I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/18

Vintry, Wine and Whiskey Bar in the Financial District

A couple of weeks ago, we went close to South Street Seaport to an art exhibit called Art on Paper. After that , we wanted to have dinner in the Financial District, remembering our experience with our friends at Adrienne's Pizza Bar, when we noticed a bunch of restaurants we wanted to try. For sure the atmosphere of Stone street was different this time as there were no tables outside and besides a couple of drunk people going from one bar to another, it was very quiet. We were looking for a place when we stumbled upon Vintry, a Wine and Whisky bar, that seemed welcoming.

Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Bar at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Dining room at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

It is not a big place and you can either sit at the bar or on one of their communal tables, if you do not mind being seated next to strangers...Lucky for us, we did not have to for our entire meal. Wine and Whisky are the stars at Vintry, and I decided to go for the later, not resisting to get an old fashioned called the Mo'fashioned, made with Jameson Black Barrel, to celebrate Irish whisky month and St Patrick's Day. It also had Montenegro amaro, Angostura bitters, wildflower honey and orange oil. This beautiful drink was sublime, slightly sweet and citrusy.

Mo'Fashioned cocktail at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

We started our meal by sharing their fingerling papas bravas served with smoky aioli and sea salt. It was deliciously greasy and the potatoes were very slightly crispy, skin on and cooked all the way though. I generously dipped them in the succulent aioli, but admit that they were good even without it and I was tasting a hint of thyme.

Fingerling potatoes at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

We then had their fresh burrata, served with eggplant caponata and an aged balsamic vinegar sauce. The burrata was very good, creamy inside, pairing perfectly with the eggplant.

Burrata at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

The second dish was the duck confit, served with french lentils, mushrooms and a red wine reduction. This was superb: the duck was perfectly made, not too salty and I loved that they accompanied it with lentils that made this dish very comforting (I just missed the skin that, if crispy, is the best part). I definitely recommend this dish! And you may think that it is small, but only the plate is.

Duck confit at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Last was dessert. We opted for the chocolate mousse, served with blackberries and creme fraiche. This is one of the best chocolate mousse I had in a long time: perfect texture and very chocolatey. I liked the fact that they added blackberries as they paired well with the chocolate, but found the creme fraiche a bit tart. I you go there, do not miss this!

Chocolate mousse at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Our meal at Vintry was fantastic and I love the concept. I wish it was not that far for us, but you know what? It is worth the trip!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Vintry Wine and Whiskey Bar - 57 Stone Street, New York 10004

I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/18

Mexican brunch at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen

On a Saturday, we were supposed to have lunch at Mi Nidito, a Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. After booking a table on Openable.com, I received a text from the owner who told me that they were not open for lunch and proposed to go to Mamasita, its sister restaurant located on 10th avenue, a couple of blocks away, that serves the exact same menu. We were craving Mexican food, so we accepted. Mamasita is a casual place that offers an impressive number of margaritas. But, it was not something I was looking for for lunch, having things to do in the afternoon...We started off our meal with guacamole. It was good, fresh and not spicy, as requested.

Guacamole at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Guacamole and salsa at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For her entrée, Jodi went for the enchilada vegetable Suiza, a vegetarian dish, where the enchilada is stuffed with vegetables rolled in a two soft corn tortillas topped with green tomatillo salsa, melted cheese and served with sour cream. It was good, not bland, with a nice amount of cheese.

Enchilada Suiza at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

I ordered the Alaskan King Crab Enchiladas, made with Alaskan king crab sautéed with onions, garlic and a white creamy sauce rolled in two corn tortillas topped with green tomatillo sauce melted cheese and sour cream served with rice, beans & salad. I loved it! There was definitely lots of crab in it, chunks of it, not overpowered by the rest of the ingredients at all. If you like crab, I recommend it.

King crab enchiladas at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Both dishes looked similar and were served with rice and beans.

We were already full and asked for the check. At that point, they offered us a piece of tres leches. And it was delicious!

Tres leches cake at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

It was a good meal and this made me want to go back for dinner at Mamasita or Mi Nidito. This time, I will try one of their margaritas...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Mamasita Mexican Bar and Grill - 818 10th Avenue, New York, NY10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/26/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/26/18

Method, Japanese gastropub in Hell's Kitchen

We were walking on 10th on a Saturday, going uptown to a Mexican restaurant we wanted to try for lunch, when we stumbled upon Method, a Japanese restaurant I never noticed before, although it has been opened for a year and we passed in front of it so many times. So, we decided to go back that day for dinner, after some time spent in the City. We showed up at 5:30pm, when they opened, and were surprised when they asked us if we had a reservation as we were the first to arrive and the restaurant was empty. Well, it was empty for maybe 30 minutes and the totally packed. After trying their food, I understood why: it was simply magnificent!

Dining room at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Open kitchen at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

With its kitchen in the back, this place has a comforting feel, serving a menu that is far from the classic Japanese cuisine you find few blocks away. If you are looking for sushi and sashimi, this is not your place. But if you want to try something different, I highly recommend it. They do have a good selection of sake, but I noticed that they offer a matcha beer, that is a Asahi Super Dry beer with some matcha powder. It looked beautiful, with its green color and, taste wise, I thought it was pretty good, with a nice balance between the matcha and the beer.

Matcha beer at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Then we started with a bunch of dishes, Method proposing small dishes. The first one was the house-cured bacon with poached egg. I love bacon and with this dish, I was in heaven: I took a piece of bacon with my chopsticks and dipped it in the yolk, that counteracted the smokiness of the meat, adding some decadence to this dish.

House cured bacon and poached egg at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The second dish was Agedashi, a lightly deep fried eggplant with some Namafu, a wheat starch, on top, all of this sitting in a dashi broth. This was delicious and the eggplant were perfectly cooked, having this smokey taste that I love so much.

Agedashi at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The third dish was a special: Tonyu Yudofu, that was warm tofu in soy milk, served with seaweed, scallion, daikon radish and a ponzu sauce. If you only had tofu from the supermarket or that restaurants buy, you have to try this: the tofu was so silky, literally melting in my mouth. I loved adding a bit of the condiments with it, and it was superb with the ponzu sauce that added a delightful acidity to the dish. One of the best part was the tofu skin that formed after few seconds.

Tofu at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The fourth dish was shishito peppers and mushroom tempura. This was quite good, the tempura being not greasy at all, but I wish there were more mushrooms as it was mostly shishito peppers...

Shishito peppers and mushrooms tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The fifth dish was the Brussels Sprout tempura, even better than the previous dish. It is so funny to think that when I was a kid, I hated Brussels Sprouts! Sorry Mom!

Brussels sprouts tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Brussels sprout tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The sixth dish was very surprising, like a take on chicken and waffle, except that the chicken was a chicken liver pate that was very tasty and was dense with a bold flavor, and the waffle was made of mochi, giving a light and crispy texture to it. I simply loved it, both elements being delicious.

Chicken liver and mochi waffle at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Chicken liver at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The last dish before dessert was the roasted duck that was sublime: deliciously fatty and crispy, the skin was the best part, but don't get me wrong: the meat was very good, perfectly cooked medium (although I prefer it pink), juicy. I simply dipped it in the sansho pepper salt that came with it. I should mention the naga negi or Japanese long onion that was nice.

Roasted duck at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Last was dessert. Here also, it was quite creative. We decided to go with the Soba-Cha or roasted buckwheat creme brûlée. The look and color was exactly the one of the creme brûlée, but it is when you take the first bite that you get the taste of the buckwheat. Surprising and delicious. I definitely recommend this dessert.

Roasted buckwheat creme brûlée at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

We left so glad that we found this little gem. Method is the kind of restaurant that will blow you away, making you think differently about Japanese cuisine. I highly recommend this place.

Enjoy (I really did)!

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

Method Japanese Kitchen and Bar - 746 10TH AVE, NEWYORK, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/18

Tacuba, mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

We passed in front of Tacuba so many times that we thought we should finally try it. And we did twice within a week, one time for brunch and the other one for dinner, brunch having a much quieter atmosphere. So you can imagine that it was a good experience...

Tacuba is a big place, with, tucked in in the back, a large dining room that is quite dark in the evening, not my favorite setting as I like to see the food I am eating. It was so dark that I had to use the candle on the table to read the menu (I know that I am getting older, but this was definitely the low light that forced me to do this). They gave us a corner table, that I like, but it was too small for all the food we ordered, but we made it happen. We started both times with their guacamole that was quite good and fresh. We asked for mild and got it as requested. It came with a roasted tomato salsa that was delicious that I also used on tacos.

Guacamole and salsa at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Tortilla chips at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Guacamole at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Roasted tomato salsa at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For brunch, we tried two of their appetizers, as we wanted to try dessert and had other plans anyway. Jodi tried their Quesadilla de flor that is made with Burrata, manchego, zucchini flower, kale pesto and chile de arbor.

Quesadilla de flor at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

On my side, I tried the Quesadilla De Costilla, composed of Beef short rib, Mexican cheeses, bone marrow, salsa verde, avocado, pickled red onions. My choice was driven by the fact that there is bone marrow on it and I was not disappointed, although the marrow was not as present as I expected. Still, it was delicious. In fact both of these quesadillas were great: the tortilla was slightly crispy, and it was like a Mexican pizza, but elevated with nice and fresh ingredients.

Quesadilla de Costilla at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For dinner, I should start with the Chef's Margarita, that is Chef Julian Medina's creation made with double barrel Reposado tequila, Agavero tequila liqueur, orange and lime juice.

Chef's Margarita at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

After having some guacamole, we got our entrées. Jodi chose veggie tacos called Calabacita Con Jamaica, composed by zucchini, corn, queso fresco, cherry tomatoes crispy hibiscus flowers and chipotle salsa.

Calabacita con Jamaica tacos at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

On my side, picked the Pulpo y Chorizo tacos, a sort of surf and turf combination made with octopus, chorizo, melted Mexican cheese, chipotle salsa and pickled habanero-red onions.

Pulpo y chorizo tacos at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

These tacos were delicious, with lots of filling in it. The veggie tacos were not bland at all, but my favorite was definitely the pulp y chorizo one that was superb: there could have been a bit more octopus in it, but besides that, it was really good, the combination of the two proteins working well together. It had a slight spiciness, was juicy and slightly salty thanks to the chorizo. There were 3 tacos in each plate, made with soft tortillas, and I just wish they proposed a sampler as they have many on the menu that look very good. They even have one with chapulin that are grasshoppers!

For dessert, we could not resist ordering their churros when we went for brunch. They were a bit pale (they probably could have cooked a slightly longer), but these sticks of fried dough were very good, crispy, even better when dipped in dulce de leche (I did not care much about the chocolate sauce that came with it).

Churros at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The other dessert we tried at Tacuba was their Chocolate crunch cake, that is a chocolate cake, caveat (sort of dulce de leche) and chocolate pop rocks. This was a very good dessert, very chocolatey.

Chocolate crunch cake at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Overall, our two meals at Tacuba were really good: this is for sure a place to know and I would probably go back to try these grasshoppers...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Tacuba Mexican Cantina - 802 Ninth Ave, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/18

Italian dinner at Bond 45 in Times Square

I am sure some of you may wonder what I was doing dining in Times Square considering that lots of restaurants there only care about foot traffic and less about returning customers, catering to a crowd made of tourists and theater goers who do not know that Hell's Kitchen even exists. And after that sad experience few weeks ago at Da Marino, one would think that I would not try again. Well, I did as I had nice surprise in the past and was thinking that maybe this one would be added to my list of unknown gems in that area. The food was overall good and prices reasonable, but the service really needs some improvement:

They brought focaccia but we had to ask for olive oil.
They forgot to bring utensils when we got our pasta dish.
They forgot to ask if we wanted cheese on the pasta and we had to ask.
The dessert took more than 15 minutes to come and I had to ask twice, the second time simply asking for the check to get our order, already made, within seconds, after observing one of the waiters (not ours), dancing instead of taking care of customers.

But the food was good and it is too bad that the service spoiled the experience. It started well with a cocktail called Almost a Toddy, made with Rye Whiskey, amaro, apple cider, maple syrup, lemon and cinnamon. I loved the sweetness of it and the hint of cinnamon.

Almost a Toddy cocktail at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Then, we decided to try some antipasti, impressed by the station located at the entrance of the restaurant.

Antipasti station at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

For $21, we chose 3: eggplant caponata, eggplant parmesan and cauliflower Milanese. The eggplant parmesan was fantastic and one of the best I had; so was the cauliflower Milanese that was a surprising dish that I never seen before and loved. It was not greasy and delightfully crispy.

Antipasti platter at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Eggplant parmesan at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Eggplant caponata at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Cauliflower Milanese at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

After that, they brought us the fettuccine bolognese made with three meat ragu. I appreciated the fact that they split the pasta dish into two portions as we told them that we would share our entrées. This was delicious, the fettuccine being smothered by a comforting sauce with robust flavors.

Fettuccine bolognese at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

The second entrée was the fresh black truffle pizza. It was a decent pizza, with lots of fresh truffle on it, making it decadent, but I admit that I thought the thin crust was just ok: it would have been a Neapolitan pizza, they would kill it! Yes, it was like buying some flatbread at the supermarket and putting some cheese on top. Fortunately, they had the fresh truffles on top...

Black truffle pizza at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Last was the dessert. Yes, the one arriving more than 15 minutes to our table after we ordered it! It was the tiramisu. Fortunately, it was a very good one: very creamy as I love them.

Tiramisu at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

So, without the issue with the service, Bond 45 serves a quite good Italian menu. I would certainly go back for the antipasti, the pasta and why not, trying their chocolate mousse. Hopefully, I will not have to wait forever that time...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Bond 45 - 154 W 45th Street, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/18

Fantastic dinner at Jams, Midtown West

Located few steps from Central Park in the 1 Hotel Central Park, Jams, the restaurant of Celebrity Chef Jonathan Waxman is a little gem. I am always a bit apprehensive when going to a restaurant attached to a hotel, but at Jams, I was blown away. With its open kitchen in the back where the magic happens, the beautiful decor with its exposed brick and reclaimed oak, as well as the large windows, Jams serves an interesting menu made of seasonal dishes, some made to share.

Dining room at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

I started the meal by ordering a cocktail called "penicillin", composed of Copper Dog whisky, lemon, ginger and lagavulin rinse (its is a Scotch). I loved it: not strong, it had a beautiful color and a nice taste, both acidic and spicy.

Penicillin cocktail at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

Then came our appetizer: we chose the chickpea fritters that are in fact falafel. They were sitting on a delicious beet hummus with shaved cauliflower salad, yogurt and a housemate flatbread similar to pita, that was soft. This was very good, the most interesting part being the beet hummus that had such a nice purple color and tasted really good. Jodi does not like beets, but loved it. I just wished there were more of the fritters that were superb, not dry and not greasy.

Chickpea fritters at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

House made flatbread at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the bucatini with tricolor cauliflower, roasted garlic, broccoli rabe-toasted seed pesto. The pasta, homemade, was superb, well cooked, smothered in a very garlicky pesto that was quite good.

Bucatini with pesto at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

On my side, I could not resist getting the roasted Pekin duck breast, served with seared cabbage, pea tendrils and cherry mostarda, a combination of sweetened cherries and spicy mustard seed that is found throughout Italy. The duck was sublime! I mean, you need to like duck cooked rare, but if you do, you will love it: the skin was slightly crispy and deliciously fatty; I also love duck with an element of sweetness and the cherry mustard was perfect.

Last was dessert and we hesitated a bit. There have a baked Alaska, as well as a brown-butter warm rhubarb tart, but we decided to try their chocolate bread pudding that is one of the best I had, like a chocolate molten cake that is perfectly cooked, the center oozing from the cake. It was served with a toasted marshmallow ice cream that was terrific, and pecan praline.

Chocolate bread pudding at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

This was so good that we will certainly go back to Jams. Know that the menu on their website does not seem to be up to date, but I am sure you will find a dish you will love. This is a great address to know!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Jams - 1414 6TH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY, 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/18

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar near Union Square

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar is not unknown to me as we knew their location in TriBeCa that was definitely more spectacular than this new one near Union Square. This restaurant serves Chinese cuisine, Yunan inspired, with a bunch of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. I started the meal by ordering a cocktail and chose the Toki Old Fashioned, made with Suntory Whiskey Toki, a splash of grapefruit and bitters. It was very good, delightfully tart.

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Toki Old Fashioned cocktail at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Then came the appetizers (we shared a bunch):

The crispy scallion pancakes: deliciously crispy and slightly greasy as expected, they were served with honey (first time I got that).

Scallion pancakes at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

The chicken wings that were good, although I admit that I like when the skin is crispy. The chicken was perfectly cooked, moist, and it was not spicy. I just wished they gave some wipes as my hands were sticky after eating that, prompting a trip to the bathroom.

Chicken wings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Shrimp dumplings: served very hot, they were superb! The shell was not too thick and slightly sticky and the filling tasted like...shrimp, meaning that it did not have too much filler in it. If you like crystal shrimp dumplings, go for it.

Shrimp dumpling at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Shrimp dumplings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Veggie dumplings: good, they were quite tasty and I liked the shell that was soft.

Veggie dumplings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

The last dish was the one I did not really like. It was the three mushrooms musketeers stir-fry. Quite promising, it was bland.

Mushroom stir-fry at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Mushrooms stir-fry at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Of course, we wanted dessert and luckily, they had a couple. We decided to try their "phoenix" buns that had a sweet egg yolk custard in it. This was fantastic! I loved the sweetness of it that pops when you reach the yolk, in contrast to the bun that is less tasty.

Buns with sweet egg yolk custard at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

We had a great meal at Lotus Blue Dongtian: the food there is delicious and prices are reasonable for the area. I definitely recommend it!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar - 15 Union Square W, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 3/14/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/14/18

Dinner at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

After we went to Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken for brunch few weeks ago, we were really looking forward to trying their dinner menu. We had a reservation at 7pm with Opentable.com, but were told that seating would be between 7pm and 8pm and that we could sit at the bar. We arrived 15 minutes earlier (it was a Friday) and got indeed seated at the bar, although I noticed some empty tables behind us. And guess what: 10 minutes after and a cocktail down my throat, we sat to one of these same tables. I could not not think that it was a way to make people order drinks...Anyway, we were really wise to go early as, at 7:30pm, the place was packed, with tons of people waiting in the bar area and no table available. For sure this place does not need advertising! Ambience wise, it is between a bar and a neighborhood restaurant, the noise level being pretty high, the 60s music played via Spotify being quite loud. But that was the only negative, the service being good and the food outstanding.

At the bar, I sipped their Stone's Throw From Manhattan composed of coal filtered bourbon, smoked cherries, sweet vermouth and a burned lemon. This was pretty good, quite strong.

Stone's Throw From Manhattan at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ — *Stone's Throw From Manhattan at* Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

For appetizer, we decided to share their spaghetti squash carbonara, with pancetta and a crispy poached egg. This was a very interesting twist on the classic Italian carbonara, a lighter version that was very good, with lots of cheese and a delicious poached egg.

Spaghetti squash carbonara at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Then, for my entrée, I surprisingly ordered their hanger steak. I say surprisingly because I usually do not order steak if I am not eating in a Steakhouse, let alone hanger steak, my favorite cut being the ribeye. Unfortunately, they only serve it for two (a table close by got it and it looked succulent). The steak came with a sauce that I picked from few interesting choices: mine was a compound butter made with some bread crumbles (it is called bread & butter). Quite good, but I wish it was served warmer so the butter would start to melt. Anyway, I got the trick: I put the butter on the skillet on which the steak came and it slowly melted. The star was definitely the steak that was perfectly cooked medium-rare, tender and juicy. I did not regret my choice and recommend it.

Hanger steak at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Bread & butter sauce at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Know that it does not come with a side. So, we shared their Greek fries that were French fries with feta, an interesting combination.

Greek fries at Hanger steak at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Jodi on her side went for the Lasagna edges, burnt butter mushrooms, hard herbs and cheese toast. This was also a very interesting dish, quite creative, that had lots of cheese and mushrooms, but I admit that I was expecting something a bit different, like a lasagna prepared the same way Parm prepares its baked ziti, with the edges fried in a pan.

Lasagna edges with cheese toast at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Cheese toast at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Last was dessert. Most of them cost more than $20, but you quickly understand why: it is family style, enough for 4 persons. At first, we wanted to try the cookies and milk, but there is peanut butter that Jodi does not like and unfortunately the dough is prepared in advanced and cooked to order. What they told us is that we can call them ahead and try their dough without the peanut butter, a nice idea for sure. So we decided to share their dirty chocolate cake that was amazing, with each table next to us asking what this was, mesmerized by the beautiful presentation, but most importantly by the amount of frosting on it! Yes, there was an equal amount of frosting compared to the moist cake and, this created a quite light but very chocolatey dessert. Of course, the two of us could not finish so we brought it home and had it the next day. Well, even the next day this cake is sublime: the frosting is hard (it was soft at the restaurant) and the cake was still moist. This is definitely a dessert I recommend.

Dirty chocolate cake at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

We left and were glad to walk a bit after a great dinner. Antique Bar & Bakery is a little gem. Too bad that the word is already out though and I would love to see a second location where hopefully reservations can be honored on time...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Antique Bar and Bakery - 122 Willow Ave, Hoboken, NJ 07030

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

Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Located in Princeton University’s new Arts and Transit neighborhood and across from The McCarter Theatre Center for the Performing Arts, Cargot Brasserie is a French inspired restaurant that opened in July 2017. We got invited there last week for lunch, an occasion to go to Princeton not just for that, but also to visit one of our friends, Livia.

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

You may think the name is French, but it is made up as they explain on their website:

"The name Cargot honors the fact that the building was used as the cargo hold for the train station, while playfully referencing the iconic French dish (escargot) in a made-up word. The 100-year old stone building was restored and expanded in 2017 as part of the University’s Arts and Transit Neighborhood".

Surely, the place is beautiful: they kept the structure of the old building and transformed the interior, mixing old and new perfectly, and it is quite bright benefitting from the large windows.

Dining room at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Food wise, looking at their menu, they have adapted French classic dishes, offering a somewhat different menu for lunch and dinner (escargot for dinner only unfortunately...for me!), with a wide range to appeal to a broader audience, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. This is what we tried:

I first started by ordering a cocktail: a Vieux Carré made with rye, vermouth, benedictine and bitters. Well made, this announced a good start!

Vieux Carré cocktail at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

For appetizers, we had the watercress and radicchio salad that had blue cheese, walnuts and pear.

Watercress and radicchio salad at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

But the best was the mushroom tatin, that was a puff pasty, with caramelized onions and mushrooms, topped by raclette cheese and frisée salad. I loved it: original, it was delightfully sweet, and had lots of cheese on top.

Mushroom latin at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

For her entrée, Jodi chose the Croque Monseigneur, that is their take on the classic croque Monsieur. It is made with brie, avocado and tomato. This was really good: crunchy with lots of cheese inside.

Croque Monseigneur at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

But the best entrée was for me the duck confit that was served with a stew called la garbure (made with cabbage and other vegetables), pancetta and brussels sprouts. That duck was so good! The skin was slightly crispy and deliciously fatty, with the meat being not too salty.

Duck confit at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Last was dessert. We opted for their apple tart, served with a creme fraiche ice cream.

Apple tart at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

And the chocolate tart, made with a dark and milk chocolate ganache, and served with a pistachio ice cream.

Chocolate tart at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

The chocolate tart was sublime: very chocolatey, dense, it is the perfect dessert if you are a chocolate lover. The apple tart was good, but not as good as that dessert.

We finished the day with a necessary walk after such a feast, glad that we could try Cargot Brasserie. If you are in the Princeton area, it is a very good address to know.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cargot Brasserie - 98 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540

I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/18

La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The last place we tried at Urbanspace Vanderbilt was La Palapa, a mexican restaurant that is not unknown to us as we went few times to their East Village location (great French toast for brunch!). Perfect for a quick bite, it was not the best tacos though...Here is what I tried:

Guacamole and chips: good but this is a tiny portion that they give! There is a larger portion but it is not worth the $15 they ask for. Otherwise, the guacamole, not made to order, was good.

Guacamole and chips at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Then I tried two tacos:

Tacos at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The first one was the Chicken Tinga, that is a chile chipotle barbecued chicken, and the second was the CHORIZO, that was made of with a homemade chile guajillo sausage. The later was much better than the former, tasty, deliciously salty. I just was disappointed by the chicken that was a bit bland.

Chicken tinga taco at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Chorizo taco at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

So yes, I was a bit disappointed as I remember great meals at their restaurant. I personally would go to their place in the East Village and skip the location at Urbanspace Vanderbilt. In fact, I realized that I never posted about La Palapa. So, I am going to have to go back...

Enjoy (I did)!

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La Palapa - Urbanspace Vanderbilt - 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169

I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/18

Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

No need to go to Brooklyn anymore to have a delicious taste of Roberta's: their outpost at Urbanspace Vanderbilt is superb! Yes, the pizzas are small and a bit pricey, but they are worth it. These small neapolitan pizzas serve one person, allowing people to share a bunch. I love the crust that is crispy on the outside and deliciously charred and they offer a nice selection that can satisfy vegetarian and non-vegetarian patrons. For instance, we tried:

The The Margherita, made with tomato, mozzarella, basil:

Margherita pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The Speckenwolf, made with mozzarella, speck, crimini mushroom, onion, oregano
and black pepper:

The Speckenwolf pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The Cheeses Christ, composed of mozzarella, taleggio, parmesan, black pepper and cream:

Cheeses Christ pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

This was fantastic and I am glad they opened this location in the city. I definitely recommend it if you like pizza, but know that Urbanspace Vanderbilt can be quite busy on Thursdays and Fridays evening, but you can grab and go, eating at the food hall of Grand Central or walk to Bryant Park if the weather permits...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Roberta's Pizza - Urbanspace Vanderbilt, 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169

I Just Want To Eat! 3/5/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/5/18

Mr Bing, Chinese Crepes at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Mr Bing, located in Urbanspace Vanderbilt, serves jianbing, traditional Northern Chinese crepes, a street food that the founder, Brian Goldberg, tried while studying Chinese in Beijing in 1998. The way the crepes or bings are made is with mung bean, rice and wheat flour crepe coated with egg, sesame seeds, scallions, hoisin sauce, crispy chili paste, cilantro, and crunchy wontons. Then, you can pick the filling. Jodi ordered the classic vegetarian bing that is the crepe with no filling.

Vegetarian crepe at Mr Bing at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

On my side, I tried the Peking Duck Bing, that is the classic bing with Beijing style roasted duck. This was fantastic: the crepe, folded like a sandwich, was very good, soft, and the duck succulent.

Peking duck crepe at Mr Bing at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

This was delicious and different from the classic crepes we see more often. Mr Bing is a good address to know and I definitely recommend it.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Mr Bing - Urbanspace Vanderbilt, 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169

I Just Want To Eat! 3/2/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/2/18

Delaney Chicken at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

I love fried chicken, a dish I never had in France if it was not at...KFC in Paris! Yes, fried chicken is not something that you would find in classic French cooking, and I think it is too bad as I love it! So, I was really looking forward to try Delaney Chicken at Urbanspace Vanderbilt. Their menu is simple: chicken, chicken and chicken, offering three types of sandwiches.

Preparing chicken sandwiches at Delaney Chicken at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

I tried of course their original chicken sandwich made with house pickles, mayo and hot sauce. They chicken was perfectly cooked, moist and delightfully crispy, with the mayo counterbalancing the hot sauce. If you like spicy, I suggest you go for the spicier version of this sandwich that has pickled jalapeño.

Original chicken sandwich at Delaney Chicken at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Their chicken club is also good, made with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo. No surprise as far as the chicken is concerned as it is the same type, fried in a batch and randomly picked.

Chicken club at Delaney Chicken at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Overall it was good sandwiches, but I was still a bit hungry after just one. I wish they made them a bit bigger. Delaney Chicken is good, but for me, the best fried chicken sandwich remains Oppa: it is outstanding!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Delaney Chicken - 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY10169

I Just Want To Eat! 2/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/28/18

Delicious burger at Hard Times Sundaes in Urbanspace Vanderbilt

I love food halls as they offer some food diversity, perfect if people have different tastes and usually not too pricey. We discovered last year Urbanspace Vanderbilt, a food hall located few steps from Grand Central, that hosts 20 different vendors, from Japanese ramen (Ippudo), lobster rolls (Luke's Lobster), to burgers and shakes (Hard Times Sundaes). We went for the latter, trying not just the burgers, but also their old fashioned egg cream, an item that screams Americana, that was quite good.

Hard Times Sundaes in Ubanspace Vanderbilt

Egg cream at Hard Times Sundaes in Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Then, we had the burgers. Jodi asked for a single cheeseburger with pickles and mushrooms.

Cheeseburger with pickles and mushrooms at Hard Times Sundaes in Urbanspace Vanderbilt

On my side, I went for the signature cheeseburger that is a double cheeseburger with caramelized onions and bacon.

Signature burger at Hard Times Sundaes in Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Both burgers were really good: the meat was tasty and juicy, with a nice char on the outside. I appreciated the fact that they put a nice amount of cheese in it and loved the simplicity of it. We also ordered some fries that were also quite good: thin, crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through, the way I like them.

French fries at Hard Times Sundaes in Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Hard Times Sundae is definitely a great place to know if you want to indulge with a delicious burger, far from the crowd of Shake Shack...And they have a breakfast burger with eggs and bacon that seems...like a heart attack on a plate!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Hard Times Sundae - Urbanspace Vanderbilt - 230 Park Ave, New York, NY 10169

I Just Want To Eat! 2/26/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/26/18

New Opening: Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken

Finally! Choc-O-Pain, the French bakery located Downtown Hoboken just opened an Uptown location, replacing Ganache in the Hudson Tea Building. It is a good move as the north part of the city is missing some places like this, Brod finally withdrawing their project to open in the Maxwell Place building, close to La Isla.

Choc-O-Pain Uptown is quite big, with a lot of light thanks to the large windows, with even a small room where people with kids can enjoy some time there.

Counter at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Kids room at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Dining room at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Books at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Choc-O-Pain Uptown is quite big, with a lot of light thanks to the large windows, with even a small room where people with kids can enjoy some time there. The main dining room is quite large, with individual tables, as well as two large communal tables, and, for people who want to spend time working there, power outlets as well as free wifi: all elements to get you stay there and indulge with delicious bread and viennoiseries. We went three times and got to try few things:

First, I should mention the espresso that is quite good, not bitter, and with a single shot equivalent to a double or even triple shot at Starbucks, similar to the quantity you would get in France.

Espresso at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

For breakfast, we tried their chocopain or chocolate croissant that was buttery and flakey.

Chocolate croissant at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Their almond croissant is a must have, with lots of almond filling in it.

Almond croissant at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

The chocolate babka is ok, a bit hard and with not enough chocolate.

Chocolate babka at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

They also propose kouign aman that is a croissant dough on steroids, meaning with much more butter, that they propose with chocolate or fruit. We tried the former that was good, flakey and buttery. I hope they will propose bigger ones and just plain ones.

Chocolate kouign aman at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Another great item is their palmier that is basically puff pastry and sugar. A must have for sure!

Palmier at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

The last breakfast item we tried was their boule au chocolat, a small bread with chocolate chips: know that only the chocolate will be sweet as this is bread, so if you are looking for something buttery or sweeter, go for the chocolate croissant.

Boule au chocolat at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

For lunch, they also have sandwiches, quiches, croque monsieur, etc. We tried one of their sandwiches that was with saucisson sec (dry cured sausage) and cornichons (little pickles). It was very good, even if I wish they put a bit more saucisson in it. The bread was delicious, fresh and crispy. In fact we also tried their baguette that is superb and perfect with a bit of butter.

Sandwich saucisson sec et cornichons at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Their mushroom quiche is also delicious, not dry, with a flakey crust.

Mushroom quiche at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Last, we tried a bite of their chocolate tart that is very good, very chocolatey. I did not see that many pastries there, but I am sure that after few weeks, we will start seeing more...And I will be there to try them!

Chocolate tart at Choc-O-Pain, Uptown Hoboken, NJ

Enjoy (I did)!

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Choc-O-Pain - 1500 Hudson street, 07030 Hoboken, NJ

I Just Want To Eat! 2/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/23/18

New Opening: Boucherie Park Avenue South

For Valentine's Day, we decided to go back to Boucherie, but we discovered that they just opened, a couple of days before, a new location near Union Square, on Park Avenue South. I admit that we are always a bit reticent to go out that day because a lot of restaurants are packed (kitchen overwhelmed and short in staff) or propose an overpriced prix-fixe. But, considering the meal we had the week before in their West Village location, we thought it would be worth trying.

When we arrived around 7pm, it was not that crowded, and it is only later that people started to show up, the place being packed when we left. As it was Valentine's Day, they put some rose petals on each table and gave a rose to each woman at the end of the meal, but did not forget the men who got the book of the Chef Jerome Dihui, Joie de Vivre, or cheerful enjoyment of life, a sentence that is often associated to the way French people enjoy life, with good food and good wine.

Dining room at Boucherie Park Avenue South

Counter at Boucherie Park Avenue South, NYC

Table with rose petals at Boucherie Park Avenue South

The restaurant is quite big and I admit that I did not explore it, but it still had this feel that you were in a French brasserie. Food wise, they propose the same menu, so it was not too complicated to decide what to get as I already knew, after our first visit, what I wanted to try.

For once, I did not order an old fashioned or a negroni and preferred one of their cocktails with absinthe: the Boucherie Sazerac that is a cocktail created in New Orleans. It had Absinthe Vieux Pontarlier, Rittenhouse rye, Hardy VSOP cognac and madagascar vanilla. This was delicious and even better than the old fashioned I had last time! It was not too strong and you could taste a hint of vanilla.

Sazerac cocktail at Boucherie Park Avenue South

It was followed by bread and butter that was expected as, as I mentioned in my last post about Boucherie, bread is a must have in a French restaurant. They also brought us some pickled vegetables, with one that had canned tuna in it. I am not sure if it was for Valentine's Day or because they just opened, but I thought it was a nice attention.

Pickled vegetables at Boucherie Park Avenue South

Bread basket at Boucherie Park Avenue South

So, for my appetizer, I decided to order the caille farcie, or stuffed quail with foie gras, sitting on top of spinach and served with a balsamic glaze. The quail looked beautiful and was in fact quite good, perfectly cooked and not dry (the filling though was a little dry). Between this dish and the escargots, I prefer the later though.

Stuffed quail at Boucherie Park Avenue South

Then, Jodi decided to stick to the mushroom ravioli that she tried the previous time. No surprise there, except that we did not see the slices of truffles that we had the week before, in the other location. Did they forget? I will never know.

Mushroom ravioli at Boucherie Park Avenue South

On my side, I wanted to try their steaks. I was a bit disappointed that they only propose the ribeye for 2 (Jodi does not like ribeye) and ended up with a New York strip from the steak frites. The meat was perfectly cooked medium-rare, but was a bit tough. It came with a peppercorn sauce, on the side, as well as some crispy seasoned fries. It was good, but definitely not the best steak frites I had (if you ask me, Le Relais de Venise is a great spot for that).

Steak frites at Boucherie Park Avenue South

Sauce au poivre at Boucherie Park Avenue South

For dessert, we tried their profiteroles that were stuffed with vanilla ice cream and smothered in a fantastic chocolate sauce. I for sure recommend this dessert.

Profiteroles at Boucherie Park Avenue South

We had a great time at Boucherie Park: it was a good experience, even if not as good as their sister restaurant, knowing that, when restaurants open, they often have to make few adjustments. I would go back, hoping to get a partner to try their ribeye or, on a Tuesday, get their cassoulet, and will try their foie gras this time for appetizer.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Boucherie - 225 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 2/21/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/21/18

Dinner at Boucherie in the West Village

We recently discovered Boucherie, butcher shop in French, a restaurant in the West Village that is conveniently located close to the Christopher Street subway stop. With its brasserie feel, this place is quite big, with two dining rooms that boast a nice decor made of old commercials and photos, and white tiles to give that butcher shop feel.

Food wise, you will find some classic French dishes like the escargots, foie gras or raie au beurre noir et aux capres (skate meuniere), as well as a salade Nicoise. Of course, as expected in a French restaurant, they brought us some delicious bread with butter. Bread is quite important in France and one cannot imagine a meal without it. And when the bread is good, it is a good sign.

After ordering, I decided to get a cocktail: the Boucherie old Fashioned. It is made with el Jimador Añejo Tequila, old Forester Bourbon, plum, lavender and lemon oil.

Old fashioned at Boucherie in the West Village

As an appetizer, I hesitated between three dishes: the foie gras from Hudson Valley, the stuffed quail and the escargots. I went for the latter, although I was a bit surprised by the price as I thought that $23 for 6 escargots was a bit pricey. In fact, there was a dozen, that were delicious. For sure, the best was the butter, garlic and parsley sauce and I could not resist dipping the bread in it!

Escargots at Boucherie in the West Village

Jodi did not order any appetizer, preferring eating solely an entree: the raviolis aux champignons or mushroom ravioli served with black truffle beurre fondu (black truffle butter sauce) and quite few slices of Burgundy truffles. When the dish came, you could not miss the smell of the truffle that was really appetizing. But then, the ravioli themselves where succulent: homemade, they were thin, perfectly cooked, with a delicious filling.

Mushroom ravioli at Boucherie in the West Village

On my side, I could not not go for the confit de canard aux pommes salardaises (duck leg confit with frisée salad and truffle potatoes). The duck itself was fantastic: perfectly made, it was not too salty and I loved the crispiness and fattiness of the skin. I am not a big fan of frisée salad, but the pommes salardaises, that are slices of potatoes cooked with garlic and duck fat did it for me. If you like duck confit, this is one of the best in the city, a must have dish.

Duck confit at Boucherie in the West Village

For dessert, we chose the tarte tatin that I admit was a bit small for the price, but it turned out to be it superb: buttery, the apples were soft and caramelized, without being too sweet and were accompanied by a vanilla ice cream and some salted caramel.

Tarte tatin at Boucherie in the West Village

This was a great way to end a very good dinner and we thought that we should definitely go back to Boucherie to try their steaks. And we did a week later for Valentine's Day! But this is for another post...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Boucherie - 99 7th Avenue South, New York City, NY 10014

I Just Want To Eat! 2/19/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/19/18

Expensive dinner at Da Marino in Times Square

When I booked a table at Da Marino on Opentable, I did not realize I passed many times in front of this place, where every time, there was somebody outside the restaurant haranguing the crowd to persuade them to come have a meal there, something that I always thought was unnecessary if a place is good. Well, too late: we already had a reservation and I was set on having spaghetti alle vongole, one of my favorite Italian dishes, as well as a tiramisu (yes, I most of the time know what I will be eating as we always scrutinize the menu before going).

The place is bigger than what I thought, packed with mostly tourists and a few regulars. Decor wise, I could not not miss the big chairs that make you think you are a king in the middle ages, as well as the fresco on the walls depicting an Italian city. Food wise, they serve classic Italian dishes but have more emphasis on pasta. No pizza. However, the prices are a bit outrageous for what they are and I understood why they did not publish prices on their website. Here is what we had:

They started by bringing us some delicious bread with lentils, that were really good.

Bread and lentils at Da Marino in Times Square

We then went for the Antipasto Italiano, an assortment of Italian cold cuts, cheeses, and peppers. For $14.75, this was a nice start, especially considering the amount of charcuterie (cold cuts).

Antipasto italiano at Da Marino in Times Square

Then, Jodi ordered the Capellini Pomodoro ($19.75), that is angel hair pasta in a tomato basil sauce. Portion wise, it was fine, but I thought that the sauce was weird and did not taste homemade.

Capellini Pomodoro at Da Marino in Times Square — *Capellini Pomodoro at* Da Marino in Times Square

On my side, I got my spaghetti alle vongole that had the incredible price of $33.95! For that price, I was expecting lots of clams, but it was not the case, and the white wine sauce was just ok.

Spaghetti alle vongole at Da Marino in Times Square

Last was their homemade tiramisu that was very good, creamy, but not worth the $16.95 price tag!

Overall, the dinner was ok and expensive for what it was, with the poor staff struggling to serve diners (we waited for some time for our dishes). For the same price, we can have a better meal few blocks away at Lattanzi or Becco, or downtown, at Morandi, where the vongole is much better and much cheaper ($21 at the time of this post). And I know that with Times Square, some restaurants care more about foot traffic than returning customers, but still, you can find decent places in the area. On my side, I would not go back to Da Marino!

Enjoy (the post)!

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Da Marino - 220 W 49th Street, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 2/16/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/16/18

Burger heaven at The Baroness in Long Island City

We recently discovered a great place in Long Island City called The Baroness. Located few steps from Queensborro Plaza, it is a burger bar that serves fantastic burgers! Well, fortunately for them as this is their main purpose, but no, really, their burgers are so good that we went twice in a week. They have close to 20 different beef burgers made with Pat Lafrieda meat, that they cook medium rare and bring with a knife planted into them adding a bit of drama to the presentation. But, if you do not like beef, you can have lamb, chicken, ahi tuna or a vegetarian patty (that is house made), but with a much limited choice, all on the menus that are presented in old record sleeves.

Record sleeves for menu at The Baroness in Long Island City

They also serve beers from local breweries, that are quite delicious. But before I tell you about the place. Well, first, when you arrive, you cannot help but notice the swords on the door that are a sign of what is happening inside, bottles of champagne being opened with a saber, like it used to be in the 19th century. Decor wise, there is some sort of nostalgia especially with the old portrait hanging on top of the bar, as well as some coziness, mostly in the back where there is a small comfy area next to the open kitchen.

Bar area at The Baroness in Long Island City

Cozy area at The Baroness in Long Island City

Portrait at The Baroness in Long Island City

Open kitchen at The Baroness in Long Island City

I tried some of their beers on tap. The first one was the Queen of Shadows from KCBC - Kings County Brewers Collective, a double espresso imperial stout, perfect for coffee maniacs...like me!

KCBC Queen of Shadows at The Baroness in Long Island City

The second one was the Sloop Brewery "Juice Bomb", an unfiltered IPA with a golden color, that had a nice citrusy flavor.

Sloop "juicy bomb" at The Baroness in Long Island City

One of the times we went, for appetizer, we went for the Bretzels, that are soft pretzel balls stuffed with cheddar cheese and served with mustard, grain mustard and a beer cheese sauce. I appreciated the fact that they gave a nice amount of sauce and mustard to dip these small balls that were very light and so good.

Bretzel balls at The Baroness in Long Island City

Pretzel balls at The Baroness in Long Island City

Jodi decided to have their veggie burger and from the two choices they have, picked the Opal, served with caramelized pineapple, pico de gallo, cucumber and arugula, on a potato roll. The first time, she added avocado.

Opal veggie burger with avocado at The Baroness in Long Island City

The second time, guacamole and sautéed mushrooms.

Opal veggie burger with guacamole at The Baroness in Long Island City

This was a good veggie burger, not spicy as advertised, but definitely with a slight sweetness from the pineapple.

The Marylin burger at The Baroness in Long Island City

On my side, I decided the first time to try the Marylin, that is their mac and cheese burger. This is definitely a heart attack on a plate: the patty is made of 70% beef-30% bacon, and is accompanied by their mac and cheese, pancetta crumbles, bacon, cheddar cheese, beer and cheese sauce and spicy bacon ketchup. This was amazing and the first bite was divine: it was juicy and very tasty, with so many different flavors that worked well together. I admit though that I was expecting much more mac and cheese in it, remembering the mac and cheese burger at The Ainsworth...

The second burger I tried was the Fiona, apparently a new dish, made with seared filet mignon, blue cheese compound butter, pickles and caramelized onions, served on a pretzel bun. I have to say that I did not read with much attention the description, thinking that the patty was made with filet mignon and not that there would be pieces of steak on top. Anyway, I was not going to complain about it! It was a bit messy to eat, but was spectacular! The meat was juicy, tender and perfectly cooked, pairing really well with the blue cheese and caramelized onions that gave a nice sweetness to the whole thing.

The Fiona burger at The Baroness in Long Island City

With the burgers come sides, but in a small quantity. We tried their mac and cheese, original with seven cheeses and the one with bacon & jalapeño (a good kick), their kettle chips (they do not serve fries, and their house salad (alright, it was for Jodi, not me). The mac and cheese was good, but I wish it was more gooey.

Seven-cheese mac and cheese at The Baroness in Long Island City

Jalapeno and bacon mac and cheese at The Baroness in Long Island City

House salad at The Baroness in Long Island City

Kettle chips at The Baroness in Long Island City

Both times we went to The Baroness, we left full, really full (by the way, they do not serve any dessert there). The burgers there are spectacular and they deserve to call themselves a burger bar. I definitely recommend this place and put it on my top 5 best burgers in New York.

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Baroness burger bar - 4126 Crescent Street, Queens, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 2/14/18 I Just Want To Eat! 2/14/18

Qi Bangkok Eatery, Modern Thai cuisine in Hell's Kitchen

I love Qi, a Thai restaurant serving a modern fair that relocated from Times Square to Hell's Kitchen, at the location where Chef Pichet Ong opened Chaan Teng, an eclectic Chinese restaurant end of 2016, that unfortunately closed. It is unfortunate as Chaan Teng was pretty good, but at least, it gives Qi a better chance to attract customers, the restaurant in Times Square being beautiful, but not the best location, with people also wondering if it was a lounge considering the feel it had. In Hell's kitchen, there is no doubt, even with the music playing, that they are serving food.

Of course, I ordered my favorite Thai drink: a Thai iced tea that was very good.

Thai iced tea at Qi Bangkok Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

As an appetizer, we shared the veggie Spring rolls, made with glass noodles, minced vegetables, accompanied by a plum sauce. They were delicious but very hot, with the wrapping not too thick and a nice amount of vegetables.

Veggie spring rolls at Qi Bangkok Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

For her entree, Jodi ordered a sautéed dish made with baby corn, mushrooms, zucchini, scallion, bell peppers, carrots, onions and celery, with an addition of tofu. At first, I thought it would be bland, but it was not the case.

Ginger dish with tofu at Qi Bangkok Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

On my side, I opted for the General Tso fried chicken and waffle. Few reasons: I love General Tso chicken, I love fried chicken, I love waffles and I love the combination of sweet and savory. I was also intrigued by the dish as it is not your classic fried chicken and was amused that they would serve what you typically see on a brunch menu for dinner. The dish looked very appetizing and I was not disappointed at all: the chicken was fantastic! It was crispy and tasty, slightly sweet, less than your traditional General Tso, perfectly cooked and moist. It was also served with a very good waffle, that was slightly crispy and not too soft. The only improvement I see is the quantity of syrup (made with red dates and sesame), but you can ask for more anyway. If you like fried chicken and waffle, I definitely recommend this dish.

General Tso Chicken and waffle at Qi Bangkok Eatery in Hell's Kitchen

Last was dessert. Well, in fact no, no dessert: they just had ice cream! No mango and sticky rice or even fried ice cream. So we left, a bit disappointed because of that, but still glad they relocated and did not permanently close. Qi is a nice place that serves some delicious food at reasonable prices. If you are in Hell's Kitchen, check it out!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Qi Bangkok Eatery- 698 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036