Cozy yet chic decor furnishes the upscale cafe, while friendly, attentive staff deliver excellent service, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout. The Cloud One Deli calls the ground floor of The Cloud One Hotel home, sitting right in the heart of FiDi.
In a city where restaurant concepts often arrive with fanfare and disappear just as quickly, one small South Beach dining room has built its reputation the old-fashioned way, through family, tradition, and consistency.
Since founder Tamara Chubinidze opened the Chelsea location in 2019, Georgian restaurant Chama Mama has evolved into much more than another local eatery. Rather, the restaurant has become a lively hub bringing the warmth and soul of Georgia to New York City.
The intersection between comfort cooking and elegant dining
On Saturday night, I spent the perfect evening with my friend Jasmyn at Berimbau Brazilian Table, where we were transported from the cold, hostile streets of Midtown to an immersion in the culture, flavor, artistry, and hospitality of Brazil.
Nestled on the Upper East Side, San Babila opened its door to The Knockturnal once again, this time to experience their after dinner Digestif Cart and enjoy a sneak peek of their Truffle Tiramisu.
The restaurant’s welcoming ambiance invited us into the bustling Italian cuisine establishment. We enjoyed the soft lights of the dining area, sipping on a bottle of Moscato. After the meal, the staff serves the Digestif Cart, filled with a variety of spirits. So naturally, we tried some additional options from the menu to properly enjoy the post dinner service.
We started off the night with a deconstructed Caesar Salad and Tartare Di Tonno. The salad consists of five wedges of crisp baby lettuce garnished with pickled red onion, parmigiano, and anchovy bread crumbs. In addition, both balsamic and Caesar dressing complemented the salad. The tartare contained thick tuna chunks flavored with Sicilian olives, fresh mint, oranges, and basil, giving the dish a slightly sweet aftertaste.
Next up were noodles and gnocchi. The Fettuccine Alla Nerano consists of delicately soft noodles, stracciatella foam, and a zucchini purée, topped with zucchini chips. The Gnocchi Al Tartufo included rich, cheese-filled pasta balls, tender mushrooms, and sautéed spinach that perfectly balanced out the richness of the pasta sauce. Nutty pine nuts garnished the dish, complementing the wonderful flavor of the black truffle.
Our server brought us the Digestif Cart only after we had thoroughly enjoyed dinner. The elegant trolley style cart is adorned with spirit glasses, a variety of garnishes, and of course a selection of liquors. The perfectly lined-up liquors were all handpicked by Executive Chef Francesco Lamanna. They each come from his homeland of Calabria, giving a nod to his heritage. They include more bitter spirits such as the Roger Amaro and Amaro Importante Jefferson. The more floral options included the balsamic herbal liquor Madame Milù, the Bergamotto Fantastico, and the Mr. Three & Bros. Each spirit is aimed at helping digest the meal. Executive Chef Francesco Lamanna personally walked us through each option. He aims to guide every guest participating in the Digestif Cart, since it’s meant to be enjoyed as an experience!
Since we’d be enjoying dessert, it was recommended we try the Bergamotto Fantastico. They poured the spirit over ice and garnished it with a sprig of lavender. The spirit was strong yet refreshing, with notes of citrus and pine. Drinking it felt like consuming a sophisticated version of gin, but more complex in the best of ways.
Lastly, they served us an exclusive preview of San Babila’s Truffle Tiramisu, which will be making its debut shortly! This decadent dessert is filled with rich liquor, which is balanced out excellently by smooth espresso. Beautiful layers of cake and cream were present in every bite. The only thing that made it better was the tableside shaving of fresh truffle to garnish the dessert! Truly a tiramisu to remember!
Photo Courtesy: Tessa M. Dobrow
House of Domes, the new Tuscan-Italian restaurant in Soho, is an experience that encourages us to slow down and embrace excellent food, conversation, and company.
On Saturday, October 25th, I celebrated my birthday in a way that felt both intimate and intentional, solo, reflective, and surrounded by the kind of warmth you can only find in Harlem. The air was crisp, the city was humming, and I found myself at PB Brasserie, a French, Senegalese, and Tanzanian restaurant quietly redefining Harlem dining culture.
Rosanna Scotto, the veteran journalist and co-host of the popular show Good Day New York airing on Fox 5 NY in New York City, is a true multitasker.
You haven’t lived until you’ve strolled into a downtown LA loft at golden hour with a crisp class of French wine waiting for you. So, officially, I have lived.