Also By These Authors

The Slow Food Guide to New York City

Restaurants, Markets, Bars

by Patrick Martins, Ben Watson

Reviews

Excellent summary of the best NYC eats
Amazon.com | March 14, 2004
Reviewer: A reader from New York, NY

As a frequent traveller to Italy, I have found the Slow Food Guide to be invaluable for restaurant recommendations throughout that entire country. The Slow Food organization has consistently provided knowledgeable reviews of places that offer traditional regional cuisine for excellent value. Now that Slow Food is expanding its scope to other cities and countries, I am happy to report that its New York guide also provides reliable reviews of some of the city's best eating establishments.

Note that, unlike Zagat, the Slow Food Guide is not meant to be comprehensive. Instead, the contributors have chosen to write about a handful of some of the best restaurants for each cuisine category, ranging from cheap takeout places to famous four star establishments. Inevitably, some noteworthy restaurants have been left off of the list -- but those that have been included are highly worthy representatives of their respective cuisines.

Also, unlike Zagat, the reviews contain far more knowledgeable insights about ethnic restaurants in the city. Instead of providing entries about places that are popular but have watered-down cuisine for Western tastes, the contributors provide descriptions of outstanding and occasionally lesser-known restaurants that serve more authentic fare. In particular, the guide highlights some of the best ethnic restaurants in the outer boroughs, which are too frequently ignored by the Zagat reviewers and clientele. For example, the guide recommends Sripraphai Thai restaurant in Woodside, Queens -- and their inclusion of this relatively overlooked gem indicates that this is a guide well worth following.

In summary, the Slow Food Guide is not necessarily meant to be a comprehensive survey book like Zagat's, but its focus on some of the best New York restaurants -- regardless of cost or borough -- makes this guide potentially even more valuable to New York visitors. I look forward to seeing more excellent city guides appearing State-side from the Slow Food organization.

Now Michelin
Next Slow Food

“The Michelin Guide still reigns supreme as the ultimate authority when it comes to rating restaurants and hotels. So why does it seem so irrelevant? One reason might be that the Michelin way—secret inspectors working with a hidden agenda—is almost Cold War silly these days. Another is that now we have an alternative—the Slow Food Guide, whose nuanced, subjective tone prizes quality, sincerity, and the emotional values of honest cooking over the weight of the plate and the number of trulles upon it. The ‘60’s, it seems, finally caught up with food guides (see also “A Snail’s Pace”, page 46).
--Gourmet Magazine, January 20th, 2004

“This excellent guidebook celebrates the strong presence the slow food movement has in New York City, where ‘the number of artisanal food producers…is at once staggering and impressive.’ Offering suggestions on restaurants, delis, bars, food stores and markets, martins and Watson include a price index for each entry as well as the Slow Food movement’s trademark snail logo next to names of institutions that work extra hard to promote slow food. Breaking down their list by cuisines, the authors highlight Craft and Verbena as examples of American cuisine, and Soba Nippon and Honmura An for Japanese. All of Mario Batali’s restaurants are listed under Italian, as well as Al Di La Trattoria in Park Slop, Brooklyn. Martins and Watson, careful not to overlook local bars and pubs, also include such night spots as the Brooklyn Brewery and d.b.a. While not all restaurants or bars prepare their own food or drink, the ones listed here are New York institutions with a long history of serving New Yorkers.
--Publishers Weekly

Worth the Wait

“From nearly 18,000 food establishments in the New York City area, Slow Food aficionados Ben Watson and Patrick Martins have chosen 600 favorite markets, restaurants and watering holes that embody the values of the Slow Food movement. Their findings are found in The Slow Food Guide to New York City (Chelsea Green Publishing).

“The Slow Food International Manifesto, endorsed in 1989 by delegates from 20 countries, denounces the “folly of Fast Life.” Approval from the organization requires that businesses commit to ecologically sound food production, prominence of the kitchen and the table as centers of community, and awareness of regional and seasonal culinary traditions.

“The Slow Food Guide to New York City directs readers to both well-known and hidden treasures. From where the curry is most flavorful to where the produce is freshest, this guide will point you in the right direct.”
--Attaché, U.S. Airways magazine, January 2004

“…The Slow Food Guide to New York City by Patrick Martins and Ben Watson (Chelsea Green $20) is the single best guide to food in the city. All the good stuff (high end to hole-in-the-wall restaurants and markets) is there, with no knee-jerk and no filler. Places that are particularly in sync with Slow Food ideas are marked with a symbol (Our only complaint is that they seem to give short shrift to Whole Foods, which would seem perfectly aligned with the Slow Food philosophy, besides being the best thing to happen to New York markets in years). Still, even if, in typical New York fashion, the word ‘slow’ is anathema to you, the book is a must-have for food lovers.”
--Manhattan User’s Guide, February 2, 2004

“There is a great crop of food books this year, about which you’ll be hearing much. But I thought I’d bring your attention to a couple of deliciously quirky ones that may get a little less attention.

“First of all, for anyone who lives in, visits, or just likes to read about New York City, the new Slow Food Guide to New York City Restaurants, Markets, Bars ($20, Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT, 2003) is a must. The Slow Food organization, based in Italy, is one of my favorite foodie groups in the world, dedicated to all the right gastronomic sentiments. Patrick martin, direct or Slow Food USA, and writer Ben Watson, have put together a New York City guide that stands apart from the other big apple books—because it throbs with all of those right-on Slow Food sentiments, but also because the take on many establishments is fresh, idiosyncratic, insightful. Of the service at Balthazar, for example, one of my favorite NY restaurants, they write: “We like to think that the genius of Balthazar is not in its bistro menu, antique mirrors, or beautiful diners, but rather in service that is based on the concept of ‘civil attention’, a kind of laissez-faire attitude that allows your meal to be about you and not the quirks or games that people are often forced to play in the theatre of fine dining.” Yes!!! I particularly like the books’ coverage of ethnic restaurants in the outer boroughs (who ever heard of that great Yugoslavian spot Cevabdzinica Sarajevo in Asotoria?), and of ethnic markets (Ethiopian ingredients? The Abyssinia Ethiopian Market in Morningside Heights, of course). The authors and I don’t see eye to eye on everything (for example, they evidently favor the Greek restaurant Molyvos over the Greek restaurant Milos, which ain’t how I see it). However, I love reading strong opinions, even if they’re not my own—and I love reading this book in general, as well as milking it for great information.” --The Rosengarten Report, November 10th, 2003

“Tourists as well as local dollars can provide integral support, and for those who visit or live in New York, The Slow Food Guide to New York City Restaurants, Markets, Bars edited by Patrick Martins, director of Slow Food U.S.A. and Ben Watson, can fit in a deep coat pocket, servicing as an indispensable ally in the quest for sustainable delights. “of the more than 18,000 food establishments in the metropolitan area, only our favorite 600 of so appear in this guide,” the editors say. One of the book’s main strengths is its organization, which makes establishments easy to find.

“Restaurants are clustered by type of cuisine: African, American, Barbecue, Chinese, Indian, Malay & Indonesian, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian, and more—just about anything you might crave. A second section covers wine bars and pubs (some beers and wines also have slow provenance), delis, fish & seafood, pizza, steak and burgers. Part three includes food shops, markets and producers providing bagels, breads, chocolate, ice cream *the correspondent for this topic really covered some ground), organics and even street food vendors. Interspersed throughout are charming essays, writerly disquisitions on kid-friendly restaurants, future stars of French cuisine, a riff on tamales, a paean to dumplings, a note on the passing of the Fulton Fish market, and analyses of New York’s own egg cream, pretzel and hot dog. Over fifty contributors personally visited and reported on all the places mentioned.

“…Slow Foods New York will come out annually, and Chelsea Green has books in the works for Chicago and Northern California as well. Also work a look is Slow Food (Chelsea Green 2001), a compendium of lively stories about regional foods and their producers in the U.S. and elsewhere, edited by Carlo Petrini.

“For those concerned about the corporate globalism that spreads a culture, diet and environment of utter sameness, from television sows to monoculture crops, factory animal farms, soft drinks and snack foods, Slow Food proposes a globalism of linked and networked local economies that respect one another’s delicious differences. ‘And what better what to set about his than an international exchange of experiences, knowledge and products?’ the Manfesto says. By choosing artisanal foods, including unique livestock and crops, consumers can help preserve genetic diversity and cultural traditions while supporting local farms and economies. ‘Here at the table lies the template for the preservation of human rights and the environment,’ Albert Sonnenfield writes in the introduction to Slow Food: The Case for Taste. As reminders that eating is a communal, economical, and political act, these books are worth savoring.”
--The Green Guide, Recommended Reading, January 23, 2004

“…Well organized and readable, “The Slow Food Guide to New York City” is presented in three parts: Cuisines; Special Nightlife; and Food Shops, Markets and Producers. Each section offers brief write-ups on numerous establishments.

“The Cuisines section is organized by types of food-soul food, barbecue and vegetarian, for instance- as well as by ethnicities. Looking for Portuguese food? Austrian? West Indian? There are numerous options that meet the standards of the Slow Food folks. Each listing includes the restaurant’s name, address, phone number and price range, plus a narrative that describes the food and the ambiance.

“Also included are brief listings of “Notables”—what that authors call honorable mentions.

“The nice thing about this guide is that it’s not just useful, it’s fun to read. The two-color layout is eye-catching, as are the photographs of the city that appear every few pages—many of them by Elizabeth Littles of Peterborough. The writing is lively and conversational. Especially fun for browsers are the short food essays that pop up among the listings. You can learn about tamales, egg creams and dumplings, among other treats. There’s also a great profile of a Bleecker Street butcher shop, Ottomanelli & Sons, and the history of New York cheesecake.

“All in all, the guide lists over 600 restaurants, markets, specialty food shops, bars and late night spots that share the value of the Slow Food movement, described on the book jacket as dedicated to:
• stewardship of the land and ecologically sound food production;
• revival of the kitchen and the table as centers of pleasure, culture, and community;
• invigoration and proliferation of regional, seasonal culinary traditions;
• living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life.

“Heading down to New York City? Then you’ll want to sample some of the big city’s cuisine. Whether you’ve got a hankering for a hotdog or a tankard of ale or a five-course vegetarian feast, you’ll find it in “The Slow Food Guide to New York City.” So slow down, eat up, and enjoy.”
by Jane Eklund Monadnock Ledger