The NY Wine Expo is the best way for wine enthusiasts to discover new wineries and to sample different vintages.

Here are my tips on how to navigate the expo:

1. Check out the booths at the back first then work your way to the entrance so that you are not competing with the crowd.
2. Sample white wine before going for the reds. If you by chance taste a red wine with too much tanins, your palate could be dead for hours.
3. Make mental notes which booths have lines of people waiting for samples. The wine is always delicious.

My Picks -

White Wine

Ca’ Momi 2011 Bianco di Napa. This is an award winning wine from Napa with fruity notes. This is love at first sip. I guarantee you’ll be transported. Best served chilled.

Red Wine

(Left to Right) Cannonau – Rei from Italy and Aveleda Follies Touriga Nacional from Portugal. Both wines are smooth but not too soft. They just have enough acidity to enhance the flavors of a good steak. Best served at room temperature.

Dessert Wine

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Asian Pear Wine. Wagner Vineyards Riesling Ice 2011. William Vigne Dry Reisling 2010. Glenora Select Harvest Riesling 2011. They are all absolutely delicious and best served chilled.

Notable Finds

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Chocolate Wine Collection from 2 Chicks. Plate Grater from Harry Wilder. Wonderful cheeses from Champignon, USA: Rougette Bavarian Red, Cambozola Black Label and Champignon Mushroom. Il Caratello Balsamic Vinegar.

My Picks:

1.) Red Egg – The Fish Fillet in Black Olive Sauce is $27 on the regular menu. You’re making out like a bandit by just paying the restaurant week price.
2.) Old Sichuan – If you are in the mood for some adventure, try sichuan cuisine. You can always go next door to the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory to calm your taste buds. I recommend the black sesame or zen butter ice cream.
3.) Nom Wah – This is the oldest dimsum place in Chinatown. It’s worth a visit. Live on the edge and try some chicken feet. For $20, you can order at least 5 baskets and that’s good for 2 people. Don’t forget to mention Chinatown Restaurant Week to get your free drinks.

Chinatown Restaurant Week March 16 – 31, 2013
 
All participating restaurants, unless otherwise noted, will offer special Chinatown Restaurant Week meals for $20.13.

Asia Roma, 40 Mulberry St., Dinner only  [MENU]

Diamond Hill Cafe,145 Canal St. [MENU]

Golden Unicorn Restaurant, 18 E. Broadway [MENU]

Emperor Japanese Tapas Shabu Restaurant, 96 Bowery [MENU]

HK Wonton Garden, 79 Mulberry St. [MENU]

Lobster Boat,11 Mott St. [MENU]

Lucky Plaza Restaurant, 81 Chrystie St. [MENU]

Mika Japanese Cuisine & Bar,150 Centre St. [MENU]

Mottzar Kitchen, 70 Mott St., Call ahead for reservations [MENU]

Nha Trang One, 87 Baxter St., Dinner only [MENU]

Old Sichuan,65 Bayard St. [MENU]

Peking Duck House, 28 Mott St, Lunch only [MENU]

Pho Grand, 277c Grand St. [MENU]

Red Egg, 202 Centre St. [MENU]

Shanghai Cuisine, 89 Bayard St. [MENU]

Shanghai Gourmet, 23 Pell St. [MENU]

Xe Lua Vietnamese Restaurant, 86 Mulberry St. [MENU]

Vegetarian Dim Sum House, 24 Pell St. [MENU]

Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, 50 Mott St. [MENU]

Businesses offering special deals*:

Grand Bo Ky Restaurant, 216 Grand St.

Häagen-Dazs, 53 Mott St. During Chinatown Restaurant Week March 16-31, this Haagen-Daz Chinatown location will offer a special Heart-Shaped Ice Cream Cake (6-8 people servings) for $19.99 all tax included. Regular price $29.99. Customers can pick their own 2 flavors of ice cream going into the cake and place their orders 24 hours before pickup. Tel: (212) 571-1970. For those pressed on time, pre-made Heart Shaped Ice Cream Cake will be available in stock. Here’s a picture of the cake.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, 13 Doyer St. During Chintown Restaurant Week March 16-31, Nom Wah will offer a free drink per person to accompany any meal if the person mentions “Chinatown Restaurant Week”.

*This pricing excludes tax, tip, and gratuity and is not the pricing for group parties.

Chinatown Restaurant Week and its producers are not responsible for typographical errors. Restaurant owners reserve the right to adjust their menu without notice.

The Atmosphere:

It’s a disney version of an Irish pub. It’s charming and clean. A real Irish pub is a bit of a dive bar. The staff is friendly and courteous. My server followed me to the street to make sure I didn’t leave my umbrella.
 

My picks:

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bread basket with sea salt and butter on slate ware to taste. Sticky Toffee Pudding. Pan Fried Sea Scallops. Beef Cheek and Rib Pie.
 

Verdict:

I loved everything I was served. The meal was perfectly seasoned. The dishes served pipping hot which was just what I wanted on a rainy day. The sea salt with butter was a treat. Not a lot of restaurants have this. Must try !!
 

My picks:

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Beaujolais Nouveau Rose Domaine Pral. Pate with Cornichons and Mustard. Juniper Pork Belly with Cassoulet.
 
Verdict: Must try !! McCrossen’s serves up great beer too. And, very sophisticated offerings for a discerning palate.
 

Here’s how a $185/pp regular omakase looks like:

 
Row 1:
KUMAMOTO OYSTER with watermelon pearls, cucumber mignonette
HAMACHI NIGIRI with harissa, mint, argon oil, lime
SALMON TATAKI with torched tomato, smoked salt, onion aioli
Row 2:
WARM EEL with thai basil, kabayaki, fresh kyoto sansho
HOMEMADE FINGERLING POTATO CHIP NIGIRI with burgundy truffle
WILD SANTA BARBARA SPOT PRAWN with garlic butter, white soy, preserved yuzu
Row 3:
FRIED KUMAMOTO OYSTER with yuzu kosho aioli, squid ink bubbles
WILD BLUEFIN MAGURO NIGIRI with caramelized onion, foie gras ponzu, crunchy gobo
KYOTO STYLE TRUMPET MUSHROOMS with garlic, soy
Row 4:
SHIMA AJI & SANTA BARBARA SEA URCHIN ceviche vinaigrette, cilantro
SCOTTISH SALMON BELLY with cilantro, ginger, hot sesame oil drizzle
HAMACHI SASHIMI viet mignonette, thai basil, shallot
Row 5:
BLUEFIN TUNA TATAKI with smoky pickled onion, truffle oil
TEA BRINED FRIED PORK RIB with hot sesame oil, honey, scallions
WARM BRAISED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM with anise hysop, truffle honey sauce
Row 6:
MISO MARINATED BEEF STEW
AGED SAKE, 8 years
FOIE GRAS with balsamic chocolate kabayaki, claudio corallo raisin cocoa pulp should be paired with aged sake
 

This is a long overdue post of our meal at The Salon @ Per Se. We went there on a whim since we were going to be around the Time Warner Center. I think $120/pp at the Salon is a good intro to Thomas Keller’s food before going all out for the $300/pp dining room menu.

The Blue Doors:

Upon arriving at Per Se, DON’T attempt to open the Blue Doors. They are not the doors. The real doors are the glass panels to the left and right. I attempted to rough handle the door handles in a panic thinking we missed our reservation.

Our Meal:

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Entree: Herb Roasted Elysian Fields Farm’s Lamb with French Laundry Garden Cucumbers, Demi-See Juliette Tomatoes, Charred Eggplant and “Byaldi”. Our choices of white wine and prosecco. The Blue non-Doors. Wine List on the iPad. Thomas Keller’s version of the Floating Island Dessert. Menu. A glimpse of The Salon at Per Se. Coffee and Donut dessert.

Verdict: I wasn’t really wowed by the meal. The portions were small. The service was great. We were given complimentary nibbles and candy. What can I say? It’s an expensive meal which left us still hungry. We went down to Landmarc to get pasta. In total, we spent almost $180/pp on both meals.

Attention Wine Lovers!

Get Ready to Sip & Swirl at the 6th Annual New York Wine Expo

Raise a glass in celebration! The New York Wine Expo is celebrating its 6th anniversary, March 1-3, 2013. With only their wine glasses and taste buds to lead them, attendees can travel through the vineyards of Europe and the Mediterranean; from South America to South Africa; and coast to coast in the United States. In all, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from a sampling of over 500 wines. The 6th annual New York Wine Expo is at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.

“The Expo is truly a feast for the senses, with wines from every corner of the world represented,” said Ed Hurley, Marketing Director, ResourcePlus Shows & Events. “For anyone who enjoys wine or is a beginner and wants to learn, a day at the Expo is a deliciously fun way to spend time with friends and family.”

Dedicated fans know him as “Your Resident Foodie,” and this year for the first time David Venable will be joining the New York Wine Expo. As host of the hit QVC program, In the Kitchen with David, he offers a unique interactive viewership experience and features the latest in gourmet foods, cookware, kitchen gadgets and cookbooks. Although he will not be cooking David will be conducting a “Meet & Greet” and will share wine pairing ideas. Along with the Grand Tasting, consumers can purchase tickets to a variety of seminars led by industry experts. Additions to the seminar calendar are updated frequently. To date,

Wine 101: Taste Like a Pro with Wine Spectator’s Director of Education
Gloria Maroti Frazee
Friday, March 1st at 6:00pm | Saturday, March 2nd at 11:30am
In this seminar, attendees will build the wine appreciation framework required for a
lifetime of vinous adventure. Tasting a bounty of wine from around the world, they’ll
learn the tasting techniques used by pros, explore important grapes, identify key wine
styles and determine their own wine preferences.

The Cool Climate, World Class Wines of the Finger Lakes
Saturday, March 2nd at Noon
The Finger Lakes region of New York State has undergone an evolution in quality and
developed into a cool climate, world class wine growing region. Join Thomas Pastuszak,
Wine Director at the NoMad in New York City, for a discussion and tasting of wines
from the region. Learn about what makes the Finger Lakes the premier growing region
for cool climate grape varieties in the United States and how it compares on a global level
to other regions.

Italian Cheeses and Wine with Lou DiPalo, the Cheese Guru of DiPalo’s Fine Foods
in Little Italy, NYC
Saturday, March 2, 2:30pm
Don’t miss a chance to meet this most knowledgeable and passionate advocate for the
cheeses and wines of Italy. Lou DiPalo will detail how typicity, provenance, and
maturation regimes contribute to the irresistible quality of Italian cheese. Amongst the
cheeses to be tasted will be Agriform’s Grana Padano, Piave, Asiago, and Valtellina
Casera, with Italian wines selected for pairing perfection. You will leave this informative
and tasty seminar with a bevy of expert suggestions on how best to entertain with Italian
wine and cheese.

Attendees can ensure they remember the names of every wine and wine maker they liked and  lifestyle vendor they stopped by with the free New York Wine Expo mobile app. Along with notes, the app will help attendees navigate the venue, find exhibitors of interest and provide the latest event news.

Grand Tasting Pricing & Hours:
Friday, March 1, 6pm to 10pm – $85
Saturday, March 2, 1pm to 5pm – $95
Sunday, March 3, Noon to 4pm (Trade only)

Please note: Sunday, March 3 is dedicated to trade representatives. Liquor licensees from throughout the region are invited to attend on Sunday along with attendees of the co-located International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York. The Wine Expo is not open to the general public on Sunday.

Top Picks:

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Braised Lamb Shank with Moroccan spices. Special that night: Steamed Monkfish Tripe. Duck Pastrami. Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Short Rib Soup. Freshly baked bread. Hazelnut Affogato. “Telese” Plate of almond biscotti, pignoli button, venetian, sesame biscuit, pistachio torrone.
 
My favorites were the Braised Lamb Shank and the Short Rib Soup. They were delicious and just what I wanted this winter.
 
We had picked the special that night, Steamed Monkfish Tripe. My dinner companions loved the tripe. I had some reservations. I was surprised that it was more gelatinous than I expected. I had fish belly before so it’s not about being squeamish. I just didn’t like how the flavors came together. Maybe Chef Pizzulli might concoct something for the summer, whole grouper fish belly perhaps, hand torched for a bit of caramelization. That will warrant another visit to the boroughs.
 
I should warn you about dessert. The Hazelnut ice cream is so popular, you might want to pre-order to reserve your scoop. The other alternative is the Whiskey ice cream.
 
Verdict: Must try !!