In this episode of Downtown Highlights, we visited BiCE Cucina, an authentic Italian restaurant that brings together hospitality and Northern Italian flavors. BiCE has two locations in New York City, Midtown and Soho. In this episode, we visited BiCE Cucina in Soho, their newest location.
BiCE Cucina Soho
The Story Behind BiCE
BiCE’s story starts about 90 years ago. It all started with Beatrice Ruggeri, also know as Bice. She shared her talent and love for food with her family and friends while growing up in Northern Italy. Impressed by Bice’s food, her friends and family encouraged her to open a restaurant, or “cucina”. She decided to listen to her loved ones and in 1926, she opened her own Trattoria in Milan with her husband, Gino.
Bice and Gino’s sons, Remo and Roberto, took over the business in 1970. They opened the first location in the United States in 1987. This restaurant is in Midtown, between 5th and Madison Avenue. BiCE quickly gained popularity around the world, opening locations in Palm Beach, Tokyo, LA, Paris, and Chicago over the span of three years. BiCE has even gained the attention of some major clientele such as the Kennedys. The legacy of BiCE continues on through Raffaele Ruggeri, Bice’s grandson.
Here, You’re Family
Raffaele’s goal for BiCE Cucina is clear: to make every guest feel welcome like they’re family. When you visit our restaurant “you’re coming into our home…and when you come into someone’s home, our home, you do everything you can to make sure you take care of your guests,” Raffaele Ruggeri explains to us. This goal is definitely being met, as we felt like we were home while eating here. As soon as we walked in the door, we felt welcome here by Ruggeri and the friendly staff.
Authentic and Light Cuisine
The Tuna Tartare
BiCE Cucina works hard to not only serve delicious food but food that is healthy and light. “We hope to create a beautiful restaurant where the food is really impeccable,” Ruggeri explains. BiCE Cucina has a wide variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options so everyone can find a dish that they love.
Everything that we tried at this restaurant was absolutely delectable. The food, including the pasta dishes, was incredibly light. In this episode, we tried three appetizers, the Tuna Tartare, Octopus Carpaccio, and Baked Eggplant Parmigiana, and two pasta dishes, the Tortellini and a gluten-free version of Tagliolini Aragosta. BiCE Cucina is not only a restaurant that serves delicious, healthy food, it is an experience. BiCE truly has something for everyone to enjoy. We will definitely be paying BiCE a visit again soon.
For more Downtown Highlights episodes, click here.
Welcome back to Downtown Highlights on Gluten-Free
The series in which we take the opportunity to “highlight” businesses in NYC, like the dedicated gluten-free Italian eatery, Senza Gluten.
As a result to this unpredictably tumultuous year and a half we’ve had, brick and mortar locations like this one have taken a hit thanks to the pandemic.
It is important to us here at Downtown to make sure that we’re serving the places that serve us.
For this episode of Downtown Highlights, we paid a visit to the esteemed Senza Gluten in Greenwich Village. The name Senza Gluten has Italian origins, of course, and translates to “without Gluten”.
Tiramisu
The restaurant was created in 2014, by Chef Jemiko Solo.
Chef’s goal in opening Senza was simple: to ensure a 100% gluten-free atmosphere. Guests can enjoy a gluten-free meal, devoid entirely of gluten or any risk of cross-contamination. You won’t find a spec of gluten inside the entire facility.
Our own host of Downtown Highlights, Marley Gifford, has celiac disease herself, visiting the facility was a euphoric experience as it is for many visitors of Senza Gluten with gluten intolerances.
Calamari
A Restaurant Made for those with Gluten Intolerances – Gluten-Free
Chef Solo does not have any gluten intolerances himself. However, many of his friends and relations suffer from various food allergies.
Chef made it his mission to help his friends, and all clients enjoying their food, and life, to the fullest.
He dedicates his work to ensure that his guests can again enjoy delicious dishes that disguise themselves as tasting just like the glutinous dishes we know and love.
Having the ability to eat glutinous dishes allows Solo to taste his dishes with an advantage, and gets him closer to the real thing.
The gluten-free possibilities don’t stop at the restaurant. Just down the street from the restaurant is the Senza Gluten Cafe & Bakery, which was opened in 2018.
Shortbread Cookies
This location allows the restaurant to expand its menu of different kinds of bread, pastries, and other baked goods. It is there that they also bake some of their savory dishes, like their arancini and mushroom ravioli, both Senza must-try.
Gnocchi
Pay a visit to Senza Gluten and bring both your gluten-free friends and ones that aren’t. We bet they’ll barely be able to tell the difference.
To see the last Downtown Highlights episode, click here.
Fall is right around the corner, I say reluctantly, with marginally less of a tan than I had at this time last year. As much as I wish not to wish summer away, I am a sucker for fall. I am a cozy sweater fiend, a pumpkin patch regular, and a lover of fall comfort food. That’s why I took it upon myself to prepare the masses for the fall season with French onion soup – Downtown style.
This was my first time attempting this dish that I had only seen in ominous pubs and restaurants, but just never thought to try it. It didn’t help of course, that I have Celiac Disease which prevents me from having gluten and therefore the bready, hearty, decadent soup such as this one.
It wasn’t until I saw a TikTok of the dish being made that I decided I had to have it – and modify it to be gluten-free – regardless of the fact that it is July.
I gathered my nearest family members and got to work. My family is full of restaurant industry veterans, two of which helped me achieve such a task. We didn’t follow a recipe and just went with our gut!
Recipe
Here are the ingredients you will want to add to your grocery list:
3 onions; one white, one yellow, and one sweet.
4 garlic cloves
Beef broth (or bouillon)
1 cup of Swiss
1 cup of gruyere
Fresh thyme
1 gluten-free baguette
Extra virgin olive oil
Butter
White wine (we used Riesling)
Salt and pepper to taste
The first task was to cut the onions. We used three variations; one white, one yellow, and one sweet. Slice them into slivers and toss them into a large pan on low heat. You’ll want this to be ideally large enough to house your whole soup. Prime your pan with a douse of EVOO and two pats of butter. Sweat and sauté the onions until they turn golden and completely caramelized.
BeforeAfter
In a pot on the side, prepare your broth. You can use beef broth for this, but instead, we boiled water and added beef bouillon. Add more or less to taste. Throw in some fresh thyme.
Once your onions are decadently caramelized, add in 3 cloves of minced garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar. Let this flavorful mixture combine before de-glazing the pan with a splash of white wine. We used Riesling.
Thyme for the broth, garlic for the onions.Mince garlicDe-glaze with white wine.
Next, you’ll want to ladle your broth into the onion pan. This will help to gradually introduce flavors before you pour the rest in. Go ahead and do that now. Let your soup simmer while you prepare your other ingredients.
Ladle…… and pour.
Slice your baguette on the bias at about one inch. We used one from Against The Grain, the brand I go-to for all of my gluten-free recipes that involve bread. The bread is made from tapioca starch and mozzarella cheese, so it mimics that glutinous stretchy texture. It’s delicious. Pop the pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle your olive oil over them. Bake until lightly golden and crispy.
Deceptively gluten-free.Drizzle with oil
While you wait for your bread to toast, grate your Swiss and gruyere. Combine them in a separate bowl and set them aside.
Swiss and gruyere
Once the bread is out of the oven, rub a fresh-sliced clove of garlic to each face of every slice. This step is crucial and adds so much necessary flavor that really comes through in the end.
Rub toast with garlic
Ladle your soup into oven-safe bowls or ramekins, and top each with a few slices of bread. Work quickly as you can to avoid letting the bread sink into the soup. Top the ramekins with a generous helping of cheese. In hindsight, we could’ve topped ours with even more. Don’t be afraid to be generous.
Ladle in soupAdd breadTop with cheese
Top each with more fresh thyme, and throw them back into the oven to broil for roughly five minutes.
Finish just in thyme – with thyme. 🙂
Take the bubbly bowls of love out of the oven and dig in. Find that the bread soaks up the rich broth and that the umami flavor of the cheese pairs wonderfully with the sweet onions. I hope you love this dish a much as I do, having had it for the very first time. I certainly don’t think it will be my last. Bon appetit, Downtowners!
One of our long time client’s and restauranteur Chef Jemiko owner of Senza Gluten restaurant and his famous GF bakery experienced something like we have never seen before.
He made the announcement on social media that he would be closing his doors, like many owners he hung on for as long as he could, just after he made the announcement to close, the announcement for the city was announced the opening of indoor dining.
From the time Chef made the first announcement on September 23, 2020, to the very next day September 24th, his second announcement that they will remain open they received letters, email, social media DM’s from all over the US and the World, asking what they as huge fans and loyal patrons could do to help Chef to keep his restaurant open.
Chef and his family were shocked to see the outpouring from patrons, when I heard about his uplifting story, I just had to share this with our readers.
Humanity and Grace are not dead!
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Chef Jemiko, for a little one on one. (oh yes, I did have some of my favorite dishes during this interview)
Chef Jemiko Senza Gluten photo by Raquel Salazar
DTM: How has Covid affected your business?
Chef: “Like so many New York City restaurants, we’ve been very affected by the pandemic. We’ve seen diminished capacity numbers, so many more New Yorkers staying home, less out-of-town visitors, sourcing difficulties and delays, and more. To adapt, we installed relaxing and cozy outdoor seating areas at both Senza Gluten Restaurant and Senza Gluten Cafe & Bakery and launched our first-ever online store, which ships nationwide, in order to reach more of our loyal customers across the country. We’re so grateful for the support of our community, who continue to visit us and order online so that we can keep our doors open.”
Senza Gluten GF Pasta with Red Sauce
DTM: Do you feel the city handled the closing and struggles throughout the restaurant industry?
Chef: “This year has been very challenging for restaurants, but we know that the city has been working hard to help small businesses recover. Even more meaningful than the government’s efforts has been the support of our fans. When we announced we may have to close Senza Gluten Restaurant, customers flooded our social media, emails, and phone lines with words of love, their favorite memories from Senza, and offerings to help. We believe that our community deserves all the credit for Senza Gluten being able to stay open and busy during this difficult time.”
DTM: You are one of the most famous GF restaurants and bakeries in NY, how does that feel?
Chef: “It feels very rewarding to bring joy to people through food— that’s what I’ve always loved the most about cooking. I love being able to reimagine comforting Italian classics so that anyone can enjoy them worry-free, no matter their dietary restrictions or allergies. I have several friends with Celiac disease, and I have seen first-hand the difficulties that they experience while dining out at restaurants. Before I opened Senza Gluten, I would cook gluten-free versions of my friends’ favorite dishes, and seeing the spark of joy on their faces was incredibly gratifying. This is what inspired me to open a gluten-free restaurant, in particular; allergy-safe cooking lends itself to a special, welcoming warmth for people who normally don’t get to enjoy a high-quality, zero-stress restaurant meal.”
Shortbread cookies and chocolate sauce GF by Deb Martin Senza Gluten
DTM: You made the announcement to close your doors, how hard was that decision, and what happened after you made this announcement?
Chef: “The decision was incredibly hard. We’ve put so much work into Senza Gluten Restaurant, and know that it is a haven for so many gluten-free diners, neighborhood regulars, and beyond. When we announced we would likely have to close our doors, our community sprang into action. We received thousands of messages, words of support and encouragement, an overwhelming number of reservations were immediately scheduled for our outdoor dining area, and we even saw sales rise for our gluten-free treats online (and in the bakery!) as folks hoped to support us from near and far. Because of this response, we’ll be able to keep the restaurant open, and we’re so grateful for our wonderful community.”
DTM: What do you attribute the overwhelming world’s response to the news of your closing?
Chef: “I think it is the work of our entire team— from our front of house staff and servers to our cooks and dishwashers. Without the Senza Gluten team’s enthusiasm, we would not be able to create a warm and welcoming experience that defines every service. Our staff truly love coming to work every day; they are incredibly knowledgeable and trained about gluten-free cooking, dining, and accommodating allergies, and they tend to stay with us for years. We’re like a family! We know that our guests really appreciate our accommodating hospitality, attention to detail, and friendliness, and that’s part of the reason that Senza Gluten is so special.”
Teona and Chef Senza Gluten at Downtown Cover Launch Party
DTM: Do you believe that you as a chef have made a huge difference for people with celiac and GF issues?
Chef: “I’ve had guests tell me that it’s been years since they were able to dine at a restaurant! We accommodate allergies that are very serious, so we abide by incredibly strict regulations and careful processes to ensure that everyone’s experience is safe, which is a capability that very few restaurants have. It makes me very happy to be able to provide a relaxing and safe environment for these guests. Some of our most popular menu items are also the hardest to find gluten-free elsewhere— such as Calamari and Tiramisu at the Restaurant, Bomboloni at the Bakery, and more. We hear from customers that they’ve been looking for these dishes forever, and are so happy to have finally found them at Senza Gluten!”
DTM: Can you understand the impact you have had on thousands of people’s lives?
Chef: “It is very special to realize that in the six years we’ve been in business, we’ve been able to help people create memories with their loved ones, over delicious food!”
One of my favorite Dishes Baked Cauliflower Parmesan GF Senza Gluten
DTM: What are your future plans, and will Senza Gluten continue here in NY?
Chef: “We’re so excited for what’s to come. For now, we’re getting used to operating our new online shop— baking and shipping fresh batches of cookies, scones, muffins, bread, and more across the country. We’re very excited to continue growing, and to introduce some new initiatives soon.”
Flourless Chocolate Molton Cake GF Senza Gluten
Please consider supporting your local restaurants, bars, and bakeries, they were there when we needed them!
The announcement comes with a list of restrictions and rules intended to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Restaurants will start at 25% capacity. If the citywide infection rate stays low, restaurants can increase their indoor capacity to 50% on November 1.
But if the infection rate goes back up, restaurants may be forced to shut down again.
Still, the announcement is good news for local restaurants. For months, establishments have been pleading with the mayor and governor to release a plan for a return to operating indoors, particularly since the infection rate has remained below 1% for the past month.
The service and hospitality industry has suffered considerably due to COVID-19, and the push for indoor dining was a push for its continued survival. The pandemic has been especially tough on bars and restaurants, an industry that recently employed more than 315,000 New Yorkers but has been operating at a fraction of its usual business since the city reopened. Thousands of establishments, including some of New York’s most storied diners and watering holes, have shuttered for good or shouldered a huge financial burden since the pandemic started.
—All patrons must get their temperature checked at the door
—At least one member of each party must leave contact information for potential contact tracing if an infected person is linked to the establishment
—Service must end at midnight
—No bar service will be allowed; table service only
—Masks must be worn by diners at all times except when seated
—Tables must be 6 feet apart
—Establishments must adhere to enhanced air filtration, ventilation, and purification standards, though specific details on these standards are not yet available
It’s unclear how many bars and restaurants closed so far, but a New York Times report in August said as many as one-third of small businesses may have been lost for good. Expanded outdoor dining, which was introduced in June, is currently slated to last through October — it has been a hit with patrons, and some hope it will get extended indefinitely. Still, industry leaders have complained, the governor’s restrictions and enforcement have been too severe, causing even more financial problems.
If you’re planning to do some indoor dining, remember to wear your mask when talking to your server and tip generously. It’s going to be a long recovery.
Risotteria Melotti comes to NYC via Isola della Scala, Verona, Italy and brings with it a menu of rice based dishes (like the name-giving risotto) that all happen to be gluten free. After ten years in the restaurant business in Italy, the Melotti family opened their New York outpost in 2013. Since then, they’ve been serving up more than ten types of risotto, also available as rice pasta, along with other Italian specialties and selling their rice and rice-based speciality products in the East Village.
What makes Risotteria Melotti so special is that all of the rice comes from the Melotti family farm in Verona. They specialize in two varieties of rice: Vialone Nano Veronese and Carnaroli. All of their rice and rice products are imported from the farm in Italy, which has been growing rice since 1986. Many of the recipes used at the restaurant are family dishes passed down from Mamma Rosetta.
Start your meal with fantastic rice-based bread, a luxury for gluten-free diners, before moving on to appetizers like arancini, polenta, and rice flour fritto misto. Take your pick from the long list of risotto varieties, which include Mamma Rosetta’s recipe for spinach and asiago risotto along with cacio e pepe and fig and prosciutto iterations, that can all be served with rice flour penne or tagliatelle as well. Our favorite was a lemony shrimp tagliatelle that you could barely tell was not fresh flour pasta.
The restaurant staff also collaborates with the Randall’s Island Association to offer Rice Classes at Randall’s Island Park. Taste their dishes and then see what goes into creating them yourself!
Risotteria Melotti 309 East 5th Street Monday–Thursday: 12:00–10:30 PM Friday: 12:00–11:30 PM Saturday: 11:30 AM – 11:30 PM Sunday: 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM
