Taking its name from a famous poet, Rumi Turkish Grill has been serving hungry crowds in Jersey City for several years, offering an extensive menu that makes you want to order everything. We went on a Saturday evening and the place was busy, but not to the point of overwhelming the kitchen as the food came quickly, or the wait staff who was welcoming and checked on us regularly. I love Turkish cuisine and was really looking forward to try few dishes. Here is what we had:…
Omakase seems to be a trend nowadays in New York. I wonder if it is the element of surprise of such meal that makes people love it. If you never had omakase before, know that this Japanese word means “I leave the details to you” and so, you will just sit at the counter and let the chef serve you whatever comes to mind. So, if you do not like raw fish or any seafood, this is …
Located at the entrance of the Newport mall in Jersey City, Buongiorno Gelateria serves an interesting selection of handmade gelato, like the Dubai chocolate that everyone seems to have right now in ice cream or coffee (theirs is pretty good but I am not sure I would get a full scoop), Rafaello chocolates, Kit Kat, etc. In fact, I got their Two Towers that was made with Kit Kat, Nutella and chocolate, a quite decadent mix that had some pieces of Kit Kat in it that added some crunchiness to it. I also…
I have known the brand President for its cheese and butter, the last one I tried being the Leerdammer, their brie and camembert being often in my parents’ fridge when I was a kid. So, when they proposed to send me their gourmet whipped cream to try, I was a bit excited. With the summer, it is perfect with ice cream, but I also enjoy it on pies, fruits, on top of my double espresso or a hot cocoa, and even just like that, without anything else. I mean, Chantilly was something I had often when…
The concept of bouillon was created by a French butcher, Pierre-Louis Duval, in 1855 who got the idea to serve simple and affordable meals in the bustling Les Halles, in the center of Paris, with broth (bouillon in French) being the base component. In the past few years, this concept saw a revival with many restaurants flourishing across France. There, classic French dishes are …
Listen to the last episode: A discussion with Vincent Todarello aka Johnny Prime Carnivore Connoisseur, foodie and meat expert.
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Pick of the month
If you have never been to The Tin Building, you are truly missing an incredible experience. This food market from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is superb, with my favorite spot being their bakery that proposes delicious items, similar to what you would get in France. My favorite is their brioche au sucre that is better eaten there, as the sugar will fall in the bag on the way home, and their...
A while back, I published a recipe of vegetarian chili, made with tofu. Since then, I discovered a meatless product at Trader Joe’s (I am not paid for this nor was I asked by this company to promote their product!) that really looks like ground beef and has the same texture, but is made with soy.
Ratatouille is a Provencal dish that originated in Nice, in the South of France. Needless to say that this dish became popular after the Disney movie of the same name and it is now not uncommon to see it on menus in New York. Comforting, this is the kind of dish where every family has its own recipe. Some cook the vegetables separately. others together. Even the way the vegetables are cut can differ, some preferring them grossly cut and others, like myself, small. Know that it has to cook for a long time and you will surely get a fantastic smell in your apartment.
When I was a kid, the only soufflé I knew was the cheese soufflé that my Mom was making. We never heard about sweet soufflés and it is only much later in my life that variations on soufflés started to appear, like the cauliflower soufflé we made one time with my sister. Then I discovered chocolate soufflés, and one time, banana soufflés. The latter is fantastic; well, if you like bananas! So, the recipe below is my take on a recipe I learned at the Institute of Culinary Education few years ago.
I love ramen and New York is a perfect city to try different ones, having so many places proposing that delicious Japanese dish. And my favorite moment to eat that soup is now, as I like it hot and was never really impressed by cold versions of it. This recipe requires a bit of work, but it is worth it!
I discovered S'Mores in this country, this treat not being known at all in France. Even roasting marshmallows, that we call chamallows, is pretty uncommon there. So, I decided to make my own version of a S'Mores pie, layering a Graham cracker crust, a fudgy brownie and some torched marshmallow. An easy recipe that will satisfy adults and kids!
I discovered olive oil cake a couple of years ago, eating in an Italian restaurant. Since then, I never hesitate to order it for dessert, often preferring it to the popular tiramisu. And in fact the best olive cake I ate, that inspires this recipe, was at Maialino. So, I decided to make my own: an easy recipe for a succulent cake...
This is a simple recipe for a dish that is very comforting: meatballs with orzo (that we call in French langues d'oiseaux or birds' tongues because of their shape).
I remember that when I was a kid, I used to see TV series or movies where people were making pancakes, wondering what it was, as we did not have that in France. In all cases, I would definitely not say that crepes are like pancakes and it makes me cringe when I hear people comparing the two as they are totally different!
Anyway, here is the way I make pancakes at home.
I love BAO, these steamed buns of all sorts of shapes that you can find in Chinese restaurants. I love it so much that I was curious to know how to make it and decided to try myself. I made two versions: pork belly for me and tofu for Jodi (not entirely vegetarian as it contains fish sauce). It is not that this recipe is complicated, but it takes some time.
During our trip to Florence, we had some amazing Tuscan white bean soup. This recipe is inspired from it. Enjoy (I did)! and bon appétit!
Bugnes are some sort of beignets that are popular in Central-Eastern France, the most known being the bugnes de Lyon. There are two sorts: the soft and the crunchy, the difference between the two being the presence of yeast (soft) or not (crunchy). It is not difficult to make, but takes a bit of time as the dough has to rise.
I love paella and tried to recreate my own version, made with meat and seafood and cooked for long enough so the rice gets very soft and flavorful. In this recipe, I have replaced the saffron by turmeric, to give to the rice this nice yellow color, saffron being expensive. Here is the recipe:
Check out this recipe to make some delicious butternut squash ravioli with taleggio cream. In this recipe you will learn how to make homemade pasta! Yum!
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I was really excited to go to Shmoné, a modern Israeli restaurant that was awarded a Michelin star for the first time. Knowing that the chef, Eyal Shani, is also behind Miznon, that I love, we knew we would be there for a treat. We went on a holiday and made sure we had a reservation as this place can be packed. And it did fill up pretty quickly, in the dining room, where we were seated, and at the counter, where diners could observe the kitchen do their magic. The menu is definitely intriguing as, it showcases a lot of very creative dishes. For instance, the crab shawarma ($44) on tomato foam was something I had to…