Restaurant Review: Baluchi's (New York, NY)

Baluchi's is one of my favorites indian restaurants in the city. Some of my friends from India love it, so I guess it confirms my taste! Not only they have good food, but they also have a good deal for lunch: 50% off! How do they do that? They serve less quantity than for dinner, but it is still a good portion.

What I prefer: crab curry (photo), chicken Tikka Masala or tandoori chicken! The crab curry has so many flavors; I always ask mild as it is spicy. Even like that, it has a nice kick!

They also have a good sweet lassi and great nans (bread)! If you'd like to try different types of nans, try the nan basket!

Enjoy (I did)!

Amy's bread - Coconut Bar! (New York, NY)

I like Coconut but I am not a coconut lover. But, when I tried the Coconut Bar from Amy's bread, it was a revelation! Think about it: buttery crust, coconut and chocolate chips! They all pair perfectly together and it is even better after you pop the bar in the microwave for few seconds. Add a glass of milk and it is a perfect treat!

Definitely worth to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

Food Truck Festival at South Street Seaport (NYC) on August 20th!

So we went to the Food Truck Festival at South Street Seaport yesterday! It was pretty good and very exciting to look around for the type of food we wanted, look at what people were getting and their reaction after the first bite! But, Oh Boy!, was it crowded! If you are not patient, this is not for you or you better take the VIP pass that gives you priority access to the trucks and tickets for small bites in 10 different trucks. We went without the VIP pass this time, not next time...
It was interesting to see all the people eating at the restaurants while there was this mass  moving around or waiting to get their meal at the trucks.

The following trucks were there: Big D's Grub, Coolhaus Ice Cream, the Cinnamon Snail, Cupcake Crew, Feed Your Hole, Frites 'n' Meats, Gorilla Cheese Truck, Go Burger, JoyRide, Kelvin Natural Slush Co., Kimchi Taco, La Belle Torte, La Cense Burger, Mexicue Food Truck, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Taim Falafel, the Treats Truck, Valduccis Pizza Truck, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Wafels & Dinges, Green Pirate Juice, Schnitzel and Things, Desi Food Truck, Two Pitas, Wooly's Ice, and Anne Apparu Soup Caravan.

There were also local vendors.


We decided to try different trucks and vendors. In order:

• Grillo's pickles (local vendor): 2 very good pickle spears for $1.
• Macaron Parlor (local vendor): a caramel and salt macaron for $2. It was perfect and not sugary at all.
• Mimi & Coco (local vendor): they serve japanese street food. We got 6 delicious teriyaki balls for $6, some made with organic potatoes and the others with shrimp: It was light and melted in the mouth.
• Valducci's pizza (truck): they serve a square slice for $3, that has little cheese but a tomato sauce to die for! The pizza had a nice crisp to it! Definitely a favorite!
• Mighty balls (local vendor): forget that one. They did not have anything left and proposed a vegetarian meatball: disgusting and expensive ($4).
• Red Hook Lobster Pound (truck): for the lobster roll, they give you a choice between the Maine roll with mayo or the Connecticut style that is to serve the lobster poached in butter. I went for that one and did not regret it! All the elements of the dish were delicious: from the lobster that was perfectly cooked and buttery to the roll! I just think that $16 was slightly overpriced.
• Waffles and Dinges (truck): they propose 2 types of waffles. The Brussels waffle is supposed to be light and crispy and the Liege waffle, soft and chewy. You can eat them with just sugar or with some toppings that go from banana, nutella, spekoulos, etc...The basic one costs $5. The waffles were slightly undercooked and the Brussels one was not crispy at all. It was a little disappointing. It might be because they were overwhelmed by the line in front of them. So I would definitely try another time!

This was definitely a festival of food! But, as I said before, if you plan to go to one of those, bring your patience with your fork!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Schnipper's (New York, NY)

Schnipper's is located in Time Square right across the street from The Port Authority of New York. This restaurant was founded by two brothers Jon and Andrew Schnipper who also founded and owned until 2006 Hale and Hearty Soups. They decided at some point to travel across the USA to learn some old fashioned dishes: burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese...

I like Schnipper's and I went few times. I would call it a quality fast food with affordable prices. They cook the food a la minute and the service is usually quick (you order at the cashier, they give you a number and then they bring the food to the table). I tried several dishes: some I liked, some I did not! For instance, the founders claim that they learn how to make tasty burgers. If it is true, why don't you make them tasty??? Clearly, the burgers are not good! Same for the Mac and Cheese. However, their grilled four cheese and their fresh veggie & goat cheese sandwich are delicious! They also make very good fresh potato chips. On the dessert side, I have tried their milk shakes: they are thick and tasty (vanilla milk shakes can be tasteless; not there). I had an oreo milk shake once: that was something! Unfortunately, it was a special.

So, if you want a quick bite and some good old fashioned food, go to Schnipper's ! But avoid the burgers....

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Pacific Grill (New York, NY)

Yes, I know: a lot of restaurants in South Street Seaport are not good and for tourists who do not know better. This time, I was one of them...We wanted to go to South Street Seaport to have a taste of Soul Daddy, the winner of The Next Great American Restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed after a little over a month. So we looked around and, as I was in the mood for seafood, we ended up at Pacific Grill. This restaurant opened in 2004. Let first see how they explain their opening on their website:

"[...] Pacific Grill swept into town like a tsunami wave from the Asian Pacific and put a spin on seafood classics".

Let me tell you: the tsunami and the spin must have been so strong that it messed up the kitchen! Their lobster bisque was passable and I had better with Freshdirect! The crab cakes were disgusting! The tomato and mozzarella sandwich was bland! It was not a good experience and I will not even give them a second chance!

Enjoy...but somewhere else!!!

Restaurant Review: Topaz (New York, NY)

There are plenty of good Thai restaurants in the city. One of them is Topaz, located Midtown on 56th street between 6th and 7th. The restaurant is split into two rooms separated by a store, that only communicate through the kitchen. So, don't be surprised to be asked to step out and go next door to be seated! What is interesting is that, because of the way the restaurant is setup, it is considered by the city as two different establishments: one is the official restaurant (it has the kitchen) and the other one is a bar. You are probably wondering if it is important. In fact it is, as each room receives its own restaurant grade. When I went, the bar was graded "A" and the restaurant was "Grade pending"... Even with this, we ate there. For lunch, there have a pretty good choice of dishes for very good price.

So far, I have tried drunken noodles (stir fried wide noodles) with shrimp (photo), drunken noodles with chicken, chicken massaman, Panang curry chicken! Each time delicious and tasty, though they have a tendency to over salt (slightly). I also noticed that quantities vary... Despite this and the grade, I would go back!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Red Rooster (New York, NY)

Yesterday, we went to Red Rooster, not to be confused with...Red Lobster...

Red Rooster, name inspired by a Harlem speakeasy, is one of the restaurant of Marcus Samuelsson, a talented Swedish raised-Ethiopian born Chef who won the title of Top Chef Master season 2. Chef Samuelsson who is living in Harlem decided to open a restaurant in that area, after realizing that there were no fine dining restaurants around. Despite a difficult beginning (it was graded C couple of months after its opening), the restaurant gain some steam and is now a success story! To get a reservation, it is crazy (I guess if you are Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton or Tyra Banks, it is easier...). The place is real nice, decorated with local art and even the bathroom with these old black and white photos is intriguing (I have to say that the photo on the door of one of the bathroom was like these old photos you see in haunting movies)! There is an outside dining area and when you enter in the restaurant, you end up in a room with a circular bar that is very vibrant. A DJ was there with good music to keep a lively atmosphere.

Now let's talk about the food! The cuisine is inspired by the Swedish origin of the Chef and some american food, especially soul food. The presentation of the dishes is extremely appetizing and the menu changes with the seasons. We tried several of their specialties:

• Crab cakes with spicy mayo: quite good with a nice pairing of the crab cakes with fruits (fresh and dry) that gave a refreshing taste to the dish. What is interesting is that at first you do not notice the spiciness of the crab cake and then you feel it in the back of your mouth.
• Mac & Greens: prepared with collar greens with a mix of three cheeses (gouda, comte and NY cheddar). The sharpness of the comte and cheddar gave another dimension to the dish and the next time you will eat regular Mac & Cheese, you will probably cry...
• Helga's meatballs with mash potatoes, pickled cucumber and Lingonberries: When I think that I only knew the Swedish meatballs they serve at IKEA!!! These were light and tasty, but I did not care about the foam!
• Steak frites served with bone marrow and broiled crab: although the presentation was well done, I did not really like that dish for several reasons. The first one is that the bone marrow & crab, presented on a bone, and the steak, looked like separate elements and I did not know if they were aimed to be eaten together or not (I tried the different combinations). Second, the bone marrow was overpowering the crab. I think I preferred the way bone marrow was served at La Silhouette, e.g. crusted.
• Roasted pork shoulder: it is usually proposed for three people and when you see all the food they bring, you understand why (we had to extend the table to be able to fit all of it)! It comes with corn bread, beans, sweet potatoes puree and pickled cabbage. The whole dish was delicious! 

Of course, there is no complete meal without dessert...We finished with a blueberry pie served with a lemon meringue and lemon ice cream. That was a good way to end a delicious dinner in good company!

Despite the fact that the steak was not good (I should have follow my rule that is to avoid steak if I am not in a steakhouse), we had a good meal. I would probably go back to try some other specialties and have another Mac and Greens that was outstanding!

Enjoy (I did)!

America's Next Great Restaurant - Soul Daddy - CLOSED???

I was all excited yesterday when planning for our trip to Soul Daddy, the winning Restaurant of America's Next Great Restaurant. For those who did not watch the show, four investors (Chez Bobby Flay, chef Lorena Garcia, Chef Curtis Stone and Steve Ells founder of Chipotle) want to invest in a fast casual restaurant and open three locations: New York City, Los Angeles and Minneapolis. They therefore organize a competition where contestants must bring not only good food but also a brand new concept. They will battle during several weeks during elimination challenges until a winner is proclaimed. The winner was Jamawn Woods with Soul Daddy, a healthy soul food restaurant. The restaurant opened on May 2nd. At that time, I wanted to go, but the reviews were so so: the food was not that great and too pricey for a fast food. I was then thinking that it was probably because the restaurant was new and they needed to adjust. Well, apparently they did not! The restaurant opened on May 2nd and closed in NYC and Los Angeles on June 15th!!! They released the following statement:

"This was a difficult decision for us, as we wanted to see Soul Daddy succeed, but the restaurant simply was not performing as we had hoped."

So, they will focus on Minneapolis and who knows, they may come back. What is sure is that it proves that knowing how to cook or have investors like he did does not make it a success for sure! Good luck, Jamawn, I hope you will do well and come back! I want my ribs!!!

The $5000 burger!!!

Burgers is a popular dish in the US and it goes beyond fast food. New Burger joints are opening on a regular basis and chefs like Bobby Flay or Laurent Tourondel are proposing their own version. In France, at the exception of few restaurant who may want to give their own spin (like Chez Papa in Paris), it is restricted to the fast food world. Mac Donald’s commonly called MacDo or Quick, a French-Belgian spin off of Mac Donald’s, are popular, especially among teenagers; Burger King closed down its restaurants there as it was not profitable. The most expensive burger in the US is proposed by Chef Hubert Keller at Fleur de Lys at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, for... $5000! It is a foie gras and black truffle stuffed Kobe beef burger served on a truffle brioche bun with a garnish that also contains truffles (you better know that you like truffles before ordering it!). Of course, for that price, they give you a free bottle of Chateau Petrus 1995 (very expensive wine) and you can keep the stemware (at this price I should be able to keep the Chef!). So, if you are in Las Vegas and someone proposes you to have a burger, be careful….

Fortunately, you do not need to spend $5000 to have a good burger. For less than $8, you can go to Five Guys. Their first location opened in Arlington,Virginia in 1986 and the restaurant got its name simply because it was founded by a father and his four sons.

Five Guys burgers are coming with two patty; if you prefer a "lighter" meal, you can ask for the "little burger" that has only one. Besides burgers, they also propose hot dogs, but these have nothing special. You can then pick from a large selection of toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, pickles...In term of sides, they unfortunately only propose French fries, no other sides such as onion rings! Be aware that they are quite generous with the fries and one regular order can feed two people.

The meat is cooked medium and...tastes like meat, that is not always the case in some other restaurants (sorry Spike!). It is also juicy, but not to the point where you regret you were wearing your favorite white shirt. The Bun is a regular bun. I suggest you eat your burger right away otherwise it steams in the aluminum foil.

Last but not least, the restaurant is nice enough to offer shelled peanuts while you wait for your burger! 

Although not the best, Five guys is in my top 3 list (check out My Favorite Restaurants section): good burger for a good price!

Enjoy (I do)

Restaurant review - Remi (NYC)

I LOVE Italian food. I know: I love any type of food! New York is a great city for italian food and there is no need to go to Little Italy to find a good one!

Remi is one of them. Located Midtown, Remi serves North Italian cuisine in a decor inspired from Venice (there is a big fresco of Venice on one of the walls). It is important to mention that they serve homemade pastas! I am always disappointed when I go to an italian restaurant and the pasta are not fresh: I can cook them myself! 

The menu offers a large variety of italian dishes that will satisfy all the palates: meat lovers, fish lovers and vegetarians. In term of appetizers, their Tuna tartare (First photo), served with avocado and cucumber is refreshing. The pairing of the tuna and the avocado works very well. For the main course, their Fazzoletti ai funghi selvatici, that you all understand is wide hand cut pasta with mixed wild mushrooms, garlic and white truffle sauce are worth the visit. Look at the color on the middle photo and you will understand that this dish was very appetizing! The gnocchi are good but a little heavy (not easy to find a restaurant that makes good gnocchi - try Forgione). I also tried the calf liver served with polenta and it was delicious. The polenta was creamy, not dry, and the liver cooked to perfection.

For dessert, the Tiramisu (last photo) is very good as well as the Ricotta cheese cake that is served with caramelized pears and a raspberry sauce (yum!). 

I definitely recommend this restaurant, but be aware that its prices are on the high side.

Enjoy (I do)!

Restaurant review - Bobo (NYC)

Salt and Pepper at Bobo in NYC, New York

Bobo is a restaurant located in the West Village whose name comes from the contraction "Bourgeois" - "Bohemian" (people from upper class leaving a bohemian inspired life, e.g. simple and non materialistic). 

The restaurant is located in a brownstone and the entrance is below street level. They have a garden, but there is no shade. The interior is really nicely decorated with tables made of old wood that gives a special atmosphere to the place.

Blueberry muffin at Bobo in NYC, New York

Cherries at Bobo in NYC, New York

The brunch menu offers a variety of typical brunch items: eggs, french toast, burger, etc...We tried the french toast and the crab cakes benedict. The french toast were awesome: served with oatmeal streusel (crumbled) and bananas. You need a solid appetite to finish them (I guess no problem for me...)!

French toast at Bobo in NYC, New York

The crab cakes were just ok: they were served with supposedly béarnaise sauce (did not really taste like it) and mache salad. The eggs were cooked perfectly, but I felt they should have served them with the english muffins so you can dip them in the sauce and the egg yolk. The crab cakes contained too much bread crumbs and not enough lump crab.

Crab cakes benedict at Bobo in NYC, New York

Despite that, I would recommend this restaurant and next time, for brunch, we will try the griddled cheese (goat cheese, cheddar and gruyere!!!). We will definitely try the dinner that seems yummy.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant review- Wolfgang's Steakhouse

I love steaks and I was really excited to try Wolfgang's Steakhouse in New York City. Be careful, it has nothing to do with Wolfgang Puck: the owner is Wolfgang Weiner and there have been a lawsuit in the past as Mr. Puck said that the name of the Steakhouse was misleading. Wolfgang Weiner used to work for Peter Luger in Brooklyn, one of the top rated steakhouses in the US. Well, I can tell you that it is not because you worked there that it means you are going to have good steaks! This was horrible!!!

First of all, Mr Weiner was a head waiter at Peter Luger: well I do not know what quality of service he was giving at that time, but clearly, service needs improvement at Wolfgang's! The servers were more interested in discussing soccer than taking care of the customers....

Second of all, the food was really average. It started with stale bread. I began the meal with crab cakes (I love crab so much that I may change into a crab one day!), served with a salad and tartare sauce. When the plate arrived, I could right away see that it was dry, and it was. The only positive is that there was a lot of lump crab. 

We then had the ribeye and the filet mignon. As side dishes, we ordered onion rings and sauteed mushrooms.  The meat was cooked as ordered but the outside of the filet mignon was charred, most likely because they cooked it on flames. Cutting both pieces of meat, we could see that it was not a good quality. I think I get better cuts at Whole Foods! The steaks were dry and I clearly needed the steak sauce. Mushrooms were so so and the only thing I liked were in fact the onion rings, although slightly too salty!

Clearly, Wolfgang's Steakhouse does not measure up with Ruth's Chris (NYC), Dino & Harry's (Hoboken) or The Old Homestead (NYC)! If you want a good steak, forget Wolfgang's!!!!

I'd like to say "Enjoy" but I did not!

Restaurant review - La Silhouette (NYC)

La Silhouette is a French-American restaurant located on 53rd street between 8th and 9th avenue. The location is clearly not perfect as there is not that much passage, explaining the low number of people during lunch time. The way the restaurant is organized is interesting: succession of rooms before entering into the main room that is quite bright. The decor is modern and quite simple.

The restaurant offers different menus from brunch to dinner with prix-fixe for lunch and dinner. I have tried the lunch prix-fixe ($21 - pick 2 between appetizer, main course and dessert) and it was good: for appetizer, I chose the slow cooked leek salad with duck prosciutto, grilled red onion dressing and aged Manchego cheese (photo on the right). Although the portion was small compared to other appetizers, it was delicious. The cheese and duck paired very well together!

For the main course, I had the hanger steak a la plancha with marrow and porcini crust, served with béarnaise sauce (left photo). I usually do not order meat if the restaurant is not a steak house and hanger steak is not my favorite piece of meat, but I have to say that it was good! The béarnaise sauce was well done, not too liquid like some restaurants do it.

Although I would recommend this restaurant, I have to mention that the service was slow (maybe because they were short staffed for lunch) and the waiter did not do a great job. Also, I was surprised that they did not have any special lunch for Bastille day!!! It is anyway worth trying it and if you look at the different menus they propose, I am sure you will find the dishes appetizing!

Enjoy (I do)! 

Restaurant review - Kosher Deluxe (NYC)

I love Shawarma! If you are scared of the carts in the street and their "side effects", I suggest you try Kosher Deluxe located midtown. Ok, this restaurant is serving a wide range of food: Middle Eastern, japanese, chinese...I have only tried the Shawarma and the falafel and they were delish! They serve it in different ways: pita, baguette or plate and you can pick Hummus and / or hot sauce. Each sandwich is coming with salad (there is a salad bar) also very good, for a little over $10.

So, what is Shawarma? It is a Middle Eastern sandwich with pieces of lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, or a halal mixture of meats that cooked on a spit for sometimes an entire day. The way the meat is cooked is very important: it has to be upright to give that wonderful taste. Some argue that Shawarma is different from a Gyro because a Gyro is a mixed of beef and lamb. 

If you are adventurous, try the gyro in the cart situated at the corner of 6 avenue and 53rd street. It is well known and very good. But make sure you go to the South West corner cart, otherwise, if you go to the South East side cart, you will probably understand what I meant by "side effects".

Enjoy!