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AHHH!!! Teriyaki Boy to become Noodle Boy?

I am not happy about this. At all. I have come to rely on "The Boy" for the cheap tuna bowl and salad on many a night on my way home from the gym. And while I enjoy a noodle now and again, I would rather have a fast food sushi option, because there's no way the new noodle shop will be better than Republic -- which is also near my gym -- anyway.

According to the JapanEASE, it looks like some Boyz will remain in tact, like the one on E. 10th St. But that is not helping me, spur-of-the-moment. I blame the students of Baruch. Damn kids and their noodles.

Defonte's: Finally Something Cool in My 'Hood

Form of a meat sandwich.
Shape of macaroni salad.

It's...Defonte's of Brooklyn (in Gramercy Park) - 261 3rd Ave @21st St.

Eat Me: Bacon Brittle

First, T-Shirts, and now...the real thing! Pig Whiskey Bacon Brittle brought to you by some zany creative types who dwell in Williamsburg, BK.

It's peanut brittle! It's bacon! Nope....It's both! Two great tastes that taste great together and you too can be eating bacon brittle for the low low price of ten dollarinos per bag (pictured). Just click here and you are well on your way to pig-like bliss...

p.s. I have eaten it and I agree, it truly is Porktastic.

Vinegar Hill House is Both Cool & Good...

... in fact, it is definitely cooler than I am. A stunning feat in itself.

Somewhere near the York F stop dwells this new, charming restaurant, apparently brought to the good people of Brooklyn by former employees of Freeman's. The food is very similar - both in selection and quality. I.e. it is really good MEAT. My friend and I ate sausage, chicken, etc. And while my photos are funnier than they are illustrative of the grandness of the place or the food, please take my word for it. It's really good. And will be a superb place to go when it's freezing and snowing outside. Actually, it's kind of a perfect spot for a holiday dinner.

They are getting their liquor license on Tuesday, December 16, but you can BYO or call a nearby liquor store to deliver wine to your table in the meantime. Which is what we did.

And even though the crowd was so damn hip that they could have shot a movie or an ad campaign in there without changing a thing, the vibe was welcoming and the staff down to earth and attentive - from the hostess, to the waiter, to the always affable bartender (Ryan from Hotel Delmano).

Oh and it's pretty cheap too! We had an appetizer, two entrees and dessert (an amazing spice cake that was to die for, by the way), and it ran around $47. Once the liquor license is in effect, I'm sure this average bill will expand, however.

Rouge Tomate: 4 Stars / Barneys: $2,500

I wrote about this fabulous-yet-health-conscious restaurant a few weeks ago. The raves continue. So if shopping at Barneys (or just ogling at Barneys), eat here afterwards!

Speaking of which, did you know you can sign up to win a $2,500 shopping spree at Barneys by just providing them with your email address? The winner will be notified on or about January 15, 2009.

New York Daily News Restaurant Review
At midtown restaurant Rouge Tomate, less is more
Tuesday, December 2nd 2008

The interior of Rouge Tomate.10 E. 60th St., between Fifth and Madison, (212) 237-8977;

Open seven days, noon-4:30 p.m., 5:30-10:30 p.m.;

CUISINE: Modern American;

VIBE: Glossy culinary spa;

OCCASION Midtown lunch, business dinner, detox dining;

DON'T MISS DISH: Arctic char, yellowjack crudo, rabbit with chestnut pasta; PRICE: Appetizers $10, entrees $20, desserts $10;

RESERVATIONS Accepted in downstairs dining room. Different menu in upstairs cafe; both equally good.

There are 393 calories in the rabbit Fleischnacke at Rouge Tomate. The nutritionist counted. How many restaurants do you know that have a nutritionist?
Fleischnacke is German for minced meat rolled in pasta and cooked in a stock. At Rouge Tomate, this means farm-raised, braised rabbit rolled up in chestnut pasta and sautéed in rabbit jus. None of the ingredients requires quotation marks.
There's not a mock anything anywhere in this dish. Those 393 calories also include a celery root purée, roasted celery root, roasted chestnuts, chestnut foam and a salad of apples, celery leaves and tarragon.
And that's one of the more caloric dishes on the menu.
My favorite appetizer - the celery root and almond panna cotta - is only 155 calories. The panna cotta is made with unhomogenized whole milk and topped with lots of peekytoe crab, grapefruit segments and fresh tarragon. The calories matter, but only because the food is so exceptional.
Usually the thought of self-consciously healthy food makes me depressed - so depressed I get the urge to curl up with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon.
But I don't feel that way at Rouge Tomate, even though they've replaced most of the fats we associate with haute cuisine. Take butter, cheese and cream away from most chefs and they would throw their hands up in despair. But Jeremy Bearman, chef at Rouge Tomate, has had a few good mentors, including Joel Robuchon and Daniel Boulud.
Here's how it works: Take the lobster à la plancha with green fennel risotto. Usually, what binds a risotto together is butter and cheese. Instead, Bearman uses fennel stock, fennel purée, fennel juice and fennel-fronds purée - the quintessence of fennel. He finishes the dish with sauce Americaine, a brandy-spiked lobster stock with a splash of Pernod. These are robust flavors and you never pine for the absent fats.
Rouge Tomate adheres to an 85-page S.P.E. charter - Latin for Sanitas Per Escam. That means health through food, a phrase that comes from Emmanuel Verstraeten, the founder of the original Rouge Tomate in Brussels. What this really means is sourcing, preparation and enhancement. It's the cult of culinary balance - the balance of taste and nutrition - not a bad cult to be in. But it's bigger than that.
Rouge Tomate may be a prototype for a restaurant of the future - a new way of thinking, a new way of eating, a new way of dining out.
Let me just point out some of the highlights of this wonderful menu: squab and slow-roasted faro salad; Arctic char with smoked sea salt and Asian pear sorbet; and yellowtail amberjack crudo with vanilla salt, a mung bean salad, crispy ginger, kaffir lime and fresh tropical fruit.
There's also dessert, which is where you would really mourn the missing calories. Except you don't here. The chocolate and banana tasting is 272 calories - a chocolate and caramelized banana napoleon, roasted baby banana split and a teacup of rich hot cocoa. James Distefano, the pastry chef, makes a terrific parfait with yogurt, fresh huckleberries, candied lemon and a chamomile crisp. In fact, the only dessert that doesn't work is the Hudson Valley apple soup.
I hope Rouge Tomate is going to be here for a long, long time. Especially if Jeremy Bearman stays in the kitchen.

Rouge Tomate & Cavatappo Wine Bar: Food & Drink

Yours truly had the great opportunity to have dinner and lunch at soon-to-open (October 28) Rouge Tomate before it opened to the public. Located on E. 60th across from Barney's, Rouge Tomate "provides a harmonious alignment of balanced cuisine, well-being, and social and environmental consciousness. This nutritional approach demonstrates a genuine respect for the integrity of ingredients used in crafting balanced, healthful and flavorful dishes."

Bottom line? The space is amazing, beautiful, airy, and I'm not sure exactly what I mean by this, but...harmonious. If a restaurant could look healthy and delicious, this is the spot. And the food presentation is artistic and beautiful -- I might even say breathtaking if I wasn't afraid that it'd sound a bit too gushy. I have to say that of everything I ate the lobster and beet salad (lunch) was my favorite as was the chocolate/peanut butter dessert (dinner).

And last night I made it into Cavatappo Wine Bar on Third Ave. and 26th St. (other location on Second and 89th). With a substantial selection of wines, a bit of food, decent music and a mature atmosphere, this place may be one of the saviors of a neighborhood on the brink of turning into Hoboken. If you are in the hood and not interested in football or jello shots, I strongly suggest this as a top option.

Best Shopping in Grey Box

You know those maps posted inside New York City cabs - on the back of the front seats? Have you ever noticed that amidst the colorful neighborhood coding for such favorites as the Upper West Side, Chelsea and the East Village lies a grey box situated in the middle of the east-20s? Well, this is where I live, and have lived since 1997. I belovedly call it "Grey Box." If you're from out-of-town and look at this map, you'll probably figure that it's some industrial wasteland - and back in the 90s that may have been somewhat accurate. Kidding. However, there are some shopping and eating spots that are more than notable. And definitely not grey. Here are some of the best:

Les Nanas de Gramercy - This small Parisian boutique caters to the ladies of Gramercy Park, but offers clothing, jewelry and accessories for all ages, shapes and sizes. All personally selected by the owner, Natalie, shoppers are guaranteed a wide selection of intriguing items. She visits Paris several times a year and literally shops for her customers and then ensures her staff are thoroughly familiar with the goods so that they can act as personal stylists. I have picked up some of the most stellar knitwear and skirts here. Things that are literally not sold anywhere else in town. They also now have a permanent 50-percent-(or more) off sale in the downstairs section. 70% on some off-season items if you pay cash!

Housing Works - This is one high-end thrift store that auctions the most interesting and valuable items in the City via magnificently styled windows including antique and designer furniture, apparel, shoes and art. Housing Works strives to ensure that homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and their families have adequate housing, food, social support, drug treatment, health care, and employment. They've raised millions for that cause through their thrift stores, of which there are several in NYC.

Ricky's - This beauty extravaganza just moved from the low 20s into the old Jennifer Convertible store. Anything you need in make up and hair, adult "toys" - they have it. Except they don't have as good a candy selection as they did in their former space. WHERE IS THE PEZ!?

Rodeo Bar & Grill - Frozen Margaritas. I would end my tale there, because these are the best and most lethal on all of the island formerly known as New Amsterdam, however they also dish out really good Tex-Mex food and free music until 2 a.m. And there's a daily happy hour with $5 margaritas and $3 draft beer (Monday -- Saturday 4p.m. - 8 p.m.; Sundays 6p.m. - 9 p.m.) So it's the perfect storm for a neighborhood haunt, a mere one block from my house. And yes, I am a snob too and it does kind of look like a Bennigan's. But trust me, it is not. Go.

Curry in a Hurry - In a hurry? Fancy a curry? Well here you go. Get enough food for two for less than $10, including a bit of salad and various sauces. I love this place so much they even gave me a free mug one Christmas. Drawback: You Will Get Fat.

Recent notable closings: Sacco - A shoe store I like that offers some unique jewelry and accessories. I think that the salesperson who worked here drove customers away. At least that was the case for me. Don't worry though, there are other locations still sprinkled around town. Rodeo apparel (or whatever it's called) - What was once a vacuum sales and repair shop, recently turned into a rockabilly country-and-western store connected to the Rodeo. I didn't get a chance to go in and now it looks like it is closed indefinitely. Remains to be seen...

Guerilla Goer-Outer

The GS hasn't been a devoted shopper lately; she seems to have become a Guerilla goer-outer. While this has been fun and social, it's not doing much for her waistline. Alas, here is an incomplete list of where I have tread lately:

M Shanghai (Williamsburg) - interesting hipster Chinese restaurant with private cavern in basement, where friend had bday party.
Bar Great Harry (Smith St., BK) - Basic Brooklyn bar with tons of beer.
Louise & Jerry's (Hoboken) - Bar on Washington with great jukebox. A dying breed. Get there while you can.
Astoria (as in Queens) - Friend's party...
Blind Tiger Ale House - West Village pub with lots o' beers (used to be on Hudson St., now on Bleecker) and some good bar food.

I also did a little looking around for the chandelier I aspire to own - including checking out what few things are left at Domain furniture on Broadway. They had a cute little chandi for half price ($250), but I didn't LOVE it, so I let it go. I also checked out ABC Carpet, for price comparison - and while I did LOVE their lighting inventory, I wasn't so willing to fork over a minimum of $675. It also makes me kind of ill that had I known Domain was going out of business I would have saved about $800 on the wardrobe I bought 2 weeks before the Chapter 11 news broke. Yargh!

Shake Shack Heading to UWS

I am reading in Crain's New York Business magazine that my favorite local food joint: The Shake Shack, is opening its second at 366 Columbus Ave. (77th St.) in the space that once housed the Museum Cafe and Jacques-Imo's NYC. The original SS shall remain happily in Madison Square Park, near the Flatiron Building.

Too Many Restaurants Week

Post-holidays, I promised myself that I would cool it with restaurants and take out food, but alas, this week made that nearly impossible. I visited the following restaurants, one being an old standby favorite known as: Les Halles (the one on Park Ave. South).

Les Halles - A great, crowded New York City brasserie that isn't exactly the height of cuisine, but it is solid, consistent, and fun. The kind of place you should bring out of town guests when you want to ensure that they get a real New York City experience without being overly touristy. While not cheap, it is not too pricey. My recent visit included 3 drinks, dinner and dessert and ended up costing me $70 all told.

Benjamin Steakhouse - An extremely nice looking room on E. 41st St. where you can go for your office Christmas lunch or if your aging parents come to town. Good food and service, a bit stodgy for the likes of the Guerilla Shopper, but meat is aplenty in this joint.

Le Miu - A decent sushi joint on Avenue A. I had an interesting meal consisting of sashimi over soba noodles - a new take on an old dish and something I had never had before. So big points for originality. Otherwise, the room was nice but not anything spectacular. Maybe I'd go back - but only if I couldn't think of a better option...

Sugar "Tiny Cafe of Big Sweet Nothings" - This is that long narrow place on the corner of Allen and Houston under whatever giant child porn ad American Apparel is pimping these days. I love my desserts so I love this place. It's not comfortable or convenient at all, but there are endless treats a la Willy Wonka and therefore I shall return.

Crumbs Cupcakes: The Artie Lange

Once in a while I discover that I am no different than most other women. I love cupcakes. I love them so much. And with the cupcake bakery explosion, the competition for cupcake customers is fierce. I've been uptown, downtown, and all around the town on a quest for the best cupcakes ever. Last night, I went into my neighborhood Crumbs and learned two things:

1. My favorite cupcake is the "Cookie Dough"

2. Call me late to the party on this one, but Artie Lange from the Howard Stern Show has a cupcake named after him, i.e. the "Artie Lange Cupcake." Details include:

• Designed and created exclusively by Artie Lange of the Howard Stern Show
• Vanilla sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream covered in vanilla cream cheese frosting and topped with chocolate fondant icing w/white and chocolate sprinkles on the sides!
• Retail: $3.75 per cupcake
• Portion of the proceeds benefit LIFEbeat - dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community.

Joe Junior: Cheap, Fast, Halfway Decent

Joe Junior is one of those old-school diners that I pray nightly does not get taken over by a faux diner chain. It's a greasy spoon that dishes up full breakfasts for peanuts.

Now, it's not exactly gourmet - or anywhere near it - however, it does the job in a no-nonsense way allowing you to feed yourself and be on your merry way. The other day I had eggs, toast, hashbrowns and cranberry juice for less than $8 - this including tax and tip. What a bargain.

There's one on 6th Ave. and 12th St., another on 3rd Ave. around 16th St. (pictured) - providing us with west side AND east side options!

SPAM FAJITAS

Is this the grossest thing EVER? There was a little adlink for this inspiring recipe in my Spam box on gmail. Perhaps it should also get linked to "weight loss" because I have suddenly lost my appetite (for destruction):

* Exported from MasterCook *

SPAM FAJITAS

Serving Size : 8

Preparation Method

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 Green bell pepper, cut into -julienne strips
• 1/2 Onion, cut into 1/4″ slices
• 1 cn SPAM Luncheon Meat, cut into -julienne strips (12 oz)
• 3/4 c CHI-CHI's Salsa
• 8 Flour tortillas, warmed (8")
• 2 c Shredded lettuce
• 1/2 c Shredded hot pepper Monterey-Jack or Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c Nonfat plain yogurt
• Extra salsa, if desired

Spray large non-stick skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Saute green pepper and onion 2 minutes. Add SPAM. Saute 2 minutes. Stir in salsa and heat thoroughly. Spoon about 1/2 cup SPAM mixture into each flour tortilla. Top each with 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon shredded cheese, 1 tablespoon yogurt, and extra salsa, if desired.

Can I eat well and cheaply on the Upper East Side?

Wow, so it seems that late July shopping is a bit "soft" - similar to my complaint about February. Just kind of a dead time - you've already bought most of your summer stuff and gone to relevant sales and you just aren't ready to start buying fall clothes and boots since it's still hot as blazes outside.

So what is a Guerilla Shopper supposed to do? Write about her second favorite topic: FOOD. I am somewhat astonished by the high price of food on the UES. I guess I shouldn't be, but I can't manage to get take out - my favorite kind of food - for less than $17 (and that's only if I pick it up myself so that I don't have to tip a delivery guy!). Does anyone have any suggestions for me - outside of eating pizza and bagels every night? Why isn't there a Teriyaki Boy up there, for example?

Lexington Candy Shop

Eat, drink, and spend a fair amount of money at this very old school luncheonette on Lexington and 83rd St.

Open Monday - Saturday, 7a - 7p, the Lexington Candy Shop is a step into the past, save the PRICES, which are more of a step into the future, but I'll get to that later. Whether sitting at the counter or one of the booths, you can order sandwiches, shakes, sodas and the like - they even mix their own soda! I ordered a diet coke and watched as the guy squirted syrup followed by seltzer into my glass. They also make lemonade the old-fashioned way, although I didn't order it seeing how a large costs $5.70! And a turkey club?...$12.75! Along with my diet coke, I ordered a cheese omelet, which came with toast (but no potatoes). Skeptical at first, it was actually quite tasty. But my order costs $10.40 (and remember, no potatoes), which is a bit on the high side, seeing that you can get the same and more at most diners throughout the city for $3-$4 less.

So you go here and pay for the nostalgia. Which isn't a bad thing in this day and age of chain stores and fast food. So maybe it's worth it. And the sign over the Lotto machine which reads, "Please, Lord let me prove to you that I can win the lottery and still remain humble" may make it even more worthy.

Republic: Asian Basil Lemonade

I am - and always have been - a fan of the food at Republic in Union Square. But I never had the Asian Basil Lemonade until this past weekend. It is a perfect combinaton of lemons and basil. Oh, and water and sugar. I am pining away for it right now. Go and get some. It tastes better than it looks, which is why I have no photo of it.

I Love Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Also from New York Magazine today, "Sandwiches of the Week: In Celebration of National Grilled-Cheese Month." I am now DYING for one, especially the one pictured above from Tillman's:

Tillman’sThe only upscale cocktail bar we know with a menu almost singularly devoted to grilled-cheese sandwiches. Our favorite is the classic American (pictured) gently tweaked with a dab of herb mayo and fresh basil and served with, yes, tomato soup. Pair with a Dark and Stormy. $12; 165 W. 26th St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-627-8320.

Chelsea Market: Cupcakes

So what better way to top off a personal training session at Equinox than by eating a cupcake! I'm not sure when cupcakes replaced crack, but I know that I can't get enough of these things, which is why you probably can't find one in this town for less than $2.

Anyway, I headed to the Chelsea Market where I knew I would find a grand selection of pastel-colored cakes-in-a-cup all dressed up and ready for Easter at Eleni's (see big photo). I managed to limit myself to one small $2 vanilla cupcake piled high with pastel yellow frosting and hot pink sprinkles. I snapped a quick shot of the counter displaying endless selections including $7 cookies(!), before they started yelling at people for taking photos. Timing is everything.

Upon exiting I noticed another bakery called Ruthy's just two doors down. While I was happy with the selection I made at Eleni's, I couldn't help but be a bit awed by the giant "flowers of frosting" (see smaller photo) atop the cupcakes in Ruthy's display case. A quarter more expensive than what I bought, true, but I think I may have to stop in there soon so that I can make a thorough journalistic evaluation.

Happy Easter!

Shake Shack Open Today

From the New York Times' Urban Eye...(I'm mostly concerned with Shake Shack...)

DINING
Crab Is a Many-Splendored Thing
By MELENA RYZIK
Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Yes, yes, Shake Shack is open again, and they’ve even got a nifty way to ease the webcam-worthy wait. (You get a beeper to let you know when your order’s ready.) But why wait at all? Head to Pacificana, a new Cantonese palace in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and gorge on pork dumplings, sesame rice balls, clams with scallions, taro cakes and the best congee Peter Meehan ever tasted straight from the dim sum cart. If you’re feeling patient, splurge on the by-the-pound king crab: “a brilliant succession of four dishes,” from an elegant soup to crispy fried legs. “It was an impressive conclusion to a meal at Pacificana, which may have opened only a few months ago, but already feels like an institution,” Mr. Meehan says. Coming soon: the crabcam?

Pacificana, 813 55th Street (Eighth Avenue), Second Floor, Sunset Park, Brooklyn; (718) 871-2880.