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Maloney & Porcelli

Location
37 East 50th Street
Neighborhoods
Maloney & Porcelli 1 American Steakhouses Midtown East

Alan Stillman has an extraordinary history in the restaurant business dating back to the 1960s when he opened the first T.G.I. Fridays on First Avenue and 63rd Street. He continued to have smashing successes time and time again; some of my family’s favorites over the years have been Smith & Wollensky’s on 49th and Park Avenue Autumn. Michael Stillman joined his father in the opening of Maloney and Porcelli in 1996, reinventing itself for modern times in 2012. According to the Stillman’s, the key to the restaurant’s continued success is adapting to the food craze of the time, without straying too far from its classic menu and setting. Recognizing a winner, the Stillman’s agree that whatever menu changes might be in their future, the Crackling Pork Shank will always remain – a rather large slab of deep-fried meat that keeps old patrons returning again and again.

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Maloney & Porcelli 1 American Steakhouses Midtown East
Maloney & Porcelli 2 American Steakhouses Midtown East
Maloney & Porcelli 3 American Steakhouses Midtown East

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Vitae 1 American undefined

Vitae

Flitting the boundary between fine and casual dining, Vitae brings a new creativity to Midtown that appears to have caught on quickly. Edwin Bellanco, hands on chef and owner, began his culinary career some twenty years ago at Gramercy Tavern, and then moved out to California to work at the French Laundry. He came back to Manhattan to be the executive sous chef, guided by Daniel Boulud, and then as he tells it, with a few additional experiences under his belt, he finally opened his own restaurant in 2012. Edwin speaks of his opportunity to work for Thomas Keller as incredibly influential on his own culinary conceptions, particularly on using only the freshest ingredients. "They're the building blocks of the dish, you can't ignore them" said Bellanco. "We have some highly-technical preparation here; we can't risk diminishing that with poor ingredients. " He went on to explain, that although the food takes top priority, "I want people to be able to approach this place on their own terms. "This accessibility is evident in their location. Vitae seems to attract the younger crowd during the week and the neighborhood folks on weekends. "We wanted to build a community here first, and then build outwards into a destination" Bellanco told us. The strength of Vitae derives from this approachability, without sacrificing the quality or inventiveness of the top restaurants in New York. Looking around, we felt this sense of welcome hospitality from the staff. The bartender, a friendly twenty-something from Kentucky, shared some of his signature drinks with us: a strong old-fashioned made with demerara syrup, and "crystal green persuasion" - a cucumber, vodka and honey-infused drink perfect for the summer weather. The Manhattan Sideways team sampled some dishes and agreed that the food is exceptional: crispy pork belly with watermelon and green papaya, cod with razor clams, and a strawberry and pear salad. Each offered strong, rich flavors, while remaining light enough for a hot summer day.

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Aretsky's Patroon 1 Bars Event Spaces Rooftop Bars American undefined

Aretsky's Patroon

Patroon is filled with leather-backed chairs, wood-paneled walls, and pictures of cowboys, boxers, and hunters. Although it initially appears to be a well-preserved vestige of an older civilization, with a sense of refined masculinity, we were told by members of the staff that the restaurant is not merely an updated version of its neighbor, Sparks Steakhouse, but rather a place of innovation and growth, bringing a youthful sensibility to a neighborhood frequently determined by old-school finance. However, our first impression was not completely errant as we went on to learn that the three-story building, which is owned by Ken Aretsky, was built as a steakhouse and cigar parlor. Since its beginning, in 1999, Aretsky has adapted the townhouse building to fit more modern needs, but some of that original clubby atmosphere still lingers in the architecture. After touring their event spaces and conference rooms upstairs- filled with stuffed birds, old books, and other regalia of a past age - we visited the rooftop terrace and bar, a modern garden space overlooking central Manhattan that seems to be a hip and growing hotspot in Midtown. While we left before happy hour, we passed by several groups of twenty-something's heading up to the rooftop. We stopped by the bar downstairs before heading out, and while observing the bartender flitting around the room refilling tall glasses of iced tea, we overheard a casual discussion on the problems of inequality in modern capitalism, alongside conversations on the day's trading. This convergence of old business and new leisure makes Aretsky's Patroon into something of a quintessential New York restaurant - adeptly bringing together the traditional and the innovative, the corporate and the social into a single space.

More places on 50th Street

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Toloache 1 Mexican undefined

Toloache

Toloache, a bustling Mexican bistro on 50th street, shares its name with the legendary Toloache flower. According to a myth in Mexican culture, the flower can be brewed into a love potion - if someone tastes the drink once, he or she will always return for another sip. The restaurant’s food and drinks have the same effect: Many people who eat there once return time and time again. General Manager Jorge shared a story about his friend from Japan who visited Toloache on the first night of a weeklong vacation in Manhattan. He ended up returning every day that week and then again every year during his annual visit to the city. Toloache on 50th is the first of many restaurants opened in New York by chef-owner Julian Medina. Chef Julian grew up in Mexico City, where he was inspired by the home cooking of his father and grandfather. He was originally brought to New York by Chef Richard Sandoval, who appointed him as Chef de Cuisine at Sandoval’s Maya. He went on to gain experience at distinguished restaurants and graduated from the French Culinary Institute with recognition. Today, Chef Julian owns seven of his own restaurants in the city and has been featured in several publications, including Men’s Journal, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. He has appeared on shows such as "Iron Chef" and "Beat Bobby Flay. " His impressive background is reflected in the success and distinctive menu of his “first child, ” Toloache. Julian designed Toloache’s extraordinary menu to have something for everyone – the wide range of dishes include both vegetarian and gluten free options. He prides himself on using only the freshest of ingredients, whether it is white truffles or chapulines (dried grasshoppers imported from Oaxaca). These crunchy critters have gained quite a bit of media attention, including a feature on "The Today Show. " The kitchen brought out the Tacos Chapulines for the Manhattan Sideways team to photograph, and we had to admit that the insects were made to look very appetizing. We were also presented with the diverse Trio de Guacamoles, which allowed us to sample three varieties of the dip: the familiar traditional guacamole; the Frutas Guacamole, which incorporates fruit instead of typical ingredients (pomegranate, mango, and apple instead of tomato and Thai Basil instead of cilantro); and the Rojo guacamole, made with chipotle. Several of us went on to sample the Quesadilla de Huitlacoche y Trufas (made with fresh truffles), The Baja Tilapia Pescado, and the braised short rib, served with quinoa and carrots. Each dish exemplified Chef Julian’s inventiveness and ability to put small, flavor-enhancing twists on typical Mexican cuisine. The drinks were equally impressive, including Julian’s favorite “Chef’s Selection Margarita, ” made with his hand-picked bottle of Herradura Tequila. The bartender mixed a few cocktails for us to photograph and taste, including the refreshing “De la Calle, ” made with cucumber and jalapeno; the spicy “Mezcalita de Pina”; and the signature “Toloache, ” made with hibiscus and blueberries. The food is amazing and the drinks are fantastic, but what really keeps so many guests coming back is Toloache’s dedication to quality service. As Jorge informed us, “Our goal is to make every guest feel at home. They are our friends. ” Each of the servers have their own style, creating unique, yet equally enjoyable dining experiences. Guests are able to experience Toloache in a completely new light from one day to the next just by sitting at a different server’s table. It was event manager Temple who summed the restaurant up perfectly: "Toloache feels like a family – like you’re walking into Little Mexico. ”

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