Flashback Friday - October 5, 2012

This post was originally posted on AllTopChef.com on January 4, 2010.
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What's New at the Bravo Store?

Bravo has been adding tons of new Top Chef-related items to their online store. Currently available are Terlato's Top Chef Quickfire Wines, and bouquets by Teleflora. And let's not forget Top Chef meals by Schwan's Home Service! But there are more interesting items available...let's take a look.

Click images to see larger versions

Wow - who doesn't want to look like the lovely Gail Simmons?

Or head judge and favorite of bears everywhere, Tom Colicchio?

But my favorite items in the Bravo store are these fab bobbleheads!

What would you like to see in the Bravo store?

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Choice Bites 8.16.2011

Want to try an Obama Pizza? You can get one...in Paris, at Pink Flamingo (warning: one of the most annoying Web sites EVAR). The Obama is topped with bacon and pineapple chutney. You can also get a Ghandi-inspired pie topped with saag paneer and baba ganoush.

Love this article on turning gas station snacks into haute road trip fare!

Here's a fun distraction - help the New York Public Library transcribe their menu collection! I've worked on French, English, and German menus so far.

Has everyone heard about Foodsherpa yet? It's a company sorta like Groupon, LivingSocial, etc., but instead of offering daily discount coupons for restaurants and other services, they offer a new and interesting food product. I've so far purchased a jar of walnut preserves (mentioned today in an earlier post), but have been tempted by other goodies like saffron pasta, gingerbread pasta, and hot ginger caramel sauce.

The Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival will be held on August 20 at the National Harbor Waterfront. For more details, click here.

Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio makes an appearance in the Smurfs Movie. Of course, unless you have kids, you're not going to shell out good money to see it, so here's a clip.

And...the 3rd food truck event known as "The Gathering" has been scheduled for Friday, September 2nd from 5-10pm. Location TBA.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Craft Steak

While in NY, I had the opportunity to dine at Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak (which hosted a party just a day or so before after filming the TC reunion special...sorry I missed that event!).

The space is beautiful (as evidenced by these photos taken from the Craftsteak Web site), with a two-story glass-cased wine room (seen at the right of the first photo) separating the bar and dining room and a soothing neutral decor. Our party of eight sat at one of the round booths in the second photo (the center one, as a matter of fact).

When at a place that specializes in steak, why order anything else? I opted for the filet mignon, served medium rare with a charred exterior. It came exactly to order - a thing of beauty. My only complaint is that they serve all of their steaks pre-sliced, for easier sharing. Pre-slicing means that the steak gets cold a lot faster than one would like, particularly since it had already rested a bit after coming out of the pan. But the flavor was good and beefy, and the crust was well-seasoned. The steaks came with tiny sauceboats filled with chimichurri, an ethereal whipped bernaise, a flavored creme fraiche, and the house steak sauce (a little sweet to my taste).

The table also ordered several side dishes - brussels sprouts with bacon, cauliflower, baby carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, fries, onion rings, mushrooms - all fab. I would have been quite content making a meal out of the veg alone.

Dessert (which I neglected to photograph) was also well-received by the group. I had the monkey bread which was actually a little ring-shaped brioche doused with toffee and pecans and served with rum raisins and a wee pitcher of creme fraiche. Our waiter pronounced it "phenomenal" - not an adjective I'd ever use to describe food - but I have to admit it was quite delicious, as was the lemon soufflé I tried.

Along with dinner came a dish of hazelnut petits fours and housemade "Oreo" cookies with a minty filling. And as we were leaving, we were handed individual scones for breakfast the next morning. A nice touch, and well-appreciated by someone who had a train to catch (that would be me).


Craft Steak
85 10th Ave
Manhattan
212-400-6699

Is This Dress Just Unflattering...

Or is Gail Simmons pregnant? This photo of her and Tom Colicchio was taken on the red carpet at last night's presentation of the 2008 Emmy Awards.