Rice Shop in Hoboken, NJ

I cannot remember the last time we went to Rice Shop in Hoboken and why did not come back, until we went back...Yes, we were disappointed by the food to say the least. It started well, with a very good Thai iced tea that is one of my favorite beverages with its delightful sweetness counterbalancing the bitterness of the tea. 

But then, the food came...We decided to start with the scallion pancakes. Contrary to lots of food, this is a dish that you expect to be greasy and these were dry as if they wanted to make it healthy. And the taste was bland.

It was served with a soy and peanut sauce, a weird combination that I did not really like.

Next was Roti Canai, an Indian bread (roti), served with chicken and potato in a curry sauce. Although I loved the curry, I really did not like the roti that had also a weird taste.

At that point, I was expecting the last dish to save the meal. We ordered chicken pan fried noodles. 

When the dish came, it looked fantastic and very appetizing. The noodles were delightfully crunchy, accompanied by vegetables that were smothered in a thick sauce. Unfortunately, the chicken was overcooked and I did not even finish it.

So, yes, I was disappointed, especially as I was craving some good Chinese food. Well, I will have to look somewhere else as I am not sure I would go back to The Rice Shop.

Enjoy (...)!

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Maria's Mont Blanc in The Theater District, NYC, New York

Maria's Mont Blanc was on my list of restaurants to try, few people recommending this place that serves European cuisine and is one of the rare restaurants in New York to have raclette, a dish found mainly in Switzerland and France, where cheese (racket cheese) is melted and then eaten with such things as potatoes or dried meat.

This place has been opened for more than 35 years and has this neighborhood feel that I always like, far from the hype and where you feel comfortable and a bit far from the eclectic life outside. So, it serves European cuisine and you will understand when you will see what I ate that sounded more French than anything else. Yes, on the menu, you will find the classic raclette, cheese fondue (for two people - unfortunately, nobody was in the mood for it), pasta, meat...So, I decided to go for escargots for appetizer and veal kidney for my main course. 

What I did not see is that my entree came with a salad that came first. For sure, I would have never had the idea of ordering a salad by myself...

So, after few bites, so it would not be wasted, the escargots came. 

It was a traditional way of doing it, with garlic and butter, the sauce being addictive and I had to restrain myself from dipping bread in it. 

Then I got the veal kidney with Marsala and mushroom sauce. It came in a pot that gave a rustic feel to it and had a nice portion in it that I admit I did not finish. The kidney was perfect: well cleaned and cooked, they were not tough at all, smothered in a delicious sauce that the fans of mushrooms would appreciate. 

It was served with rosti, that is a Swiss dish made with potatoes and string beans that I did not even touch. The rosti was good: cooked all the way through, it has a slight crunchiness. 

For dessert, I had the meringue glacée that is meringue, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. 

A delicious dessert that I definitely recommend, being also light (by my own reference) and not too sweet. 

As far as wine was concerned, we went for a Dole Des Monts, a Swiss red wine.

I had a wonderful dinner at Maria's Mont Blanc: the food was great and prices reasonable in a restaurant that has this feel that it has been there forever and is only known by a few. I would definitely go back, but this time for fondue or raclette. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Recipe: S'Mores pie or should I say S'Mornies?

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!

Time: 1h

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

Graham cracker crust:

• 15 Grahams finely crushed
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 8 table spoons of butter

Brownie:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 340g or 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or morsels
• 10 table spoons of butter
• 3 eggs
• 80 g all purpose flour
• 1 tea spoon of vanilla extract

And a bag of marshmallows. 

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Step 1: prepare the Graham cracker crust

Finely coarse 15 Graham crackers in a food processor. Then add the butter previously melted in the microwave and the light brown sugar. Mix it thouroughly to make sure that all the ingredients are fully integrated.

Melt two tablespoons of butter in the microwave and spread inside your cake mold. Then pour the Graham cracker mix and flatten it to the bottom with the bottom of a glass.

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Step 2: prepare the brownie

In a pan, melt on medium heat the chocolate morsels and the butter. Once melted, let it rest for 10 minutes. Then, add the eggs, the light brown sugar, the sugar and the vanilla extract. Once all the ingredients are fully incorporated, add the flour and mix completely, until the flour is well integrated in the chocolate batter. 

Then, pour the brownie batter on top of the Graham cracker crust and make sure it is even in the mold.

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Step 3: bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then bake the pie for 30 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and let it sit for 30 minutes.

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Step 4: Toast the marshmallow

Put the marshmallow on top of the pie and toast them using a torch.

Et voila!

Bon appetit!

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DOSAI, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!  

Opened in May 2015, Dosai is one of the multiple new ventures of Michelin Star Chef Hemant Mathur. Interestingly, the place is next to Haldi, another place from Chef Mathur that I tried few months ago, having at the same time the privilege to meet Chef Mathur.

At Dosai, I got to meet with the new Chef, Hemnath Nagaran, who explained to me that he was proposing dishes mainly from South India, few of them being from the North, based on his mother's recipes. Dosai might be a kosher vegetarian place, I can tell you that I did not mind not having any meat the day we went: the food was fantastic and some of the dishes not that commonly found on menus of Indian restaurants here.

Before I talk about the food, I should mention the decor, that is quite minimal, but has a certain elegance. I was wondering if the trees in the dining room were a reference to nature. 

I started my meal with a mango lassi, one of my favorites with sweet lassi.

We then tried few appetizers. The first one is a classic: vegetarian samosa.

The samosa were deliciously crispy and tasty, with the filling mainly made with potatoes and cauliflower; I truly appreciated the fact that they were not spicy at all.

The second appetizer was onion pakora or onion fritters, a classic street food, that were so addictive, that I could not stop eating them, even knowing that more food was coming. They were served with a coconut chutney, but I admit that I preferred dipping them in the tamarind sauce of the samosas...They had a nice crunchy texture and the batter had an interesting taste that was coming from the chickpea flour that they use. 

The last appetizer was the Idli Vadai combo, composed of idli (a sort of rice cake), menu vadai (a lentil dumpling that looks like a donut), sambar (that is like a soup made with lentils, tomatoes and turmeric to name few ingredients) and three chutneys: tomato, lentil and coconut.

The sambar and chutneys were definitely necessary, the idli and menu vadai being a bit dry, and the idli by itself being bland, but acting like a sponge when dipped in the sambar. I liked the fact that I could eat it in different ways, alternating the chutneys (my favorite was the tomato, then lentil, then coconut) or the sambar, varying the flavors. 

Then came our first entrees. I could not miss the dal makhni that is a dish made with black lentils and cream that is slow cooked.

As well as the paneer makhni, that is paneer cheese with bell pepper, served in a creamy tomato sauce.

Both dishes were sublime: creamy, with lots of flavors from the spices, they had a nice kick. We ate them with some chapati that is a whole wheat bread (delightfully charred), or basmati rice.

You would think that we were done, but the feast continued. First was a dish that I discovered the last time I was in Delhi: Uttapam.

Uttapam is like a pancake made from a batter that contains rice and lentils. This one had onions and green chilies, and was served with the same three chutneys I described before, as well as the sambar. I liked it and was glad that it was not spicy, but definitely preferred the dosa (dosai) that came after and was made from the same batter.

First, I let you compare the size of this dish with the others: it is huge! The table next to us just ordered this and for sure it was enough. Dosa is a thin crepe deliciously crispy and filled in the center. We picked the Chettinadu Vegetable Dosa that was not spicy. The crepe itself was fantastic and perfect dipped in the chutneys and sambar. I also liked the filling that was made with various vegetables like potatoes and I believe cauliflower. 

Of course, believe it or not, we decided to try their desserts. Gulab jamun, these milk balls that are deep fried and then sit in a cardamon infused syrup was our first choice.

It was very good, but I admit that I liked even more the Payasam, a dish made with angel hair pasta, reduced sweetened milk, raisins and peanuts.

This was a spectacular meal and the walk back to our bus was welcome. Dosai is a great place to know and confirms the talent of not only Executive Chef Mathur who truly creates a unique experience in his restaurants, but also Chef Nagaran who crafted a delicious menu that definitely stands out. Would I go back? I would definitely go back and recommend this place. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Ocean Prime in NYC, New York

I was thrilled to go to Ocean Prime the day after their opening. Located midtown, this American restaurant replaced Ben Benson that closed several months back after facing a rent increase. 

Like Mastro's across the street or STK, few blocks away, it boasts an elegant decor that is both modern and classy, and a service that is perfection. Setup on two floors, this 250 seats place has three different private rooms, accommodating 12 to 20 guests if I recall. I liked the fact that the main dining room had a view to the kitchen through a frosted window. We got seated in one of them, far from the noise of the main dining room, at least until a party of six came...

Of course, as we were seated, they brought the expected bread basket that had nothing spectacular if not for the pretzel bread that is always a nice thing to have.

Menu wise, there is a wide range, and for the appetizers, the emphasis is definitely on seafood. I decided to go for the crab cakes. 

Served with a sweet corn cream, I thought it was pretty good, not being made with tons of fillers and letting the jumbo lump of crab shine. It paired perfectly with the corn cream that did not overpower it.

For the steak, I went for my favorite cut: the ribeye. Apparently, it is not dry-aged; solely the Kansas City strip is. 

Steaks are seasoned and then broiled at 1200 degrees. The ribeye was 16 oz that is a perfect size (although I would have eaten more), was juicy and deliciously fatty (you can see a ring of fat on the photo), with that perfect bold taste and a very slight char. It was perfectly cooked medium rare.

With it, I got a delicious béarnaise sauce as well as a mouth watering black truffle mac and cheese (check out the black truffle on top!). 

I should mention that with the ribeye, I got some wine: a Chateau Carbonnieux Grand Cru Classe Graves 2012 from France.

For sure, I could not leave without trying their dessert. I chose the chocolate peanut butter pie that I could have shared as I was full...Inside was a peanut butter mousse that was light and decadent with the chocolate ganache: a perfect dessert if you like peanut butter.

That was a fantastic dinner: the food was delicious and the service spot on. I am sure that their menu will change over time as they will probably adjust it, but at this point, it was very good. It is a perfect place for the area as another steakhouse would have been probably too much considering the number of these nearby (Mastro's, Ruth's Chris, Quality Meat, Quality Italian,...). I definitely recommend it and would surely go back, this time maybe for seafood (I will probably not resist having another ribeye though...).

Enjoy (I did)!

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Max, Italian Restaurant in TriBeCa

I was craving Italian food and found Max in TriBeCa. This place was definitely crowded when we went on a Friday night and I was surprised to see so many families with young kids. It had this neighborhood feel for sure and I was looking forward to trying their dishes. 

Menu wise, they have classics like burrata, pasta and pizza, but what is great is that they have homemade pasta and ravioli, that I always consider a plus for a restaurant. But, before I talk about the pasta, let me talk about our appetizer: Melanzane a Funghetto.

It is a dish composed of diced fried eggplant, cooked with tomato and basil. A perfect dish to share and eat with some bread. I found it just ok for me, tasting a bit of bitterness that might have come from the eggplant skin or the basil.

What was really amazing was their pasta. As I mentioned before, it is homemade and I definitely recommend them. Jodi went for the Ravioli Ai Porcini or porcini ravioli with truffle cream.

These large ravioli were fantastic and my favorite. The ravioli was perfectly made, not too thick or doughy, the cream had this wonderful truffle scent and paired perfectly with the mushrooms.

On my side, I went for the Spaghetti Alla Chitarra or homemade spaghetti with a lamb ragu and pecorino romano cheese.

At first, I thought there was not enough ragu, but it did not last that long...It was a very comforting dish: the pasta were perfectly cooked and that sauce was delicious, having a bold taste and a thick texture. 

For dessert, we went for the classic tiramisu that was very good: creamy, with the right balance between the mascarpone cream and the coffee.

We had a great dinner at Max and it was unexpected to find such restaurant there. I would definitely go back, but for sure order their homemade pasta that is sublime. I definitely recommend this place: good food, good service and reasonable prices for TriBeCa.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Recipe: Olive Oil Cake

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...

Time: 2h

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of white flour
• 1 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 cup of granulated sugar 
• 2 Meyer lemons (1 1/2 for the zest and both for the juice).
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

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Step 1: prepare the lemon juice and zest

I use Meyer lemons that are sweeter and less acidic than the usual lemon variety we know. First, I grate the zest of 1  1/2 lemon and then, I will press both lemons to get the juice, removing the seeds (Meyer lemons can have close to 10 seeds).

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Step 2: prepare the batter

In a bowl, mix the flour, the salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and milk. Mix slowly the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Melt some butter and spread generously in a cake mold. Then, put a thin coating of flour on the walls of the cake mold, so the cake does not stick.

Pour the batter into the cake mold.

Cook for 1h30 in the oven, until the crust is golden brown. Then remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 30 minutes before removing it from the mold.

Bon appétit!

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Korean Burger at BarKogi in NYC, New York

Second Avenue has some interesting spots to eat and I should probably go there more often. That is where we found BarKogi, a Korean restaurant serving traditional Korean specialties as well as some interesting fusion dishes, such as Korean fried chicken or a Korean BBQ inspired burger: the short rib bulgogi burger.

We reserved a table for a Sunday bunch, thinking that it might be crowded: it was not. I was glad in a way, as I like my meals quiet, until they blasted some music...I guess the Bar in the name says it all! At that point, I just wanted to get my dish and go, disregarding the dessert menu. The torture took longer than expected as they seemed to have some issues in the kitchen, the food taking a long time to come (they even forgot to bring Jodi the sous-vide egg she asked for her salad).

Before I explain to you what I think about the burger, I will start with Jodi's salad: it was a baby spinach shiitake noodle salad.

Definitely a large portion made with cabbage, cucumber, carrots, mushrooms, baby spinach and noodle, served with a sweet sauce that gave some depth to the dish.

The sous-vide egg was an add-on that I recommend if you like runny yolks.

Then was the burger. The patty is marinated in soy, sugar, sesame and garlic and then grilled to a perfect medium temperature. It then sits between a non-toasted brioche bread, on top of a red onion, salad and a kimchi slaw.

Eating it was a bit messy, but I admit that it is a good burger, although I expected more of the sweet flavor the bulgogi gets in a Korean BBQ. However, the eight ounces short rib patty was tasty and juicy. There was a lunch special, so I got it for $10 with some truffled shoestring fries that were fantastic: you could definitely smell the truffle oil and taste it; the thin fries were deliciously crispy and cooked all the way through.

This was a succulent meal and I recommend trying their lunch special. Now, is it the best burger ever? Not for me: Five Napkin Burger or The Brindle Room are far better. But still, the bulgogi burger at BarKogi is worth the visit.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Patiala, Indian cuisine, in NYC, New York

Patiala is a small take out joint that takes its name from a city in southeastern Punjab, in northern India. Located few steps from The Madison Square Garden, it is more a grab and go eatery, the seating being very limited.

The way it works is that you order a box: lamb box, chicken tikka box, vegan box, vegetarian box...Jodi went for the vegetarian box that had rice, yellow dal, saag paneer (cottage cheese with spinach) and aloo jeera (potatoes tossed with cumin and coriander - spicy).

On my side, I got the chicken tikka masala with yellow dal and aloo gobi (spiced cauliflower and potatoes cooked with cumin and coriander - spicy).

They both came with a deliciously charred naan and we ordered a samosa that was pretty good, flaky and crispy.

The food was overall ok, nothing to dream about: there was more rice than anything else, the dal was a bit watery and bland, and the chicken tikka masala not memorable. However, the mango lassi and the gulab jamun, my favorite dessert, were very good and made me less regret to stop by this place. So I guess you know I would not go back, right?

Enjoy (...)!

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Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches in Hoboken, NJ

Don't desperate to find a Jimmy John's near you: this supposedly gourmet sandwich joint is a franchise. Their sandwiches are delicious and made fresh in less time you will have to read the menu. Gourmet might be a bit of a stretch, but they for sure have good sandwiches. First, what makes them real good is their bread that is apparently made daily: this is a fantastic bread and, as you know 50% of a success of the sandwich is the bread. The rest of the ingredients is also apparently fresh. For instance, they make daily their tuna salad.

For my first time there, I decided to get the #9, The Italian Night Club, made with Genoa salami, Capicola, smoked ham, tomato, provolone cheese, onions, iceberg lettuce (a bit too much of it), mayonnaise and housemate Italian vinaigrette.

Jodi went for the #13, The Gourmet Veggie Club. This vegetarian sandwich is made with double provolone, avocado spread, cucumber, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. 

She also asked for a pickle that was fairly big.

These subs were really good (that bread...) and a good bang for the buck. If you crave a sandwich, skip Blimpie that is couple of blocks away and go to Jimmy John: you will not regret it. Well, I did not!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Burger at Eats in NYC, New York

I was really looking forward to go for brunch at Eats, a restaurant located on the Upper East Side. There was only one item I was eying on their menu: the dry-aged steak burger. I mean, when a burger has a name like that, it gives a lot of expectations. So, we arrived way earlier than our reservation, but it was not a problem. We sat at a table next to the window.

Eats is a fairly big place, warm with a casual feel and a bit of nostalgia coming from the black and white photos. Their brunch menu offers some classic dishes such as pancakes or French toast, as well as some unique dishes like the shakshuka poached eggs. Jodi decided to go for the huevos rancheros that were pretty good, with a perfectly runny yolk.

The only negative being the house potatoes that I did not like. Anyway, I am not sure why you would serve potatoes with huevos rancheros. Yellow rice maybe...

On my side, I was impatiently waiting for my burger, drinking a nicely made double espresso.

When the burger arrived, it met my expectations: visually appetizing, with melted American cheese dripping from one side and caramelized onions overflowing the patty.

The bun was slightly toasted and had nothing exceptional, leaving the center stage to the meat. And I admit that that first bite was fantastic: the meat was juicy and tasty, with a wonderful sweetness coming from the onions. It was so good that I did not really need to put any ketchup or mayonnaise on it.

I should also mention the fries that were skin on, a bit crispy, as I like them.

This was a delicious burger and my only regret was that it was small...Eats is now on my top ten list of burgers in New York and I would just go back to this place for it.

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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Hell's Chicken in NYC, New York

After burgers, fried chicken or chicken wings might be the other meal that is growing on the food scene. And, similar to burgers, everybody has to put its own twist. I mean, KFC is one thing, but, once you tried some Korean fried chicken at Hell's Chicken, you will understand why I am so enthusiastic. 

The name of course indicates the location: Hell's Kitchen, but, unfortunately for the restaurant, it is located on 10th avenue where the foot traffic is much less than on 9th. Shall I say fortunately for the diners, as it gives a chance to get a table? It is a small place with a nice and warm decor: stainless bar with a wall full of bottles of wine, wood looking walls and two narrow booths. 

Food wise, they not only serve fried chicken, but also some classic Korean dishes such as bibimbap, japchae or soondubu. I went with my fried Benny who, like me, loves chicken and we decided to order few dishes. 

We started off with mandu or dumplings, fried, rather than steamed. We had a choice between vegetable, pork, shrimp or beef. We chose the later. 

The mandu (5) were deliciously crispy with a thin shell, and the feeling was juicy and tasty. 

Then, came the chicken platter.

It is a full meal, so it was accompanied by a salad and white rice.

I did not really care about the salad and was more interested in the chicken, smothered by a sweet and spicy sauce, that was so good, quite hot, but so delicious that I would go back to it, using the rice to sooth my mouth that was on fire. 

The fried chicken was even better: each piece is dipped in a rice batter, then double fried and brushed with the sauce of your choice.

I decided to go for the Hell's sauce, that has a caramelized tomato base. his was fantastic: sticky for sure, but crispy and a bit sweet, with a perfectly cooked chicken. I totally recommend this.

As a side, I also ordered mac and cheese, made with american cheese and butter. This was a bit disappointing and I would pass next time on it: it was more like tortellini bathed in some cheese sauce that was a bit bland.

Overall is was a delicious meal and I cannot wait to go back to Hell's Kitchen to try some other dishes!

Enjoy (I did)!

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C Bao Asian Buns and More in NYC, New York

I love big buns I cannot lie and so, we decided to try this place called C Bao Asian Buns and More, few steps from Union Square. It's definitely not the kind of place where you go for the decor, the restaurant apparently not attaching that much attention to the way it looks as can attest the small area on the right side of the door. 

It is a big place with the counter and kitchen in the back. You order at the counter and they will call the number that is on the receipt once your meal is ready.

We first got our apple fizzy that was fairly good, with tiny pieces of apple that passed through the large straw.

Then came our order. I expected the bao to be on a plate, even paper plate...

Here is what we tried:

Peking Duck Bao (Chinese roasted crispy duck skin served with scallion, cucumber & house sauce):

Tofu Veggie Bao (fried organic tofu served with shiitake mushroom, oyster Sauce and Taiwanese relish):

Crispy Chicken Bao (fried chicken served with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and honey-mustard):

Original Bao (Taiwanese braised pork belly served with powdered peanut, cilantro and Taiwanese relish):

The bao were big and too thick compared to what was inside. My favorite was the Peking duck one, thanks to the house sauce that seemed to be simply hoisin sauce, but, again, too much "bread" versus filling. My least favorite was the crispy chicken that was dry, as well as the original bao and tofu bao, because of the Taiwanese relish that I did not like. The was very disappointing...

We also got scallion pancakes that were just ok.

So this was a disappointing meal and I doubt that I would go back to that place. For bao, I definitely prefer those served in ramen places like Ippudo or even Baohaus. Or even the ones I made one time at home (recipe here)!

Enjoy (...)!

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Recipe: Meatballs with Orzo

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). 

Time: 2h

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• One pound ground turkey
• One pound beef (80 /20)
• 1 cup of orzo
• 5 carrots
• 1 1/2 cup peas
• olive oil
• 1 bottle of guiness
• salt & pepper

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Step 1: preparation of the vegetables

Well, the main preparation will be for the carrots that should be cut in small cubes. As you can see, I used frozen peas that I found very practical compared to canned ones or even fresh ones.

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Step 2: preparation of the meatballs

Similar to my burgers, I prepare meatballs simply with salt, pepper and...a bit of guiness!

I will add the beer until fully incorporated in the meat (approximately half the bottle goes and you know what to do with the rest...). In a pan, on medium heat, I will sear the meatballs (cook them quickly on each side, turning them from time to time so each side is seared.

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Step 3: cooking

Put the meatballs in a dutch oven. Add salt, pepper, the orzo, the carrots and the peas. Add water until all the ingredients are covered and cook at medium heat. Cook until the water evaporates. 

Et Voila:

Bon appétit!

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