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The Peninsula’s jaw-dropping roof bar, Salon de Ning |
New York City
Manhattan’s dining options are so limitless that it would take a lifetime to eat your way through the city that never sleeps. But these two restaurants are actually worth staying in your hotel for. At Icon, inside the very chic W New York – The Court, contemporary American cuisine from Chef Michael Wurster is the star. The restaurant, which can be packed or serene depending on which night you choose to go, features a neutral modern palette punctuated by red velvet chairs, elegant banquettes and a steely gray ceiling.
Starters include California chanterelle mushrooms with an apricot emulsion; duck confit; and buffalo-style chicken lollipops with Maytag blue cheese and celery. Then, move on to seasonal main entrées that cover the land and sea equally well. There’s a line-caught turbot with sea urchin panna cotta; American red snapper with serrano ham, eggplant purée and black olives; lamb duo with an orange vodka jus and Snake River Farms kurobuta pork chop with crispy broccoli tempura. The romantic outdoor courtyard, which is open for lunch, dinner and seasonal cocktails, is the perfect spot to meet friends when the weather is nice.
Named for its landmark locale at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 55th Street, Fives at The Peninsula New York is opulent, yet relaxed, with some of the best views in town. Executive Chef Thomas Piede’s contemporary American menu includes Asian-inspired dishes like seared ahi tuna with Japanese rice and tempura tomatoes; and braised short ribs with parsnip purée and crisp shallots. Main dishes include a poached lobster with sautéed pea shoots and creamy grits; prime beef tenderloin with crisp potato cake and root vegetables; and a roasted striped bass with stir fried noodles.
Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, Fives is sure to impress with its arched windows and black leather chairs. Before or after dinner, take the elevator 23 stories up for a drink at Salon de Ning, the Peninsula’s jaw-dropping rooftop bar that mixes Chinoiserie with the best views in town. The deck includes views of the Hudson and MoMA sculpture garden and resembles the salon of an eccentric 1930s Shanghai socialite named Madame Ning. Think upside-down hanging art, daybeds and plenty of red lacquer.
Icon, 130 E. 39th St., New York, (212) 685-1100; www.whotels.com. Fives, 700 Fifth Ave., New York, (212) 956-2888; www.newyork.peninsula.com.
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Carneros Bistro at the Lodge at Sonoma |
Sonoma County
We had two nights to spare, wanted to drink great wine and sample some of the finest in California fare. Just an hour’s flight from Orange County and easily driveable, Sonoma County immediately came to mind as the perfect weekend escape, so on Friday afternoon we were off. The Lodge at Sonoma recently underwent a $2 million renovation in the 182 guest rooms, Radiance Spa and Wellness Center. My boyfriend and I booked into a cozy cottage complete with fireplace and a serene patio that resided amidst 10 acres of lush landscaping. Since it was raining during our stay (all the more incentive to spend the afternoon enjoying the flat screen television and oversize bath tub) we headed to Carneros Bistro, the lodge’s signature restaurant, for dinner. Touted as one of the top 50 restaurants in the Bay Area, the meal certainly didn’t disappoint (I still think of the midnight moon mac ‘n’ cheese with hedgehog mushrooms).
We started the three-hour meal with the crab hush puppies and roasted oysters, and chose to have our expert server pair interesting Sonoma and Carneros wines for us. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the bistro is full of locals and visitors alike, who come for Chef Janine Falvo’s inspired dishes that use plenty of local ingredients (herbs are even plucked fresh from the restaurant’s outdoor garden). For our entrées I chose the sea bass with lobster home fries and truffled hollandaise, while Tim eagerly went for the grilled organic steak with a potato and wild mushroom gratin.
After walking around Sonoma’s charming plaza the next morning we headed to Napa Valley to visit the stunning Rubicon Estate, home to Francis Ford Coppola’s award-winning wines, complete with valet parking, a red carpet and movie memorabilia. After a quick lunch it was back on the road to arrive in Healdsburg for the early afternoon.
We checked in at the Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza, a charming bed and breakfast built in 1901 and surrounded by interesting shops, restaurants, galleries, and plenty of tasting rooms. Wine enthusiasts will discover some of the most picturesque wine country in the state. Part of the Russian River Wine Road, an organization of more than 140 wineries and 50 lodgings, Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves was my favorite of our afternoon stops. Their single vineyard Belle Canyon 2006 Zinfandel yields notes of black currant and cherries and made the perfect souvenir to bring back home.
That evening it was off to Santi, a nationally acclaimed Italian gem in Geyserville just a few minutes north of Healdsburg, to meet some Bay Area friends for house-cured salumi, homemade pastas and of course, more wine. We were taken with the historic 1902 landmark building in the Alexander Valley, complete with a bustling bar area and romantic lighting. The always-changing menu reflects the availability of fresh, local produce and the chefs’ inspirations, but you can expect to find dishes like Verona-style risotto, pan-seared Alaskan halibut and naturally raised rib-eye with oven-roasted potatoes. Since we were leaving the next morning, we capped our evening (and the trip) with Santi’s heavenly lemon panna cotta that paired so well with the 2004 Peterson Home Farm Muscat Blanc and their homemade Italian liqueurs.
The Lodge at Sonoma, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, (707) 935-6600; www.thelodgeatsonoma.com. Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza, 112 Matheson St., Healdsburg, (800) 431-8663; www.healdsburginn.com. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves, 9711 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, (707) 473-9171; www.bellawinery.com. Santi, 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, (707) 857-1790; www.tavernasanti.com.
