Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Food at Basel

Last Art Basel post, I promise.
This one has to do with - you guessed it - food at the fairs, or "How I went four days without eating a real dinner."
First up, Best in Show was the Fratelli Lyon cafe at Design Miami. The fair's temporary tent structure was the nicest of all the temp tents, and Fratelli outfitted the space with their trademark orange plastic wire placemats, stainless steel counters and platters of antipasti, olives, fresh bread and mouth-watering charcuterie.

If you weren't up for paying for snacks but were lucky to snag a Design Miami VIP card you could indulge in the Audi-sponsored VIP bar where unlimited champagne and espressos as well as Fratelli breadsticks, olives and almonds were on hand. Put it this way: I spent a lot of time at this counter, mostly due to those addictive breadsticks.

Sustenance could be had in Midtown amidst the all the tents that composed the fair village at SushiSamba's pop-up Sugarcane cafe. We sampled a Ginza roll, festively flecked with graffiti-themed rice and a luscious tuna roll.

Saturday morning's Sagamore brunch was packed to the gills with art world fixtures, all of whom dove into platters of smoked salmon, fresh berries and heaping platters of Epicure cupcakes, mini-muffins, black and white cookies and danishes.

And the prize for most subversive refreshment goes to Scope Art Fair and their makeshift absinthe bar sponsored by Pernod complete with scantily-clad Moulin Rouge-y waitresses administering the green-colored spirit via sugarcubes and antique spoons. Then afterward boozy patrons were free to cavort in the bounce-house constructed by Friends With You.
Art is fun and wacky!

4 comments:

SuperBee said...

I did not have a VIP card at Design Miami, and the lady at the door lied to us and told us our admission ticket got us free drinks... so when Stephen and I sidled up to the Audibar and demanded free cocktails, we were summarily shot down and offered espresso instead. Under those hot, hot lights.

I did enjoy draining the Grolsch from the upstairs bar at Art Miami. Until they ran out.

I'm shocked I didn't run into you anywhere...

Elad said...

I didn't realize Sushi Samba had set up shop next to Ginza until my friend and I were walking back from a crowded lunch at Five Guys. that roll looks awesome, Sara! I'm so jealous.

sara said...

Superbee - you are a mooch after my mooch-loving heart!

Elad - I heard the line for 5 Guys was out the door.

Danny Brody said...

Most disappointing food (and service-other than the outdoor bartender Jen who was great) was at Brosia-what the hell is going on there? How do you mess up a burger?