Khe-Yo in Tribeca, NYC, NY

I never had Laotian food before and admit that I was thrilled to try Khe-Yo when I heard that acclaimed Chef Marc Forgione was associated to the restaurant. Yes, Khe-Yo is the result of the association of a terrific triumvirate, the main character being Chef Soulayphet Schwader whose family escaped from Laos in 1975, after the communists came into power. Years later, not being able to find good Laotian food in the city, he and his partner Nick Bradley joined Chef Marc Forgione and opened few months ago a Laotian inspired restaurant in the thriving TriBeCa area. Of course, as I never tried Laotian food before, I cannot comment on the authenticity, but, anyway, they never presented their restaurant as authentic Laotian; more Laotian inspired, bringing to the table Southeast Asian cuisine, with for instance some flavors resembling Thai cuisine or some dishes Korean ones as you will see below. 

We went there on a Friday night, after an open studio night at the New York Academy of Art. Fortunately we had a reservation, because this place was packed from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. 

I am not sure if they had staff issues, but the service not what I would have expected and, honestly, we just wanted to leave at some point. Not that the food was not good (it was delicious), but the noise level was very, very high, making it difficult to hear each other. So my advice: no romantic dinner or date there, except if you want to make sure you do not hear what the other person says... 

There, no bread and butter, but rather sticky rice with a crushed eggplant sauce that was very smooth and a bit smokey, and with a Thai chili sauce fairly hot called "the bang bang" sauce, in a way reflecting the sound my foot made banging on the floor expressing how spicy this was. 

Although they say on the menu that "sticky rice tastes better when eaten with your hands", I ate it with the sole utensil present on tables: a spoon. Yes, because some of the dishes are made to be eaten with your hands; for others, they will bring you what you need, such as chopsticks. But, to make sure you have clean hands before dinner, like a good little boy or girl, they bring you a wet towel as soon as you order. 

Menu wise, this is of course not your usual dishes or ingredients: mainly meats, few seafood and, unfortunately only one vegetarian entree, it features animals like quail or poussin. 

We decided to try few appetizers. The first one was Ping-Sai-Ua-Moo or grilled Laos style sausage. 

It was a nice presentation and, in fact, all the dishes were well plated and looked appetizing. On one side of the sausage was a mango and peanut sauce (the peanut taste was predominant) and on the other side some lettuce. Although the way to eat it was not explained by the staff, I understood (hopefully) right away that I had to eat it like Korean BBQ, putting a slice of sausage on top of a leaf and add some sauce. 

It was delicious: the lettuce adding a bit of crunch to a sweet and savory combination that was delightful. The sausage had a nice char adding more flavor to the dish. 

The second appetizer was Nam-Khao or kaffir lime sausage with crunchy coconut rice. 

To simplify the description, it was like rice balls, but made with coconut rice, crunchy on the outside from being fried and very slightly softer on the inside. It was perfect with or without the sausage that was a bit spicy. 

For the entrees, Jodi ordered the Khoua-Lhon or wok-fried glass noodles. 

At that point, they brought her chopsticks. It had a nice amount snow peas and sugar snaps in it. Although delicious, I found this dish a bit disappointing, as not original or standing out. 

On my side, I ordered the Goong-Phet or chili prawns:

It was composed of ginger scallion toast and Thai basil sauce. This was a succulent dish, delightfully tasty. The prawns were quite big and perfectly cooked, bathed in a sauce that was slightly spicy, the heat slowly building up in the back of my throat. The toast was good, but I thought that there was too much of it and replaced it with sticky rice at some point.

To go with our meal, I ordered a Laotian beer that was perfect:

The food definitely met my expectations: creative and sublime, although I was surprised to see that they only offered ice cream (coconut or salted caramel) for dessert, making us feel the meal was incomplete. The only negative there was the noise level that made this experience less pleasant than it should. Next time I will bring my noise canceling headsets...

Enjoy (I did - what did you say?)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Brunch at Distilled in Tribeca, NYC, New York

I noticed Distilled, located in the upscale Tribeca, when walking to the New York Academy of Art where Jodi is taking painting classes. Yes, I noticed it for one thing: the country fried duck and waffle in their brunch menu. I love fried chicken and waffles, so why not doing a pairing with any type of bird?

This is a fairly big place, the high ceilings contributing in giving this impression. On the right of the entrance is the bar.

On the left is the main dining room.

With a smaller section in the back, overlooking the kitchen.

So, we sat at out table and ordered our beverages.

Jodi ordered her tea and I wanted to have an espresso. Unfortunately, they do not have any espresso machine, that is surprising for a place like this. So, I ended up with some American coffee served in a mug:

At the same time they brought our beverages, they brought some delicious spicy popcorn that was made with various condiments such as pepper, chili flakes and cumin.

Jodi decided to order two sides as she could not find anything she wanted on the menu.

First was scrambled eggs that were very good: soft and moist like I love them.

And tater tots served with a Manhattan Island sauce, probably their interpretation of Thousand Island sauce.

I liked the tater tots, although some of them were a bit overcooked.

Then came the long awaited fried country duck and waffle:

It definitely looked good. So, I poured the smoked chili maple syrup over the French toast style waffle and had a first bite. 

Unfortunately, this was not good: the spices in the maple syrup were totally overpowering; I did not like the waffle that was very dense and did not taste at all like a waffle and the duck was not only very salty (even for a confit), but the crust tasted as if it sat there for hours, not being crispy at all.

This was such a disappointment for such a promising dish. Well, I guess I will have to find other spots to find some great bird and waffle dishes!

Enjoy (...)!



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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Distilled
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	TriBeCa / American New
	* Street Address
	211 West Broadway (Corner of Franklin St.), New York, NY 10013
	* Phone
	(212) 691-9514

Lunch at Tamarind, Indian cuisine, in Tribeca, NYC, New York

Continuing our discovery of restaurant through Restaurant Week offers, I picked Tamarind, an Indian restaurant located in Tribeca. I saw that they offer an Executive Lunch for $25, so there was little risk for us to go there for Restaurant Week.

Sadly, the scaffoldings on the art deco building this place is located in are masking the restaurant, but, as soon as you enter, you cannot miss the fantastic decor and the space. 

Seating 175 people and setup on two levels bathed in natural sunlight, it has a classy and modern feel.

So we sat at a table close to the kitchen that opened into the dining room.

Before we ordered our food, they brought us some rice with mint sauce as an amuse-bouche.

This was a nice way to start, the dish being flavorful, with a bit of spiciness.

As a beverage, I ordered a mango lassi that was not too sweet and perfect to fight any heat that the dishes had:

Then, we ordered our appetizers. Jodi went for the spinach and watermelon salad:

It was composed, besides the watermelon and spinach, of grilled paneer (cheese), and drizzled with a tamarind-balsamic dressing. I really liked it as it was refreshing and the cheese and watermelon paired very well together, the cheese being chewy and the watermelon crunchy, giving a nice texture to each bite.

On my side, I ordered the crab nazakat:

It was made of lump crab meat, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon zest, honey and coconut, and was served with a papadum. I liked it although a bit watery: it was refreshing and had a nice balance of flavor, the sweetness of the honey balancing the acidity of the lemon zest. However, if it was not for the place and the papadum, I would not have associated this dish with Indian cuisine. 

Then, we had to pick two entrees. Jodi ordered the Potli Baingan:

It was eggplant smothered in a sauce made with potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, cumin and coriander seeds. That was very good! I truly appreciated the fact that the eggplant was not overpowered by the sauce that was creamy and mild.

Her second choice was mehti paneer:

It was paneer (cheese) bathed in a thick sauce made with fenugreek leaves, coriander, yogurt, onion and garam masala. This was delicious too, the sauce being smooth and very tasty.

On my side, I ordered Murg Kali Mirch and Taar Korma.

Murg Kali Mirch were some pieces of chicken that were seasoned and grilled with a sauce that had white and black pepper.

This was delicious: the chicken was perfectly cooked and moist, with a nice char and the sauce thick and a bit spicy. Definitely a dish I recommend.

The second dish, Taar Korma, was lamb smothered in a tomato and yogurt sauce that had ginger juice and saffron.

That was another fantastic dish: the lamb was very good, and the sauce delicious. In fact, I could have eaten it with or without the lamb, simply with some naan bread, or with the five spice rice that was served with our dishes.

They also brought us the vegetable side of the day that was made with spinach and potatoes:

That was a nice addition to our meal, although I wish there was more potato (we got only one small piece).

They also brought us some naan that was fluffy, with some nice char.

Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the Mango Shrikand that was like a mango yogurt with pieces of mango on top.

On my side, I ordered Khubani Halwa:

It was made with apricot, almond and honey.

I really liked the texture and taste of it and it was not too sweet. It was perfect with the double espresso I drank with it.

I really liked my lunch at Tamarind: I think this restaurant is really embracing the concept of restaurant week by making people discover their cuisine, proposing them not one but two entrees as well as an amuse-bouche and an additional side. Needless to say that at the end of the meal I was full, content to have a good deal, and looking forward to going back for dinner to discover other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Tamarind Tribeca
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	TriBeCa / Indian
	* Street Address
	99 Hudson St., New York, NY 10013
	* Phone
	(212) 775-9000

Breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien in Tribeca, NYC

Few weeks ago, Jodi wanted to attend the open house at The New York Academy of Art in Tribeca. As it was at 12pm, we needed to find a place close that opened early enough so we would have time to have a meal. I proposed to go to Le Pain Quotidien as it is one of my favorite places and I know that it is open early. That is how we ended up at Le Pain Quotidien on Chambers Street.

The decor there is no surprise as all the restaurants of this franchise are the same: artisanal look with wood all other, from the floor to the tables and shelves, as well as the large communal table in the middle.

We decided to share few items. First was the Belgian waffle:

It was served with some jam and fresh cream. It was good, but not the best waffle I ever had, being more like a cake, on the heavier side and with no need for the jam that was a bit too sweet.

Then, we shared the assiette de fromages:

It was composed of:

Aged Gruyère:

Local Camembert and Fourme d’Ambert (left):

Aged Vermont goat cheese:

There was also a fig compote and some of their artisanal breads made with raisins:

If you like cheese, this is a perfect spot for it: good price and good quality cheese, served with an assortment of organic breads:

We also ate the bread with some butter or better, some hazelnut chocolate spread that is similar to Nutella, but even better: you taste more the hazelnut and it is much less sweet.

With the meal, I got my double espresso (nice quantity):

And Jodi some tea:

Le Pain Quotidien is a great spot for breakfast or brunch, serving some delicious food in a rustic atmosphere. Their menu proposes a wide variety of dishes that would satisfy any palate, not just focussing on breakfast items. It is definitely a good franchise to remember.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Press Dinner at Thalassa in Tribeca - NYC, New York

If you follow this blog, you will probably think that this is deja vu! No, you are not mistaken: I went to Thalassa already for a press dinner and the review was just ok as there were some mishaps. So, their PR proposed that I come back as they acknowledged that there were some issues that night I went. I accepted of course as, after I wrote my review and posted it, I checked other bloggers' reviews and they seem ecstatic about that place. After all, everybody can have a bad day and I wonder if, knowing that you will serve people who will write about your food, can add a bit of pressure to the kitchen.

As a reminder, when you will read this revisiting post, please remember that the restaurant knew who we were and served us a complementary tasting menu of their choice.

So what makes Thalassa different from other Greek restaurants in the city? It is definitely the fish selection. Anyway, doesn't Thalassa mean "The Sea"?

They have this great fish display where you can see the fish selection and you can order fish by the pound.

In fact, the Chef, Raphael Abrahante, told us that he tries to only buy wild fish as opposed to farm raised. Of course, the price will be different from the market to the plate.

So, here I was at Thalassa, still remembering the place: modern with a spectacular decor designed by a French architect, Jean-Pierre Heim. The bar still looked fantastic with the blue lights and I decided this time to order a ouzo mojito, as we were waiting for other guests to arrive.

The cocktail was pretty good, combining perfectly the anise flavor of the ouzo and the mint. They definitely score some points on the cocktails as I still remember the delicious Greek Pear Martini I had last time.

Once everybody was there, we sat at the table and started our dinner. It seemed very familiar: olive oil, olives, eggplant with roasted red pepper and crostini.

Then, started our culinary adventure that I thought would not stop...

The Cod Fritter:

It was a perfect bite: tasty and not greasy, this is the type of dish I would for sure eat at Happy Hour.

Horiatiki or what any of us would call a Greek salad when ordering in order not to sound ridiculous!

It was composed of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers with Dodonis feta. Light an fresh,  I liked the fact that they removed the skin from the tomatoes, leaving the crunchiness to the cucumbers and peppers.

Pikilia or Mediterranean dips:

This is a great meze to share. They were served with warm homemade pita.

My favorite remains the eggplant dip for sure!

Zucchini and Eggplant chips:

It was fried zucchini and eggplant with Tzatziki sauce (kind on the middle of this veggie tower) and saganaki graviera cheese. I started with the saganaki that was fantastic! I love that cheese, that is a bit salty and has a semi firm texture. The chips were awesome: slightly warm, they are crispy and not greasy. They paired perfectly with the tzatziki sauce.


Next, we got the Bakalao:

Bakalao is cod croquettes with garlic–almond mousse over sliced roasted beets. First of all, the color of the beets was beautiful! Then, the taste of the dish was fantastic: the croquette was perfectly cooked, a bit crispy, with the fish still moist. The beets were a nice pairing with it.

The Octopodi:

This is one of their signature dishes: grilled octopus, extra virgin olive oil & red wine vinegar, gigantes beans. The octopus was amazing: it had a nice char and was very tender, thanks to the technic, that includes massaging from the Chef!

Then we got two ceviches:

The Fluke Ceviche

The Arctic Char Ceviche

The ceviche were very refreshing and had a nice acidity. It was served with fried oysters that were pretty good. The fish was and tasted very fresh and delicate.

The tartare trio:

It was composed of Royal Dorado, Tuna and Lavraki (aka Branzino or Loup de mer - Lean white fish with mild, moist tender flakes) with taramosalata, tzatziki and garlic almond mousse drizzled with truffle oil. It was a nice an refreshing appetizer. The garlic almond mousse was very good, however, I did not taste any truffle oil.

The Main Diver Scallops:

This is another signature dish. The last time, I did not like it at all, but this time, it was a hit! The perfectly cooked scallop was wrapped in kataifi filo with sheep’s milk butter and Kalamata balsamic reduction. The shell was crispy, a bit messy to eat if you like clean bites, but it was so good, with a nice balance between the butter and the acidity of the balsamic reduction. Fantastic!

The last dish before dessert (I started to get full at that point!) was the Branzino (aka Lavraki or Loup de mer):

They brought it whole, so we could see it, before cutting the filets and serving it to us with collar greens.

The fish was perfectly cooked, flakey and moist. It was served with capers that added some saltiness to it. I really liked it, but there were quite few bones...

The feast was not over! After that, came desserts! Know that the Chef has not been trained as a Pastry Chef, that is amazing considering the desserts below!

Valrhona Chocolate Molten Cake:

I love this type of cake, except when the center is overcooked and not overflowing, which was not the case here!

The Mastiha Panna Cotta:

It was topped with fresh strawberries. I loved it! It was so light and not too sweet! Perfect!

The Baklava:

I was disappointed by it: it was unfortunately dry! Too bad as it was the only traditional Greek dessert!

The Ekmek:

Ekmek is Kataifi & Cream with Pistachios wrapped in a Valrhona Chocolate Dome. The dome was a bit tough to break.

But when broken, it was a nice sight! This was a delicious dessert: the filling inside the dome was more like a creamy ice cream with a bit of crunch from the chocolate. One of my favorites!

This dinner was spectacular and night and day compared to the first Press Dinner I attended last year. The fish was really the star! So, I definitely changed my mind on Thalassa! Surely a place to recommend!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!