Infrared Light, Intuition & a Damn Good Chicken Caesar
Notes on healing, hustling, and why the best sandwiches come when you least expect them.
Some weeks pass like a blur. Others feel like a long exhale you didn’t know you needed.
This one had both.
Between back-to-back meetings, packing, and flying to New York for the Fancy Food Show, my schedule was packed. But in between it all were these perfect, still moments—watching my daughter already moving through the city like she was born to live here… ferry rides where I got to breathe and remember what makes me feel alive… long walks until my feet went numb but my head finally quieted.
There was tarot with Cardsy B. Chiro in the City. Atoboy Tasting Menu and Bar Bianchi with people I love who remind me why New York is still home. And more than anything: that renewed sense that food, love, and purpose are still the best things I have to offer.
I also spent the 3rd of July at Sands Beach Club, where I’ve been going since I was born. We were there with my brother, the Goldbergs, & the Cangianos (Our Guido-Berg / Pizza Bagel Crew )—eating BBQ on the beach and finishing with (what else?) Wall’s Bakery yummies.
Funny story about the Goldbergs—Meredith’s family. Back when I was in culinary school living with roommates on Roosevelt Island, her mom Robin would send me back home, to my shared apartment, after every Jewish holiday with massive bags of rye, challah, cookies, anything she wanted out of the house (we were all culinary students so it always got used up!) She did it so often that my roommates were convinced the Goldbergs owned a bakery. (They didn’t. But they could have.) Whether you’re Italian, Jewish, or just a lover of food, you know that leaving a dinner at someone’s home with your hands full of food is always a win.
This week, I remembered what home tastes like. And why I do what I do.
🍽️ Where I Ate / What I Loved
🥪 The Chicken Caesar That Changed Us
Birdee’s chicken Caesar sandwich took us by surprise—in the best way. Golden Milanese, crisp lettuce, house focaccia. Each bite was a mic drop.
A golden, crackling chicken Milanese that audibly shattered when I bit in, tucked into their soft, housemade focaccia with delicate Caesar-dressed lettuce and just the right amount of pickled onion. Every bite had that eyes-closed moment. Every member of my family agreed, it was outstanding.
And then there was the chocolate croissant: glossy, shattering exterior, with actual molten chocolate inside. Not a cold, solid baton. A warm, melty, oozing center. Just how it should be. Their churro croissant with dulce de leche even made the New York Times last week—just saying. Also, don’t miss the tomato tart with Parmigiano panna cotta, truly seasonal, undeniably perfect.
Birdee lives in The Refinery in the old Domino Sugar building, right next to Wylie Dufresne’s new pizza shop. That whole stretch of Brooklyn is buzzing. Go early. Go hungry. You’ll thank me later.
📍 Everywhere We Ate (And Loved)
Birdee (Brooklyn) – Chocolate croissant of dreams + the chicken Caesar Sandwich to end all Caesars
Atoboy – Galbi-style pork ribs; fried chicken with knockout banchan: peanut sauce, gochujang, apple kimchi, fermented greens
Crown Shy – One of my favorite meals this year. More coming soon.
Overstory – Cocktails, skyline, and a playlist that hit just right.
Bar Bianchi – White Negronis and Hugo spritzes that made me feel like I was in Italy in the '60s.
Sands Beach Club – July 3rd BBQ, Wall’s Bakery treats, and beachside laughter with family and friends.
Fancy Food Show – Press pass in hand, I wandered, tasted, and remembered why I love stories told through snacks.
🍌 Late-Night Banana Split at Serendipity
Ella and I ended one of our NYC nights the sweetest way we know how: with a “coward’s portion” banana split at Serendipity3—which, let’s be real, was still massive. We barely made it through a quarter of it, but every bite was pure nostalgia. Fudge, whipped cream, cherries on top—it was the kind of over-the-top treat that reminds you why this place has been a New York institution for generations. They recently opened a new location near Times Square, but we stuck with the original—because some classics are worth keeping just the way they are.
🍅 From My Kitchen
This week, I made a batch of my favorite granola to keep the travel cravings at bay and breakfast a little more grounded. I had WAY too many oats, so I brought back my Crumb on Parchment granola recipe. I ate this on repeat with stone fruit and a drizzle of honey… or on toasted multigrain sourdough from True Loaf, slathered with goat cheese, cherries, Maldon, olive oil, and cracked black pepper.
Nicole’s Nutty Granola
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup coconut flakes
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup pistachio pieces
½ cup sunflower seeds (unsalted)
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup flax seed
½ cup pumpkin seeds
Syrup Base:
½ lb butter
½ cup honey
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp cinnamon
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tsp vanilla
⅓ cup brown sugar
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a saucepan, gently melt together the honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, canola oil, butter, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth and fragrant. Pour the syrup over the dry mix and stir to coat thoroughly.
Spread on a Silpat-lined baking sheet and bake at 325°F for 22 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until deep golden brown (it gets cunchy when it cools, dont overcook it!) Let cool before storing. It’s sweet, nutty, and perfect with a splash of walnut or pistachio milk from Elmhurst.
🍒 Stone Fruit, Granola & Goat Cheese Toast
Goat Cheese & Cherry Toast
1 slice multigrain sourdough (I used True Loaf)
3-4 tbsp soft goat cheese
4–5 fresh cherries, halved and pitted (or a few spoonfuls of cherry compote)
Maldon sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Good olive oil (I like to use Olivai)
Optional: a drizzle of honey, a few torn tarragon or thyme leaves
Toast your bread until golden and crisp. While it’s still warm, slather generously with goat cheese. Arrange cherries over the top—halves, slices, or a quick spoon of compote. Finish with a sprinkle of Maldon, lots of cracked black pepper, and a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Add a few tarragon or thyme leaves or a touch of honey if you’re feeling it.
✨ Chef-Mom Wellness Corner
🧘♀️ Infrared, Intuition & Inner Alignment
Chiro in the City: Realignment & Release
Waterfalls, Infrared, and Coming Back to Center
Chiro in the City was a journey. I felt myself leave my body and let go as I drifted off. Diana helped me realign with who I am now, in this moment, in this body. Afterward, we went to a beautiful dinner and drinks, where the conversation reminded me how deep long-distance friendship can go when both people love freely. I felt so seen.
Cardsy B: A Tarot First That Felt Spot On
Cardsy B was a first for me. I’ve never had a full tarot reading before, but my cousin gifted me the experience—and I resonated with it more than I expected. She touched on living spaces, relationships, parenting, patterns, abundance, and transformation. All of it felt true. All of it felt now.
Waterfalls, Infrared, and Coming Back to Center
Lately, in the shower, I close my eyes and go to my favorite place: under a waterfall, in the middle of a colorful tropical paradise. Those mental check-ins bring me back to center. I’m also loving the feeling of infrared light on my face—especially after all the travel. It’s been an unexpected tool for grounding, clarity, and glow.
🧳 Travel & Ingredient Spotlight
🛍️ New York Pantry Staples & Soul Snacks
Wall’s Bake Shop – Long Island favorite.
Ralph’s Ices – My forever Long Island staple. Pistachio and chocolate peanut butter cup are my go-tos. The family devours jelly ring, graham cracker, strawberry shortcake, and rainbow cookie. Tell me your flavor.
White Moustache Yogurt – Only in NYC (for now), and worth the hunt. Walnut & orange blossom is my fave. Date and cherry are fantastic too. A perfect hotel snack or breakfast.
Olivai Olive Oil – From Redwood City, CA. Pressed from uncatalogued olive varietals on a reclaimed grove. Wild, peppery, deeply alive. A love story in a bottle.
Elmhurst Milked – A former dairy farm turned clean plant-based milk brand. No fillers, just real walnut and pistachio milk. They’re a staple in my test kitchen fridge.
Jack & Dad’s Hummus – A sesame-free twist on a classic. Instead of tahini, they use miso to add umami and creaminess. Bright, bold, allergen-friendly—and truly delicious.
Cheese & pastry moments with Brian’s parents – I brought back flaky pastries and gorgeous cheeses from the show. Watching them smile with each bite—that’s the kind of quiet joy I live for.
N'duja watch – Tried several spicy, spreadable salamis at the show. Will share my top picks soon. Stay tuned.
🧠 Industry Bite
🧠 Notes from the Fancy Food Floor The Fancy Food Show wasn’t just a showcase of ingredients—it was a storybook of families. I met mother-daughter teams, father-son duos, grandparent-led legacies, and third-generation vendors who went back into the businesses their grandparents started. Some of the most moving moments were when they spoke about honoring heritage while carving out new ground. A couple of favorites:
📣 What’s Coming (And What’s Next)
👩🎓 Gabriella at Hunter: A Proud Mama Moment
Their psychology curriculum is incredible, with options to focus on dance education and programs that open doors to study abroad all over the world. Watching her walk those hallways—graceful, grounded, glowing—it hit me: she’s not becoming her future self. She is her future self, already in motion.
🍝 New Projects: Collabs, Sauce, and High Season Hints
Going to the Fancy Food Show with a press pass was a totally different experience than when I went as a buyer. I wasn’t looking for margins—I was looking for meaning. And I found it. In conversations about legacy, in stories of old recipes reborn, and in the ingredients that connect us across oceans and generations.
I’m deep in the early stages of a new collaboration series with a creator I’ve long admired. Think: cheat day reimagined by chefs, sandwiches that slap, pastas that please, and deeply snackable flavor bombs. More soon.
For Good Sauce continues to grow, and we’re mapping the next stage of expansion. Alex’s story keeps getting better—and the sauce keeps getting bolder.
I’m in the planning stages on a restaurant and a bar one for down th eline, and one coming up soon… Miami High Season will be here again before we know it!!
There’s also more travel ahead: a few final summer pop-ups, potential collabs in Upstate NY and Colorado, and a back-to-school reset that’s all about systems, grounding rituals, and freezer-stash dinners that still hit like a restaurant dish.
Until Next Friday…
Until next week… Wishing you ferry rides that reset your soul, croissants that crackle just right, and spritzes with people who feel like home.
With love from the journey,
Nicole
Food & Travel Writer | Chef | Hospitality Entrepreneur
chefnicolevotano.com | @thechefnicole
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