Duck kra prow
$$, Thai, Midtown
"Wondee Siam, one of Hell's Kitchen's best Thai restaurants, serves spicy, crispy duck, sautéed with garlic, onions, peppers, chili and Thai basil. Doesn't that just sound unbelievable?"
ChefMichael White
New York
About Michael White
Michael White is the Head Chef and Owner of the Altamarea Group, which is composed of the restaurants Marea, Chop Shop, Ai Fiori, Vaucluse, Osteria Morini, Nicoletta, Restaurante Morini, Osteria Morini and Due Mari in New Jersey, Al Molo in Hong Kong, and the delivery restaurant, Costata. Marea has earned two Michelin stars and is a member of the prestigious Relais and Chateaux. The restaurant, Ai Fiori has also earned a Michelin star.
My Venues
Accolades
- Two Stars (Marea)Michelin Guide
- One Star (Ai Fiori)Michelin Guide
- Best New Restaurant (Marea)James Beard Foundation
- Nominee for Best Chef: New York CityJames Beard Foundation
- Three Stars (Ai Fiori, Marea)The New York Times
- Best New Restaurant (Ai Fiori, Marea)Esquire magazine
- AuthorClassico e Moderno
- ChefsFeed WinnerOne of the Best Things to Eat in NYC
Where I Go Out
Bone-in New York strip steak
$$$, Burgers, Modern, American, Steakhouse, Greenwich Village
"Once you get a reservation, which is a feat at Keith McNally's clubby Greenwich Village restaurant, it's all uphill from there. The dining room has great energy and chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson serve up the best steak in NY. Get the pommes Anna too."
Crispy pig’s ear salad w/ lemon caper dressing
$$$, American, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Gastropub, West Village
"Some people like animal crackers. I like animal chips."
Peanut butter yogurt
$, Yogurt, Upper East Side
"Peanut butter is pretty much my kryptonite, and Pinkberry somehow makes it seem healthier. It's very addictive."
Crispy Chinese watercress salad
$$, Thai, Woodside
"Made with chicken, squid, and shrimp, the textures in this salad are amazing. Once you start eating this, you just can’t stop."
Grilled marinated Creekstone rib steak, bok choy
$$$, Chinese, Dim Sum, Upper West Side
"This is the most perfect, caramelized, charred piece of meat in the city. It tastes like Korean short ribs."
At My Venues
Fusilli with octopus and bone marrow
$$$$, Full Bar, Italian, Seafood, Midtown
"The perfectly rolled fusilli at Marea is populated with a generous serving of braised octopus and rich bone marrow. Whether I'm enjoying a solo dining experience or entertaining guests at my table, I always enjoy this dish with a nicely chilled glass of Chablis–it's the perfect pairing."
Garganelli
$$$, Happy Hour, Full Bar, Italian, Lower Manhattan
"Osteria Morini is one of the best spots in the entire city for pasta. It's all hand made and always perfectly cooked and sauced. I love the garganelli served with cream, peas, truffle butter and prosciutto. Also the torcia with squid ink, shrimp and a seppia ragù. It has an unreal combination of a deep, complex sauce and perfectly tender seafood."
Fusilli with octopus and bone marrow
$$$$, Full Bar, Italian, Seafood, Midtown
"Chef Michael White’s Marea is one of New York’s greatest showcases for Italian food and wine. This dish strikes the perfect harmony in flavors and texture, creating one of the most memorable pasta dishes I’ve ever enjoyed—and I do so as often as possible. It's so delicious, it keeps me coming back for more."
Stracci
$$$, Happy Hour, Full Bar, Italian, Lower Manhattan
"This is quite possibly my favorite pasta dish in the city. I love mushrooms, and these braised ones go perfectly with the ribbon noodles and rosemary oil. I suspect chef isn't shy with the butter, either!"
Pasta
$$$$, Italian, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Midtown
"Michael White is my pasta hero. The spaghetti is one of my favorites: spaghetti with crab, fresh pasta, and chiles—amazing!"
Fusilli with octopus and bone marrow
$$$$, Full Bar, Italian, Seafood, Midtown
"It's chewy, savory, briny, and beautifully rich. The bone marrow adds such complexity to an already perfect pasta dish and really takes it to another level."
