This week brought friends up from Florida, and we made the most of it. There was Spaghetti alla Nerano at ‘A Vucchella, French onion soup at La Bonne Soupe in Midtown, and a SoHo afternoon fueled by Fellini Coffee. Along the way came a Calabrian hot chicken cutlet at Cosetta, my can’t-quit braised beef sandwich at Martel, and the globe I’ve been hunting for. Sunday was an all-day cook of smoked spare ribs and a tomahawk.
Monday: Shaggy Coos Flank Steak and an Arugula Salad
Monday lunch was leftover chili from last weekend, still good and maybe better on day two.
Dinner was a standout: Shaggy Coos flank steak with roasted potatoes, green beans, and an arugula and tomato salad with a lemon dressing. Wow. Shaggy Coos Farm in Easton is one of our go-to local sources, and their flank steak has real beefy flavor. Slice it thin against the grain, add a bright, peppery salad with lemon, and you have a weeknight dinner that feels like more than a weeknight dinner.
Tuesday: Adrienne’s With My Daughter, Then Palladino’s at Grand Central
Tuesday was an NYC day, and the best part was lunch with my daughter at Adrienne’s Pizzabar on Stone Street. I had the chicken panini and she had the prosciutto, and wow. Stone Street has become a bit of a family spot for us lately, and it keeps delivering.
📍 Adrienne’s Pizzabar | 54 Stone St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After work, I grabbed a quick drink at Palladino’s Steak & Seafood in Grand Central while waiting for my other daughter to finish her commute so we could head home together. Palladino’s sits on the balconies above the main concourse, with Art Deco touches that make a quick drink feel like an occasion.
📍 Palladino’s Steak & Seafood | Grand Central Terminal, 43rd St & Vanderbilt Ave, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We got home late, so dinner was quick: a Shaggy Coos hot dog and hamburger on the grill. Simple, local, and exactly right.
Wednesday: Bam, Penne alla Vodka with Chicken
Wednesday was a “look what we have” kind of night. I grilled some chicken and made some pasta. Then I added some sauce, and I had some cream and plenty of vodka. So, bam: penne alla vodka with grilled chicken.
That’s the beauty of penne alla vodka. With a few pantry staples, you can turn a basic weeknight into something rich, creamy, and comforting in no time.
Thursday: An Early Exit and Cosetta’s Calabrian Hot Chicken Cutlet
Thursday I went into NYC knowing I’d have to head home early. Friends were flying in from Florida to stay with us, and we needed to pick them up at the airport. So it was snacks at work, meetings checked off, and back on the train.
On the way home I stopped at Cosetta Pizzeria and Paninoteca on the Post Road in Fairfield, a gourmet slice-and-sandwich shop from the team behind Bailey’s Backyard. I ordered the Calabrian Hot Chicken Cutlet: a crispy chicken cutlet, provolone, hot honey, banana peppers, and pecorino cream on ciabatta. Crunch, heat, sweetness, tang, and creaminess, all in one sandwich.
I still had emails to finish, so I propped up my laptop and worked for a bit. A great sandwich and a quiet corner make a pretty good office. Then it was home to pick up my wife and off to Westchester to collect our friends.
📍 Cosetta Pizzeria and Paninoteca | 1560 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Friday: Martel, a Globe Found, and Nerano at ‘A Vucchella
Friday I had to work a little in the morning, but once that was done, the weekend with our friends officially began.
We took them to lunch at Martel in Fairfield, one of our favorite lunch spots. I ordered the braised beef sandwich. I can’t break away from it yet, because it’s sooooo good. Everyone else got burgers and enjoyed the meal.
📍 Martel | 2316 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Then we were off to Stratford for some antique hunting, still on the search for a globe and a barometer. And I found the globe! The barometer hunt continues, but one out of two feels like a big win.
Dinner was at Trattoria ‘A Vucchella in Bridgeport, a longtime favorite of ours and exactly where we wanted to bring our guests. We started with calamari and carpaccio. For my main I had the spaghetti alla Nerano, and wow. The classic Amalfi Coast dish of fried zucchini, basil, and cheese melted into a silky sauce is simple, elegant, and deeply satisfying. Everyone loved their meals, and the conversation flowed as easily as the wine.
📍 Trattoria ‘A Vucchella | 272 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Saturday: La Bonne Soupe, SoHo, and Fellini Coffee
Saturday was a fun day: a beautiful fall day in NYC with our friends.
First up was lunch at La Bonne Soupe on West 55th Street, a classic French bistro that has been a Midtown fixture since the 1970s. Our daughter came up to eat and hang out with us too.
We started with a round of French onion soup, of course, and it was excellent. Then came another round, this time steak frites au poivre. The sauce was excellent: peppery but not overpowering, the way au poivre should be.
📍 La Bonne Soupe | 48 W 55th St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Then we hopped on the subway to Houston Street and spent the afternoon walking and shopping. We grabbed coffee at Fellini Coffee on Thompson Street, a tiny Italian-inspired café with wood paneling and a marble bar. Then we continued along Spring Street for more shops and more fun before heading home.
📍 Fellini Coffee | 120 Thompson St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Back home, we ordered pizza from Maione’s on Stratfield Road in Fairfield for late-night snacks and Saturday night football. Pizza, friends, and football is the perfect nightcap to a big day.
Sunday: Smoked Spare Ribs, Tomahawk, and a Proper Sunday Dinner
Sunday was a total fun day of all-day cooking.
The star was smoked pork spare ribs. I like to use mustard as the binder, then coat them in a rub of brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and a bit of honey. I followed the 3-2-1 method. First they smoke uncovered. Then I wrap them up and spritz them with Pepsi. Then they go back on uncovered, with more Pepsi spritzes as they finish. WOW. Tender, sticky, smoky, sweet, with a little heat in every bite.
As if that weren’t enough, I added a tomahawk steak and sirloins, roasted potatoes with garlic butter, and Brussels sprouts with maple syrup and bacon.
That is a Sunday dinner.
Closing Reflection
This week was about hosting and good company. Shaggy Coos flank steak on a Monday. Lunch with my daughter at Adriennes and a drink at Palladino’s. A pantry penne alla vodka. A Calabrian hot chicken cutlet and a laptop at Cosetta. Martel, a globe found in Stratford, and Nerano at ‘A Vucchella with our friends. French onion soup, au poivre, and SoHo coffee on a perfect fall Saturday. And a Sunday of smoke, ribs, and a tomahawk.
Good friends make good food taste even better.