eat + drinkhudson valley restaurant week

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Postponed

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Fishkill, NY – March 16, 2020 – Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, which was to begin today, has officially been postponed. Today Media, along with its advisory board of local restauranteurs, agree that this is a prudent step in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and New York State’s recent mandate restricting restaurant business. The annual celebration of restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley will take place at a later date.

This is a difficult time for all restaurants, and we will continue to promote those that remain open for take-out, curb-side pickup or delivery. When the dust settles on this awful virus, we will begin planning our next restaurant week, celebrating the local restaurateurs, producers, and artisans that make this region a culinary destination.

Stay connected with us for updated information at valleytable.com, @valleytable  #HVRW

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
chefscoffeeeat + drinkentertainingfairfieldgourmet shopshudson valley restaurant weekrestaurant newssavorysweet

6 Ways You Can Support Local Restaurants Right Now

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

This post was amended Monday, March 16th after Governor Cuomo closed restaurants’ doors, allowing them to only serve customers through takeout and delivery.

The COVID-19 virus is here, and I know you are feeling the impact. For many of us, the mandated quarantines, implemented rules, and new regulations have interrupted our lives, and have a lot of us working from home.

But some of us cannot work from home. The livelihood comes to a complete stop. This is true when it comes to those in the hospitality industry. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I’d like to share a reality with you—if restaurants are shuttered for weeks, they will not be able to pay bills and staff will be laid off.

I will remind you of the IntoxiKate mission—to support local restaurants to the best of my ability.

Restaurants have always made safety for their staff and clientele a priority, but please note—they are taking extra precautions at this time.

Below are 6 ways you can support local restaurants and shops in your community…

With various degrees of physical participation. I hope you can partake in one or two of the suggestions below. And I hope you help spread the word. Because together, as a community, we can move mountains… Even from home.

1. ORDER OUT OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CURBSIDE PICKUP…

If you do not feel comfortable dining out, try calling to see if you can pick up your favorite meal. Most locations are offering curbside pickup, making it extremely convenient for you! Please note—many bakeries, coffeehouses, and gourmet shops are doing this as well.

2. … AND CALL DIRECTLY

Not all are doing this, but many restaurants are keeping waitstaff employed by allowing them to make local deliveries. Instead of ordering through third-party platforms like UberEats and Seamless, who take a percentage of the profits, call the restaurant directly to see if there are other ways to get your food delivered. It may also save you money!

3. Order a Bottle of Wine with Dinner

Okay, it goes without saying that this tip should be enjoyed by those 21 and over, but with the recent state-wide mandated closures, Governor Cuomo has provided a waiver for establishments to provide takeout alcohol. (Something we may all need at this point!)

4. PURCHASE GIFT CARDS

Purchase a gift card now and use it later! Again, many are taking information over the phone and will mail it directly to you.

5. BOOK A PARTY IN ADVANCE

Have a birthday party or need to schedule a special occasion a few months away? Now is a great time to reach out to the event planner or restaurant owner to book your party. Have an event already booked in the next few weeks? If you can, instead of canceling, try to reschedule. We will all need to do some celebrating when this is all over!

6. POST ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS

Don’t want to risk any of it? Okay, that’s cool! Spread a smile on social media by posting about your favorite restaurant. Share their messages with friends. Post your favorite dish. Share a photo of you enjoying your takeout meal. It will be a much needed (but brief) escape from the news. Flood our feeds with positivity.

BONUS: Call your Representatives and Senators.

You can be connected to the capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Demand that restaurants and those working in the food industry be part of the federal stimulus plan. Don’t know what to say? Click here for a helpful script.

Stay safe, and restaurant on!

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
914Eventseat + drinkIntoxiKatewestchester

RSVP Now to The Premier Party

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Join 914PopUps and IntoxiKate March 12th at 7:00 PM for The Premier Party, a three-course experience with food provided by award-winning Chefs Scott & Heather Fratangelo of L’inizio.

RSVP NOW

A progressive dinner is a dinner party with successive courses prepared and eaten at the residences of different hosts, with one course enjoyed at each location. At our Premier party, we will enjoy three-courses, as we move the three unique spaces at The Premier Collection’s stunning location in Elmsford—

  • Our evening begins at Lincoln with stationary hors d’oeuvres paired with jazz by Sarah Jane Cion. 

Stationary Menu: grilled octopus with pickled celery root, chicken and mushroom spedini, marinated bean salad, mushroom arancini with black garlic aioli, shrimp ceviche, plantain chip, spiced popcorn 

  • We move on to Subaru for a a combination of stationary salads and passed small plates with a live painting by Rios Art Studio. 

Passed Small Plates Include: Flat iron steak, crispy cacio pepe polenta, chimichurri sauce, beef tendon AND Grilled cauliflower, scallion aioli, raisin agro dolce 

  • Our last stop for the evening is Volvo, where we’ll dive into Heather’s divine desserts and dance to music by Theo Philip Entertainment.

Dessert: Brown butter cake with strawberries and cream AND Coffee panna cotta with espresso shortbread 

Ticket: $100 per person including beverages + gratuity, plus EventBrite fees

Percentage of ticket sales donated to and silent auction of Rio’s painting benefit Feeding Westchester.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
203Eventscocktailseat + drinkeventsfairfieldIntoxiKate Events

The Next IntoxiKate Cocktail Club: Aldez Tequila at The Spread

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Learn about the newest innovations in the spirits industry with IntoxiKate’s Cocktail Club! Meeting every third Tuesday of the month, this class combines a fun, social atmosphere with a part tasting-part demo “lesson” about a specific spirit, wine, or beer brand. 

Our February meeting will be hosted Tuesday, February 18th at 7:00 PM at The Spread in Greenwich, CT. The evening’s spirit is Aldez Tequila.

$40 per person* includes tasting, 2 cocktails, and light bites.

$25 per person includes knowledge, fun, and light bites.

Purchase Tickets Now

Meeting at a different location each month, each class is dedicated to—

  • Understanding the creation process
  • Hands-on tasting
  • Lively discussion
  • Two cocktail demos (pairing beverages and garnishes)
  • Pairing food (light bites provided)
  • Cocktail recipes
  • Cool people

Whether you are someone who orders the same cocktail or entertains at home, drink outside the box! Expand your palate and try new recipes. Book now—limited to 25 spaces. 21 and over only!

*P.S. We eat, everyone eats. For every Club member ticket sale to an IntoxiKate event, $5 is donated to my heart charity, Feeding Westchester. There, the magicians and volunteers at work turn that money into $20 worth of meals to 1 in 5 people in Westchester County who are food insecure.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
914Eventscocktailseat + drinkholidayIntoxiKateIntoxiKate Eventswestchester

All That Sparkles: Galentine’s Day Event at Bloomingdale’s White Plains

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Grab your girlfriend’s for a FREE Galentine’s Day event!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 6:30 PM 
FREE EVENT

RSVP NOW

Join me at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains for a very special Galentine’s Day celebrating ‘All That Sparkles!’ Sip on sparkling wine while you admire Bloomingdale’s collection of dazzling accessories and enjoy food from new White Plains eatery Papi’ and sweets by Flowerbake by Angela. 

FREE EVENT

Plus, enjoy complimentary hair styling by Michele Lisa Salon, DJ, personalization, makeup, and more!

Cocktail attire is welcome. {It is a party!}

#ladiesnightout #galentinesday

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
chefseat + drinkFork This Radiosweetwestchester

A Return to What’s Natural (and Delicious): Penny Lick Ice Cream

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

When I first met Ellen Sledge, we found ourselves sharing a kitchen; she had just launched Penny Lick Ice Cream, and I was event planning for a caterer. At the time, Ellen was selling her old-fashioned, custard-based ice creams at farmers markets throughout the rivertowns, and you’d often find her pushcarts at popular food festivals throughout the county.

Fast forward to seven years later—Ellen, I can’t believe it’s been SEVEN YEARS—and she’s got a popular brick and mortar ice cream shop under her belt in Hastings-on-Hudson, an ice cream warehouse in Port Chester, and the start of what promises to be an incredible wholesale business. Her White Chocolate Black Cherry (pictured above) is still one of my favorites…

And while she’s leading the pack when it comes to small business food production in Westchester County, she’s able to lift her head long enough between packaging estimates and payroll to flex her creative muscle, coming up with delicious flavors while balancing her commitment to using all-natural, seasonal ingredients. (Check out my interview with Ellen on Fork This with IntoxiKate below.) 

Exhibit A: Her sorbets and vegan ice cream flavors are amazing… Her Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream has changed my life… #seriously. And while Penny Lick generally offers seasonal flavors, we are lucky there’s a little Strawberry Lemonade sorbet (above) left over to transport our tastebuds to summer days.

And if sundaes are more your thing, check out the variety of flavor combos, like this one with Raspberry Lime and Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream, whipped cream made in house, unicorn sprinkles, and caramel sauce. (Because everyone needs unicorn sprinkles in their life.)

To top it all off, Penny Lick Ice Cream also makes custom ice cream cakes. My birthday isn’t until May, and I’ve ordered mine well in advance! Plus, if you have a little ice cream lover in your house, consider throwing a birthday party at Penny Lick where party-goers can learn how Ellen makes her signature sweet treat. (For those on allergy-awareness, Penny Lick is peanut and tree nut free.)

Penny Lick Ice Cream: 580 Warburton Avenue, Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706, 914-525-1580, www.pennylickicecream.com

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
cocktailseat + drinkIntoxiKateIntoxiKate Eventswestchester

IntoxiKate’s First Cocktail Club: Exploring Legent Bourbon at The Rare Bit

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

The first IntoxiKate Cocktail Club—a celebration of the spirits, wine, and beer industry—kicked off earlier this month with a look (and taste!) of Legent Bourbon at The Rare Bit in Dobbs Ferry.

After an introduction to the East-meets-West Bourbon—Legent is a collaborative effort between Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s master distiller, and Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory Whisky’s chief blender—guests got a taste of this rich, cherry spirit with a hint of sherry on the finish.

CC-RareBit-3
CC-RareBit-30-intoxikate
CC-RareBit-29
CC-RareBit-7
CC-RareBit-27
CC-RareBit-21
CC-RareBit-15
CC-RareBit-4
CC-RareBit-2
Previous
Next

After, The Rare Bit’s head mixologist Liz Torres took over, offering two hands-on cocktail demos, creating a classic Old Fashioned and a delicious Winter Bourbon Smash (recipes to come!).

The next IntoxiKate Cocktail Club is February 18th at The Spread in Greenwich, where we’ll explore Aldez Tequila, a certified organic product from the lowlands of Jalisco. This event sold out fast in January, so get your tickets now!

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
eat + drinkrestaurant newswestchester

White Plains Welcomes The Halal Guys

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

 Halal food fans will no longer have to take a train, fight mid-town traffic, stand in city block-long lines or even be in New York City to visit crowd favorite, The Halal Guys.

The wildly popular brand that started 25 years ago with a humble food cart and evolved into a New York culinary sensation  is “parking” permanently in White Plains at the Galleria mall at 100 Main Street in the heart of downtown. 

The Halal Guys celebrated the grand opening of its newest and first Westchester County location with a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday, January 18 in the mall’s food court.

“We are thrilled and excited to bring New York’s favorite ‘street’ cuisine to White Plains, which has waited patiently for our arrival,” said Jack Yeung, owner of the soon-to-open restaurant. “Our flawlessly cooked and seasoned Mediterranean menu is just what this diverse and discerning community is looking for.”

Galleria General Manager Josh McCord welcomed the addition to the mall’s dining options. “The Halal Guys bring not only a fantastic array of food choices, but a unique level of excitement. The vibe is great,” he said. “We know that many Westchester residents already know what the excitement is about from eating at locations in Manhattan and elsewhere. We look forward to providing a venue for them, as well as everyone who’ll be experiencing The Halal guys for the first time.”   

Known for its top-secret sauces, including its famed yellow packets of “white sauce” and its super-super-hot sauce, The Halal Guys has become something of a cultural phenomenon, even inspiring Reebok to launch a specialty sneaker in its image. 

White Plains will enjoy its signature bright yellow-and-red décor, along with The Halal Guys menu of combos and platters–the bestseller is gyro and rice over salad–and pita sandwiches, including chicken and falafel, and extras such as humus and baklava. 

At the Galleria, the approach will differ slightly from its Manhattan origins by offering fresh toppings not available at its food carts. The pricing will differ accordingly. itself so quickly, you immediately want more. It’s the white sauce, always the white sauce, that draws everybody in.

 

This press release was supplied to IntoxiKate.com.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
914EventsIntoxiKate Eventswestchester

Lord & Taylor’s Dynamic Women of Westchester

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

I am extremely humbled to be joining a panel of incredible women Thursday, January 30th at 6:30 PM for the Dynamic Women of Westchester event, hosted by Lord & Taylor in Scarsdale, NY.

Alongside some of my favorite people—Ana Mantini, Associate Publisher of Westchester Home; Sarah Stefanski, Co-Founder of the Marigold App; and Susie Mordoh, Event Planner, Life Coach + Speaker at Susiemordoh.com—we will offer career advice and personal experience through a Q+A panel.

The event also includes a “What to Wear to Work” fashion show showcasing styles such as business formal, business professional, business casual, and casual. There will be light bites, refreshments, music, enter-to-wins and so much more!

Hope to see you there!

Lord & Taylor: 750 White Plains Rd, Scarsdale, NY

0 comment
2 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
cocktailseat + drinkFork This Radiorestaurant newssavorywestchester

Enjoy Contemporary Italian at Granita Cucina & Bar in Hartsdale

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Granita Cucina & Bar co-owners Brad Nagy and Angelo Viscoso transformed their previous Hartsdale spot into a modern Italian trattoria, offering craft cocktails (at a beautiful bar), sharable pizza, pasta and more. The chef-driven kitchen serves up a fresh, seasonal take on Italian cuisine into the restaurant’s sophisticated-casual atmosphere.

Enjoy the Part-Time Love (best cocktail name ever), made with gin, strawberry, hibiscus, and lemon during Granita’s Happy Hour, running daily from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.

One of my favorite apps? The Wood-Fired Meatballs with pomodoro, creamy polenta, and basil pesto.

I loved the flavor of the lemon-saffron smoked mozzarella Arancini.

When you walk in, the aroma coming from the wood-fire is intoxicating. The chefs at Granita offer a variety of wood-fired pizzas like this Soppresata pie without tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmigiano-reggiano, fresh oregano, and fresno chili.

Pastas are also a plus—at the top of my list is this Short Rib Ragu Gnocchi.

The Hand-Cut Rigatoni combines spicy lamb sausage and grilled octopus with tomato sauce and market greens.

Granita Cucina & Bar: 202 E. Hartsdale Ave Hartsdale, NY, 914-725-8420, www.granitany.com

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts