First Seafood CSA Model In NYC

August 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The first seafood CSA in NYC, Dock to Dish, will attempt to return restaurants to the older way of doing things, where they worked around what was in supply over what was in demand. We are more familiar with CSA’s where consumers sign up for a memberships to be provided with seasonal, local, fresh produce from local farmers. Dock to Dish operates in the same manner just with seafood rather than produce. Restaurateur Sean Barrett has come together with fishermen to apply the same CSA economic model to seafood and established Community Supported Fisheries (CSF).

Dock to Dish will help to foster the relationship between growers and eaters by shortening the distribution chain. Dock to Dish was founded in Montauk, Long Island to provide members with a weekly portion of high quality seafood caught sustainably within the last 24 hours. Dock to Dish then took off in New York City where it became the first Restaurant Supported Fishery with chefs such as Bill Telepan, Dan Barber and April Bloomfield subscribing amongst others. They receive an abundance of whatever is caught fresh such as bigeye tuna, fluke, black sea bass, swordfish, squid and many others. According to Edible, “Chefs used to rely on fishermen who came to their kitchen doors offering what was local, plentiful and in season. Then they wrote the menu. It put excitement into preparations: a little surprise to get the creative juices flowing.”

To read more about the CSF and watch a short video on how it operates, click here

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz Tagged With: , ,

Fake Scarcity in the New York Food Scene

August 26, 2014 by 1 Comment

There is an interesting phenomenon occurring in the New York City Food Scene: that of fake scarcity. Food establishments are making their products or dishes hard to get as opposed to boasting a bountiful fully-stocked quantity of their products. This is the case in the fashion industry, where consumers will line up for coveted limited-edition limited-supply designer pieces, which makes sense to a certain degree, however should this also be the case for lunch or  a pastry? Totonno’s pizzeria in Coney Island is known for the times when customers used to be ushered away because the pizzeria had run out of dough, causing customers to line up early to ensure this wouldn’t happen to them. They now operate with sufficient dough for the demand, however the hype and memory of the frenzy that was caused by the running out of dough at Totonno’s will remain. This seems ironic, however the limited availability of a product and the hype that ensues if a product ‘runs out’ (although designed this way) gives the guest the impression that it must be an outstanding product worth lining up for.

A great example of this phenomenon is Dominique Ansel’s cronut. New Yorkers are willing to start queuing at the crack of dawn to get their hands on one of the 450 $5 croissant-donut hybrids. For those who are not willing to line up early, there is a “cronut black market” where the item can be made available for $40 each. Another example is at a restaurant downtown in SoHo called Raoul’s. Raoul’s is known for only making 12 hamburgers per day. 12 hamburgers. The line begins to form at 4:30 PM, an hour before the kitchen opens, and if you are lucky to get to order one of these 12 burgers you may only enjoy it at the bar. David Honeysett, chef at Raoul’s admits that, “If anyone could order a burger, it would really interfere with dinner service..Our check average now is much higher than what a burger would produce.”

Clark Wolf, a local restaurant consultant sums up the fake scarcity phenomenon by expressing that, “In New York, people love getting what they can’t have or fighting for it..running out can create drama and notoriety.” To read more about the marketing principle of limited supply in the New York City food scene, click here

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Healthy Italian Fare at the High Line

August 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick and Rich Torrisi known as the ‘Torrisi Team’ are opening a restaurant at the High Line which differs immensely from their Thompson St restaurant Carbone. Carbone serves big portion heavy-duty Italian/American dishes such as veal parmiggiana and pasta alla vodka. The new restaurant at the High Line will be more focused on light and healthy dishes inspired by the cuisine of the Italian coastline. Zalaznick mentions that “there will be a huge emphasis on fish a vegetables..and almost no meat.”

The team did some research on the area where the restaurant will open and came to know that before the expansion, the high line was once the coastline of Manhattan. It was also a farmer’s market at one point some 100 years ago. The idea of opening a steakhouse was an option at one point, however the light, healthy Italian menu concept seemed more appropriate and in keeping with the area’s history. Thomas Waugh will also be serving cocktails inspired by the Italian riviera and serving them in the great setting which has about 100 indoor seats and 50 outdoor.

To read more about the new High Line neighborhood breakfast, lunch and dinner spot by the Torrisi Team, click here

 

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz, Openings Tagged With:

Shake Shack’s New Brooklyn Location at Flatbush Ave

August 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Last Sunday marked the opening of Danny Meyer’s third Shake Shack location in Kings County. The Shack is located at 170 Flatbush Avenue near the Barclays Center and is in walking distance of several neighborhoods such as Fort Greene and Park Slope. It is also easily accessible by public transportation using the subway lines at the Atlantic Avenue station which is directly across the street. What will be known as the Flatbush Shack will be serving all the classics, but will also be serving a location-specific custard called ‘Nothin’ But NETS,’ as a tribute to the Brooklyn Nets. The custard consists of a chocolate and vanilla custard mix with marshmallow sauce, chocolate sprinkles and crunchy bits.

The Fudge-eddaboutit custard, which originated at the Downtown Brooklyn Shack location consists of a blend of chocolate custard, chocolate sauce, baked chocolate cloud cookie and Brooklyn Mast Brothers dark chocolate chunks topped with chocolate sprinkles and will also be featured at this new outpost. The Brooklyn Pie oh My custard ( featuring vanilla custard blended with a slice of seasonal pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds) from the DUMBO location will also be served at the Flatbush Shack.

The Flatbush location will donate 5% of sales from the Brooklyn Pie oh My concrete to STOKED as part of Shake Shack’s mission to Stand For Something Good. STOKED is a mentoring program based in Brooklyn that teaches life skills through action sports in order to accelerate youth development. The Flatbush Shack is also keeping with Shake Shack’s commitment to the environment as it is constructed with sustainable and recycled materials as well as using features such as energy-efficient kitchen lighting and equipment. The Shack’s tabletops are made from reclaimed bowling alley lanes from CounterEvolution bowling alley in Brooklyn.

To read more about the opening of Shake Shack’ third Brooklyn location, click here

 

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz, Openings Tagged With:

Menu Innovation With Meatless Sandwiches

August 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment

There is no doubt that there is an abundance of sandwich options in New York. It is common to find meatball subs or great deli meat combos, however the vegetarian options are definitely less popular. There are many grilled cheese options and quite a few vegan sprout/tofu/hummus combinations but it is rare to find a meatless option that is truly enticing and interesting. Some establishments, however, have incorporated great satisfying meatless sandwich options into their menus and are watching as even meat lovers opt for the vegetarian counterparts. Here are a few sandwiches around Manhattan that are creating a buzz:

  • PARM: 248 Mulberry St., New York
    •  The eggplant parm sandwich at Parm is served with thin slices of fried eggplant, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella. It is available either on a roll or hero and is delicious.
  • TAÏM FALAFEL AND SMOOTHIE BAR: 22 Waverly Place, New York
    • Taïm is known for their amazing falafel, however their sabich, an Iraqi and Israeli breakfast sandwich, is also a star product. The sabich has sweet fried eggplant, slices of hardboiled egg, hummus, cucumber, tomato salad, cabbage slaw and a pickled mango sauce all stuffed into a delicious warm pita.
  • NUM PANG SANDWICH SHOP: 75 9th Ave, New York
    • The cauliflower sandwich at Num Pang Sandwich Shop has roasted cauliflower, spicy eggplant spread,cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro and a chili mayo sauce. It is a great meatless alternative to the traditional bang mi.
  •  MEAT HOOK SANDWICH: 495 Lorimer St., Brooklyn
    • The vegetarian sandwich at Meat Hook Sandwich in Brooklyn airs on the heavier side as it incorporates all the vegetarian toppings including cheese, fried onions, hash browns and caponata amongst others…
  • SHAKE SHACK: 11 Madison Avenue, New York
    • Shake Shack cleverly offers a vegetarian option that is not limited to a veggie burger made of beans or other vegetables made into a patty. The Shroom Burger is a portobello mushroom that is stuffed with cheese and then deep fried, topped with lettuce, tomato and the delicious Shack sauce.

These sandwiches stand up to their meaty counterparts delivering great flavor and texture. To read more about meatless sandwiches and to find one near you, click here

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz, Trending Now Tagged With: , ,

Masafeast 2014 Beachside Dinner

August 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Heritage Radio, Masienda, Rockaway Beach 97 and Grow NYC are hosting Masafeast 2014, the first corn-inspired (or milpa) dinner on the Rockaway 97th Street Boardwalk.  The celebration will take place this Saturday August 9th at 6 30PM. The dinner will be prepared by an amazing group of talented chefs including Gabriela Cámara of Contramar in Mexico City, Ignacio Mattos of Estela in New York City, Jair Téllez from Laja and TaraPaige Group’s good friend and colleague Fany Gerson from La Newyorkina.

The proceeds from the event will benefit the Misión Integral in Mexico and Graybeards in the Rockaways. The Graybeards mission is to “promote the development and education of the youth of the community and to promote a deeper appreciation of patriotism in the community.” The mission of the Misión Integral in Mexico is to facilitate community development in poverty stricken areas.

Tickets to the event are priced at $125 and seating is limited! Hurry to purchase tickets here!

Donations are also welcome.

Filed Under: Events, Local Market Buzz

Tips to Promote Allergen Awareness

July 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Many legislative measures have been taken at both state and municipal levels to improve allergen awareness in the food industry. Betsy Craig, a spokesperson for the labeling company MenuTrinfo, LLC, is committed to bringing more awareness to both customers and staff and is launching her new company, Kitchens with Confidence, LLC which is fueled by this desire. After having spent years teaching the importance of allergen awareness through the AllerTrain certification courses, Betsy has offered some helpful insights and steps for staff to protect the health and safety of restaurant diners:

  • Print recipes and make them readily available to the staff. Educate the staff on each of the ingredients in a particular recipe or dish and show what could be changed or substituted for customers with allergens.
  • Learn the alternate names of the big 8 allergens developed by Food Allergy Research & Education.
  • Create a policy that described how each staff member (both front and back of house) should handle and react to allergen related questions about the menu.
  • Make a disclaimer visible in the restaurant that explains to guests that they must alert the servers if they have a food allergy. Post the same disclaimer on the paper menus, online, and on menu boards. The disclaimer will reassure the guests that your restaurant has made strong efforts to accommodate special dietary needs.
  • Always use sanitized cloths to wipe down surfaces after a first wipe with soapy water.
  • Identify allergen-free dishes on the menu with either special icons, or different font/colors.
  • Label tools and plates in the kitchen used for allergen-free dishes. Purple is the most common color now used in the kitchen to identify allergy-friendly foods.

To read more about how to ensure the health and safety of diners and the protection of staff regarding safe serving, click here

 

Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Local Market Buzz

Starbucks’ Food Sales Increase Average Check

July 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Starbucks completed a very successful third quarter with a $513 million net income  (23% gain compared to the year prior), and a 6% growth in global same-store sales. The coffee shop credits its non-beverage sales for the increase in traffic and average check. The sales of the new breakfast sandwiches that were launched in March increased by 40% during the quarter. Same-store sales increased 7% during the quarter with the new food items being responsible for 2% of that growth. The new hand-crafted Fizzio sodas and Teavana Oprah Chai and shaken iced-teas were also big contributors to the sales increase in the quarter.

This news came in sharp contrast to its competitor, Dunkin Donuts, who released a more disappointing quarterly report. Dunkin’ Brands adjusted their expectation of a 3-4% increase in same-store sales to being in between 2-3%. Nigel Travis, Dunkin’ Brands’ chief executive and chairman stated, “Our performance in the second quarter was disappointing, both domestically and internationally.” Dunkin’ Brands mentioned that the increased competition during the breakfast daypart (TacoBell now increasing breakfast offerings) combined with challenging macroeconomic factors (including a harsh Spring climate) all contributed to the disappointing 2Q. The brand now expects a revenue growth between 5-7% compared to the 6-8% projection set earlier in the year.

Food sales at Starbucks are allowing the chain to increase traffic during what would usually be considered the slower day parts for coffee establishments such as evenings and afternoons. Howard Schultz, Starbucks Chief Executive Officer and chair, has hinted that the company is working on making the lunch hour at Starbucks look different soon. Starbucks is also hinting at solutions for paying in advance and picking up using new mobile technologies. Schultz states, ” It’s clear to us in our research that express order and pay is a big, big idea.”

Overall Starbucks has plans for down the pipeline that include more food offerings and new mobile payment technologies which have already proven to increase average check and traffic. To read more about Starbucks’ success with improved food offerings, click here

 

 

Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Local Market Buzz Tagged With: , ,

Summer Seafood Boils Pop Up Around NYC

July 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment

The season of crab, lobster and crawfish boils is among us. Restaurants around the city have been or are starting to offer weekly summer seafood boils at set prices for guests to enjoy. Whether you crave crawfish, crab, lobster or shrimp there are many options in the city this summer to indulge in. Large family-style seafood boils have become a very popular trend in restaurants in the summer months.

Why not opt for a lobster boil this Sunday for brunch? Beginning this Sunday July 27th and running weekly through to August 31st Hearth Restaurant on E 12th St and 1st Ave will be hosting Sunday Lobster Boils. The series was inspired by the Chef’s vacations in Martha’s Vineyard for the past five years where he and roughly 30 friends would dig a very large hole in the sand (above the tide line of course) to build a bonfire. The bonfire would be left to burn with about 50 volleyball-sized stones being thrown into the fire over the course of six hours. While the fire pit was heating up and being monitored, the corn in its husk was put into large drums filled with seaweed to soak in the ocean. When the time was right, a drum of cold seaweed was dumped onto the coals of the fire pit followed by the lobsters, corn, potatoes, sausage and steamer clams, then topped with another drum of seaweed to cook for just over an hour. After the seaweed was raked off and the seafood pulled out of the pit it was time to enjoy the feast!

While the restaurant does not house a massive coal burning bonfire-sandpit, the lobster is still tasty and the atmosphere is still light and summery. The three course meal for $68 includes a tomato and watermelon salad with bluefish paté, a lobster pot containing a pound of lobster per person, potatoes, chorizo, steamer clams and corn on the cob, and lastly a delicious peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. To read more about Hearth restaurant’s weekly lobster boils click here

Another establishment offering summer seafood boils is Back Forty in Alphabet City. Back Forty specialize in crab boils every Tuesday night hosted in their garden come rain or shine. The $74 ticket includes the food, tax and gratuity. Tickets go on sale every Wednesday prior at 10AM on the Back Forty website, here, and each seating is for a total duration of 2 hours.

Another southern style seafood boil which can be enjoyed on any day of the week can be found at the Boil on Chrystie St between Broome and Delancey. Claw Daddy’s is another great destination in the Lower East Side to get a fix of creole and cajun flavors with a traditional Louisiana-style boil. For more information on the menu, click here

This seasonal restaurant trend of offering large seafood boils for large groups attracts many guests and guarantees a weekly following. It is comforting to know that these options are available in New York City and not just along the coastline, so go out and enjoy!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Events, Local Market Buzz

New Starbucks in Williamsburg

July 24, 2014 by 1 Comment

A new Starbucks coffee shop opened July 21st in Williamsburg next to the Lorimer/Metropolitan subway stop. The Williamsburg residents appear to be on the fence about the coffee shop’s new location. There is a strong concern that the Starbucks will hinder local coffee shops’ business. Although the opening was well advertised weeks in advance, few people chose to stop into Starbucks for their morning coffee or later for their afternoon frappucino. The adjacent deli, however, continued doing business as usual by serving the breakfast crowd their coffee.

It could be difficult to open a large coffee chain outpost in a neighborhood surrounded by independent roasters and where the vibrant coffee culture is already very established. The Starbucks staff seem confident that the residents will eventually warm up to the coffee shop as the location is very convenient; aside from being across from the Metropolitan Avenue subway, where the shop will serve many commuters on the L and G trains, it is also surrounded by building complexes and condos.

Residents may be concerned that the new Starbucks in Williamsburg is another reminder of the accelerated rate gentrification in the neighborhood, but Starbucks is determined to continue providing a good customer experience and attract a local stable clientele. To read more about the views surrounding the new Starbucks opening, click here

 

 

Filed Under: Local Market Buzz, Openings Tagged With: ,
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