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.

Astor Wines & Spirits: Office Gifts

Every year I seem to grapple with the issue of office gifts...Should I? Shouldn't I? If yes, for whom? Sometimes you get pulled into the "Secret Santa" scenario...and, well, what the hell do you buy someone who you really hardly know (or like)?

I found my answer this year in Astor Wines & Spirits. I hadn't visited since it moved a couple blocks down Lafayette to the corner of 4th St. If you haven't been there yet - GO. It's much MUCH bigger and nicer and easier to manuever than in its former location on Lafayette and Astor Pl. (except now maybe they have to change their name to "4th St." ha, ha.)

Also, they have really good deals on wines and liquors. I called ahead to make sure that they had what I was looking for to be sure, and then I went in and was assisted by some very nice, efficient salespeople and was on my way. Of course, lugging 6 giant bottles to the subway and then to my apartment was a challenge in weight-lifting, but had I taken a cab, I would have rendered my money-saving trip downtown pointless! Now I'm trying to work on getting those bottles into the office without pulling my arms out of their sockets.

I can't tell you just yet what I bought, in the unlikely event that the 5 people I work with read this blog. But let's just say I lassoed some big bottles of liquid at a low price. AND...and they gave me enough free gift bags to make each one look snazzy.

Lillet...Hooray!

OK, enough of this low-budget speak! Let's dance and get fancy!

Have you drank Lillet? It's a French aperitif made from local wine. I drink white Lillet with club soda and a slice of orange, but it's available in red too. I learned about it in a wine class that I took at The New School in an effort to become cultured. I don't know if that happened, but I did get introduced to Lillet, which made it worthwhile (even though we were stuffed into the basement of some historical house in the East 20s).

Oh, I also learned that I don't really like Chardonnay, even though I have been drinking it for a decade or more. Anyway, you can't find Lillet everywhere, but I have gotten it at various liquor stores in NYC and NJ for $15-$19 a bottle, which usually requires the owner, stockboy and cashier to help me hunt it down - I just purchased a bottle at Buy Rite Discount Liquors on Third Ave. & 28th St. (they usually have decent prices in there, relatively speaking) for $15.99. I have also found it in more upscale bars, or bars that make fancy drinks for the ladies. THE LADIES!!!

I think I shall find it to be a lite and refreshing imbibement as I drink it from a fancy glass this Thanksgiving weekend. Drinking from a fancy glass makes all drinks a bit better - try it, you'll like it.