Revisit: Taka Taka in New York, NY
Taka Taka characterizes itself as a Mexican Sushi and Japanese Tacos joint. I guess you understand: this is a Mexican / Japanese fusion restaurant with a very interesting menu, branching out to these two distinct cuisines. It is not our first time there (previous review here) and we were looking for an original place, close to the heart of Tribeca, to celebrate my cousin Sandrine's visit.
Taka Taka characterizes itself as a Mexican Sushi and Japanese Tacos joint. I guess you understand: this is a Mexican / Japanese fusion restaurant with a very interesting menu, branching out to these two distinct cuisines. It is not our first time there (previous review here) and we were looking for an original place, close to the heart of Tribeca, to celebrate my cousin Sandrine's visit.
Another originality of this place is its conveyor belt or kaiten sushi. It is like a fun way to eat: dishes with a number will pass in front of you and you decide to pick them or not. The number refers to the menu on the table set, so it quickly becomes a game. First you will look at what is passing by and then quickly try to know what it is, and then, it will be the reverse: you will be waiting for that number 5 to come. But do not worry: if you really want a roll, you can just ask them and they will make it for you.
Each plate has a color that corresponds to a price, so be careful: it can be a fun game, a pricey game...
To start our dinner, we decided to order some mocktails. Sandrine and Jodi got Kiiro that is tangerine juice, basil and a touch of lime.
I ordered the Gogo, a mango frappé with macerated blackberries:
I preferred the Kiiro that was an interesting combination, very refreshing, over the Gogo that was a bit difficult to drink because it was too thick.
So it was time for us to try some of the dishes. We decided to go exclusively with the kaiten sushi and passed on the menu. This is what we got (read: number - outside / filling):
05 - Seaweed / crab, cream cheese, avocado with chipotle:
15 - Tampico dressing / crab, salmon skin, cucumber, chile serrano and sriracha sauce (this was quite spicy!):
17 - Fresh tuna / avocado, cucumber, asparagus with jalapeño dressing:
19 - Spicy tuna / shrimp, baby spinach, masago and guacamole:
01 - Seaweed / lettuce, avocado, cucumber with tampico dressing:
07 - Rice and sesame seeds / salmon, cucumber and cream cheese:
10 - Shrimp with chile piquin / mango, cucumber, fried plantains and avocado:
06 - mixed sesame seeds / sweet potato tempura, zucchini, avocado with tempura drops (one of my favorite ones):
03 - Cucumber / banana, tomato, asparagus and avocado:
We could not get this last one from the conveyor belt as we kept looking and it never came. So, we ordered it and it came fairly quickly, meaning that you are not bound to whatever is created by the Chef.
For dessert, we got the fried ice cream that was fantastic and decadent. Think about it: fried ice cream!
This was a fantastic meal and I am glad that we got to get Sandrine discover this place. Next time we go, we will go for their menu as I believe it is where you see the fusion in all its splendor.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Restaurant Week: David Burke's Fishtail in NYC, NY
We took advantage of Restaurant Week to enjoy a delicious dinner, at a discounted price at David Burke's Fishtail. It was on my list for a while, being a fan of Chef Burke and looking at his mouth watering food photos on Instagram with always a bit of drool. For sure, we had to book quickly and used Opentable as this place was a popular spot for Restaurant Week.
We took advantage of Restaurant Week to enjoy a delicious dinner, at a discounted price at David Burke's Fishtail. It was on my list for a while, being a fan of Chef Burke and looking at his mouth watering food photos on Instagram with always a bit of drool. For sure, we had to book quickly and used Opentable as this place was a popular spot for Restaurant Week.
We got our reservation at 7:30pm and I thought the odds were against me as there were issues with the subway and I was worried that they would not hold our table, Jodi having to come from downtown by train. I arrived on time, explained the issue and reassure me that there was no issue. It would have been such a bummer to have to come another time, especially as my mind and stomach were prepared for a nice meal there.
So, Fishtail is all about fish (you can get a steak if you want, but it is not the point) and everything in the decor will remind you that, whether it is the walls that mimic fish scales
Or the art.
The restaurant has been built in a townhouse, with the bar on the first floor
And the dining room on the second floor.
You can also have a glimpse at the kitchen, on the first floor, where all the magic happens.
For restaurant week, they offer a menu for $38 that includes any appetizer, entrée or dessert from their regular menu. I love that, because it means that you will get dishes that are served on a regular basis and not created for that event, totally embracing the spirit of Restaurant Week. I guess the catch is in the quantity, but, at Fishtail, you will not leave hungry for sure. Well, at least I did not. Know that, similar to many restaurants, some dishes require to pay a supplement.
They started off bringing us some bread and butter.
In fact, it was not bread there, but a delicious popover, freshly made.
For her appetizer, Jodi chose the burrata with watermelon, tomatoes, prosciutto and crushed olives.
This was a very refreshing dish with different flavors that works perfectly together, such as the watermelon and the olives, or the watermelon and the burrata that was delightfully creamy.
On my side, I ordered David Burke's own pastrami spiced smoked salmon.
It was served with horseradish crème fraiche, mustard oil, watercress and blinis. That was delicious: if you like smoked salmon, you will definitely enjoy it, whether it is the smokiness of the fish or the spices used. I truly appreciated the fact that the taste of horseradish was not too pronounced and did not overpower the dish.
For her entrée, Jodi ordered the grilled mahi panzanella.
It was composed of mahi mahi, sourdough, basil, garlic and tomato. The presentation was beautiful, but unfortunately the fish was slightly overcooked. This dish was definitely not as good as the one I chose: nori & mustard crusted tuna.
Served with soba noodles, I thought the plating was beautiful. Nori is seaweed and I was scared that it would overpower the tuna; it did not and the fish, with this interesting crust was sublime. I asked for medium rare and it was perfect. I also liked the soba noodles that were delicious and a perfect side to this dish.
For dessert, Jodi ordered the salted caramel and peach parfait.
The presentation was great. The caramel came on the side and they poured it in the middle of the parfait. On top was ginger oat crumble that was delicious, but I admit that the best for me was the caramel that was delightfully buttery, as well as the homemade whipped cream.
On my side, I got their take on peanut butter and jelly: peanut butter and jelly mousse bar.
Now that was very good, the dessert being well balanced between the peanut butter and the chocolate ganache. It was also not too sweet, that was perfect after such a feast.
That was a delicious dinner, that made us want to go back another time, outside Restaurant Week. The only negatives were the noise level and the fact that they crammed in tables, so we were a bit in the way of people, a location a bit uncomfortable, especially as, each time somebody was passing next to us, I was scared they would knock down something...
But I enjoyed (I did)!
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Don Coqui, Puerto Rican restaurant in Astoria, NY
Astoria surely has some great gems that should not be ignored, and Don Coqui, a Puerto Rican restaurant is one of them. I discovered it last Sunday when we went for a tasting for dinner. This huge place is a restaurant and lounge with multiple rooms:
A first one, small, at the entrance, with a nicely furnished bar:
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Astoria surely has some great gems that should not be ignored, and Don Coqui, a Puerto Rican restaurant is one of them. I discovered it last Sunday when we went for a tasting for dinner. This huge place is a restaurant and lounge with multiple rooms:
A first one, small, at the entrance, with a nicely furnished bar:
The lounge with its impressive lighting:
The two dining rooms that can cater approximately eighty guests each:
They set the mood with not only Latin music, but also a blue lighting in the dining room that kept the lounge-y feel.
Don Coqui opened in February 2011 in Astoria (they have several locations such as The Bronx or New Rochelle that is their flagship). The restaurant got its name from a small frog that makes a sound like "coqui, coqui", that is quite a funny anecdote.
The menu, crafted by Executive Chef Jack D'Angelo, had so many mouth watering dishes that I admit that I was not sure what to order; so we followed the advice of our server, Andres, who was very knowledgable about the dishes, describing them in detail.
I started by ordering a drink. I chose the mango Mojito that was delicious, refreshing and original.
They then brought us some bread, made on premises.
It is like a focaccia with garlic butter that is pressed like a panini. I had to resist not eating too much of it...
For the appetizers, we got a sampler they made for us (so you will not find it on the menu).
It was composed of:
Fried calamari with marinara sauce:
The difficulty with fried calamari is that they are either rubbery and/or soggy, not crispy. There, they were perfect.
Beef empanada with tomato and guava sauce:
Nicely done: the filling was juicy and tasty, and the shell crispy. There was no need for the sauce that I appreciated anyway with the empanada...and the calamari.
Tostones montaditos:
It was fried plantains topped with cod fish, tomato, onion, cilantro and lime. I liked the flavors that were clean and well balanced, a bit refreshing.
I also tried their hot sauce that they import directly from Puerto Rico. At first, I did not taste the heat, but it rapidly revealed itself.
For the entrées, when we thought we would have smaller portions, we saw all these big dishes coming! The first one was the plantain crusted red snapper, served with a yuca mash.
This is a very original dish: they bake plantains, crush them and then use them as breading. This was divine: the plantain crust had a bit of crunch and worked perfectly with the fish that was nicely cooked, moist and flakey. I also loved the yuca mash: prepared with cheese, it had a very interesting texture that I am not sure how to describe, denser than regular mash.
Then we got one of their best sellers: rabo guisado that is braised oxtail.
This is a very comforting dish, with bold flavors, but I admit that it was my least favorite one. Well, my favorite one was definitely the Don Coqui paella!
It was made of rice cooked for more than two hours with mussels, shrimp, clams, calamari, chorizo and chicken, topped with half a lobster.
This was the high point of the meal: the presentation was outstanding, as were the flavors. You could definitely taste the fact that the rice was cooked with the ingredients for a while. I hate when the rice has no flavor, indicating that it has been cooked separately and assembled with the rest at the last minute, right before serving. Quantity wise, it is a huge serving: I cannot imagine how one person can eat that and was surprised to see many customers ordering the paella for themselves: they probably take it home...
I should also mention the abundance of seafood, especially the squid. If you love paella, Don Coqui is definitely the place to go!
With our dishes, we also got tostones, served with a garlic and oil sauce
As well as some sweet plantains.
For dessert, they told us they would bring us a sampler. We did not imagine what was coming.
There were five desserts:
Tres leches:
Cheese flan (my favorite, made with condensed milk):
Chocolate flan:
Coconut flan (Jodi was in heaven):
Chocolate lava cake:
Know that they make all the desserts on premises and they were fantastic! I could have eaten everything but admit that I was full after such a feast.
To finish our meal, they brought us a drink called the coquito, that all customers get (I saw few of them getting more than one...). It is a drink usually served at Christmas time, made with coconut milk, nutmeg and rum. It was very good and a nice way to end this succulent meal.
If you crave Spanish cuisine or would love a paella, Don Coqui is for you: it is worth a trip to Astoria!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Restaurant Week: Hakkasan in NYC, NY
My next target for Restaurant Week was Hakkasan, a modern Chinese restaurant that originated in London in 2001 and opened its doors in Hell's Kitchen in April 2012 and earned a Michelin star. I was thinking that the $38 deal for dinner was a good way to try out that place as, the lack of prices on the menu often indicates a pricey meal...
My next target for Restaurant Week was Hakkasan, a modern Chinese restaurant that originated in London in 2001 and opened its doors in Hell's Kitchen in April 2012 and earned a Michelin star. I was thinking that the $38 deal for dinner was a good way to try out that place as, the lack of prices on the menu often indicates a pricey meal...
This 11,000 square feet place is pretty impressive with its modern decor and deep blue lighting. The photo above is the lounge area and the one below part of the dining room.
Even more impressive is the long corridor at the entrance that reminded Jodi of a scene in The Shinning. Scary!
They sat us fairly quickly at our table and I admit that I really was not sure what to order as lots of dishes seemed very appetizing.
For instance, for the appetizer, I hesitated between the steamed dim sum platter and the fried one. Well, first I did not know what har gau was and discovered later that it was a shrimp dumpling. Then, they had a fried dumpling with duck and, as I love duck, I decided to go with the fried platter.
There were three dumplings: shrimp, mashed duck and pumpkin, scallops. The presentation was beautiful, especially the duck dumpling that had the shape of a pumpkin. They were delicious: slightly crispy and tasty, the dough was perfect, not too greasy. My favorite was the scallop one, then the shrimp and last the duck (I did not get as much duck taste as I would have loved to).
Jodi got the stir-fried mushrooms with lettuce wrap.
I loved that dish, with or without the lettuce that, as the name of the dish suggests, is used as a wrap.
It was full of pistachio and pine nuts that added a nice flavor to it. But know that it was slightly spicy...
For the entrée, I ordered the spicy prawn, served with Lilly bulb, almond and jicama.
I was surprised how much large shrimp were on the plate as I thought that, being a special deal, portions would be small.
I ate that dish with some egg fried rice that was quite good.
Imagine the sauce of the prawn being like a curry, with the spiciness of a curry in fact. Fortunately, mixing with the rice and eating the jicama that not only gave a nice crunch, but had a slight cooling effect that helped. It was so good that, even if my mouth was, at time, on fire, I went back to it.
Jodi ordered a vegetarian dish: three-style mushroom stir-fry with macadamia nuts, water chestnuts and gai lan that is Chinese broccoli.
It was good, but I admit that I found the dish a bit boring, missing texture if not for the presence of macadamia nuts, and taste. She also got fried rice.
For dessert, we shared:
Vanilla ice cream with strawberry sorbet, strawberries, meringue and...black pepper.
Ok, I admit that we did not really taste the black pepper, and I wondered if it was not just simply used to enhance flavors. But overall, it was a delicious dish, the high point being the vanilla ice cream that had a texture very close to a mousse.
We also tried a lemon infused consommé with peach ice cream, a huge cherry, and some fig.
That was a fantastic dessert, well balanced and very refreshing. I could have eaten more of it! Well, I also could have eaten much more of this amazing shortbread!
We had a delicious meal at Hakkasan: the food was succulent, the presentation stunning and appetizing, and the service perfect and courteous. Know that there is loud music there, like in a club, but even with that, I cannot wait to go back there for another dinner, that is what the spirit of Restaurant Week is about: discovering places.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Café Blossom on Carmine, New York, NY
A few years ago, the idea to go to a vegan restaurant would have made me cringe. Today, I am kind of excited at the idea to try some new flavors. So yes, I was excited when I got invited to try Café Blossom on Carmine, especially after reading the statement from one of its founders, Ronen Seri:
My vision for Blossom was to create a place with outstanding food, not just for vegans, but for everyone to enjoy.
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
A few years ago, the idea to go to a vegan restaurant would have made me cringe. Today, I am kind of excited at the idea to try some new flavors. So yes, I was excited when I got invited to try Café Blossom on Carmine, especially after reading the statement from one of its founders, Ronen Seri:
My vision for Blossom was to create a place with outstanding food, not just for vegans, but
for everyone to enjoy.
Yes, I am not a vegetarian and much less a vegan, so going to this kind of restaurant can be a real test.
I like the place: simply decorated, I love the contrast of the dark wood with the white brick wall, like the ying and yang.
They push the concept to having a communal table situated right in front of the open kitchen.
The menu offers small and large dishes, some of them looking familiar such as the Caesar salad or the pipette Margherita, but with a vegan twist if I may say: the cheese is for instance replaced by tapioca cheese, bacon by tempeh bacon.
We started off with some drinks. Jodi ordered their belvoir sparkling elderflower lemonade:
And I ordered the house brewed fresh ginger ale:
Then, we shared two appetizers:
The first one was the buffalo risotto croquettes served with pickled carrot ribbons and blue cheese sauce.
There were three croquettes that were divine: think about rice balls made with buffalo sauce that are deep fried and then topped with blue cheese.
This was a very successful dish, very flavorful and I loved the fact that these little rice balls were not dry.
The second appetizer was the taco trio:
It was made of roasted mushroom adobo, corn tortilla, cabbage, huitlacoche, carrot/onion escabeche and micro cilantro. I had no idea what huitlacoche was and later discovered that it was corn mushroom, corn smut or even called Mexican truffle (that's pushing a bit!).
This was a delicious dish: very flavorful, I did not mind at all that it was vegetarian. I love the crunch of the cabbage, as well as the bold flavor of the roasted mushroom adobo. Another great dish!
For the entrées, Jodi ordered the soy bacon cheeseburger:
She decided to have French fries as a side rather than field green: after all, it is a burger.
It was composed of seitan patty, tapioca cheddar, caramelized onions, grilled shiitake mushrooms, soy bacon, lettuce, tomato, chipotle aioli on a sesame bun. I admit that it was a bit messy to eat because of the soy bacon that was too hard and make it difficult to cut through. I also did not like the texture and taste.
On my side, I decided to order the huevos rancheros, curious to see how one of my favorite brunch dishes would end up.
The dish was made of tofu scramble, adobo sauce, tapioca cheddar, black beans, soy sour cream, served on a crispy corn tortillas.
This was a nice interpretation of that dish. Being eggless, it did not have the same smoothness that the egg yolk usually gives, but I found it quite interesting, the tofu being moist and flavorful, perfect mixed with the beans and sour cream. I wonder if the yellow color is coming from turmeric...
Last was dessert. We went for the peach and strawberry crumble, served with vanilla ice cream:
And the New York cheesecake, served with a peach reduction, strawberries and chocolate chips:
The desserts were quite good, especially knowing that they do not use butter. The crumble was the best one, although I would have liked more fruit in it. But the cheesecake was fabulous too, with its crust that was very coconut-ey.
My meal could not be complete without a coffee and, instead of going for an espresso, I went for a cappuccino, curious to see how they would pull it off without milk (they use almond milk in fact). And it worked!
This was a nice meal, surprising in a lot of ways. If you go to Café Blossom, I definitely recommend the buffalo risotto croquettes, the tacos and the desserts. You will not regret it!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Restaurant Week: The Russian Tea Room in NYC, NY
I always wanted to go to The Russian Tea Room, but I admit that I heard so many things about it: food not good and overpriced, and poor service, that it was on the bottom of my list. But then, Summer Restaurant Week happened: it is a great way to try pricey restaurants at a discount (three course meal for $25 for lunch and $38 for dinner), as long as the restaurant embraces the event's purposes and does not cheap out on quality or service.
So I went to The Russian Tea Room for lunch after booking a table on Opentable. I mention it because I looked at the description of the restaurant and it said that the dress code was business casual meaning long sleeve shirts, no t-shirt or shorts. Well I guess that they are more relaxed for lunch, Midtown being full of tourists, because I saw many people wearing these supposedly not recommended outfits.
The decor of this place, created in 1927 by former Russian Imperial Ballet members is incredible, a bit over the top, as if we were transported to the 1900s. There is of course the bright red banquettes that seem to be made of plastic (it is not), the chandeliers, and the multiple paintings on the walls (not sure if there is any space left to hang another thing!).
The first experience on how pricey the place is is the cork fee: one of my friends brought a bottle of champagne from France for a celebration. Apparently, the cork fee was $55! We surely declined.
So, as we were making up our mind as far as the menu goes, they brought us some bread and butter. I admit that I thought that the bread was not that fresh at that point...
Then, I chose an appetizer: goat cheese and mushroom blinchik that is a crêpe filled with goat cheese, wild mushrooms, melted onions, served with a sauce made with lingonberries.
When the dish came, I thought that it was a small portion. Fortunately, it was delicious, goat cheese and melted onions pairing very well together, the later having a nice sweetness. And if you love mushrooms, you will not be disappointed either as they definitely stood out. The crêpe itself was perfect: very thin and well cooked, it was nicely soft. I just wished there was more of it.
For the entrée, I got the chicken à la Czar that is sautéed chicken breast with roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a light cream sauce.
Interestingly, they were not at all consistent with the serving: I got two mushrooms, while one of my friends got plenty.
And in fact I picked that dish for the mushrooms! Fortunately, the chicken was well cooked and moist, perfect when dipped with the cream sauce that was, as advertised, light.
For dessert, I chose the chocolate pyramid, made with bittersweet chocolate mousse and with a raspberry filling:
That was a delicious dessert: light, not too sweet and very chocolate-y. I surely recommend it. I ate it with an espresso that was quite pricey ($8).
Although it was a bit inconsistent, I liked my lunch at The Russian Tea Room: for $25 we got a good deal and had a decent meal. I should mention the service that was quite good. Would I go back outside of Restaurant Week: probably.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Parmys Persian Fusion in NYC, NY
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
I admit that Persian cuisine is not something that I eat often, having dined to only one Persian restaurant in the city; I went few times though, but not enough to make me a connoisseur of such an exotic cuisine. So I was excited to go there, intrigued by the fusion side of the name.
This small 50 seat restaurant, whose name comes from a Persian princess name, opened a year ago. It is a family business: the owner Amir Raoufi used to work in his sister's restaurants, Ravagh, before deciding to open Parmys with his other sister Mojgan, who is also a Chef.
Menu wise, they specialize mostly in kebabs (meat, seafood or vegetarian), but you can get other dishes such as stews. Before we started, they brought us some bread as well as Persian salsa, made with veggies like carrots, cauliflower and cabbage.
Then, I wanted to try the droogh, a Persian yogurt drink close to an Indian lassi, except that it is made with club soda.
For the entree, Jodi got a koobideh, a minced meat kebab (it was made of beef):
It was served with grilled tomato, grilled onion, radish and basmati rice.
On my side, I got Sultani, that is a combination of barg (marinated sirloin) and koobideh.
This was really good: the meat was flavorful thanks to the spices and herbs used, tender and juicy (the sirloin was perfectly cooked medium). With it, we got some yogurt and mint that I ate with the meat, as well as the rice, that would have otherwise been dry for my taste.
For dessert, we got a sampler:
It was composed of:
Baklava:
Zoolbia:
Bamieh (sort of donut dipped in syrup):
I knew the baklava of course, as it is a dessert present in many cuisines, such as Greek or Turkish, as well as the Zoulbia, equivalent to the jelabi in India or zalabia in North Africa. But I discovered the bamieh that was sublime: it was delightfully sweet, the sugar syrup not only coating the inside, but also present in the inside.
The last dessert we tried was their homemade almond pudding:
It was very good, not too sweet. The only thing I did not really like were the slices of almond that were inside, as they did not give a pleasant texture for me.
We enjoyed our dinner at Parmy where the food was quite good. They have a lunch menu for less than $10 with an appetizer and entree that make it a very affordable experience.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Bobby Van's Grill in New York, NY
Menu wise, there is no surprise: you find the usual dishes a steakhouse proposes, such as crab cakes, shrimp cocktail or Caesar salad. Meat wise, they have the traditional cuts: filet mignon, ribeye, sirloin and of course a sizzling porterhouse.
There is a large amount of steakhouses Midtown: Ruth's Chris, Empire Steakhouse, Quality Meats, Quality Italian, Smith and Wollensky, Wolfgang Steakhouse...No wonder there are so many considering all the businesses located there. Because, let's be honest: steaks are fantastic in the US, but it comes at a certain price and you will not see that many families in steakhouses, especially now, as the price of meat is going up. Whenever I have visitors from Europe, I tell them to try a good steak if they can afford it, suggesting few places I tried and liked. So this time, I tried Bobby Van's with some of my friends.
Established since 1969, this family business has several locations across the US, five being in Times Square. We went to the one on 50th street that opened in 2006. It has all the characteristics of a steakhouse: masculine, warm and noisy. You may think looking at the photos that the restaurant was empty, but in fact, these photos were taken when I left, a little after 10pm; because, believe me, when we arrived, it was packed!
We had a small room reserved for us and we were all thinking: thank God, we will be able to hear each other. When we sat, I noticed that there was a small notepad on the table, wondering what the usage could be at the time of the smartphones and their note applications.
Menu wise, there is no surprise: you find the usual dishes a steakhouse proposes, such as crab cakes, shrimp cocktail or Caesar salad. Meat wise, they have the traditional cuts: filet mignon, ribeye, sirloin and of course a sizzling porterhouse.
As we were choosing from the menu, they brought us a bread basket with a nice variety, as well as some butter. Some say that the bread brought to the table makes the first impression: try in a way and so, for a steakhouse, you always expect one with different breads, breadsticks being a must have (don't ask me why...).
To go with our meal, we decided to order some wine. Red wine of course as pairing with a white wine our steaks would be a blasphemy. We chose a Bordeaux: Chateau Simard Saint Emilion 2004.
It is a wine that has a full and round structure, perfect with red meats, especially my favorite cut: the ribeye.
But first were the appetizers. I ordered one of my favorite in steakhouses: the crab cake.
Served with a mustard remoulade, the crab cake was 5 ounces of deliciousness. You could definitely see the lumps of crab and there was no apparent breading and filler, making it a fantastic appetizer.
Then, I also tried their cold seafood bouquet:
It was composed of lobster, crab and large shrimp. Nicely presented, it tasted very fresh and all the seafood was perfectly cooked.
But then was the plat de
résistance: the steak. I was ready for it!
I went for the ribeye:
It was big and thick. It might not have been the biggest I had in a restaurant, but it was probably a 22 ounce piece. Know that at Bobby Van's, they dry age
their steaks for 28 days, a process supposed to give the meat tenderness and enhancing the flavors.
I asked for my ribeye to be cooked medium-rare and it was perfect. Very juicy and tender, it had a delightful char.
It was so good that I did not even need their steak sauce.
Of course, when you have steak, you need sides and at Bobby Van's, they have a pretty good choice. We tried:
Creamed spinach (my favorite when wanting to eat vegetables...):
Mashed potatoes:
French fries:
Sautéed mushrooms:
Brussels sprouts (another veggie: good diet, no?):
And my all time favorite with a steak: mac and cheese!
The only side I did not really liked was the hash browns that I could not photograph: maybe this was a sign. All the others were really good and comforting with the steak. I was just surprised that they did not have one with truffles as more and more steakhouses are proposing sides like truffle fries or truffle mash. Another classic missing was onion rings, but eh, they still have a large choice of yummy ones.
After that came the terrible choice of having dessert or not...Well, I could not leave without trying one of their signature ones. I chose the pecan caramel fudge pie.
Not only it looked appetizing, but it was sublime, the best part being the caramel that was not too sweet but buttery. I also loved the top that was made with the crushed pecans, giving some texture to the dish. To accompany it, there was nothing better than an espresso.
This was a delicious meal (with great company of course) with a high point on the ribeye that was divine. Bobby Van's knows how to cook the delicious meat they age for sure. And I should mention the exceptional service we had there from Garett. This is definitely on my list of favorite steakhouses!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Frere de Lys, French restaurant on the Upper East Side, NY
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Frère de Lys is a French restaurant located on the Upper East Side that discovered last week end. I met with two of the owners of this place Alexis and Thibault Piettre, who before that worked in other restaurants in New York, before fulfilling the dream to open their own restaurant. Their mother was even there and chat proudly about this adventure. I was intrigued by the name as it seems to be a play on fleur de lys (iris flower), a symbol of monarchy in Europe; According to French historian Georges Duby, the three petals represent the medieval social classes: those who worked, those who fought, and those who prayed (source: wikipedia).
Alexis told me that they are not royalist at all, but wanted to celebrate the renaissance period, their renaissance and as he and his brother have a fleur de lys tattooed on their arms, they thought about Frère de Lys as the name to their new adventure, frère meaning brother in French.
Decor wise, it is a simple place with a lot of warmth thanks to the dark wood of the tables, chairs and long banquette, keeping a touch of modernity.
At the entrance is the bar with its bulbs that give a vintage feel.
Then, the dining room, simply decorated.
With of course a photo of an iris in the back.
Menu wise, do not expect to see a bistro type menu: there are no escargots, no confit de canard and no steak frites. There, the menu has classic French dishes, modernized and sometimes changed with an American twist. Know that we were there for a tasting, so the portions were smaller that what is shown on the actual menu. In fact, they were perfect portions for sharing and trying plenty of dishes and, who knows, their menu may include smaller dishes at some point!
Like any good French menu, it started with bread (toasted and served with olive oil) and wine. I got to try two wines:
The first one was a château de la sèlve palissaire 2012:
The second one was a Domaine du Colombier Chinon 2010:
I went for the Chinon.
Then, we chose three appetizers:
Roasted figs and prosciutto, that is one of their best sellers:
The tiny figs were topped with goat cheese and complimented with arugula, all of this drizzled with a house vinaigrette.
I thought it was a nice pairing and I loved the combination of the fig, with its particular texture, and goat cheese. It was definitely a good start.
The next appetizer was smoked eggplant gratin:
It was made with ricotta and a homemade tomato sauce. Considering the way it was prepared, I would more associate this dish to Italian cuisine. It was very good, letting the eggplant be the star of the dish, and it was very comforting.
The last appetizer was the veggie and quinoa tartine:
A tartine is a slice of bread with a spread or ingredients on top. At Frère de Lys, they propose few of them, with for instance prosciutto or smoked salmon. But we decided to go for the veggie and quinoa as we were intrigued by this vegetarian option. What was interesting with this dish is that it was simple: bread, cucumber and quinoa, served with arugula salad on the side. But as simple as it was, it was very good and filling, the cucumber adding a nice cooling and freshness to the dish.
For the entrees, we picked three:
The pan seared chicken, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, haricots verts (string beans), mushrooms, tarragon and mustard sauce. This was delicious: the chicken was perfectly cooked and moist, and the sauce delightful but not heavy. The mash potatoes were homemade and I truly appreciated the fact that it was not garlic-ey. The haricots verts were interesting: they were crunchy, that is the way veggies are cooked in the US, but not in France, where they would be cooked longer, until very soft, probably in a bit of butter. The two brothers disagree on the way they should be cooked: Alexis prefers the French way (as I do) and Thibault the way they are served.
The second appetizer was the rack of lamb:
It was served also with haricots verts and sweet potato. The lamb was good, but unfortunately a bit overcooked; I did not really care about the red wine reduction that came with it as the meat was still moist. I loved the fact that it was paired with a sweet potato that was simply cooked in the oven before being sliced in half and served: simple and delicious.
The last entree was a vegetarian dish that was definitely a high point: paleo zucchini pasta.
Imagine zucchini shredded like thick pasta, served with an avocado cream sauce. That was a fantastic dish, between the crunchiness of the zucchini to the richness of the avocado. Full of flavors, this is the type of dish that even a carnivore like me would like.
Last was dessert, eaten with a decaf espresso.
We got a sampler that is normally not proposed on the menu (all restaurants should have a sampler - wink, wink!), with the slices of tarts being smaller than usually served.
We got to try:
The flour less chocolate cake:
The pear and rosemary tart:
The grand-mère apple and honey cake:
All the desserts, made on premises, were really good and not too sweet, my favorite being the last one. But I admit that the pear and rosemary was quite surprising as pear is a common ingredient for a tart, but rosemary is not, and there was just enough quantity to give a subtle taste to the tart.
I was ready to go when they propose a glass of mirabelle from Alsace, the region in France where the brothers are from. I could not refuse...
It is an eau de vie, that is a clear fruit-based spirit (made with mirabelle plum in this case) perfect for the digestion.
Although the dishes were not heavy, I needed a walk after that feast: the food was delicious and well presented. The menu, with seasonal dishes is not large, that is perfect as it is better to have a small menu well executed than a large menu poorly made. I truly appreciated the fact that they had vegetarian dishes that did not look or taste like sides, but really like complete dishes that would satisfy anybody and not just vegetarians. I also loved the atmosphere of the restaurant: with its neighborhood feel, it reminded me some of the small joints I used to go to in Paris, where you feel welcome and in a way part of a family. This is of course thanks to the dynamism and warmth of the two brothers, Alexis and Thibault. Frère de Lys is definitely worth a trip to the Upper East Side! Chapeau!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Joe's Shanghai in New York, NY
It has been years since I went to Joe's Shanghai, having tried their midtown (food just ok and poor service) and their Chinatown location. But, after trying the soup dim sum at Red Farm, I wanted to go back and see how these restaurants measure up against each other.
We went on a week day and showed up a bit before the opening as, each time we passed by, there was a long line, this restaurant being recommended in a lot of guides. Surprisingly, there was barely anybody, so we got a table right away.
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Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Paname, that means
Paris
in slang, is a French restaurant located Midtown East, opened a year ago by Chef Bernard Ros, a veteran of the New York food scene, known not only for his cuisine, but also his mentorship in the industry, helping people get jobs or training them, solely for the love of food. The adventure started in 1967, when Chef Ros came to Montreal for the World's Fair. He then decided to go visit New York...and never went back to France, working in many restaurants, before opening Meli Melo and then Paname.
Chef Bernard Ros with the "Marilyn Monroe's legs"
I spoke at length with him during my dinner at Paname and truly felt that he was more interested in making his customers pleased with the experience at the restaurant, serving them classic bistro dishes, reinvented, at low prices, creating a loyal clientele, instead of one time diners.
Chef Ros goes everyday to the market to pick ingredients, putting an emphasis on the quality of the meat and seafood he will serve. If you go to Paname, you will definitely see him (he is there 7/7) going from table to table, to ensure everything is fine.
Menu wise, you will find classics, but as I mentioned before, reinvented. For instance, there are escargots (snails), but not cooked the usual way, with garlic and butter. Also, everything is homemade, including the desserts, that can be a challenge for a Chef, but not for Bernard Ros, as you will see in this post.
We started our meal with an amuse bouche that was made with gorgonzola and a tomato coulis, a perfect combination.
Then, I tried few appetizers:
Tomato and mozzarella:
Grilled portobello mushrooms with mozzarella:
Homemade pâté with cornichons:
Escargots de Bourgogne with Russet potatoes:
The first thing I noticed was the presentation and then, the originality of the escargot dish: it was definitely a different way of preparing escargot, like a twist to stuffed vegetables, a French classic, where the snails replaced the ground meat. On the plate were stuffed potatoes and zucchini.
Also, the pâté had this rustic taste, full of authenticity.
For entrees, I tried:
The paella Valenciana:
You are right, it is a Spanish dish, but it seems that customers love this special, so it is often proposed. It was prepared with seafood (a lot, such as calamari, clams, shrimp and mussels), as well as chorizo and chicken. Delicious dish, very appetizing with all these vivid colors.
The sautéed cod fish à la niçoise with a tomato fondant:
I really liked it: the fish, sitting on top of smooth mashed potatoes, was perfectly cooked and topped with a sort of stew made with roasted tomatoes, peppers and a black olives (the
à la niçoise
part of the dish) that was sublime, giving another dimension to the dish.
Last was the bouillabaisse, a fish stew that comes from the city of Marseille in the South of France, where I was born!
When the dish came to the table, it had this wonderful aroma and I could not wait to taste the broth that was delicious and very flavorful, perfectly seasoned. It was composed of mussels, clams, baby scallops, shrimp and cod, accompanied with a garlic aioli (on two pieces of toasted bread, as well as on a spoon, to mix with the broth)..
That was very good and very comforting, definitely a dish I would recommend, even in Summer time.
Then, it was time for dessert. At Paname, they have classic ones, such as crème brûlée, tarte tatin or mousse au chocolat. I did not eat the latter, but Bernard Ros, showed me how they served it and it was amazing: not served in the usual bowl, it was truly artistic.
I tried the flourless chocolate cake that was probably one of the best I had so far. Prepared with some Valhrona bittersweet chocolate, it was dense and very chocolatey.
Last were the homemade crêpes, made with Grand Marnier and served with almonds.
The crêpes were thicker than what I am used to, making them a bit heavier. However, I truly appreciated that they put the right amount of alcohol and the added texture of the toasted almonds.
Last were cookies:
I should mention that I drank a glass (or two) of Côtes du Rhône with my meal.
The short walk after we left was welcome...Paname is a nice place to go to, simple and unpretentious, where the passion of its Chef and owner really reflects into the dishes. And with a $35 prix-fixe with an appetizer, entree and dessert, you cannot go wrong!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Le Bernardin in New York, NY
Before stating that you definitely do not like fish, go to Le Bernardin, the three Michelin starred restaurant of Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Coze, located in Midtown Manhattan. This place, opened in 1986 is the pinnacle of seafood in America and kept a solid reputation all these years. There is no doubt Chef Ripert is talented, crafting an elegant and tasteful menu that even the most skeptical will rave about, but, behind the scenes is one man, an incredible fish butcher by the name of Justo Thomas, who takes care of more than 1,000 pounds of fish per day, requiring three people to replace him when he is on vacation! Thanks to his craftsmanship, you will not find one bone or fish part that you cannot eat, filleting fishes to perfection and ensuring you have the best quality on your plate, making the whole experience there unforgettable (I just drooled by the way just thinking about it).
We went there for our wedding anniversary, for a first celebration (yes, we had two!). I do not really remember the decor, three years ago, when we went for dinner, right before their renovations, adding a lounge to the restaurant, where I believe you can just walk in and have a more casual experience than in the dining room (Gentlemen, jacket is required). The decor is classy, modern and warm, with a beautiful painting in the back from Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner representing the sea, dominating the entire dining room.
As we were still deciding what to pick from the menu, they brought us an amuse bouche.
It was composed of:
Goat cheese and beet in phyllo:
Oyster from Washington State with sea beans:
Carrot and ginger soup with a tuile:
That was a great way to start, my preference going to the soup because I thought that it had complex flavors. Even Jodi, who does not like carrot loved it.
Then, they brought us some bread and butter.
There was a large choice of bread for sure.
Jodi picked the pretzel bread
And me, the sundried tomatoe and fennel (pretty good).
We opted for the prix fixe dinner, the tasting menu looking good, but having plenty of dishes that Jodi would not like. For $135, you get three dishes and a dessert. Pricey, but totally worth it.
The first dishes were in the section
Almost raw
. For Jodi, it was the striped bass:
It was a wild striped bass tartare, Jicama salad with a champagne-mango emulsion. For most of the dishes, the sauce or emulsion was put at the end, poured slowly by the wait staff, like a ceremonial gesture.
It was served with some toasted sourdough bread.
I got the yellowfin tuna that was layered over foie gras and toasted baguette, with chives and extra virgin olive oil on top:
This was a nice take on surf and turf, and it worked! Similar to a carpaccio, I loved the combination of fish / foie gras, with the added crispiness from the baguette.
The second dishes were from the section
Barely touched
. For Jodi, it was the white tuna or escolar poached in olive oil and served with niçoise olives, grilled maitake mushrooms and a citron (lemon) vinaigrette.
For me, the king fish and caviar:
It was served with brioche bread.
Similar to Jodi's first dish, the light marinière broth was added at the table.
Et voila!
This was a fantastic dish: the king fish was sliced like a sashimi and not at all overpowered by either the broth or the caviar that gave a very slight saltiness to the dish.
Then was the last dish, from the section
lightly cooked
. Jodi ordered the crispy black bass, served with wood ears mushrooms and water chestnuts, and bathed in a black truffle hot and sour pot au feu:
She was a bit disappointed, especially after she tasted my dish...I tried it and liked it, the fish skin being deliciously crispy and the fish being perfectly cooked, but I have to agree with her that we could barely taste the truffle.
So, on my side, my last dish was spectacular! It was a surf and turf made of white tuna (escolar) and kobe beef.
There were three elements to the dish:
The escolar with its soy-lemon emulsion:
The kimchi and Asian pear:
The kobe beef:
That was the best dish of the evening and, considering what we had so far, it is a pretty big statement! The escolar was so good, with its nice grilled taste, it was literally melting in my mouth. So was the beef that was tender and juicy (I drooled again!).
Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the S'mores (smoked Madagascan chocolate crémeux, Graham cracker sablé, Tahitian vanilla ice cream) that she inhaled:
And I ordered the banana, a dessert composed of a roasted banana mousse cake and ice cream, Piedmont hazelnuts:
I loved it: it was quite light and delicate, not too sweet, perfect if you love banana!
But it was not the end. They brought us a small plate with, from left to right, a cherry chocolate (that had peanut in it), a salted caramel (my favorite), a peach pate de fruit and black currant financier:
I should of course mention the wine. I went for a glass of Meursault "Les grands charrons", a Bourgogne from 2011.
With its medium-bodied flavor, it was perfect with the fish.
Dining at Le Bernardin was a sublime experience: the service was outstanding and the food beautifully presented and delicious. Yes it is pricey, but this is the kind of restaurant where you will not be disappointed. So I guess there is no need to ask me if I would go back: you know the answer!
Enjoy (I surely did)!
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Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY
As we were craving Mexican food, we decided to go to Empellon Taqueria, located in the West village; a place whose staff has definitely a sense of humor...
Big place with beautiful mural on the wall.
That day, they were hosting a birthday party and I did not had time to have a look at the menu crafted for the event, but noted that this could be a good place for a group meal.
To start, we went for the guacamole and chips.
The guacamole was definitely freshly made as could attest the chunks of avocado, chopped onions or fresh cilantro.
I truly appreciated the fact that they put the jalapeño on top, so if one does not like it, it is easy to remove them.
It was perfect: well seasoned, served with delicious tortilla chips.
For her entrée, Jodi ordered the mixed mushroom tacos (she chose to get two instead of three, that are the two sizes proposed).
This was a delicious dish that I recommend if you love mushrooms, because they put a lot of it and it is not mixed with any sauce or ingredients that would overpower the entire dish, letting the mushroom be the star.
On my side, I was first set for tacos, but changed my mind when I saw that they were serving a churro French toast. Yes, you read that right and I was sure the combination of a churro and a French toast would be divine: I was not mistaken.
First of all, it was a perfect French toast: the bread that was like a brioche or challah was perfectly soaked, and the churro created a crust that was delightfully crispy. It worked so well that I did not need to add any butter and maple syrup.
This was a fantastic brunch there, all the dishes being very good and the service perfect. I am still ecstatic about the churro French toast that I definitely recommend. I will definitely go back as I saw some tacos I definitely want to try. I really enjoyed: oh yes I did! Sorry, I just drooled all over my computer...
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Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
There are so many Thai restaurants in New York, that I was a bit skeptical when I received an invitation from Kao Srisuphasiri, one of the owners of Larb Ubol, a Thai restaurant located in the bottom part of Hell's Kitchen. Even there, that restaurant is surrounded by other ones serving Thai food. I soon understood why Larb Ubol is original.
Well, like many Thai places, you do not go there for the decor and they admit that they prefer putting the money on the food as this is the reason why customers come back. Entering in the restaurant, you immediately notice the big empty space at the entrance: at this point, they are not really sure what to put there, whether a plant, fountain or tables. For the moment, it is nice because it does not feel too crowded.
The decor is very simplistic:
banquettes and chair backs are covered with Thailand’s traditional checkered pha khao ma cloth used to fashion everything from sarongs to hammocks
. On the ceiling and walls, some small umbrellas coming from Thailand:
So, it was clear that we were there for the food, and we made sure we tried several dishes prepared by Chef Ratchanee Sumpatboon, who worked for 20 years in New York City, in well known restaurants, such as Zabb Elee. Her menu is Isan cuisine, from the North East of Thailand, characterized by its heat, chili peppers being prominent, as well as sticky rice, used as we would bread.
Looking at the menu, I immediately noticed the absence of the massaman or penang curry I am used to seeing in Thai restaurants, the only well known dishes being Pad See ew or Pad Thai. I guess that is where Larb Ubol is different. So, it was time to check it out!
To start our feast, we ordered a Thai beer (Singha):
As well as Thai iced tea that was perfect to cool me from the heat of the dishes.
To start, we ordered a couple of appetizers. First was the Larb, a spicy ground meat salad that gave its name to the restaurant (Ubol comes from the city of Ubon Ratchathani where the Chef grew up).
We had the following choices for the ground meat: chicken, pork, beef, veggie duck...We went for beef (
Nuer Larb
). It was good, but spicy and I loved mixing the spicy meat with the refreshing cucumber or mint leaves. I liked it so much that I kept going at it.
Then, I tried the grilled chicken liver skewer (
Tub Yang
), served with a tamarind dipping sauce:
If like me, you like chicken liver, this dish is for you. I admit that it was a bit dry, but the tamarind sauce did its magic, making it a very enjoyable appetizer.
The next dish was Peek Kai Tod or marinated chicken wings, served with a sweet chili sauce:
I thought it would be spicy, but it was not the case at all: the sauce was on the sweet side and was perfect with the moist chicken wings. Good dish for bird lovers.
Then, we had the Pukk Boong Fai Dang or sautéed morning glory with fresh chili:
I do not think I ever had morning glory before. It looks like this:
I enjoyed the dish, but should have ordered it with crispy pork as I am not too much of a vegetarian. The morning glory tasted a bit like spinach, maybe a bit less bitter.
Then was the Chicken Pad Ped:
It is one of their Chef's special, composed of chicken, Thai eggplant, bell pepper, basil, wild ginger and drenched in a spicy curry paste. I should add the large quantity of peppercorn...
After one bite, my mouth was literally on fire and I was glad I had the sticky rice and Thai iced tea to cool down!
I also ate some Pad See Ew that helped against the heat:
We went for the tofu version that was very good.
Last was dessert: we ordered the fried ice cream.
I always find fried ice cream to be an interesting dessert: who got this idea to fry ice cream?
This was a very addictive dessert, the vanilla ice cream pairing well with its shell that was slightly crispy and deliciously sweet.
This was a very good dinner and I am glad I had the opportunity to try a different cuisine. Larb Ubol is definitely unique and stands out from the traditional Thai restaurants. Would I go back: certainly. But this time, I'll ask for non spicy dishes...
Enjoy (I did)!
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Brunch at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York
Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
I do not know how many times I passed by SOB's, but I truthfully thought it was just another club that entertained many for more than 25 years. Until I received an invite to come and try it. This venue that can accommodate up to 450 people is huge and composed of different sections:
The bar area:
With its table football that was there especially for the World Cup.
Its large dining area with a stage where they play music for patrons who either want to eat, drink or dance.
In fact, during our brunch, there was band playing some Brazilian songs.
I admit that when they arrived on stage, I was thinking that it will probably be loud and annoying as I like to enjoy my meal in a atmosphere where I can talk to my wife without screaming. It was perfect, being more in the background; the acoustic was fantastic and the band was very good.
They brought us the brunch menu that, for $31, includes unlimited sangria (red or white), an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. I was more inclined to try a caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail made with cachaça, sugar and lime.
I truly appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and well balanced, with a nice quantity of lime in it.
At the same time, they brought us a bread basket:
It was composed of a small croissant, bread, corn bread and of course, some cheese bread or pao de queijo (I love it):
Then of course was the food. The menu, crafted by Chef Jorge Lima is latin, not only Brazilian.
So we started with the appetizers. We went for the butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin pepitos and crème fraiche:
It was very good, with a nice sweetness from the butternut that worked perfectly with the crème fraiche (I just wish there was more of it).
The second appetizer was the empanadas:
One was made with cheese:
The other one with some spicy beef:
Both were good and I could not decide which one I liked best. The shell was delightfully crispy and flaky. Dipped in their spicy red pepper sauce, it was divine!
Let me tell you: this sauce was very hot, but so good, that I could not resist dipping the empanadas in it.
Then, Jodi got the fish tacos:
It is like a do-it-yourself version of it, made with pan-fried tilapia served with chopped greens, fresh tomatillo salsa, avocado relish and sour cream. The fish was perfectly cooked, slightly crispy and not greasy and at some point, I did not care about the tortilla and just ate it with the different components it was served with. It is a great dish.
But, the specialty I was thrilled to try at SOB's is the feijoada:
It is Brazil's national dish made with pork ears and tail, dried beef and black beans (
feijão
is the Portuguese for "beans"). Yes, I was thrilled to eat it because I first tried it in April at a restaurant called Bolinha in São Paulo. It was also served with rice, collard greens (surprisingly delicious as I tend to find them too bitter), a slice of orange and manioc flour. Was it close to what I tried in Brazil? Yes, Although Chef Jorge Lima told me that he is trying to recreate it with the ingredients he can find here. And I am sure anyway that everyone has its own recipe. What I can tell you is that it was very good and comforting: the meat was very tasty (they had a generous amount of it) and I liked mixing the different components together.
You are probably wondering at this point if we were still hungry. Well, not really, but we could not leave without trying some desserts! We tried:
The flan:
And the empanadas with chocolate and banana:
My favorite was the flan: dense, it was prepared with condensed milk, like in Brazil. This is definitely a dessert I recommend. The empanada? It was just ok: I thought that there was not enough filling and that it was not heavenly spread, only one bite (photo below), having a nice amount of chocolate.
This was a fantastic brunch and surprising: I would have never thought about going to SOB's for lunch or brunch. Would I go back? Hell, yeah!
Enjoy (I did)!
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Greek cuisine at Snack EOS in Hell's Kitchen
As we were walking on the low part of Hell's Kitchen, we noticed this restaurant with this heavy oak door and floor to ceiling windows that looked like a wine bar, modern and at the same time rustic. We looked at the menu and decided to try it for dinner. We just discovered Snack Eos, a Greek Taverna that opened in November 2013.
First they brought us an amuse that was made with chickpea and olive oil, a nice way to start:
Red Farm in NYC, NY
It has been a while since we wanted to go to Red Farm, this place being highly recommended by our friends. We made it early on a Saturday as the time before, when we tried, there was a huge line waiting outside.
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The original Brother Jimmy's BBQ on the Upper East Side
After burgers, the second specialty I always recommend friends and family coming from Europe to try is BBQ. as I mentioned in prior posts, what we call BBQ in France is grilling. Little I know that in Denmark, they are familiar with the BBQ as we know it here. I knew about smoked fish, but not meat, and Our friends Anne and Klaus even have a smoker at home.
The main dining room:
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Italian dinner Family style at Carmine's in NYC, New York
There are institutions in NYC and Carmine's is definitely one. It is not just experiencing some good Italian food, but also eating it family style, like you would do at home, sharing huge plates of delicious food, where taste matters more than presentation. So we decided to go there with the Kroners, our Danish friends. Good that we had a reservation, because it was packed, unexpected for a Wednesday night!
5 Napkin burger in Union Square, NYC
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