Mie Thai Restaurant in Woodbridge, NJ

We went with my colleagues to Mie Thai, a Thai restaurant in Woodbridge, New Jersey. I like the place as it has a nice decoration with art representing Thailand. The service was efficient and very courteous.
For lunch, they offer different traditional dishes at a very reasonable price.

As it was the first time in that restaurant, I decided to go for the Penang curry. Usually, to test a Thai restaurant, I will either go for the Penang or Massaman curry.



First, they served us a salad.

The star was not the salad, but the peanut sauce that was delicious.

I asked to have Chicken Penang Curry mild: I am glad I did that. It was slightly hot and I am wondering what it would have been if regular. This dish had a lot of flavors and they served a nice quantity of it. I loved it and finished the bowl.

I also tried the Pad Kee-Mao that are sauteed wide rice noodles with shrimp, chicken, fresh chili, onions and eggs. It was also delicious.

Overall, I really liked Mie Thai: the food was good, flavorful and well seasoned. Definitely a good Thai place.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Bar Americain in NYC, New York - Come on Bobby Flay!

I do not think it is necessary to introduce Bobby Flay! Ok, for those who do not know him: he is mostly known for being a celebrity Chef with multiple shows on the Food Network, such as The Next Iron Chef, Throw-down with Bobby Flay or The Next Food Network Star. He is the type of Chef that seems to be genuine and does not seem to think he is the best! Good, because you need a certain humility to participate to a throw-down and acknowledge that your competitor is better. I think a lot of Chefs should learn from him!

Of course, Chef Bobby Flay is first...a Chef, specialized in Southwestern cuisine (do not be surprised to see him add habanero peppers in everything! I exaggerate a bit).  Reading his biography will make you understand his dedication and passion for food. He opened his first restaurant in New York City, Mesa Grill (that I did not try yet!) in 1991.  Since then, he opened many restaurants, Bar Americain, opened in 2005 is one of them.

I went few times to Bar Americain, before I started this blog. I had mixed experiences there. Mainly related to food, because the restaurant is simply gorgeous and the service has always been impeccable.  Presentation wise, it is amazing. Just look at this salad (Boston lettuce, egg, bacon and blue cheese sauce):

This is simply gorgeous. But it is not the presentation, but more the taste that was a problem. For instance, I did not like the filet mignon at all: dry, tasteless and overcooked. I did not like the deep dish chocolate cream pie either. But I loved the homemade potato chips with blue cheese dip or the trio of seafood cocktail. But the best is the Kentucky Hot Brown: an open face turkey sandwich made with cheese sauce (recipe here). If you go to Bar Americain, you have to try this!

So, I went back after few years. Nothing has changed: same great decor and very good service. I was tempted to take the Kentucky Hot Brown but decided to try something new.

I started with the spicy tuna tartare. 

Yes, it says spicy and it can be, especially if you pick some of the garnish on the plate (egg white, onion - spicy - capers and parsley). This was really good, fresh and light. Perfectly seasoned.

I then went for the Gulf shrimp and grits served and cooked with bacon, onions and garlic. 

First, I was surprised by the consistency: it was like a thick soup. It tasted really good at first with a lot of flavors from the shrimp, the bacon and the grits. But the more I was eating it, the more my taste buds got saturated. Probably because of the bacon. It was a bit disappointing.

So I could not end the lunch on that note and therefore decided to go for the Sweet Potato Pie, served with a cinnamon ice cream. This is an amazing dessert! It got a nice sweetness to it from the potato, but also from the pie crusted with sugar. That pie was so buttery: it was delicious!

So I had mixed experience at Bar Americain. I would probably go back but it would not be my first choice.

Enjoy (I kind of did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Carnegie Deli Restaurant in NYC, New York

You cannot come to New York and not try a deli (short for delicatessen). Carnegie Deli is with Junior's and Second Avenue Deli, one of my favorites. Yes, I did not mention Katz's Deli because I do not like it, think it is overpriced and overrated.

The restaurant opened in 1937 and got its name from being close to the Carnegie Hall. It is still operated by the family of the founder: the Parkers. It is today one of the most visited restaurants in New York City, although the expansion of business has not been that successful, seeing most of the branches in California or Connecticut close. Today, there is a Carnegie Deli in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.

The restaurant is pretty big and tables are cramped, making it uncomfortable when the restaurant is packed, especially during the week end. At the entrance, you cannot miss the desserts that are showcased, as well as all the autographed photos of celebrities who ate there. By the way, the Carnegie Deli was even mentioned by Adam Sandler in his song about Hanukkah (Saturday Night Live).

Concerning the menu, you may think that is is expensive (it is a bit). In fact, they serve family style portions. So be careful when you order!

We started with the Matzoh Ball soup. It comes with the soup in a cup that they will verse in the plate: nice way of serving. The balls are dense but not too much and perfectly seasoned. The broth is good and served with delicious pasta.

We then tried the potato pancake (there was one of a reasonable size). It was served with apple sauce (I am not sure it was homemade) and sour cream. I really liked it. It was tasty and not greasy at all.

But, the plat de resistance was the open face pastrami reuben. This was huge and we had to split it! We asked the waiter to split it for us, but he did not seem to be willing to (only disappointment in the service that was overall great).

The meat was delicious, lean and with just the necessary amount of fat. There was tons of Swiss cheese and some sauerkraut to give a bit of crunch. With the amount of meat and cheese, the bread was invisible. All of this was served with a very good Russian dressing. Definitely a great dish!

So, of course, we had to finish with desserts...

We tried the strawberry shortcake: not the best shortcake we had....

They also had coconut cream pie and banana cream pie.

I have to say that I was disappointed. It was light but a bit bland. Both cream pies are made with the same base and they just sprinkle the pie with almonds or toasted coconut. Definitely not as good as the banana or coconut cream pie from Billy's bakery in New York or at the Red Eye Grill.

The Carnegie Deli is one of my favorites, but not for dessert! If you go there, enjoy the reuben: it is so good!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Burger at The Corner Bistro in NYC, New York

I went to The Corner Bistro a long time ago and did not like it! I remember that my burger was overcooked and dry. But, after hearing that it might be one of the best burgers in New York, I decided to go back!

I like the place: it is a simple place with an authentic feel accentuated by the old wooden furnitures. There are two rooms: at the entrance, one with the bar and some big TVs and a back room. During the week, it is not that crowded, but can be during the week end. This place has definitely a history! Officially, The Corner Bistro opened in 1961, after being purchased by a business woman named Tania de Gomez who tried to make a French bistro. Unfortunately, it did not work and she sold the restaurant, once bar tended by Yoko Ono, within a year. It ended up in the hands of Bill O'Donnell in 1967. Since then, The Corner Bistro has been serving burgers to locals, artists, actors, writers...and it became a burger institution.

The menu is pretty straight forward: hamburger, cheeseburger, chicken sandwich, grilled cheese and chili (including chili burger) compose the menu. For the sides, there is only one choice: fries. 

After few minutes, the burger comes!

All plates are plastic ones and they give you extra napkins....The cheeseburger comes with a slice of onion on which the thick patty is placed. They also give you lettuce, tomatoes and pickles. The cheese is American cheese. The bun is a regular hamburger bun that you would find in your supermarket; it has been toasted. The proportion bread / meat is perfect!

At first, you cannot not notice the nice smell of the burger. The meat looks juicy with a nice char on the outside. I ditch the onion, lettuce and tomatoes and put some ketchup and mayonnaise. The first bite is divine! The you get different layers of flavor between the bread, the cheese, the meat and surprisingly the onion taste that sticked to the meat! The meat is perfectly cooked and juicy.

The fries are shoestring fries: they are crispy and lightly salted. They are simply great!

At the end of the day, I loved the burger at The Corner Bistro and I am happy that I went back to give them another chance! 

It is now becoming one of the best places for burgers for me!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Stacks Pancake House and cafe in Hoboken, NJ

I love pancakes and French toasts and when Stacks Pancake House & Cafe opened in Hoboken, New Jersey, I was very excited. Usually, you get pancakes and French toast in diners and restaurants, but the choices are limited. Not at Stacks! And it has been crowded from day one with people craving for it!

I went few times. I have to confess that at the beginning, I was not a big fan: although the pancakes were good, they did not give that much of toppings. I went back anyway and loved it!

First, they surprise you with homemade corn bread that is really good.

In term of food, they do not only have pancake and French toast (made with homemade Challah bread), but also waffles, sandwiches, wraps (made with pancakes!) and eggs. 

Then, they have more than 20 different pancakes! It can be with chocolate, with Banana and strawberries, apple and cinnamon or chocolate chip!

This time, we tried the strawberry fields that is served with farm fresh strawberries.

The portion was huge and the pancake was awesome! Not doughy at all!

We also tried the Chocolate chip french toast.

There were a lot of chocolate chips. At first, I thought the sugar would make it too sweet and noticed that the bread was not fully dipped in batter. But it was in fact delicious. I finished my plate! 

I really like Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken and would definitely go back! I just wish they had a build your own where you can pick different toppings, the same way you do for pizza.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to Eat!

Emporium Brazil in NYC, New York: Surprising dish!

Recently, we went with some of my colleagues to Emporium Brazil, situated in Little Brazil in New York City. It was the first time for me in this restaurant. The decor has nothing extraordinary and I was surprised not to see a more pronounced Brazilian related decor. 

They had a lunch menu, but the only items they proposed were...Italian! So I went for the Moqueca de camarao that is a shrimp stew with coconut milk sauce, served with white rice. This is a traditional dish from Bahia, apparently influenced by African cuisine. The fact that there is coconut milk, I would have more thought about cuisine from India or China, but it is true that cuisine travels and so many cuisines have similarities!

When the Moqueca came, I was blown away by the beauty of the dish! 

The yellow of the sauce with the red of the peppers was a precursor to the festival of flavors I experienced! This was simply delicious. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, but interestingly, they were not the star of the dish: the sauce was definitely! I can still remember it and it makes me drool!

If you do not like shrimp, they also have tuna (Tuna Grelhada - grilled tuna marinated with soy sauce, ginger and lemon. includes baked potato and vegetables).

Or steak (Bife A Cavalo - beef steak and egg, rice, beans and fries)

Everybody loved their food (I licked my plate...)!

Prices are very reasonable for Midtown and the only negative was the service that was a bit slow. But I would definitely go back! 

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Restaurant Curry in a Hurry: please slow down!

I was very excited to go for Indian food in Curry Hill in NYC, New York. I was supposed first to go to a place called Tiffin Walla that proposes small plates. But, when we arrived at the door, we saw the famous or infamous letter B! As I have never been there, did not know anybody who already went and found this restaurant surfing on the internet, we decided not to go. As we were craving Indian food, we looked around and saw a place called Curry in a hurry. We looked at the grade and it was an A. This place is a fast food joint, as indicated by the name. They told us that they have a dining room upstairs where we could also be served. I thought that maybe they had a different menu and wanted to sit comfortably to enjoy what I thought would be an awesome lunch!

They have a big dining room upstairs, but let me tell you: the cleanliness was questionable. We sat to a table next to a big frame showing several photos of Russell Simmons and a typed letter where he praised the food. At first, I did not pay attention, but he mentioned the iced tea (on the photo you can see a bottle of Snapples) and the bottle of water!!! That was so funny!

Anyway, we ordered some food and I ordered a sweet lassi for a drink. I love sweet lassi and if an Indian restaurant does not know how to make it, you can be sure that the cuisine is not going to be good.

Their sweet lassi was perfect! So it was a good start.

We then got some samosas (I cannot believe I forgot to take a photo of it) and a cheese naan. The samosas were cold and a bit bland. The cheese naan was a naan with processed cheese on it! It was not even cooked all the way through.

I went for the combination platter. It came with Chicken Tikka (marinated chunk of chicken that are grilled), Sheek Kebab (lamb skewer), a tomato sauce with spices and rice. 

The lamb skewer was quite good although the spices were kind of overpowering. The chicken was not good at all!  It had a weird taste that had nothing to do with the spices!

The sauce that came with the combination platter was ok, a bit too watery. I guess the only thing I liked was the rice! And the plain naan that came with the platter.

This was a big disappointment! Of course, I did not even entertain the idea of having a dessert there: we ended up at Red Mango...

On top of that, the service was horrible and extremely rude! The waiter burped when bringing the bill! The food took forever to come to our table (I thought it was a fast food!), came cold and was overpriced. Be careful: the prices on the menu are not the ones reflected on the check.
Last, I was sure that this restaurant showed on its window an A grade. But looking at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, it seems that their grade is pending!!! I am finally not surprised as there was no way they could have had an A!

Enjoy (the post only)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Restaurant Review: The Clam Broth House (Hoboken, NJ) - CLOSED

Updated on 3/18/12 - The Clam Broth House CLOSED!
I am not sure I am that surprised considering how the food was when I went there! See the original post below!

Original post 10/1/11:
So we went to The Clam House in Hoboken. Or shall I call it The Cr*p Broth House based on the experience I got??? It was bad, bad bad: service, food and noise level! 

I was thrilled to go: first because I LOVE seafood. Second, because when it reopened in Hoboken earlier this year, there have been a lot of buzz. The restaurant originally opened in 1899 and catered to dock workers. Apparently, the restaurant's floor was full of shells. Interesting enough, it was forbidden to women until the 70's. The restaurant closed in 2003. New owners decided to reopen it this year, taking advantage of the status of landmark of the old restaurant.

I looked at the menu the day before and already decided on trying several appetizers instead of having an entree. I could already smell their specialty: the clam chowder! So we showed up to the restaurant and I was surprised to see that it was not that crowded for a Friday night. They apparently have a jazz band on Fridays. Good idea, but unfortunately very loud! When I have dinner and there is a band, I like to enjoy the music and the conversation!

Then, the service was bad: the food took forever to come (remember that it was no crowded) and the waiter keep disappearing! When the food came, I was thinking: I hope it is worth it and at first sight, it looked very appetizing! Well it was not...We tried:

• New England Clam Chowder: homemade, one of their specialties. The cream was good although a little too liquid for clam chowder. In the bottom, there were a lot of clams. Unfortunately, they were too chewy.
• Clams oreganata (gratinees): few clams were a little tough. Not bad besides that.
• Crab cakes (of course): it was served with Chipotle aioli. At first, when splitting the crab cakes, I was pleased to see the jumbo lump crab. But it was totally bland!!! And the aioli was so spicy! So sad!
• East Coast Halibut with Crispy potato pancake, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, capers. The crispy potato pancake was very good. Unfortunately, the fish was overcooked, so dry!

So, imagine: after all of that, the only things I liked were the bread and the potato pancake!!! They should probably change their menu and name to stick to these 2 items! The Potato Pancake House....

Not worth it....

Edison Quick shop: that was some experience!

One of my colleagues, Benny, used to talk about a “sandwich place” near Edison called Edison Quick Shop. He kept saying, “We should go there, you have to try it”! So one time, we decided to go.

From the outside, it looks like any small deli you would find, with “Try our cheese steak” written at the window (let me rephrase: that you could easily find at a gas station). We entered and I have to say that it looked pretty interesting. First of all, you cannot miss the different ways they display their menu: posters, but also paper plates. 

It Is all over the place and with all the choices they have, you could think that they have 20 cooks preparing the food. The menu was huge! Could be funny to see Gordon Ramsey go there to film an episode of Kitchen Nightmare!

Then, you see the tables: no, this is not a communal table you see on the photo! This is not the genre here! In fact I had the impression to be in somebody’s backyard.

So, as I was there, I went for the pastrami reuben. Benny asked, who I believe was the owner, to have some lean meat. He told us that he only serves his reuben with the leanest meat. The sandwich came few minutes after: it was served with some coleslaw that I think was homemade. The meat was definitely packaged slices that you would buy in the supermarket. Clearly, not cooked and cut at the Quick Shop. You could barely taste it, as it was very thin (of course there were several slices) and overpowered by the coleslaw.

According to the cashier (probably one of the owners), the pastrami reuben is, with the cheese steak their specialty. I cannot imagine what the cheese steak tastes like!

So, it was not the best food experience and I am not sure anybody would go there just for the food. This is more a Mom and Pop’s shop that serves quickly made and cheap food. At least the owners were very nice…

When I asked Benny why he brought us there, he said that it was because of my blog and because he wanted me to have some interesting experience. Well, mission accomplished.

Enjoy (meh)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Brunch at Balthazar in New York: boudin noir and tarte tatin!

Balthazar restaurant is an institution in New York. Located in Soho, it has been opened in 1997 by Keith McNally and co-chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. The place is famous for its food and for the bakery, with a store located outside of the restaurant. You can even find Balthazar breads and viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants...) in supermarket or other restaurants. I have to say that each time I had some, it was delicious. 

Coming back to the restaurant: the decor is impressive. It is located in an old leather wholesale building; it has high ceilings with fans, and the walls have impressive mirrors. But, it is a madhouse! You'd better get a reservation! Between the tourists who are coming because Balthazar is in all the guides, the people eager to see celebrities and those who really like the food, they have no problem to get customers (waiting inside and outside)! Unfortunately, it comes to a price: they have maximized the space with tables everywhere, sacrificing comfort either for the clients or for the wait staff. For instance, it was difficult for the staff to access our table located in a corner because it was stuck between a large round table and another long table, with no space to go in between. Despite this, the service was very efficient and I have to say, extremely nice.

The brunch menu proposes a nice upscale version of traditional French dishes, such as the salad nicoise that is in France served with canned tuna, but there, with seared tuna.
They of course have a basket of fresh baked breads and pastries from their bakery. Always delicious. You will anyway have the opportunity to try their bread as they bring a bread basket with butter to the table.
The Pain au Levain (sourdough bread) was excellent.






We then tried one of their best sellers: the warm goat cheese and caramelized onion tart. It was served with a salad. We did not know it was coming with a salad and ordered the mixed field greens with vinaigrette, but the waiter warn us that the tart came anyway with a salad. I have to say that I always appreciate that! In a lot of restaurants, they would just let you order.

The salad had sun dried tomatoes and there was also some tapenade (black olive spread) that was delicious. The tart was to die for! It was so flavorful!

Then, I ordered the poached eggs boudin noir. Boudin noir is a sausage of mixed pork meat cooked in blood that gives the black color. Hence the name of blood sausage. It is a traditional dish in France, but I never tried it before.

It was served with two perfectly made poached eggs, potatoes, caramelized onions and frisee salad. The sausage looked pretty good and shiny. But it was a bit tough to cut as the skin was thick. It tasted a bit like a pate with a similar texture. Like pate, I could eat so much of it. I probably left a third at the end.

We finished with an apple tart tatin. This was a deception!

It was like a gelee (jelly) on top and was so sweet. I did not finish it either.

At the end of the day, it was an ok brunch, on the pricey side. I think for the same price I would more go to The Standard Grill and for a less pricey to Marseilles!

Enjoy (meh)!

Incredible steak frites at Le Relais De Venise "l'Entrecote" in New York!

Ok, I admit it: I lived in Paris for years, but I have never been to Le Relais de Venise "L'entrecote" over there! The story of this restaurant and its concept are pretty interesting: in 1959, a winemaker named Paul Gineste de Saurs decided to buy an Italian restaurant in Paris with the intention to use it to showcase the wine produced by his family, Château de Saurs. As he had no experience in the restaurant business, he decided to keep the Venetian decor, add L'entrecote (strip steak) to the name and propose a single item menu: steak frites. Instead of serving the steak with the traditional butter with parsley, he served it with what is still today a secret sauce (I would guess some butter,mustard, taragon and pepper, but would not bet on it!). Few years ago, Le Monde, a French newspaper revealed in an article the secret of the sauce: it contains blanched chicken liver. The owner of the restaurant denied this. 

Since then, the restaurant has been opened in different locations such as London or Barhein. And then New York in 2009, where I had the chance to experience the concept. Now, understand that when the restaurant opened in Manhattan, critics thought it would not last long because New Yorkers like to have choices! In this restaurant, the only choices are the wine, the cheeses and desserts (you can see a sample when entering - very smart)! Otherwise, it is a salad (lettuce with walnuts and a traditional french dressing) for appetizer and steak frites (steak and fries) for the entree.

The waitresses are all wearing French Maids outfits and will only ask you two questions besides knowing if you would like some drinks:

1 - Is it your first time in the restaurant?

2 - How would you like your meat to be cooked? They only offer blue, rare, medium and well done. There is no medium-rare for instance!

They will draw on the paper clothe the tables seats and will mark your choice on it, probably to remember what temperature you would like for your second serving. Yes, you read it correctly: Le Relais de Venise L'entrecote serves a second serving of steak frites! But do not imagine the portions are huge. I see several advantages to this:

1 - The second serving comes warm.

2 - Some people have a small appetite; so it is a win win for the restaurant as they will charge the same amount.

3 -  It gives customers a sense they made a very good deal.

The salad (lettuce, walnut and mustard dressing)

Some may say that the meat is low quality. Those who know me, know that I rarely order steak if the restaurant is not a Steakhouse for two reasons: the quality of the meat is usually low and they do not always know how to cook it perfectly. In New York, Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecote serves a Sirloin (Entrecote is normally strip steak as mentioned before) that was good and cooked as requested. I personally think it was delicious, especially paired with that mysterious sauce. The meat was very tender.

The fries are traditional French cut (shoestring) and were crispy and not over salted. They had a delicious taste mixed with the sauce...

Last, is of course dessert! Their dessert menu is pretty impressive as it contained that day 17 choices! From the simple fraises au sucre (strawberries with sugar) to the vacherin du relais. This one is an interesting tower made of vanilla ice cream, meringue and chocolate ice cream, in repetitive layers, topped with whipped cream and a thick chocolate sauce. This was good but extremely sugary (I believe the chocolate sauce is the culprit)! I could not finish it.

I definitely had a good time in this restaurant that had an authentic brasserie feel. The food was delicious and the service very efficient. The only negative is the fact that it was very, very warm in the restaurant, to the point where it became uncomfortable. That should be an easy problem to fix...

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

References:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'Entrecôte
Restaurant site: http://www.relaisdevenise.com/newyork

Awesome BBQ at Southern Hospitality Restaurant in New York City!

If you read my previous posts, you know that I love BBQ. So I really wanted to try Southern Hospitality in New York. I went to the location in Hell's kitchen. I like the place: it had a certain warmth, probably because of all the wood around, from the floor to the high ceiling, with wood letter going all around the restaurant. There was a great photo of Elvis as a boxer, that I guess is from the movie Kid Galahad from 1962. The service was good, but the food took a long time to come to our table!

So, this place is all about BBQ! All the traditional BBQ items are there: ribs, brisket, chicken...They also have the High on the Hog platter that costs $3000! It is an assorted appetizers platter that includes buffalo fried shrimp, fried pickles, hush puppies, nachos, hot wings, cheesesteak rolls. Then, wet and dry Memphis style spare-ribs, baby back ribs, 1/2 BBQ chicken, four sides and corn bread. To justify the price, you get a magnum of Armand de Brignac brut (note that the brut gold magnum costs $700, so not sure what makes the difference between $700 and $3000). Needless to say that I did not go for this....

In term of food, you have many choices:

• For lunch, they have a $14.95 menu (at time of post) where you will choose an appetizer and an entree.
• You can pick from the menu.
• You can choose a combo platter.
• You can pick different items for $5.95 (time of post). This is what I decided to do.

This was a mistake: the food was delicious, but I did not expect, for that price, so much food!!! The waitress should have told me it was too much, but I guess she was mostly concerned by her tip...

I picked the Dry Rubbed Memphis-Style Spare Ribs (two).

I loved it: the meat was so tender and moist! The dry rub was delicious and not too overpowering.

I aslo tried the brisket.

I am not a huge fan of brisket, but have to say that this was awesome! The brisket is usually a bit dry, but this was not!









Then came the roasted chicken. I asked for breast but you can ask for a thigh if you'd like. This was also pretty good, but not my favorite.

They also have some amazing fried shrimp! Yes, at this point, you are wondering when this post will stop. It was a feast so keep reading! So, back to the shrimp: they were fried but not greasy at all and tasty. I liked the fact that it was not baby shrimp...It was served with two sauces: no idea what they were!






Now, let's talk about sides! Remember the lunch menu? Well, they serve the Mac & Cheese, entree portion. This was huge! But so good! These were probably the best Mac & Cheese I ever had! So creamy!

Last were the tater tots: very good, crispy and not greasy!

It was definitely a feast and I loved it! Definitely a great place for BBQ! But do not do what I did...Otherwise you will have tons of leftovers!

Enjoy (I did)!

Great Japanese food at Yeung II in Hoboken, NJ

It as been a while that we noticed this small restaurant located uptown Hoboken. Each time we passed by, I have noticed that it was packed. I love Japanese food and my favorites are the sushi and sashimi. For those who do not know, sashimi is raw fish (you will always have on a sashimi plate a piece of tuna or salmon that are very tender) and sushi is made of raw fish on top of sushi rice. The difficulty in making a sushi is to   put the rice well together so it does not crumbled as soon as you pick it up with your chopsticks. Often, there will be wasabi between the fish and the rice. My least favorite sushi is shrimp: usually cooked, it is too bland. 

So we go there for lunch (all Japanese restaurants have lunch specials that are usually good deals). At first they seem a little stressed out. We ask for green tea and they tell us that the water was not yet hot. Interesting! I guess it does not take that long to boil water, no? Then it took several minutes before they realize that we do not have any menu. After that, everything was fine.

I guess they were a bit late in there prep work and all stressed out! Minutes later, the restaurant was packed and there were a lot of asian customers, that is a very good sign for a Japanese restaurant! But note that they serve also Chinese cuisine; for instance, they have the General Tso Chicken or Lo Mein.

So we went for the lunch specials. They came with a miso soup and a salad.

The salad came first as the miso soup was not ready (what is going on with the hot water today?). It was a nice portion. Of course, the salad was a traditional salad you would have for a lunch special: lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and a carrot and ginger sauce that was very good.

Then came the miso soup that had a great smokey aroma. It was pretty good and...hot.

For the main course, we had the avocado rolls. They were pretty nice. Of course, it all comes down to the ripeness of the avocado and it was perfect.

The Sushi and Sashimi plate was awesome: colorful and the fish tasted fresh (I hope)! It came with 4 pieces of sushi (tuna and salmon of course), 6 pieces of sashimi (tuna and salmon also in the party) and a salmon and avocado roll. The avocado was ripe enough and the salmon delicious!

This was definitely a great lunch for a very good price. I loved it and will probably go back there. You should too!

Enjoy (I did)!

Delicious Tapas at Boqueria in New York City!

So we were craving for tapas and ended up in Boqueria in Chelsea. The place is very nice with a decor that has a modern and rustic feel at the same time. There are two main areas: the bar area where you can just sit on high tables by yourself and look at the preparation of the tapas; and the main room with its large tables and, on one side a wall full of mineral water bottles and a big mirror on the other side. I love the lights that are, on each side of the restaurant, simply bulbs (stylish, do not look for energy efficient ones!).

Boqueria serves either tapas, cheeses and meats or Spanish specialties. We decided to go for tapas. If you do not know, tapas are appetizers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. It is a great way to share plates and a lot of restaurants have borrowed this idea.

Tapas can be served either hot or cold. The traditional items you would find are olives and tortilla that is and egg and potato omelet. The tortilla was the best I ever had: I do not like when eggs are overcooked, but this one was perfect. The eggs were moist and it was very tasty.

It was served with few olives and bread. I have to say that I did not know what to do with the bread at that point!

Then I wanted to try the Cojonudo that is fried quail eggs and chorizo on toast.

This little place was beautiful! It was also delicious. This is an amuse bouche: you have to eat each toast entirely (the yolk is runny). I loved the flavors: first you get the bread and the eggs and suddenly you will  taste the chorizo. My only regret is that the chorizo was a bit tough.

Then we had the croquetas cremosas: creamy croquettes three were with cheese over a truffle puree and the other three were with mushroom and serrano ham over a raisin puree. The truffle puree was great: you could really taste the truffle. However, I did not really like the raisin puree with the croquettes. Standalone was fine though. The croquettes were delicious and flavorful. They were not greasy at all. My favorite was the cheese one.

We finished with Salteado de Setas: sauteed wild mushrooms with Manchego cheese. This was my least favorite. The taste of the mushrooms was a bit off and the cheese was tasteless.

Overall, it was a good meal. I was a bit hungry after this and needed a snack later. For me, this is a great place to try different dishes and enjoy the flavors of the Spanish cuisine. It is especially good if you are with several people so you can try plenty of dishes! Definitely to recommend!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Fabulous Donburi at Ubu Sushi in Hoboken, NJ!

Ubu Sushi is a Korean-Japanese restaurant located in Hoboken, NJ. This is the place for Donburi, a japanese rice dish (means bowl in Japanese) that I tried few years ago. When I go to this place, it is not for the sushi (i tried them once and they are good), but for this affordable dish that is Donburi. They have different type: veggie, veggie and crab, tofu...

For a drink we got a nice green tea. I love the smoky taste of it.

With the Donburi, came a miso soup. It was pretty good and a perfect way to start.

The Donburi are served with a ginger sauce. I tried to know what was in it, but the waiter said that it was a secret recipe. The only think I could get is that there was carrots in it!

The vegetarian Donburi was made of mixed greens, avocado, cucumber and tofu, over sushi rice.

The veggie-Crab Donburi was made of crab, mixed greens, avocado, cucumber and tofu, over sushi rice. This dish is fabulous! There is a lot of crab with it and the avocado was ripe. When I was a kid, I hated rice salads, but I have to say, this has nothing to do with it! After you pour the ginger sauce and mix everything together, you get an explosion of flavors coming from the crab, salad, rice and sauce. It is amazing! 

If you are in Hoboken, stop by Ubu sushi for a Donburi: you will not regret it!

Enjoy (I did)!

Asian flavors at China Grill Restaurant in New York - Closed

Ceiling at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

China Grill is a pan-asian restaurant opened in the 80's by Jeffrey Chodorow and is now part of the China Grill Management Company that has several restaurants in many cities like New York, Miami, Los Angeles or London. Besides China Grill, they own Asia de Cuba and Bar Basque that are popular restaurants in New York. 

The decor is quite nice: very high ceiling with some big Japanese lanterns (red lightning) and granite walls. This restaurant is serving Family style, but now, they offer smaller sizes, but still pricey. Anyway, if you do not know it is family style when coming, you will know when ordering as I think I heard it five times....

I went with four people, so we ordered several dishes to share.

For the appetizers, we started with the Lemongrass crusted tofu tots served with delicious pickled cucumbers and a kimchee sauce topped with black sesame seeds. That was an original dish! Good and light; I did not taste the kimchee in the sauce and it was not spicy.

tofu tots at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

The crab cakes (2) were a bit dry. They were served with a tomatillo-pineapple salsa and mustard sake sauce, but there was not enough sauce. 

Crab cake at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

My favorite though for appetizers was the Tempura Tuna Sashimi that was served with a hot mustard champagne sauce. This had great flavors and the tuna was incredibly good and tender.

tempura tuna sashimi at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

My second favorite for appetizers was the Chicken satay. It came with chilled sesame noodles and a toasted peanut sauce. Let me tell you: the chicken was perfectly cooked and so moist. It was deliciously paired with the peanut sauce. The noodles were a nice addition to the dish.

Chicken satay at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

Then came the entrees. The waiter was serving us, making sure that everybody got his share of the food. He was a little stressed out and we asked him to slow down a bit!

For the main entrees, we had:

The duck two ways: pan seared breast with chocolate-orange sauce and “Moo Shu” style confit of leg with spicy hoisin sauce. I thought it was a great idea, but did not really like the chocolate-orange sauce on the duck (and not because of a salty/sweet thing). Also, the crepes were kind of weird tasting. Besides that, the duck was very good and perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Duck two ways at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

We also had the Curry miso black cod with sweet soy glazed Chinese broccoli and yuzu-miso butter sauce. That is when I could not take my photo because the waiter went crazy cutting the fish! It was a nice dish, although not my favorite. The fish was perfectly cooked and moist.

Then was the Miso grilled vegetables and udon noodles served with a spicy hoisin and mushroom sauce. This was definitely one of my favorites! The sauce was for sure spicy, but it was bearable! There was an explosion of flavors between the vegetables, the noodles and the sauce.

udon noodles at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

But wait, it is not finished! We also shared some sides! We tried the lobster mash potatoes: where was the lobster???

Lobster mash at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

And the avocado fried rice salad: missing seasoning for sure. The sides were not that great!

fried rice at China Grill, midtown, NYC, New York

China Grill is a nice fusion restaurant with some surprising combination worth to try, but still, on the pricey side.

Enjoy (I did)!

My take on the burgers at Shake Shack in New York

Everybody is talking about Shake Shack, the burger chain founded by Danny Meyer (Gramercy Tavern,  Blue Smoke) in 2004. The first experience I had was not very good: it was on a hot Summer day, two years ago. We were walking close to Madison Square Park and decided to try what was supposed to be a mouth watering burger. There was a very long line and considering how hot it was outside, my expectations were high; I manned up. I ordered a cheeseburger and fries. I remember the service was very slow and the kitchen seemed overwhelmed. Then came our order: what a disappointment! The burger was not good at all! The bread was soggy and the meat tasteless. The fries were not crispy at all and had a weird taste. There was clearly something wrong!

Then, end of 2011, Shake Shack opened near Time Square. Each time I was passing by, I saw the long line of people waiting for their burgers. I still heard people claiming that this place was the best burger in New York. So, I decided to give it another chance and went yesterday. Place packed, so no surprise there considering the buzz and location. It was extremely difficult to get a seat and there was no way I  was going to eat outside: it is not a weather for this! We found a spot, but before that, had to look like vultures at tables where people finished or were finishing their meal.

I went for the Shake Stack: a cheeseburger and a mushroom burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes and the Shake Shack sauce. What you see on the photo that seems to be burnt is the mushroom burger (at first, you think there are two patties). What is interesting is that it gives some crispiness to the overall dish and is surprisingly filled with cheese. I did not fully taste the mushrooms, but I thought it was a good idea.

The meat was good, cooked perfectly (medium) and very moist. The bread was a regular bun.

Overall pretty decent.

The fries were good also: crispy and tasty, not too salted. 

I also had a vanilla milkshake: thick but not to the point where you will break your jaw trying to get the milkshake go through the straw. It was a pretty good one.

Overall it was a good burger. But it is not the best for me in the city. If you would like to know which one I prefer, check My favorite restaurants page by clicking here. Opening near Time Square was a very smart idea and I am sure it will continue to get packed and crazy there! 

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat! 

Great Thai Food at Thai Grill and Sushi Bar in New York

If you like Thai food and are on a budget, The Thai Grill and Sushi Bar located Midtown NY is for you! I went few times and each time the food was delicious. They have a lunch special that proposes a variety of dishes both Thai and Japanese. For sure you do not go for the atmosphere and the decor: the walls are weirdly decorated with some paint supposed to complement some artwork in a way that it looks amateurish, if not dirty. Also, the table we were sitting at, with their 70's look, overlooked some posters about labor laws.

Fortunately, the food is good! I always order a Thai Iced Tea when I eat in a Thai restaurant (mainly made of black tea and sweetened with condensed milk). It is so good and refreshing! They served it in a beer glass: it was awesome considering the gradation of colors that is kind of similar to beer.

I then went for the Penang curry that is a Thai curry supposed to be milder than other ones. Trust me it got some heat, but the tea helped cool it. It was delicious and they served a nice quantity of it (with Jasmine rice).

But before that, came a vegetarian roll. Good, not too greasy, but a bit small.

They also have bento boxes, with teriyaki (salmon, chicken...). I did not try them, but was told they were good.

Definitely a good place to go!

Enjoy (I did)!

Reference:
Restaurant site: http://www.nythaigrillsushibar.com/

Mediocre Italian food at Intermezzo in Chelsea!

Yesterday, we went for a Birthday Dinner (Happy Birthday Pete!), with a bunch of friends, at Intermezzo in Chelsea. I was really looking forward for great company and of course great food. It started well: nice restaurant with a very stylish and not overdone decor. I loved the nice black and white pictures picturing scenes of people eating pasta, some of them representing famous Italian actors like Marcello Mastroianni and Gina Lollobrigida. 

They also had nice chandeliers and a big mirror overseeing the entire dinning room. In term of atmosphere, it was quiet, but I heard that during brunch time, it can get crazy with music and all you can drink booze. 

The service was nice but a bit slow. It seems they went under new management in November 2011, so I am not sure if the slowness of service is because they are still tweaking the kitchen.

At the beginning, they left a bread basket with some olive oil on the table and kept bringing the bread throughout the evening, that is always nice. The focaccia was very good and the olive oil had some garlic and I guess some pepper because it had some kick. 

Then, for appetizer, I got the Polpo that is Portuguese octopus, potatoes, string beans, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and red vinegar. I love octopus, but was a bit disappointed: it was perfectly cooked but had a fishy taste (did they re-froze it???). The only think I really liked was the fried potatoes. I think I should have ordered the Mozzarella in Carozza (Crispy Mozzarella and bread, fried zucchini, tomato and basil) that is fried mozzarella. I tried it and it was pretty good! The zucchini were cut like pasta and I loved the crispiness and saltiness of it!

For the main dish, I chose the Linguine Alle Vongole that is Linguine pasta with Manilla Clams in a sauce with white wine and extra virgin olive oil. The pasta were well cooked but missing salt and the Manilla clams were...real! Not from a can (I got that one time in a restaurant!!!). The clams were a bit rubbery. Now, the sauce was tasteless. So disappointing! I did not finish my dish! Too bad because the Linguine Alle Vongole is my test dish: each time I go to a new Italian restaurant, this is what I try.

I also tried the Eggplant Parmigiana: tasteless too! Missing seasoning and cheese.

The Birthday boy ordered Chicken Parmigiana, his favorite there, but had to return the dish because it was stone cold. Also, our friend Jaimie ordered the lasagna, recommended by the waiter. It looked weird: was more a meatloaf than a lasagna! No sauce, no cheese. 

For dessert, we tried the Tiramisu, thinking it would improve the poor experience we had so far. Unfortunately, it was not the case: it was flavorless! 

So it was really mediocre food. Too bad, because the presentation of the dishes made them appetizing. We realized after we left that the it was graded B! Of course, they put the sign on a side window, difficult to see! I would not go back there for sure! Now, I am craving a good Italian to erase that bad memory! Morandi remains the best for me! 

At the end of the day, we anyway had a great time with our friends and it was the most important part of the evening...although great food would have been awesome!!!

Forget it (I did)!

References:
Site: www.intermezzo-nyc.com

Knish at Yonah Schimmel's Knishery in NYC!

The first time I had a knish was at Katz's deli few years ago and I did not like it: too dry...Then few weeks ago, we were walking around with my wife's friend Janine and her son Dylan, when we passed by Yonah Schimmel's store. They really wanted to have some, but as we wanted to get donuts at the Doughnut Plant and already had a hot cocoa from the bald guy, it would have been too much before dinner...All the knishes at the window were yummy and I kept the address in mind for another time. 

Then, going to Katz's this Sunday, we passed by and decided to buy some for dinner. The owner was there and told another client that you can freeze them and then heat them in the oven, no microwave for sure. When you enter into the store, you are immediately submerged by the smell of potatoes. Knishes are originally from Ukraine, with the word knish derived from the Ukrainian "knysh" that means "a kind of bun". It is made of a filling covered with dough that is either backed, fried or grilled. There are different varieties that you can find at the store: potato, mushroom, spinach, cabbage...They have been doing knishes since 1810 out of a push car and opened the place in 1910. Today, it is still a family business!

You can either take some knishes to go or you can eat them in the seating area located in the back. 

We went for the classic one: the potato knish.

They are big, close to the size of a baseball. Also, when I lifted the bag, I was surprised: it was kind of heavy.

We popped the knishes in our toaster for few minutes and ate them with yellow mustard and mayo. 

The inside of the knish was not dry at all and, although heavy, I really enjoyed it! I guess these were baked. The crust was deliciously crispy. For sure, I am a fan now. I just wish they had smaller sizes so I could try several of them!

If you never tried a knish, Yonah Schimmel is the place to go!

Enjoy (I did)!



Reference:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonah_Shimmel