Danny Meyer's Pizzeria Marta is my neighborhood hangout. In fact it's right next door. Every pizza on the menu is a standout. Nonetheless--possibly because I'm a sucker for mushrooms or maybe just because it's spectacularly good--my favorite by far is the Funghi Pizza where mixed mushrooms, red onion, thyme and lots of mozzarella and fontina come together in ultimate deliciousness. Chef Nick Anderers' crust is excellent, but if making your own dough is the last straw, check out your local pizzeria. Most will sell you a ball of raw dough (or even one already rolled out) -- especially if you call ahead.
FROM ESSENTIAL HOMME FEB/MARCH 2014 -- READ ARTICLE AS ORIGINALLY PRINTED
Treated to a painstakingly careful renovation by architect Annabelle Selldorf, including a reoriented main entrance, demolition of the first floor slab, elongation of the space’s windows, and deep mahogany and walnut trimmed accents, the Martha Washington Hotel lives familiar of its original turn of the century daring spir- it, yet primed with contemporary details that surface specifically in the building’s public spaces. Adjacent to the hotel’s entrance stand Danny Meyer’s Marta, a new restaurant from Chef Nick Anderer that reimag- ines Roman thin-crust pizzas in a modern yet soul- ful furnished space underneath a ballad of hanging glass rod pendants, and Veronica’s, the hotel’s lobby bar, which draws its name from the actress Veronica Lake—who, as legend goes, worked at the hotel as a barmaid when her career started to fade in the mid ‘50s—boasting similarly tall ceilings and a classically modern palette. Above both, a variety of cozy single bedrooms to deluxe suites in sleek setups offer a home for a transient stay, and an elaborate ballroom and outdoor terrace exist for celebratory excuses, but it’s truly the crust and the crowd downstairs that is worth crossing Madison Avenue or even a river to visit.
“Pizza, for me, is a blank canvas. I love starting with the simplicity of flour and water, and then adding beautiful market-driven ingredients.”
About Nick
Nick cut his teeth at institutions like Babbo and Gramercy Tavern before opening Maialino, a traditional Roman trattoria. At his new spot, Marta, he’s turning thin-crust pizza into an art form.
Restaurants
Maialino, Marta
Nick’s Tote
No explanation is needed on Nick’s “Know Your Dough” slogan. Crust is everything on a great pizza, and Nick has worked years to know and perfect his.
Buy his tote here. All profits will go to Edible Schoolyard NYC.
The Restaurant at Meadowood, the only three-Michelin starred eatery in California that isn't The French Laundry, is again hosting a series of visiting chefs during its Twelve Days of Christmas celebration. The dinners, at around six courses, are inclusive of wine, tax and tip and are priced at $395 per person. Pricing for couples who wish to stay at the resort starts at $1,240 on weekdays or $1315 on weekends, with dinner included. Is this a GOOD DEAL?
Yeah, it might just be.
First of all, we're long-standing fans of all-inclusive "real cost pricing." This makes things simpler for the guests; it ensures the Meadowood meal is more about enjoyment, and less about financial decision-making.
Second of all, The Twelve Days of Christmas gives the diner an experience that can't otherwise be obtained at Meadowood, which is to say big-name guest chefs cooking food that Meadowood doesn't normally cook. We at The Bad Deal are partial to Nick Anderer's appearance on 19 December (NEW YORK IN DA HOUSE!), as well as the final dinner on 22 December, when Bill Harlan's wines will be poured and Meadowood Chef Chris Kostow will be "doin the cookin." Briefly: Harlan makes pretty gosh darn good wines. And we hear Kostow can cook.
Third of all, you'll actually be spending a few dollars less than on a typical night at Meadowood, where the slightly longer 8-9 course dinner menu is $225 per person before tax, tip and $225 wine pairings, or $1,150 for two after all is said and done, compared with the Christmas pricing of $790 for two.
Fourth of all, if you splurge for the $1,240/$1,315 "dinner with a room deal" (which you might as well considering where you are), you'll end up getting a nicely discounted lodging rate. Rooms typically start around $600 clams a night. So taking the retail value of the dinner into consideration, you're essentially getting your room for about $450. Sounds pretty good to us.
Meadowood is also offering a $5,800 chef's counter package, but we'll keep opinion on that pricier option to ourselves until we finish crunching those slightly more complicated numbers. For now, The Twelve Nights of Christmas at Meadowood appears to be a GOOD DEAL.
