Eric Asimov

Holiday Guide: Beer, Wine, and Cocktail Books

The entertainer's shelf helps boost your festive spirits

White House Releases Controversial Homebrew Recipes

Last week we, the people, demanded that the president release the recipes for his White House home brews -- the beers he enjoys so much, he is carrying some along the campaign trail. How did the White House respond? By making adorable beer puns and sharing the recipes, at last: With public excitem ... More >>

3 Good Things: City Island, Fish Sauce, Fino

This fun tour of the seafood offerings on City Island, that hard-to-reach enclave of the Bronx (featured a few years back in an excellent film of the same name). Check out the frozen piña coladas from Johnny's and the baskets of fried clam bellies (one of my favorite summertime snacks). [Gothamist] ... More >>

Booze News: Obscure Grapes, Bartenders' Last Drinks

A roundup of some great booze stories and lists floating around recently:

Robert Sietsema at Allswell; Lauren Shockey at Calyer

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema finds that dinner always ends well at Bedford Avenue newcomer Allswell. He especially relishes the porcine plates: "Instead of the usual rubbery strips, one starter featured an entire fried pig ear facing upward -- as if pleading for you to repeat something yo ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Gregory's 26 Corner Taverna; Lauren Shockey at Onegin

Wish for fish. ​This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema explores Astoria's Attic at Gregory's 26 Corner Taverna. He finds that it is charming and fishy: "Gregory's 26 Corner Taverna has a few chairs out front under an awning where, even in cold weather, patrons sit sipping ouzo and smoking cig ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Littleneck

Don't clam up.​ This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema bites into bivalves at Littleneck, a Gowanus clam shack: "The most spectacular appearance of Brooklyn's iconic bivalve is on a clam roll ($16), featuring full-belly littlenecks with creamy tartar sauce and a few shreds of lettuce for colo ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Shanghai Asian Cuisine; Lauren Shockey at Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

Super soup dumplings​ This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema sucks up soup dumplings at Shanghai Asian Cuisine -- which might serve the city's best: "With a skin so thin, it's a challenge getting them from steamer to mouth intact. The accompanying tongs (utensils, not gang members) are useles ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Indian Clove; Lauren Shockey at Mas(la grillade)

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema takes to his bike and visits Staten Island's Indian Clove: "Despite its obscure location not far from Staten Island's Atlantic coast, this slightly upscale spot might be the great multi-regional Indian restaurant we've all been waiting for." Lauren Shockey wa ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Tertulia; Lauren Shockey at Hot Kitchen

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema tries Tapas at West Village newcomer Tertulia. He loves the piqueos, but advises against the main picks, as they seem "poorly executed." Lauren Shockey samples the spice of dining life with Hot Kitchen, an East Village Chinese resto. The only not-so-hot plat ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Banana Leaf

Going bananas for Malay plates​This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema samples screwpine at Banana Leaf, Sunset Park's new Malaysian outpost. Slurp the super-sour asam laksa for a true sense of the archipelago's aromas. Eric Asimov savors Sushi Yasuda. His verdict: Even with the departure of ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at La Mar; Lauren Shockey at RedFarm

Raw power?​This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema relishes the raw selections at La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, but can't fully stomach the eatery's carbophobic causas.  Lauren Shockey plays with her food at RedFarm, which boasts Pac Man-like shrimp dumplings along with other unique apps.Eric As ... More >>

Lauren Shockey Goes 'Bowling' for Ramen

This week in the Voice, Lauren Shockey samples the Japanese noodle soups at newcomers Chuko, Tabata, and Ramen Misoya.photo by Liz BarclayMiso happy.​ Eric Asimov finds hits and misses at Saxon & Parole: "All told, one sits down to dinner at Saxon & Parole anticipating warmth, good times and ... More >>

Turns Out the New Times Critic Is... Eric Asimov! (Just for Now)

pathlost/flickrTaking a break from wining to critique.​Rumors that the Times-Picayune critic, Brett Anderson, has been selected to replace Sam Sifton have not yet been refuted. In the meantime, the position has already been filled -- temporarily, at least. Wine writer Eric Asimov is taking ove ... More >>

Robert Sietsema at Catania; Lauren Shockey at The Cannibal

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema discovers Sicilian in Brooklyn Heights, but not Palermo-Sicilian, at Catania. Lauren Shockey goes all carnivorous at The Cannibal.photo by Liz BarclayCatania; not Palermo!​ Eric Asimov approves of Salinas: "Classic, simple tapas like grilled bread sprea ... More >>

Where to Drink During Oktoberfest; Red Wine Good for Hearts, But Not for Blood Pressure

​Eric Asimov finds himself rather underwhelmed by New Zealand Pinot Noirs. [NY Times] Fast-food chains like Starbucks and Burger King have started serving booze, but others say it's not worth the hassle. [NY Times] A roundup of spots to celebrate Oktoberfest includes Zum Schneider in the Eas ... More >>

R.I.P. Joe Dressner, Natural Wine Importer and Advocate

winemag.comJoe Dressner​Wine drinkers can be boiled down to two types, really: those who know and seek out bottles imported by Joe Dressner and those who do not. Joe, founder of Louis/Dressner Selections and a fierce advocate of a particular type of wine some people refer to as 'natural,' othe ... More >>

The City's Best Inexpensive Wine Lists; The World's Most Expensive Whiskies

​Dale DeGroff, often cited as the father of the cocktail renaissance, will star in On the Town With Dale DeGroff: A Salute to Saloons, Neighborhood Bars and Legendary Cocktail Palaces, at the Cornelia Street Café this October. The musical cabaret show isn't such a stretch for the celebrity mi ... More >>

Summer Wine Books Reviewed; Beer and College Football Go Hand-in-Hand

​Eric Asimov reviews four new wine books. He likes Summer in a Glass about the Finger Lakes, An Ideal Wine about Californian wines, and Voodoo Vintners about biodynamics. Less so Naked Wine about natural wines. [NY Times] The Hangar One Vodka blimp, on a six-month promotional tour around the ... More >>

New York Drinkers Mourn Two Booze Pioneers; Arkansas Now Distilling, Too

​Eric Asimov remembers Ray Deter of d.b.a., who died Sunday following a bike accident on June 27, calling Deter's bar "groundbreaking." [Diner's Journal] Debra Whiting of Red Newt Cellars and Bistro on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, a food and wine pioneer in the region, died in a car crash ... More >>

Beer Drinkers Are Tastier to Mosquitoes; Winemakers Take to Plastic

​What is it about the subtle pleasure of Kölsch, asks Eric Asimov? "Well, it's a snappy and beautifully refreshing golden ale, bright without being overbearing." Doesn't that sound nice? [NY Times] Carlsberg, which is mostly known for light lagers, is gearing up to launch Carlsberg Elephant, ... More >>

Robert Sietsema, Illustrated, at V-Nam Café; Lauren Shockey at Saro Bistro

This week in the Voice, Robert Sietsema visits V-Nam Café... as a cartoon! Lauren Shockey is underwhelmed by Balkan cuisine at Saro Bistro. Sam Sifton raves over M. Wells: "Those who recall the thrill of eating at the Momofuku restaurants for the first time would do well to book passage on the No. ... More >>

New York Wine; French Bubbly (That Isn't Champagne)

​Looking for a locavoric gift this holiday season? Brooklyn Winery, Brooklyn Oenology, and The Red Hook Winery are among hyper-local wine producers right here in New York City. [NY Post] Champagne isn't the only French bubbly. Eric Asimov samples a Huët Pétillant sparkling Vouvray, Langlois ... More >>

Mezcal Still the Next Big Thing; Pinot Grigio Makes a Comeback Among Snobs

​Officials are moving forward with plans to replace the dated bar cars on Metro-North Railroad's Connecticut trains with new cars that look more like a sit-down pubs on wheels. [Wall Street Journal] VinPerfect, a new type of screw cap that regulates air into the wine bottle, joins the synthet ... More >>

Charles Gabriel on First Impressions of Northern Food, Copeland's, and Making It in NYC

Robert Sietsema​Charles Gabriel fries what many consider to be the city's most scrumptious fried chicken. Our own 10 Best Fried Chickens list named his restaurant, Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken, number one. In the last two years, fried chicken has proliferated like mad: at high-end resta ... More >>

CNN and Huffington Post Jump on the Foodie Bandwagon

​One the heels of The New York Times announcing that both its popular Bitten blog written by Mark Bittman and Eric Asimov's The Pour would be swallowed up by the main food blog, Diner's Journal, two new media entities have announced their forays in the food world. Last spring, The Atlantic lau ... More >>

Former Bandol Bistro to Become Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem will bring Italian food to East 78th Street.​When Bandol opened on East 78th Street in 1999, the French bistro got a lot of love from Eric Asimov, who praised its "very good" food and "warm and neighborly" atmosphere. He noted that its wine, however, fell "short of the ideal." Ten y ... More >>

Booze News: A Beer Chewed First; What Is Natural Wine, Anyway?

​On the heels of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times launching wine clubs, USA Today has launched its own wine club. Subscribers will receive six bottles of wine each quarter for $69.99 plus $11.99 shipping. [PR Newswire via Reuters] Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales attempted to mak ... More >>

Booze News--Too-Cold Wine Is Bad; Critics Accept Free Booze, Trip

Wine ratings kingpin Robert Parker has come under scrutiny since news spread that one of his critics accepted a $25,000 trip to Australia to taste that country's wines. Parker advocates staunch objectivity when reviewing wines, but apparently, several others among his staff have admitted to taking f ... More >>

Booze News--Jay-Z Has a New Bubbly to Match His Bling, Guinness Touts a New Stout with More Zing

Guinness has unveiled a new stout available for a limited time in the US. The maltier, fizzier Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout can be poured all in one shot, unlike the original which requires a two-part pour. [MSNBC] Since Cristal's maker revealed that he would rather not have hip-hop artists ass ... More >>

Peter Meehan's Last Meal: Outtakes!

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