Pierogis at Veselka in NYC, New York
The restaurant reminded me a bit of Katz's deli, probably because of the decor that appears similar to what it was when they opened in 1954 (not that I was there), as well as the large crowd waiting for a seat. We went there at 11:30am on a Saturday and it was already packed! Normal: people came for breakfast in this 24/7 joint.
Although the menu offers traditional breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles or eggs, we decided to try typical Eastern cuisine dishes. We started off with soup. Jodi ordered a Matzo Ball soup.
Soups are homemade and we ordered the small portions. I was imagining smaller portions to be honest! This was a nice size for $4.75! The matzo ball soup was very good: the matzo ball was soft and tasty and the chicken soup, that contained some real chicken, was delicious.
The borscht was very good and you could definitely taste the beets that are used. It was served with sour cream that I dipped in the soup: fantastic!
We then wanted to try pierogis (dumplings). We picked cheese pierogis as well as potato pierogis.
We decided to get both pierogis fried so they had a bit of crunch on the outside.
Both dishes were served with homemade apple sauce and sour cream. The potato pierogis were also served with some delicious caramelized onions. I liked the pierogis, but definitely preferred the potato ones as the cheese ones were a bit bland, not because of the shell but because of the farmer's cheese they use, although there was some sweetness to it. I would have preferred a goat or swiss, but for sure, it would have nothing to do with Ukrainian authenticity...
In fact, I will retrieve the same farmer's cheese in the cheese blintze.
This was a disappointing dish as all I could taste was the cheese and the blintze itself was overpowered by it. Too bad!
So, although I did not like everything I ate, I will probably come back to Veselka to try some other dishes. I like the casual atmosphere and the very comforting food.
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I just want to eat!
The best Banana Cream Pie ever - Redeye Gill in NYC, New York
If you go to The Redeye Grill, it is not for their steaks or their seafood! Surprisingly, I would only go for one of the most delicious banana cream pie I ever had! Forget Billy's Bakery and just go to The Redeye Grill!!!
It is the third time I had this dessert and each time I was in heaven! Ok, I had steaks in the past and never tried their seafood. Except last week...When I went back for lunch. I like the decor of this restaurant that looks like a cafe and has a beautiful raw bar with an impressive selection of seafood: fish, shrimp, scallops, you name it! I started off with the Diver Scallops.
It was served with oyster mushrooms. The scallop (listen Gordon Ramsey!) was perfectly cooked with a nice sear on both sides. It had just enough salt on top and tasted fresh. The pairing with oyster mushrooms was fantastic and kind of elevated the dish.
Then, I chose the grass fed 8oz New York strip.
They dry age the meat for 28 days to tenderize it and accentuate the flavor. I asked for a medium rare temperature and got a medium to medium well one! As I had limited time, I could not ask for another one! The steak was dry for sure and I was really not impressed by it. It was served with French fries that were however very good! Note that the only sauce available besides ketchup is A1 steak sauce: they do not have other sauces like mayonnaise.
Then came the long awaited banana cream pie!!!
The piece they serve you is big! The crust is a graham cracker crust that was buttery and not too sweet at all. It was thick enough not to be lost in the overall dessert! They they have this heavenly creme patissiere that smothers the bananas and is topped by a probably homemade whipped cream. The first bite is an invitation to over indulge for sure! It is definitely freshly made and when eating it, you are not at all feeling a sugar rush. This is a hit!!!
I would probably go back to The Redeye Grill, skip the steaks (every time I went it was so so), order seafood and for sure eat that banana cream pie!!!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Totto Ramen in NYC, New York
Last year, I discovered ramen. So I was very excited to go to Totto Ramen, after the feasts I had at Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ippudo. Each time we passed in front of this joint, there was a big line, so we definitely wanted to try it! If there is a line, there must be a reason!
We arrived at 11:30am, knowing that they opened at 12pm; there were already few people waiting. What you have to do is put your name on a list and they will call you to sit you. The place is very tiny, so you have to be patient and pray that people will eat quickly and leave, and that you will not have in front of you a group of people who did not see each other for 10 years and are trying to catch up!!!
So we sat at the bar. I like that because we had a direct view on the kitchen and were able to see the cooks making noodles, bouncing them up and down to remove the excess of water, as you can see on the video below.
We started off with the Char Siu Bun.
It is a bun stuffed with braised pork belly (char Siu) and tartare sauce. This was so so: like eating a blob of fat with just a little bit of meat.
Jodi ordered the vegetable ramen.
The presentation was phenomenal with all the colors. The dish was composed of a Konbu seaweed and shiitake mushroom based soup, with seasoned avocado, seasonal vegetables, Yuzu paste, sesame oil, salted kelp and lime. First of all, the avocado had a weird taste and the overall dish did not have a balanced taste, more like a potpourri in a soup (for a nice breath all afternoon?).
I ordered the Totto Chicken Paitan Ramen.
The dish is a chicken based broth with chicken, scallion, onion, char siu pork, and a nori. Jodi and I added a soft boiled egg to our ramen. I was very disappointed by my dish: the chicken was tough and bland and the soup tasted just like a chicken soup without any additional flavor that would make it different from a...matzoh ball soup!!! I guess the only thing I liked was the egg that was perfectly cooked, a bit soft with a runny yolk.
So, this was disappointing: I was expecting a festival of flavors, similar to our experience at Momofuku or Ippudo. So I will pass next time as it is not worth the wait for me!
Enjoy (the post)!
And remember: I just want to Eat!
Bibimbap at Miss Korea BBQ in NYC, New York
In our quest for the best Bibimbap, this fantastic Korean rice bowl dish, we decided to go to Miss Korea BBQ in Korea Town.
When we arrived in the restaurant, we were asked if we would consume alcohol. As we said no, we were sent upstairs, on the third floor (probably because their second location did not have a liquor license and they wanted to preserve the main one to their customers who would order some). They told us that this was the same menu and same cuisine. As the elevator was out of order and we proceeded to take the stairs. This was like going to a hidden and secret place, in these dark staircases (ok, maybe I saw too many James Bond).
When we arrived in the restaurant, we were asked if we would consume alcohol. As we said no, we were sent upstairs, on the third floor (probably because their second location did not have a liquor license and they wanted to preserve the main one to their customers who would order some). They told us that this was the same menu and same cuisine. As the elevator was out of order and we proceeded to take the stairs. This was like going to a hidden and secret place, in these dark staircases (ok, maybe I saw too many James Bond).
So here we are in the restaurant on the third floor! I do not know if the one downstairs has the same decor, but this one was modern.
Once we ordered our food, they brought us the banchan, these little plates that usually start a Korean meal. These dishes were not that great I have to say! The only thing I liked was the turnip and the fish skin. Otherwise, they had some fish that had a very strong taste and the kimchi was replaced by a bok choy salad that I did not really like.
They also brought us a soup made with a beef stock base (it was the special soup of the day apparently). The soup was just fine. Anyway, we were there for the bibimbap, so I did not mind not loving it!
For Bibimbap, they have a vegetarian one that is cold or a selection of hot ones, made with tofu & mushroom, beef, chicken, pork or seafood.
Jodi went for the tofu & Mushrooms. She asked for a raw egg also.
On my side, I asked for the kimchi and Bulgogi (marinated beef).
Although I appreciated the taste of the beef, the main problem was that they added seaweed to the bibimbap, giving a fishy taste to the dish. Without it, it would have been decent...
The mushroom and tofu bibimbap was a bit bland and definitely, after having tried some homemade tofu at Cho Dang Gol in NYC, it is difficult to appreciate store bought tofu!
So, definitely, Miss Korea BBQ is not the best bibimbap place we were looking for...I guess the quest continues!
Enjoy (no comment)!
Although I appreciated the taste of the beef, the main problem was that they added seaweed to the bibimbap, giving a fishy taste to the dish. Without it, it would have been decent...
The mushroom and tofu bibimbap was a bit bland and definitely, after having tried some homemade tofu at Cho Dang Gol in NYC, it is difficult to appreciate store bought tofu!
So, definitely, Miss Korea BBQ is not the best bibimbap place we were looking for...I guess the quest continues!
Enjoy (no comment)!
Last dinner in Paris at Le Franc-Tireur
Our last night in Paris, it was pouring outside, so we decided to find a restaurant close to our hotel. As we wanted something reasonable, we wandered around and found a brasserie called Le Franc-Tireur. What I like about brasseries is the casual atmosphere you will find inside: casual with an eclectic crowd (business people, students, retirees, tourists...). And usually, the wait staff is shouting the orders...
So, we sat in the dinner area and they brought us the ardoise (slate) with the items of the day, as well as the regular menu.
It was good and fresh, different from the usual goat cheese salad.
On my side, I got the rumsteak (rump steak) with French fries and bearnaise sauce.
I asked the steak to be cooked medium-rare. It was not the best piece of meat I ever had, but it was pretty decent. The fries, although made from frozen ones, were good: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
We, of course, wanted to end the meal with a dessert and got the mi-cuit au chocolat avec de la creme anglaise.
It is a chocolate fondant cake with a vanilla bean sauce that would please any chocolate lover! It had the bold taste of dark chocolate, that paired well with the delicate taste of the sauce. Loved it!
This last dinner was delicious and simple. A good address to know only if you are close by as this food is typical brasserie food and you can find it all over Paris.
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Le Franc-Tireur
34 Rue d'Armaillé
75017 Paris, France
Crepes at Le Petit Josselin in Paris, France
I promised Jodi that, as we were in France, we would go to a Crêperie to eat a crêpe. We ended up at Le petit Josselin, located rue de Montparnasse. This street is quite interesting as it is full of Crêperies, as if we were in Bretagne, although I have never been there...
So, here we are, entering the place; immediately on the left is the area where they are making crêpes. Of course, I cannot miss the piece of butter sitting there...very promising...
And, in the back of the photo, you can see a crêpe, with a darker color indicating that the flour used is buckwheat, making it slightly heaver and tastier. In fact, the crêpe is called a galette.
Jodi ordered the three cheese crêpe, stuffed with emmental, roquefort and goat cheese.
On my side, I ordered the savoyarde, made with reblochon cheese, potatoes, cream and chives. It had prosciutto on top.
I could also taste the campagnarde:
It was stuffed with eggs, cheese, potatoes, cream and chives, and topped with bacon. A bit similar to the savoyarde.
The galette itself was crispy and from the three crepes, I preferred the three cheese one. But overall, it was very good!
Of course we could not leave without any dessert! We ordered the crêpe avec de la creme de lait that is in fact a crêpe with dulce de leche.
The batter for the sweet crêpes was different from the savory one. It was of course sweeter. It is possible that for the sweet ones, they used milk in the batter, whereas for the salty ones, they may have used beer (it also makes the batter lighter).
This crêpe was very good; this is how I like to eat dulce de leche: not too thick and not too much so it does not overpower the entire dessert.
I also tried the Grand Marnier crêpe that was flambee...
I can tell you that after that, we were full and we did not need to get a treat anywhere...Le petit Josselin is a good address to know. In fact, when we arrived, only couple of tables were taken; but when we left, the restaurant was full and people were waiting outside!!!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Le Petit Josselin
59 Rue du Montparnasse
75014 Paris, France
Jodi ordered the three cheese crêpe, stuffed with emmental, roquefort and goat cheese.
On my side, I ordered the savoyarde, made with reblochon cheese, potatoes, cream and chives. It had prosciutto on top.
I could also taste the campagnarde:
It was stuffed with eggs, cheese, potatoes, cream and chives, and topped with bacon. A bit similar to the savoyarde.
The galette itself was crispy and from the three crepes, I preferred the three cheese one. But overall, it was very good!
Of course we could not leave without any dessert! We ordered the crêpe avec de la creme de lait that is in fact a crêpe with dulce de leche.
The batter for the sweet crêpes was different from the savory one. It was of course sweeter. It is possible that for the sweet ones, they used milk in the batter, whereas for the salty ones, they may have used beer (it also makes the batter lighter).
This crêpe was very good; this is how I like to eat dulce de leche: not too thick and not too much so it does not overpower the entire dessert.
I also tried the Grand Marnier crêpe that was flambee...
I can tell you that after that, we were full and we did not need to get a treat anywhere...Le petit Josselin is a good address to know. In fact, when we arrived, only couple of tables were taken; but when we left, the restaurant was full and people were waiting outside!!!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Le Petit Josselin
59 Rue du Montparnasse
75014 Paris, France
Fondue at L'Assiette aux deux fromages in Paris, France
What I really enjoy in the Winter is a cheese fondue. Not sure I would call it a Fondue Savoyarde or une fondue aux fromages as there is a debate between France and Switzerland as to who made the first cheese fondue...In New York, my favorite places for fondue are Artisanal and for a low key and a rustic atmosphere, Kashkaval.
In France, a lot of people like fondue and it is not rare to be invited to a fondue party, because it is easy to prepare, fun (if you drop the bread in the cheese, you should have a dare) and delicious. The most common mix of cheese is Comte, Beaufort and Emmental. But, sometimes, people go to the fromager (cheese store) and ask for some cheese to make fondue, ending up with various ones as the combinations are endless. At home, I have in fact a fondue pot that is electric and sometimes buy a fondue mix that is convenient and pretty descent!
So, back to my trip: Jodi and I wanted to eat a fondue! We went to one of our favorite spots in Paris: rue Mouffetard. It is a narrow street made of cobblestones. At night, it can be crowded as people go there for the multitude of restaurants you can find: traditional French to Iranian! Looking around, we decided to go to L'Assiette aux fromages. It was not the first time and the last time we went, we had a pretty good meal!
I like the place: warm with its wood all over that reminds a bit of a chalet in the mountain. The big blue cow in the middle of the main dining room is surprising though...
We decided to order a traditional cheese fondue.
We were three people to eat it and there was enough for four! The fondue was perfect: unctuous with a hint of kirsh. When you eat fondue, you are always dipping your bread few times to make sure you catch a maximum of cheese...
Besides the bread, they had the great idea to give us some lettuce, potatoes and cured ham.
I was surprised that they served potatoes and cured ham as it is more for another specialty based on cheese called raclette. This was a very good idea! That way, we could make combinations such as potatoes and cheese or potatoes and ham and cheese, etc...And clearly, these potatoes were fantastic! They had a bit of crunch from the roasting that was delicious.
If you do not like fondue, the restaurant offers other specialties such as the reblochon tart:
or a bavette (flank steak), served with shallots, that was descent.
Definitely, the food and the atmosphere gave the impression we were at someone's place, until they brought the check...
If you are in Paris and would like to have a nice diner or enjoy some cheese, L'assiette aux fromages is for you!!!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
L'assiette aux fromages
25 Rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris, France
website unavailable at the time of this post.
Fantastic Lunch at Le Train Bleu in Paris, France
The place is incredibly beautiful! These photos speak for themselves!
The paintings on the walls and ceilings attest of the history of the site and are the result of the work of famous painters who did a magnificent job. So going there is not only about food!
Another particularity of the restaurant is polo the cat.
According to a wait staff, the cat came one day and never left. You see him wandering around the restaurant quietly, without bothering at all the customers and not begging at all. I guess that he is probably well fed there!
I started off with foie gras.
For the main dish, Jodi ordered the grilled filet of beef, served with Béarnaise sauce, mashed potatoes with fresh Tomme cheese.
This was very good! The meat had a nice sear and was very tender. The mash potatoes were to die for! Very creamy and cheesy.
On my side, I ordered the Piece of beef of Salers that is a highly graded steak.
It had a delicious wine sauce and was served with a fabulous gratin dauphinois (potatoes au gratin). The meat was also very tender, but I would have liked it a bit more cooked.
I also tried the Scorpion fish (rascasse) and white flesh of scallops à la plancha, creamy shellfish risotto, cuttlefish ink dressing.
This dish was incredible! I did not have Scorpion fish for years and I have to say that this was very good! Silky and flaky. Each of the components of the dish gave another dimension to the dish: the risotto was so creamy and hearty and the scallops perfectly cooked. There was definitely an explosion of flavors that made me regret to have picked steak instead of this remarkable dish.
Then came the time for dessert. I ordered their Baba au rhum that I tried few years ago.
Baba au rhum is a yeast cake that is saturated with rum and served with whipped cream. It all started with this put on the table:
Some rum from Martinique.
Then came the cake. It was a cylinder that they cut into two and they then poured a large amount of rum...
Jodi ordered their lemon and lime tart.
It was served with some homemade meringue cookies. The cake was very buttery and the lemon and lime part was very tasty and creamy, not too sweet that is often an issue with lemon tarts.
I finished the meal with an expresso that served with a meringue cookie and a homemade madeleine.
I can tell you that we were full after this feast! Le train bleu will always be in that special place that is...my stomach...
Enjoy (I surely did)!
Le Train Bleu
Gare de Lyon
1 Place Louis Armand
75012 Paris, France
http://www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/index.php
Couscous at Chez Bebert in Paris, France
Couscous and tagines are North African dishes that are very popular in France, not only because they are good, but also because it is the type of specialties that you cannot make easily at home as they require some special pots. For instance, a couscous is made in a double chamber steamer, called couscoussier, that you can also use...for dim sum...Some people cook the semolina by bringing water to a boil and then pouring it on it, but I can ensure you that it does not have the same taste and the grain is not as light as when steamed. There are plenty of restaurants serving couscous and tagines in Paris. One that is popular and has few locations in the city is Chez Bebert.
We went to the restaurant Porte Maillot as it was close to our hotel and therefore very convenient. The place was packed for a Wednesday! I could not believe it!
The decor was traditional and there was a certain ambiance, although I was glad that no belly dancers popped up and asked me to join them dancing!
After we ordered some nice wine, they offered us some aperitif.
It had different components, some spicy, some not. For instance, there were carrots cooked with cumin, olives or some brick a la pomme de terre (in the center, it is a feuille de brick similar to phyllo dough, stuffed with a denser version of mash potatoes).
Then, Jodi ordered a tagine de kefta aux oeufs et petits pois.
Tagine is a moroccan dish that is cooked covered in a clay pot. So it was a meatballs (kefta), eggs (oeufs) and peas (petit pois) dish, smothered in a light tomato sauce. It came extremely hot! This dish was fantastic! The meatballs/Kefta were very tasty and not dry at all. The sauce definitely absorbed some of the taste of the meat. A great dish!
On my side, I ordered the couscous Bebert, served with merguez (lamb sausages), lamb and chicken.
First, they brought us the veggies in a big tagine pot made of copper. They lifted the lid and we then discovered the vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beans and chickpeas), the sauce and the hot sauce called Harisa. Then, came the meat:
I really enjoyed the merguez that were not spicy and the lamb kebab that was extremely tasty. The chicken was perfectly cooked and very moist.
With all this came the semolina or couscous. What you do to assemble the dish is that you put some couscous in your plate, then the veggies, the sauce and hot sauce and then the meat. It is a very hearty meal, with nice bold flavors thanks to the strong taste of the lamb. I loved it!
We finished up with a delicious mint tea served with a little show on the video below.
This was a great dinner and there was a lot of food! Definitely a good address!
Enjoy (I did)!
Chez Bebert
277 Boulevard Pereire
Paris
Dinner at Le Relais de Venise - L'entrecote in Paris, France
Last year, in March, I had a fabulous dinner at Le Relais de Venise in New York (check my post about Le Relais de Venise in NYC, NY). The restaurant was an emanation of a restaurant in Paris, with an interesting concept: they only serve steak frites, but with a secret sauce that some say is made with chicken liver...
So, as we were in Paris last month we decided to go to the original restaurant, located Porte Maillot. The concierge of the hotel told us how to go and warned us not to be scared by the wait! We were fortunate and only waited 10 minutes, having to share our table with a complete stranger (we just had to imagine it was a communal table) so we would not have to stay in the cold until a table for two was available.
The restaurant was a bit different: no dimmed light, more casual but with the staff wearing the same maid uniform as in New York. So, ordering was simple: just tell them what temperature you would like for your steak and order wine or water. It translates by this way on the table's paper cloth:
It says: Bouteille d'eau large (large bottle of water), A Point (Medium) and Saignant (Medium rare).
Similar to New York, they started off by bringing the house salad.
A simple salad made of lettuce and walnuts.
Then, came the steak and French fries!
The French fries were divine: soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. The steak was very good with a preference for the medium rare one rather then the medium. In fact, you always get two servings, but as Jodi has a small appetite, they proposed to give me her portion. I could not refuse: it would have been rude! That is how I ended up trying a third portion of steak frites cooked medium...
One element on the plate that was interesting was the sauce: contrary to the one served in New York, it was less concentrated, separated, but had a similar smooth taste. I loved it!
Of course, we needed to end up the comparison with dessert! We ordered the vacherin that was the same dessert I tried in New York.
This dessert is a succession of meringue cookie and ice cream, topped with whipped cream and swimming in a chocolate sauce. We inhaled it!
If I compare the two restaurants, I would say that:
- The French fries are similar.
- The meat is better in New York.
- The sauce is slightly better in New York because more held all together.
- The vacherin dessert is better in Paris because less sweet and with a better quality ice cream.
Regardless, this is a great place and I will definitely go back. It is a fantastic concept that in fact Chef Spike Mendelsohn is thinking of copying in a way (yes, I watched Life After Top Chef...).
Enjoy (I did)!
Le Relais de Venise - L'entrecote
Italian dinner at Montpeliano in London, England
For our last dinner in London, we ended up at Montpeliano. In fact, we were not planning on going there, but just found this place as we were going to Harrod's to see the Holidays' decorations.
So here we are in this restaurant that had an old fashioned atmosphere rendered mainly by walls full of black and white photos of celebrities like Frank Sinatra.
The menu offers traditional Italian dishes. So, as it was after we had our treat at Fortnum and Mason, we decided to go light...
Jodi ordered some homemade tagliatelles with a butter and parmesan sauce.
The pasta were fantastic: soft and eggy. The sauce was to die for! Creamy and tasty.
On my side, I ordered my test dish: linguine a la Vongole.
What is funny is that I always ask for parmesan and the waiters always look at me as if I have 3 heads! The pasta were perfectly cooked, al dente. The clams tasted fresh and there was a nice quantity of it. Last was the broth: I always ask the white one, that is made with white wine. It was delicious and tasty, but I have to say that the best I ever had was at Morandi in NYC! But it was definitely good!
We skipped dessert, but I am sure they had some good ones there! It was definitely a good dinner. A bit overpriced though...By the way, they make you pay a cover charge...
Enjoy (I did)!
Fantastic Italian Dinner at Vasco and Piero's Pavilion in London, England
A friend of a friend (interesting) suggested that we go for an Italian dinner at Vasco and Piero's Pavilion in the heart of Soho.
This is a small restaurant that was packed all evening. I like the simple decor and the atmosphere that gave the impression we were in somebody's house!
After they sat us to our table, they graciously offered us some prosecco.
This was a nice gesture from them and a good sign that this whole experience would be fantastic!
We ordered some appetizers first. As soon as we saw that they had some burrata on the menu, we ordered it!!!
It was served with cherry tomatoes. The burrata was amazing! The shell was soft and the heart creamy. I could have eaten this all day! It tasted so fresh!
The second appetizer was a pear carpaccio.
That was fantastic! The pear was juicy and sweet and it complemented very well the sharpness of the parmesan. It was a great dish: simple, tasty with clean flavors.
Jodi ordered some tuna.
This was fantastic too! The tagliatelles were soft and eggy and the beef ragu was to die for! Thick and tasty with bold flavors. I think I could have licked the plate.
Last was dessert. As we were in an Italian restaurant, we went for the tiramisu.
It was a phenomenal way of finishing this fantastic dinner! It was very light and creamy. Not too sweet, it had good hints of coffee. Fabulous!
Enjoy (I did)!
After they sat us to our table, they graciously offered us some prosecco.
We ordered some appetizers first. As soon as we saw that they had some burrata on the menu, we ordered it!!!
It was served with cherry tomatoes. The burrata was amazing! The shell was soft and the heart creamy. I could have eaten this all day! It tasted so fresh!
The second appetizer was a pear carpaccio.
Jodi ordered some tuna.
It was seared and served with lentils and spinach. This was delicious! The tuna was perfectly cooked and moist. The presentation was very appetizing. A great dish!
On my side, I ordered the homemade tagliatelles with beef ragu. I went for the small size as they proposed small or regular.
Last was dessert. As we were in an Italian restaurant, we went for the tiramisu.
It was a phenomenal way of finishing this fantastic dinner! It was very light and creamy. Not too sweet, it had good hints of coffee. Fabulous!
This is definitely a great place to dine in! I loved it and would certainly go back the next time I am in London!
Enjoy (I did)!
Horrible Fish & Chips at The Round Table in London, England
Over the week end we were in London, we were walking around Covent Garden, when we decided that it was time to entertain our stomachs! We decided to go to a Pub to enjoy some traditional food. We ended up at The Round Table located on St Martins Court. Nice traditional pub with a particular smell that clearly indicates that there is a lot of beer around...
So we go there and they told us that we have to order at the bar (the table next to us did not know and we had to tell them as they were wondering why nobody was taking care of them).
So I decided to order Fish & Chips. They had the traditional one made with cod and proposed a larger version called...the Cod Father!
After a long, long time, our food arrived!
This was horrible! The peas had no taste; the fries were mushy and the fish was terrible! The batter was oily and not cooked all the way through and the fish was probably frozen. The tartare sauce not only looked weird, but also tasted weird. This was disgusting!
Jodi's sandwich was not better!
It was a cheddar and pickle sandwich. The pickle overpowered the cheese. I think I only enjoyed the bread. So bad.
That was so disappointing! Next time, I will pass my way! And by the way, the table I mentioned before that did not know you had to order at the bar was still waiting for the food when we left...
Enjoy (the photos)!
Fish & Chips at Seashell on Lisson Grove in London, England
If there was one dish I had to try in England, it was Fish & Chips. You can get some good ones in pubs in New York, but it is not the same! As I mentioned in the post to introduce the trip (My trip to Europe), although I went several times to London before coming to the US, I first tried this dish at...Epcot in Disney Florida! So we looked up on the internet for the best Fish & Chips places. We wanted first to go to the Golden Hind that was listed number 1 on one of the websites, but, believe or not, it was closed on Saturdays for lunch!!! We could not believe it! Why would you be closed for lunch on Saturdays??? So, as we were trying to find our way to the Imperial War Museum, we asked a very nice person in the street if she knew a good Fish & Chips place. She told us to go to Lisson Grove street and then ask people for a known place there.
So, here we go, walking towards Lisson Grove street. When we arrived, we asked a guy at a bus stop if he knew a well known Fish & Chips place. He indicated Seashell on Lisson Grove. So that is how we ended up there.
It was a clean place with a modern decor: for sure, you would not go there for the ambience! By the way, you remember the guy at the bus stop who told us that this was the known place for Fish & Chips? We saw him walking in the restaurant few minutes after and I caught him on the camera! We probably asked the owner! That was pretty funny!
So we looked at the menu and there were proposing a dozen of different ways to have the Fish & Chips: the traditional with cod, with salmon, filet of sole or even langoustines! I decided to go for the traditional one.
The food took time to come, although the restaurant was not that crowded. But when it came, I did not regret it! The piece of fish was big! It tasted very fresh and was flaky, cooked all the way through. The batter was crispy and not greasy at all. I appreciated the fact that there was no bone in it! It was a delicious dish! The fries though were not that great: too soft and undercooked.
Jodi went for a salad.
It was nice and simple.
The Fish & Chips was delicious, although a bit pricey and I would have preferred a place with more character!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I just want to Eat!
It was a clean place with a modern decor: for sure, you would not go there for the ambience! By the way, you remember the guy at the bus stop who told us that this was the known place for Fish & Chips? We saw him walking in the restaurant few minutes after and I caught him on the camera! We probably asked the owner! That was pretty funny!
So we looked at the menu and there were proposing a dozen of different ways to have the Fish & Chips: the traditional with cod, with salmon, filet of sole or even langoustines! I decided to go for the traditional one.
The food took time to come, although the restaurant was not that crowded. But when it came, I did not regret it! The piece of fish was big! It tasted very fresh and was flaky, cooked all the way through. The batter was crispy and not greasy at all. I appreciated the fact that there was no bone in it! It was a delicious dish! The fries though were not that great: too soft and undercooked.
Jodi went for a salad.
It was nice and simple.
The Fish & Chips was delicious, although a bit pricey and I would have preferred a place with more character!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I just want to Eat!
Dinner at Bob Bob Ricard in London, England
Preparing the trip to London, we wanted to have a nice dinner and we found out this place called Bob Bob Ricard. I have to admit that at first we wanted to eat in one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants, but there was no reservation available. Reviews of Bob Bob Ricard were good and after looking at the menu, we decided that it would be the place to go. For sure, this restaurant is fancy and pricey, but it was our treat on our London trip. So we dressed up and ended up in Soho, in this art deco restaurant. The place was big for sure with an interesting decor. Downstairs, they had an impressive wine cellar.
We sat at a booth and immediately noticed the button to call for champagne. But no, I did not press it...
We looked at the mouth watering menu and saw that they served a beef Wellington for 2. We always wanted to try it, as it is always on the menu on Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey and we never had the opportunity to try. Well, this is a British dish and we were in a nice restaurant in London, so we were thinking that they probably made it well...They told us that it would take 45 minutes to cook, but we were ok with that!
So, they proposed to bring some bread.
It was very good and crispy, served with some French butter (beurre d'Isigny). In fact I mentioned the bread, because we discovered that it was not free...Pretty interesting as usually you do not pay for bread when you eat in a restaurant!!!
So, then came the beef Wellington!
The presentation was spectacular! They brought it to us on a wooden plank before slicing it. And I can tell you that we were right to skip the appetizers! It was huge!
They served us a nice slice and put some juice on it. The meat was cooked medium rare (the temperature of the meat depends on how long the puff pastry needs to cook). The crust was crispy and buttery and there was a phenomenal layer between the pastry and the meat, that was made of foie gras, mushroom and truffles. I could not taste the truffles, but it was delicious! And the meat was very tender (it was a 28 days aged filet of Aberdeenshire Scotch beef)!
With the beef Wellington, we ordered some truffled mash potatoes (yes, again mash...):
The portion was definitely small and it was too bad as the mash was fantastic: the truffle taste really came through! It was a great side dish for the beef!
Of course, we could not leave without having dessert...We decided to go for the BBR signature Chocolate Glory.
It was a sphere made of chocolate Jivara mousse, chocolate brownie, meringue and passion fruit jelly. They poured some hot chocolate sauce on top of it...This was awesome! Not too sweet with lots of different flavors from the different components! It is definitely a dessert I would recommend!
This was a fantastic dinner and a great opportunity to try a beef Wellington. Although pricey, it is a great restaurant, with a great decor and service. A place to go to!
Enjoy (I did)!
My trip to Europe - December 2012
I was recently in Europe, in London and Paris! Needless to say that one of my interests was food, although England does have a bad reputation when it comes to cuisine. It has been years since I have been in London, the last time being December 2006! Going for the holidays is always exciting: there is a certain energy in the air, emphasized by the fantastic decorations that can only be found during this period of the year. I admit that I thought London did a fantastic job with all the lights and I was disappointed by the lights on the Champs Elysees in Paris!
So, first stop was London! When we left, we definitely wanted to try some pub food, specifically Fish & Chips. Imagine that the first time I tried this dish was not in London, despite my multiple trips there. No, it was at...Disney - Epcot in Florida....I know: that sounds weird but it is true. I went there few years ago with Jodi and we decided to dine at the International pavillion where you have all types of restaurants from many countries: Japan, China, Canada, France, Mexico...And they have England with the Rose & Crown Pub. We had fantastic fish & chips there. Interestingly, the entire staff in the restaurants are from the country they represent, to add some authenticity.
Back to our trip: after checking in our hotel, we started our quest to find a pub. You would think that it was easy, but it was not as we were located in a business area. We ended up at the New Moon on Gracechurch street. This pub had a warm atmosphere and a phenomenal ceiling, all red! Supposedly, it has been featured in movies like James Bond or Tomb Raiders...
Well, this is where our experience stopped: they did not even acknowledged us!!! We were the only ones in the establishment and they did not say hello or check if we wanted anything!!! So we decided to leave as, if it was the way they were treating their customers, their service was probably slow and inefficient and their food not worth it. That is how we ended up at Mother Mash, located on Leadenhall street!
Mother Mash is a small restaurant that serves Pies and a traditional British dish: bangers and mash!
The place was pretty bright, modern, but quite small. We stayed on the first floor and at first, it was fine, as there were not that many people, but at some point, customers started to come in and it was very crowded. The restaurant opened few years ago and only started recently to propose food to go, explaining the wave of hungry business customers who stormed the place. Unfortunately, the staff focused on these customers, instead of us and our food took forever to come! After being ignored at the New Moon Pub, this trip started well...
The menu was simple and we decided to try the mash potatoes. The ordering was done in 3 steps:
First you pick your mash, then the type of sausage, then the gravy.
We both got the Cheesy Mash, made with milk, butter and cheddar. For sausages, Jodi got the vegetable and herb one with a vegetarian gravy (served on the side).
On my side, I ordered the lamb and mint sausage with the traditional gravy, made with the juice of the sausages and vegetables.
The food came barely hot (thanks to the slow service I guess...) and the portions were small. I was lucky that Jodi did not finish her plate...
The cheesy mash was fantastic! Dense but with some creaminess and with a nice mix of cheddar and butter taste! The sausages however were just ok: the vegetable and herb sausages had a weird taste; the lamb and mint sausages barely tasted lamb as the meat was overpowered by the mint. I also enjoyed the traditional gravy that was far better than the weird vegetable one! It was very comforting.
Even if the sausages were not that great, we loved the mash that was delicious! I would definitely just go back for this. Hopefully, the next time, the service will be better organized...
Anyway, it was good to have a light lunch as we went for a nice dinner at Bob Bob Ricard later that day. Stay tuned...
Enjoy (I did)!
L'Ybane Wine Bar in NYC, New York - Permanently Closed
Entrance of L'Ybane in NYC, New York
I passed many times in front of L'ybane, a wine bar few blocs away from Times Square. So, after seeing Lincoln in the movie theater, we decided to try that place. We then came back a second time. This post is about both times!
L'Ybane is a Lebanese restaurant that has also a location in Nice, South of France. They offer a wide range of Mediterranean dishes in full size or tapas style. I have to say that I love tapas, because it is a good way to try different dishes and sharing a dinner is a wonderful thing.
Beaujolais nouveau at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
The decor reminds me restaurants you would find in France and the atmosphere, besides the fact that our waiter was French, was very European. They have a pretty impressive wine list, that is not surprising when you see all the bottles on the wall, in the bar area. Luckily, we were there couple of days after the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau! They offered a bottle for $28 or by the Glass for $9. I chose the glass that was a very good deal considering the quantity served.
Jodi and I decided to order few appetizers and then dessert.
We started off with tapenade.
Tapenade at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
It was a traditional one, made with black olives and served with crostini. It was well done and was not salty at all that is an issue I found sometimes with this dish. The crostini was good, but a bit greasy.
The second appetizer was the merguez.
Merguez at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
Merguez is a lamb sausage that I love and can only find in few restaurants. It can be spicy. At L'Ybane, it was not. However, the sauce it was served with was!
The third appetizer was grilled eggplant with yogurt.
Grilled eggplant with yogurt at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
This was fantastic! The eggplant was so good and well made. It had this great grilled eggplant taste coming through! At that point, I did not care about the tomatoes and cabbage that were also part of the dish.
Then the last one was the vegetarian moussaka.
I also loved it: it was very tasty, between the eggplant, peppers and crushed tomatoes, and very light!
Then, for dessert, we ordered the baklava and the key lime pie.
Baklava at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
The baklava was good but a bit dry.
The key lime pie however was delicious!
Key Lime pie at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
This was a great first dinner there, with a fantastic service from one of my fellow compatriots and so, we decided to go back! The second time, we went again for some plates to share.
We started off with the cheese plate.
Cheese plate at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
The plate looked good: lots of cheese and seedless grapes. Unfortunately, they put some nuts on top of the grapes and cheese! They should tell their customer ahead of time as some people do not like nuts and others are allergic! Although their was a nice quantity of cheese, it was not a great selection: brie, swiss and ricotta salata. Disappointing!
The second dish was eggplant fritters.
Eggplant fritters at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
It was just ok. The eggplant was barely cooked, probably because they sliced it too thick.
The third dish was the goat cheese salad.
Goat cheese salad at L'Ybane in NYC, New York
Jodi loves goat cheese salad! Each time we go to France, she enjoys it! This one was extremely disappointing! The cheese was just put on a piece of stale bread.
So the second time was not good in term of food and service (the waitress did not even check on us). This shows that restaurant experiences can vary and it is not because you have a bad experience one day that it will not be great the next. Except if it is awful of course! Because of our first experience at L'Ybane, we will probably go back and continue discovering, hopefully, great dishes!
Enjoy (I did...the first time)!
Brunch at Bar Boulud in NYC, New York
I am a big fan of Chef Daniel Boulud. Few years ago, Jodi and I had a little celebratory dinner at Daniel, his eponym fancy restaurant in New York City and we still talk about it (what was great is that they offered a vegetarian tasting on top of the regular tasting, but also, for each course, proposed two choices of dishes).
So, one Sunday, we decided to go to Bar Boulud for brunch. I love brunch: it is so good and comforting. As I have a good appetite, I decided to go for the three course prix fixe ($32). Jodi did not.
I liked the restaurant: the decor is simple and very "organic" with its light wood, but still modern with its tunnel shape.
If you go downstairs, you cannot miss the impressive wine cellar that I bet has some incredible bottles!
So here we are for brunch! I was so excited to try that place! Let's start with what Jodi ate as she only ordered one dish!
She picked the Omelette avec pommes rissolees (omelet with sauteed potatoes).
The omelet was made with ham, swiss cheese and mushrooms. It was a nice omelet: perfectly cooked, meaning not overcooked and no brown color on it (Wolfgang Puck would be proud). The potatoes were delicious: cooked all the way through, soft in the inside and crispy on the outside.
On my side, it started with a choice of one viennoiserie (croissant, chocolate croissant aka pain au chocolat,...).
I chose the chocolate croissant. It was fantastic! Buttery, flaky and airy with a nice amount of chocolate. Too bad it was a miniature one because I could have eaten more of it!
Then the first course was the pate grand mere:
The pate was made with chicken liver, pork and cognac. With the pate, came some delicious, fresh and crispy bread.
I enjoyed the pate: dense and tasty, it was very traditional. I just wish the portion was bigger...
The second course was the croque monsieur.
When I ordered it, I was convinced that if I were to have a great croque monsieur, it would be in a French restaurant. I was wrong. Although there was a good amount of cheese, it was very, very dry. The portion, here again, was small, although this time, I did not mind it...
The third course was the dessert. I ordered the Ile Flottante or Floating Island.
Ile Flottante is a French dessert made of a vanilla steamed meringue and a vanilla sauce (creme anglaise). It was very light, not too sweet. The meringue was perfectly made, meaning dense and light. I just wish there was more here again and there should put more vanilla sauce. I did not really care about the praline though...
So, the brunch was so so and the quantities pretty small. Not that I was hungry after that, but still! I was a bit disappointed as I expected more from Daniel Boulud.
Enjoy (I almost did)!
And remember: I just want to Eat!
Bibimbap at Wonjo in Koreatown - NYC, New York
After going to Cho Dang Gol (review posted 2 days ago), we wanted to go to another Korean restaurant, in our search for the best Bibimbap (rice bowl). So we ended up to Wonjo, in the heart of Korea Town. This place is definitely known considering the line in front of the restaurant when we left (we went early fearing the crowd). This restaurant has 2 floors and serves some Korean BBQ also.
So we started with the traditional Banchan (small plates).
It was fried and dipped in soy sauce with some jalapeno on top. Delish! They also gave us the usual and acclaimed (by me) Kimchi (fermented cabbage):
With the Bibimbap, they served us a miso soup.
It was a nice touch, but I was just waiting for my bibimbap!
Jodi ordered the Tofu bibimbap:
And I ordered the chicken teriyaki bibimbap:
Both came extremely hot and both were...bland...We had to add some soy sauce and I added some spicy sauce to get some flavors. This was very disappointing!
So, definitely, Wonjo is not the place for me for Bibimbap...I will have to try somewhere else or go back to Korea Palace!
Enjoy (the post)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Korean Food at Cho Dang Gol in NYC, New York
We went twice in fact...So, first time for the Bibimbap and second time to try a Jjigae (stew).
Both times, we got the small appetizer plates (banchan) that any Korean restaurant would serve you.
Each time I went, it was different, at the exception of two sides: the tofu and eggplant pancakes (bottom left) and the Kimchi (fermented cabbage).
Kimchi is and will always be a favorite, although it can be spicy. And these pancakes were exquisite! Especially the tofu ones that were melting in my mouth! I just wish they were proposing them as appetizers too!
Jodi ordered the dol sot bibimbap.
They provided a scallion sauce with it to add some flavor to the dish. As you can see on the photo, there is a raw egg. But it will not be raw for long as the bowl where the dish is served is extremely hot and will continue to cook the ingredients for a while!
On my side, I ordered the squid bibimbap.
The second time, we decided to try Jjigae that is a Korean style stew. Jodi ordered the Juk Suk Cham Dubu that was simply homemade tofu with scallion sauce.
I liked the food at Cho Dang Gol, although I preferred the Jjigae over the pricey Bibimbap! I think that the Bibimbap at Korea Palace was much better and more flavorful! But for sure, their tofu is fantastic and would make people change their mind about it!
Enjoy (I did)!
And remember: I Just Want To Eat!
