It seems every year around this month we start to think how time flies. Wasn’t it just last week that some of us were dancing away the night at Rossini’s while others were in Rome walking the Spanish Steps? Now, 6 months later, we can’t believe it is the half way point of the New Year. How quickly we went from requesting the table by the fireplace, to requesting the outdoor patio cabana. As the days get longer and the sun shines into evening, the nights in June really put a smile on everyone’s face. Even more so, now that The Single Gourmet’s newsletter has arrived.
Before we parasail into the June events, here is what still remains on our May agenda. This Saturday, May 16th, join us at Philip Marie. Owned by Chef John Greco, whose resume includes Imola, Cipriani, San Domenico, Le Cirque, Torre di Pisa and alumni of the TV show, “Chopped.” We enjoy 4-courses including the Cap’n Crunch™ coated Mediterranean sea bass, grilled spinach and artichoke stuffed chicken breast as well as the double cut stuffed pork chop! On Sunday, the 24th, we will spend Memorial Weekend with Jazz at THE BLUE NOTE. Not only do you get a drink, and a brunch entrée, but you also get 7 musicians playing Jazz. Show starts at 1:30 doors open at 1pm. We end May on Saturday, May 30th, at Circus- Fine Brazilian Cuisine. Brazilians love great food and they love to drink, dance and party. Join us as we listen to a live Brazilian band and eat and drink the way it is done in South America- vamos festejar, let’s party!
June starts off with an East Village newcomer to our group, PORSENA, on Sunday, June 7th. Just a block south of Astor Place, Porsena is a casual and rustic Italian trattoria where friends and neighbors gather. Owner/Chef Sara Jenkins has drawn on memories of her Tuscan and Roman childhood to create a menu featuring Italy’s finest artisanal meals served with traditional and imaginative twists. The following Sunday, June 14th, we head to David Burke’s Kitchen, one of our all-time favorite chef/owners, Chef Burke inspires our taste buds to enjoy life, live it to the fullest and grasp the delicious creative meal he offers us. The following Saturday, June 20th, we return to a stand out of last year, Piccolo Fiore. We spent July 4th here hoping to see some fireworks, but the only fireworks that we actually saw were in the kitchen. We had one of the best meals of 2014 and by popular demand, we head back for another 4-course encore. The last weekend of June we have 2 great events. First, on Saturday, June 27th, we are in for a real treat as we head out to Long Island for the NORTH FORK WINE & ARTISANAL FOOD FESTIVAL. A bus will take our group out to the Island and back, so there is no worry about how much of the 100+ wines you want to sample. Drink wine, eat lots of food and listen to Jazz, while meeting dozens of winery owners and artisanal food company owners, this will be a great summer Saturday. If the wine festival was not enough for our last weekend, then join us for a pisco drink the Peruvian way as we head to Chef Richard Sandoval’s classic restaurant, RAYMI. First we went to Maya last year, then Zengo and Pampano this year, and now it is the Peruvian inspired, Raymi. With food that our taste buds cheer for, Chef Sandoval is an inspiration not only to Latin chef’s but to every chef worldwide. He is a genius with his flavors and creative dishes as we have tasted. A master top chef!
The following May events are still available for Single Gourmet Members and their guests:
- Philip Marie– 569 Hudson Street, Saturday, May 16th, 7:00pm optional drinks, 8:00 pm dinner. Includes 4-course meal, glass wine, coffee, tax and tip. Famous NYC chef and great 4 course meal. $79
- Blue Note Jazz Brunch- Steven Feifke Septet 131 West 3rd (off 6th Avenue) Sunday, May 24th, Please RSVP by May 21th, 1pm arrival for 1:30 Brunch and Show, Live Show, Brunch Entree, 1 drink, tax &tip $49
- Circus- With Bosa Nova Band, 132 East 61st (Lexington and Park), Saturday, May 30th , 7:00pm optional drinks, 8:00pm dinner-3-course, glass wine/house drink, coffee, tax/tip $65
The following June events are available for Single Gourmet Members and their guests:
Porsena
21 East 7th St (Between 2nd and 3rd)
Sunday, June 7th
5:30 pm optional drinks, 6:15 pm dinner
(They open at 5:30, please show up after that)
$72 Italian meal, glass wine, coffee, tax & tip
A New York Magazine critics top pick, “Porsena, is the terrific, refreshingly grown-up East Village spot” Zagat rated 22 for “elevated heavenly pastas and other delicious Italian staples at this friendly east villager, date spot.” Chef Sara Jenkins culinary pedigree shines through as “one can expect from the daughter of a food critic who spent her childhood frequenting the trattorias of Tuscany and Rome.” Mario Batali called Jenkins “one of the few chefs in America who understands Italy and how Italians eat.” Modeled after the simple restaurants in Italy that serve as neighborhood dining rooms, Porsena is the kind of colorful neighborhood restaurant you might be thrilled to find in the narrow back streets of Rome or Florence. Michelin Guide recommended, “Sara Jenkins fans gather where her flavorful and approachable style to Italian food shines bright. Shared appetizers and desserts.
David Burke Kitchen
23 Grand Street (James Hotel)
Sunday, June 14th
6:00 pm optional drinks, 6:45 pm dinner
$86- 3-course, glass wine, coffee, soda tax & tip
Zagat rated 24 for “creative…delightful New Americana with “on-point service”. Designed by James Beard Award-winner Thomas Schlesser, David Burke Kitchen’s atmosphere and décor needs to be experienced first-hand. Burke’s imaginative reinterpretations of classic American cuisine are combined with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients at Kitchen, which was named one of Forbes All-Star Eateries. Always a favorite of The Single Gourmet and an annual treat. Our menu entrees include Skuna Bay salmon, Goffle Road Farm raise chicken breast and Green Valley Farms beef short rib.
Fabio Piccolo Fiore- Saturday, June 20th
230 East 44th Street @2nd/3rd
7:00pm Optional Pre-dinner drinks, 7:45 Dinner
$85- 4-course dinner, glass of wine, coffee, tax & tip
Rated 23 from Zagat for the “Fab-u-lous….enjoyable Italian between Grand Central and the U.N..with “wonderful food and welcoming service.” This is our second visit to this incredibly beautiful restaurant. Last year we spent the 4th of July here and our 4-course meal will be just as delicious with entrees such as grilled swordfish steak; pollo valdostana- chicken with prosciutto, sage, fontina cheese and port wine; vitello arrosto slow roasted veal with mushroom sauce; Angus N.Y. strip steak with truffle asiago fries; eggplant rolatini with spinach, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Chef Gianfranco Raicovich is a 3rd generation Italian chef following in the footsteps of his father, his mother and grandfather. He trained as a chef in Rome, Florence, Lucca and Milan and has been a chef for over 30 years.
NORTH FORK WINE & ARTISANAL FOOD FESTIVAL
Jamesport Vineyards w/Jazz Concert
Saturday, June 27, 2015 – early session (2pm at the winery)
Bus Leaves NYC 11am sharp returns around 6:30pm
Bus Pickup TBA. $104 all inclusive, $64 no bus transportation
Please RSVP early to this event the bus will fill up.
We will be heading to North Fork LI to Sample over 100+ wines and enjoy some food sampling from Noah’s Restaurant as well as many other artisanal food companies. Since its opening in 2010, Noah’s has received numerous accolades and Executive Chef Noah Schwartz has been lauded by “Best Chefs America”-2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015!
The event will include, transportation from Manhattan, three hours of sampling 100+ wines and delicious light food including cheese, crackers, fresh breads, crudite, charcuterie, chocolates, ethnic foods, jams, dips, vegan delights, cakes, cookies, nuts, seasonal specialties, fresh fruits, beverages and much more. Artisanal food tables will be placed throughout the vineyard featuring the very best fare from the NY & North Fork area. All participating artisanal food companies will be sampling their offerings.
There will be a jazz concert on the vineyard grounds. This event also includes a complimentary wine glass. This is not a tour of the vineyard, members will be free to wander on their own and taste and drink as they desire.
The Festival will feature grape varietals from across Long Island’s 3,000 acres of vines. We will get to taste from an eclectic mix of 100+ bold reds, whites, and some sparkling selections. The region’s maritime climate, geography, and soil characteristics combine to produce wines of exceptional quality. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Long Island’s finest winemakers. You won’t be dealing with distributors, importers, or retailers; you will be interacting with the region’s actual wine growers and producers. This is a unique opportunity to learn about winemaking from the experts.
Winery’s include but are not limited to, Jamesport Vineyards, Waters Crest Winery, Coffee Pot Cellars, Brotherhood Winery (America’s oldest Vineyard est. 1839), Lieb Cellars, Brooklyn Oneology, Roanoke Vineyards, Harbes Farm & Vineyard, Martha Clara Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, Lenz Winery, Saltbird Cellars, Sparkling Pointe, Vines and Braches, Palmer Vineyards and many more wineries as well as artisanal food companies.
Raymi- Richard Sandoval
43 West 24th (off 6th Avenue)
Sunday, June 28th
6:00 optional drinks; 6:45 dinner
$73- 3-course, glass wine or pisco drink, coffee, tax, tip
“Richard Sandoval does Peruvian,” according to Zagat, “at this Flatiron ‘gem’ whose ‘tasty, innovative’ dishes are best accompanied by the bar’s fantastic pisco cocktails in a big, buzzy, beautiful space and warm service.” Raymi is a modern Peruvian restaurant as dynamic as the country it celebrates, capturing the multicultural spirit of Peru, blending the Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and native influences that embody the country’s vibrant cuisine. The flavors are adventurous and unexpected. Salud y buen provecho! Chef Sandoval, a Bravo’s top Chef Master, is known for taking gourmet Latin flavors to a new level. With over 30 Latin restaurants across the United States, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East, Richard Sandoval is a global pioneer. Nine of his restaurants have been voted best in their category. He was also nominated for James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur Award. Our menu will include a twist on traditional Peruvian appetizers such as pork shoulder tamal criolo, empanadas and other classics. Our entrees will consist of seared salmon with lentil tacu tacu, fried banana, cipollini onions & cherry tomatoes saltado; arroz con pollo- roasted chicken with aji amarillo rice, aji verde; lomo saltado steak w/soy sauce, tomato, crispy fries and jasmine rice; followed by Peruvian style desserts
Travel with The Single Gourmet
Sept 4th-7th-10th: Austin and San Antonio TX
THIS IS AN ALL INCLUSIVE TRIP- 3 Meals daily, Airfare, Hotels and Tours (except shopping and optional tours) First, we spend 3 nights in Austin, voted the 3rd “coolest” city to visit by Forbes 2014, based on entertainment options, local restaurants per capita and population growth. Conde Nast Travel states, “Austin’s ever-evolving food scene just keeps getting better” and has also voted Austin one of “the best American cities for foodies.” As the capital of Texas, it is home to numerous museums and thousands of acres of parks…Austin’s thumping music scene is the draw for most visitors, with more than 100 clubs booking two or three acts per night. Forbes ranks Austin fastest growing city four years in a row, best city to live under 30, and it is now the music capital of the world.
Austin has been on lists such as: friendliest city, fittest city, most tech savvy city, safest city, #1 economy in the country, # 1 to start a small business in the country, and dozens of other lists. We will be staying at the 4-star Hilton located right in downtown and steps from everything. We will tour the city via a hop on hop off bus tour, walking tours, a winery tour, a museum tour, listen to the best live music, eat the best BBQ and other incredible meals. This trip will be Labor Day Weekend which is Sept 4th – 7th. For those who want to extend the trip, we have an optional “excursion” where we will drive (2 hours) to San Antonio and stay 3 additional nights. In San Antonio, we will stay at the 4-star Hyatt Regency right in the center of the River walk. We will tour the city on a hop on hop off bus as well as walking tours. We will visit the Alamo, sail on a Riverboat Ride, visit the Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Japanese Sunken Gardens, Buckhorn Saloon and Museum, Texas Ranger Museum and El Mercado as well as eat out at top rated restaurants . You will have the choice of just seeing Austin Friday to Monday, and heading back to NYC on Labor Day without the group (Single room $1995, double $1750) or join us 3 nights and head to San Antonio ($3445 Single, $2995 double). $1000 non-refundable deposit due June 31.
Madrid & Barcelona- Dec 26th –Jan 5th
Details on our New Year’s trip 2016 will come in future newsletters, but we are flying into MADRID leaving NYC December 26th, and Flying out of BARCELONA! The Trip will be 9 nights of fun, food and adventure. If interested please let me know. We will have a full Itinerary shortly.
To reserve at any or all the events please go to our website and view your dashboard event calendar or call us at
(646-825-0268), email us at singourmetny@aol.com or mail checks to:
The Single Gourmet, c/o Aaron Lefkowitz, 69 west 9th Street Apartment #6A, New York, NY 10011
- Philip Marie- “Chopped” Chef- 4 courses May 16th 7:00 pm $79_____________
- BLUE NOTE Brunch- Live Jazz Septet May 23rd 1:00 pm $49 _____________
- Circus- Brazilian/Portuguese- Live band May 30th 7:00pm $65 _____________
- Porsena- Michelin Guide Recommended June 7th 5:30 pm $72 ____________
- Kitchen- David Burke at his best June 14th 6:00pm $86 ____________
- Fabio Piccolo Fiore- 4 courses of Yum! June 20th 7:00 pm $85 ____________
- North Fork Wine and Food Festival June 27th 11:00am $104____________
- Raymi= Richard Sandoval Peruvian June 28th 6:00 pm $73 _____________
- AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO Deposit June 30th Deposit Due $1000 ___________
