Friday morning while in NYC I took a 3 hour walking and eating tour of the Chelsea and Meatpacking District areas. The tour, narrated by Curt, began at the Chelsea Market (9th Avenue between 15-16th Streets) which was formerly the Nabisco Biscuit Company, which opened its doors in the 1890's and baked everything from saltines to oreos. (Oreos got their name from the oo in cookie and the re in cream.....o re o.) The tour stopped in many of the market shops to enjoy a sampling of their specialties including Eleni's Bakery, Ronnybrook Milk Bar, The Lobster Place, Amy's Bread, Buon Italia (deli), Manhattan Fruit Exchange and Sarabeth's Bakery. (The croissant baking scene with Meryl Streep and Steve Martin from the movie It's Complicated was filmed here.)
When Irwin B. Cohen created Chelsea Market, he envisioned a one-stop-shop culinary wonderland filled with Manhattan's most exquisite proteins, produce, baked goods, specialty items, preserves, cheeses and wine. Furthermore, he wanted visitors to be able to "find the pot in which to cook our meal, flowers for our tables, clothes to wear to dinner and gifts to bestow upon our guests" all in one magnificient space.
The tour then stopped at Mario Batali's restaurant Del Posto, where I learned of a "dining experience" 5 course meal for $90. We also stopped at Iron Chef Morimoto's sushi bar Morimoto. This was mainly to "experience" the bathrooms, and when you encounter a push button console reading pulsate, oscillate, air dry, etc......well, you can just imagine.
