The Union Square Cafe Cookbook: 160 Favorite Recipes from New York's Acclaimed Restaurant [Hardcover]

Danny Meyer (Author), Michael Romano (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 16, 1994

Union Square Cafe serves some of the most imaginative, interesting, and tasty food in America. The restaurant and its owners, Danny Meyer and chef Michael Romano, have been lauded for their outstanding food and superb service by Gourmet, Food & Wine, the New York Times, and the James Beard Foundation. Now its devoted fans from down the block and across the globe can savor the restaurant's marvelous dishes, trademark hospitality, and warm decor at home.

Offered are recipes for 160 of Union Square Cafe's classic dishes, from appetizers, soups, and sandwiches to main courses, vegetables, and desserts. Hot Garlic Potato Chips, Porcini Gnocchi with Prosciutto and Parmigiano Cream, Grilled Marinated Fillet Mignon of Tuna, Herb-Roasted Chicken, Eggplant Mashed Potatoes, and Baked Banana Tart with Caramel and Macadamia Nuts are some of the all-time favorites included in this long-awaited collection.

Union Square's recipes are easily mastered by home cooks. They call for ingredients that are widely available (mail-order sources are listed for those few that are not), employ familiar techniques, and take a reasonable amount of time to complete. Amateurs and pros alike will find the dishes here as accessible as they are irresistible.

Beyond just providing recipes, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook inspires confidence in home cooks by sharing Michael Romano's tips for success. Readers learn that soaking baby onions in warm water makes them easier to peel (in the recipe for Sweet Peas with Escarole, Onions, and Mint); that the Corn and Tomatillo Salsa served with Polenta-Crusted Sea Bass also goes well with barbecued chicken or pork; that leftover Sautéed Spinach with Garlic makes a great sandwich filling; and that yesterday's sourdough bread should be kept for such soups and salads as Ribollita and Sourdough Panzanella. Danny Meyer's wine suggestions, inspired by the restaurant's remarkable cellar, accompany almost every recipe.

The Union Square Cafe Cookbook does the rare job of capturing the bustling energy and ebullient enthusiasm of the restaurant itself and the spirited personalities—those of Danny and Michael—that drive it. Folks will still go out of their way to eat at Union Square Cafe, but this cookbook—filled with the restaurant's vitality, warm artwork, and tempting recipes—ensures that its pleasures are as close as your bookshelf.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Danny Meyer is the owner of the three-star New York City Union Square Cafe, and Michael Romano has been chef there since 1988. Together they've compiled some of their best-loved recipes, some of which have been on the menu since the restaurants opening, peppering them with clever notations and excellent wine suggestions. Their style is Italian-inspired new American and includes dishes like Orange-Fennel Osso Buco and Ratatouille-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms. There's also an entire section devoted to mashed potatoes. Prepared with everything from over-dried tomatoes to eggplant, ginger and garlic, the restaurant's variations on this distinctly American dish are among its most popular offerings. The book won the 1995 Julia Child Cookbook Award in the First Book Category.

From Publishers Weekly

Owner and executive chef, respectively, of Manhattan's lauded Union Square Cafe, founded in 1985, Meyer and Romano here open the kitchen door to readers curious about what goes into the restaurant's mingling of French, Italian and other cuisines. Their pumpkin flan, for example, is accompanied by whipped cream flavored with cinnamon; their bread salad can serve as a meal, a side or stuffing for roast meats. The book addresses appetizers, sandwiches, desserts, main courses, vegetables; a chapter called "Pantry Staples" gives recipes for stocks, sauces, mayonnaise and more. Especially impressive are their soft-shell crabs with carrot sauce; charred tomatoes, onions and mint; and mocha semifreddo with hazelnut dacquoise. Photos. 50,000 first printing; author tour; Homestyle Book Club main selection.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Ecco; 1 edition (September 16, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060170131
• ISBN-13: 978-0060170134
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #186,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Trusty and Respected Standby December 26, 2000

By Tony B

Format:Hardcover

Without any doubt, this is by far my favorite cookbook. Every recipe I've tried worked brilliantly. Although I'm quite an advanced cook, the recipes would not be too challenging for the novice. The directions are clear and easy to follow, and nothing is left to chance.

My favorite recipes include: Brussel Sprouts, hashed with poppy seeds and lemon; banana tart; braised lamb shanks with garlic and herbs; potato and artichoke frittata; roast peppered rack of venison; and the awesome mashed yellow turnips with crispy shallots.

Finally, I must mention what a helluva nice guy Michael Romano is. On one occasion I had to ask Mike for some advice about the timing of food preparation for a rather elegant dinner party I was preparing for 12 (all of the recipes came from the book). Not only did Mike return my call, but he seemed genuinely interested in not only the problem, but solving it.

Only criticism -- why isn't there a second book??!!

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A top-of-the-line cookbook by a top-of-the-line restaurant. May 3, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I usually avoid restaurant cookbooks because the recipes involve hard-to-obtain ingredients and time-consuming preparations. But The Union Square Cafe Cookbook is that rare exception: not only do the recipes actually taste like the dishes in the restaurant, but the ingredients are readily available at your all-purpose grocery or gourmet deli, and the preparations are user-friendly. Fresh ingredients, simply prepared in unusual combinations. A gem.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I have two words for you: BAR NUTS January 21, 2004

By Peggy Vincent

Format:Hardcover

I probably would violate some copyright law if I put the short and simple recipe for Bar Nuts into this review, but I'm really tempted. They are far and away the most delicious little snacky to have around when guests arrive. Once you've provided them to your friends, they will insist you bring them to every future gathering. And make them right as folks arrive: the aroma that perfumes the whole house is intoxicating, and the nuts, hot out of the oven, disappear really, really quickly, so make plenty.
Damn, they're SO GOOD.
Okay, the rest of the cookbook is a winner, too. It was given to me as a gift from a friend who visits NYC frequently and dines at this restaurant, so, ta-da, I have a 1st edition sighed by both Meyer and Romano, owner and executive chef. The cooking is a beautiful mingling of French, Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines.
Lots of great photos to help with presentation.
Yumilicious, especially the Bar Nuts. Don't forget `em!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorites January 16, 2002

By K. Johns

Format:Hardcover

The Union Square Cafe Cookbook is a keeper. I refer to it frequently for ideas. All the fish dishes are simple and delicious. Mama Romano's Lemon Chicken is a favorite of mine. I like to fix it for the family - it's a wonderful homey dish. It's also good for a casual supper with friends. The cocktail nuts are a staple at my annual Christmas party and everyone always asks what's in them. I've never eaten in the restaurant, but the book makes you feel like a regular. I look forward to cooking out of their new book which just came out.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reputation for Service Extends to Value in the Writing November 14, 2003

By B. Marold HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

There is no need to justify writing a review of a recently published book. For an older book, I always try to find something new to say which other reviewers may not have touched on. In the case of this book and it's companion volume `Second Helpings' by the same authors, about the cuisine of the same Union Square Café, that rationale is simple. Almost all of the recipes successfully fit my criteria for buying celebrity chef / restaurant cookbooks. That is, almost all of the recipes are accessible to the experienced home cook living in the northeast United States and offer resources for making their cooking more interesting.

More specifically, both volumes enrich my repertoire of Italian dishes without the need to invest in many autre ingredients. They make very good use of their 160 recipes (a magic number which seems to be the de regeur count of dishes in this type of book) without adding a large number of the usual, and usually unnecessary list of recipes for kitchen staples. They are here, but their number are kept to a reasonably small number. If I really want to make a primo veal stock, I'll check out the CIA cookbook.

My rating of five (5) stars is based entirely on comparing this book to similar, recently published books by Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, and Emril Lagasse. For books of this type, the lion's share of the value is in the effective presentation of the recipes, and in this task, the authors excel. They make the small point of placing all the ingredients prep work with the ingredients list. The more one reads recipes in other books, the larger this point becomes. This practice would be on my short list of style tips for recipe writing.

There are very few black and white photographs, and I find that I do not miss the large color rotogravure look.... Pages of text provide much more value. I also don't miss the wine parings, as this is only useful to a very limited audience.

Good value for the money. Read more ›

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple (yes really), but Impressive for Your Guests January 2, 2002

By Jacqueline Spence

Format:Hardcover

On one side: less complex than Martha Stewart - you don't have to travel to India for your spices, or own your own farm - the grocery store will do.

On the other side: more into the fine dining category than one of my other favourites - Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef.

The recipes are great using fantastic fresh ingredients. The presentation suggestions and the wine suggestions lift it up a level. It's the perfect entertaining cookbook for dinner parties.

It's for the type of cook who knows how to make their own stock and sauces (If you use *anything*-helper it's not for you) but it's not as hard to coordinate as say, the Grand Diplome Course meals.

I borrowed this book from my mother and can't return it! I'll have to buy my own now!