Roasted corn on the cob

All the beautiful NYC skinny minnies gorge themselves on the roasted corn on the cob at Cafe Habana. It's sinfully delicious.

Bar Stuzzichini

928 Broadway (between 21st and 22nd)

Bar Stuzzichini was surprisingly good. I read about its opening a long time ago and had wanted to try it. That was until I walked by and decided it looked like a dressed up pizza shop. But on a blisteringly cold and windy day, I found myself across the street and hungry. And so I took a seat at the back bar.

It was an excellent happenstance. The wine list is great – with wines from multiple regions in Italy and many choices by the glass. The waiter knew a great deal about the wines and was specific about flavors. Best, your glass comes with a small carafe of extra wine on the side.

The food was truly delicious. We ordered the crostini tasting plate to start and got to watch as the “chef” behind the bar cut a baguette, then grilled it and finally topped each warm slice with chickpea puree, eggplant, anchovies and ricotta drizzled with honey. I loved the chickpea and the eggplant ones, but my friend was a fan of the ricotta. So, definitely try them all.

Next we shared the chicory salad with anchovy dressing. It was really bitter, but in a really good way (even my friend – a he – was into it), and nicely/lightly dressed. Perfectly simple but still oh so good.

Finally, we shared the veal meatball entree (every once in a while, even I get a hankering for some meat). They were amazing. Three juicy, light-colored meatballs in a bath of white wine and onions. Meatballs and red wine: what a way to warm up from the outside cold. The food overall was far better than I had anticipated. So good I can’t wait to go back. In retrospect, even the décor is growing on me.

- The Grazer

Craft

43 E19th St (nr. Park)

Believe it or not I am lucky enough to have a guy friend who also likes to graze.  Our favorite place for grazing is the bar at Craft.  We like to pull up two stools at the corner of the beautifully chic bar and snack on veggies while we taste wines.  The special thing about Craft is that the menu - designed brilliantly by Tom Colicchio of Top Chef fame - allows you to choose your veggies and your meat/fish/poultry separately so that you create your own dish to an extent. Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, I go heavy on the veggies and ignore the rest for the most part.

So this friend and I typically arrive around 9pm and start with a glass of white wine or champagne, always accompanied by a plate of roasted baby carrots.  Craft has the best carrots we have ever had in NYC.  You get a nice helping of sweet orange and white baby carrots with the tops still on.  We usual finish them and then ask for more when we move on to the rest of our food and the red wine.

The last time we went, we also tried the shishito peppers - also roasted and whole - and the sauteed tatsoi ("tat-so-ee").  I never even heard of tatsoi before - and I know a lot of vegetables - so I had to ask the bartender about it. She explained it as "similar to spinach but with a more subtle flavor" and it was just that.  It's an Asian leafy green, which means its good for eyesight, and its delicious.  We also had the quail appetizer, which I'd say was just mediocre.

In the past, we have grazed on the cauliflower (excellent), the polenta (a little weird without a meat accompaniment), the zucchini (a bit bland), the sauteed bok choy (awesome), and the hen of the woods mushrooms (awesome, awesome; so much flavor and so grotesquely attractive, if that makes any sense).  Best of all, they change the menu as the seasons change so there's always a new veggie to try.

As far as more filling options go, I've had the scallops and the striped bass on two different occasions.  They're always good and simple, but I just go crazy for the veggies.  If you can find a guy - or a girl - to graze with you at Craft I say definitely definitely overdose on the veggies (and also pay some attention to the expertly chosen wines).

- The Grazer

Cafe Habana

17 Prince St (at Elizabeth)

For breakfast, I like to get good protein in the form of eggs and healthy carbs in the form of fruit. At Cafe Habana, almost miraculously, you can get two in one in the form of the "Omelette Caribe". This is a fluffy omelet filled with sweet plantains. For that extra Mexican flair, it is served with green tomatilla salsa. Also, try a big glass of fresh orange juice - sweet and pulpy - and piping hot coffee, and your morning will be off to a good start.

For lunch on a weekday, try grazing on their famous Mexican corn, grilled with chili powder and sprinkled with cheese. The butter and cheese seems at first a bit daunting for a grazer, but look around and you'll notice skinny minny models everywhere chowing down on this specialty. I'd skip the salads if I were you and order the "Chicken Diablo" sandwich instead: blackened chicken (bursting with flavor), roasted peppers, some greens, and chipotle mayo. It is huge but if you come with an appetite (or wait as long for a table as is typical of this place), you'll probably be able to get most of it down; it's that good.

And be prepared to wait since Cafe Habana is like the hottest spot in town. Especially on the weekends, hipsters stand on the corner puffing cigarettes and discussing art for hours while they wait for a table. The energy in this place is worth it though. The waitresses have so much fun and the bartenders seem excited to be here. Whether you go for the food or the crowd, its a hotspot worth waiting for.





- The Grazer

Bar Pitti

268 6th Ave, nr. Bleeker

Bar Pitti was putting out Tuscan fare before rustic Italian became all the rage in Manhattan. I guess I was slow on the uptake too, because I made my first visit to Bar Pitti just recently. I took my parents there, figuring it was a good mix between downtown cool and old-school tradition. I was right. At first, my parents were confused by the menu - to their credit the menu is short, offering no more than pasta and panini - but they came to when the waiter (who was quite chipper, friendly) swooped in with the chalkboard. He elaborated with great tenacity on the specials scribbled on the chalkboard (my mom and I usually ask follow-up questions); everything sounded great. We all ordered from the specials list, but I'll only comment on two of our three meals. My dad didn't order anything worth reviewing - he DOESN'T graze.

My mom and I decided on the special vegetable soup, similar to a ribollita our waiter said, but lighter with more vegetables and no soaked bread (and dairy-free). It was sooooooo good: big chunks of kale, whole pieces of carrots, zucchini, some stewed tomatoes, plus chickpeas and white beans. The soup was well-seasoned and warming.

To follow, my mom had grilled chicken topped with endive and sundried tomatoes. Let me brief you by saying that my mom orders chicken everywhere and every night. Even she could not stop singing praise for that plate of chicken. She insisted I taste it - I hardly ever order chicken - but she was right. The chicken itself tasted like sundried tomatoes as well as so many different herbs. A bite of chicken together with the cool, crunchy endive and the oily sundried tomatoes admittedly made for a delicious bite.

I had the whole-grilled striped bass with a side of broccoli rabe (the chef intended for zucchini to be the side-dish but the waiter was very amenable to my small preference). The whole fish was brought out for my viewing before it was fileted. It was a very nice medium size fish (still I couldn't finish it), with white flesh and lots of lemon juice. When they brought it back out to me it had been fileted beautifully; no head left on the plate and most importantly, no scales or bones in sight. Honestly, I've never had such a perfectly fileted piece of fish.

And it was also very delicious; not at all fishy, it was soft and had absorbed the flavors of the grill, the lemon juice and the slices of garlic. The side of broccoli rabe was done perfectly too, cut small and sauteed until soft but not too soft, garlicy but not too garlicy.

My parents were happy, which made me happy (so did my food). I had to consult them on this rating. After all, they paid (fyi: it's cash only), and together we agreed that Bar Pitti gets 5 carrots!

- The Grazer

Epistrophy

200 Mott St

At Epistrophy, everything is simple. Simple food, simple décor, simple music, even simple and softly-spoken bartenders. The exterior has that country café look, with yellow sidewalk tables, huge glass windows (that open up during warm weather) and pretty green window frames. Inside, there are couches up front, wooden tables and chairs in back, and a corner bar where couples can pull up stools, taste wines and chat with whichever bartender happens to be working that day (they’re all quiet, quirky hipsters with dark intellectual-looking glasses). Singles, don’t be afraid. Epistrophy welcomes you to sit for as long as you like over a glass of wine or freshly roasted organic espresso and even invites you to pull out a laptop and use their free wifi.

The wine list is extensive, with reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling wines from around the globe. Particular attention is paid to Italian wines (the owners, Luca Fadda and Giorgia Zedda are Sardinian). Many wines can be ordered by the glass or carafe, while special Reserves are offered by the bottle. Personally, I really enjoyed the Orvieto Classico from Umbria, Italy, recommended by the bartender/waiter for its aromatic and clean taste.

Everything about Epistrophy is uncomplicated, especially the food. To start, try a plate of cheese and vegetables, fruit, or cold cuts. Otherwise, try the crostone, which receive endless accolades. From where I sat across the room, I could hear a girl at the bar talking about her delicious tomato and fresh oregano crostone. They also offer more interesting combinations like proscuitto, eggplant and fontina.

We tried the “toast” appetizer, thankfully to share. Don’t be fooled; this is a whole sandwich with proscuitto, fontina, avocado and tomato between two slices of toasted rye! If I have one complaint about this place, it’s that that sandwich was a little dry and in desperate need of some dressing (which the waiter happily supplied upon request).

For my next course, I had the chicken salad: a lovely mix of lettuces, a huge slab of avocado, poached chicken, grape tomatoes and sliced carrots. It was a perfect size portion dressed with the perfect amount of oil and vinegar (though they put extra O&V on the table in case you want more).

They offer half a dozen other salads, each with an interesting mix of fresh vegetables (like fennel or zucchini), fruits (pear or apple), protein (tuna or smoked salmon), and cheeses (mozzarella or parmagian). Some salads are even sprinkled with walnuts. There are also countless panini and fresh pastas, and some main dishes (roasted chicken, beef short ribs, or braised pork) offered at lunch and dinner for those who want to do more than graze.

At Epistrophy, you get just about what you expect: clean simple food in a no-pretense atmosphere. The food, the wine and the décor combine to make a place that is comfortably rustic and effortless chic too.

- The Grazer

Cafe Gitane

242 Mott St (nr. Prince)

Upon my return to NYC (yes, I'm back!), I did what any good grazer would do: I met my girlfriends for lunch at Cafe Gitane. Thankfully, it was a Thursday, so we didn’t have to wait. But come the weekend, plan on waiting, as Gitane is definitely a hotspot.

As usual, I ordered the hearts of palm and avocado salad. And as usual, it was grazer-worthy. I’ve had this salad five or six times now and it always lives up to expectations. First of all, it looks beautiful; a tossed mix of white, green, deep pink and orange (hearts of palm, endive, watercress, avocado, radishes and oranges). And second of all, it tastes just as good as it looks.
My friend E ordered the “French Moroccan”: a scoop of tuna, a side of endive, and a slice of baguette. She found it light and tasty. The tuna had capers and a mustard flavor and the baguette was perfectly toasted. On our last visit she had Gitane’s famous cous cous with a scoop of hummus on top. She found that dish even better and recalls, “it had really cool stuff in it” (lots of veggies: zucchini, peppers, eggplant, tomato). But she couldn’t finish it – so think about ordering it to share. Pair any of these dishes with a mimosa (like we do) and I promise you’ll have a perfect lunch.

- The Grazer

The Grazer Goes International

First of all, I must apologıze for my recent and sudden hiatus, but please allow me to explain. On June 22, I decided to pick up and do some international grazıng. I started off in Israel, which turned out to be an entire country of grazing. I was able to eat a small omelet with low-fat yogurt or a fresh cucumber and tomato salad for breakfast, lunch or dınner. My meals were always accompanied by some form of whole-grain bread. And the hummus! At first I wondered if I'd get sick of hummus at every meal, but soon I started craving it. Always thick with that home-made touch; I'm not sure I can go back to the supermarket variety when I return to the states. No matter where I ate - a backpackers rest-stop, a smoothie stand (they're everywhere), or a fancy restaurant - the produce was always fresh and tasty.In particular, I recommend Cafe Lala for dinner on Tel Aviv's spectacularly soft, white-sanded beach. Make sure you get there just as the sun goes down. The restaurant itself has a breathtaking appeal: tables and chairs - clothed only in pure white - sit directly on the sand, each with an antique glowing lamp. If you're lucky (like I was), you could catch them on a night when they host a launch party for a new wine from Golan's Yarden winery, and you'll get free glasses all night long.
For the best and healthiest grazing, try Fresh Kitchen on Ben Yehuda Avenue. This quaint cafe attached to a modern gym offers a huge variety of sandwiches and, my favorite, salads with lots of fresh vegetables and grains, topped with avocado, hard-boiled eggs, tuna or chicken if you so please. The menu even boasts the nutritional information for each meal. If you still have some room, try an organic tea blend (I liked the green tea) or a fruit smoothie.After wrapping up my two weeks in Israel, I moved on to Turkey. So far, I feel that the cuisine here leaves much to be desired. When I heard that mezze was the thing here, I imagined myself doing a lot of grazing, but unfortunately the food just hasn't ımpressed me. The vegetable mezze always has the vinegary taste of overly marinated food. Salads are usually small and too simple - just lettuce and tomatoes wıth some olive oil and too much vinegar. The kebabs are just okay. The fish comes out whole, so be prepared to fıllet. I suppose that such a preparation makes it appear fresh, but often the taste is a bit fishy.
Perhaps the best grazing comes in the form of Turkey's street food. If you can find a street fair, walk around and sample fresh fruit from as many stands as you please. Or, after visiting a mosque or palace, grab some grilled corn from a street vendor - ıt's always fresh and piping hot.

Israel:

Turkey:

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In response to a comment on my last post (Vıllage Natural): thank you for the compliment! I'd love to hear more. Please contact me directly: my email information is listed under my complete profile.

Apizz

217 Eldridge St

So I thought I'd start by telling you about a restaurant with my favorite salad in NYC. It's the kind of salad you go back for. I've been to Apizz (that's "ah-beets", rather confusing in my opinion but so much fun to say) three times now and each time I ordered the spinach salad. On my third trip I considered trying something new, but I couldn't help myself. It's that good. This is not just a small appetizer salad. We're talking lettuce to fill a dinner plate (and at only $13!). It's that really fresh organic tasting spinach leaf, topped with warm white beans, tasty pistachios and an amazing lemony dressing. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back for round 4.

On my first trip, my friend tried the arugula salad with cherry tomatoes and parmesan crisps. Also apparently awesome. On trip number two, my friend had the warm octopus salad. I'd recommend it if you want a salad, but you're not in the mood for lettuce - I totally know the feeling.

So I guess Apizz means pizza? Because they serve two different Apizz - a Margherita and a Bianca. We shared the Bianca one time and I'll tell you it was perfect grazer food. Thin, crispy crust with some cheese, but not too cheesy. They also have an extensive wine list with bottles from all over Italy and a small bar where you can order food.

The restaurant itself is spectacularly gorgeous. As soon as you walk in you can see the brick oven, from which rustic smells linger. The dim lights combined with the glowing brick oven, make it perfect for a romantic date. But the scene is trendy enough to make for a great girl's night out too...Especially if you and your girlfriends are into "waiter-watching".

All three times I've had the same hunk of a waiter. He's this tall guy with dark-rimmed glasses. Don't tell my boyfriend, but honestly, he's about a quarter of the reason I keep going back.

- The Grazer