My Favorite Sips & Bites of 2023
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My Favorite Sips & Bites of 2023
Welcome back to a new year of LAST CALL! It’s great to have you all here as readers and subscribers. I appreciate all of your support and taking the time to read these spirited dispatches. If you like what you’re reading here, don’t forget to leave a comment, throw us a “like,” share with friends, and even better, become a paid subscriber.
I wanted to kick off 2024 with one last look back upon some of my Favorite Sips & Bites of 2023. Aside from an extended trip throughout Italy with my creative partner and photographer Ed Anderson and a few trips to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I still haven’t been back out on the road (for a number of reasons) like I was back in 2019. I hope to remedy that a bit this year.
And on the bar and restaurant front, it’s important for me to keep up with the new openings around New York and beyond, and I certainly try to, but I’ve always been more of creature of habit and tend to frequent many of the same spots over and over rather than trying to chase down the hot new thing.
I hope you dig this, and this is a very super-sized dispatch and will be truncated in your email, so be sure to click the “View Entire Message” link to expand.
Happy New Year!
(I think today is the last day I can still say that.)
—BTP
Sips
La Passeggiata | The Long Island Bar (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
My second-most-popular post of 2023 was on La Passeggiata, an aperitivo-style drink created by Toby Cecchini that’s named in honor of the Italian tradition of residents enjoying the evening with a long, leisurely stroll through the streets of their town, village, or city’s centro storico, usually between 5 p.m. through 8 p.m. on weeknights. There is typically no destination in mind, and many will make several circuits walking to one end and back over again. Taking inspiration from Michael McIlroy’s modern classic the Rome With a View, Cecchini presents a very low in alcohol cooler made with Campari, Mattei Cap Corse Blanc Quinquina, lemon juice, Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse, and chilled soda water that’s, per Cecchini, “a little bit bitter, a little grabby, a little citrus. Not too sweet at all. The day’s waning. You want something simple and tall and cool and refreshing.”
Mezzo e Mezzo | Grapperia Nardini, Garage Nardini Osteria & Cocktail (Bassano del Grappa, Veneto, Italy)
One of the drinks I still think about the most from last year’s extended trip through Italy is the Mezzo e Mezzo ("half and half") which you’ll find only in the town of Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto in Northern Italy. It’s served in the original Grapperia Nardini, an historic pub-like bar on the eastern entrance to Ponte Vecchio, as well Garage Nardini Osteria & Cocktail. The Americano-like aperitvo drink is served in a short, footed tumbler (or Mezzo e Mezzo-branded paper cups, which are also used for grappa-spiked caffè) and composed of one-part Nardini Bitter Aperitivo, and one-part Nardini Rabarbaro Aperitivo. It’s finished with two-parts ice-cold seltzer that's shot into the glass from a siphon gun in an energetic burst that instantly fills the glass and chills it with no need for ice or anything else save for a lemon peel. Nardini sells a Mezzoemezzo bottled version that’s currently only available in Italy.
Banana Boulevardier | Rita’s Tiki Room (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
A Banana Boulevardier (Real McCoy 5-Year Barbados Rum, Campari, Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane) at Rita’s Tiki Room in Milan’s Nivigli district.
Campari Shakerato | Camparino in Galleria (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
I always start with a Campari Seltz when I first walk into Camparino in Galleria in Milan. It’s their top-selling drink and the perfect welcome to Italy reset, but I drank mine so quickly it didn’t make it to my camera roll. But this elegant and austere Campari Shakerato sure did.
Negroni Sbagliato, Bar Basso (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
No trip to Milan is complete without paying my respects at the historic Bar Basso, the birthplace of the Negroni Sbagliato. Marco Poletti from Camparino in Galleria joined me and Ed for drinks with Bar Basso owner Maurizio Stochetto, one of the nicest guys I know. Most of the stylish regulars order the smaller, goblet-sized Sbagliato but sometimes you need one bigger than your head.
Ricciarello | Tre Filari (Siena, Tuscany, Italy)
Two of the new-to-me Italian cities I visited for the first time that truly stood out were Verona and Siena. In Siena, two American friends living in Italy, Lydia O’Brien and Kieran Patten, served as excellent handlers and we ended our evening at Tre Filari, a quick walk from Siena’s historic Piazza del Campo. While best known for its deep wine selection, co-owner Antonio Dolfi shook and stirred up countless creative cocktails to welcome us to his bar. One of my favorites was the Ricciarello, a creamy and bright after-dinner inspired by Ricciarelli di Siena, the soft and chewy almond-flavored Italian cookie similar to a macaron, that's one of the signature sweets of Siena. Its signature ingredient was Adriatico Amaretto Bianco, which I’m happy to report is now available stateside.
Panettone Negroni | Caffe Dante (Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
As you may already know, or will soon find out from this roundup, I spend a lot of time at my favorite corner barstool at Caffe Dante and have likely tried most of the Negroni variations they’ve turned out of the years. One standout for me on this year’s Seasonal Menu was the Panettone Negroni, made with Santa Teresa rum, Campari, Cappelletti Vino Aperitivo, Palo Cortado sherry, PX sherry, and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. It was spirited and rich with holiday spice and candied fruit and I’ll miss this this guy when the menu flips.
Toffee Apple Manhattan | Caffe Dante West Village (West Village, Manhattan)
Available at Caffe Dante and Dante West Village, their Toffee Apple Manhattan quickly became a fall and holiday favorite of mine. It’s made with Calvados, buttered Zacapa Rum, Lustau Fino Sherry, Carpano Antica Formula, apple caramel, and clove. It’s served with a ride-along sidecar and an apple-fan garnish, though I still haven’t mastered what to do with the apples exactly. My move is to add a single slice to the drink, have a couple sips, eat the apple slice, repeat.
The Riddler | Porchlight (Chelsea, Manhattan)
Bartender Phil Ward knows a thing or two about Martinis, and when he’s behind the bar at The Long Island Bar and it’s wise to ask him to come up with something of his own creation. He never tells you what’s in the glass until after you’ve tasted it, and the first time he made me the Riddler (named because people seem puzzled to name the exact ingredients) it seemed something with cinnamon was in the mix. I was close. It turns out the equal parts of gin and Cocchi Americano with five hearty dashes of Angostura bitters, which were behind that distinctive cinnamon pop. I’ve had this several times at LIB but this photo was from a book event at at Porchlight where he was guest bartending.
Strawberry Rye Swizzle | Rolo’s (Ridgewood, Queens)
I’m not sure if it’s because the first time I ever went to Rolo’s was in the middle of summer, but I find their summer food and cocktail menus offer some of the best bites and sips year-round. I loved this Strawberry Rye Swizzle, made with rye whiskey, Strawberry Campari, fresh strawberry, lemon, grapefruit, and “a shit-ton” of pebble ice, which landed in unexpected, surprising ways.
Amalfi Limonata | Dante West Village (West Village, Manhattan)
There was a particularly hot and humid Saturday afternoon this summer where this Amalfi Limonata (Malfy Lemon Gin, limoncello, lemon juice, lemon curd, San Pellegrino Limonta, fresh mint)) served at Dante West Village saved my life (so I immediately ordered a second one).
Negroni Svegliato | The Donovan Bar x Caffe Dante Pop Up (London, England via Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
Over the summer, Caffe Dante hosted a series of Wednesday pop-ups where they hosted well-known Italian bartenders who presented a special menu of their signature drinks. I had courtside seats to each one and what follows are my personal favorites from each menu.
From London’s The Donovan Bar, there was award-winning bartender Salvatore Calabrese, better known by his honorific, “Maestro,” and Director of Mixology, Federico Pavan, who welcomed me with a Calabrese classic, the Negroni Svegliato. This “wake up” Negroni is made with gin, bitters, and a coffee-infused vermouth that is prepared and served in a fresh-from-the-freezer mini Moka pot, which also serves as a sidecar to top off as needed.
Mediterraneo | Caruso x Caffe Dante Pop Up (Ravello, Italy via Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
Next up at Caffe Dante were Tommaso Mansi and Luigi Gallo, who oversee the bar program at Caruso, a Belmond Hotel located in an 11th-century palazzo 1,000 feet above the Tyrrhenian Sea in the resort town of Ravello on Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast. I truly loved spending an afternoon with these two gentleman among the baskets of aromatic Sfusato Amalfitano, from Mansi’s family lemon orchard, and among their excellent offering was the Mediterraneo, inspired by the fresh ingredients of a a classic Caprese salad.
Tredicissimo | Cinquanta Spirito Italia x Caffe Dante Pop Up (Pagani, Italy via Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
Located in Pagani in the province of Salerno in Campania is Cinquanta Spirito Italiano, founded in 2021 by Alfonso Califano and Natale Palmieri. Their Tredicissimo was a refreshing Americano variation bolstered with a bit of carbonated Amaro Lucano, that was cheekily served on a custom schedino as a nod to a popular Sunday ritual when Italians in the early 1950s would gather to listen to the results of a new popular weekly football bet.
Macchiato | L’Antiquario x Caffe Dante Pop Up (Naples, Italy via Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
I always love to start a Dante session with a Shakerato and Dario Tortorella and Raffaele Ferraro, two gregarious, mustachioed barmen in colorful neckties and buttoned-up white jackets representing L’Antiquario, a Neapolitan speakeasy-inspired cocktail den founded by bartender Alexander Frezza, delivered with their Macchiato, a smoky Shakerato “stained” with 10-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Crossing Over | Freni e Frizioni x Caffe Dante Pop Up (Rome, Italy via Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
Named for the tradition for when a graffiti artist paints over someone else’s work, the Crossing Over from Riccardo Rossi of Freni e Frizioni, an intimate cocktail bar whose patrons spill out into a graffiti-tagged alley of Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood, was a refreshing and aromatic highball made with Martini Rosso and Amaro Santoni, flavored with a housemade peach blossom cordial, and topped with Prosecco and grapefruit soda.
Ramazzotti Menta (1970s)
After a long evening bar-hopping with Verona bar owner Raffaele Bellomi he surprised me with the gift of an unopened vintage bottle of 1970s’ Amaro Ramazzotti Menta. Beyond Brancamenta, we don’t see many other examples of this style in the U.S., so it’s always a favorite suitcase bottle of mine. This made it back to Brooklyn without incident and was quickly drained as I shared sips of it with a number of friends and local bartenders.
Bonomelli Elixir Camomilla (1960s)
Whenever I meet up for a drink with Faccia Brutto Spirits founder Patrick Miller he usually has an old and dusty bottle of something interesting to share, and that was the case when I ran into him at Grand Army for the launch party for his Faccia Brutto Centerbe Giallo Riserva. This time he pulled out a bottle of 1960s-era Bonomelli Elixir Camomilla, an herbal liqueur from chamomile tea producer Bonomelli based in Zola Predosa, Bologna. I mean, look at that cool label, right? But the contents inside the bottle were even better. Six decades had transformed its original sugared sweetness into a mellow, burnt honey profile.
Fred Alkemil Cherry Ratafia | Officina delle Tinture (Polcenigo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy)
One of the more pastoral and scenic side trips while we were in Italy was Polcenigo in Friuli Venezia Giulia, where we visited Federico “Fred” Cremasco, the founder of Opificio Fred spirits and liqueurs. Cremasco’s distillery is located on a little island on the Gorgazzo River in the Friulian foothills. Attached to the distillery is Officina delle Tinture, a small cocktail bar that pairs his inventive spirits with housemade focaccia. It was there where he had an early look at the Fred Alkemil lineup (now available in the U.S.), where the Cherry Ratafia was a standout.
Caffè | Bar San Calisto (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
Have you really been to Rome if you don’t post up for caffè an an outdoor table at Bar San Calisto? While we were there we spotted Sophie Minchilli who was seated at the table next to us with one of her food tour groups. We recognized each other from Instagram and after I said hello she added, “I’ll see you at later at lunch!” (We had a lunch scheduled later that day with her mother Elizabeth Minchilli.) And she was also kind enough to broker a quick introduction to the iconic group of old Italian men who sit at a table across from the bar playing cards.
Taverna Caffè | Taverna di Cecco (Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy)
After a long Carnevale lunch with brothers Matteo and Mauro Meletti at Taverna di Cecco in Ascoli Piceno, we finished with the restaurant’s signature Taverna Caffè, made with caffè, Meletti Anisette, rum, dark chocolate, and cocoa, which was poured directly from the metal pitcher into short glass tumblers.
Meletti Anisette (1972) | Bar Sestili (Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy)
Later that evening at Bar Sestili, I shared a pour of 1972 Meletti Anisette with Matteo and Mauro’s father, Silvio, who noted that 1972 was the year he started working in his historic family business.
Meletti Anisette (1940s) | One Fifth (Greenwich Village, Manhattan)
Back in New York, I had the chance to taste a very special bottle of Meletti Anisette from the 1940s at an intimate vintage amari tasting at One Fifth, hosted by Master Sommelier Sabato Sagaria.
Frozen Egg Nog | The Long Island Bar (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
Once the chilly weather hit, The Long Island Bar sent their popular Frozen Cosmo and Frozen Piña Colada on a well-deserved tropical vacation and was replaced by a seasonal Frozen Egg Nog fortified with Cognac Park VS Carte Blanche, Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon, and Plantation OFTD Overproof Dark Rum.
Bites
Pasta and Vegetables | Lillo Cucina Italiana (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
This Lillo Cucina Italiana and Long Island Bar mash-up came to be when, during an unbelievably humid mid-August evening, I joined Toby Cecchini at an impromptu sidewalk table on the Atlantic Avenue side of the bar and sat in chairs facing the street like old Italian men to take in the golden hour sunset over Passeggiatas.
As it grew dark, Toby ran across the street to Lillo to grab us dinner, which he plated up on L.I.B. flatware. We drank Chianti in small juice glasses and shared plates of Caprese di Buffalo; sautéed Zucchine; Fettuccine al Porchini and Fettuccine Speck e Carciofi in a Parmigiano-cream sauce. It was easily one of my favorite summer nights of the season.
Linguine with Crab and Spicy Marinara | Frankies 457 Spuntino (Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn)
While it’s only on the menu for a limited window each summer, since moving to Brooklyn I don’t think I’ve ever missed the Linguine with Crab and Spicy Marinara at Frankies. Mark your calendar accordingly for next summer.
Carbonara | The Red Hook Tavern (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
It’s hard not to order the iconic Tavern Burger whenever I’m at Red Hook Tavern, but lately chef Bun Cheam’s delicious Carbonara, made with guanciale, Nueske’s bacon, Pecorino Romano, and a coddled egg, has proved to be a worthy understudy. It’s only on the weekend lunch menu but if you ask very nicely the kitchen team might make you an order for dinner.
Potato Pie | Leo (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
While it’s not on the main menu, do yourself a favor and ask your server to start your dinner at Leo with a slice of Potato Pie from the slice shop next door. And the pro move is to grab two slices wrapped in foil on the way out. One for a midnight snack when you get back home, and one for breakfast.
White Slice | FINI Pizza (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
I was late to the game working FINI Pizza into my regular pizza rotation, but my love of their white slice—topped with fontina, Parmesan, mozzarella, and lemon zest, served on a paper plate with a lemon wedge to spritz over the surface—has won out. Be sure to go all Jackson Pollack on the slice with a few squirts and swirls of their bright orange housemade Calabrian Chili Honey.
Pepperoni & Bacon Pie | Pizzeria 211 (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
I’ve written so much about my love for LUCA and the Horse Inn you can just assume I’m automatically eating at both beloved spots whenever I’m in Lancaster. But now I’ve added Pizzeria 211, located in Lancaster’s Southern Market, to my must-visit list. Lancaster native Matthew Shultz moved back to his hometown from Philadelphia to open Pizzeria 211 and he regularly sells out of his hand-tossed round pies and deep-dish, Detroit-style square-pan pizzas each evening. He’s recently added some chicken wings which I can’t wait to try. This particular Pepperoni and Bacon pie was a takeaway affair. After chatting with Matty I put in my order and grabbed a pilsner at nearby Bar 1888 and caught the buzzer-beater finish of the San Diego State vs. Florida Atlantic game just as I received a text that my pizza was ready. After an ungodly wait for an Uber (come on, Lancaster ride-share situation.. let’s get it together) made it back to my hotel for some quality alone time with my very special pizza.
Brisket Sandwich | Cabalar Meat Co. (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
My usual lunch move when I’m in Lancaster is to hit up Cabalar Meat Co. My absolute favorite thing on the menu is their once-in-a-blue-moon Brisket Sandwich special, which is served with a generous application of homemade barbecue and Alabama white sauces with a bottom layer of crunchy, thick-cut pickle chips served along some beef-tallow french fries. The only issue is I’m then so overwhelmed and full from such a beautiful, saucy, sticky, sandwich that any afternoon plans have to be canceled to prioritize a good, two-hour nap and a hot shower back at the hotel.
Shrimp Cocktail & Oysters | Red Hook Tavern (Red Hook, Brooklyn)
One thing I always start with at Red Hook Tavern is the Shrimp Cocktail, and when I’m feeling flush I’ll add on a half-dozen East Coast Oysters. The Old Bay-dusted shrimp and bright and briny oysters are served on a cold tray of pebble ice alongside chef Bun Cheam’s “fancy” cocktail sauce, house hot sauce, Calabrian chili-spiked pickle ice, and an apple mignonette.
Pigs In a Blanket | Emmett’s on Grove (West Village, Manhattan)
Next to the $9 Martinis, the best deal on the Happy Hour and a Half menu at Emmett’s on Grove are the Pigs in a Blanket, served with a spicy brown mustard. I would be content just eating a bottomless bowl of these little dough-wrapped, snappy-skin dogs and drinking Martinis but I have to save room for the thin-crust pepperoni pizza that follows.
Crab Louie | Swoony’s (Columbia Street Waterfront District, Brooklyn)
After dinner in the neighborhood at Lucali I stopped by Swoony’s on their opening week to try a couple of their excellent cocktails. Chef and owner Sal Lamboglia stopped by to say hello and asked if I was hungry and insisted on sending over “a little something.” The creamy Crab Louie that soon appeared came surrounded by crunchy cucumbers, green beans, and cherry tomatoes with a lemony kick and a black-pepper flecked jammy egg. So freaking good.
Lamb Barbacoa Flautas | Superbueno (East Village, Manhattan)
I happened upon Superbueno with my associate Benny on Dia de los Muertos when the bar was featuring a special of Slow-Braised Lamb Leg and Flank Belly Flautas with Lettuce, Crema, Salsa Tomatillo, and Consommé. It was so good that we ordered another one midway through eating the first plate.
French Fries with Tehina Ketchup & Date-Harissa Wings with Tehina Ranch | Laser Wolf (Williamsbrug, Brooklyn)
There is a lot to like about Laser Wolf and my first time there was with a party of eight so we ordered a ton of food. But of everything I ate that night I would come back again and again for French Fries with Tehina Ketchup and Date-Harissa Wings with Tehina Ranch (not pictured because we made them disappear).
Brown Butter Corn Cake | Radio Bakery (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
How I love this Brown Butter Corn Cake, Kelly Mecnin’s fresh take on the Cornbread Muffin with Honey Butter she used to offer at Rolo’s. On sight alone I bought two of these at Radio Bakery and after finishing one while waiting for my cappuccino I got back on line and bought two more. It’s sort of shaped like a Twinkie with a salty, crispy, cornmeal-rich exterior whose lava-cake like sunken center reveals a honey-sweet interior that comes on like a St. Louis gooey butter cake.
Bolus | Radio Bakery (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
Pastry chef and Radio Bakery partner Kelly Mencin used to make these gooey Dutch sticky buns (made with a rolled milk bread dough with cinnamon and dark Muscovado sugar) at Rolo’s daytime cafe but are now exclusively available at Radio Bakery—and they’re the first thing that sells out each morning. When I finally scored one I got home and warmed it up and it delivered a deep, dark molasses flavor. Per Mencin’s move, I hit it with a pat of salted butter which melted into those cinnamon-scented grooves.
Cheesecake with Blueberries, Caraway, and Olive Oil | Agi’s Counter (Crown Heights, Brooklyn)
When Ed wrapped up a weeklong photo shoot at Agi’s Counter he invited me to join him for dinner. I still can’t stop thinking about the he salty Blueberry Cheesecake with caraway and olive oil. Why haven’t I been back??
L.I.B. Pecan Pie with Vieille Prune Whipped Cream | The Long Island Bar x St. John Restaurant Pop Up (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)
When London’s famed restaurant St. John took over Long Island Bar for a one-night only dinner, the last dish of the 8-course menu was a slice of Pecan Pie, a nod to a dessert once served at L.I.B. The warm pie’s gooey filling spread like sugary lava and was accompanied by a fat prune and a dollop of whipped cream infused with plum brandy from Armagnac.
Strawberry Ice Cream with Meringue Shards | Rolo’s (Ridgewood, Queens)
I try not to be too difficult or demanding with menu requests when I’m out and about and I’m always grateful when Rolo’s accommodates my query whether a few shards of meringue from a different offered dessert might be able to crown my two scoops of housemade strawberry ice cream. I promise not to push my luck, Rolo’s!
Baked Alaska | Gage & Tollner (Downtown Brooklyn)
Yes, Caroline Schiff’s amazing Baked Alaska at Gage & Tollner is billed as “made for two to enjoy” but just place it directly in front of me. That’s all I ask.
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Not a bad year of nibbling, noshing and sipping Brad. Enjoyed this reminiscence! Hoping to swing a return trip to NYC sooner than later and will use your writing and wisdom to guide me.
That White Slice at Fini Pizza is so good we went and got one before our last visit to Maison Premiere and then went back for another after we finished our drinks. So good.