Elite Event: Neuman’s Kitchen

This review is almost half a year late, but this event still needs to get reviewed because it was AMAZING.
I was late due to work, but that’s okay because they had a designated late table. The rooftop event was absolutely amazing — the view was quite lovely and the bartender was awesome. I was having an awful day at work and he gave me a very generous pour of white wine — my favorite. (And kept the glasses coming.)
I loved the bread & cheese in the beginning — but I’m always a big fan of bread & cheese. The plates I managed to grab were also quite lovely — everything was delicious. I would definitely get Neuman’s Kitchen to cater my next event — all of the food was great. I’m a bit sad that we didn’t manage to try everything on the menu — I guess there was either more people than expected or just not enough food, but my table only managed to get three or four plates. I actually went and got more food after the event because I was so hungry — thank god Whole Foods was nearby (and I live in the neighborhood).
Thanks Ruggy & Emily for organizing an awesome event and Neuman’s Kitchen for catering. And thank you Emily for picking up my ID badge when I forgot it at the event! Looking forward to the next YEE and seeing old friends and making new ones! (Hopefully my work schedule gets a bit less hectic this month and I get to go to more events.)

Beautiful event. Paul Neuman was a wonderful host. The menu (sourced from Union Square Greenmarket) was scrumptious.
Thanks for a wonderful night out!

I’ve been on an (involuntary) Unilocal Event hiatus, and the first one I’ve came back to is this one. And I was blown away.
Greeted with a wine and beer bar, I had a nice glass of Bluepoint Pumpkin beer, along with cheese and veggie plates for DAYS. My guest, Elise, was also quite impressed with her first Unilocal event.
We were served a 3 course sampling menu, and Mr. Paul Neuman, you are quite generous! Started off with a mini salmon bagel. I thought the bagel would be crunchy because of the size, but instead, it had a nice consistency like a regular sized bagel would have. The homemade cream cheese was definitely one of the best I’ve ever had.
The mini Lobster roll was pretty glorious. The spices on the lobster roll was perfectly balanced for a one-​bite wonder. I really didn’t want to finish it, it was amazing. Perfect for cocktail parties that you have to try and network, but get distracted because that lobster roll was very good.
Followed by a fresh made bucatini and tomato sauce, topped with pork shank. Can I relive this night?
To finish off the savory, we were served pork belly topped with an entire scallop. Pretty perfectly seared, both the scallop and pork belly. Very generous portions.
After desserts (yes, there’s desserts too!) The espresso chocolate cake was my favorite.
We ended the night with a guided tour of an impeccably clean kitchen.
Huge shout out to all those Unilocalers that I’ve missed so greatly, and to new friends at every event!
I’m working so hard to convince my company to get all our catering from Neuman’s kitchen, fingers crossed!

This event was one of the best for several reasons. The weather and atmosphere were absolutely perfect (can’t exactly credit Unilocal for that, though). The food was exemplary — the crudite was cut into palatable shapes and the green sauce made these vegetables easy to love. Each course was as lovely as it was delicious. The fresh pasta was simply divine and we all enjoyed the fresh pasta making presentation. I appreciated the talks given by the owner, Paul, Chef Alonzo and tour of their CLEAN kitchen. The kitchen tour was a nice touch.
I know you can’t tell by looking at me but I am not really a dessert person. These desserts were up my alley, though — mini bites of lemon meringue, salted caramel and banana chocolate pie. How adorbs! I loved the lemon meringue, but could have eat 30 of the the salted caramels.
Though we missed Ruggy, Emily did a fantastic job! She was professional, warm, gracious and welcoming. I wonder wear she learned that from…
I am looking forward to hiring Neuman’s for an affair in the very near future, if only for that heavenly pork belly. Great job and thank you!

This was one of the best Unilocal events I ever attended. Whether or not it’s because Ruggy didn’t attend could be open for debate. I mean, there is a correlation there.
It was intimate affair, hosted by Neuman’s Kitchen, which wowed everyone. I don’t think anyone went home unsatisfied. Kudos to the staff, chef and everyone that helped make it a special night.
With Ruggy down in Palm Springs, Emily came through and set up a fantastic evening. She introduced president, Paul Neuman (No, not Paul Newman. It’s spelled differently) who spoke to us about his business. Neuman’s Kitchen does corporate catering around the NYC area. The chef got fresh ingredients from the Union Square farmers market. That’s impressive, seeing how the only thing I get when I’m in Union Square is harassed by some pan handler or knocked into by some kid on a skateboard.
Started the evening by sipping wine and mingling with friends. They had delicious cheeses, crudités and breads laid out. I didn’t fill up on too much because when I saw the menu I knew I had to save some room. Up first were the mini lobster rolls, which I didn’t get at first. There weren’t enough for everyone at our table. I noticed the table to my right had extra though and luckily they let us have them. Thanks Jordan! Up next were the mini smoked salmon bagels. I could have eaten fifty of those.
Now I’m not a fan of grilled corn on the cob. It gets messy. With everyone having it though, why not? It was delicious. The tomato salad with pig ears was an interesting dish. Everyone who I showed the menu to commented on the pigs ears. They were very tasty though.
The first entrée was bucatinni pasta with a braised pork shank. I love bucatinni, it’s one of my favorite pastas. My father would be very jealous. That was the best dish of the night. Up next was sea scallops with pork belly. Another fantastic dish that hit the spot.
I left to go to the bathroom and when I returned all the desserts were gone. I had asked if any more were coming out and they informed me that there was no more left. There was extra bucatinni however, and they were happy to let me have a second serving. Right after finishing my second serving of bucatinni, a server came out with some extra desserts and let me get first pick. Amazing staff! They really went the extra mile to ensure everyone was having a good time.
Thank you Neuman’s Kitchen. I’ve been raving about my experience to everyone I’ve seen this past weekend. And a big thanks to Emily for stepping up and being our Ruggy for the night, great job!

Thing I learned at this event:
1. Neuman’s Kitchen is pretty much a 24-​hour kitchen that churns out food for weddings, corporate events, and parties.
This event was one of the most memorable Unilocal events I’ve been to because we were able to enjoy a tour of the kitchen! I’ve never been inside of a dining establishment’s kitchen before, so it was interesting to see the different stations, kitchen equipment, and bins of house-​baked chips. Neuman’s makes about sixty (!) different corporate deliveries a day (!!) and the kitchen was relatively small for how much food was being made and sent out.
2. They are firm believers in using ingredients that are locally sourced (within an 100 mile radius of Columbus Circle) and they also practice ways to use sustainable plateware and utensils.
We were treated like royalty at this event. As we first entered and mingled on the rooftop, we were allowed to take finger food from the beautifully presented table of brie, blue cheese, and fresh vegetables. Those vegetables were picked from the Greenmarket, might I add. Then, we sat down at tables and ate a full meal that included lobster rolls, tomato salad, grilled corn, freshly made bucatini, and scallops over pork belly! All of these items were consumed on/​in sustainable bowls and plates with paper utensils! We were also treated to small lemon tarts, banana tarts, and espresso bars at the end. We were so spoiled.
2. Unilocalers are wonderful.
I sound like a broken record.
3. Ruggy did a tremendous job organizing this event (and Emily did a great job in his place last night!).
Thank you so much for creating so many Unilocal events this month, Ruggy! What a rock star.
Thank you, Neuman’s Kitchen, for your hospitality! All of the staff members, the president included, were so kind and welcoming.

Elite Event: Neuman’s Kitchen was one of the best events I’ve attended! Thank you Paul Neuman, Ruggy, and Emily!
Pros:
* Intimate «farm to rooftop» sit-​down dinner took place on the company’s private roof — charming space especially with the grass mesh walls & globe string lights.
* Clean and elegant décor– loved the logo, plate settings and flowers
* Very welcoming & hospitable staff. The owner, Paul Neuman, and his associates made sure to chat with every attendee and made a warm welcome speech along with Executive Chef Julian Alonzo.
* Excellent dishes made with fresh locally grown/​produced ingredients and beautifully presented — my favorites were the Blue Cheese and Tomato Chutney with Craisin Bread from the Starter Table, Mini Lobster Rolls, Mini Smoked Bagels, Grilled Corn (with Queso Fresco, Smoked Paprika), Amaranth Bucatinni Pasta (with Braised Pork Shank, Pancetta, Onions and Tomatoes), and Sea Scallops (with Pork Belly, Hearts of Palm, and Radish). I couldn’t get enough of the Grilled Corn and Scallops!
* Open bar with fine wines and ales
* We got to take a tour of their clean and well-​run kitchen just before it got busy!
Cons:
* The rooftop was hard to locate as Neuman’s owns several buildings along Chrystie Street and it’s not on their main 203 location. We ended up being directed by a Neuman associate who happened to be outside. Wish there were clear signs on the door
* There wasn’t enough dessert to go around so our table didn’t get to have any :(
* The Braised Pork Shank was dry
* The bags of Caramel Popcorn were a nice touch and giveaway, but they were unfortunately stale
Overall, Nueman’s Kitchen did a phenomenal job welcoming Unilocalers to their company and food. With such wonderful staff and delicious menus, they are a marvelous choice for company & private events and weddings!

10 more mini lox bagels, please.
Seriously though, one of the best Unilocal events I’ve been to. The food was fresh, delicious, and creative, and the drinks were readily flowing. Paul and his staff did an awesome job showing us a great time and we loved the kitchen tour. Weather was perfect and we all sampled the menu that Chef Alonzo prepared for us. Mini lobster rolls, fresh pasta, seared scallops, and pork belly were just a few of the things we were able to try, and the dishes were all well executed.
We were a little confused as to where the entrance was, but after we were directed to the roof by the staff, it was all good. Lauren M. and I were pretty certain that we’d have Neuman’s cater our next work events, especially since this Unilocal event was so well done.
Shoutout to Emily for being a great Ruggy substitute.

I have to admit that this event, after so many years, has only been my second elite event. I was surprised to see how intimate the rooftop dining area was, but it was a good way to get to know other Unilocalers.
On to the food! Most of the food came in «bite-​sized» or «mini» portions, and it was a perfect way to see how they utilized their ingredients. By far, their pasta stood out the most. The texture, the flavor… it was all delicious!
The staff was very professional (even when they were kind of behind the scenes and thought no one was paying mind to them), and it was nice to meet the chef and the owner of Neuman’s Kitchen. They were informative and hospitable.
To the Unilocal team — thank you for the opportunity to experience such a great, intimate dinner. To the Nueman staff — thank you for supporting local businesses and for a memorable dinner.

Probably the best Elite Event I attended by far! Perfect weather, perfect food, perfect experience. I was so ecstatic when I got the confirmation to attend this intimate event.
Love the set up; was so beautiful, and crazy crazy attention to details!
Complimentary drinks included red/​white wine, pumpkin ale, Brooklyn lager and more. Plentiful drinks to make anyone happy. There was also a cheese and snack station, pasta station and the infamous Unilocal swag table.
If you came early, you would have caught a glimpse of the pasta making demonstration. I was really excited about trying this homemade Bucatini pasta and it definitely did not disappoint!
The whole experience was very intimate – from small talk over drinks/​snacks to a sit down three course meal. For Hors d’oeuvres there were mini smoked salmon bagels and mini lobster roll. The smoked salmon was very light and yummy! For appetizers, there was grilled corn and a market fresh tomato salad with fried pig ear.
Everything they served was prepared fresh at the site. The highlight of the night was the Bucatini Pasta with tomato sauce. Perfect al dente pasta soaking up the perfect amount of tomato sauce with pancetta. I want more! The seared scallops with pork belly was another plus! Dessert was good — lemon meringue tarts, chocolate caramel bars and caramel popcorn with nutella.
I really enjoyed my time and want to thank the Unilocal team for setting this up and The Neuman Kitchen team for hosting us! The staff was wonderful, the chef was great, I have nothing but good words to say about tonight.

Wow, what a beautiful night for such an intimate event. Paul and staff were friendly and chit-​chatting with all of us. After we grabbed our beverages and veggies/​cheese, it was time to eat.
We started with a salmon mini bagel and lobster roll, followed by a tomato salad and corn on the cob. Then we got homemade pasta (the machine was cool) with pork and scallops. I really liked the table settings and serving plates – so unique!
Our table missed out on the dessert but we got to take a tour of the kitchen to see where all the magic happens and is stored.
Sarah M (a Unilocal newbie) joined me as my plus one. Great to see some familiar faces — Lisa, Jordan, Maki — and a fun table to be with: Ann, Christine, Kevin, Dana, etc.
Time to have these guys cater my next special event! Who’s in?

This was one of the best Unilocal events I’ve been to. The thing that set this apart was the intimate setting and outdoor patio atmosphere. We were served at our seats which was nice so we didn’t have to compete with one another for food. It was a far cry from the usual crowded, loud and frantic Unilocal elite events that I’m used to. Our meal consisted of hors d’ouevres and six small plates. Everything was delicious.
Neuman’s Kitchen was our host and they were very hospitable. The founder/​owner made his rounds and chatted with almost everyone. They also invited each table down for a kitchen tour. Their kitchen is massive and the highlight for me was seeing a giant 10lb block of butter — it was hardcore.
Chef Alonso told us that the menu was inspired from the Union Square Market and he hand selected all of the ingredients there.
My favorite dish of the evening was the homemade pasta. We had the chance to watch the chef make the pasta before it was cooked — what a treat! Homemade pasta is ten times better than packaged dry pasta — there really is no comparison. I also really enjoyed the fresh tomato salad with fried pork ear bits. What’s not to love about fried pork ears?
The people at my table were super friendly and I’d like to think that we all had some new Unilocal friends after the event. Everyone passed the shared plates around family style and chatted. Great food with great people, what more can you ask for? Shout outs to Tiffany, Ann, Dana, Christine, Lin, Sarah and Tommy from my table!

Private rooftop event? Sign me up!
As mentioned, this event was very intimate — I’d say about 20 elites and their +1s were in attendance. Several posts were set up – 1) pasta making demonstration 2) bar area 3) table for crudités/​breads/​cheeses 4) dessert station and finally, a dining area arranged with simple but beautiful and bright table settings and dinnerware.
The bartender was wonderful, serving a variety of beers (Pumpkin Ale, Brooklyn Lager) and wines from Duck Walk Vineyards. I stuck with the white for this classy affair.
Everyone had a chance to grab some small bites before the table service began. I got to sample some super fresh veggies and wonderful Hudson Valley brie. The veggies were crisp and wonderful. Fresh is best! And brie. I love brie — I ate a block for dinner the other night. Anyways.
There were two items offered for each course. Hors D’oeuvres included mini lobster rolls and mini smoked salmon bagels; Starters included grilled corn and a tomato salad, and entrees included a bucatini pasta and seared sea scallops. I enjoyed everything on the menu (you can taste the quality fresh ingredients!) although the standouts were definitely the bagel, pasta and sea scallops. As Mr. Neuman noted, it would be the smallest bagel we’ve ever had and he was right. This tiny bite was the real deal though — the salmon was so smoky and fresh. The pasta (made right in front of us!) was cooked perfectly and coated in a mild but delicious tomato sauce accompanied with pancetta, onions and braised pork shank. The scallop was seared perfectly and atop fatty, tasty pork belly. Yum.
For dessert, we sampled lemon tarts, banana cream tarts and a chocolate espresso bar — heavenly!
Towards the end of the meal, we got a tour of their super fine tune, fully equipped kitchen — so systematic and clean! Apparently they cater to dozens of companies per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and also do special events. The kitchen was pretty empty when we were there but I would have loved to see it in action.
This was one of the most intimate events that I’ve had the opportunity of attending and I loved it! It was also lovely meeting some new faces. To all my table mates — find me unless I find you first (creepy much?)! Thanks Ruggy/​Emily, Paul Neuman and the rest of the amazing Neuman Kitchen staff for the top notch accommodations and wonderful evening!

Major kudos to the Unilocal team for pulling off one of the most enjoyable Elite Events so far this year. On a mild Thursday evening, a few Elites and their +1s headed over to the LES and made our way over to the rooftop area in Neuman’s Kitchen, an apt way to say goodbye to the last few days of summer. Although finding the way there was a bit of a challenge (involving entering an unmarked door and walking up a few flights of stairs), we were greeted by the staff and ushered to the outdoor area, which already had place settings prepared on several rows of tables.
After getting a drink and some crudités, we had a chance to hear from the President, Paul Neuman, about the focus of the business on utilizing fresh, locally-​sourced, and seasonal ingredients. It was an emphasis made apparent in the produce served later in the evening, which had been picked up from the Union Square Greenmarket earlier in the day. It’s also worth noting that we were able to watch the bucatini made in front of our eyes, another ingredient that was utilized later in the evening.
Once seats were taken, we were able to dive into the sampling menu prepared for the event. To begin, we started with a few hors d’oeuvres: a miniature smoked salmon bagel, a two-​bite version of the traditional bagel and lox, as well as a miniature Montauk Lobster Roll, which was encased in a delicious and doughy roll. The initial bites made us only more excited for the Starters, which featured a grilled corn on the cob, topped with queso fresco and a generous amount of smoked paprika, as well as the Farmer’s Market Tomato Salad, paired with feta cheese, olive oil, and a few pieces of crispy pig ears.
I’m sure most of us would have been happy with just that, but what followed were the Entrees: the Amaranth Bucatini Pasta, topped with braised pork shank and pancetta in a lightly acidic tomato sauce, as well as the Seared Sea Scallops. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and plated on a generous serving of pork belly with hearts of palm and radish slices on the side to help balance out the richness. And to finish on a sweet note, dessert included bites of a chocolate-​espresso bar, a lemon meringue tart, and caramel popcorn that was thoughtfully bagged so we could take home.
I can’t say enough about how wonderful the staff was the entire night; from the moment we stepped in to the last few minutes of the event as we dwindled over drinks, we were received only with smiles and welcomes. Paul was kind enough to let us go down in groups for a kitchen tour so we could see the workings and division of the kitchen, which gave us a chance to learn more about the catering side of operations and ask any questions.
Many many thanks — to the NYC Unilocal crew and the staff at Neuman’s Kitchen — for having us and hosting such a wonderful event. Once the weather turns warm again, it’s nice to know of a business that can host a variety of events and cater for parties, weddings, and corporate events as well.