ve become.
And the LIC location is perfectly aesthetic for those Instagram posts
It’s played in doubles and has a pretty low impact on the knees and joints– or if you’re a bit more competitive like me and the team I’ve played with, still a pretty low impact on the knees. It was super quick to learn, and that’s completely in part thanks to the great team at CityPickle walking us through the rules and making sure we understood why the rules were what they were. Most of all, it was super stress-free and relieving: it didn’t feel like I was playing a sport to get points or had too many rules to follow; instead, it was a sport I picked up quickly and enjoyed playing all night.
To keep us satiated during the gameplay, vegan dips, sliders and tacos were served as we served up aces on the court. Players could choose from a spicy guacamole, lemon and garlic hummus and a beet ricotta dip, and for something more filling, a falafel slider with a beyond perfectly acidic pickled red pepper jam, and crunchy fried cauliflower tacos.
The Gaia Elderberry syrup is part of Gisele Bündchen’s favorite smoothie flavor at Erewhon
Although we were bummed to call our games for the night, we walked out with one of the most well-designed and appealing totes I’ve seen, featuring the CityPickle logo before the strings of a paddle. In the tote was Sheinbaum’s newest book as well as a bottle of Gaia Herbs Elderberry Syrup, and Curious Elixir’s booze-free cocktails, including the cocounut pineapple painkiller and a spicy- stormy pineapple margarita. You might recognize the elderberry syrup as part of Gisele Bündchen’s favorite and new smoothie flavor that launched at Erewhon this week.
If you want to join in on the pickleball craze, have no fear since there are plenty of options to choose from. CityPickle’s other locations include a pop-up at Industry City, as well as its outdoor locations at Dilworth Park, Wollman Rink, Hudson Yards and Union Square as well as the TWA Hotel if you’re a fan of playing outdoors when the weather gets better.
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