Dish du Jour Food & Wine Magazine

Friday, July 03, 2009

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Current Issue

A Slice of Humble Pie By Noël Tracy

John DeLucie serves up a PG-13 look into the grueling and cut-throat New York City restaurant scene in his roller coaster, fairy tale memoir The Hunger: A Story of Food, Desire, and Ambition (Ecco), which was recently released. The adventurous account tracks DeLucie as he cuts, chops and butchers his way from the basement of Dean & DeLuca, through the kitchens of Nick & Toni’s in the Hamptons, the Tribeca Grand Hotel, and La Bottega before finally stumbling into Manhattan’s hottest, celebrity driven restaurant, the Waverly Inn.

Culinary High TV By Frances Grace

What’s next, a show about the adventures of high school students and their dreams of becoming chefs? Yes, that’s exactly right. Only don’t look for this show on your big screen TV just yet, because it’s airs on your computer – a webisode, and you can watch it 24/7.

Great Food, Great Wine By Paige Donahoo

There is something exciting about being in a restaurant on a Monday night and having it packed feeling more like a Saturday night. In this economy Rao’s restaurant has nothing to worry about; after all it has been in business for over 100 years.

A Food & Wine Pairing through Queens…an eater’s paradise By Brad Haskel

According to U.S. Census numbers that were updated in 2005, the overall population of Queens increased from 1.95 million to over 2.21 million between 1990 and 2005. The amazing number is 46% are foreign born. When it comes to great authentic ethnic foods, and cheap eats: Queens has it all. No other borough in the city of New York can brag of the ethnic diversity found in Queens.

Meatball Aftermath

From WNBC
Who Has the Best Balls in Town?
by Li Jing

Ten New York restaurants went head-to-head for the title of "Best Balls in the Boroughs." Read more...

THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE FOR BEST MEATBALL

In all of the promotions leading up to the meatball contest on May 19th, we invited people to come, enjoy the festivities and taste the meatballs to see if they agreed with the panel of judges. After the event, we sent out a ballot via email asking attendees to cast their vote for their favorite meatball - a People's Choice. The voting ended on Sunday, June 7th and many did agree with the judges, many more had other favorites but the winner and top ball for the People's Choice was Carmine's.

Which just goes to prove that meatballs will always be a topic for debate as to who makes the best. For the judges and a few others it was Bello Giardino, the People's Choice was Carmine's but the fact remains that the best meatball on the planet are the ones my mother made every week with the Sunday gravy and which she served after the pasta. Thanks Mom! That's what memories are made of.

Photos.... Cuisine of Queens 2009 & The Best Meatball of the Boroughs Contest

Mr. Cutlets on the Meatball Melee Aftermath--The Wrong Ball Won
By Sarah DiGregorio - Village Voice - Fork in the Road....

Last night, Dish du Jour hosted the Meatball Melee of the Boroughs, and Bello Giardino's Nicky's Famous Meatballs were crowned best ball of all.

We brought you event emcee Josh Ozersky's handicapping in advance, in which The Feedbag writer bet on Carmine's to win it all. Now we bring you his debriefing on the proceedings--and why the Greek meatballs were doomed from the start.

Which meatball should have won?

I thought that Jim Botsacos' cumin-powered Greek number from Molyvos was best in class. the judges were all Italians though, so I knew it wasn't in the cards.

Read the full article from Fork in the Road

Citywide Meatball Contest Won By Obscure Upper West Side Upstart
The-Feedbag.com

Last night I emceed the meatball contest at the Cuisine of Queens tasting event, and was I ever shocked! Bello Giardino’s deep-fried meatball won, defeating some superb spherical competition. Sarah DiGregorio over at the Voice had some questions about the stunning upset, which I did my best to answer. Personally, I would have awarded the laurels to Molyvos, but that’s just me. I wasn't a judge.

Read the full article The-Feedbag.com...

Scenes from the Meatball Melee of the Boroughs
Posted by Joe DiStepfano - Seriouseats.com

"It's like meatball speed dating."

As an Italian-American, I'm no stranger to meatballs or garish wedding halls, but nothing could have prepared me for Dish Du Jour’s 8th Annual food and wine tasting and the accompanying Best Meatballs of the Boroughs contest. The event was held last night, with its crowd of ravenous Queens locals, at the glittering Astoria World Manor. Dozens of restaurants offered everything from sushi and steak to Cypriot Greek cuisine, and of course, meatballs.

Councilman Peter F. Vallone, Jr. kicked off the contest. “In Astoria you can get every kind of food in a one-block radius. Everybody mangia!” The judges included chef Michael Psilakis of Anthos and Frank Pellegrino, co-owner of Rao's.

Pellegrino made an excellent point: "The problem with meatballs is that everybody thinks their mother's are the best."

READ - Story and photos

The Competition

Meatball Melee of the Boroughs Recap

Last night I attended a fierce meatball competition at the Astoria World Manor called the Meatball Melee of the Boroughs organized by Dish du Jour magazine. In addition to the meatballs, the event was also part of the 8th annual Cuisine of Queens and Beyond showcase, where various neighborhood eateries

The following 10 finalists from four boroughs (the Bronx was missing) made it to the competition.

Brooklyn:
Ignazio's Pizza - 4 Water Street

Manhattan:
Bar Stuzzichini - 928 Broadway
Bello Giardino - 71 West 71st Street
Campo - 2888 Broadway
Carmine's - 200 West 44th Street
Molyvos - 871 Seventh Avenue

Staten Island:
Pastosa Ravioli - 764 Forest Avenue

Queens:
Agnanti Meze - 19-06 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria
Mundo - 31-18 Broadway, Astoria
Vesta Trattoria & Wine Bar - 21-02 30th Avenue, Astoria

The Judges
An impressive panel of acclaimed culinary geniuses judged the competition:

- Tony Tantillo, CBS2 HD food expert
- Frank Pellegrino, actor/co-owner of Rao's restaurant
- Chef Michael Psilakis, Executive Chef and co-owner of Kefi, Anthos and Mia Dona restaurants
- Michael Maroni, owner of Maroni cuisine and winner of the Food Network's Meatball Throwdown with Bobby Flay
- Joseph Risi, co-creator of the meatball contest

Chef Psilakis was my favorite and it was exciting to listen to his commentary about meatballs, the best way to cook them and even some fun history facts behind them. He revealed why meatballs are typically round in shape - to ensure even cooking, browning and flavor.

Frank Pellegrino was also vocal and offered his two cents about why Italian meatballs rule "they're not meatballs unless they have red sauce." Also celebrating his birthday, Dish du Jour stopped the meatball judging to bring out an impressive, personalized birthday cake for Frank. The entire room sang Happy Birthday and it appeared that Frank was very touched.

Read the full article: http://www.foodistanyc.com/

Meatball King of New York

Nicky’s Famous Meatballs Named “Best Meatballs in the Borough” at Dish du Jour ‘s Meatball Melee of the Boroughs

Italian Meatballs Still King in New York’s Boroughs

Bello Giardino’s “Nicky’s Famous Meatballs” have reached a new level of fame. The succulent spheres were named “Best Meatballs in the Boroughs” by a panel of celebrity judges at yesterday’s Meatball Melee of the Borough’s competition, held at Dish du Jour magazine’s annual food and wine gala, The Cuisine of Queens and Beyond.

Chef Nick Mormando, better known as “Nicky Meatballs,” beat out a tough crowd of finalists including Manhattan restaurants Bar Stuzzichini, Campo, Carmine's and Molyvos; Queens restaurants, Mundo Café, Vesta Trattoria & Wine Bar and Agnanti Meze (which also has a Brooklyn location); Brooklyn restaurant Ignazio's Pizza; and Staten Island restaurant Pastosa Ravioli.

Celebrity judges Tony Tantillo, Frank Pellegrino, Michael Psilikas, Michael Maroni, and Joseph Risi, offered the audience food for thought while they sampled each entry. Frank Pellegrino, who celebrated his birthday with event attendees, pointed out that the problem with meatballs is that everyone thinks their grandmother’s are the best. “Even if you taste a better meatball, you’d never admit it,” Pellegrino joked. “At least not to your grandmother.” Michael Maroni, famous for beating Bobby Flay in a meatball throwdown, offered participants tips for creating the perfect meatball. “It is the bread, milk and eggs that make the difference,” Maroni said. He went on to describe his perfect meatball as moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. Nicky Meatballs agrees. The secret to his famous meatballs is that they are fried in a stainless steel pan, creating just enough crisp to compliment their moist, flavorful core.

“All ten restaurants that made it to the finals of our Meatball Melee competition were big contenders,” said Dish du Jour publisher, Frances Grace. “But in the end, only one could be called the best in the boroughs and Bello Giardino’s of Manhattan took the title of best ball.”

Recipes

From delicious appetizers, side dishes, entrees, and desserts to an entire dinner, this collection of recipes from local chefs and great cookbooks and will keep you cooking.