Tag: M. Wells Steakhouse

06/11/18 11:52am

In Which I Lose My Barnacle Virginity at M. Wells

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Catch of the day: gooseneck barnacles at M. Wells Steakhouse.

I’m a big fan of raw seafood and indulge in oysters, clams, and other more far-flung marine fare as often as my wallet and constitution permit. I’ve savored Korean meongge in Murray Hill—briny, orange fleshed sea squirt—and sweet live razor clams on the streets of Arthur Avenue, but one thing I never tried until last night was barnacles.

Whenever I treat myself to M. Wells Steakhouse, I sit at the bar facing the oyster shucking station. So I immediately noticed the chalkboard trumpeting barnacles in all caps. (more…)

barnacles, gooseneck barnacles, Hugue Dufour, Long Island City, M. Wells Steakhouse, seafood

Twofer Tuesday

09/12/17 1:18am

A Tale of Two Mollusks in the Bronx and LIC

One of my favorite things to do on tours of Flushing Chinatown is to show off the live seafood on offer at J-mart. Watching the razor clams wriggle when nudged is always a hit. They’re sold live, and apparently at least at Randazzo’s on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, eaten that way.

So when my pal B.A. Van Sise and I decided to make a pilgrimage to the real Little Italy, I knew we had to try the wriggling mollusks. (more…)

Arthur Avenue, Bronx, geoduck, Long Island City, M. Wells Steakhouse, Randazzo's, razor clams, seafood

12/22/16 2:36pm

C+M’s Ultra Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide

Charcuterie Masters, food tours, gift guide, League of Kitchens, M. Wells Steakhouse

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Seasons Greetings and all that jazz dear reader. As a public service, C+M presents our very first ultra last-minute holiday gift guide where you’re sure to find something perfect for the food lover in your life.

Uzbek hospitality, League of Kitchens style.

Join The League of Kitchens for a Workshop
There’s a good reason The League of Kitchens sounds like the League of Nations. That’s because it offers a variety of globetrotting cooking workshops—Indian, Lebanese, Japanese, Uzbek to name a few—taught by immigrant home cooks who are eager to share their food, culture, and family recipes with students. A while back I took the Ubzek class and had a blast. League of Kitchens gift certificates may be purchased here. Looking for something to do Christmas Eve? The League still has a few slots open for an immersive vegetarian Indian cooking class.

Give the Gift of an Avant Garde Steakhouse Experience at M. Wells
My love of Chef Hugue Dufour’s cooking at M. Wells Steakhouse—from an aged porterhouse dinner that comes with escargot bone marrow and pomme aligot to such dishes as a venison T-bone and a lovely steak tartare—is no secret. Why not treat your meat eating loved ones with an M. Wells Steakhouse gift certificate? To purchase one call (718) 786-9060. (more…)

12/21/15 2:36pm

Score a Majestic M. Wells Meat Pie for Christmas

Au Pied de Cochon, Garrett Plunkett, Hugue Dufour, Long Island City, M. Wells Steakhouse, tourtière

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Way heartier than a mince meat pie.

As a kid the mince meat pies that sometimes graced our family table come Christmas were always a puzzlement. Delicious to be sure—chock full of apples, cherries, and raisins spiced with nutmeg, ginger, and clove—the question always remained where’s the meat?

I’m not sure if they eat mince meat pie come Christmas in Québéc, but they do eat tourtière—a traditional meat pie—and plenty of it according to Hugue Dufour, the chef of M. Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City, Queens.

“When I was at Au Pied du Cochon we would sell 5,000 a season,” he said noting that delivery in Canada is free for orders of more than 100 pies. (more…)

10/23/15 1:20pm

Beard House—and Yours Truly—to Host Top Queens Chefs Sunday

Hugue Dufour and a crack a team of other Queens chefs, and myself take over the Beard House.

Queens has hit the culinary big time! Of course some, myself included, would argue that the borough has always been a big deal when it comes to food whether authentic regional Chinese cuisine, stellar Mexican seafood cocktails, or brunch at an haute bizarre Canadian steakhouse. There is perhaps no greater hallmark of culinary fame though than recognition by the James Beard House, which is presenting the First Annual Queens Cooks this Sunday evening, and has been kind enough to ask me to act as emcee for the evening’s festivities. (The dinner is sold out, but you can put your name a on a cancellation waitlist by phoning 212-627-2308).
(more…)

Alex Schindler, Alfonso Zhicay, Astor Bakeshop, Bún-ker, Casa del Chef Bistro, Danny Brown, Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen, First Annual Queens Cooks, George McKirdy, Hugue Dufour, James Beard House, Jimmy Tu, LIC Market, M. Wells Steakhouse

05/18/15 2:13pm

Scenes from Queens Taste 2015

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Hungry hobnobbers at the New York Hall of Science for Queens Taste 2015.

Last Tuesday evening in my capacity as the QEDC Foodie I had the good pleasure of attending Queens Taste 2015. More than two dozen restaurants from a broad range of cuisines—Thai, Italian, Mexican, Brazilian and haute Canadian steakhouse to name just a few—packed the New York Hall of Science, a venue better known for school field trips than tasting events. The venue along with people’s choice judging was a first for the annual gala.

The event bore the tag line: “The Best Food on the Planet.” While that statement’s certainly true of the borough itself, it was slightly disappointing, but only because it would take a hall as vast as the Javits Center to contain all the deliciousness that Queens holds. (more…)

Aperitif Bistro, Bayside, Huge Dufour, M. Wells Steakhouse, New York Hall of Science, QEDC, Queens Taste

Photo Friday

03/27/15 9:57am

5 Tips for Sexier Instagram Food Pics

M. Wells’ Russian Waffle is delicious and quite photogenic.

“I’ll never use Instagram,” I once said. Famous last words. These days, I use it more than ever. Most of my non food nerd friends know my phone camera eats first. When I’m out with a posse of food nerds, it becomes an Instagram shooting frenzy, and I’ve learned to accept that I just might not get that perfect shot. But what about those other times? I am by no means an expert Instagrammer or food photographer, but I have learned a bit over the few years I have been shooting food. Below are some of my favorite tips. (more…)

caviar, Chinese, food photography, instagram, M. Wells Steakhouse, Pig Heaven, Sugar Club, Thai, waffles

Photo Friday

11/29/13 1:25pm

Feast Your Eyes on M. Wells Stack of Pork Chops