Dinner begins at Gori, the tasting menu chef’s counter that opened this month above Anto, a high end Korean steakhouse in New York’s Midtown East, with the presentation of ingredients in a lavish Cartier chest. How to take this: a bit showy, too quintessential East Side? But once the ten courses start to appear, the luxe introduction makes sense. Chef Jeong Muk Kim, formerly of Myomi in Seoul, the youngest chef to earn a Michelin star in Korea, joined this nearly year old restaurant in November and uses strictly elite ingredients such as the caviar, uni and Wagyu in the chest. Even more important: the creations he produces from them for the ten seat counter have flavors so fully developed and enticing that they immediately set up anticipation for the next course.
New York Through the Eyes of Broadway Star Julie Benko
02.01.2024 - 14:19 / forbes.com
Actress Julie Benko is currently playing the role of Ruth in the Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical Harmony. The Broadway show centers on a singing group of six men in 1920s Germany called the Comedian Harmonists who win worldwide recognition for their talent but encounter challenges because of their three Jewish members.
Julie recently won acclaim for her performance in Funny Girl where she acted as Fanny Brice.
Below, she shares her perspective on New York.
Where do you live in the city?
Washington Heights, near the Cloisters. It's so quiet and beautiful up here. It doesn't feel like Manhattan at all.
What is your favorite neighborhood in New York and why?
I love the Village. The architecture is so charming, and there are so many fantastic music venues. I frequent jazz clubs there like Small's, Mezzrow, and the Village Vanguard with my jazz-musician husband. You can also find speakeasies like The Back Room, which has social swing dancing to live jazz on Monday nights. These places feel like a slice of what New York used to be like.
Can you share some of your favorite spots in a Theater District and what makes them so great?
The Drama Bookshop is a very special place to the theater community. The staff are theater experts. The last time I visited, they told me that they keep a second "standby" information desk and they've dubbed it the "Julie Benko Desk" in honor of my time in Funny Girl. We had a good laugh about that.
Where is the best place for a pre-or post-theater meal and why? What are go-to dishes at each?
For great Mediterranean, Kashkaval Garden. Their kale salad (with pecorino, figs, and walnuts!) with the salmon (wrapped in grape leaves!) or the octopus (on a skewer!) is my favorite salad in NYC. For soup, I love Cha Pa's, which is a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese spot. I recommend the Grilled Chicken Pho there. And the best pizza in the area is unequivocally Don Antonio's. I like the truffle burrata pizza — plus, they can make any crust gluten-free!
What is the Best Theater District watering hole and the drink to get?
My favorite watering hole in the Theater District is Hold Fast. They have outdoor seating with strong heaters, and they keep it quiet enough out there that you can have a conversation. I'm not a big drinker but I do enjoy a Negroni or Hendricks Martini now and then. They have great food too.
Please share your insider tips for enjoying a Broadway show. Anything to make the experience better as an audience member?
Before the show starts, ask an usher where to line up for the bathroom at intermission. Hurry to grab your spot in line right at the top of intermission. And—if you're at Harmony—keep a lookout for my mom. She loves coming to the show over and over again,
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