Marlow Bistro
There is no surer sign of summer in the city than the appearance of sidewalk seating. Wicker chairs, potted plants, decorative awning...it’s a pretty picture, and there’s no place more guilty of this aesthetic than the mediterranean farm-to-table restaurant Marlow Bistro.
Located on the Upper West Side, Marlow Bistro is the child of Chef Zivko Radojcic, a place for him to wheel out original and modern twists on classic mediterranean food. The menu, which changes depending on the available seasonal fare, includes fresh handcrafted pizzas, homemade pastas, and expertly mixed cocktails.
On my first visit to Marlow, I could only hope that the food would live up to the charm of the bistro, from the soft candlelight to the pretty potted plants. My expectations were more than surpassed, starting with the first course -- and artichoke salad with Jerusalem artichokes, goat cheese, and frisée; a bowl full of creamy, cheesy polenta, and the house bread: crispy focaccia paired with olive oil.
Having rarely had the chance to try house made pasta, I went with the mint-ricotta tortellini with peas, spring garlic and lamb-shank ragout, while my friend chose the the gnocchi sardi, with ramps pesto, mushrooms, asparagus, and feta. Both were delicious, but even so, there were still so many more dishes I wish I could have had room for -- from the goat cheese ravioli with artichoke barigoule, olives, parsley and a sun-dried tomato, to a tartufata pizza laden with blueberry goat cheese, french beans, Parma prosciutto, and truffle oil.
But even if you’re stuffed beyond belief, is there’s one thing you must absolutely make room for at Marlow Bistro, it’s dessert. The restaurant in unique in that it boasts the full-time pastry chef Leidy Azcona, whose dedication to her craft is apparent in each of her delicate, visually stunning dishes. While I only managed room for a chocolate espresso mousse paired with hazelnut ice cream, there are many, many more options to satisfy even the most picky of sweet tooths.
So if you’re looking for the perfect place to enjoy good food and bask in the warmth of a summer night, Marlow Bistro is a must visit. Check them out on their Instagram @marlowbistro, or at their website: https://www.marlowbistro.com/
Make My Cake Upper West Side Opening
Make My Cake, Aliyyah Baylor’s café and sweet treats shop, has opened up a new location on the Upper West Side. Inspired by the baking traditions of Alabama and Mississippi, Make My Cake is home to traditional southern sweet treats with a Harlem twist. Aliyyah launched Make My Cake after gathering a collection of family recipes that have been around for nearly 40 years. Now, Make My Cake is home to numerous sweets, including custom cakes and homemade pies, and its fan base includes Jay-Z and Tina Fey, as well as Fortune 500 Executives.
Aliyyah’s mother formed roots of the business in a family kitchen in the Bronx when Aliyyah was only five years old. The family moved to Harlem, where Aliyyah became her mother’s apprentice. However, shortly after Aliyyah attended college, her mother took on a corporate job and passed the business down to Aliyyah.
The business grew rapidly due to its unique recipes. Aliyyah’s grandmother, Ma Smith, grew up in Mississippi on a family farm, where she grasped the details and history of Southern cooking. The rest of the business was inspired by Harlem, since it has become a home to Make My Cake for more than 20 years.
What makes Make My Cake special is that every sweet treat is taken care of differently, strictly following the family recipe guidelines. There are no “mystery” ingredients involved, but there are specific baking methods required. “Our pound cake is truly a pound of everything, made the max 4 at a time,” said Aliyyah. “Our sweet potato pie and cheesecake only use fresh baked not boiled sweet potatoes, [while] our ice cream is made from a custard base my grandmother created when I was young.”
Make My Cake is not a regular dessert spot; it is a place to which you come to savour every flavor of homemade sweets. Whether it is in its original spot in Harlem, or at the new location on the Upper West Side, Make My Cake allows you to travel through various southern flavors. And if you’re not in Manhattan, no need to worry as Make My Cake, is aiming to expand. “We will start to ship nationwide by the end of the year as well as open two other locations, one of them will be in Brooklyn,” said Aliyyah. “Our goal is to open boutique bakeries that can be franchised to the home bakery looking to leap into entrepreneurship.”
Make My Cake
Photos courtesy of Make my Cake