Category Archives: Red Rooster Harlem

New York City Coalition Against Hunger to honor Harlem’s Marcus Samuelsson

Posted on April 11, 2012 | 3 comments

In full disclosure, I am so happy to report that one of the organizations I have supported for many years will be honoring one of Harlem’s own and an anti hunger advocate at its Spring Into Action Annual Benefit, May 17th at the Solo Event Space. The New York City Coalition Against Hunger, led by Executive Director Joel Berg, will be honoring celebrity chef and Red Rooster Harlem owner, Marcus Samuelsson, for his commitment to help end hunger. Samuelsson, along with State Senator Liz Krueger, Kathy Goldman and Agnes Molnar of Community Food Advocates, and Rachel V. Stevens Esq. with the law firm DLA Piper, will also be recognized during NYC Coalition Against Hunger’s Spring Benefit.

I plan on attending NYCCAH’s Annual Benefit where Samuelsson will receive his award. I hope that you will join me in supporting this dedicated organization that “represents and is the voice for the more than 1,100 nonprofit soup kitchens and food pantries in New York City and the 1.5 million low-income New Yorker’s who live in households that can’t afford enough food.”  If you would like to attend the Spring Into Action Annual Benefit on May 17 from 5-8 PM, you can purchase tickets here. To learn more about NYCCAH and their mission, click here.

And congrats to our Harlem neighbor, Marcus Samuelsson on receiving this special accolade! Let’s raise our glass!

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Posted in Community, education, Events, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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See Harlem restaurant grades on NY Health Department Ratings Map

Posted on April 9, 2012 | 3 comments

If you were wondering how Harlem’s eating establishments make the grade with the New York Health Department, it’s all right here in a simplified ratings map. The New York Times just updated the page April 5. See how your favorite Harlem restaurants stacks up. I certainly did!

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Posted in 116th Street, 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Bars, bier international, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, Chocolat, drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Two Harlem restaurants win 2012 Food & Drink Award by Time Out New York

Posted on April 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Two Harlem restaurants recently received the 2012 Food & Drink Award from Time Out New York, except the weekly magazine doesn’t know it according to their published online article (See photo left). Red Rooster, located on Lenox Avenue between 125th and 126th Street was named Best New Neighborhood Joint. And Earl’s Beer and Cheese, located in SPANISH HARLEM since the restaurant is above 96th Street on the East Side, was named Best Pint-Size Powerhouse. TONY said Earl’s was located on the Upper East Side. Wrong! I am hoping it was a typo given this magazine reports on NYC every week.

Congrats to the two eating establishments. Red Rooster and Earl’s Beer and Cheese, share one common characteristic that I have personally experienced, they are both extremely hard to get into, but well worth the wait!

The full list of winners is listed below :

Readers’ Choice:

Chef of the Year: Seamus Mullen (Tertulia)

Best New Restaurant: The Dutch

Best New Cocktails: Maison Premiere

Best New Neighborhood Joint: Red Rooster Harlem (Harlem)

Best Spin-off: Parm

Best New Pizza: Forcella

Best International Eats: Miss Lily’s (Jamaica)

Best Out-of-Town Import: Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats (Kingston, NY)

Best New Bakery: Dominique Ansel Bakery

Best New Beer Bar: La Birreria

Foursquare Award: The Dutch

Critics’ Picks

Best Culinary Blitzkrieg: Acme

Best Countermove to Comfort Food: Boulud Sud

Best New Gallic Charmer: Buvette

The Instant Classic Award: Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

The Watch The Throne Award: The Monkey Bar

Best Pint-Size Powerhouse: Earl’s Beer and Cheese

Artisan of the Year: New York Distilling Co./ The Shanty

Best Dim Sum Provocateur: RedFarm

Best Love Letter to the Philippines: Maharlika Filipino Moderno

The Intergalactic Kitten Award: Isa

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Posted in 125th Street, Bars, drinks, Harlem, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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OMG…Lenox Lounge in Harlem could close. Please no!

Posted on March 8, 2012 | 6 comments


According to The New York Daily News, Harlem’s famed music establishment Lenox Lounge “could be on its last set.” The current owner, Al Reed, says the landlord of the property wants $20k a month from the prior $10k. The article states Reed is shopping the place around and that there are interested parties, such as Harlemite and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. I hope that is really true about Samuelsson.

Overall, this is sad news to hear. Closing Lenox Lounge would be like closing the Apollo Theater. These establishments are Harlem/American icons. Our community and New York City needs to desperately try to hold on to these treasures. It’s part of NYC’s fabric of life. Lenox Lounge is so special cause of its long history. It’s vintage. I will go as far as saying it should be a landmark and should be preserved. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that an investor views it that way…soon!

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Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, Community, drinks, entertainment, food, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month starts March 1

Posted on February 28, 2012 | 1 comment

It is that time of year again…where Harlem Park to Park presents Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month for the month of March! Starting March 1 and running to March 31, a select group of Harlem businesses will be offering prix fixe menus and select retail items all for $20.12. Check out the list below and head on over to your favorite Harlem hangout this month for Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month!

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Posted in 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Bars, bier international, business, Community, Events, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Watch Savoring Harlem on the Food Network Friday, February 24

Posted on February 20, 2012 | 8 comments


This coming Friday (Feb. 24) at 8 pm our very own celebrity chef, Red Rooster owner, and Harlem local, Marcus Samuelsson, will give Food Network viewers a closer look at Harlem’s food revolution through a special TV program called Savoring Harlem.  In the TV special, Savoring Harlem will showcase the food culture of  several Harlem restaurants, such as Red Rooster Harlem, Melba’s, restaurant pioneer Sylvia’s and more.

Yum! This will be fun to watch and then go out to eat in Harlem afterwards. Turn your tube on at 8 pm to the Food Network!

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Posted in 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, baking, Bars, bier international, business, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, Community, drinks, entertainment, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, Harlem Tavern, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Lenox Social coming soon to a busy Harlem corner near you

Posted on February 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

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Harlem is getting another bar and grill soon, but this time it’s going to be on Lenox Avenue, caddy corner to Red Rooster Harlem and directly across the street from Sylvia’s. Lenox Social is the name of this upcoming place and its going to be located on the northwest corner of 126th and Lenox Ave-321 Lenox Ave to be exact. You may have seen the signage outside already when you walk by?

“Lenox Social will be a gathering spot where friends, co-workers, neighbors and families can count on quality food and drinks at reasonable prices,” says Anahi Angelone, a Harlem resident and owner and general manager of Lenox Social.

HarlemGal Inc. reached out to Angelone recently and she has shared some details with us on her new business. According to Angelone, Lenox Social in Harlem will have “a twenty-two foot long bar with 18 traditional and craft beers on tap, and a great cocktail and wine menu. It will have a fireplace, banquette and communal seating, flat screen televisions as well as projectors and drop down screens for special events.” Lenox Social also plans to have WiFi for customers during the day.

As for when Lenox Social will open, all Angelone would say is “they intend to open in the very near future.” So stay tuned Harlemites. We are about to get another new place to hang and dine at!

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Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, drinks, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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Amtrak publication makes major faux pas with Harlem, but calls it cool and hip

Posted on February 2, 2012 | 2 comments

While Gothamist was quick to point out how Amtrak’s external publication titled Arrive called Harlem a borough, which is a poor journalistic and potentially costly PR mistake, I’d like to point out and focus on how Arrive called Harlem “cool” and “hip.” The article says “New Yorkers are taking notice” of Harlem and “if you blink your eye, something changes.” Yes, this transportation company clearly only sees New York City and it’s sub-sections as a bunch of boroughs. Given the ignorance, it could have been worse. But lets focus on what they really got right, which is featuring our beautiful community and local businesses, talking to good spokespeople about Harlem, and ultimately using the best verbs to describe us, which…hey, we have always known, is being a place that is “hip and cool!” Thank you Amtrak!

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Bars, bier international, business, Community, drinks, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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More tickets available to see President Obama at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater, January 19

Posted on January 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

I just checked out the Facebook page of Harlem4Obama and its says there are more $100 tickets available to the January 19 event, which is The Obama Victory Fund Concert. Go to this link here and get your $100, $300 or $5000 tickets. They just added more this evening.

I am going with another fellow Harlemite. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don’t want to miss it! Hope you will join me in seeing President Obama at the Apollo!

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, Events, Harlem, history, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, The Apollo Theater

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Harlem’s LeRone Wilson takes Bombay Sapphire Top Title at Art Basel Miami

Posted on December 9, 2011 | Leave a comment


Hey, if you see Harlem resident and sculptor LeRone Wilson in the area, tell him “congratulations!” Why? Word has it Wilson entered the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series, which is a nationwide juried art competition in conjunction with Rush Philanthropic, the Foundation founded by Russell and Danny Simmons, and took home the coveted prize recently.

His piece, “A Path Through the Sky,” was selected as winner of the juried competition, which is a nationwide search for the newest talent in art. Nearly 4,000 artists submitted work for this search. Eighteen artists were sent to a final competition at Art Basel in Miami and two final winners were selected, one being Wilson, for the overall prize of a two-man show at Russell Simmons’ Rush Arts Gallery in Chelsea. That show is scheduled for February 2012.

And if you’re wondering who collects our fellow Harlemites’ work-sculpted 3 dimensional paintings made from encaustic? According to Wilson’s peeps, Marea restaurant in Columbus Circle own 2 pieces that hang in the restaurant.He was among the first group of artists to hang work at Red Rooster Harlem. And Wilson commissioned pieces for socialite and New York Interior designer Jennifer Post featured in Architectural Digest. Not bad…huh?

So next time you see Harlem resident LeRone Wilson, give him a high-five! And stay tuned here on this blog for more information on the Rush Arts Exhibition of Wilson’s work slated for February 2012.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem

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