NYC's Top 5 Restaurant Week Food & Wine, Beer Pairings
Running until August 10th, Restaurant Week is the budget-aware New Yorker's way to experience some of the best food the city has to offer. Oftentimes, beer, wine and cocktails aren't included on the Restaurant Week menu offerings, but these 5 venues offer the three-course dinner deal and the option of wine or beer to accompany your meal. Specifically chosen to pair with the food you're offered, these vinos and brews are an exceptional addition to any meal. By Jonathan Pogash.
A sparkling with your fried oysters? A shiraz with your filet? With an eclectic list - many from the USA - the options are endless. The folks over at Giorgio's know just what to pair with their delicious restaurant week menu. You'll surely want to save room for the s'more bread pudding - a grown-up version of the traditional campfire treat.
See Also: NYC's 3 Best Sake Spots
Normally on the pricier side, EN Japanese Brasserie offers a trio of sakes to pair with your 3-course meal during Restaurant Week. For an additional $16, you'll sip some flights of this rice-based beverage (actually more of a "rice beer", as it's technically brewed). The three types of sakes EN offers, Oze, Ten to Chi, and Yuki Watori, will magically appear with each of your courses.
Chef Gavin Keysen's food at Cafe Boulud can be paired with a bottle of your choice for an additional $24. The two bottle options are a 2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Languedoc, or a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from California's central coast. Either one will compliment the entrees options like Veal Shank and Blackened Grouper.
See Also: NYC's 8 Best BBQ Restaurants | NYC's 5 Best BBQ Lunch Spots
For some down home barbecue, head on over to Hill Country on 26th St. You can not only have the "Pitmaster Combo" (brisket, ribs, 1/4 chicken, sides...), but they offer a glass of Lone Star Beer, included in the restaurant week menu, to wash it all down. Oh, and don't forget the cornbread with ancho honey butter - it comes with that, too.
See Also: NYC's 5 Best Restaurants For Seafood & Drinks
Enjoy filet mignons and classic Lobster Newberg ($10 supplement) at famed Delmonico's Steakhouse. They've chosen special restaurant week wines to accompany your meal, at $9 per glass or $29 per bottle. You can even buy their famous "Dining at Delmonicos" cookbook at a special restaurant week price of $18.
Jonathan Pogash, aka The Cocktail Guru, is a beverage consultant, author, and educator.
