Falafel at Taim in NYC, New York

In my quest for the best falafel, I decided to try Taim (pronounce Ta-eem) in the West Village. Taim means in Hebrew tasty, delicious. Seems a bit pretentious, no? So let see!

First, the place is tiny and you can only sit on one of the stools near the window or outside, on a bench. If the restaurant is packed, as it seems it can be, this can be a problem....Especially as there is no park nearby where you can enjoy your sandwich!

Anyway, I am there for the falafel and even this small detail cannot stop me. 

We started with a falafel sandwich:

First you decide which falafel you will get: green (traditional), harissa (spicy - harissa is a chili paste from Tunisia) or red (made with red peppers). We picked the green. Note that they also offer a tasting of falafels. They served it in a pita (choice of white or whole wheat) and with hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini sauce. This was very good! The falafels were crunchy and not oily at all, cooked all the way through (everything is done to order and the food is prepared daily).

We also ordered a Sabish sandwich:

It is made of sliced eggplant, fried to order, with an organic egg (sliced), parsley, hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage, tahini and amba (mango pickle condiment). That was a bit surprise! So good with all the flavors! It is a good alternative to the traditional falafel sandwiches, especially if you do not like them. I was happy to be sitting though, because the eggplant was a bit oily (not surprisingly) and the oil ended in the bottom of the pita.

With your sandwich, you can enjoy a lemonade or a smoothie....I did not go for the smoothie, but the lemonade was good, nothing exceptional. I guess the mint and ginger lemonade would have been a better choice!

This was a great simple lunch there and the sandwiches were delicious! You should definitely try. Now, is it the best? I do not know: there are so many places that I need to do more research...

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Colicchio and Sons in NYC, New York

This post is about one of the best culinary experience I ever had! Yes I know: this is a bold statement, but when you will read this, I am sure you will want to go there! Hopefully...

So, everybody who loves shows about food knows who Tom Colicchio is. If you do not know, let me tell you: he is the mean judge on Top Chef! Tom, please be nicer! 

So I went to Colicchio and Sons thinking that if I had a bad food experience, it would be Karma!

The restaurant is located next to two great places in NYC: Morimoto (Chef Morimoto) and Del Posto (Chef Mario Batali). When you enter, you arrive in the Tap room with its wood-burning oven. You can in fact either eat in the Tap room or in the dining room. While we were waiting for our table, there was this guy who ordered a burger. When the burger came, I started to drool! The bun looked like a brioche bread and the patty seemed juicy. It was served with homemade potato chips. Based on the discussion the patron had with the barman, I understood that it was delicious! I really need to go try this at some point!

Anyway, we had a reservation at the dining room. The two rooms are separated by an impressive wine cellar wall, going from the bottom to the top of the very high ceilings. As we went there for my wife Jodi's birthday, they personalized the menu (as you can see on the photo above). The menu was mouth watering; they offer two tasting menu but it has to be for the entire table. We picked our dishes. What was amazing is the way the waitress described each dish. Usually, they will just tell you what the ingredients are. At Colicchio and Sons, it was not the case: she described the dishes with adjectives so well picked that it made me drool a second time! There was also a nice synchronization of the placement or removal of the plates from the table, given some elegance to the experience.

They started first with bringing us a small cup of white asparagus consomme that contained also lemon and chives. It was served cold. I love when restaurants do that, not because it is free, but because it prefigures a nice experience and usually prepares your palate. It was very good, with clean flavors.

Then, they brought the bread: it was a freshly made brioche bread with salt on top. The smell of it was great and the taste divine, with or without butter! I could have eaten the entire loaf! I bet this is the same brioche recipe they serve with the burger...

For the appetizer, I decided to try the roasted sweetbreads. 

Sweetbreads are the thymus glands or pancreas of calves, lambs, and piglets. Gross, no? Look, I saw so many shows where people were enjoying it that I thought there would not be a better place than this one to try!

At Colicchio and Sons, they serve it roasted, with honey onions (delish) and bacon-sherry vinegar. I enjoyed it: it was crispy on the outside and very tender inside, close to melting in my mouth. But I did not enjoy it to the point where I would die for it! It is not like foie gras or snails!

Then, I shared the ribeye for two with my friend Peter who is always ready to share a porterhouse with me when in a steakhouse: each time there is a gigantic piece of meat for two, we team up.

We ordered it medium rare. They told us ahead of time that it would take a bit to cook, but in fact, with the appetizers, we did not notice. They first brought the piece of meat on a large piece of wood and then cut it for us (it was cut, split and plated in the kitchen, not in front of us).

They served it with a hen of the woods (mushroom), roasted potatoes and cream of spinach. The meat was terrific: tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. However, I did not really like the spinach. I prefer them creamier and less bitter. They also brought the bone that our friends enjoyed playfully.

I could also try the halibut.

It was served with truffled celeriac (variety of celery) agnolotti and verjus glazed rutabaga (root). The fish was awesome: silky and moist. The agnolotti were also very good and you could taste hints of truffle. This was a succulent dish.

Then was time to order dessert. As it was Jodi's birthday, they brought her a cupcake with a candle (no singing, thank God!). They also brought some hazelnut shortbread that were fantastic.

Of course, it was not enough for us: we had to finish this incredible meal with desserts!

So we picked the banana cream donuts. 

The donuts were divine! I just would have liked more! They added a nice touch to the plate by writing "Happy Birthday Jodi" in chocolate.

We also shared a brown sugar pie. It was served warm, with some homemade vanilla ice cream and a  jelly that contained alcohol (weird texture I have to say). I think it was the last drool of the evening! It was so good. I was scared at first that it would be too sweet, but it was not the case. However, it had this incredible buttery flavor...yummy!

So I hope you understand now why I was enthusiastic about Colicchio and Sons! This was an amazing dinner, with a great service that almost gave the impression we were dining at a friend! At least until they brought the check. Yes, it is not cheap, but it is fine dining and worth it!

Enjoy (I did)!

Molyvos, Greek Restaurant - NYC, New York

I always loved Greek food, but, when living in Paris, I hated when people where proposing to go Rue de la Huchette to eat there. Each restaurant had a guy outside calling people and trying to persuade them that their restaurant was the best. Most of the time, it was not!

In New York, I have two references: 

• Ithaca on the Upper Eat side (308 East 86th Street  New York, NY 10028).
• Molyvos.

I have been to Molyvos many times and have never been disappointed. In fact, one of my colleagues if from Greek descent and once told me that Molyvos is the best Greek in New York. Considering my experience there, I would agree!

Last Friday was the first time I went since their renovation: the restaurant is way nicer! It looks brighter and more modern than before. I love the blue color as well as the walls of shelves with plates: it give a soothing and homy atmosphere, reminding the Greek Islands. In fact, Molyvos is the name of a village on the Greek Island of Lesvos.

They have a nice menu, proposing not only appetizers, but also tasting plates (mezedes). So, this time, we went for some new dishes as well as usual ones. Let's see what we got:

The first one is the Saganaki. If you are not lactose intolerant, you have to try it! It is Haloumi cheese (cheese made of goat or sheep's milk that originated from Cyprus) that is flambe with Ouzo and then drizzled with a lemon sauce. See the process on the video below!

What is interesting about this dish is the texture of the cheese that is rubbery but not chewy! And it tastes so good!

Then, we got the Keftedes.

These are meatballs that were served with some tzatziki, that is a spread made with yoghurt, mint, cucumber, garlic and dill. The meatball by themselves were very good and tasty. I could taste some spices in it, that I believe are cumin. The fact that it was served with yoghurt gave some freshness to the dish. I could it it with or without in fact.

Then I was surprised to see crab cakes on the menu and decided to try.

It was served with an artichoke salad and an eggplant spread. 

It was a nice presentation and you could easily see that they cooked the crab cake with a ring, giving to it this perfect shape. The top was crispy and you could really taste the crab. The artichoke salad and eggplant spread was original and was well associated with the crab. You could from time to time get a hint of lemon that I guess was drizzled on the plate first, before putting all the components together.

For the main dish, we ordered the mousaka. Each time I went there, I had to have it. It is one of their specialty dishes and according to the waiter, one of the most ordered. The plate came extremely hot and it was still sizzling from the toasting of the cheese on top.

It is made in several layers: potatoes, eggplants, grounded lamb, bechamel and tomato sauces between layers and cheese. I love it! It was the first time that I tried a lamb moussaka and it is delicious! I do not know if it is the strong taste of the lamb that gives more flavor to the dish or the bechamel sauce, but the flavors are simply amazing.

Of course, we had to finish with dessert...

We ordered the baklava (rolled layers of phyllo stuffed with walnuts and pistachio with a spiced honey syrup. On the side, they give you some candied walnuts. Usually, restaurants will serve you pieces of baklava rather than this chunk of it. Fortunately, they give you a knife so you can easily cut it through and share! It is one of the best baklava I had: tasty and very moist. My wife who does not like nuts usually loves it too! So it tells something.

I once again had a great dinner at Molyvos: I have never been disappointed and recommend it! The diversity of the menu will satisfy all palates and the variety of small plates and appetizers is a good opportunity for groups to try some delicious Greek food!

Enjoy (I did)!

Mamoun's falafel in Hoboken, NJ

Did you notice that there are more and more restaurants proposing falafel as the main specialty? There is Maoz, Taim and Mamoun's falafel, Moishe's falafels. Yes, falafels are definitely good when well done, meaning for me: good chickpea taste (not too many breadcrumbs please), cooked all the way through, crunchy and not oily. People debate about the benefits of falafels. The pros:

• it is only chickpeas, no meat.
• low calories: 50 to 60 per ball.
• High in protein, iron and fiber.

The cons:

• it is deep fried.
• a falafel pita can contain up to 550 calories and 32 grams of fat.

Anyway, I love Middle Eastern food, falafel of course, but also Shawarma. So we tried few times Mamoun's falafel. They have several restaurants in the City and opened several months ago one in Hoboken. The flagship restaurant is in Greenwich Village: it was opened in 1971 and was the first falafel place in New York City, as well as one of the first Middle Easter restaurants in the US. I like their menu that offers dishes not only to meat lovers, but also vegetarian.

On the vegetarian side, I love their hummus (chickpea spread) and baba ganouj (eggplant spread). We tried the tabouleh, but I do not know if it is because they make it with bulgur, but I did not like it.

The falafel are good, but I had better. They are sometimes overcooked.

On the meat side, I love their shawarma and meat combo!

The lamb shawarma is delicious! The meat is usually tender and has this great grilled tasted combined with the strong taste of the lamb meat. You can have it in a plate or a pita. With salad and olives, it was perfect.

Last time, I chose the meat combo: I picked a sandwich with chicken kebob, falafel and olives. I loved it! The crunchiness of the falafel worked really well with the chicken that was quite moist.

Another thing to try there is the mint lemonade: it is so refreshing!

I like Mamoun's falafel. Their falafels are good, but I would not name them the best though!

Enjoy (I did)!

Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa in NYC, New York

I think a lot of people are missing when eating in Times Square instead of exploring the little gems that are on 9th Avenue! We like to walk around and randomly pick a restaurant we have never tried (I admit that we avoid the Grad Pending ones...). That is how we picked Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa.

I love rotisserie chicken. Each time I pass in front of a rotisserie,  I cannot not smell that particular scent of cooked chicken: so irresistible! 

Back to Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa: the restaurant is of a good size with a brighter dining room in the back. The service was just ok.

In term of food, it is affordable: I got half a chicken, plantains, a salad, rice and beans for just $12. The chicken and plantains are on the photo above. The plantains were of a good size and well made (I hate when they are not enough cooked). The chicken was very good: a nice piece quite moist. The skin had a nice taste, although it was not crispy.

For rice and beans, you can pick either black or red beans. We asked for black but they bought red. Finally, it was ok as we also ordered a small side of black bean!

The beans were delicious! I will not comment on the rice as it was plain! In fact, I preferred the red beans over the black beans.

We also ordered tostones.

Tostones are very popular in Latin American cuisine. They are made of green unripe plantain that are fried a first time, then pounded flat and refried until crisp and golden brown. I always add a bit of salt on it. The ones at the restaurant were very good and not greasy, that is always much appreciated!

The last dish we ordered was an arepa con queso. It was a nice side to share. They put some queso blanco (white cheese) on top of an arepa, some garlic and toasted it. It was pretty good and I was pleased that they did not put too much garlic on it!

So, it was a good little dinner at an affordable price. I would probably go back there if I am craving for chicken or Latin food as their menu is quite extensive.

Enjoy (I did)!

 

Szechuan Gourmet - Chinese Restaurant in Midtown NYC, New York

Recently, I went to Szechuan Gourmet with my colleagues for lunch. Be aware that there are several Chinese restaurants called Szechuan Gourmet! This one is located on 56th avenue. They even refer on their website to Szechuan Gourmet 56.

So, the particularity of Szechuan cuisine is that it is spicy. Fortunately, they put a chili in front of the dishes on the menu so you are not surprised, but you can anyway asked for mild or spicier if your stomach can make it!

The restaurant has two floors and can accommodate large parties. The service was fast and they kept checking on us to make sure we had a nice experience.

In term of food, they have the traditional dishes you would find in a Chinese restaurant: General Tso Chicken, eggplants with garlic sauce, fried rice, chow fun...But they also have other delicacies not so usual: Jelly fish (I tried once...not a favorite of mine!), duck tongues, or ox tongue and tripes. This time I was going for a more usual lunch...

So, we decided to order lunch menus: items are going between $7.95 to $9.50. You pick a soup, rice and dish. On top of it, we ordered some scallion pancakes for the table.

They were very good: crispy and not oily. 

Then, I asked whether it was possible to have an egg drop soup instead of a wonton or Hot & Sour one.

They graciously accepted. The soup was awesome: a bit gelatinous like I like it.

For the main dishes, we decided to share.

We ordered sliced chicken with baby eggplant. The eggplant were perfect and well cooked; they kind of absorbed the sauce that came with it (I am wondering if it was not a garlic sauce). The chicken was good and there were plenty.

The General Tso Chicken was delcious: crispy, tasty and not too spicy. It is a classic dish and a good test if you try a Chinese restaurant!

Then came the spicy scallops with roasted chili peanuts. This was the revelation of the day! It was my favorite. The sauce was so good. There was definitely a kick to it, but not too much. For sure, as it was for the lunch menu, they did not put as many scallops as you would have chicken, but there was a nice portion of it. Definitely a dish to try!

I had a great meal at Szechuan Gourmet, at an affordable price. Another great Chinese restaurant outside of Chinatown!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

BLT Burger - The best burger in NYC, New York

Today is National Hamburger Day and clearly I needed to celebrate it! So we decided to go to my favorite burger place in NY: BLT Burger.

If you do not know, BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel. Laurent Tourondel is a passionate and talented Chef, born and raised in Auvergne, France (great cheeses in Auvergne!). He told Food & Wine magazine that he ended up cooking because he was really bad at school. Today, his name is on several restaurants across the country: BLT Prime, BLT Steak, BLT Fish and...BLT Burger. 

Trust me: it is not because Laurent Tourondel is French that I like this place! I have tried many burgers here, but I can tell you: it is the best! The meat is always perfectly cooked, juicy and extremely tasty (yes: it tastes like real meat!), the bun is perfect (it is a sesame brioche bun).

So we decided to go today. We thought the place would be busy; first because it is most of the time, but also because they had a contest for the creation of the Dream burger: people could submit their creation and the one winning would get his/her burger on the menu. I submitted mine, but I guess it was too basic (some sort of burger reuben). So, there were not too many people. Good!

We started first with fried pickles, a Southern US specialty.

It is a slice of pickled dipped in a batter and fried, similar to the onion rings, but with pickles! I liked it! The taste was surprising as I could get the sour taste of the pickle mixed with the fried batter and the ranch chili-paprika dipping sauce that gave some kick to it.

Then, we got our burgers. We decided to order two different ones. The first one was the Maytag blue burger.

It is made with Maytag blue cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and mushrooms. At first, I was scared that the blue cheese would be too overpowering. Fortunately, there was just enough to give a taste that would not overshadow the taste of the meat. The onions and mushrooms were divine and a great addition, giving some texture to the burger.

The second burger was the classic one, with Vermont Cheddar cheese ($1 additional for the cheese).

It is simple and delicious. The meat on both burger was perfectly cooked (medium) and very juicy. It really tasted like meat, not like these burgers that you would get in fast food (I know: not the same price).

For the sides, we went for the onion rings.

The onion rings were good, a bit crispy and not too greasy. I just would have liked some ranch dressing with it.

We also got fries.

We chose the classic; otherwise, they propose waffle fries, sweet potato fries...These were like I like them: golden brown, crispy and regular cut.

The last thing we got was a vanilla milk shake.

Look: one of us had to sacrificed himself to get a combo price. I did. For $17, you can get a burger, fries and a milk shake. The later was very good. Not too thick, with the necessary amount of vanilla syrup. They gave the old fashion feel by serving it in an ice cream glass, adding whipped cream and top it with sprinkles. Delish! For You information, they also serve milk shakes with alcohol...

So, again, I was not disappointed by BLT Burger, that remains my top burger place in NYC. However, prices are a bit on the high range as for this meal we ended up with a bill of $52. Worth it though!

Enjoy (I did)!

Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC, New York

If you recall, several months ago, I went to Momofuku Milk Bar for a snack. The experience was just ok.

As a reminder, Momofuku is a group of restaurants (Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssiam...) owned by Chef David Chang. In Japanese, it could be translated to "Lucky peach", but Chef David Chang once mentioned that it was in honor of Momofuku Ando, the inventor of the instant ramen. So, this time, we were thinking about having lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar  located in the East Village to see what all the buzz was about.

We went there yesterday and arrived at around 11:45am. The restaurant was not yet opened (it opens at 12pm) and besides us, there were only two Canadian tourists waiting. So we decided to go for a walk in the nearby market. We came back after 10 minutes and surprisingly, there was already a line in front of the restaurant! Probably 20 people! The restaurant is quite bright, with light wood all over. You can either sit at the bar, the kitchen bar or the communal tables. We got seated at the bar, in front of the opened kitchen. It was perfect to see them cooked, but a bit hot...

They brought us the daily menu: Momofuku Noodle Bar is known for the buns as well as the ramen. We asked the waiter what he recommended for two and told us that typically, two people would share a bun, a noodle bowl and a side. So we went for that!

We started with the Shitake mushroom buns.

They bring you two buns that are very light and fluffly. They are opened and stuffed with mushrooms, cucumbers, scallions and hoisin sauce. I loved it: there were so many layers of flavors between the bun itself and the different components! I especially liked that they added cucumber for some crunch and to add some texture.

We also ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen, one of the most popular dishes, with the Momofuku ramen.

The bowl was pretty big and the food looked beautiful! It was composed of smoked chicken, Swiss chard, sesame seeds, a poached egg and noodles. I mixed the egg that was lightly poached and it  decomposed immediately. The broth alone was very good and tasty, but with all the ingredients mixed, it was succulent: each spoon was kind of a different flavor depending of which ingredient was on it. The noodles were delicious: perfectly cooked and very good. The dish was a bit spicy but not too much. 

For sure, do not go there on a first date as it is not that sexy when you eat ramen...

Last, we shared a side: the mushrooms with spinach, black garlic and thai chili.

There were different types of mushrooms and the sauce was brown butter. It was a hit! Very flavorful and the brown butter was to die for!

The fact that Momofuku Noodle Bar does not have desserts (they propose few items from the Milk Bar) was not a problem: the three dishes we ordered were delicious and we finished the meal satisfied! Momofuku Noodle Bar is definitely a place to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Monday May 28th is National Burger Day: don't go to Sonic!!!

I tried Sonic because I was told that they have good burgers. I have no preconceive idea, so why not: you may end up with a big surprise!

Sonic is an old fast food chain founded in the 50's in Oklahoma. The one where I went was a drive-thru: as you can see on the photo, drivers park and will order from their car, through an inter-phone. Problem is that they had difficulties understanding my accent...but I ended up with the correct order! If you do not want to eat in your car, the only solution is to eat outside, on the patio, as there is no dining room. 

On the patio, it is the same principle: you order on the inter-phone.

Once your order is ready, a person on rollers will come to bring your order, napkins and sauces.

In term of menu, they had the classic: cheeseburger (with one or two patties), chicken sandwich, hot dog...So I went for the cheeseburger, one patty.

First, there was more lettuce than meat! And the meat looked grey! Not very appetizing.

Clearly not the best quality! And tasteless! Fortunately, I had the taste of the mayo and ketchup to give some flavor.

So, the cheeseburger was a miss. I was hopeful that the sides would be better. They had this great idea to propose small portions of sides for $1. It gives you the opportunity to try several. So we picked: onion rings, tater tots and fries.

The onion rings are supposed to be hand made. They were crispy, but had this weird sweet taste. I thought first that it was because of the onions they used, but there was definitely something in the batter that was throwing off the taste!

The fries were uneven: some were good and crispy, other were not. Fortunately, out of the three sides, the tater tots were good! A bit of crispiness, tasty and not greasy!

Last, I tried the milk shake. If was supposed to be hand dipped (meaning they use ice cream rather than a mix).

I chose a vanilla one. They definitely try to give a diner feel by adding whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top. The milk shake was thick, but a bit tasteless. They probably did not put enough vanilla syrup in it. So again: a miss.

At the end of the day, I did not like what Sonic was proposing. I would go there only if there is no other option!

So, Monday May 28th being National Burger day, do not go to Sonic! Try more BLT Burger or Five Guys!

Enjoy (the post)!

European Vacation - Part 14 - Vino Caffe in Munich, Germany

If you read my post, you probably realized that my experience of German food was not that great. As I mentioned before, it might have been my cold or just the fact that I did not prepare enough the trip to make sure I would eat in the best places to try German cuisine. So I admit that from time to time, we had non German food, whether in Munich or Berlin. Interestingly enough, I noticed plenty of Asian restaurants (Thai, Indian...) as well as Doner cafe. And of course, Italian restaurants.

In fact, the best dinner I had in Germany, was at Vino Caffe, an Italian wine bar very close to our hotel. Clearly, the location was not ideal as not on a main street, but it seemed to be popular with mostly German customers (meaning, coming back because the food is good?).

I really liked the decor with this big shelf full of wine bottles that was separating the bar from the dining room.

The service was perfect and they were kind enough to describe the dishes for us as they did not have any menu in English.

We started with a Cream of white asparagus.

It was a large plate! The asparagus were mostly white but there were few slices of green ones. The soup was delicious: very creamy and tasty.

Then, we had homemade Taleggio cheese gnocchi. 

This was awesome! The gnocchi were very light and succulent; not only were they generous with the taleggio, but on top, they added parmesan and bacon for some slight smokiness! If you are at the same time a pasta and a cheese lover, this dish is for you! 

The last dish was seared scallops with a carpaccio of beets.

The presentation was beautiful with the nice contrast of colors. The scallops were perfectly seared and not rubbery at all. The beets were cooked and then very thinly sliced. Delicious!

I loved Vino Caffe: we had great cuisine for a good price! I would definitely recommend it!

VINO CAFFÉ

Hochbrückenstr. 14 / Ecke Herrnstr.

80331 München

www.vino-caffe.de

Enjoy (I did)!

Zylo Tuscan Steakhouse in Hoboken, New Jersey

It has been a while since I wanted to try Zylo in the W Hotel in Hoboken (it opened in 2009). They call themselves a Tuscan Steakhouse. Knowing that we like Steaks and Italian food, there was no more hesitation!

The restaurant was interesting: it looked more like a lounge than a restaurant with the low leather chairs and couches. We went on a Tuesday night and it was packed!

The service was perfect: efficient and extremely courteous.

Now, the most interesting thing about Zylo is the menu.

There is a wide variety of dishes that can satisfy every palate: pizza, pasta, fish and steaks. This time, we were there for the steaks! All steaks are prime meat, dry aged and finished with Tuscan olive oil and sea salt. They are all served with a watercress salad (nice, but I do not really care about the salad!).

So we tried the filet mignon.

We asked for the meat to be cooked medium and it came at the correct temperature. 

We also tried the bone-in ribeye.

We asked for medium rare. Both steaks were perfectly cooked, juicy and you could definitely taste a hint of olive oil and sea salt that made it delicious. The ribeye was 20 Oz and there was only the bone (and the salad) remaining at the end of the dinner on my plate! There was a bit of fat, but I love that, especially around the bone as it gives to the meat and the fat a stronger taste (in fact, when ordering a bone in filet mignon, the taste of the meat close to the bone will be between a filet mignon and a ribeye). It was so good that I think I devoured it!

Then we picked some sides. At the beginning, we thought about going for an appetizer (the tuna tartare) and a side. But then I saw that they were offering the pasta in small portions!

So we had the ricotta gnocchi.

The gnocchi were pretty good. Not the lightest I ever had, but good. The sauce was an heirloom pomodoro sauce (tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil) that had a nice thickness. All of this was topped with some parmigiano reggiano.

The other side was French fries. 

They were just ok for me. I like them more crunchy and would have loved truffled fries!

Last, was dessert. Yes, I know: you are surprised that after that we were still able to eat dessert. Well, as we were in a tuscan steakhouse, we went for the tiramisu.

It came with some white chocolate decoration and an expresso ice cream that were very good. But the most surprising thing was the tiramisu itself: it was immersed in a chocolate fudge. This was simply delicious! Not a traditional tiramisu, but a very interesting and amazing twist on it! Definitely something to try!

We really had a great dinner at Zylo and will definitely have to try their lunch and brunch menu that are mouth watering. It is great to discover another great restaurant in Hoboken!

Enjoy (I did)!

Persepolis Restaurant in NYC, New York - A taste of Persian Food!

What I love in New York City is the diversity of restaurants and cuisines. I think every cuisine is particular although you will always find similarities due mainly to historical reasons. 

This time, we went for Persian (aka Iranian) food at Persepolis in New York City. It was not the first time for us and the place has not changed: nice decor and very attentive service, with food as good as before!

Going back to the decor, Persepolis is pretty big with red bricks on the wall, a large map of what use to be the Persian Empire and photographs of the soccer team the founder of the restaurant used to be in back in Iran.

They have a large menu that can satisfy any taste: meat, seafood and vegetarian.

At first, they gave us some Iranian bread or Naan (yes, like in India).

There were two sorts: one thick that I believe is called barbari and another one that looked like a thin pita, called lavash. The barbari was my favorite: a bit crusty, it did not need anything on it. They served the bread with a dip made with sesame, that I did not like.

Then we went for the kebab (pieces of meat roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit):

The Kubideh is skewers of marinated ground aged sirloin. 

We also tried the Taj Kebab that is a combination of Saffron Chicken (boneless breast of chicken kebab, marinated in saffron and onion) and Baby Lamb Barg (marinated tender lamb kebab).

When you are ordering, you can pick the way you would like the rice (basmati). My favorite is the one with almonds and orange: it is so good! There is no need for any sauce on it! They also have rice made with sour cherries: surprising and still good!

Each dish is served with a braised tomato and some cabbage. 

The Kubideh is definitely my favorite: the meat is very tasty and extremely moist. The saffron chicken had a surprising buttery taste at first and was very well cooked, not dry at all. Last, the lamb (the chicken was sitting on top) had this delicious taste that is so particular to lamb meat. It was very tender.

These dishes were outstanding, but again, the Kubideh is the best!

We ate the dishes with some Most O Khiar that is Yoghurt (Most) with cucumber and mint.

This was very refreshing. I just wish that the cucumber was cut smaller.

Of course, we could not end this delicious meal without dessert!

We picked the Baklava! This is one of the best Baklava I had in New York (with the one at Molyvos)! It was not too sweet and very buttery. I wish I was still hungry to have another one...

Persepolis is definitely a great place to go to! We had, once again, an incredible experience there!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

 

El Cocotero restaurant in NYC, New York

El Cocotero is a great Venezuelan restaurant located in the heart of Chelsea. I went few times and they have been pretty consistent: good service and great food! This is were I discovered what arepas were (check out the recipe of arepas here)! 

We went there for lunch and had a feast!

We started with drinks:

Venezuelan lemonade made with sugar cane. Pretty good, although not the usual lemonade taste.

They also have shakes. I pick banana. The shake is quite good, not too thick.

For food, we started with the fried yuca served with guacamole and sour cream (nata).

This is a great dish! The yuca is cut like thick cut Fries and dipping in the sauce is divine. 

The cheese empanada was pretty good too although a bit tough to cut. I was also surprised when cutting through because I am used to have melting cheese. This one was made with white cheese (queso blanco).

Then we went for the arepas (cooked cornmeal pocket stuffed with various ingredients). They have a wide range of combination, whether you want an all vegetarian or some meat. 

This time, we went with the Santa Barbara, made with Guayanes cheese (white cheese) and sweet plantain. First of all, the arepa itself was real good: a bit heavy but not too much, perfectly seasoned and cooked. At first bite, you notice a caramelized taste coming from the plantains. The cheese is nice and soft. 

The second one is La Chinquinquira, made of quasacaca (Venezuelan Guacamole), guayanes cheese (white cheese), avocado and tomatoes. This is probably my favorite! Very fresh and extremely tasty with all the layers created by these ingredients.

El Cocotero has a wide range of dishes from Venezuela for those who would like to discover such cuisine and I will probably go back to try some more!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I just want to eat!

Qi Bangkok Eatery - Great Thai in Times Square, NYC, New York

If you are in or near Times Square, this could be a good place to go! It is always driving me crazy to see that people are missing great restaurants in this area! There are great places on 9th Avenue and on 8th, I discovered Qi Bangkok Eatery (pronounce Chee).  The restaurant has been opened since mid 2011 by Chef Pitchet Ong (P*ONG).

At first, I did not know it was a restaurant! From the outside, it looks like a club and when you hear the loud electronic music, you would surely think you are in a club. 

The decor is beautiful: mainly white (white marble, white leather...), modern furnitures and amazing chandeliers, with a Buddha in the back of the room.

They also display holograms from the menu to the check to...the bathroom!

We started with Triple Mushroom Spring Roll: crispy spring rolls stuffed with glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and minced vegetables, served with pomegranate Asian plum sauce. It had a nice presentation and was really good: tasty, not doughy and not greasy. The plum sauce was delicious.

Then we had the Chicken Curry Massaman. I simply loved it. Very flavorful. I just would have liked less potatoes.

The Tofu Pad See Euw (Flat rice noodles stir-fried in sweet soy sauce with Chinese broccoli, broccoli and eggs) was superb! The Tofu was flavorful thanks to the spices! 

To help cool me down, I had a Thai Iced Tea that was delicious!

Qi BangKok Eatery is definitely a great Thai restaurant and with reasonable prices. I missed on the dessert as I was full, but will probably try again as Chef Pong is a Pastry Chef!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just Want To Eat!

Mexicana Mama in NYC, New York

We were walking in the West Village in New York when we saw this small colorful Mexican restaurant called Mexicana Mama. My wife already went there, but for me it was a first.

I liked the nice blue color of the walls and the tables with their tablecloth impressions full of colors. This is a small restaurant and you have a view on the also small kitchen.

The menu for lunch was made of a short list of dishes. I do not mind because sometimes, the more is on the menu the less the food is good: I prefer when the Chef or cook focusses on few items.


We started of course with some guacamole, served with fresh tortilla chips.

This was a great start! The guacamole was made fresh and was perfect. I noticed that a lot of restaurant have a tendency to over salt it. The tortilla chips were crispy and not greasy at all.

We then tried the goat cheese and avocado salad. The dressing was made with peppers: it was a nice touch. I only regret that there was not that much cheese in the salad.

The Quesadilla was delicious: it was two small corn tortillas filled with chile roasted pork. I really liked the flavors.

Last was the Tostada De Ave: chicken, fresh corn, grilled onions, and black beans tossed with a roasted red salsa. served on a fried corn tortilla and garnished with grilled panella cheese, avocado, fruit, and mexican cream. I really liked it. Mixing all the ingredients together gave this layering of distinctive delicious flavors. When reading all the ingredients, you would think that it is too much, but it works.

I liked eating at Mexicana Mama: the service was good and the food delicious. Definitely a good address in the West Village, with reasonable prices.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Brasserie 8 1/2 French Restaurant in NYC, New York

Brasserie 8 1/2 is one of my favorite upscale French restaurant in New York. The location is weird: the restaurant is located underground! If you do not know it is there, you cannot guess! To go to the main room, you will walk down an impressive staircase that will bring you to the mezzanine area where the bar is located. The decor is amazing and is featuring some artwork from Matisse and a glass sculpture from Fernand Leger. 

So we went back one Saturday night with our friends Jen and Gary. The restaurant was not that crowded that night. The service was efficient and courteous, and the atmosphere was not too stuffy.

The food served at Brasserie 8 1/2 is pretty diverse and they have great seafood. These days, they are still offering a three courses menu for $35.

So, here is what we ate!

First, after ordering, they offered is an amuse bouche. It was a salmon tartare with a refined taste.

Then, I decided to go with several appetizers instead of an entree, to try different dishes. I started with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes served with artichoke, sea beans, pommery mustard sauce. It was good but definitely not the best crab cakes I ever tried (Ruth's Chris or Del Fresco!). 

I think that when you read Jumbo Lump, you will imagine a strong crab flavor. It was not the case!

After that, I had the Clam Chowder. It was delicious! Very creamy!

The third appetizer was a risotto made with crab and bone marrow. This was great! First, the presentation on a stone board was very nice. The risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy and the crab and bone marrow added nice flavors.

I also had a taste of the Filet Mignon served with a sauce au poivre (we always ask for the sauce to be separated in case it is not good)! Although we were not in a steakhouse, the steak was very good!

For dessert, we had a white chocolate mousse with meringue. This was delicious! Light and not too sweet. Perfect to end this great dinner!

We had a good time at Brasserie 8 1/2 and the food was amazing as usual! Brasserie 8 1/2 is definitely a great restaurant Midtown New York!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

 

Wu Liang Ye - Authentic Chinese cuisine in NYC, New York

Wu Liang Ye in Midtown Manhattan is a family style Chinese restaurant; each plate can serve 2 people, hence, don't be surprised by the price. This place is always crowded and if you are a large party, you'd better reserve! I went there for lunch time and it was like a beehive: customers going in and out, waiters running around to satisfy the crowd.
The restaurant itself is located on the second floor of a brownstone. The weather was nice outside and it was freezing inside!

Food wise, I really liked it! But be careful: they serve authentic Szechuan cuisine that is spicy!

We had couple of dishes. The first one was Shredded chicken with spicy garlic sauce. The chicken was moist and the sauce not too spicy. Fortunately, it was not too garlic-y either!

We also tried the tangerine chicken.

It was a first for me. I really liked it. I think it is a perfect alternative to the General Tso Chicken: a bit crunchy with less fried taste. The sauce was not overpowering at all.

Then was one of my favorite dishes: the kung pao chicken.

This dish is mainly made with chili pepper and peanuts. No way to have it mild! I can tell you that it was spicy. Delicious but spicy! I love the thick sauce coming with it that baths the chicken and the veggies (onions, peppers...). Great dish!

Wu Liang Ye is a great Chinese restaurant outside of Chinatown! Definitely for you to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pastis restaurant in NYC, New York - Overrated!

Pastis is an anise flavored spirit that is served mixed with water. It originates in South of France. Instead of Pastis, you may also hear the names Pernod or Ricard that are derived from the name of the company Pernod Ricard who use to produce pastis.

The Pastis I am talking about is different though: it is a popular restaurant in the Meat Packing district of NYC, New York. Pastis is a French bistro opened by Keith McNally with Executive Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. These names do not ring a bell? They are the same cast as Balthazar in NYC. In fact, the bread served at Pastis comes from Balthazar. 

Having heard about it so many times, I decided to go few years back, but did not become a fan of Pastis. As the restaurant is still there and always crowded, I decided to give it another try. 

I went on a Friday, for lunch. Let me tell you: it was packed! At the entrance, they tell us that they cannot sit us right away and that we have to wait at the bar for approximately 30 minutes, until lunch is served (there were several empty tables). Interestingly enough, five minutes after we order a drink at the bar, they sit us and we wait for 20 minutes before ordering. I am kind of suspicious that they sat us at the bar so we would consume a drink. I hate this type of practices!

We decide to go for the croque monsieur and the cheese burger. The waiter warns us that the croque monsieur does not come with any side. I am a bit surprised. Ok, no side needed. The food takes a bit of time to come.

When the croque monsieur comes, several parts look burnt. That's fine, we love burnt cheese. We taste it and it is disappointing: there is not enough béchamel sauce and it is salty. Not worth the $15 it costs! I really prefer the croque monsieur at Brasserie Cognac!

When the burger came, it was promising: lots of cheese, good ratio meat / bun and a nice bun (not sure if homemade by Balthazar). Unfortunately, the meat was a bit dry. The fries are a bit overcooked. Disappointing too!

On top of this, the noise level was pretty high with loud psychedelic music playing! Only the service was good.

So my re-visit to Pastis did not meet my expectations. The food was disappointing and overpriced. I think this place gets its reputation not because of the food, but because of the sceney atmosphere. Not a recommended restaurant for me!

Enjoy (I did not)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Morimoto Restaurant in NYC, New York

I am a big fan of Chef Masaharu Morimoto and try to never miss his appearances on Iron Chef America! Chef Morimoto is incredibly talented. On the show, he always comes with incredible presentations and association of food you would never think of. 

So we decided to go back to his restaurant. I have great memories of the first time I went there few years ago: I remember that I had the surf and turf that was made with fish and Kobe beef. I did not like the taste of the kobe beef but I still can talk about the dish!!! On top of that Chef Morimoto was there, making sushi!

So we went back and had another memorable dinner! I love the place: modern with an elegant decor. Not a stuffy atmosphere at all. The service was, like the previous time, perfect: courteous and efficient. 

The menu makes you drool from the first page. It offers a modern Japanese menu with some Western cuisine hints.

We started with the Nasu (eggplant in Japanese).

The eggplants were pickled. When they arrived on the table, one could not have noticed the amazing blue of the Japanese eggplant. It popped on the dish! It was the first time I tasted a pickled eggplant. It was a surprising taste: eggplant of course but definitely raw. 

I then had the Oyster Foie Gras that is oysters, foie gras, sea urchin in a teriyaki sauce.

The presentation was spectacular.

Of course it is at this point that my camera shut off because the battery was empty...But I had other resources! So, back to food! This dish had so much flavors: I was scared at first that the teriyaki sauce would be overpowering, but it was not the case. You could taste all the layers: from the gigantic oyster to the foie gras and sea urchin (had been a long time I did not have some).

The Kasutera, custard omelet was very good. Light and fluffy.

We also had a tuna roll. This was very good but I will be honnest: I can get a great tuna roll in my favorite Japanese restaurant as it is pretty basic. For sure, however, the quality of the tuna is probably superior!

For the main dish, I decided to reorder the surf and turf made with Australian Wagyu beef and Hamachi fish.

This was really great! First, it changes from the traditional lobster and steak. The Hamachi fish is cut in ribbons and prepared with avocado, tomatoes, crushed citrus and onions. They mix all the ingredients together at the table, after adding some Yuzu sauce. It tasted so fresh!

The beef was cooked perfectly (I asked for medium) and was extremely tender! It has a perfect charr on the outside too. Last, this was served with potatoes cooked with a delicious cream. 

We could not end this feast without trying some desserts!

We tried the warm flourless chocolate cake served with caramel popcorn and rice crispies, sesame-caramel sauce, white chocolate foam, green tea-pear sorbet.

This was amazing! I loved the caramelized popcorn and rice crispies on top of the cake. The cake itself was moist and very chocolaty.

Last, was the tofu ‘hot and cold’: soy milk soufflé, tofu cheesecake, maple ice cream.

Let me tell you: who could have imagined that a soy milk soufflé would be so good! It was my favorite dessert! However, I did not really like the tofu cheesecake: it was kind of tasteless.

These desserts were pretty imaginative and really reflect the versatility of Chef Morimoto cooking!

I am definitely a fan!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

The New French Restaurant in NYC, New York

We were walking around in the West Village when we noticed this small place called The New French.

But do not be fooled: this restaurant, opened in 2008, is not serving French cuisine, but more an American cuisine, although some dishes can be associated to France, such as the crepes!

I like the place that reminds me of places you would find in certain areas of Paris such as La Buttes aux cailles. The furniture looks like a typical bistro / brasserie tables and chairs.

In one of the walls, there is a big mural from local artist Maira Kalman.

We went for brunch. The menu at The New French is pretty simple. At least, you do not have in front of you a huge menu and are not wondering what to eat! But it has the basic brunch items: pancakes, French toasts, eggs...

We went for the crepe filled with goat cheese, mushrooms and spinach. It was served with some salad. I have to say that the crepe was good! The crepe itself was well done and the filling delicious.

We also tried the buttermilk biscuit sandwich served with bacon, eggs and cheese. For the side, you could pick potatoes, fries or salad. I went for the potatoes that were pretty good and not greasy at all!

The sandwich was awesome too: there were a lot of flavors that mixed well together and the biscuit was amazing! They put some honey that added a nice sweetness to the salty taste. But it was on top of the biscuit, so either you end up having sticky hands or have to eat with your fork and knife.

At the end of the brunch, I was stuffed and did not get a chance to try the sugar crepe. I bet it is really good!

If you are looking for brunch, I definitely suggest The New French!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!