I Just Want To Eat! 12/31/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/31/18

PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

We went for a long walk towards West New York, looking for a place to dine when we stumbled upon PF Chang’s in West New York. I have never been to this place that I heard about in few episodes of Top Chef and was curious to try it. We got a table fairly quickly, although the place was quite crowded.

Serving pan asian cuisine, we shared few dishes that were ok. Here is what we tried:

Japanese Old Fashioned, made with Suntory Toki whiskey:

Japanese Old Fashioned at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Cecilia’s shrimp dumplings with a chili sauce: very good, the shell was perfectly made, not thick and the shrimp filling was delicious. I like the fact that you can order 4 or 6 dumplings.

Shrimp dumpligs at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Shrimp dumplings at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Chang’s spare ribs: you can get them BBQ wok seared or Rick’s Northern style that is a dry rub with a 5 spice seasoning. I chose the latter that was indeed dry and unfortunately the meat was definitely not falling off the bone as you would expect it.

Spare ribs at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Cauliflower Tempura, a farm fresh cauliflower fried and smothered in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Spicy indeed but very addictive. I loved it!

Cauliflower tempura at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Buddha’s Feast: five-spice tofu in a savory sauce served with asparagus, shiitakes, broccoli and carrots. This was ok, the tofu being a bit bland. However, I liked the sauce on the vegetables and you all know that I m not the biggest vegetable eater!

Buddha’s feast at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Last was dessert: we got some mini-dessert, three of them as we thought that mini would mean quite small. Two would have been enough…It was a triple chocolate happiness, a miso butterscotch pudding (my favorite), and a strawberry and coconut cream cake.

Strawberry and coconut cream cake at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Triple chocolate happiness at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Miso butterscotch pudding at PF Chang's in West New York, NJ

Overall the meal was ok. I am glad I tried PF Chang’s but this is not a must have for me. I should mention that the service was not good: it took forever, we had to ask for our dishes and they even forgot one roll…

Enjoy (…)!

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PF Chang’s - 10 Port Imperial Boulevard., NJ 07093

I Just Want To Eat! 12/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/28/18

Irvington near Union Square

We passed in front of Irvington, located in the hotel of the same name many times, and, as we were in the area, finally decided to have dinner there. This is a big place, with a nice atmosphere, making you forget that you are in a hotel, and with an open kitchen in the back that was really busy.

Menu wise, they cater to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners, serving a wide range of dishes. Here is what we had:

As a cocktail, I got their Paper Planes cocktail, made with Monkey Shoulder scotch, amaro nonino, aperol and fresh lemon juice:

Paper planes cocktail at Irvington in NYC, NY

As an appetizer, I got some Island Creek oysters from Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts. Fresh, they were a nice way to start.

Island Creek oysters at Irvington in NYC, NY

We also shared the roasted peach crostini that was good but could have had more gorgonzola and I would have ditched the endive that made it hard to eat…

Roasted peach crostini at Irvington in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi ordered the margherita pizza that was ok considering this is not a pizzeria.

Margherita pizza at Irvington in NYC, NY

On my side, I opted for the chicken Milanese, served with a tomato and mozzarella salad, a fantastic entree that I highly recommend, slightly crunchy, not greasy, with a perfectly cooked chicken.

Chicken Milanese at Irvington in NYC, NY

It could have been a great meal, but we made the wrong choice of dessert! As we were waiting for the dessert menu, we were hoping to get donuts and here there was written on the menu: the know better donuts. They were grain, wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, peanut and yeast free. Unfortunately they were also taste free! We barely ate them.

Know better donuts at Irvington in NYC, NY

Despite that, I liked my meal at Irvington, although I should mention that the service was not that great. I would go back again though.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Irvington - 201 Park Avenue South, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 12/26/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/26/18

Spa Diner in Hoboken, NJ

It’s been a while since we wanted to try Spa Diner in downtown Hoboken, not that we thought it would be an amazing cuisine, but more for the fact that diners are typical American restaurants that are apparently slowly disappearing in big cities. Yes, when you go to a diner, unless it is an upscale version like Brooklyn Diner, you are expecting comforting and cheap food. But I admit that I was a bit disappointed with Spa Diner: they say they “go the extra smile”, when In fact the service was a bit rude and not as welcoming as their slogan says. Food wise, I did not like it much either and prefer Malibu Diner on the Uptown part of Hoboken. Here is what we had:

Vanilla milkshake at Spa Diner in Hoboken, NJ

Spinach, tomato and goat cheese omelet: mushy, I have never been a fan of omelets like that anyway. At least the tater tots were good.

Pastrami Reuben: they brought it deluxe that I did not ask for, but waited for so long that I took it. The Reuben was salty and not that good.

Pastrami reuben at Spa Diner in Hoboken, NJ

So, overall, not good to experience Americana. I definitely prefer Malibu Diner: cheap and good for what it is. As far as Spa Diner, this is not a trip to the spa for your stomach!

Enjoy (...)!

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Spa Diner - 74 Hudson Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 12/24/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/24/18

Tamashii Ramen in LIC

We were walking on Vernon Avenue in Long Island City when we saw Tamashii Blue, a Japanese restaurant serving ramen. The weather being a bit cold, we decided to dine there, looking forward to it as we did not have ramen in a while. Service was good and courteous and the appetizer delicious, but less than one hour after leaving the place, I got a massive headache that I guess was from the food, maybe MSG, I do not know. So, no, I would not go back...

Here is what we had:

As an appetizer, we shared the mushroom buns, a vegetarian version of one of my favorite appetizers (yes, you guessed well: pork belly buns). This was made with portobello mushroom (not surprising as they have a meaty texture) and cucumber, smothered in a supposedly spicy sauce. If you go, I recommend it.

For her entree, Jodi got a donburi, the veggie-don, that is a rice bowl topped with mushrooms, tofu, menma, onion, scallion and egg. Good, but a bit bland.

On my side, I went for the chasyu ramen that is their signature ramen with extra pork. I realize writing this post that it was supposed to have an egg in it…I definitely did not get it! The noodles and the pork were good, but the broth lacked some taste and there was too much botchy in it. Disappointing.

So, again, considering how sick I was after this meal, I would not go back!

Enjoy (at least the post)!

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Tamashii Blue - 47-36 Vernon Boulevard, Queens, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 12/21/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/21/18

Great Italian dinner at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

You could pass in front of Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa without even noticing a place that is worth knowing. Beautiful restaurant with a sophisticated decor that could intimidate diners looking for a casual Italian place, Scalini Fedeli serves an amazing menu crafted by Executive chef Michael Cetrulo. But know that they only serve a prix-fixe dinner that for $75 is a great deal. Here is what we had:

As a cocktail, I got an Aperol Spritz:

Aperol Spritz at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

They then brought us some amuse: a focaccia bite and some canapés made with butternut squash and smoked salmon.

Focaccia bread at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

It was followed by their porcini mushroom ravioli that was amazing, perfectly made and flavorful, with a hint of truffle.

Porcini mushroom ravioli at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

As an appetizer, Jodi got their arugula and goat cheese salad with fresh anjou pear served alongside an autumn squash tart.

My appetizer was the squid ink tagliatelle in a spicy “Pescatore” sauce with a combination of seafood and cherry tomatoes. Not spicy, it was a fantastic dish: the pasta was amazing, with my only regret being that this was a small portion.

Squid ink tagliatelle at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

Next were the entrees. Jodi ordered the butternut agnolotti with a sage brown butter topped with amaretti and buffalo mozzarella. This was succulent! They definitely know how to make pasta: the ravioli was not too thick, perfectly cooked, with a deliciously sweet filling that paired very well with the brown butter.

Butternut agnolotti at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

On my side, I went for the roasted rack of lamb “Mortadella E Lenticchie Crema” with a rosemary and black olive sauce. This was another amazing dish: the lamb was so good: delightfully fatty and juicy with a nice char on the outside. It was served with a delicious potato au gratin.

Rack of lamb at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

To help digest and before dessert, they then brought us a sorbet made with coconut and lemon, a good way to cleanse our palate. It was sitting on granola that gave a nice texture.

For dessert, we chose the warm doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and served with four sauces (lemon - my least favorite as too tart -, chocolate, raspberry and caramel). These doughnuts were sublime and very addictive. I surely did not need any sauce with them…

The second dessert was just ok. It was the flourless chocolate torte topped with fleur de sel served with caramel gelato and amarena cherries from Emilia Romagna. It was not as chocolatey as it appears.

Flourless chocolate cake at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

And with the bill, some chocolate biscotti…

Chocolate biscotti at Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa

That was a great meal: Scalini Fedeli is a nice place in TriBeCa, like an old school Italian restaurant where you can taste various dishes from all over Italy, discovering each time you go something new, their menu being quite extensive. It is a bit pricey, but it is worth it.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Scalini Fedeli - 165 Duane Street, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 12/19/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/19/18

Spanish tapas at Lola's in Hoboken

There are places where you know you went and had a bad experience but do not remember why. And then suddenly it comes back like a flashback. This is how I felt when we had dinner at Lola’s, a tapas restaurant in Hoboken: wait staff overwhelmed, kitchen backed up, and few vegetarian choices. And a classic Spanish dish not that good, quite dry: yes, I’ll pass on the tortilla española. Too bad because some of the food was really good there. Here is what we had:

I started with a glass of red sangria:

Tortilla española: no comment as you already know what I am thinking about it.

Goat cheese with wild mushroom over pita: very good, with a nice amount of cheese, goat pairing very nicely with mushrooms.

Goat cheese with wild mushrooms over pita at Hoboken, NJ

Chipirones en su tinta or young calamari cooked in their own squid ink: the best dish of the evening that brought back some memories when I was a kid; my grandmother used to cook that dish exclusively for my grandfather and my dad. But, as my dad knew I loved it, he always gave me a small portion. The calamari was perfectly cooked, not rubbery, and the sauce was delicious.

Chorizo en cerveza or Spanish sausage cooked in beer. Very good if you like chorizo.

Espinaca con garbanzos or spinach with chickpeas: just ok for me, especially knowing that I am not a big fan of spinach.

For dessert, they had quite a wide selection that they bring at your table to make the choice even more difficult. But no churros, my all time favorite Spanish treat, so we went for the flan that was delicious, dense and not too thick, served with whipped cream (not homemade) and vanilla ice cream.

With the bill, they brought us a shot made with some alcohol I could not remember, vanilla ice cream and cinnamon.

So overall, the meal at Lola’s was good. They would fix the kitchen, it would be great as the wait time (more than 25 minutes before the goat cheese on pita and the rest) spoiled the experience. I also saw they paella that looks very good. So, I may go back there...

Enjoy (I kind of did)!

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Lola’s - 153 14th Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 12/17/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/17/18

Farm to Table dinner at Foragers Table in Chelsea

Located in Chelsea next to its gourmet market, Foragers Table is a farm to table restaurant that serves dishes made with locally sourced products.

With its open kitchen, adjacent to the bar, that also prepares food to go sold in the grocery store, this place has a nice vibe, a great service and no loud music that is something I always notice, going for dinner being for me a moment to share and not to scream.

We were there on Veterans‘ Day with our friends Jen and Chris, for a 6pm dinner. The place was not that crowded at that point, but, when we left, most of the tables were filled with hungry diners. Food wise, they propose a menu a la carte or a prix-fixe (appetizer/entree/dessert) that is, for $45, a really good deal that we could not ignore and picked (know that you can add a wine pairing for an additional $19). Here is what we had:

I started of with a cocktail and chose one made with Michter’s Rye, pressed apple, aromatic bitters and lemon; what they call a “perfect autumn whisky cocktail”. True, beautiful with its star anise, the apple gave that seasonal feel.

Michter’s rye cocktail at Foragers Table in Chelsea

For her appetizer, Jodi ordered the Foragers farm salad, made with croutons, heirloom mix, sweet gem lettuce, olive dirt and a sherry vinaigrette.

The rest of us went for the soup of the day that was a butternut squash soup with fennel. At that point I was surprised by the size of the appetizers as usually, prix-fixe offer smaller portions. Not there. And the soup was delicious: velvety and tasty, I liked the addition of fennel that enhanced a bit the taste.

Butternut squash soup at Foragers Table in Chelsea

I even dipped some of the focaccia bread that they brought to the table at the beginning of the meal.

Next were the entrees. Jodi ordered the “tenderloin” of butternut squash, served with a mushroom ragout and barley. Delicious, the squash was smoked and presented in a nice way that made it look like a full dish, quite creative and appetizing, rather than a double portion of a side.

Butternut squash tenderloin at Foragers Table in Chelsea

Jen went for the chicken that seemed very good and was originally my choice of entree.

But I finally settled for the striped bass, the fish of the day, thinking that I rarely order fish in restaurants. And I did not regret it: it was flaky, moist and perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin. It was served with braised chickories, yuzu pickled apples and a salad.

Stripped bass at Foragers Table in Chelsea

Last was dessert. We went for the lemon ricotta cake and the chocolate torte. I admit that I preferred the former that was airy and tasty, the chocolate torte being a bit dry.

Lemon ricotta cake at Foragers Table in Chelsea

Chocolate torte at Foragers Table in Chelsea

So overall it was a great meal: I definitely would go back to Foragers Table and would again get the prix-fixe that is a good deal, hoping that they change it regularly. The company was great, the food delicious and all of that in a relaxed atmosphere that made it the perfect setting for a dinner out with family, friends or your significant (or soon to be) other.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Foragers Table - 233 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 12/14/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/14/18

La Sirene on the Upper West Side

I love La Sirène, a French restaurant located in Soho that has been opened since 2007. So, when I heard last year that its Chef and owner Didier Pawlicki opened a new location on the Upper West Side, I had it on my list, promising to go there for one dish: the cassoulet. At La Sirène, Chef Pawlicki creates its own version, the Kassulet Toulousain de la maison (homemade). The spelling is intentional: this is not exactly the classic recipe as there is no garlic sausage in it (there is indeed a sausage, but not garlic). His is made with cannellini beans, carrots, tomato, garlic duck confit, slab bacon and pork sausage all braised with duck fat, White Stock and Foie Gras Jus.

Cassoulet at La Sirene on the Upper West Side

But this is not the only dish we tried. I could not resist not ordering their escargots a la bourguignonne, that is snails cooked with butter, garlic, parsley and shallots. I should mention that they were served in their shell, something you don’t find not too often in restaurants. Delicious, especially the bread dipping at the end..

Escargots a la Bourguignonne at La Sirene on the Upper West Side

Jodi went for one of their specials, some asparagus served with a tapenade, berries and a lemon vinaigrette.

Asparagus at La Sirene on the Upper West Side

As well as their delicious goat cheese tarte made with aged Gruyere and truffle.

Goat cheese tart at La Sirene on the Upper West Side

We finished the meal with one of their specialties that I tried in the past: their banana brûlée that is like mixing a banana pudding with a crème brûlée. This was the only dish that was disappointing that day: it was supposed to have homemade Nilla wafers. There were none.

Banana brûlée at La Sirene on the Upper West Side

Despite that, we had a great meal at La Sirène. Their food is very good, with many interesting dishes, some you would rarely find in French restaurants, like the ravioles. I definitely recommend this place!

Enjoy (I did)!

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La Sirene - 416 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

I Just Want To Eat! 12/12/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/12/18

Batard in TriBeCa

I am not sure how I should interpret the name of Bâtard, the Michelin starred restaurant that received many accolades. Bâtard is a bastard in French, with a possible interpretation that the menu crafted by Executive Chef Marcus Glocker, who has an Austrian background, is inspired by multiple European cuisines. The second interpretation is that it refers to a French rustic baguette. I’ll go for the former! Elegant but not stuffy, Bâtard is the sort of classy restaurant where you wonder if you should not have dressed up, their smart casual dress code being surprising considering the experience we had. It is the kind of place where you wonder if they have more patrons or staff, the latter being like in a beehive, going around the dining room to make sure no diners is in need of anything.

For dinner, they serve a tasting centered around the entree: $65 for 2 courses, $85 for 3 courses and $95 for 4 courses. Portions are not that big, so I was fine with the 3 courses, but for Jodi, the experience was a bit disappointing as they did not have any vegetarian entree and she ended up paying $65 for an appetizer and a dessert. Not very accommodating for this type of establishment, I would have hoped that they would have taken that into account in the bill by reducing the cost, but they did not. I admit that this is surprising for a Michelin Star joint and it does not make a vegetarian feel welcome. Nevertheless, the food there was quite good. Here is what we had:

I started with a cocktail, the Zucca Sprezzatura, a mix of Street Puma Scotch, Zucca Rabarbaro Amaro, lemon tonic and Bittermens grapefruit bitters. Very good, it had a nice acidity to it but unfortunately too much ice (what about putting a big cube?).

For my first course, I chose the carrot soup with crispy sweetbreads: this was superb. The soup was creamy, with a nice spiciness building up in the back of my throat and the sweetbreads were delightfully crispy, the two pairing well together.

Carrot soup with crispy sweetbreads at Batard in TriBeCa

Jodi ordered their Doppio pasta that were amazing. It was like a duo of pasta as if you had two kinds stuck together: one being filled with squash and the other one with ricotta. This was quite good, the one with squash having a nice sweetness.

On my side, I opted for the duck breast, served with small pickled pears, foie gras butter and rye crumble. This was fantastic: the duck was cooked as ordered,medium-rare and its skin was deliciously fatty and slightly crispy.

Last was dessert. For Jodi, the trio of sorbet that was composed of lemon, passion fruit and grapefruit (first time trying this flavor: superb).

For me, the brown butter cheesecake accompanied by a sweet potato ice cream. The best on the dish was the ice cream that was delicious and I admit that I would have never guessed that it was sweet potato. The cheesecake was just ok otherwise, lacking the wow effect that the description implied (yes, brown butter).

Brown butter cheesecake at Batard in TriBeCa

With the bill, came delicious fig macarons.

Overall it was good but not memorable. I liked my food but not to the point that I would put this place on top of my list. For a similar cost, in TriBeCa, I would go to Little Park.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Batard - 239 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 12/10/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/10/18

Brunch at Dirt Candy

“Anyone can cook a hamburger, leave the vegetables to the professionals": this is the motto of Dirt Candy. a vegetarian restaurant located on the Lower East Side where Chef and owner Amanda Cohen serves an original menu where vegetables are the master pieces and not just a side. We went there after a long time blog follower read my review of Elisabeth’s Gone Raw in DC and recommended Dirt Candy for brunch.

So here we are, in their dining room with their open kitchen, curious to see what this place has to offer. And it offered a small menu but full of flavor. Here is what we tried:

As a cocktail, I tried their Poolside Breeze, a refreshing drink made with Prosecco Spritzer (I guess it had a bit of Aperol in it, but I did not really taste it), cucumber and cilantro, the latter giving a beautiful green color to a very refreshing drink where the cucumber shined.

Poolside breeze cocktail at Dirt Candy in NYC, NY

We then shared their Korean Fried Broccoli. Broccoli is definitely not a vegetable you will find often in my diet, except maybe in Asian restaurants, when smothered in a thick sauce, but this was incredibly good, Jodi surprised to see me saying “wow” for a broccoli dish…It was delightfully crispy, flavorful with the sauce made with garlic and sesame, as well as, probably, gochujang that had a slight kick.

Korean fried broccoli at Dirt Candy in NYC, NY

Then was the zucchini pancakes served with blossom butter and maple syrup: a bit small, it was superb and a great way to have kids eat vegetables. You still get the taste of pancakes, but with pieces of zucchini.

Zucchini pancakes at Dirt Candy in NYC, NY

Last was the creamy corn grits, that were sitting on collard greens, and topped with a smoked tomato sauce and two tempura poached eggs. This was a great egg dish, creamy, with a nice texture given by the tempura poached eggs that were, however, slightly over.

Creamy corn grits at Dirt Candy in NYC, NY

Overall, the brunch at Dirt Candy was very good and surprising. Egg dishes are a safe bet if you are not that adventurous when it comes to creative vegetarian cuisine, but I recommend stepping outside of your comfort zone. Know that Dirt Candy is a non-tipping restaurant, so the prices you see are what you pay plus tax. I recommend it whether you are vegetarian or not and will certainly go back for dinner this time: their menu looks very interesting.

Dirt Candy - 86 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002

I Just Want To Eat! 12/7/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/7/18

Dinner at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

Don’t be fooled by its name: although the name L’Adresse is French, this restaurant, located across from Bryant Park is an American bistro. And a good one I would say. We went there for dinner and had some great food, a mix of various cuisines that gave a nice menu with both vegetarian and non vegetarian choices.

Open kitchen at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

Dining room at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

We went on a Friday evening and the place was packed, a bit short of staff, but still trying to provide a good service to their diners and an open kitchen in the back that was like a beehive. Here is what we tried:

I started with a cocktail, their whiskey sour made with Johnny Walker Black Label, egg whites and lemon:

Whiskey sour at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

For appetizer, we shared the mezzo platter that is composed of tzatziki (left), romesco (center), roasted beet hummus (right) and a grilled naan. This was very good: the tzatziki was my favorite, but the beets hummus was quite delicious, a nice variation on a classic Middle Eastern dish. The naan, enhanced with Za’atar was delicious and I just wish there was more of it.

For her entree, Jodi ordered their cauliflower steak that was composed of butternut squash, crispy capers, cauliflower potato leek purée, parmesan and piquillo pepper. This was a nice vegetarian dish, cauliflower being more and more served as a main dish, the term steak giving the sense that the dish is more than an elevated version of a side dish…

Cauliflower steak at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

On my side, I could not resist getting the grilled lamb chops that were served with a creamy fontina and truffle polenta, and topped with shaved summer truffles. This was a very good dish: the lamb, although a bit small, was perfectly cooked, not dry, and the polenta very creamy. And I loved the fact that they added truffle shavings to it, instead of just putting truffle oil, elevating a bit the dish.

Lamb chops at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

For dessert, they propose a quite nice selection ranging from American, Russian, Italian and French desserts. We did not hesitate long and ordered their mille feuille, knowing from the description (puff pastry layered with fresh berries and vanilla cream) that it would not be the traditional French one that does not have berries and has icing on top, the best part in fact. It was good, giving us the impression that we had our daily portion of fruit…

Mile feuille at L'Adresse near Bryant Park

Overall, the meal at L’Adresse was very good from beginning to end. This is a place I would go back to for sure.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

L’adresse - 1065 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 12/5/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/5/18

M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

If you are looking for a steakhouse that does not look like one, M Wells Steakhouse might be it. You probably wonder why you would go to Long Island City for steak, not knowing that it would take you as much time to go from Midtown to the Lower East Side than going to LIC where there are quite few gems there, Luzzo’s being one I spoke about last week.

Yes, M Wells Steakhouse is a gem: a modern take on a Steakhouse, with decor that makes you feel like you are in somebody’s backyard. In fact, the entrance looks hidden, as if only reserved for people who know they are there. And then, once seated, you are mesmerized by the wood fire grill where the food is cooked (not directly on the grill but in a cast iron skillet for my steak).

Dining room at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

Wood fire at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

Food wise, it is a place for non-vegetarian diners, that is not surprising for a Steakhouse. We did not feel they were that happy to accommodate Jodi’s vegetarian diet and there were very limited choices. On my side however, it was superb! Here is what we had:

Bread basket: it is always interesting to see how a steakhouse is trying to be original. I guess at M Wells, the butter from France is the little plus.

Bread basket at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

Jar of clams: a small interesting appetizer with a rustic presentation. If you like clams, I recommend it.

Jar of clams at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

For her entree, Jodi went for their farmer’s salad, the only vegetarian appetizer (forget about entrees). It was composed of Winter Squash, apple, pear, and served with a Dijon vinaigrette. When she asked if it was possible to add blue cheese, the waiter seemed a bit frazzled and said that he had to talk to the chef. He came back few minutes later saying that the chef could replace the vinaigrette with a blue cheese sauce. So she went for it.

Farmer’s salad at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

On my side, I decided to try their wagyu flank steak that was cooked on a skillet over their wood fire. It was served with a small portion of pommes salardaises that are slices of potatoes cooked with garlic in duck fat. These were awesome and I just wish there were more. The steak, served with a sauce au poivre or pepper sauce, was fantastic: cooked perfectly medium-rate, it was tender and juicy, smothered by the sauce that was not overpowering and let the meat shine. They do have a ribeye that is usually my go to cut, but it is prepared with a rub and I was not sure I would like it. So $65 was a high price if I did not like it...

Wagyu flank steak at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

Pommes salariasses at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

As a side, we also ordered French fries that were delicious, crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through.

French fries at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

Dessert was even more amazing. We went for the Pouding Chômeur or the unemployed pudding. This dish was created during the Great Depression in Quebec by female factory workers. It consisted of cake batter onto which some maple syrup is poured before baking. While cooking, the cake will rise while the syrup will go in the bottom, creating a deliciously sweet layer at the bottom of the dish. This is a must have! Too bad it was small though...I could have eaten several of these!

Pouding chomeur at M Wells Steakhouse in Long Island City

What a meal at M. Wells Steakhouse, especially for me. If you are vegetarian, like many in steakhouses, you will not enjoy as much. I definitely recommend it!

Enjoy (I did)!

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M Wells Steakhouse - 4315 Crescent St, Long Island City, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 12/3/18 I Just Want To Eat! 12/3/18

Traditional Indian cuisine at Adda in Long Island City

Long Island City will never stop to surprise me. Before even the news about LIC being chosen by Amazon for one of its Headquarters, this neighborhood located few subway stops from Midtown Manhattan was up and coming, with plenty of delicious finds there. The last one is fairly new: Adda, an Indian restaurant, result of the collaboration between owner Roni Mazumdar and Executive Chef Chintan Pandya. I spoke a bit with Roni who I met at The Masala Wala few years ago, a restaurant he opened with his dad, Satyen, on the Lower East Side. He explained to me that they wanted to offer a menu of traditional Indian dishes cooked the same way they would be cooked in an Indian home. And don’t be surprised to see chicken liver and goat brain on the menu: this is apparently common in India and with my many trips there, I never encountered such dishes! I should probably avoid the fancy places!!!

The dining room is of medium size, with the wall paper on one side representing Indian news papers and magazines articles. We arrived probably 25 minutes after they opened and witnessed the place being filled very quickly, many people having a reservation and we were lucky to get a table (so you understand: if you are planning to go, get a reservation!). However, we felt the staff rushed us a bit because of people waiting and it was with disappointment that we heard that they did not have anymore kheer or rice pudding, surprising at this time of the day and considering this is the only dessert they propose. The hostess, who cleaned up quickly our table apologizing for the rush because people with reservation were waiting, was not too convincing and it looked more like a way to get rid of us quicker…Too bad because the food was very good, although quite spicy (they should add the spice level on their menu). Here is what we had:

Dahi Batata Puri, little pockets filled with potatoes, tamarind and mint chutney, yogurt: this is one of my favorite street foods, that I tried for the first time at The Masala Wala. To eat it, you have to stuff the whole thing in your mouth (you need a big mouth), getting an explosion of flavors at the same time. Surprisingly, it had a slight kick, but the yogurt tamed it down.

Dahi batata puri at Adda in Long Island City

Aloo Chana Chaat: fingerling potato tots, chickpeas and chutneys. Very good, slightly crunchy but a bit spicy, I thought based on the description that it would be an Indian version of tater tots...

Aloo chana chaat at Adda in Long Island City

Tawa Kaleji: chicken liver, bell peppers, ginger and pao, a Portuguese bread that was buttery like a challah, served to be dipped in the very spicy sauce. Oh yes: this was very spicy, but I love chicken liver so I kept going at it although my mouth was on fire…

Tandoori Gobi, made with cauliflower, garlic, ginger and Amul cheese. Also delicious, it was again spicy.

Tandoori gobi at Adda in Long Island City

Adda Dal: their dal was very good, creamy like I like it.

We ate the dal with a pillowy butter naan:

The last dish was the lamb chops or Chacha's Lamb Chops, prepared with Garam masala, ginger, garlic and yogurt. These were sublime and I definitely recommend them if you like lamb. The meat was perfectly cooked, not dry and full of flavors.

It was the only dish that was not spicy! Fortunately, we ordered some mango lassi to help:

So, overall, the food was very good but spicy, with plenty of small dishes to share that are not the classic dishes you would see on a menu, with a nice number of vegetarian one. I would definitely go back, but next time I will get a reservation and will ask to make the food mild or medium…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Adda - 31-31 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 11/30/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/30/18

Luzzo's in Long Island City

Luzzo’s is for me one of the top Neapolitan places in New York, a place that I discovered few years ago on a pizza tour and where I went back few times. They opened quite few locations, the last one being in Long Island City, few steps from the subway.

We went there on a Saturday evening, early, and observed the place starting to fill up, in an area where there are not that many options. Food wise, they have a wide variety of dishes, from pasta to pizza. So we tried both! Here is what we had:

I started with a cocktail, the East to West, made with Bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, Angostura bitters, fresh orange juice and lime juice. Very refreshing, I liked to think that it was at least a serving of fruit…

East to West cocktail at Luzzo's in Long Island City

Jodi had a sparkling orange Italian soda or aranciata soda:

Aranciata soda at Luzzo's in Long Island City

The appetizer was the sfogliata di melanzane or eggplant parmigiana, a succulent dish with perfectly cooked eggplant, a delicious tomato sauce and tons of cheese.

Sfogliata di melanzane at Luzzo's in Long Island City

Next was the Tagliolini al tartuffo, a pasta dish made with mixed wild mushrooms, speck, truffle paté in a creamy sauce. A bit heavy for sure, rich, it was very good.

Tagliolini al tartufo at Luzzo's in Long Island City

The pizza was the 4 cheese pizza or Quattro formaggi. I am not sure what cheeses were on it but I guess it was at least mozzarella, ricotta and gorgonzola. This was a fantastic pizza: the crust was puffed up on the outside and thin in the center, deliciously charred.

Quattro formaggi pizza at Luzzo's in Long Island City

We finished the meal with their homemade tiramisu that was a good way to end a formidable meal.

Luzzo’s never disappoints and I am glad to see that they are expanding. Their location in Long Island City is a great addition to Queens.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Luzzo’s - 42-60 Crescent St, Long Island City, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 11/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/28/18

Lunch at Manhatta

I finally made it to Manhatta, one of the most talked about openings of 2018. This little gem, last project of Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, is located on the 60th floor of a high rise building in the Financial District, and boast incredible views of Manhattan. Know that the entrance is on the side of the building it is located in, the staff being probably used to have people asking them where to find the restaurant and directing them at the corner of Liberty and William Streets. Once you find the right entrance, you end up in a lobby where you will check in and check your coat, before stepping into an elevator that will bring you straight up to the 60th floor, a somewhat long ride. As you arrive, the first thing you see is the view: on one side, in the Bay lounge, the Statue of Liberty, from the lounge, downtown and Brooklyn with its famous bridge from the dining room.

Table with a view at Manhatta in NYC, NY

There, Executive Chef Jason Pfeifer created an interesting French inspired menu, with a week day lunch that has fewer options than the week end or evening menu and if you are vegetarian, you might be limited in your choices, although the kitchen seems accommodating. Here is what we had:

Of course, I could not not try their signature cocktail, the Manhatta or Manhattan, made with New York Distilling Ragtime Rye, Carpano Antica, Demerara and bitters.

Manhattan cocktail at Manhatta in NYC, NY

They brought us some delicious crackers with an eggplant spread. They proposed to bring more, but we declined as they were quite addictive and we wanted to eat our meal…

As an appetizer, Jodi got their Stracciatella, a dish made of this delicious Italian cheese, spaghetti squash and olive oil. Normally, it has anchovies that are probably adding a nice depth to the dish. This was good, but there was way too much cheese and the spaghetti squash got lost in it.

On my side, I ordered their Scotch snails, that is a take on escargots and scotch eggs, the snails being served with a pork sausage, bathed in a delicious sauce made with butter, garlic and parsley. This is a great dish and I loved the rustic presentation with the fresh baguette that was cut by hand and aimed at dipping in the sauce.

For her entree, Jodi had to go with another appetizer as there was no vegetarian choices in the proposed entrees. It was the market lettuces, accompanied with radish, tahini and shaved mimolette. Good, but a bit disappointing for her.

For me it was much easier, their entrees being all very interesting. After much hesitation, I opted for the duck confit that is their version of cassoulet. It was served with bacon and watercress. The quantity was a bit small, but it was amazing: the beans were very soft, literally melting in my mouth, with the bacon adding a nice smokiness to the dish. And that duck: perfectly cooked medium rare, the skin was slightly crispy and a bit fatty.

We ended the meal with their chocolate gateau that is a chocolate layered cake, very chocolatey, served with a salted caramel ice cream.

I left Manhatta quite happy that I got to finally try that place: the food was delicious (if you are non-vegetarian), the service on point, in a setting that is amazing, especially if, like us, you are sitting next to a window. Know that Manhatta is a non-tipping restaurant so, besides the tax, there is no surprise with the prices. The quantity of food is small but the flavors are big: I definitely recommend it and will go back there for dinner for sure!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Manhatta - 28 Liberty St, New York, NY 10005

I Just Want To Eat! 11/26/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/26/18

New opening: Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Tim Ho Wan, the acclaimed Hong Kong based dim sum restaurant opened a second location in Hell’s Kitchen after 2 years in the East Village and announcing several future restaurants in the United States. There, Chef Yinghui Zhou, a 30 year dim sum veteran, is serving a menu that I found mainly catered towards non-vegetarian diners. They do have few vegetarian dishes that are properly marked on their menu, but, the day we went, several dishes were not available and most of them were vegetarian!

The place opened beginning of November and I was thinking that the best day to go would be the day before Thanksgiving, rather than waiting for a weekday or week end, thinking that people would travel. It might have been less crowded than usual, but still: as we arrived, they put our name on the wait list, telling us that the wait would be 30 minutes and that we would receive a text when our table would be ready. 40 minutes later, we got seated. They gave us a menu printed on a piece of paper where we had to mark the dishes we wanted and, fortunately, looking at the images on the table set, helped us understand what was what. Here is what we had:

For drinks, Jodi got a blood orange ginger ale and I got a Tsingtao beer (they also have wine and a couple of cocktails):

Blood orange ginger ale at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Tsingtao beer at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Steamed egg cake (vegetarian): interesting dish for sure. It was spongy and fluffy, quite light and slightly sweet. I would easily imagine that as a dessert.

Steamed egg cake at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Har Gow or steamed shrimp dumplings: very good, the shell was perfectly made and the filling very tasty with large chunks of shrimp in it.

Baked BBQ Pork buns: this is apparently their signature dish. Well, after one bite you understand why: it was superb! very flavorful, it had a slight crispiness and I had no difficulty eating the three buns on top of the rest…

BBQ pork buns at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Steamed rice rolls with shrimp and Chinese chives: very good, light, the rice rolls melted in my mouth.

Steamed rice rolls with shrimp at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Pan fried noodles (vegetarian): these thin noodles were delightfully crispy.

Pan fried noodles at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

Dessert: French toast with custard Tim Ho Wan style. This is a must have: deliciously crispy, with a nice custard in the middle, I would eat tons of it.

French toast with custard at Tim Ho Wan in Hell's Kitchen

So, overall Tim Ho Wan was good, not expensive for NYC and the service was on point. Waiting a bit for a table is a bit annoying but it is worth it. The only negatives are the limited choice of vegetarian dishes that is worse when you end up like us on a day where they are short in ingredients and the bill, where I realized that they charged me for a dish they could not make and I had to replace with the pork buns (also charged): so, make sure you check the bill before paying... Despite this, I will recommend it for some delicious dim sum when not in Chinatown, even if you do not get the fun of seeing carts going around.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Tim Ho Wan - 610 9th Ave., New York City, NY

I Just Want To Eat! 11/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/23/18

Poulet Frites at Rotisserie Georgette

I love chicken, not as much as my cat, but still. So I was really looking forward to try the poulet frites at Rotisserie Georgette in the Upper East Side. This elegant place, with its partly open kitchen, where you can see the rotisserie in action, is the creation of Georgette Farkas, who worked with famous Chefs like Alain Ducasse or Daniel Boulud.

Bar area at Rotisserie Georgette in NYC, NY

Dining room at Rotisserie Georgette in NYC, NY

There, Chef Francisco Blanco proposes for lunch, for $29, a roasted half chicken (poulet in French), French fries (frites) that are served skin on and were slightly crispy, and a mixed green salad served with a mustard vinaigrette. The chicken was really good: perfectly cooked, with a crispy skin, it was really moist and the sauce that came with it was not even necessary. It was a jus Provencal, made with herbs from Provence that are typically bay leaf, thyme, fennel, rosemary, chervil, oregano, tarragon, mint and marjoram, that can be found at Whole Food or Trader Joe’s.

Poulet frites at Rotisserie Georgette in NYC, NY

French fries at Rotisserie Georgette in NYC, NY

Greens at Rotisserie Georgette in NYC, NY

Know that this place is mainly geared towards carnivores, but has some vegetarian dishes like the gnocchi Parisienne or some interesting sides like the roasted cauliflower gratin. And it is not just about chicken: they have duck, guinea hen, baby back ribs or dorado. So, yes, I would go back to try other dishes, probably more for dinner this time.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Rotisserie Georgette - 14 E 60th Street, Suite 205, New York, NY 10022

I Just Want To Eat! 11/21/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/21/18

Charritos, Vegetarian Mexican restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

I am not sure if it was always like that or simply because they also have another restaurant few blocks away, on Washington street, that Charritos decided to go all vegetarian, proposing even vegan dishes. We never went there before as it was always packed, an hungry crowd filling their colorful dining room.

We showed up as they opened one day and got to enjoy some delicious dishes that even me, a non-vegetarian, loved. Here is what we tried:

Guacamole: a must have, their guacamole is made fresh and you choose if you want it mild, medium or spicy. I have never been disappointed by it!

Tortilla chips at Charritos in Hoboken, NJ

Quesongo, a dish made with melted cheese and a mushroom chorizo. Very hot, it is definitely a dish for cheese lovers! It comes with pico de gallo and soft tortillas. So, you guessed: you put all of this on the tortilla and make sure you do not burn your mouth…When trying it, it is hard to believe that this is made with vegan cheese.

Pico de gallo at Charritos in Hoboken, NJ

Soft tortilla at Charritos in Hoboken, NJ

Molotes or pan fried plantain rolls stuffed with cheese, tomato sauce, queso fresco (almond milk based), crema, pickled onions, garlic, and sun dried chiles. It was good, although a bit mushy.

Vegetarian empanadas: good and crispy, the filling was tasty.

Vegetarian empanadas at Charritos in Hoboken, NJ

Overall the meal was delicious, very tasty and I did not miss having meat there. I think it is a good idea for Charritos to cater to vegetarian people: maybe this time, it is the non-vegetarian like me who need to make an effort. Not such a big effort though…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Charritos - 121 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 11/19/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/19/18

Dinner at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

It has been a while since we went to Marseille, one of my favorite French restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen (there are not that many) and I realized that I only went there for lunch or brunch, never for dinner. So it was time to change that! We ended up there on a Friday night, the place mainly filled with theater goers considering that, starting 7:30pm, lots of patrons left…

Dining room at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

I like the feel of the place, except the dimmed lights: a bit noisy, I could still enjoy a nice conversation with Jodi, and the service was quite good and efficient.

Food wise, they have some of the classic dishes you are expecting, but still with traditional ones missing (you can’t propose everything anyway): escargots but no foie gras, duck breast instead of confit, with few appetizing options for vegetarians. Here is what we had:

A mandatory apéritif to have there is a Ricard or pastis, an anise-flavoured spirit from South of France, especially the city of Marseille, that was first commercialized by Paul Ricard in 1932, that you typically drink with a bit of water. I had it with a drop of mint, what we call a “perroquet” or parrot, giving to the drink an interesting color.

Perroquet at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

I then got their escargots, prepared also with pastis, garlic butter and herb bread crumbs. Very good, I could not resist dipping my bread in the sauce, the best part of the dish!

Escargots at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

Then, Jodi got a few small dishes: the first one was the Marseille salad that is bibb lettuce, toasted hazelnuts (she asked without), unfortunately overdressed.

Marseille salad at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

The second was the goat cheese tart that has been on the menu for a very long time: it is made with a deliciously flakey puff pastry, goat cheese, tomato confit and caramelized onions. This is a fantastic dish and I love the combination of the confit and sweet caramelized onions with the goat cheese.

Goat cheese tart at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

The third was the panisse or chickpea fries served with a rosemary mayonnaise.

Pretty good, but not as good as the fries that accompanied my steak. Yes, I rarely order steaks in restaurants when not a steakhouse, but cannot resist a steak frites from time to time. What is always surprising me is how thick the steak is usually compared to France where it will be maybe 0.4 inches thin. It was good, but not exceptional: for the same price range, I would go to Le Relais de Venise that only serves steak frites smothered by a secret sauce that is to die for. The steak was served with a béarnaise sauce that was quite good: I just wish there was more of it.

Steak frites at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

For dessert, we decided to try their Valrhona chocolate cake that was delicious, oozing chocolate in the center and perfect with the raspberry coulis it was served with.

Valrhona chocolate cake at Marseille in Hell's Kitchen

So overall we had a good dinner at Marseille: it is a nice place that serves a delicious menu. I’ll be back for sure!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Marseille - 630 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 11/18/18 I Just Want To Eat! 11/18/18

British Columbia Oyster Festival preview at Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

Yesterday, I was invited by the British Columbia Seafood Festival to slurp some oysters at the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, and meet international oyster shucking champion and Guinness Book World Record holder Patrick McMurray aka Shucker Paddy.

Please note that the chocolate was complimentary. However, I was not obliged to post and the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Shucker Paddy has been in this business since 1992 and swears that he is not tired of it, to the contrary, and is not even sick of eating oysters. He is in the Guiness Book of Records for having shucked 38 oysters in 1 minute. One minute is probably the time it takes me to first figure out where to insert the knife before trying to open one single oyster…And wearing a glove to protect your hand is not just for the profane: Shucker Paddy wears a stainless steel glove after cutting himself with a knife in the past.

Shucker Paddy wears a stainless steel knife to shuck oysters

Three kinds of oysters were showcased:

Sawmill Bay Oysters, from the Sawmill Bay Shellfish Company, a family owned business, where the Pocock Family produces shellfish from glacier-fed waters off Read Island in British Columbia, in an environmentally sustainable and ethical manner. These were large oysters, with a moderate salinity.
Mac’s Oysters, a third generation producers, the McLellan family produces sustainable oysters in Fanny Bay. I did not know in fact that Joseph McLellan is a renown pioneer in the oyster aquaculture, importing seeds from Japan after WWII and creating a major industry in the region. With their smooth flavor, their level of salinity varies.
Pacific Rim Oysters from Pacific Rim Shellfish Corp. (The Lobster Man), a company established in 1977 that works directly with producers. These were the smallest of the 3.

There were others like the royal Miyagi or the Totten Virginica, an East Coast oyster that is farmed on the West Coast in Southern Puget Sound, Washington. This variety was introduced to me by Executive Chef Sandy Ingber who oversees Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, with whom I had a nice chat about oysters.

Executive Chef Sandy Ingber from Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

Needless to say that I was full of oysters to the point where I wonder if a shell will grow on my back…I love oysters in any way: naked, with a bit of lemon (but not too much as you want to be able to taste it), baked or fried. Trying different ones at the same time is great because you can really taste the difference: some are meatier than others, or even briner. Specialists can also determine flavors like cucumber, lettuce or butter, but I admit that I am not there yet! And I am glad that I got to chat a bit with Shucker Paddy and Executive Chef Sandy Ingber who truly showed some passion from what they are doing.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!