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the buzz

“The Strong Buzz Guide to Easter Eating”

Don't feel like cooking this Easter weekend? We don't blame you. Who has time to prepare dinner with all that egg decorating? Have no fear, your Strong Buzz Easter Eating Guide is Here!

—Grace Nguyen

Easter Brunch and Confections at Payard Bistro

For the first time Payard Bistro will open its doors on Easter Sunday morning to offer guests a spring-inspired three-course menu created by executive chef Philip Bertineau. So be ready to surrender yourself to both sweet and savory dishes including French toast with mixed berries, twice-upside down cheese soufflé with a parmesan cream sauce, Virginia ham with English peas, Vermont baby lamb duo, and their melting “haute chocolate’ Easter egg dessert. On the really sweeter side of things pastry chef Francois Payard will also create beautiful Easter confections for guests to purchase including a bunny cake (chocolate biscuit, chocolate mousse, and vanilla bavarois, chocolate bunny with basket (hollowed chocolate, filled with assorted Payard chocolates), and Easter egg cake (mixed berry gelee, dark chocolate mousse with earl grey tea). Brunch is $52 per person ($28 for children) and is offered between 11am – 6pm. Cakes will be available for special order beginning March 21 – 23. The Patisserie will be open on Easter Sunday from 9am – 6pm. Payard Bistro and Patisserie is located at 1032 Lexington Ave (at 73rd Street), 212-717-5252, www.payard.com.

Bellini Easter Brunch at August

August is celebrating Easter with Bellini’s and their special brunch, both Saturday and Sunday. In addition to their morning fare of cast iron German pancakes and baked eggs in cocotte you will be offered hand carved roasted leg of lamb with mint jelly and a pineapple glazed ham. But if you had a rough morning waiting all night for the Easter bunny, August will also be serving an Easter special during the evening hours—roasted baby lamb with spring vegetables. So no need to pack all your friends and family into one celebration (or even one day) – there are plenty of meals to spread them out across. Easter specials will be served March 22 and 23rd for both brunch and dinner. August is located at 359 Bleecker Street (between Charles and West 10th Street), 212-929-8727. www.augustny.com.

Sunday Supper at Lunetta

Okay, so you’re planning to sleep in on Easter Sunday and have probably come to terms with missing brunch to then nibble on crackers until dinnertime. Instead, try attending a nice and simple Easter supper. Lunetta will be offering a beautiful five-course Pasqua supper, Italian-American inspired, to guests who would rather enjoy the holiday in the mid-afternoon. The Sunday Supper menu will include choices of asparagus salad with lemon and Parmesan, pasta e fagioli, braised rabbit with robiola agnolotti and cippolinis, poached halibut with braised garlic, fennel and cockles, and a lemon tart and citrus and Madeira sabayon. Pasqua supper is $55 per person and is served on Sunday, March 23rd, between 3pm and 10pm. Regular brunch service is between 11:30am – 2pm. Lunetta (Manhattan) is located at 920 Broadway (between Broadway Ave. and Park Ave.), 212-533-3663. Lunetta (Brooklyn) is located at 116 Smith Street (between Pacific Street and Dean Street), 718-288-6269. www.lunetta-ny.com.

For a Traditional Italian Easter…

If you’re looking for something a little more group friendly then consider Vento Trattoria where chef Stephano Riccioletti will be serving an authentic Italian Nonna’a Easter family supper. All dishes will be served family-style for the entire table and will include choices of fiore de zucca (mozzeralla stuffed crispy zucchini blossoms with bagna cauda dip), prosciutto di parma with charentais melon tagliolini with shrimp and purple artichoke, broiled lamb chop with a mint and garlic crust, and a strawberry torta. Their regular dinner menu of small plates and pizzas will be offered that evening as well. Nonna’s dinner is $34 per person and begins at 5:30pm. Vento Trattoria is located at 675 Hudson Street (at 14th Street), 212-699-2400, www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/vento/index.php.

The Classic American Easter…

I know by now you’re probably thinking “what about just a simple Easter dinner in a plain ‘ole American restaurant?” Problem solved - on that Sunday evening at The Smith, chef Brian Ellis will be serving his roasted leg of lamb with rosemary fingerling potatoes, string beans and a warm feta cheese vinaigrette ($20). It’s pure and simple, and a great addition to their already fabulous American-style cuisine – roasted tomato soup, crab hush puppies, lamb schnitzel, steaks, spaghetti and meatballs, and beer battered string beans. So just relax and feel free to keep Easter simple this year with some classic American comfort. The Smith is located at 155 3rd Ave (between 10th Street and 11th Street), 212-420-9800. www.ctrnyc.com/THESMITH/index.html.

A Pit-Smoked Easter

Craving a Texas barbeque-styled Easter? Hell, who wouldn’t love a barbeque Easter, actually? Barbeque anything (well, maybe not barbecue bunny) and we’ll eat it! Hill Country will be celebrating Easter Sunday with pit-smoked and chile-rubbed lamb chops ($36 per pound, $6 each) in addition to their traditional menu of beef brisket, beef ribs, Texas-imported Kreuz sausage, and beer can game hen and sides of baked beans, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, corn pudding, and sweet potato mash. The lamb special will be available on Easter Sunday (March 23rd) and for dine-in only.

AND FOR PASSOVER, Sunday, April 20th, Hill Country will also be offering its amazing moist brisket (take-out only), untrimmed and whole (averaging 7 – 9 pounds) for $20 per pound. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advanced and require a $50 deposit. Orders can be made by calling the restaurant or downloading the take-out form off the website and faxing it in. Hill Country is located at 30 W. 26th Street (between 6th Ave and Broadway),
212-255-4544, www.hillcountryny.com.

A Greek Orthodox Easter

Enjoy an Easter dinner prepared in abidance to the Greek Orthodox tradition at Molyvos where chef/partner James Botsacos will be offering a variety of delicious and savory Lenten dishes such as garides skhara (grilled wild prawns with Greek feta, spring onions, capers, and arugula), and braised soupia (slow-cooked cuttlefish served with tomato, onions, and oregano, along with traditional Greek fare including kakavia (Greek-syle bouillabaisse), octapodi pita (crispy phyllo filled with octopus, zucchini, rice, tomato and herbs), and vegetable moussaka. Each week between March 10th until April 27th Molyvos will offer a different Lenten appetizer ($10-15) and entrée ($24-30) in addition to the traditional Greek menu. Molyvos is located at 871 7th Ave. (between West 55th and West 56th Street), 212-582-7500. http://www.abboccato.com/.

For the Best Ham You've Ever Had...Tamarack Hollow Farms

Head over to the Union Square Greenmarket and visit with Mike from Tamarack Hollow Farms of Vermont. He'll be there Wednesday and Friday and he raises beautiful pigs and at this time of year he sells some of the best ham you've ever eaten. He is usually set up by 8/8:30 am and sticks around until 6pm. All you Uptowners who just groaned at the idea of hauling your ham home can breathe easy because he is also going to be at the Lincoln Center market on Thursday all day.  

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Posted: March 16, 2008 - 8:02 pm

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