As fairly new residents of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Jay and I have been trying to sample as many of the local restaurants as we can. So what better way to try a lot of restaurants in one place than by attending the New Taste of the Upper West Side’s “Best of the West” event? (Disclosure: We attended as press, so had our tickets to this event comped.)
In a huge tent on Columbus Avenue between 76th and 77th Streets, we sampled dishes from more than 40 UWS restaurants, some we’d already tried and enjoyed (like Graffit, Fishtag, Kefi, Dovetail, Lincoln, La Boite en Bois, Atlantic Grill, and Blue Ribbon Sushi – okay, maybe we’ve already tried a number of places in our new nabe!), and some we still need to try (like Columbus Tavern, Bar Boulud, Picholine, and Alice’s Tea Cup).
Our favorite dishes included La Boite en Bois’ mushroom ravioli (fresh and flavorful); Cafe Luxembourg’s lobster roll; A Voce’s spring green pea soup with whipped mascarpone; Columbus Tavern’s risotto with fresh peas and beet salad, pickled veggies and yogurt dressing; Picholine’s goat cheese panna cotta; and Blue Ribbon Sushi’s choose-your-own sushi rolls. (And, of course, Magnolia Bakery’s red velvet cupcakes are always a treat.)
Calle Ocho’s seafood ceviche in clam shells with popcorn.
Graffit’s Manchego cheese toast in four bites, with red wine gelee, olive, honey and almond, and quince.
La Boite en Bois’ mushroom ravioli.
Atlantic Grill’s scallops ceviche with Satur Farms asparagus and tomatoes.
New Taste of the Upper West Side was actually one of the best foodie events we’d been to in the city, with lots of variety, plenty of food (we’ve been to several where dishes have quickly run out), and plenty of wine and liquor to wash it all down – overall, a very enjoyable evening and a great introduction to the foods of our lovely new ‘hood.
– by Liz Humphreys, Winederlust Eater in Chief
