Have you ever dreamed of a private chef coming to your home and spoiling your guests as well as yourself? Look no further than Creative Rajni of Cooked with LOVE. Chef Rajni is amazing and she offers the private chef experience, serving South Indian-inspired creative dishes in your home as well as fabulous cooking classes for her clients.
I recently hosted one of Creative Rajni’s dinners for a few amazing local Influencers. The food was perfection and Chef Rajni was a dream to work with. From planning the menu to pairing wine with the courses. I loved collaborating with her on this private chef dinner.
The outcome was a beautiful and exquisite dinner party!
Our menu consisted of vegetable crisps with a creamy garlic dip, Malabar chicken Biriyani, spiced peas with onions and coconut milk, and spiced beet yogurt. And our amazing dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache from @mixingbowlnyc, beautiful centerpiece by @lavishgardener, and the incredible charcuterie by @traychictreats!!
Cooking has always been a passion of Chef Rajni. She grew up seeing her mom and grand-mom cook for her huge family in her hometown- Kerala, South India. They would be in the kitchen for hours together grinding, sauteing, seasoning, and cooking up her amazing creations of mostly coconut-based food with a ton of vegan options. Rajni has been cooking for over 18 years which includes getting hands-on experience working at the Michelin star chef Jean George’s restaurant kitchen. She has also trained at the Institute of Culinary education, NY for fine dining.
Creative Rajni is all about creativity in food, being fearless in the kitchen, and most importantly- COOKED WITH LOVE. She strives to combine fashion and food on a plate. Her belief is that creating delicious food is a work of art. All her meals produce chic and elegant plates of food inspired by South India.
Thank you to: @whats_in_westchester_ny @westchesterblogger @standupfoodie @stacyknows @kebellabeautycare @914popups @yummydomain
#nycfood #indianfood
Have you been to the new Granola Bar in Rye? The newly renovated beautiful space had its grand opening earlier this month. One of the unique features of the expanded menu is that they are serving the most delicious brunch menu every day. In addition, they have expanded their hours to include an extensive dinner menu and a fabulous cocktail menu. I was lucky enough to join the amazing owners, Dana and Julie for brunch this week. OMG!!!! You are going to be blown away. The new space is the most incredible. It is so chic. For more information on The Granola Bar Rye, click HERE. And check out the photos from our great meal….
| Spring 2022 Hudson Valley Restaurant Week runs from Monday, March 21 – Sunday, April 3, 2022. Restaurants will be offering 3 course, prix-fixe lunches at $29.95 and dinners at $39.95. Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is a popular bi-annual event taking place each Spring and Fall. Participating restaurants span eight counties in the Hudson Valley (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Ulster, Orange, Sullivan, Dutchess and Greene counties) and offer a wide variety of cuisines. Past participating restaurants served an estimated quarter of a million patrons and reported an average 25% increase in business, collectively generating an estimated economic impact of $10.2 million in sales revenue. Among the many new restaurants joining the lineup this Spring are Apropos Restaurant at The Abbey Inn, Peekskill; Alba’s Restaurant, Port Chester; Autumn, Sparkill; Jason Patrick’s on 44, Poughkeepsie; Le Jardin Du Roi, Chappaqua; One Seventy Nine Bar & Grill, New Rochelle; New York Restaurant, Catskill; Red Onion, Saugerties; Savor Ristorante & Bar, Mahopac; Tavern At Beekman Arms, Rhinebeck, and Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse, West Nyack. Reservations are highly recommended at all restaurants. For more information on HVRW, visit www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com. |
Yesterday I was invited to a special lunch organized by 914 Pop’s to experience the incredible chef Anthony Gonclaves Portuguese fare. Kanopi is a serious gourmet’s dream. The intimate restaurant on the 42nd floor of the Opus hotel in White Plains serves a weekly chef’s tasting menu Wednesday thru Saturday.
The space in itself is spectacular. The room boasts 360 views of Westchester and the Hudson Valley. There are only 7 dining tables each with its own amazing cityscape.
With chef-led tasting menus, boutique wine pairings, and an intimate dining experience, Kanopi offers a unique farm-to-table culinary experience unlike any other. Chef Anthony Gonçalves, his wife Andreia Goncalves, and the team capture the essence of Portugal while remaining firmly rooted in the Hudson Valley through seasonal menus comprised of old-world flavors and local farm-fresh ingredients.
Here are some of the tastings we enjoyed yesterday, for more information or to make a reservation, click HERE.
We started the lunch with the most delicious bread with fresh ricotta, roasted garlic and sardines.
The next course was beets with crispy rice.
Himachi Ceviche with Avocado (this was incredible).
Black Truffle Ricotta with Blue Cheese Tortellini and Cacio e Pepe
Branzino With Enoki Mushrooms
The dessert was a Banana Flan with a Frois Gras Macaroon.
Our lunch group with Chef Anthony Gonclaves
Recently I spent some time at the new SaksWorks Greenwich. SaksWorks is a boutique hospitality restaurant experience in the SaksWorks family of coworking spaces on Greenwich Ave.
Ruby and Bella’s is the SaksWorks’s bar and restaurant and is open to the public. We recently had a wonderful birthday celebration lunch for my friend Andy and we all loved it.
Ruby & Bella’s is a celebration of American cuisine, offering dishes inspired by local and seasonal ingredients and prepared with regional and global flavors, Executive Chef Jason Leckey has curated a menu that showcases an impressive variety of cuisine bound to impress any palate.
- Menu highlights include:
- Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
- New England Clam Chowder with a mini Lobster roll
- Bone-In Filet Mignon
- Tuna Tartare
- R&B’s Signature Lobster Club
- Chicken Paillard
- Whole Roasted Baby Cauliflower
Ruby and Bellas also boasts an intimate cocktail lounge, where guests can relax and enjoy coffee, drink and food offerings.
At SakWorks, Customers can also book events in the private dining rooms or reserve entire areas of the facility with access to the catering menu.
While other locations do have a membership model, the Greenwich location is focused on the fine dining experience.
Unlike the other locations, SaksWorks Greenwich is accessible to the public with customers having the option to book private dining spaces for their needs, SaksWorks members, who have access to all of the locations in New York City, Westchester and Long Island, have free access to utilize the private dining spaces offered in Greenwich.
I am looking forward to obtaining a temporary membership to SaksWorks and returning to Ruby and Bellas!! Stay TUNED!!!!
Side Door Donuts at Billy and Pete’s in Larchmont serves fresh, homemade, warm mini doughnuts on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. You really need to try these, they have the perfect combination of a crispy fried outside with a light and airy consistency inside. They are glazed and topped with many treats to choose from. (see below) The donuts come in boxes of 3, 12, party boxes, and “cakes” are also available. And they are constantly adding new flavors so DONUT be left in the dark, follow them on @sidedoordonuts and meet me there this weekend!!!
Flavors
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon
- Powered Sugar
- Maple Bacon
- Fruity Pebbles
- Cookies n’ Cream
- S’Mores
- Fluffernutter
- Peanut butter & Jelly
- Make your own! Choose glaze & topping.
