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New York, New York is a truly fabulous city that offered us our great Culinary Adventure of October 2003. From the moment all 34 of us boarded the bus drive into the city, we knew we were in for a real treat with our first stop being the STAGE DELICATESSEN for lunch. We were immediately seated at large tables and served platters of deli sandwiches of pastrami, corned beef, turkey, chicken salad, several side dishes and of course, giant dill pickles. It was a fitting way to start our culinary tour of this unique city.

Then, it was back on the bus for a guided tour of the highlights of New York. Our guide worked as a comedian at night and she definitely gave our tour an uplifting note. It was a great way to get a real feel for the layout of the city and to see so many familiar sites, such as the Empire State Building, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty, just to name a few.

We checked into our wonderful "boutique" hotel, THE MANSFIELD on W. 44th and loved the décor. Several of us gathered in the "M" bar before going off to dinner. I wanted to try Daniel Boulud's new restaurant near the hotel, called Db Bistro Moderne. It was a contemporary setting with a very efficient and polite staff. We started with an appetizer of Endive Beet Salad with Gorgonzola, Bartlett Pears & Cider Vinaigrette. The star of the meal was the restaurant's signature dish, DB Burger. Not your usual variety of hamburger…..this was a sirloin burger filled with braised short ribs, foie gras, black truffles, served on a Parmesan bun with pommes soufflés. Dessert was a luscious Clafoutis tout Chocolat. It was a great adventure in dining.

The highlight of our trip was our Culinary Tour of the neighborhoods of New York with Addie Tomei. Not only was Addie a delightful and personable lady, she was a very informative guide to some of the fabulous food emporiums of Soho, Chinatown and Little Italy. We began our tour with a breakfast of freshly baked pastries and breads at BALTHAZAR'S. After sampling these goodies and sipping on cappuccino's, we walked down the street to the GOURMET GARAGE, with its beautiful array of fresh fruits and vegetables that would tempt any cook. After browsing through a kitchen supply shop, a chocolate boutique and a wine shop, we stopped into DEAN & DELUCA'S. This store is like going to "gourmet heaven". Beautiful baked breads and pastries, prepared entrees, fresh vegetables and fruits, gourmet specialty items…..I wanted it all!!

After coming back to reality, we headed towards a small cheese and sausage shop where we tasted their delicious samples. After walking through these truly interesting neighborhoods, we stopped for lunch at IL CORTILE in Little Italy. A lovely restaurant with a delightful staff, we were presented with platters of antipasta, salads, great Italian entrees, wines and desserts…..way too much food, but it was great fun trying it all (and we got a tour of the kitchen too!)
Addie Tomei's SAVORY SOJOURNS was a wonderful peek into the ethnic neighborhoods of New York.
What could possibly top off such a great day…..going to the theater! Our entire group had tickets to HAIRSPRAY. We had a smile on our faces the entire show….it was a delightful and fun musical.

The next day was totally on our own. Some people went touring, some went to the theater and some went SHOPPING. There is no end to the shops in New York and we definitely shopped 'til we dropped. Walking is a great way to experience the city and to work off some of those foods we couldn't resist.

Another treat was the BLUE WATER GRILL at Union Square where we savored a Lobster Bisque that rivaled any Crawfish Bisque I've ever had, not to mention a Caramelized Banana Ice Cream Tower in a Hazelnut Shell with Toasted Marshmallow Sauce that was to die for.

It was very difficult to leave this city….there was still too much to see and do "in Old New York"…..maybe next time!!