UPPER WEST SIDE — Summer is quickly approaching, and in New York that’s a season-long invitation to take in the city’s many flavors and eat adventurously. If you’re looking for stuff to do and things to eat in the neighborhood over the next few months, we’ve compiled a list of events below that should keep you more than satisfied.
New Taste of the Upper West Side
Where: Theodore Roosevelt Park, West 76th Street and Columbus Avenue
When: Wed.-Sat., May 27-30
New Taste is returning for its eighth year, and the 2015 lineup won’t disappoint. Events include Soirée in the Park with Sarabeth’s and Comfort Classics with Adam Richman, a competition in which 40 neighborhood restaurants will compete to see who has the Upper West Side’s “Best Comfort Food Dish.”
New York African Restaurant Week
Where: Citywide
When: May 31-June 14
Twenty-six restaurants with cuisines from across the continent are participating in New York African Restaurant Week — including Morningside Heights’ Massawa and 10 more venues in Harlem. Most are offering a $28.95, three-course prix fixe menu. In addition, this year’s Edible Bazaar Benefit on June 9 and the First Annual Ms. Iya Oge Food & Fashion Showcase on June 13 are both being held in conjunction with New York African Restaurant Week.
Lions, Tigers and Brews
Where: Central Park Zoo
When: Sat and Sun, June 19-20, 7-11 p.m.
Lions, Tigers and Brews is coming to the Central Park Zoo, and it’s bringing 20 breweries and a slew of food trucks with it. General admission will get guests beer, a souvenir glass, and access to food and the costume contest. But if visitors pay $20 more for a VIP ticket, they can also check out several zoo exhibits, including the tropics house and the sea lion show.
Childhood Memory
Where: Amused, 142 W. 83rd St.
When: Sat, June 27, 5-9 p.m.
Amused, the kid-inspired but very much adult-oriented restaurant, is hosting its first pop-up. Childhood Memory will offer a four-course prix fixe menu, and it’s every bit as whimsical as Amused’s usual offerings. Highlights include mini sandwiches served in a metal cartoon lunchbox, pork belly and baked beans, and a bar of “soap” to wash your mouth out when you say something filthy (actually a deviled egg with bubbly pickle juice). The meal is $45, which includes tip and tax. Drinks menu is separate.
