I Just Want To Eat! 1/31/18 I Just Want To Eat! 1/31/18

Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition is the second location of Ramen-Ya, a place I discovered a couple of years ago. Bigger than its sister restaurant, the Samurai Edition, the food there was delicious and quite comforting, especially in cold temperatures.

Dining room at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

Jodi went for their vegetarian ramen, made with a vegetable soup, corn, kikurage mushrooms, menma (Japanese condiment made from lactate-fermented bamboo shoots), corn, scallions and seaweed. She also added an egg that's perfectly cooked, the yolk being orange. This was a very good vegetarian ramen: tasty, with lots of vegetables in it. I especially loved the added sweetness from the corn.

Yasai ramen at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

On my side, I got the shoyu ramen, made with a pork base soup (tonkotsu), and composed of a seasoned egg (also well cooked), char siu (braised pork that was quite good), kikurage mushrooms and scallions. This was a delicious ramen and I had no problem finishing it!

Shoyu ramen at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

Both ramen were delicious. Jodi's had thick egg noodles and mine straight thin noodles. I admit that I preferred the thick ones as they were tastier and had a bite.

Wavy egg noodles at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

Straight thin noodles at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village

We had a great meal at Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition in the West Village: this is definitely a place I recommend.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Ramen-Ya Samurai Edition - 133 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012

I Just Want To Eat! 12/7/17 I Just Want To Eat! 12/7/17

LIC Market, seasonal restaurant in Long Island City

We recently went to LIC Market, a seasonal restaurant located in Long Island City. It was right after the first day of open studio event in Jodi's building where she showed some amazing work. I really like this place, not only because of the delicious food, but also because it has this neighborhood feel: yes, the kind of place you would want near you. With its rustic decor and a covered patio in the back, LIC Market prints its menu on a daily basis, offering a large number of dishes that are perfect for sharing.

As it was before the end of their happy hour, I went for one of their beers, a Jack's Abby Hoponious Union Hoppy that was crisp and fruity.

Jack's Abby Hoponius Union beer at LIC Market in Long Island City

Then, we got their homemade chicken liver pate, served with mustard, charred onions and relish, as well as some rustic bread that was fantastic and served also with other dishes.

Chicken liver at LIC Market in Long Island City

The olivade is also a nice dish, different from a tapenade as it is made with olives, ricotta and parsley.

Olivade at LIC Market in Long Island City

We then got the eggplant, that sat on a lemon aioli. I loved the eggplant that was fried, perfectly cooked and delicious with or without the aioli that had a nice acidity.

Eggplant at LIC Market in Long Island City

A surprising side was the garlic fried potatoes, where they added melted raclette cheese on top for a small supplement: raclette is also a Swiss dish based on heating the cheese and scraping off the melted part on either bread, potatoes or meat.

Garlic fried potatoes with raclette at LIC Market in Long Island City

Last was the mushrooms, made with maitake, royal trumpet, shimenji and fava beans, topped with grana padano cheese. This is definitely a dish for mushroom lovers: I loved it and thought that the fave beans gave a great bite to it.

Mushrooms at LIC Market in Long Island City

We finished the meal with dessert and picked the brown butter pecan cake, that was superb, sitting on a delicious chocolate sauce.

Butter pecan cake at LIC Market in Long Island City

We had a great time and great food at LIC Market: this is a place I recommend and I will certainly go back there; hopefully, when I go back, they will have their burger with foie gras as it sounds quite decadent and appetizing! And if you are vegetarian, they have quite few nice dishes for you.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

LIC Market - 21-52 44th Drive, Hunters Point, New York City, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 11/30/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/30/17

Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Alright: I admit that when I reserved a table at Davio’s, I knew it was an Italian Steakhouse but thought it was another spot that I saw previously, wandering around...Well, that was a happy mistake: Davio’s is a great spot if you want a delicious steak in a nice setting. The service, although a bit slow was good and at least I could see my food...I also appreciated the noise level that allowed us to have a nice conversation; well, until the table next to us came...I mean you just needed one loud guy to spoil a bit the whole thing: it drives me crazy!

Dining room of Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

I started of by ordering a cocktail and chose the Chris Sweet’s Bococa made with Bulleit rye, Luxardo, Carpano Antica, Montenegro Amaro and a cinnamon stick. Quite good, it was not too strong and well balanced.

Chris Sweet's Bococa at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

They then brought us popovers, a good replacement from the usual bread basket. Problem was that these popovers were quite addictive!

Popovers at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Then, we went straight to steaks. We tried:

The 8oz filet mignon:

Filet mignon at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

The 18oz ribeye (boneless):

Ribeye at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

The 9oz rack of lamb:

Lamb chops at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

The meat was succulent: well cooked (medium for the filet and medium-rare for the ribeye and lamb), nicely charred, tender and juicy. As sides, we went for the mushrooms, truffle French fries (really good) and onion rings.

Truffle fries at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Mushrooms at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Onion rings at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

For dessert, we were a bit overwhelmed by the nice choices they had on their dessert cart: it would be me, I would get everything. But, as we had to be reasonable, we went for the tiramisu and the Panna cotta. Both were good and a good way to end the meal (well, in fact their homemade brownies, that were complementary, closed the deal).

Dessert cart at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Pannacotta at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Brownies at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Tiramisu at Davio's Italian Steakhouse in NYC, NY

We left glad to have a bit of walk before going home. The food at Davio’s was so good and I loved the atmosphere there. This is definitely a spot I recommend.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Davio’s Italian Steakhouse - 447 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10017

I Just Want To Eat! 11/28/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/28/17

Vegetarian Indian dinner at Vatan in Murray Hill

Our friend Ciara's brother was visiting so they proposed to go to Vatan, a well known Indian restaurant in Murray Hill that serves an all-you-can-eat vegetarian menu. I had Vatan on my list for a long time and it did not take too much time for us to accept such a nice invite.

Elephant on outside wall at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

If you walk on 3rd Avenue, you cannot miss the big elephant carved on the facade, but the best is the restaurant itself: spacious with an incredible decor made of traditional paintings and dominated by a big Lord Ganesha in the back. Although there are no windows, they want to give you the feel that you stepped in another world, eating outside, a feel that is even underlined by the huge tree in the middle of the main dining room.

Dining room at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Food wise, it is only vegetarian and all-you-can-eat that, for $34, is a great price for dinner: it includes appetizers, entrees, bread (their puri is fantastic) and desserts with chai (tea). Beverages are not included (of course, I had a mango lassi and Jodi their fresh lime soda) and, if you want, you can order a couple of dishes that are not on their all inclusive menu. In term of spiciness, you can only specify what you prefer (mild, medium or hot) for the entrees, not the appetizers, but these were not that spicy except for one item as well as some sauces that they warned us about.

Mango lassi at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Appetizers at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Dessert at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Fresh lime soda at Vatan in Murray Hill, NYC

We had a great dinner at Vatan, with great company and great food, where there was not one single dish that I did not like. I should mention the service that was exceptional, making us feel welcome and ensuring that we had a good experience there. Vatan is definitely a place to know, whether you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian; in fact, I did not mind at all that they did not serve any meat. I would definitely go back but not often, as their menu does not change regularly.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Vatan - 409 3rd Avenue, New York, NY10016

I Just Want To Eat! 11/26/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/26/17

Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

I was craving Italian food and decided to go to Bocca di Bacco in Hell’s Kitchen, a restaurant I had on my list for a while. I admit that that I did not know what to expect and had a wonderful time with my wife Jodi and my nephew Valentin.

First, I should say that when I booked a table there, I was really surprised to discover they have two locations in Hell’s Kitchen, the one on 54th where we went and another one closer in the 40s. I do not know if the decor and feel are the same in both places, but I love the one we dined at: rustic with a nice vibe, like a neighborhood restaurant where people go to have a good time. And the food was fantastic. Here is what we had:

As a cocktail, I chose the Dolce Amaro, made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee honey, mango purée, bitters and a cinnamon stick. Very good, it was well balanced and had a nice sweetness. The only negative was the martini glass that I hate as I find that the first sips are always tricky, ending often either on the table or on my fingers...But it is just me!

Dolce Amaro Cocktail at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

They started off by bringing us some bread with a fresh tomato sauce:

Bread at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

As appetizers, we shared the calamari fritti that had also fried zucchini. Delicious, it was not greasy and not rubbery at all.

Calamari fritti at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

Then, we had the Involtini de Melanzane e Ricotta that is eggplant with buffala ricotta, tomato sauce and mint. That was one of the best I had: an eggplant improperly cooked would be bitter; at Bocca di Bacco, it was not the case at all: perfectly cooked, it was a very comforting dish.

Involtini de Melanzane at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

For the entrees, we tried:

The Taglieri Neri Con Granchio, or homemade squid ink pasta with lump crab meat, baby arugula and tomato sauce. That was a great dish: the pasta was superb, bathed in a nice tomato sauce and lots of crab, the arugula adding a bit of bitterness to the dish.

Taglieri Neri Con Granchio at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

The Salmone Bocca di Bacco, an oven roasted salmon, served with caramelized onions, French beans and a balsamic reduction. Great dish, the salmon was perfectly cooked.

Salmone Bocca di Bacco at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

And the Costelette d'agnelo, that are grilled lamb chops in a balsamic reduction, served with mashed potatoes. This was superb: the lamb was cooked medium rare and had a nice char.

Costelette d'agnelo at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

Last was dessert and we went for some classics. First was the tiramisu that was very good and quite light.

Tiramisu at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

The second was the panna cotta that was also perfectly made.

Panna cotta at Bocca di Bacco in Hell's Kitchen

It was overall a great meal, beyond my expectations. Bocca di Bacco is a great Italian restaurant that I definitely recommend!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Bocca di Bacco - 828 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 11/24/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/24/17

The Capital Grille, Chrysler Building

I recently went to an event at Capital Grille in the Chrysler Center, near Grand Central and admit that I was blown away. Usually, when you go to a luncheon or dinner like this, you get a prix-fixe, like that time, and the food is good but not outstanding, similar to what you often get when eating in a place for Restaurant Week. In fact, I tested one of my favorite steakhouses few years ago for Restaurant Week and was so disappointed: the meat served was definitely of a lower quality. So, my expectations for The Capital Grille were low.

Bar area at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Dining room at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Before I talk about the food, let me tell you about the beautiful decor of this place, with its oversized portraits and lockers at the entrance for people who go there very, very often; lockers rented for a fee that I am sure would pay for few dinners. Then, the elegant dining room is dominated by a big sculpture of an eagle that you cannot miss.

Eagle in front of the open kitchen at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Food wise, you will find the classics a steakhouse has to offer: fresh seafood, crab cakes, and of course, dry aged steaks. Here is what I had:

As a cocktail, an old fashioned made with Bulleit Bourbon:

Old Fashioned at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Crab cake bites and cremini mushrooms stuffed with boursin cheese (French cheese that has garlic and parsley in it). My favorite were the crab cakes. They were small and I was worried they would be dry, but it was not the case at all. And I should point out that you get chunks of crab with no fillers.

Crab cake bite and stuffed mushroom at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

The Grand Plateau, composed of fresh seafood: lobster, shrimp, crab and oysters. Delicious and very fresh.

The Grand Plateau at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Shaved Brussel sprout salad with toasted pecans, goat cheese and smoked bacon. A very good salad where the star was the smoked bacon. In fact, they would have just served me the bacon, I would have been happy!

Shaved Brussels Sprouts salad at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Porcini rubbed filet mignon with 15 year aged balsamic. The steak was perfectly cooked medium-rare, was juicy, very tender and had a nice char. I thought at first that the balsamic vinegar would be overpowering, but they had just the right amount so it was not.

Filet mignon at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

With it, I tried three sides that were all quite good:

Potatoes au gratin:

Roasted wild mushrooms:

Roasted mushroom at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Soy glazed Brussels sprouts with bacon:

Brussels Sprouts at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Last was dessert. I ordered the cheesecake that was served with berries. It was a nice dessert, with a good texture, and I loved the crust on the bottom that was buttery (I guess it was a Graham Cracker crust).

Cheesecake at The Capital Grille in NYC, NY

Overall, it was a delicious dinner. I do not know why but I always stay away from The Capital Grille, associating it to a chain, high end, but still a chain. Their food is quite delicious and I am now thinking of going back to try their ribeye...

Enjoy (I did)

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

The Capital Grille - 155 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017

I Just Want To Eat! 11/22/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/22/17

Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Otto Strada is a great Italian restaurant in Hoboken, located off the beaten path, a few minutes from the main street that is Washington St. we went for brunch and dinner and had a good time there.

Dining room at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Both times, the nice weather pushed us to sit in their small outside area, enjoying great food in a relaxed atmosphere. Here is what we had for brunch:

San Pellegrino Aranciata:

San Pellegrino Aranciata at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

San Pellegrino Chinotto, a drink with a bitter taste that I love:

San Pellegrino Chinotto at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Crostini di burrata e pomodoro, made with caramelized tomatoes, burrata cheese, honey, basil, evoo and sea salt. This was sublime, the cheese and sweetness of the honey counterbalancing the acidity of the tomatoes. This is a must have!

Crostini di Burrata e Pomodoro at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Bocce ball sliders or meatballs sliders: Otto’s meatballs, melted homemade mozzarella, San Marzano tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo and basil pesto on toasted brioche buns. This is another must have: these meatballs are fantastic, tasty and not dry.

Meatballs sliders at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Pizza tartuffo e ueva, made with fresh mozzarella, crimini mushrooms, poached eggs, Pecorino Romano, truffle oil, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil. Their pizza, cooked in a wood fire oven is very good, crispy on the outside and with a nice char.

Pizza Tartuffe e Ueva at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Pizza tartuffo e ueva at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Insalata di burrata, made with tomatoes, strawberries, burrata and fresh basil:

Insalata di burrata at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

For dinner, we had:

Focaccia bread with olive oil:

Focaccia bread at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Pulpo Ubriachi al Forno or drunken grilled octopus with a limoncello sauce baked in a brick oven served over a tuscan bean salad with roasted red peppers. First of all, I did not think there would be so much octopus, but I should not complain as it was very well made, perfectly cooked with a nice char. I liked the sauce that was kind of refreshing, letting the octopus shine.

Melanzane alla parmigiana or brick oven baked eggplant with fresh imported Italian ricotta cheese, homemade mozzarella and san marzano tomatoes. Very good, there was a nice portion. I think the best part was the sauce that had a robust flavor.

Melanzane alla parmigiana at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

Mafaldine alla bolognese or homemade ribbon shaped pasta in a meat sauce originating from Bologna. The sauce was good, but I thought that the pasta was slightly over cooked and needed a bit of salt.

Mafaldine alla bolognese at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

For dessert we had their almond tiramisu that was a bit frozen. I admit that we only saw the tiramisu part, not seeing that it was made with amaretto and nuts. I just found it ok...

Almond tiramisu at Otto Strada in Hoboken, NJ

We overall had great time each times we went to Otto Strada: it is a great place to know and I will for sure go back to continue exploring their menu.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Otto Strada - 743 Park Ave, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 11/20/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/20/17

John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

We were in Long Island City to check out Jodi’s new studio when we stumbled upon John Brown Smokehouse, a restaurant serving Kansas City style barbecue. In fact when you arrive in the vicinity of this place, you start smelling the smoker that is probably functioning all the time, a smell getting even stronger as you enter in the restaurant. I admit that I was expecting a much smaller place, not realizing that they also have a terrace in the back.

Counter at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Kitchen at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Dining room at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Decor at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

We chose a table and then ordered some food at the counter. There was so much on their menu that we were not sure what to order. As I was with my nephew Valentin, who has a big appetite, we decided to try a few kinds of meat. Here is what we had:

Order at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

We decided to try their meat platters that come with two choices of meat and one side. We picked:

Brisket:

Brisket at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Pastrami:

Pork belly:

Rib tips:

On top of that, we ordered some burnt ends:

Burnt ends at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

As sides, we chose the mac and cheese that were quite good, although a bit too peppery, the corn bread that was delicious and the fries that were also pretty good.

Fries at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Corn bread at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

Mac and cheese at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

I should also mention the homemade lemonade and root beer as beverage.

Lemonade at John Brown Smokehouse in Long Island City

The meat was fantastic, my favorites being the burnt ends and the pork belly that were melting in my mouth. Next was the pastrami that I am sure is great in their Reuben sandwich. They definitely know how to make barbecue and I would for sure go back there for more. Maybe the Reuben or some more meat...I should mention that they only had one dessert (a chocolate chip bread pudding that I am sure was good), dessert that they change apparently from time to time. John Brown Smokehouse is a little gem that I am glad I discovered.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

John Brown Smokehouse- 10-43 44th Drive, Queens, NY11101

I Just Want To Eat! 11/18/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/18/17

Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

We recently went to Riverhead for a wedding and ended up eating at Bistro 72, a restaurant a serving farm to table menu located in the Indigo Hotel. First I should mention that the access is better by car than walking...I know: we made the mistake on our way, as true New Yorkers, but not on the way back to the hotel! Secondly, as soon as you enter the restaurant, you get the feel that it is in a hotel, from the decor to the atmosphere. But you know what, the food there was quite good!

Dining room at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Here is what we had:

Old fashioned to start:

Bread and old fashioned at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Old fashioned at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Mediterranean plate, composed of tapenade, hummus, tabouli, grape leaves and haloumi cheese. It was quite good, but I admit that I was surprised by the small portions.

Mediterranean platter at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Spreads and tabouli at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Grilled haloumi cheese at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Pita at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Grape leaves at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Pan seared salmon, served with fingerling potatoes, local vegetables and a beurre blanc sauce. This was delicious, especially the salmon that was perfectly cooked and had a delightful crispy skin.

Pan seared salmon at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Long Island Duck Breast, served with local vegetables, mushroom risotto and a raspberry Demi-glace. It was really good, although the risotto made the dish heavy. The duck was quite good, even if I would have preferred it more pink.

Duck at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

Last was dessert. We went for the banana brûlée. On that one, I should have read the description as I thought it was a banana crème brûlée. It was in fact just caramelized bananas served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and candied nuts. Still good though.

Banana brûlée at Bistro 72 in Riverhead, Long Island

We had overall a good time and a nice dinner at Bistro 72. This is a good place to know if you are in the area.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Bistro 72 - 1830 W Main St, Riverhead, NY 11901

I Just Want To Eat! 11/16/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/16/17

Tagine, Moroccan restaurant near Times Square

It has been so long since I have been to Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant located closed to the heart of Times Square. So, as we were looking for a place to eat on Columbus Day, and craving a good couscous (the dish, not just the semolina), we booked a table.

When we arrived, I was surprised to see a fairly big place, remembering a smaller dining room where diners were very close to the belly dancers who are still entertaining the crowd 6 nights a week. Going inside the restaurant is like stepping in into another country, far from the busy area that is Times Square. However, it was not as hospitable as restaurants would be in Morocco: when we arrived, there was a woman who gave us a nasty look, not even greeting us or taking care of us, yelling something to a poor guy in the kitchen, surely to let him know some patrons were there. Then, the music was extremely loud and they first complied to lower it, but only for a few minutes, putting it back to a level that was not enjoyable. Knowing that we were the only ones in the place, it translated into: we do not care about the comfort of our customers. The last issue concerned our tea: we ordered a Moroccan mint tea with our meal, but they only brought it at the end, after a first reminder. Disappointing.

Anyway, here is what we had:

Semolina Bread with chermoula and harissa:

Maaquda, potato croquettes rolled in semolina: crispy and not greasy, I liked it.

Merguez with shekshouka (slowed cooked eggplant and peppers): it was definitely small for a $24 dish and is more an appetizer than an entree. The merguez was dry as over cooked, but fortunately the shekshouka was quite good.

Merguez with Shekshouka at Tagine in NYC, NY

Couscous royal, made with vegetables, lamb, chicken and merguez. This was pretty good: the meat was perfectly cooked with the lamb falling off the bone and the merguez being much better than the previous dish. And the fine semolina was superb.

And then, finally, the mint tea that was delicious.

Overall the food was good, but I think that the service at Tagine and the high prices spoiled the experience. Too bad: there are not that many Moroccan restaurants in the city. Well, maybe this should be my new food quest!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Tagine - 221 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 11/14/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/14/17

Pizza at Don Giovanni in Hell's Kitchen

We wanted to eat a pizza with my nephew Valentin and decided to go back to Don Giovanni in Hell’s Kitchen. The last time we went there was last December and had some good pizza, so, why not going back? The place was not crowded and, this time, the weather permitting, we decided to eat outside.

We started our meal with some mozzarella sticks that were quite good and always a good appetizer to start a meal.

Mozzarella sticks at Don Giovanni in Hell's Kitchen

We then ordered two large pizza. The first one was the Quattro formaggi, made with mozzarella, ricotta, Gorgonzola and Swiss cheese. If you love cheese, this is for you, because for sure there was a lot of it, especially the Gorgonzola that came through and gave a delicious taste to the pizza.

Quattro formaggi pizza at Don Giovanni in Hell's Kitchen

The second one was the Margherita with meatballs. When we went there the first time, we had it without any toppings and really liked it. So, we decided to add one single topping: their meatballs. The pizza itself was quite good, but the meatballs were unfortunately over cooked and dry.

Margherita pizza with meatballs at Don Giovanni in Hell's Kitchen

It was overall good, but might not be the best pizza in New York if compared to Luzzo’s, Kesté or Grimaldi’s, but still quite good and a place to know if you are in the area.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Don Giovanni - 358 W 44th Street, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 11/12/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/12/17

Sinigual, Contemporary Mexican, in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

I discovered Sinigual, a contemporary Mexican restaurant located Midtown East, a couple of months ago and we decided to go back with my nephew, certain that we would have a great meal there, our first experience being very positive. This place is fairly big, with the open kitchen in the back, and, in contrast to the previous time we went, it was packed! The negative was that they were definitely understaffed, but the food was worth the wait.

Dining room at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

As I mentioned before, it is a contemporary Mexican restaurant, so the menu is a mix of classics as well as original dishes, with a majority of non-vegetarian dishes, served in fairly large portions.

Here is what we had :

At first, they brought us some tortillas and tortilla chips that seem to be homemade (delicious), and served with salsa and cream.

Tortilla chips at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Tortilla at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Then, we ordered their guacamole, made table side. We had to wait a bit because it was a hot item and there was only one poor guy making it. I admit that portion wise, it is fine for two people, but not three. The guacamole itself was good, not the best, but good.

Making guacamole at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Guacamole at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

As a cocktail, I ordered their Modern old fashioned, made with Kraken Caribbean rum, regans’ orange bitters, simple syrup, imported luxardo cherries and fresh orange. It was quite good, deliciously sweet, but slightly watered down.

Old fashioned at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

For our entrees, we tried:

Fresh fish tacos made with grilled seasonal white fish, pico de gallo, fruit relish, handmade flour or corn tortillas, red and black beans, pasilla-cilantro rice, avocado relish and sweet corn cake.

Fish tacos at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Lobster quesadilla made with Monterey jack and cotija cheeses, pasilla chiles, pineapple-mango salsa, chipotle sauce and avocado relish.

Lobster quesadilla at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Chipotle barbecue ribs, made with chipotle-raspberry tamarind barbecue sauce, grilled corn on the cob, red & black beans and yucca fries.

Chipotle bbq ribs at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Corn at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

Yuca fries at Sinigual in Murray Hill, NYC, NY

All these dishes were really good, my favorites being the lobster quesadilla that had lots of cheese in it and chunks of lobster, and the ribs that were literally falling off the bones. The fish tacos were good, but I admit that I loved ce when the fish is deep fried, adding more texture, but still, worth trying.

Needless to say that after all of that, both times, we had to skip dessert. Too bad because they looked as good as the rest of the menu.

I like Sinigual: this is the perfect place if you want to have a more elegant Mexican meal, but with prices that are not outrageous.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Sinigual - 640 3rd Avenue, New York, NY, 10017

I Just Want To Eat! 11/10/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/10/17

Koi Bryant Park

Located in the posh Bryant Park Hotel, Koi is not unknown to me, having discovered that place in another location few years ago for Restaurant Week. But the place in Bryant Park blew me away: beautiful, modern and with a lounge-y feel, it has a very cool atmosphere, without being scene-y.

Food wise, they serve contemporary Japanese cuisine that goes from your traditional sushi to now fairly classic dishes that you would expect on the menu, like black miso cod. Here is what we had:

I started of by ordering a cocktail and settled with the Amber Gale, made with Bourbon, peach brandy, maple syrup and lime, a drink that was well balanced.

Then, we went for a dish they are known for: the crispy rice sushi that they propose either with avocado, as a vegetarian option, spicy tuna or yellowtail tartare. We chose the latter. Very good, I love the texture the crispy rice gives to the dish.

Crispy rice with yellowtail tartare at Koi Bryant Park

Jodi went for the Miso Bronzed Black Cod that was delicious, the fish being perfectly cooked, with a delightfully crispy skin. It was served with a medley of vegetables.

Miso Bronzed black cod at Koi Bryant Park

On my side, I went for the roasted duck breast, made with apple brown butter sauce and roasted shishito peppers. The duck was delicious, perfectly cooked pink, with a delicious slightly crispy skin. I liked the dish but just wished they served it with some other vegetables, in addition to the very good shishito peppers.

Last was dessert. I admit that they had a nice selection and it is where you wish they had a sampler. We hesitated between the five spice churros (does not sound that Japanese) and the milk chocolate banana spring rolls. We went for the latter that was superb: deliciously crispy, not too sweet, it was served with a chocolate ice cream and a banana anglaise that were very good.

Chocolate ice cream and banana anglaise at Koi Bryant Park

Overall, we had a great time at Koi. The food there is delicious: no wonder why this place was packed!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Koi Bryant Park - 40 West 40th Street, New York, NY10018

I Just Want To Eat! 11/8/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/8/17

Printers Alley in NYC, NY

We passed so many times in front of Printers Alley, wanting to go there but pushed away by the sound music and noise level of this Nashville inspired hangout, with its games and live music.

Dining room at Printers Alley in NYC, NY

Outdoor area at Printers Alley in NYC, NY

Arcade game at Printers Alley in NYC, NY

However, on a Saturday, as we were close by for a late lunch, we decided to stop there and check out there menu. We were surprised to see that we were the only customers, in fact the first one they saw so far, and we could feel that the staff was bored...and the kitchen not that ready as our food took forever to come. At least, if it was delicious, I would not have minded, but I found it disappointing: the fried green tomatoes were mushy and my fried chicken sandwich so so, having more lettuce than the bland chicken.

Here is what we had:

Fried green tomatoes (mushy):

Fried green tomatoes at Printers Alley in NYC, NY

Cobb salad, no bacon:

Fried chicken sandwich: dry, with more lettuce than chicken (overcooked by the way):

Fried chicken sandwich at Printers Alley in NYC, NY

Printers Alley - 215 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 11/6/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/6/17

Statler Grill near The Madison Square Garden

Located a few steps from Penn Station and The Madison Square Garden, The Statler Grill is one of these steakhouses that has some history. As they wrote on their website:

"The Statler Grill harkens back to the golden age of the big band era, and is named after Ellsworth Statler, who ran the Hotel Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1954, when musicians such as Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie and Glenn Miller played at the Café Rouge, the hotel’s main dining room".

Located a few steps from Penn Station and The Madison Square Garden, The Statler Grill is one of these steakhouses that has some history. As they wrote on their website:

But for me, it will stop there. This place might have had some history, it did not impress me: hot dining room, poor service, ok food with high prices, it gave me the impression that they care more about foot traffic than having returning customers. I was looking forward to going there and regretted it.

Here is what we had:

Statler Grill Old Fashion made with Bulleit bourbon, sweet vermouth, cherry bitters, brown sugar and cherry (well more a small piece of cherry: that started well!):

Old Fashioned at Statler Grill in NYC, NY

Crab cake: overpriced considering the sad looking crab cake I had on the plate. It was just ok and definitely not lump crab.

Filet mignon for Jodi, cooked medium:

Filet mignon at Statler Grill in NYC, NY

Prime ribeye, medium rare, for me:

The steaks were of a good size, but were lacking char and with an ok taste. In fact, I could get the same quality at Trader Joe’s...

For sides, we got the truffle Mac and cheese that was greasy.

Mac and cheese at Statler Grill in NYC, NY

And the mushrooms that were quite good.

Considering the experience we had, we decided to skip dessert. No regret for sure.

The Statler Grill was very disappointing. For the same prices, you can get much better food in New York. For instance, at Tratorria Fiorentina on Theater Row or at Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse. I forgot to mention that when they greeted us, they asked if we had a coupon, as many people get one on Groupon to dine there. If paying full price is like our experience, i cannot imagine what it is with a coupon! So, I’ll pass on that one...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

The Statler Grill - 136 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001

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

Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

More casual than the Great Kabab Factory in the Radisson Blu, Noida, is Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India. Same concept there: an all you can eat joint serving delicious kebabs that are just...the appetizers! Yes, you need to remember that part because there is so much food that when people hint about the entrees, you are wondering what they are talking about, lamenting about the fact that you should have worn stretch pants...

Dining room at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Kitchen at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Part 1 of the meal is the kabab that they would place on a grill heated with charcoal. And at first, they were bringing so much food that I could not keep up with my photos.

Grill at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Kebabs at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Here is what I tried:

Shrimp tikka:

Fried fish:

Chicken tikka:

Mutton tikka:

Chicken momo (dumplings):

Chicken momo at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Vegetarian momo (dumpling):

Vegetarian momo at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Potatoes:

Tandoori chicken:

Fried corn:

Grilled pineapple:

For the entrees: butter chicken:

Butter chicken at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

Chicken biriani:

Dal Makhni:

Last was dessert with a sampler made of (bottom left, counter clock wise): gulab jamun, banana butterscotch pudding, cherry cake and moong dal halwa (made with carrots).

Dessert at Pirates of Grill at The Mall of India, Noida

That was great and there was lots of food. If you go there, the must haves are the fried corn and the grilled pineapple that were amazing. I could have just had their kebabs that were delicious, with the only spicy dish being the tandoori chicken. Needless to say that, if you are vegetarian, they have tons of dishes for you.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Pirates of Grill - C-417, 3rd Floor, DLF Mall of India, Sector 18, Noida

I Just Want To Eat! 11/3/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/3/17

Soda Bottle Opener Wala, Irani Cafe at The Mall of India, Noida

Soda Bottle Opener Wala is a fantastic Irani Cafe located in The Mall of India, in Noida. It was recommended by one of my colleagues and I have to admit that I was not sure what to expect. The food there was amazing: different, tasty and delicious, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Dining room at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

I love the place that is very colorful and decorated with tons of memorabilia hanging on the wall, giving some sort of authenticity to a concept that revives a dying tradition of cafes you would like go to more often.

Food wise, I was there for a treat. I should mention that I went on "dry day", a day without alcohol as it was a National Holiday to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi. I started the meal by trying one of their drinks called "Khade Chamach Ki Chai", literally "The teaspoon stands in the tea". It was a name not that far fetched as the spoons stood in the tea that was made with...90% brown sugar. If you finish it, you get it free: not free for me for sure, this being too sweet and an impossible dare, but fun to try.

Khade Chamach Ki Chai at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

Then, for the entrees:

Vegetable Berry Pulao, that is basmati rice topped with fried onions, nuts and berries:

Vegetable berry pulao at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

Salli Mutton, a traditional parsi mutton curry topped with crispy matchstick potato. This was delicious, perfect with rice or bread. They told me it would be spicy, but it was not. The mutton was perfectly cooked and fantastic with the curry sauce.

Salli mutton at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

In terms of bread, to eat with that curry, I tried their paratha called Jaloo's Famous Malai Na Paratha. It was deliciously charred and was a bit chewy.

The last dish was Goan Choriz Pav or a chorizo curry, where the chorizo was finely chopped, cooked with potatoes and onions and smothered by a delicious sauce. It was served with some bread to eat it like a sandwich.

Goan Choriz Pav at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

Last was dessert. There was the caramel custer or caramel custard that is fairly common.

Flan at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

As well as the Lagan Nu Custer, a Parsi wedding custard made with eggs, milk, cardamon, nutmeg and chironji, an Indian medicinal plant used as a spice in Indian cuisine, with a taste similar to almonds.

Lagan Nu Custer at Soda Bottle Opener Wala in Noida, India

Both desserts were good, but I admit that the Lagan Nu Custer was phenomenal. What a great way to end a spectacular dinner! I definitely recommend Soda Bottle Opener Wala if you are in Delhi: you will not regret 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!

Soda Bottle Opener Wala - 3rd Floor, DLF Mall of India, Sector 18, Noida

I Just Want To Eat! 11/2/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/2/17

Soi 7 Pub & Brewery, Asian cuisine at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Located on the second floor of the Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, Soi 7 is a pub and brewery that serves Asian fare. Yes, it is a brewery and you can see the beer fermenters from the dining room that definitely have a nice pub feel, as well as a rooftop where the most surprising part is the boxing ring, not used for the purpose of kicking the bottom of the customers who try to leave without paying, but as entertainment.

Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Dining room at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Beer fermenters at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Terrace at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Boxing ring at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

I admit that at first I was set to have a beer, each of the four proposed having a boxing kick name like the cobra punch or the uppercut. They gave us a tasting and I was not that thrilled, the beers being very light. So, I switched to an old fashioned, my go to cocktail when dining out.

Cobra punch beer at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Old fashioned at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Food wise, they have a large menu with a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.. As we were a group of people, we decided to try several starters. Here is what I tried:

Bulgogi wings, single bone grilled wings marinated with chili paste, garlic, black bean and sesame oil:

Bulgogi wings at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Slow fried chicken, served with sweet chili and ginger sauce:

Slow fried chicken at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Spicy Mongolian chicken (not so spicy): diced chicken tossed with soy sauce, dry chili with peppers and onions.

Spicy mongolian chicken at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Singaporean chili prawn (my favorite): crispy fried prawns tossed with chili, sambal sauce and coconut.

Singaporean chili prawns at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Crispy lamb chili pepper:

Thai lamb skewer served with chili coriander and Asian bbq sauce:

Thai lamb skewers at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

Shrimp dumpling (another favorite):

Shrimp dumplings at Soi 7 Pub & Brewery at The Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, India

It was overall very good: Soi 7 is a great place to enjoy drinks with some good food, perfect for sharing and the kind you will want to have with a beer or cocktail.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Soi 7 Pub & Brewery - 205-208 & 209-A, Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurgaon

I Just Want To Eat! 11/1/17 I Just Want To Eat! 11/1/17

Jamie's Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, India

I cannot imagine what it is to have a peanut allergy and not being sure how food is made when you are traveling. One of my colleagues has one and eating in India can be challenging, a lot of dishes containing some sort of nuts. So, he was glad to find Jamie’s Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon near Delhi. He talked so much about this place that I decided to try it. Little did I know that it was a restaurant from celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver. Located on the third floor of this giant mall (7 miles of stores), this is a nice little place where they cook pizza on a stone.

Kitchen at Jamie's Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, India

Dining room at Jamie's Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, India

There is for instance the red rocket pizza, made with sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, olives, rocket salad and veggie Parmesan (!) that looked really good.

Red rocket pizza at Jamie's Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, India

There is also the classic margarita that was delicious, with lots of cheese and with mushrooms added on just one half (you need to insist a bit for them to accommodate one half only with toppings).

Margarita pizza at Jamie's Pizzeria at The Ambience Mall in Gurgaon, India

I should mention that you can either choose a thin crust (delightfully crispy) or deep-dish that I did not try, and that you can add some toppings like mushrooms that I mentioned above or spicy meatballs made with mutton.

The pizza at Jamie’s is really good and this is a nice place if you want to take a break from shopping or want to eat a better pizza than Domino’s or Pizza Hut that are quite present in the city.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Jamie’s Pizzeria - 3rd Floor, Ambience Mall, DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon, India

I Just Want To Eat! 10/29/17 I Just Want To Eat! 10/29/17

Grand Opening: Dons Bogam Black

Dons Bogam is not unknown to me as I discovered this place 4 years ago, looking for a restaurant for lunch on Christmas Day, before seeing The Hobbit. So, I was excited when I got invited to their new location Dons Bogam Black, also located Midtown. I guess the "Black" from the name is similar to what you get with an American Express Black card: upscale Korean food, but fortunately without outrageous prices that would make you wish you had that coveted credit card...

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

Dining room at Dons Bogam Black in NYC, NY

The space there is amazing, especially the 40 feet screen on one of the walls that displays images of Korea. They also have a full bar that makes interesting cocktails, like the smokey bear, made with smokey whiskey and yuzu.

Smokey bear cocktail at Dons Bogam Black in NYC, NY

We had to choose from their large selection of Korean BBQ, made with Prime Grade beef, Washugyu beef (crossbred of the famous Japanese Black Wagyu and the finest American Black Angus), or pork. Of course, as we were invited, the Washugyu category was off the table, so we went for the bulgogi, made with chuck steak marinated and served with vegetables.

The meat had a beautiful marble and looked very appetizing. They spread it around the dish so it would cook evenly and after maybe 10 good minutes, it was ready to be eaten, wrapped in lettuce, topped with scallion and gojuchang sauce. The meat was fantastic: tender and very tasty, smothered by a juice that I could have eaten with rice or simply with a spoon.

Bulgogi and banchan at Dons Bogam Black in NYC, NY

With the bulgogi came the banchan, these little plates I am always looking forward to see in a Korean restaurant, each place having its own take on it. There, we got:

Acorn:

Kimchi:

Cauliflower:

Bean sprouts:

Bok Choy at Dons Bogam Black in NYC, NY

Caramelized black beans:

We also tried two appetizers:

The fried dumplings made with ground pork and vegetables: a delicious dish with a crispy and not greasy shell and a very tasty filling where the pork was the star.

Fried dumplings at Dons Bogam Black in NYC, NY

As well as the beef japchae aka glass noodles that were sublime:

We left the restaurant full and glad that we got a chance to try Dons Bogam Black during their Grand Opening: the food was really good and this is definitely a place I would go back to and bring friends and family who never had Korean food before.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Dons Bogam Black - 276 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10001