Ruth Reichl

To anyone who pays attention to things that are written about food (credible things – not riff-raff you read here), Ruth Reichl needs no introduction. She is one of the most well respected food journalists and authors of recent times, and is revered by many as a national treasure. Nobody is better when it comes to turning what we eat into words.

So when Gourmet magazine was abruptly closed back in 2009, marking the end of Ruth’s ten year career as editor, the culinary world began to speculate endlessly about Ruth’s next destination. Speculation is now officially over. It was announced in April that she would be at the helm of Gilt Groupe’s new venture into food, Gilt Taste. A new venture that includes yours truly as regular contributors. Not that that has anything to do with why we asked Ruth to give us her Friday Fives. When she talks about restaurants, we listen.

Check out Ruth’s Perfect For picks below, and take a look at our first piece for the new site here.

Ruth’s “Perfect For” Picks

Big Groups

Back Forty (190 Avenue B) – “The big farm tables hold a dozen people comfortably. The ultimate mashup of city and country – and they feed you real food.”

Classic NYC Establishment

Peter Luger (178 Broadway) – “Say what you will, it’s still the best steak in the city. I can’t resist a place whose waiters have been here forever. I like the sawdust on the floor. I even like the fact that steak’s the only good thing on the menu.”

Dining Solo

Momofuku Ssam Bar (207 2nd Ave.) – “It’s just too loud and too crowded to let you be lonely. And the food is – well everyone knows what the food is. Fabulous.”

Adventurous Eating

Woorijip (12 West 32nd St.) – “Don’t much know Korean food? This is a great place to start. Get in line, grab a tray, and snake your way past just about every Korean dish you’ve ever imagined. You pay by the pound – and it’s never very much.”

Corporate Cards

Sushi Zen (108 West 44th St.) – “I really really miss my Gourmet expense account. But never more so than when I’m wishing that I could go to Sushi Zen, sit down at the counter and say, ‘Feed me please.’”

Bonus: Eats With A View

Boat Basin Cafe (W 79th St.) – “It may be the only waterside restaurant that doesn’t cost a fortune. And the charcoal-grilled burgers are pretty good.”

Ruth’s Twitter People

@susanorlean – “Doesn’t everybody?”

@MyLastBite – “Because I’m too lazy to read every food blog out there, and she does it for me. And then tells me what I need to read.”

@Barry_Estabrook – “I don’t get to talk to him every day at Gourmet anymore, so this is the next best thing.”

@kimseverson – “She’s funny. She’s got the form down. And now that she’s gone south, I miss her.”

@Medini – “She was the first person to follow me, so I followed her back. She’s so endlessly cheerful she makes me seem like a grump.”