South 3rd, Williamsburg

First shot (out of the bedroom window) with my newly acquired Polaroid sx-70 Land Camera.

Scenes from Il Buco Alimentari, an amazing dinner with grey wine.

A view towards the dining room and kitchen of Il Buco Alimentari from the bar area.

After an amazing day at the Fort Tilden Beach on the hottest day of the year so far, I found myself at Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria in NoHo to spend the remainder of the Summer Solstice.  I dined with my colleague Simran who agreed we both needed a redemption dinner after a flawed experience a few weeks ago.  

The wine list was not super, rather limited, but I found my eyes fixated on a handful of Radikon wines and I wanted nothing else on this humid night.  I went with the skin contact 2009 Radikon Pinot Grigio.  Some may want to call this an ''orange wine'', or perhaps a ''ramato''.  I'd say it was a more florescent magenta, almost the colour of the Tuna Cruda below.  On this night we referred to it as grey wine, after all Pinot Grigio translates to Grey which is referring to the colour of it's skins. The wine had a gorgeous mouthfeel, at first chilled and delicious, but then opening up its stone fruits and depth all with that classic Radikon oxidative note as it warmed slightly.

The dinner was all around incredible; the combination of food and wine couldn't have been better last night.  The menu was that perfect combination of traditional italian cooking, balanced by local ingredients that make for simple and fresh spring time dishes.  A very memorable dinner in the city with a good pal, talking travels, talking shit, and celebrating the summer.  I will now leave this to the photos,  (mediocre quality, shot with an Iphone) everything we ate last night...

2009 Radikon Pinot Grigio.  Otto giorni a contatto con le bucce, 18 mesi in Botti di rovere da 35 HL.

Salumi Della Casa, all the cured meats made in house.

The fabulous colour of Radikon Pinot Grigio.

Crudo, bigeye tuna, green radish, cucumber, limequat.

Ricotta, sugarsnap peas, pine nut granola, mint.

Gnudi, ricotta, english peas, parmigiano.

Spaghetti (Pasificio Gentile) con bottarga di muggine

Pecorino allo Zafferano.

Simran, mysteriously gazing...

Zabaione.

Ronchi di Cialla Verduzzo 2005, incredible acidity and length here.

Un Caffe' per finire...

Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria

53 Great Jones Street

New York, NY 10012

Where to find yourself some carbonara pizza in New York!

This week at Maialino, the Roman Trattoria in the Gramercy Park Hotel, the chefs have put together a magical pizza for the late night menu (starting at 10pm).  House cured Pancetta and béchamel sauce on top of pizza bianca with a soft egg yolk and finished off with Pecorino Romano cheese.  12 bucks gets you a piece of the Carbonara Pizza and a frosty Ama Bionda, The Artisinal beer designed by Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver for Amarcord Brewery in Apecchio, Italy.