There, Nicholas Morgenstern serves unique ice creams. Yes, unique is probably the right word, although innovative might be more appropriate. He is taking classic ice creams and put his own twist on it, using all natural products. For instance, he proposes the King Kong Banana Split made with bananas (of course!), five scoops of ice cream, sesame caramel and pineapple. 

Located in Chinatown, Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli, formerly Banh Mi So 1, has been serving banh mi to an hungry crowd since 1988. A Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich, taking its origin from the French during its colonial period. In fact, Banh Mi is the bread before being the sandwich.

We passed so many times in front of Bill's Bar and Burger in the Meatpacking district, whether we were going to the High Line, The Gansevoort Market or Chelsea Market. So, it was on our list and, after a day strolling in the city, we decided to go there to try their cheeseburger. We went early, at a time when it was not that crowded and so, we could hear each other...

Finding a good crêpe place in New York is not that easy. My favorite so far was Bar Suzette, in Chelsea Market, but I was hoping to find another great spot, maybe a bit cheaper and far from the hype of the market. This time, I tried By Suzette, a tiny place in Tribeca.

This was a spectacular dish: first, the presentation was really appetizing and the dish had such an aroma that I just wanted to dig in. The duck was served in two ways: first was a breast that was perfectly cooked (pink) and with the best part being the skin that was deliciously fatty and  heavenly crispy. Then, the kebab sausage that had so much flavors, thanks to the spices they used in it. The dish was served with parsnip purée, quinoa and grapes.

Back in March, on a cold day, we went to Queens, in Sunnyside, to celebrate our friend Livia's birthday, at Bucharest, a Romanian restaurant. We went on a Saturday and I enjoyed the fact that the place was not crowded as we could hear each other talk, until they started string up the place for a party that night and the star of the event started singing. Don't get me wrong: it was...

As we were exploring restaurants in Tribeca, we ended up at Lotus Blue, an elegant Chinese restaurant. I was intrigued by the name and wondering if it was named after one of the Tintin books, Le Lotus Bleu, but I guess I was mistaken, the lotus on the wall not being blue and nothing really in the decor could have indicated I was right. But it got me there!

I had Petrarca Cucina e Vino on my list for a while and we finally went there on a Thursday night, after booking the table on Open Table. I guess the name is an homage to Francesco Petrarca, the Italian scholar, but I admit that I was there less for the culture and more for the food...I probably should insist on the Vino part of the name: when you enter the restaurant, you cannot miss the amazing display of wine that goes all over the dining room; it is pretty impressive.

I recently went to Havana Central for a quick lunch, trying to benefit from their $12.95 prix-fixe. For that price, you get a main dish with two sides (a choice of maduros, black or red beans, white or yellow rice). I love Cuban food that I find very comforting, so I was excited to see how this would be, especially as the place is close to Times Square and I was wondering if it would be a place where foot traffic is more important than the quality of the food.

Then, our burgers came. At that point, we our noses got filled with the fantastic smell of the meat: this definitely opened even more my appetite.

Jodi ordered the cheeseburger with pickles and ketchup. On my side, I ordered the double cheeseburger with ketchup and mayo. I admit that I did not expect the patties to be that thick and the cheddar was oozing from it, giving to the burger an even more appetizing look.

My experience at Sombrero started well...I went there during the lunch break of a training I was attending in the area and it was conveniently located a block away from the training facility, allowing me and my fellow trainee to find quickly shelter as the temperature was freezing. When we arrived, it was very cold in the restaurant and we asked the staff if it was normal (they could have just started the heater); they said that it was normal to have such temperature inside.

Saigon 48 is categorized as a Vietnamese restaurant, but it serves Asian food, from, of course, Vietnamese to Thai or Chinese. Located few block from the heart of Times Square, the interior of the restaurant is not what you would expect. Looking at the menu and their lunch special, I thought it would be the kind of place where you go more for the food than the atmosphere, and was definitely surprised to see the nice decor of the dining rooms (they have a small dining room in the back that would be perfect for a private gathering).

Pongsri is what we could call a chain restaurant whose first location was opened in 1972, in Chinatown, makes it the oldest Thai restaurant in that area. I did not go there, but to the one near Times Square, that I saw many times when walking near the multiple theaters.

The dish took a bit of time to come, but, when it was at the table, my nose was invaded by the delightful smell of the lamb. It was a good dish: the meat being perfectly seasoned and moist, but I would have liked some sauce with it, maybe yogurt. I also liked the grilled vegetables that had a nice char. 

I have never seen a presentation like this and was mesmerized by it! Taste wise, it was delicious, the octopus being perfectly cooked and the dish having the correct acidity. I admit however that I prefer when the octopus has a bit of char that enhances a bit the taste. But still, it was very good.