I Just Want To Eat! 5/11/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/11/17

Banh Mi at Co Ba in NYC, NY

As we were walking in Chelsea, we stumbled upon Co Ba, a small Vietnamese restaurant and decided to have lunch there to try their banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich made with a French baguette.

Co Ba is not that big, quite narrow in the back, with a simple but nice decor.

As we were walking in Chelsea, we stumbled upon Co Ba, a small Vietnamese restaurant and decided to have lunch there to try their banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich made with a French baguette.

Co Ba is not that big, quite narrow in the back, with a simple but nice decor.

They offer a menu with various Vietnamese specialties such as pho, but also some that seem to be a fusion, like the Co Ba tacos. But, as we had plans for dessert, we decided to stick with the banh mi. Jodi went for the banh mi chay, the sole vegetarian sandwich, made with tofu and shiitake mushrooms.

On my side, I ordered the banh mi thit composed of cold cuts and chicken liver pate.

Interestingly, the sandwiches come with jalapeño, but they were served on the side (Jodi asked for hers without). These sandwiches were just ok, having more bread than anything else and in fact a bread with a thick crust that was dry because slightly overlooked.

As a drink, we tried their special made with fresh squeezed lemon juice, kumquat and mint, a quite refreshing beverage.

Signature drink at Co Ba in Chelsea, NYC

Overall it was disappointing. If you want to eat a banh mi, Co Ba would definitely not be a first choice. In fact I would go to Banh Mi Saigon Bakery that is fantastic!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Co Ba - 110 9th Avenue, New York, NY10011

I Just Want To Eat! 5/9/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/9/17

BXL Cafe in NYC, NY

Menu wise, they have some interesting items, going from traditional (like the chicons or moules frites) to classic American like their burger. For our appetizer, we decided to go with the croquettes aux truffes that were quite delicious, the golden brown outside being very slightly crispy, enveloping a nice and gooey mushroom filling.

A lot of people have this idea that restaurants too close to Times Square care more about foot traffic than satisfying a hungry crowd mainly made of tourists. BXL Cafe is not one of them. This Belgian restaurant (BXL is for Brussels) opened in 2004, offering a good selection of beers, like the Stella Artois I ordered.

Stella Artois beer at BXL Cafe in NYC, NY

Croquettes aux truffes at BXL Cafe in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi went for the salade de chèvre chaud or goat cheese salad that was good, the cheese being delightfully sweet, thanks to the honey they poured on top of it.

Salade de chevre chaud at BXL Cafe in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for the moules frites and chose the vin blanc et crème (white wine and cream mussels and fries). It came in a large pot with the lid used for the shells. There was a good quantity of it and the mussels, smothered in a delicious sauce, were of a nice size.

Moules vin blanc et creme at BXL Cafe in NYC, NY

It was simply delicious and I dipped my fries in the sauce, ditching the mayonnaise that came with it.

For dessert, we went for the Belgian waffle that was a bit disappointing, not as good as the ones you get at Wafels and Dinges.

Although dessert was not great, I had a nice meal at BXL Cafe, a good spot if you are looking for a place to eat near Times Square or simply want to grab a good beer.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

BXL Cafe - 125 West 43rd Street, New York, NY10036

I Just Want To Eat! 5/7/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/7/17

Wafels and Dinges in the East Village

We were going to an art gallery on my birthday and stumbled upon Wafels and Dinges, an outpost of the now famous Belgian waffle truck (more than a truck today...). Nice place with the yellow color being omnipresent, and with various waffle makers hanging around.

Direction to Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

Kitchen at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

Breakfast promotion at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

Dining room at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

We wanted to try their two kinds of waffles, the Brussels one and the Liege one, but they mentioned to us that they only had the latter, that was weird and prompted me to think that they probably get the batter delivered instead of making it on site. So we got the Liege waffle that was quite good, light and chewy, that we simply ordered with sugar and a side of strawberries. We could have gone crazy as we could have added an insane amount of toppings, from Nutella to whipped cream, without forgetting speculoos, a paste that some people find addictive, not me.

Liege waffle at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

Although, I took few speculoos cookies that were offered in a basket.

Speculoos cookies at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

As they did not have the Brussels waffle, I decided to try instead a banana and Nutella milkshake that was very good.

Banana and nutella milkshake at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

We also got an espresso (double, although small) and a tea for Jodi.

Espresso and tea at Wafels and Dinges in the East Village, NYC, NY

It was good. I just wished that they had the two kinds of waffles so I could have compared each of them. I guess it means that I will have to go back to Wafels and Dinges...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Wafels and Dinges - 15 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009

I Just Want To Eat! 5/5/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/5/17

Porter House in NYC, NY

It has been a while since we wanted to go back to Porter House, the fancy steakhouse located in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. We went there three years ago for a lunch during Restaurant Week and promised ourselves that we we will go back for dinner one day. That day had come. We went on a Friday and I could not believe how packed this place was. I wished we had a table next to the windows so we could have a view of Columbus Circle, but unfortunately, it was not possible. We got a good table though, if it was not for our neighbor who had a tendency to comment on every dish we ordered, with some sort of admiration for the "unhealthy choices" we ordered. As I told him: when you are in a steakhouse, you have to go all in. I do not see a point in ordering a huge steak and go for steamed broccoli...

Instead of going for wine, I decided to check their signature cocktails and chose to go for their Gentleman's bet, made with Rittenhouse rye, Aperol, Lustau Oloroso sherry, and Dolin Rouge vermouth, a nice bitter drink that I really liked.

Gentleman's bet cocktail at Porter House in NYC, NY

As we were still looking at the menu, they brought us some cheese bread (addictive) with some orange butter that I tried but did not like. I thought that was it in terms of bread, but, then, a guy came with a selection of bread and asked us to pick one (or as many as we wanted as our other neighboring table did). I went for the white bread and Jodi with the sourdough, both being quite good.

Orange butter at Porter House in NYC, NY

Sourdough bread at Porter House in NYC, NY

For appetizer, instead of my usual crab cakes, I decided to go with the bone marrow that is a delicacy I wish I could see more often on restaurants' menus. This one was served with chanterelles (nice amount), an herb salad I could not care less for and some country bread. It was a nice piece and I was in heaven, loving the fattiness and texture of the bone marrow that was delicious with the bread or even the mushrooms that I shared with Jodi.

For steaks, they have a nice choice and I could have ordered my favorite cut, the ribeye, if I did not realize it was rubbed with chili. I hate rubs because I think that they tend to overpower what is probably a nice piece of meat. So, we finally decided to go for the porterhouse for two ("You're my hero!" said my neighbor astonished by the fact that I first had bone marrow and now a porterhouse, although not just for myself, Jodi probably eating 20% of it...).

Porterhouse steak at Porter House in NYC, NY

We ordered the steak medium-rare and I thought it was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy, with a delicious char. Both cuts (filet mignon and the NY strip) were so good, I had to remember that we absolutely wanted to order dessert.

As a side, we decided to go for their buttermilk onion rings that were very good, slightly greasy and of a good size.

Buttermilk onion rings at Porter House in NYC, NY

Last was desserts. We ordered two as we both saw on the menu some of our favorite dishes. The South Carolina Coconut cake for Jodi:

South Carolina coconut cake at Porter House in NYC, NY

The banana cream pie for me:

Banana cream pie at Porter House in NYC, NY

Both desserts were good, but my preference went to the banana cream pie that was sublime, although I wished the crust was buttery. Otherwise, I found it on the light side, not too sweet and a good way to think that I was eating fruit after such a meal.

This was a great feast and, although on the pricey side, I consider Porter House one of the best steakhouses in the City. I think that Chef and owner Michael Lomonaco created a spot that is truly heaven for meat lovers. And if you are vegetarian, do not worry, they have several dishes for you!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Porter House - Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 4th Floor, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 5/3/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/3/17

Lunch at The Grand Central Oyster Bar

On a weekday, Jodi and I decided to have lunch at Grand central Oyster Bar, a place I always wanted to try. We went for a late lunch and, when we arrived, this place was packed and noisy. Fortunately, half way to our meal, people started to leave. This is an amazing place, benefiting from the beautiful architecture of the famous train station.

Dining room at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Menu wise, they mainly serve seafood and a vegetarian would have limited choices there. But, definitely, if you are a seafood lover, you will have a wise range of dishes, including the catch of the day. I started my meal with a New England clam chowder that was too creamy and did not have much clam in it: disappointing start.

New England clam chowder at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Then, I got a lobster roll, the dish I was looking forward to try in this place. Served with cole slaw and sweet potato chips, it came on a brioche roll that was delicious, soft and airy. The problem was the unbalanced amount of bread and lobster, the latter being smothered by mayonnaise and therefor overpowered by bread and sauce. It was just ok for me.

Lobster roll at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Sweet potato chips at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Cole slaw at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Jodi went for the Niçoise salad that was made with a big eye tuna that was perfectly cooked rare.

Salade niçoise at Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC, NY

Overall, I was disappointed by the Oyster Bar, expecting better from this place. Overpriced, I think there are better options for lunch at Grand Central and, if like me you want to have a good lobster roll, Luke's Lobster or Cull and Pistol in Chelsea Market will be much better choices.

Enjoy (...)!

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

Oyster Bar - Grand Central Terminal, 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

I Just Want To Eat! 5/1/17 I Just Want To Eat! 5/1/17

Le Grainne Cafe in Chelsea

We were leisurely walking in Chelsea when we saw Le Grainne Cafe, a French restaurant that was packed for a late Saturday brunch (when we arrived for sure, the restaurant emptying as we left). You would think that the name is French, but in fact not really. Yes, there is a word for grain that is very close to that (La Graine), but in fact, Grainne is the name of the Irish owner of the restaurant.

The start of the meal was perfect, with some escargots that were delicious. I was not sure though why they gave me the utensil to hold the shell as there was...no shell!

It was not served with bread and I asked for some that took a very long time to come, to the point that I had to remind the waiter as he proceeded to remove the plate. Thank God, I was faster than him because that butter sauce is so divine, you cannot leave a bit of it and have to dip some bread in it.

Next was the ham and cheese crepe, served with a salad. I was excited as they had a nice selection and was also set to try their butter & sugar one for dessert. Well, I quickly removed that idea from my mind as the crepe was passable. Not only the batter, overcooked, was not great, but on top of that, they put too much pepper in it. Too bad, because at least there was a lot of ham and cheese in it. I sucked it up as it took forever for the food to come and I was not really in the mood to wait another 30 minutes. I could not believe that they would do such a bad job: crepes are fairly easy to make!

Ham and cheese crepe at Le Grainne Cafe in Chelsea

Jodi fortunately did not choose a crepe and went for the salad Nicoise, made with Ahi tuna (the original recipe is canned tuna). I though that that salad looked a bit sad, with a small portion of tuna that I do not think was high grade, just a little bit of tomato and no egg as the staff forgot them, surprising considering that it was a $19 salad.

Salade Nicoise at Le Grainne Cafe in Chelsea

For beverages, Jodi got and Orangina (carbonated orange drink quite popular in France) and I got their lemonade that was just ok.

Citron presse at Le Grainne Cafe in Chelsea

We left very disappointed and between the food and the very, very slow service, it was for sure not a meal I would remember...positively. Yes, next time, I will pass on Le Grainne Cafe!

Enjoy (the post)!

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Le Grainne Cafe - 183 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 4/29/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/29/17

BBQ at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

It's been a while since we wanted to go to Stacks Pancake House and Cafe, but I admit that I always got discouraged by the line outside on the weekends. So, when we got an opportunity to go for lunch on a weekday, we did not hesitate. I went there back in 2012, at the time when it did not offer the BBQ menu that was introduced much later.

Sign from Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

They brought us at the beginning of the meal some corn muffins, replacing the corn bread that we got the first time we went: it is always a crowd pleaser, unless of course you do not like corn.

Corn muffins at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

For her entree, Jodi decided to order their spinach salad made with mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon and avocado, served in a crispy tortilla. It was ok.

Spinach salad at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I, of course, ordered their BBQ and went for their combination platter composed of two ribs, three slices of brisket and 1/4 of a chicken. The meat is dry rubbed and marinated with their special blend of seasoning and spices and then placed in their specially designed smoker for an extended period of time. I admit that when the plate came, it looked dry. And it was! Even putting some of their sauces did not help at all and I did not even finish my plate that is really rare considering that I love BBQ. Not only was it dry, but the ribs did not fall off the bone and the brisket was not tender at all.

BBQ combination platter at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Chicken at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Ribs at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Brisket at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

So it was very disappointing. If I were to go back to Stacks Pancake House and Cafe, I would stick with pancakes and waffles. For BBQ in Hoboken, I would go to House of Que, few blocks away.

Enjoy (...)!

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

Stacks Pancake House and Cafe - 506 Washington St. Hoboken, NJ

I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/17

Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I recently noticed an increase in the number of restaurants serving poke (pronounce "po-keh"), this raw fish salad that is served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine. And Hoboken is not forgotten: few weeks ago, Makai Poke Co opened on Washington street, greeting customers with a cheerful "Aloha".

Dining room at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Sign at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

This is a casual place where you will order at the counter and chose between either pre-defined dishes like the "pele" I tried on my second visit, or you can build your own, an experience that is always fun, although overwhelming when you are not sure what to put in your salad...or your burrito (I am not sure I would try that one), feeling the pressure, especially if other customers are waiting behind you.

Here is how you build it:

They have few choices for the base of your dish: white rice, brown rice, zucchini noodles, kale, Spring vegetables or quinoa, the zucchini being my favorite as I thought that the rice needed a bit more sauce and was on the heavier side (you can add soy sauce if you want). It all depends if you chose the bowl, the salad or the burrito.
Then, you will pick your protein: shrimp, salmon, ahi tuna or tofu. For the fish, I have tried their marinated salmon and tuna as well as their spicy version, all being very good.
Next is your vegetables and fruit like mango, jalapeño, guacamole, edamame, corn, etc..A good number of items for sure.
You then add your sauce (I tried few of them, but admit that I forgot what was what...).
Last are the toppings: sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, crispy onions, etc...

Et voila!

Poke bowls at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

The first bowl I tried was composed of marinated salmon, marinated tuna, zucchini noodles and sushi rice (yes, both!), edamame, corn, mango and macadamia nuts.

Marinated tuna and salmon bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

The second time, I got the "pele" bowl, made with spicy tuna and spicy salmon, cucumber, edamame, jalapeño, pickled vegetables, corn, wasabi shoyu and sesame seeds. Another delicious dish, fortunately, the fish was not spicy (I cannot pick if I prefer the marinated or spicy version, both being very good). I should mentioned that the base was the zucchini noodles.

Pele bowl at Marinated tuna and salmon bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Pele bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Both times, Jodi ordered a bowl with tofu and zucchini noodles, varying the ingredients.

Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I should mention the beverages: they have a good selection of Hawaiian drinks like the mango cream soda we tried the first time or the coffee with milk made with Kona Coffee.

Mango creamy soda at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Coffee with milk at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I love Makai Poke Co: they definitely have their place in Hoboken, where delicious healthy places are not that common. The concept is good as you cannot be bored because you can compose a different salad with fresh ingredients each time you go there. 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!

Makai Poke Co - 521 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/17

Kaizen conveyor belt at Yo! Sushi near the Flatiron - Closed

Last Friday, Jodi and I went to Yo! Sushi, a restaurant near the Flatiron that opened a month ago. I really wanted to try it as they have a kaiten conveyor belt, a fun way to eat sushi.

Last Friday, Jodi and I went to Yo! Sushi, a restaurant near the Flatiron that opened a month ago. I really wanted to try it as they have a kaiten conveyor belt, a fun way to eat sushi.

It is not a big place, organized with booths for two people in the first part of the dining room and seats at the counter in the back. Needless to say that if you are a group, you have limited ways to seat together. So, you can either take dishes from the conveyor belt, each plate having a color corresponding to a price, or, you can ask the waiter for hot dishes that will be prepared in the open kitchen. Each table even has a "help" button in case you need your waiter.

Here is what we had:

Tamago nigiri (Japanese omelet):

Shrimp sushi (ebi nigiri):

Avocado roll:

Seaweed salad (kaiso seaweed made with marinated seaweed, edamame and carrot in miso):

Yasai roll made with tamago, inari, avocado, cucumber and carrot:

Japanese chicken wings (dusted with sansho pepper and lemon):

Japanese chicken wings at Yo! Sushi in NYC, NY

Everything was really good, with a special mention for the wings that were delicious, crispy, with the chicken being perfectly cooked and moist, but very hot.

As a drink, we ordered a lychee soda that was quite good.

Japanese lychee soda at Yo! Sushi in NYC, NY

If you'd like to try Yo! sushi, know that you can also get your food to go as they have a bunch of already made dishes or can prepare them to order. On my side, I would go back for the conveyor belt as it is a fun way to dine, although a bit difficult sometimes to identify what the dishes are unless you go for simple ones as we did. It is a nice concept, the kind where people have so much fun that they keep taking plates and end up with a large bill. This was not our case fortunately...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Yo! sushi - 23 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/17

NYC Ferry event at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

I was recently invited by N YC Ferry to an influencer event at the Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City. NYC Ferry will launch a new service in the Summer stretching 60 miles of waterway routes, so New Yorkers (and others) can discover new parts of the city, taste new flavors and embark on new cultural adventures in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

Citywide Ferry event at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Here is what we had:

Rockaway Brewing Company: this was the place where the event took place, being packed with locals as well as various influencers who were invited. This is an interesting place, with a section where a band was rehearsing (the "Now Recording" on the door may have indicated more...).

The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Band rehearsing at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Main room at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Beer kegs at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Brewery at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

I tried two of their beers:

1875 - a pale ale that has a nice citrusy flavor and the Biere de garde - a dry and savory farmhouse lager with a nice dark color. It was in fact my favorite beer.

Beers on tap at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

1875 and biere de garde beers at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Caracas Arepa Bar, that not only has a spot in Rockaway, but also a very popular restaurant in the city. There, we tried some mini-arepas:

Address:

106-01 Shore Front Parkway, Queens NY

Reina Pepiada, made with chunky chicken and avocado salad, as well as the arepa gate, made with Guayanes cheese, avocado and sweet plantain.

Reina pepiada arepa from Caracas Arepa Bar

Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs:

There, I got to try some delicious ribs and chicken served in different style: BBQ and jerk. This was delicious! Of course, I could not not finish with their pulled pork sandwich that was really juicy, and their Jamaican patties (chicken, but also vegetarian).

Address:

7018 Amstel Boulevard, Queens, NY11692

A plate from Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs

Rib sandwich from Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs

Rockaway Beach Bakery:

This was fantastic: they had a mini-everything ham and cheese croissant that is a great fusion between an everything bagel and a croissant. I also loved their surfboard shortbread that had the mark of a shark attack.

Address:

87-10 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Far Rockaway, NY 11693

Mini-Everything ham and cheese croissant and surfboard shortbread from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Surfboard shortbread from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Mini-Everything ham and cheese croissant from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Other parties involved in this event were: Rockaway Beach Club, A-Team Paddleboarding, Tacoway Beach, Edgemere Farm, Citysticks, DJ Matt Webster and BEasy Band (might be the band I saw outside...). This was a nice event that allowed us to discover a few places in Rockaway and made us want to go there as soon as NYC Ferry starts their new service. Stay Tuned!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Rockaway Brewing Company - 4601 5th St, Long Island City, NY11101

I Just Want To Eat! 4/22/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/22/17

Truffle Burger from Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda

Opened since 1852, Urbani Truffles is a 6 generation family business that can argue to be the largest purveyor of truffles in the world, with approximately 18,000 truffle hunters, sourcing this delicious fungus mainly in Italy, France, Spain and Australia. Urbani Truffles is not unknown to me as I use some of their products when cooking and I was excited when invited to their truffle lab for a happy hour of truffle burgers and beer

The Restaurant Fairy working at Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

The truffle burger is the result of the collaboration between Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda, one if not the most known meat purveyor in the country. Their patty is made with chuck, brisket and short ribs, and contains real pieces of black Winter truffle.

Truffle Burger with burrata from Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda

Yes, there, you do not get truffle flavor, often artificial, or few drops of truffle oil, but real black truffle and the result is phenomenal! The burgers were prepared by the chefs from City Cooking West End, who propose cooking classes at the Truffle Lab of Urbani, a perfect setting for food lovers, as well as in other places.

We also tried their truffle burrata that was so good, creamy with a nice hint of truffle.

Truffle burrata from Urbani Truffles and Pat La Frieda

Truffle fries that I tried with a truffle mustard, but also truffle ketchup, a delicious elegant version of a classic sauce. I should mention their truffle chili sauce that was superb, not spicy, that I tried on a burger.

Truffle fries at Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

Truffle sauces from Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

The event was sponsored by La Birra di Meni, an Italian beer from Cavasso Nuovo. I tried their Siriviela, a light blond beer that had a nice color and delicious taste. Know that their beers are made with all natural ingredients and are unfiltered.

This was a great event: the food was delicious. There, I learned that in terms of quality, the winter truffle is better than the summer one, and that the white truffle, rarer than the black truffle and so more expensive, has a more fragrant taste. Before, you needed to go to high end restaurants to get truffle, but, in the past few years, more and more are offering dishes with truffles, that name being a good justification to markup their prices. Fortunately, there are companies like Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda who promote prime ingredients. I hope lots of restaurants will serve that sublime truffle burger and, if you are looking for Urbani Truffles products, you can find them in fine grocery stores, Eataly or even FreshDirect (the last two being where I buy mine). Much easier is to go to their website...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 4/21/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/21/17

5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side

My cousin Sarah was visiting and wanted to have a burger, a classic dish representing Americana. She lives in the U.K. Where they often go to Shake Shack that has an outpost (maybe several) in London, so not craving it, but still wanting to eat one in New York. She told us that she heard good things about Black Iron Burger, but, based on a previous disappointing experience there, I persuaded her to go 5 Napkin Burger, one of my top burger places in the city.

There are several restaurants across Manhattan and I reserve a table at their location on the Upper East Side, conveniently located across from the new Second Avenue subway. The place is not much different from the others, the decor taking elements from a slaughterhouse.

Dining room at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

That day, I was really reasonable and skipped the milk shake I usually order there (they make a great cookies and cream one), and just went for their signature burger, the 5 Napkin, called this because it is so juicy one napkin will not be enough. This burger is composed of 10 oz. fresh ground chuck, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli on a soft white roll. It is thick and messy and you not only need a good grab but also to open your mouth wide open to take a bite. And what a bite! First of all, you really taste the meat and it is not overpowered by tons of spices. Then, the balance meat / roll is perfect. And on top of that, if you add the generous amount of cheese, the sublime aioli and the juiciness of the patty, you are in heaven.

Signature burger at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

French fries at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

The only thing that surprised me is that now, fries come as a separate order, a good way to make people think that prices did not increase..,Well, they did: the $18 dollar burger served in the past can now be considered a $23 dish.

I love Five Napkin Burger: their signature burger is for me one of the best in the City and I highly recommend it!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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

5 Napkin Burger - 1325 2nd Avenue, New York, NY10021

I Just Want To Eat! 4/19/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/19/17

Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Last week, we were looking for a French restaurant and ended up at Gentleman Farmer on the Lower East Side. This small 20 seat place is unnoticeable, but, to my surprise, served some delicious food crafted by Chef Karim Nounouh. There, the Chef serves seasonal dishes inspired by French cuisine.

Dining room at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

We went early and the place was empty, fairly dark and with a space definitely optimized to pack as many tables as possible. Needless to say that I was glad it was not crowded so we could enjoy a quiet evening, rather than hearing the conversation of the table next to us...

Bread basket at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Butter and peppers at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

They started off by bringing us some bread with butter as well as peppers. I ate the bread with my appetizer: curried snails, an original dish, far from the original escargots de Bourgogne and their delicious butter and garlic sauce. It was good, although medium spicy.

Curried snails at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

For the entree, I wanted to order the cassoulet that was on their menu online as well as outside the restaurant. Unfortunately, both of them were outdated and they did not serve it. So, I finally decided to go with the tournedos Rossini that is filet mignon with seared foie gras on top, accompanied with asparagus and carrots confit. It was not my first choice because I often have been disappointed by meat in non-steakhouse restaurants. I was wrong! The filet mignon, ordered medium rare but coming more on the medium side was very good: tender and juicy, it was the perfect combination with the sublime foie gras. The veggies that came with it were also quite good, my preference going to the carrots confit that were melting in my mouth.

Tournedos Rossini at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Jodi went for the mushroom ravioli, made with seasonal mushrooms and shaved Summer truffle. This was the only vegetarian entree. I tried a bit of it and have to say that it was very good, a perfect dish if you love mushrooms.

Mushroom ravioli at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Last was dessert and we decided to order a classic, the creme brûlée, that was delicious, perfectly set.

Creme brûlée at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

We had a great time at Gentleman Farmer: the food was delicious and the prices not outrageous. This is definitely a place to know about and I recommend it. But if you like quiet, I suggest you go at 6pm, when they open for dinner...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Gentleman Farmer - 40 Rivington Street, New York, NY10002

I Just Want To Eat! 4/17/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/17/17

Dinner at Tout Va Bien in Midtown

I recently went back at Tout Va Bien, a French restaurant Midtown with an interesting kind of overdone decor and a nice atmosphere filled with French music. Not the best French restaurant in town, but it serves a pretty decent food with prices that are not outrageous. Tout Va Bien has been feeding the New York crowd since 1948, a longevity that cannot be ignored for sure.

The first time I went there, I went all classic with the snails and the veal kidney, both being sublime. This time, I stuck to classics, but decided, although very tempted by these dishes, to go for different ones. Here is what I had:

First, I should mention the veggie plate that they brought to the table. I thought it was to replace the bread: not at all as a bread basket came right before the dishes were served. I admit that I was disappointed with the bread that was chewy, proof that it was not fresh...I mean, bread is a staple in France and you cannot have some decent one in a French restaurant???

Vegetables plate at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

Then I got foie gras. I admit that there I was a bit confused as I am sure it was supposed to be a crème brûlée foie gras, different from what came. Unfortunately, I could not verify on their website as the menu was not up to date. It was just ok, not as dense as a bloc de foie gras should be.

For the entree, I decided to go for a classic bistro dish: steak frites. The steak, a NY strip was ordered medium rare and came slightly on the medium side. But still, it was good (do not expect a steakhouse quality though).

It came with a salad and delicious fries, and I also ordered a nice Roquefort sauce on the side.

Roquefort sauce at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

For dessert, I could not resist ordering an île flottante (aka œufs à la neige or floating island), a dessert not often proposed on menus. It was decent, the eggs being a bit dense, but the vanilla sauce being delicious.

Ile flottante at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

I should mention the drinks I had with my meal. Well, in fact I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, but, interestingly, at the end f the meal, after dessert, they brought a huge bowl of sangria, attention that I did not notice in other tables...Weird to offer sangria at the end of a meal, no? I just tried a sip before leaving and it was quite good: after all, these are fruit...

Sauvignon blanc at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

Overall, it was an ok meal, not something that will stick in my memory if I am thinking about a good French place in New York. It was fine but I think I should have ordered the escargots and the veal kidney that is delicious there.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Tout Va Bien - 311 W 51st Street, New York, NY10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/17

Deal alert: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse lunch

Looking for good deals at steakhouses, I heard about the lunch prix-fixe at Ruth's Chris from one of my colleagues and decided to check it out. For a little less than $29, they offer a 2 1/2 course with a pretty interesting selection of dishes. 2 1/2 is an odd number and you will soon understand what the 1/2 is...

Dining room at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

The place was empty when I went with only few tables occupied. Good! That way it was quiet, the noise level at steakhouse (restaurants in general) being sometimes high. They started off by bringing some bread with whipped butter, a simple bread basket far from the mix of bread that lots of these places have.

Bread and butter at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

I then got my appetizer. I opted for the lobster bisque that was quite good, creamy, with few lobster lumps in it (just a few).

Lobster bisque at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

But what I was really looking forward to was the ribeye. First, I love this place because the steaks are cooked in butter and come on a 500 degree plate, sizzling. So, not only you get your nose filled with a fantastic smell, but the sizzling is such a nice music to the ears that you cannot resist looking at the dishes passing by to see what they are. I ordered the steak medium-rare and this 10oz ribeye was perfectly cooked. It was tender, with a slight char on top, juicy and was very flavorful. I admit that it is one of the best steaks I had for such a good price.

With the steaks, you can choose between mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. I was able to try both and liked them.

Mashed potatoes at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Creamed spinach at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Last was the 1/2 course: chocolate bark that I ate with an espresso.

Chocolate bark at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Double espresso at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

This was a fantastic lunch: a good deal with great quality meat. I highly recommend it!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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Ruth's Chris- 148 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/17

China Green Dim Sum in Hell's Kitchen - Closed

Alright, I admit that China Green was not our first choice: we wanted to try Dim Sum Palace in Hell's Kitchen as we keep seeing a large crowd each time we passed in front of it. I was surprised how big the place was, with its dining room in the back. It was not as crowded as the other place, but still, we decided to give it a try.

Dining room at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

They have a fairly large menu and we saw people ordering some casseroles that smelled delicious, coming sizzling at their table. But we were there for dim sum, and there too, they have a large selection. Here is what we tried:

Scallion pancakes: slightly greasy as you would expect for this dish, it was also delightfully crispy.

Scallion pancakes at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Vegetable roll: also nice and crispy, with a tasty filling.

Vegetable roll at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Pork soup dumplings: they were ok. The shell was sticky and I thought they did not have enough soup in it, missing also some of the fattiness I love in the other soup dumplings I have tried.

Soup dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Pork soup dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Crystal shrimp dumplings: delicious, I definitely recommend them.

Crystal shrimp dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

The food at China Green was ok. I think places like Kung Fu Kitchen that is few blocks away is much better.

Enjoy (...)!

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China Green - 368 West 46th Street, New York, NY, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/17

Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village - Closed

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

Hidden in a paved street of Soho, Kelley and Ping is a surprising find in an area crowded with tourists from all over the world. We went there last Friday, after receiving an invitation from the restaurant and I was definitely curious to try their pan-Asian dishes, some of them being inspired by street food. Entering there is like stepping into another world and forgetting that you are in Manhattan. The decor for sure cannot be unnoticed, especially one of the walls of the main dining room, with its large heads that definitely dominate the room, but not in a freaky way.

Dining room at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

In the back, next to the windows, some soldiers that look like the one from Emperor Qin in Xian, China, add even more to the Asian theme.

Decor at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

At lunch, this eatery is a self-service, but at night, it is a full service restaurant with a nice and trendy atmosphere, music playing in the background. Menu wise, the main specialties seem to be Thai, but I was surprised to see Korean dishes (Bulgogi) or Chinese (Kung Pao chicken). We started our meal by ordering some drinks. Thai iced tea for Jodi:

Thai iced tea at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Tamarind Whiskey Sour (made with Whiskey, fresh lemon juice, tamarind and honey) for me. I liked that drink that was sweet and sour, with each ingredient coming through and not being overpowered by too much whiskey.

Tamarind whiskey sour at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

For appetizers, we tried:

Yasai Bento: a bento box composed of vegetable dumplings, crispy tofu, edamame and sticky rice). I thought it was a great idea to propose a sampler and the presentation in a bento box was on point. Everything there was quite good, especially the dumplings and crispy tofu.

Yasai Bento at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Spring Rolls: fried vegetable rolls with a sweet and sour Sauce. the rolls were quite good, slightly greasy as expected (not a bad thing for this type of food), crispy, with the shell being perfect, not too thick.

Spring rolls at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Thai Satay (marinated grilled chicken skewers with peanut sauce): I admit that, although it looked good with the marking of the grill, I found the chicken a bit dry...

Thai satay at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

For the entrees, we shared:

Pad Sew Yew made of fresh rice noodles with chicken, vegetables and dark soy:

Pad See Yew at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Chu Chee Salmon that is a wok-fired filet of salmon with red curry and kaffir lime leaves:

Chu Chee salmon at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

And a side of Tom Yum fried rice (they give the choice of Jasmine or brown rice and we chose the latter):

Tom Yum fried rice at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

My favorite was definitely the salmon that was perfectly cooked, moist and flakey with a nice caramelized top. I would go back just for this! Good also was the fried rice that I never had before with brown rice, adding a bit of bite to the whole dish.

For dessert, we tried the mochi ice cream:

Mochi ice cream at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

as well as fried banana served with a creamy coconut ice cream.

My favorite for this course was the fried banana that was perfectly made, the banana being ripe and the shell delightfully crispy.

Fried banana at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

We had a nice dinner there and I liked the atmosphere of the place that has been around for more than 20 years. If you decide to go, make sure you order the salmon though! I would...

Kelley and Ping

127 Greene Street, New York, NY10012

Enjoy (I did)!

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I Just Want To Eat! 4/9/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/9/17

Up and Coming dish in New York: Cassoulet

I was recently interviewed by the news agency, KeepInNews, who was investigating the popularity of cassoulet, a hearty French dish that is more and more proposed on menus in New York restaurants. The footage (copyright TV5Monde) that you can watch below has been broadcasted on TV5MONDE, a global television channel in French.

Cassoulet is a great dish, a sort of French comfort food that can be a heart attack on a plate. But, it might be a nice way to end, especially if it is the one from La Sirène, a restaurant in Soho not totally unknown to me, having been there already, meeting a few times with Chef and owner Didier Pawlicki who is from the same region cassoulet is coming from.

Chef Didier Pawlicki from La Sirene in NYC, NY

But, interestingly, his does not start with a "C", but with a "K" and is spelled phonetically. The explanation? His "kassulet" does not have a garlic sausage (there is a sausage but no garlic). It is made with cannellini beans, carrots, tomato, garlic duck confit, slab bacon and pork sausage all braised with (here is the heart attack) Noble Duck fat, White Stock and Foie Gras Jus.

The first bite of this dish is divine: you get the crunchiness of the crust and then the richness of the fat. Very flavorful, it is very filling. In fact, I went back a week after the filming and I am glad I did not have any appetizer, although it demanded a lot of will because I was really tempted with ordering their snails that are perfect.

For me, the cassoulet at La Sirene is the best, before the one at Benoit, the restaurant of Alain Ducasse located Midtown. Will Cassoulet become the new ramen as some say? I do not think so, but I am sure we will find this dish in many more restaurants serving bistro menus.

La Sirene - 558 Broome Street, New York, NY10013

Enjoy (I did)!

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