Blue ribbons
Restaurant Manor Rock, Soho listings, pre-Knicks dining, Hotel du Cap, Blue Tree, King, best Sunday lunches, MORE
GETAWAYS • Upstate
From the ground up
The Skinny: Opened last month at the top of Hudson’s Warren Street, Restaurant Manor Rock serves a dynamic take on continental cuisine, prepared with ingredients grown on its namesake farm 20 minutes down the road. The space is midcentury modern with Eastlake-style influences, the frequently changing menu is dictated by the farm, and the presentation is fine-dining.
The Vibe: Uncluttered opulence — all the markers of classic upscale dining with none of the preciousness. The tables are well-spaced in a bar area and back dining room, between which sits a server station designed by Charlap Hyman & Herrero — an extremely chic place to wait for the bathroom.
The Food: Farm fresh, seasonal, and featuring an equal number of fish and meat dishes (a rarity in these parts). Our waitress suggested four-to-seven plates for two diners, but we opted for eight. With kitchen talent from NYC restaurants like Estela and Gem, the menu has faintly familiar yet deeply distinct touches. The black sticky corn in the fritters were a smokey, chewy delight. Husk cherries in pepper caramel added depth to a subtle Shephard’s Hope cheese course. Less complicated, but no less necessary, were the potatoes confited in lard (with more salty cheese).
There were also surprises, like an almost-risotto Carnaroli rice with mushrooms and a delicate cotriade with subtle broth, a mild snapper, and potatoes. Despite over-ordering, we made room for dessert, soba-cha (buckwheat) ice cream, a perfect palette cleanser.
The Drinks: The cocktail menu features six drinks, all named after the farm’s pets — three dachshunds and three cats. (The cutesy flourish may be overkill for some diners, but when in the country!) I had the Bergmont, named for the sassiest of the dogs — imagine a berry-forward Negroni with cassis and bergamot. The wine list is long, both by the glass and bottles.
The Verdict: While farm-to-table — even pure representations like this — is no longer a revolutionary way to cook, the dishes at Manor Rock find flavors in unexpected places, drawing more from herbs and vegetables rather than salt and garlic. The restaurant seems primed to become an Upstate dining destination a la Brushland or Stissing House, especially for those seeking that fresh-from-the-ground experience in a setting that is more town, less country. –Sylvie Florman
→ Restaurant Manor Rock (Hudson) • 746 Warren St • Thurs-Sat 5-9p • Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Airport food prices set to rise at JFK, LGA, EWR • Delta One private security opens at JFK’s T4 • Amex rolling out digital waitlists for Centurion Lounges • Updating the classic Caribbean vacation for this winter • Puerto Rico’s west coast is finally getting its due.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Sponsor
Water & all that we love
Ryan and Arjan here, the co-founders of Jolie, a beauty wellness company focused on purifying the quality of one’s shower water for better skin and hair. We’re both fans and readers of FOUND, which is why we decided to sponsor this newsletter to reach like-minded folks like you.
As much as we love discussing water’s impact on skin and hair, we’re equally enamored by the connection of water to all else that we love in life — art, coffee, surfing, food, oysters, ceramics, and so much more. That’s why we created a fun video series, Water &, which looks at these topics through the lens of water. Some highlights:
We spent an early morning in Montauk with artist Joe Henry Baker who used the salty ocean water to paint with and wet his canvases, resulting in a crystallization in the painting as it dried.
We spent an evening with Esben Piper, the founder of the renowned Danish coffee company, La Cabra, at their Soho location in New York. Did you know that the parts per million of minerals in water (or the water’s “hardness”) made to brew La Cabra’s coffee is finely tuned to extract flavor while not making the coffee taste sour?
We joined designer Cynthia Rowley for a morning surf out east on Long Island, where the water is both a calming force for her and “balance” to her planned out, calendared work days.
We’ve always loved oysters, but we loved them even more once we started spending time with both the Billion Oyster Project and Montauk Pearl Oyster’s Mike Martinsen. Oysters clean the water by filtering water as they eat, removing ecosystem-destroying pollutants such as nitrogen. They also act as a natural storm barrier and help foster biodiversity. (The Billion Oyster Project, our non-profit of choice, is restoring the oyster reefs in New York’s harbors to clean the Hudson and East Rivers. Last we checked, 122 million oysters have been restored in New York’s harbor over the last 10 years.)
You can watch all of our Water & videos on our website here.
We worked with these partners because we think they are the best at what they do. If you are thinking about buying a Jolie, we encourage you to do so via the link below. We are picking five FOUND buyers to gift a year’s worth of La Cabra coffee to make at home.
The role of water is all around us. –Ryan Babenzien & Arjan Singh
→ Shop: The Jolie Filtered Showerhead (Jolie) • available in brushed gold, modern chrome, brushed steel, jet black, and vibrant red • $148.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties in Soho that have come to market in the last 30 days.
→ 43 Wooster St #2E (Soho) • 1BR/2BA, 1948 SF condo • Ask: $3.85M • 12’-high ceilings, can be converted to 2BR • Days on market: 27 • Monthly taxes: $2376; Monthly cc: $1340 • Agent: Danny Davis, Corcoran.
→ 53 Greene St #5 (Soho) • 2BR/2.1BA, 2771 SF condo • Ask: $5.75M • full-floor with private elevator • Days on market: 3 • Monthly taxes: $4692; Monthly cc: $2460 • Agents: Claudia Saez-Fromm & Mark Fromm, Douglas Elliman.
→ 40 Mercer St #PH30 (Soho, above) • 4BR/3.1BA, 3006 SF condo • Ask: $14.95M • penthouse with 1600 SF of wraparound outdoor space • Days on market: 10 • Monthly taxes: $7382; Monthly cc: $7819 • Agent: Nick Gavin, Compass.
REAL ESTATE LINKS: Golden Triangle: Manhattan contracts soar as Miami Beach contracts decline less • Renters rejoice: goodbye to the broker fee • Auction of Friars Club building in Midtown set for later this month • Following yearslong battle, Brooklyn Botanical Garden wins shadow fight with developer.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
Game face
CHRISTINA PANOS • chief marketing officer • Corcoran
Neighborhood you work in: Midtown East
Neighborhood you live in: Upper East Side
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
On Fridays I typically work from home, and start the weekend early by treating myself to a few of my favorite foods. I do the school drop-off in the East 90s, and after taking a run at the Reservoir, I stop at Noglu to get a pumpkin muffin to go. I’m not gluten free, but I prefer it, and I love that their muffins aren’t so enormous.
I’m currently preparing for our annual agent conference in the spring, BeCorcoran, where Corcoran agents from all over the world convene (Corcoran now has over 30 affiliate offices across the US and overseas). After working for a few hours with my team on our presentations and event details, I’m starving. It took me a few years, but I’ve realized that Joe & the Juice has the best sandwiches, so I take a quick break to walk over to pick up a turkey sandwich on gluten free bread.
The weekend officially starts around 5p. We lived downtown for many years, and our favorite pizza place is still Tappo in Chelsea for the best thin crust pizza ever. My two kids and I each get personal pizzas because we like different toppings (caramelized onion is my favorite) but we all love splitting the rigatoni Bolognese.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
A lot of my weekend dining decisions depend on where I’ll be for my kids’ sporting events. We always take advantage of being in a new location (Coney Island, Red Hook, Flushing, etc.) and find a great place to eat before or after the game.
I’ve always been a foodie, and my prayers have been answered because now my kids love food too — and are usually the ones researching the places we need to check out next. We recently went to L&B Spumoni Gardens and had fried calamari and life-changing Sicilian slices, and finished with the classic spumoni. We also found a way to fit in an amazing lunch at Nami Nori, and while it’s hard to pick our favorite temaki, we would have to go with the Spicy Crab Dynamite.
Last weekend we tried Shanghai You Garden in Flushing and loved the Peking duck buns and scallion pancakes. Other weekend dining favorites are Miss Korea for Korean BBQ, with a stop at Bear Donut for the donut with soft serve, the Pappardelle Verde at Rosemary’s, the rugalach at Michaeli Bakery (close to Asphalt Green — very convenient for soccer moms!) and the soup dumplings at Nom Wah at Pier 57.
How about a little leisure or culture?
KNICKS. We’re big Knicks fans and go to as many games as possible. We’ve perfected the art of eating dinner before or after the game, and while the dining around MSG gets a bad rap, we think there are a lot of great options. Our top two nearby dinner recommendations are:
Blue Ribbon Sushi at Penn 1. Just steps from MSG, and extremely civilized and delicious if you have time to sit for a proper meal before the game. No one has better miso soup.
NY Pizza Suprema. Looks touristy but loved by true NY pizza aficionados. Best vegan margarita ever.
Any weekend getaways?
At the end of every August, my kids and I spend a weekend in Montauk at Marram, and we look forward to it all summer long. Marram is an idyllic spot right on the ocean with amazing food and the best vibe. The breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Mostrador, is worth the trip alone — especially the scrambled eggs and pastries, especially the Medialuna. Other than hanging out between the ocean and their very warm pool all day, we spend time planning our meals. We love Joni’s for lunch, the ribs at the Gig Shack for dinner, and the best soft serve, only at Ralph’s. We also make sure to time our trip home with a stop for lunch at Fini Pizza in Amagansett.
What was your last great vacation?
It wasn’t a “vacation,” but it might as well have been… Every year we take the top Corcoran brokerage agents on a fabulous trip to reward them for their hard work. We have gone everywhere from Montana to Ibiza, and this year we traveled to the South of France and stayed at the legendary Hotel du Cap. I wish I could give you a few recommendations for amazing food nearby, but when you’re at the Hotel du Cap, there’s really no reason to leave.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I have slowly been building a charm bracelet over the years, thanks to my friend Lisa Feldkamp’s amazing company, Charmco. She has the most incredible collection of both new and vintage charms, and for 20 years, she’s been helping me find charms to celebrate important life events and milestones.
What store or service do you always recommend?
For gifts, I’m loyal to Blue Tree on Madison Ave. which I’ve shopped at since it opened in 2005. It’s the most charming and well-curated store in the city. For eyebrow shaping, Kety Vladuca at Julien Farel is my #1.
CULTURE & LEISURE • The Cup
Nets v Knicks • NBA Cup • Madison Square Garden (Midtown South) • Fri @ 730p • section 107, $591 per
How Did This Get Made? • NY Comedy Festival • Town Hall (Theater District) • Fri @ 945p • orchestra, $76 per
Joshua Redman Group feat. Gabrielle Cavassa • Rose Theater (Lincoln Center) • Sat @ 730p • orchestra center, $132 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Trampoline workout studio The Ness opening in Tribeca this month • Remedy Place makes a sleek entry in Soho • 200 films screening this week at DOC NYC • Rockwood Music Hall on LES abruptly closes • 11 Broadway shows closing soon.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Sunday lunch
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC's best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.
King (Soho), relaxed elegance with flavors from Southern France and Italy