Ardesia

Husband-and-wife duo Roberto and Tanya Passon's symbiotic relationship is evident at their Hell's Kitchen wine bar, Briciola, where Roberto runs the kitchen and Tanya is responsible for the wine. The evolution of their professional and personal relationships has always been a parallel journey. Both long-time restaurateurs, the couple met while Roberto was running his now-defunct eponymous restaurant and Tanya was managing wine bar Xai Xai, just across the street from Briciola. They married several years later, and Briciola opened just as the couple was expecting their first child in 2011.Three years on, the Italian wine bar has gained a following throughout Hell's Kitchen and beyond on the strength of its intimate atmosphere, excellent cuisine, and top-notch imported wine. Even after expanding into the storefront next door, which doubled Briciola's square footage, the restaurant is tiny, but the close quarters only add to the ambience. This is not the place to go if one does not want to interact with fellow diners: the seating is communal, with high counters made of subway tile for a clean, polished look. The design is simple, befitting the restaurant's tight quarters. Low-hanging light fixtures and candles on each of the tables give the restaurant a cozy feeling, and the walls function as an aesthetically fitting storage space, with hundreds of wine bottles set side by side in wine racks.Rather than competing for attention, Briciola's food and wine complement each other perfectly, thanks to Roberto and Tanya's ability to work together. Marina, a server, explained to us that Tanya is largely responsible for the elegant layout of the restaurant; she added her "feminine touch" with everything from the candles at each setting to miniature chalkboards detailing the day's wine specials.The kitchen, Roberto's domain, is miniscule, folded into the back of one half of the restaurant; because there is absolutely no storage space, all of the ingredients arrive fresh daily. Briciola serves mainly ciccheti (small plates) of charcuterie, salads, oysters, and every type of pasta imaginable. There is also a dessert menu; a gentleman sitting at the bar told us that the tiramisu is especially incredible. Particularly clever is the menu where the prices are all the same in each category. Roberto explained that he did not want the dollar amount to influence someone's choices. After having enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Roberto one afternoon when riding by on my bike, as I was leaving, he called out to me, "Finally someone appreciates the side streets." I rode off smiling.

After a long day of walking, the small sign advertising cheese and wine caught my eye. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by Brian Keyser, Casellula's owner. Intrigued by the name, I asked Brian what it meant. "It's Latin slang for a small hut and it also has the same root as the Latin word for cheese," he explained. This could not be more apt, as Brian and his staff take cheese very seriously in their intimate restaurant. There are over forty varieties offered from around the world. While cheese certainly takes center stage – evidenced by the prominent glass cheese case – the restaurant's sommelier will gladly suggest the perfect wine to accompany a cheese platter or vice versa.Brian has transformed the building, which was previously used as a storage facility for street food carts, into an aesthetically pleasing combination of exposed brick, distressed wood and large windows. Asked about what running a business on 52nd Street is like, Brian answered excitedly, "I deliberately chose to be on a side street...I wanted this to be a kind of escape from the city, away from the hustle and bustle of the avenue." Casellula is, indeed, a perfect retreat.

Only in New York can one hear stories of a couple where one grew up on 44th Street, they met in a bar on 43rd, and now have opened their own tiny, but very special bar on 48th. Suzy Darling and Joe Witham are an adorable and, might I add, very talented pair. Suzy trained with Alvin Ailey as a teenager, went on to become a Rockette for eight years, was a back up singer to Bruce Springsteen, and a dancer with Houston Ballet. And while Suzy was strutting across the stage, Joe was singing opera in Oregon, and today, when not at Pocket Bar, he is the captain at a fine restaurant in Manhattan.When I asked how long they had been open, Suzy smiled broadly and responded, "87 days!" In less than three months (they opened at the end of May, 2014), this dynamic duo has managed to spread the word on the street and around town, bringing in many to share in their super friendly, 300 square feet of intimate space. There are no TVs, as Suzy's goal was to make her bar "a nice place for women." She did not want to be a sports bar but rather as her gay friends suggest, "They opened a gay bar for straight people, but, of course, all are welcome." The concept is to be an escape from the city and partake in a glass of wine on tap from a boutique vineyard or a beer, both under $10.On any given night, there will be Hot Pockets filled with pepperoni pizza, four cheeses or meatball mozzarella being served. And when I was chatting with Suzy, a new friend in the neighborhood popped in having just returned from a fishing expedition and dropped off some for Suzy to expand her pocket line up - this time with ceviche. Needless to say, she was thrilled and commented, once again, on what a welcoming community she has found.

Fig & Olive is Mediterranean-inspired dining in its most exquisite form. On my first visit to this location, I was drawn in by the collection of wine and olive oil bottles lining the walls and the chic rustic decor that feels reminiscent of eating in the Italian countryside. Never has there been a time when I have dined at one of the several Fig & Olives in Manhattan, that I did not have an excellent experience. I have feasted on fresh ingredients assembled into delectable creations. I was thrilled to take the Manhattan Sideways team here for lunch one day where they raved over the selection of crostini and devoured the mouthfuls of perfectly paired ingredients – goat cheese and caramelized onion, for example – heaped onto small squares of fresh bread. Another favorite that I introduced them to was the zucchini carpaccio served with lemon and olive oil. We accompanied the meal with a beautifully presented Cucumber Cosmos and Rossellinis, selected from the extensive cocktail menu.

McKinney Welding Supply has been a fixture in Hell’s Kitchen since 1943. This long-running business is family-owned and employs about thirty-five people, ten of them being family members. Allen Dickon, branch manager of the West 52nd Street store, told us "We are the only place in Manhattan where you can find all of your welding and compressed gas products under one roof.”

Innovative, Korean-fusion tapas are served at Danji, a perpetually bustling restaurant, sister to Hanjan on West 26th Street.

After a long day of walking, the small sign advertising cheese and wine caught my eye. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by Brian Keyser, Casellula's owner. Intrigued by the name, I asked Brian what it meant. "It's Latin slang for a small hut and it also has the same root as the Latin word for cheese," he explained. This could not be more apt, as Brian and his staff take cheese very seriously in their intimate restaurant. There are over forty varieties offered from around the world. While cheese certainly takes center stage – evidenced by the prominent glass cheese case – the restaurant's sommelier will gladly suggest the perfect wine to accompany a cheese platter or vice versa.Brian has transformed the building, which was previously used as a storage facility for street food carts, into an aesthetically pleasing combination of exposed brick, distressed wood and large windows. Asked about what running a business on 52nd Street is like, Brian answered excitedly, "I deliberately chose to be on a side street...I wanted this to be a kind of escape from the city, away from the hustle and bustle of the avenue." Casellula is, indeed, a perfect retreat.

Whereas upstairs at the Press Lounge, the goal is to highlight and embrace the views, downstairs at Print, the idea is to connect the concept of the printing press with California, where Adam Block, the owner, resides for much of the year. Ink 48 used to be a printing press, and so he had a strong desire to tie that theme into his restaurant. He struck gold when he remembered newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst’s Californian castle. He mimicked the stucco walls and Moroccan tiles from the Californian mansion’s architecture. He chose a mid-century aesthetic, and specifically ordered in Heath ceramics for the tableware, designed by Edith Heath in 1949. Of course, Adam does not want people to realize what he did: he simply wants them to recognize the subtle look of the restaurant and have everything click together for patrons.The art is especially clever. There is a piece made from Eucalyptus trees (another echo of California) that suggests the shape of letter slugs lined up on the wall, and another that is called “Cooking the Books.” It displays a few rows of books, delicately "crisped." John O’Mahoney, the director of sales, explained that that was a recent addition to the walls, but it perhaps was most in sync with the vision behind the décor. One of the simplest elements that I noticed, yet so effective, was the napkin folded like an envelope. There is no doubt that every detail has been carefully thought out.The décor is only a small part of what Print has to offer. We encourage readers to check out our SidePick for the Press Lounge to learn more from our interview with Adam and his professional forager, Meghan Boledovich.

Husband-and-wife duo Roberto and Tanya Passon's symbiotic relationship is evident at their Hell's Kitchen wine bar, Briciola, where Roberto runs the kitchen and Tanya is responsible for the wine. The evolution of their professional and personal relationships has always been a parallel journey. Both long-time restaurateurs, the couple met while Roberto was running his now-defunct eponymous restaurant and Tanya was managing wine bar Xai Xai, just across the street from Briciola. They married several years later, and Briciola opened just as the couple was expecting their first child in 2011.Three years on, the Italian wine bar has gained a following throughout Hell's Kitchen and beyond on the strength of its intimate atmosphere, excellent cuisine, and top-notch imported wine. Even after expanding into the storefront next door, which doubled Briciola's square footage, the restaurant is tiny, but the close quarters only add to the ambience. This is not the place to go if one does not want to interact with fellow diners: the seating is communal, with high counters made of subway tile for a clean, polished look. The design is simple, befitting the restaurant's tight quarters. Low-hanging light fixtures and candles on each of the tables give the restaurant a cozy feeling, and the walls function as an aesthetically fitting storage space, with hundreds of wine bottles set side by side in wine racks.Rather than competing for attention, Briciola's food and wine complement each other perfectly, thanks to Roberto and Tanya's ability to work together. Marina, a server, explained to us that Tanya is largely responsible for the elegant layout of the restaurant; she added her "feminine touch" with everything from the candles at each setting to miniature chalkboards detailing the day's wine specials.The kitchen, Roberto's domain, is miniscule, folded into the back of one half of the restaurant; because there is absolutely no storage space, all of the ingredients arrive fresh daily. Briciola serves mainly ciccheti (small plates) of charcuterie, salads, oysters, and every type of pasta imaginable. There is also a dessert menu; a gentleman sitting at the bar told us that the tiramisu is especially incredible. Particularly clever is the menu where the prices are all the same in each category. Roberto explained that he did not want the dollar amount to influence someone's choices. After having enjoyed a pleasant conversation with Roberto one afternoon when riding by on my bike, as I was leaving, he called out to me, "Finally someone appreciates the side streets." I rode off smiling.

After a long day of walking, the small sign advertising cheese and wine caught my eye. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by Brian Keyser, Casellula's owner. Intrigued by the name, I asked Brian what it meant. "It's Latin slang for a small hut and it also has the same root as the Latin word for cheese," he explained. This could not be more apt, as Brian and his staff take cheese very seriously in their intimate restaurant. There are over forty varieties offered from around the world. While cheese certainly takes center stage – evidenced by the prominent glass cheese case – the restaurant's sommelier will gladly suggest the perfect wine to accompany a cheese platter or vice versa.Brian has transformed the building, which was previously used as a storage facility for street food carts, into an aesthetically pleasing combination of exposed brick, distressed wood and large windows. Asked about what running a business on 52nd Street is like, Brian answered excitedly, "I deliberately chose to be on a side street...I wanted this to be a kind of escape from the city, away from the hustle and bustle of the avenue." Casellula is, indeed, a perfect retreat.