Vareli, Morningside Heights, NYC

If you don’t mind wading through clots of soused Columbia Students, Vareli in Morningside Heights is a nice spot for some of the best food on the Upper West Side.

The restaurant, which specializes in Mediterranean-themed small dishes dishes and tapas, is situated on the ground floor of the building that also houses that long-time Columbia drinking spot, The Heights. So if you want to avoid the weekend scrum, best to try this place on a weeknight.

Inside, the decor is plain but the food makes up for it.  It’s very good and it’s consistent. I ate at Vareli’s about a year ago and had a delicious meal then too. Friday night, I selected roasted baby beets with kefalograviera cheese, pine nuts, and pickled onions and red beet coulis. The salad was tasty but the texture was a bit mushy, not what I expect from a beet salad.

Then, I tucked into some of the best grill octopus I’ve eaten anywhere. Unlike many versions of this dishes which can be tough and rubbery, this  preparation was tender, moist and flavorful. It was helped along by Moroccan olives, serrano peppers and a bed of labneh yogurt.

My hubby chose pan seared scallops. He’s very fussy about his scallops.  Mostly, we only eat them on the North Fork, right off the boat.  But these were remarkably tender and delicious.

Entrées are mostly in the $20 range. Small plates are in the single digits or low teens.

Vareli

2869 Broadway, New York 10025

(Btwn 111th & 112th St)

212 678-8585

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Cascabel to open soon on the Upper West Side. Photo: Laura B. Weiss

Update: Manager Luce now says Cascabel will open Thursday or Friday, June 30 or July 1.

Cascabel, the popular Upper East Side Mexican spot, is slated to open its new Upper West Side spot soon, possibly in the next few days, according to a manager at the restaurant who identified herself as Luce.

The new outpost, at 2799 Broadway (corner of Broadway and 108th Street) with its trendy menu of tacos, carnitas and other Mexican favoties, is sure to be a hit with Columbia students looking for a moderately priced bite to eat. The place also has a full menu of cocktails.

Will the Upper West Side joint be as noisy as the one across the park? We’ll have to wait and see.

And will Cascabel give Mama Mexico, just down the street at 2672 Broadway, a run for its money?

Let me know what you think of the new place.

Cascabel (Upper West Side)
2799 Broadway (Broadway at 108th Street)
NY NY 10025
212 665 1500

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Book Culture will be opening a second location at 114th and Broadway. Photo: Book Culture.

Deoblin says he’s been in talks with Columbia University for about a year about occupying the space.  An agreement was reached with the university earlier this month, the book store owner said.  Neighborhood book lovers have been mourning the loss of Morningside Bookshop, the space’s former occupant. The prospect of  a new independent book purveyor  on the west side of Broadway at 114th Street is sure to win strong community support.

“There’s always been a bookstores and the community really wanted it,” said Doeblin about the decision to open up a second shop just a couple of blocks from Book Culture’s original location.

Book titles will be more mainstream at the new shop. They’ll be “much more alligned with the best seller list” than the original Book Culture outlet on 112th Street, says Doeblin and will feature an array of fiction and non-fiction titles. The store will also stock cookbooks and other food-related works, he says.

With bigger windows, the space is expected to be bright and airy. Wide-plank wooden floors and handcrafted tables are other amenities that will grace the new store, Doeblin said.  There will be a children’s book area in the basement and a large Spanish section as well.

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Asked about the circumstances surrounding Sal’s death in May, Carmine said, “the painkillers killed him.” According to Carmine, Sal went to the ER seeking relief from a bout of severe back pain. He was given pain medication. Soon, his kidneys shut down. Then, “he had a heart attack,” Carmine said, his voice registering barely above a whisper.

We walked home with our pizza, our mood’s dampened from this impromptu condolence call.

Sal and Carmine’s
2671 Broadway
New York, NY
212 663 7651
View Larger Map

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Update:  Community Food and Juice reopened Oct. 21.

Favorite neighborhood brunch spot Community Food and Juice, which was shuttered because of a fire April 24, is set to reopen in mid-to-late July, a company spokesperson said.

The blaze broke out in the kitchen, according to Dede Lahman, of Clinton St. Baking Co. & Restaurant, which owns Community Food and Juice. There were no injuries, said Lahman, who declined to comment further on the cause of the blaze. The Columbia Spectator had reported that the fire started on the grill.

Damage from the blaze was enough to shut down the restaurant for repairs during the busy Columbia University commencement season earlier this month.

Email info@communityrestaurant.com if you’d like to be notified when Community Food and Juice reopens.

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