A Fun Night Out at Il Buco!
After posting this blog, I was delighted to see that the New York Times just awarded Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria three stars! Click here to read the review.
Recently on Martha, we devoted an entire TV show to sensational sandwiches. We invited some wonderful chefs to share their special creations, including Chef Justin Smillie of Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria on Great Jones in Manhattan. Chef Smillie gave a lesson creating his famous and succulent porchetta sandwich, which is packed full of tender roast pork and topped with crispy cracklins’. That sandwich really got me hungry for more.
About once or twice a year, my TV chefs and I go out for a team dinner, usually visiting a restaurant/chef that we’ve had on the show. When we were trying to decide where, we all said, "Il Buco!" Il Buco is a renowned Mediterranean restaurant with the ambiance of a European country home. Joining me that night were TV chefs Nikki Elkins, Thomas Joseph, Sarah Mastracco, Nora Singley; kitchen assistant Josefa Palacios; kitchen intern Hana Choi; my makeup artist Daisy Schwartzberg; my hairstylist Anthony Sorensen; and Kevin Sharkey. These team dinners are always so much fun and the one we shared last week was a blast!
1 Enjoying myself with Daisy, Sarah, Josefa, Thomas, Nora, Hana, and Nikki
2 Nora, Hana, and Nikki
3 Sarah, Josefa, and Thomas
4 Kevin, me, and Daisy
5 The Il Buco menu changes daily.
6 Here I am with Donna Lennard, the owner of Il Buco.
7 Valentine's Day was approaching and I was dared to write out a match.com profile. I hesitated, but once I started to write, it became fun and easy!
8 I was thinking really hard trying to come up with just the right adjectives to describe myself. Everyone else waited patiently.
9 Thomas, Nora, and Hana - Nora was describing her online dating experience, which Thomas found very humorous.
10 Words to describe me - entrepreneur, sophisticated, driven, inspiring, insightful, blond, funny, tall, fearless, inquisitive, love to travel, love horseback riding, interested in technology, interested in gardens.......
11 It turned out to be a really fun exercise!
12 An appetizer - House-made ricotta with roasted beets, white grapefruit, and pistachios - so yummy!
13 Another shot of the ricotta and beets alongside crispy artichokes with preserved lemon
14 After our appetizers, Chef Justin Smillie came out of the kitchen personally, to tell us about the evening's specials.
15 A picture with Chef Justin Smillie and Daisy
16 Soon to emerge from the kitchen - seared Vermont quail with persimmons, farro, yogurt, and watercress
17 Grilled sausage with Umbrian lentils, chipolline, and sage
18 My hairstylist, Anthony Sorensen, came late from work, but showed up just in time for the food!
19 Hana and Nikki
20 Thomas and Nora - We all LOVED all the handcrafted cocktails, which were delicious and unique!
21 Sarah and Josefa
22 With Daisy
23 A nice shot with Kevin
24 An eclectic light fixture of everything but the kitchen sink
25 A view of the busy and very clean open kitchen
26 An interesting pounded tin ceiling
27 Busiate with almond, anchovies, capers and tomato
28 Gnudi with sage and brown butter
29 Paccheri with braised oxtail, greens and parmigiano
30 Split-roasted short ribs Castelvetrano with olives, celery, walnuts, and horseradish
31 Salt-roasted Branzino with thyme, coarse sea salt, and caramelized lemon
32 One dessert - delicious vanilla bean custard
33 Another dessert - citrus cake with candied orange top
34 Posing with Chef Justin and his kitchen staff
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Wow what a terrific resturaunt! http://www.themalemartha.com The next time I'm in NEW YORK, I will definitely stop, for a great lunch! What a fantastic pic in #34. I'm pretty sure you don't need a dating web site..lol
oxox
Dan Viger
Posted by: Daniel Viger | February 14th, 2012 at 3:45 am
Not to be outdone, our family just went out to a chain Italian restaurant and loved it. Although Edgar Allan Poe may not have ever been inspired by North Dakota, Eustacia Cutler was here and signed A THORN IN MY POCKET. Seems that Robert Frost has told her when he had to speak in public and might not be in touch, he liked to reach in his pocket and be grounded by touching a familar object and lately it had been a thorn.. These Photos of friends and food are gorgeous.
Posted by: an | February 14th, 2012 at 6:49 am
Everyone looked so relaxed at the team dinner Martha, especially you! What fun! The food looks delicious but that cocktail in pic 6 looks yummy! By the way, while I agree with all of the adjectives on your "profile", you forgot beautiful!
Posted by: Cindy F | February 14th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Hi Martha, First of all, Happy Valentines Day my dear friend, then thanks for another beautiful, fun blog post, and last,but not least, congratulations to handsome Ghenghis Khan for winning his breed section last night at WKC Dog Show!!! That show was so great to see last night and I will watch it again in about an hour and a half! II Buco certainly was a terrific place to take your TV team to enjoy a deligthful, delicious meal! All of you looked so happy and I'm sure you had a great time! Your photos were not only beautiful, but delicious looking, also! Some day, I hope to go to NYC and not only see you, but visit all of these wonderful places you share with us! Thank you so much and hope all of you have a fabulous day, today! Off to read Ghenghis Khan's blog about 'I Won Best of Breed'! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | February 14th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Martha,
It looks like you and your team had a great time at || Buco!
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I see your taking this match.com profile seriously! I hope you find that special someone. Online dating I'm a bit turned off by it.
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Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | February 14th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Martha,
I know the subject is " Fun Night Out at ll Buco", but I just Love Nikki's blouse, it stole the show for me. Where did she get it? What are the chances you would e-mail me and tell me? I am on a mission to find one like it!
Posted by: A. Simmons | February 14th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
love your new hairstyle, longer, very shiny, swingy, multiple hightlights......love your new lipstick color......love your happy smile......you need to add "avantguard visionary for America's homemakers, singles, everybody".....(all have benefited in your upgrading of the "art of the home"......)- to your profile....you are an American Hero!!!!Oliver, my wire-haired fox terrier(long-haired) says"happy V-Day to Frn&Shar"
Posted by: memoir | February 14th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
That looks like a fun, relaxed time with good friends, good food.
Posted by: Frances | February 14th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Martha,
I am sorry your pictures of the food and fun were great but the one catching me off guard was the light fixture. I thought it hilarious
because it looked like everyone was laughing and taking pictures when....you looked up and saw what was hanging over your head. A moment of pause and reflection before moving onto the excellent dishes of the night.
Posted by: Margie | February 14th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
You had me at 'sandwich'. A national holiday for the Earl of Sandwich would pair nicely with Super Bowl time.
Posted by: r steven page | February 14th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
WOWOWOWOW THE NYTIMES IS GOING TO BE REVIEWING THIS RESTAURANT IN TOMORROW'S DINING SECTION (I cheat and read online the day before because I love my NYTIMES!)Looks like I'll never get in to try this great place after reading the EXCELLENT review!
Posted by: Jane M | February 14th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Happy Valentine's Day! All of the food photographs look delicious. Did they share any recipes? You've assembled a great team!
Posted by: Candylei | February 14th, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Martha you look radiant in these photos. The prettiest lady at the dinner. How do you seem to never age? I need your secret.
Posted by: Roma Elkouri | February 15th, 2012 at 1:06 am
Looks like so much fun great company and delicious food.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | February 15th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
Martha, I wish I had the opportunity to sample all the delicious foods you do. Oh, well, it's fun to look at he photos, anyways. Thanks for sharing. How about some more pix of your house and grounds?
Posted by: ValerieInSLC | February 16th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Your friends forgot a word. Instructor - is what you are.... whether it is food, garden, crafts, travel, society, culture, etc. you expand upon the obvious, give the whys for things and just generally instruct on the current topic.
Posted by: Susan | February 20th, 2012 at 3:34 pm