Tag: Hotel Restaurants
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BLT Is Out At Cassa New York, But What Will Go In Its Place?
If you thought the only exciting thing about Cassa Hotel was its abrupt re-branding into a Viceroy hotel last year, you're wrong. It turns out that the hotel's proposed restaurant, BLT American Brasserie is causing even more drama than the hotel itself—and it hasn't even opened yet!
Chef Laurent Tourondel created a lot of buzz when he attached himself to the hotel back in 2011. He was famous for his BLT restaurants, so that's what we all expected to open at Cassa. And as of last February, that was still the plan.
However, nothing ever happened, and the other day we received an anonymous tip that the "BLT coming soon" sign has been removed from the hotel.
So…now what?
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Chef Nobu Opens a Pop-Up Restaurant at The Fairmont Monte Carlo
Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa andChef Philippe Joannès, the Executive Chef of the Fairmont Monte Carlo
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has been a busy man this year. Aside from running his chain of Nobu restaurants around the world and opening his first hotel in Las Vegas, he's carved out some time in his frenetic schedule to open a pop-up restaurant at the Fairmont Monte Carlo.
Open from now through June 9, the pop-up Nobu is serving lunch and dinner daily inside the hotel's existing restsaurant, l'Argentin Monte Carlo. A special terrace has opened up just for the Nobu tables too, allowing guests to take in the killer views of France, Italy and Monaco while noshing on the Nobu specialities such as Black cod yuzu miso, the Wagyu gyoza, and the King crab leg with shiso salsa.
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Margaritaville Atlantic City Is Happening In 3 Weeks
Don't pretend you haven't been counting down the days to the opening of Jimmy Buffett's new Margaritaville Casino in Atlantic City. From your cubicle at work, you've fantasized about biting into a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" on the boardwalk, or playing blackjack on one of the brand new Margaritaville-themed casino tables.
Well, the wait is almost over.
Just over a month since Buffett announced plans to team up with Wyndham on a new St Thomas resort, things are gearing up in Atlantic City for a grand opening on Memorial Day weekend. The new venue will sit inside the 942-room Resorts Casino, and its entrance will be marked by a sculpture of a giant blender. (Yes, you read that right.)
Meanwhile, outside, its oceanfront Landshark Bar, will be Atlantic City's first-ever year-round full-service bar and restaurant on the sand side of the Boardwalk.
Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel Openings / Langham Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Bars / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel News / → All Tags
How Will Langham Place Fifth Avenue's New Lounge 'Measure' Up To the Old One?
While Langham Chicago seems to be going through some minor delays, the wait is officially over with Langham's newly-rebranded property in New York. making its grand debut tomorrow.
Though we gave you a heads up about the change last fall, Langham sent out a formal announcement late last week, confirming that tomorrow, May 7, the former Setai Fifth Avenue will become Langham Place, Fifth Avenue. The announcement mostly tells us what we already knew, except for a few minor details. It turns out the hotel will indeed undergo some cosmetic changes—including new permanent artworks, updated decor, a Chuan spa, and a new lounge/bar concept.
And good news for folks visiting NYC this week: the opening of the new lounge, featuring a menu by former Maialino chef Jeffrey Seizer, coincides with the re-branding of the hotel tomorrow. So come hungry!
(For those of you wondering about the fate of the hotel's celebrated restaurant, Ai Fiori, rest assured. It's staying put for now.)
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Mandalay Bay's $5,000 Wagyu Special and More For National Burger Month
We've just discovered May is National Burger Month, which apparently is different than National Cheeseburger Day, go figure. However, we won't quibble because anything that gives us a chance to sink our teeth into a juicy beefy sandwich (or turkey, or veggie if our pants feel a bit tight) without remorse, is a-ok in our book.
Naturally we had to think what hotels are serving up stellar burgers for this special time and we've narrowed it down to these:
The $5,000 Fleur Burger by Hubert Keller, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas
Ok, yes, this completely ridiculous and we'll probably never taste this burger at Keller's Fleur restaurant in our lifetime, but it just sounds so completely decadent we can't help but dream about this masterpiece of wagyu beef, foie gras, and truffle served with a bottle of 1995 Chateau Petrus. Need something a bit more reasonable? Come for lunch and order the Wagyu burger with bacon, wild mushrooms, and gruyere, on a potato bun with frites for $22.
Double Brie & Fig Burger, Surf & Sand Resort, Laguna Beach, CA
Anyone can order a plain-old cheeseburger and we often do, but this version at the hotel's Splashes restaurant seems so unusual, we'd definitely give it a try. It's an Angus patty topped with double cream brie, fig marmalade, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard. It just screams "rich", right? But thank goodness the price isn't, coming in at $19.
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What's Sprouting On The Roof At Westin NY Grand Central?
If your first thought is 'Mojito!' when you see this picture, then you're on the right track.
Since last summer, the Westin New York Grand Central has quietly been working on a modest but respectable rooftop veggie garden way up on the hotel's 41st floor. Located smack in the middle of midtown (the Chrysler Building is so close you can touch it), it seems like an unlikely place to be growing…well, anything. But urban farming is trendy these days, and a hotel's gotta go what a hotel's gotta do, right?
383 feet above Manhattan, ten dirt-filled tubs with arugula, mesclun lettuce, rosemary, heirloom tomatoes, and "mojito mint" are being overseen by the hotel's Executive Chef, Brian Wieler (pictured), who tends to his green leafy sprout-lings like a proud dad. And not one to cut corners, Chef Wieler has also ensured the garden is 100% organic, with only organic plants, soil and fertilizer being used. And now, as spring gets going, he is starting to harvest some of the mini-crops.
Hotel Trends / Hotel Restaurants / Lungarno Collection / Marriott Hotels / Utah Hotels / Italy Hotels / Tuscany Hotels / Florida Hotels / Colorado Hotels / → All Tags
What’s Out, What’s In: Hotel Restaurants Get In the Game
Now that's what we call a hearty piece of meat!
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What's Out: Grass-fed beef and local poultry
What's In: Local wild game dishes
With the meteoric rise of culinary tourism and the fact that pretty much everyone wants a good meal, hotel restaurants have had to increase their game (we’re so funny...) and look for new ways to impress you gourmands out there.
Sorrel River Ranch near Moab, UT, is wedged between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks on the banks of the Colorado River. The ranch has a – get this -- Garden Manager who tends to two acres of organic produce (fantastic!) which finds its way into the hands of the chef, along with local wild game. The chef’s newest creation? Rabbit and Rattlesnake Sausage with Utah Peach Preserves and Baby Greens.
For more gamey goodness, read on!
Hotel Design / Manhattan Hotels / NYLO Hotels / Hotel Openings / Hotel Hype / Hotel Bars / Hotel Lobbies / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
Local History Inspires NYLO New York's LOCL Lobby Bar
Earlier this month, we included NYLO New York on our list of 5 Manhattan Hotel Openings In 2013. And it's pretty obvious why: the Stonehill & Taylor-designed guest rooms, with their navy color scheme, local artwork and Hudson river views, are pretty easy on the eyes.
But this week, the hotel leaked some more deets on the public spaces: namely, LOCL Bar, featuring a rectangular zinc bar surrounded by a piano lounge, library, and sidewalk cafe. The latter will be accessible through a large glass garage door (keep in mind that this building dates back to the 1900s, when it was known as the upscale Wellsmore apartment building).
Honoring that history, the hotel has chosen to keep an original fireplace in the library, as well as importing an ornate 1920s French elevator system for the lobby.
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Will There Be Disco Fries at The Quin's New 70's-Era Restaurant?
New York hotel restaurant alert! Upcoming 205-room midtown boutique hotel The Quin has released details on their dining concept, and we're not ashamed to say we're already salivating.
The hotel will house a two-story artisanal American grill designed to "evoke the experience of an old gentlemen's club with a touch of the disco-era." Not quite what we were expecting from a place that, up until now, has characterized itself as uber-luxury, with a lobby containing white leather-wrapped columns and bathrooms exclusively offering Fresh toiletries.
The menu will "showcase a diverse selection of regional seafood" (so, maybe no disco fries…), and will be a joint effort by Eric Marx, Lisle Richards and Jimmy Haber of ESquare Hospitality. Richards in particular is credited as a key player behind success of The One Group's STK brand. And while we don't particularly feel like West 57th St has any need for an STK-type venue, we have a feeling this partnership ought to turn out well.
One of the Quin's owners says the hotel's mission is to "provide an urbane retreat in the heart of Manhattan." And there should be plenty of room for a proper retreat at this new restaurant, which will contain a grand parlor, main dining room, second floor lounge, and three private dining rooms.
No name has been announced yet.
The Quin, and its restaurant, are set to open in mid-June.
[Photo: Perkins Eastman]
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The Sun Has Shone On Oceana Santa Monica's New Renovations
It's Guess the Hotel revealed!
We could have picked plenty other parts of LA for our West Coast jaunt this weekend: Downtown LA, West Hollywood, Studio City, or maybe, if we were feeling reaallly generous with ourselves, Beverly Hills. But no, we had to be stubborn about it and go after beachy, balmy Santa Monica.
The sun, the sand, the waves, we wanted it all. The only problem was, luck wasn't on our side, and the weather all weekend stayed cloudy and in the 60s.
Harrumph.
This gave us a good chance to acquaint ourselves with our room, a spacious Ocean View Suite at the Oceana Santa Monica (ocean views are normally a good thing, but this time it just reminded us how we were missing out on quality sprawled-out-on-the-beach tanning time).
Inside the room, we caught up on work, watched Gladiator on TNT, and even played a few rounds of checkers with our friend. (Yup, that's right! The mystery flip-top checkers board table we showed you yesterday is indeed found at the Oceana Santa Monica.)
Then, just as we were getting ready to check out, we saw shadows start to become defined on our wall, and realized—gasp!—the sun was finally coming out! And just in the nick of time. So we did what any hotel geek would do and scoured the property to take photos of the hotel the way it's meant to be seen.
Click through for our photo gallery of the sun-drenched lobby and pool courtyard!
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Blue Plate Taco Next to The Shore Hotel Left Us a Little Blue
When The Shore Hotel opened in Santa Monica, Calif. over a year ago, we were excited that (finally!) a new, hip and eco-friendly hotel had opened just a mere two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier along Ocean Avenue. But we were equally, maybe more, excited for the Blue Plate Taco restaurant to open adjacent to the hotel.
The taco joint would be the third restaurant from the Blue Plate people who also have well-reviewed Blue Plate Oysterette further north on Ocean Avenue as well as popular breakfast spot, Blue Plate Kitchen inland on Montana Avenue. It took a while, but BPT finally opened last Fall, giving hotel guests a fun spot to grab margaritas, ceviches chips and guac, grilled corn and of course tacos. And we finally got to hit up the spot on Saturday night.
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Kaspar Tells No Seafood Secrets From The Savoy London. Get It?
The Savoy in London, managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, is launching its new Art Deco restaurant concept on Thursday, May 2: Kaspar's Seafood Bar & Grill. By naming it Kaspar’s the hotel is keeping alive one of its most celebrated (and superstitious) guests.
Here’s the story: In 1898, South African diamond magnate Woolf Joel held a dinner at The Savoy for fourteen guests and one cancelled at the last minute. The dinner continued, but one superstitious guest announced that death would come to the first person to leave the unlucky table of thirteen. Joel took that gamble and a few weeks later he was shot dead in Johannesburg.
To avoid a repeat performance and damage to its reputation, The Savoy offered a member of the staff to sit amongst tables of thirteen thereafter. However, unable to discuss private matters or tell ribald jokes, this proved to be unpopular with guests and thus, in a stroke of genius, Kaspar the cat was born.
This three-foot sculpture of a cat was made in 1926. For 90 years , The Savoy has been happy to oblige parties of thirteen with Kaspar's company, where he wears a jaunty napkin around his neck and is given his own place setting to enjoy every course.
