Ardesia

I am forever looking for great new spots to meet up with friends.  Not that the good old standbys aren’t great, but it is good to be on the lookout for new things.  Well last Friday I found one that I love!  It is called Ardesia, located at 510 West 52^nd between 10^th & 11^th.  

Ardesia

They offer 30 wines by the glass and a larger selection by the bottle.  It is a combination of old world and new world wines and the staff is extremely knowledgeable and can help guide you through the list.  The bartender who was helping me suggested a Montsant from Spain that was amazing.  He also recommended some wonderful things off the menu.  The menu consists of small plates with of course cheese and meats, but I had the beet salad 

followed by the seared flank steak with salsa verde.  It was so flavorful and tender.  I am definitely going to go back for more.

The atmosphere at Ardesia is casual but hip.  It is all marble and concrete with light wood chairs.  It’s got a very sexy, cool feel to it.  It also has a lot more space than most wine bars in New York.  There is a large lounge section off to the left and about 6 tables in the bar area as well as probably 20ish seats at the bar itself.  During the summer they have outdoor seating for about 30.  I’m sure those are hard tables to get, but I am thinking it might just be a regular summertime bar for me.  Great wine AND outdoor seating!  Woo-hoo!  You can also call ahead and reserve tables.  What a treat that is when meeting a group for drinks.  All in all I am really excited about my new find.  It has already made it to my top ten list.  I can’t wait for you to try it.

Ardesia

510 West 52nd St. (Between 10th & 11th)

212-247-9191

My adventures in Brooklyn

Apparently we are in for a long, cold, snowy winter.  I am turning over a new leaf.  I am not going to hibernate on the Upper West Side until spring.  I bought myself some sensible boots (OK, they still have wedge heels, but are 100% waterproof – that is a BIG change for me) and it’s off on an adventure I go.  I have to say I am totally enjoying my winter treks to Brooklyn.  I am finding some great new spots!  So hopefully I have inspired you to see a show at BAM.  (Once the subways and buses are back to running normal that is.)  Now you need somewhere to go for drinks or dinner before or after the show.  I had wine and appetizers at this delightful place right around the corner from BAM called Stonehome Wine Bar.

The next time I go I am going to get there in time to have dinner, not just apps.  The menu is small with additional daily specials and it looked fantastic.   We ended up getting some meats and cheeses with our wine.  

The portions were large and prices were very reasonable.  Most of the wines by the glass were in the $8-$11 price range and they had a great selection.  I was surprised to see one of my favorite’s by the glass Argiolas “Perdera” from Sardinia.  But the list was full of great things that I want to go back and try.

The inside was cozy and warm, they played great music and the staff couldn’t have nicer and more helpful. 

 They also have a patio in the back, so in the nice weather it must be great to sit outside.  I highly recommend Stonehome Wine Bar if you like good wine, great atmosphere and terrific prices to boot.  With great places like this, I may just head out to Brooklyn more often. 

Barcibo Enoteca

Because I am a wine drinker I am constantly seeking out places that have good wine with good value.  Life is just too short to drink bad wine and so I often find myself at Barcibo on 69^th and Broadway.  

Not only do they have a fantastic list of Italian wines, but they also have a staff that is extremely knowledgeable and super friendly so they can help guide you through the list to make sure you get a glass of wine that you will like.  Italian wines can feel overwhelming if you aren’t familiar with all their grape varietals, and there are a lot!  They have over 100 wines by the bottle and over 40 by the glass.  They also have a full bar for the non-wine drinkers out there.

Though Barcibo is very popular amongst those who know about it, it is still a bit of a secret.  It is one of the bigger wine bars out there.  They have an upper and a lower section as well as outdoor seating in the summer.   The food there is also fantastic.  We shared a few things.  One of my favorites is the crostini.  We got the crostini with prosciutto and bufala Mozzarella and the burrata with tomato.  

The lump it is sitting on is bufala mozzarella.  YUM!

The prosciutto is so delicious it almost melts in your mouth.  We also had the cheese and meat plate as well as the risotto. 

The portions are very generous

The risotto is really spectacular there.  We had the risotto with the sweet Italian sausage, peas and corn.  Wow!  I have also had the mushroom risotto as well and I can say that it is one of the best I have had.

The atmosphere is warm and sophisticated.  The staff is great and the prices are very reasonable.  This is one of my favorite spots on the upper west side.    Wine bars are all the rage, but not all are created equal.   This one, however,  is top notch.

Barcibo Enoteca

2020 Broadway

212-595-2805

Casellula

Wine bars are huge in New York City and around the country.  Some are great.  Some are over-priced and mediocre.  Casellula is one of the great ones.  They have a wine list that is constantly changing and a cheese list with over 40 cheeses.  That means you can go back all the time and have something new and different almost every time you go.   That, in my opinion, is fantastic!

Tonight I just had a small snack.  I had a white bean crostini with bacon and mushrooms topped with truffle oil.  The bacon was so fresh it made me feel as if I was eating rashers in Ireland.  It was a spectacular appetizer.  We also had a 3-cheese plate.  The cheeses are always good, but the amazing part of our cheese plate tonight was the brown sugar fudge with the Ossau-Iraty cheese.  Ossau Iraty is a sheeps milk cheese from Spain that is always a favorite of mine.  Coupled with the brown sugar fudge it was outstanding.  It was the perfect marriage of tastes and I have never seen that before on a cheese plate.  I think you should rush down there just for that!

It is a small space so there is almost always a wait and they don’t accept reservations.  In my experience, it is best to get there either before 7pm or after 10pm to avoid the most crowded times.  However, that said, it is well worth the wait.  The other great thing is that once you are seated, it doesn't feel small due to the windows and the high ceilings.  It is really a cozy atmosphere.  If you like cheese, they have one of the largest selections in the city.  If you like wine, then this is your place.  For such an intimate space they really know how to deliver a fantastic meal.  Put this on your “places you must go” list.   It will soon be on your favorites list.

401 West 52nd St (between 9th & 10th)

212-247-8137