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)!

 

Pie Face Bakery Cafe in NYC, New York

I have discovered Pie Face Bakery Cafe thanks to a co worker whose wife, Jane, is Australian. We were talking about Australia that we would like to visit one day and, at some point, we inquired about the food. It all started when talking about dessert. Jane mentioned the Lamington, a cake made of sponge cake with strawberry jam and coated with chocolate and coconut. I then learnt that there is a bakery on the corner of Broadway and 53rd called Pie Face. As you can imagine, it was my next mission possible to go there. 

To give you some background: Pie Face is a true Australian chain that opened its first location in NYC in January 2012. They are in fact opening a new location soon. It is in 2003 that Wayne Homschek and Betty Fong opened the fist Pie Face in Sydney, Australia and since, they have more than 70 shops, serving more than 18,000 pies a day! They are planning on opening 50 bakeries in Manhattan: pretty ambitious! So, what do they serve: the main specialty there is meat pie or potpie as some are vegetarian. The pie itself is a delicious puff pastry. What is smart is that they serve the pies in two sizes: regular and small. So you can try several small as I did. They were even proposing a menu for $8: three small pies (any choice) and a bottle of water. For somebody with a regular appetite like me (!), three small pies and a dessert is sufficient.

They also serve quiches and sandwiches; they mention baguettes, but it did not really look like baguettes! 

So I tried the small pies.

Each of them have a different face so you can differentiate them. I had:

• The tandoori vegetables one (with a V as a mouth): it was very tasty and had a delicious Indian flavor. The veggies were like a puree, at the exception of chick pies. It was not too spicy.
• The Mexican (with a X as a mouth): it was composed of ground beef, black beans and jalapenos. It was good but did not really remind me of Mexican flavors. The Jalapeno taste was even inexistent.
• The Chicken and Mushrooms: this was my least favorite. It was like eating a cream of mushrooms in a pie. I really did not like the texture.

From the three pies, the vegetarian one was the best!

Then, of course, I needed to try the desserts! I ordered few of them:

The cherry pie (bottom right) is one of their best sellers: it was very good! In fact all their desserts were perfect: good and not too sweet! The lemon pie was also delicious with its thick lemon layer. The other best seller I tried is the Pear and Ricotta pie.

It was, in a puff pastry, a layer of poached pears, a layer of ricotta that was caramelized on top. The three layers gave a nice balanced flavor.

Last, was the Lamington: I had to try it! And remember: I am not a huge fan of coconut!

It was delicious! The sponge cake was extremely light and moist. I was conquered!

At the end of this experience, I liked Pie Face, but mainly for the desserts. It seems that their chocolate mousse cake is very popular. I guess I will have to try it...Just for the blog...

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!

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!

Madison Square Eats, spring 2012 Edition! May 4th to June 1st 2012!

The Madison Square Park conservancy is hosting again this year the Madison Square Park Eats, a festival of food with several vendors like:

• Roberta’s Pizza,
• Asiadog,
• Momofuku Milk Bar,
• ilili,
• Sigmund Pretzelshop,
• Bar Suzette,
• Calexico,
• Nunu Chocolates
• Birch Coffee

They will serve food daily in the Worth Square area just west of Madison Square Park (24th and 5th Avenue).

Enjoy (I will)!

Steak'n Shake Signature in NYC, New York - Another Burger Place?

I am wondering how many burger joints New York City will need!!! Between the restaurants who try to surf on the wave of this popular dish and the chains that try to multiply like pickles, there will soon be a burger place in every corner of the City!

Well, I am not going to complain! What is funny is that in France, people associate burgers with McDonald's! Normal: burgers are not popular there, steak frites are!

The last chain I went to is Steak'n Shake Midtown. Smart people: they opened, back in January, next to the David Letterman Show!

This is not a new chain: it was founded in 1934 in Normal, Illinois. When it opened, it got some additional buzz when Danny Meyers told The New York Times in an email that Steak'n Shake inspired him to open Shake Shack. He wrote: “Spent a lot of my weekend nights as a teenager at Steak ‘n Shake (curbside service was awesome — especially after getting driver’s license at 16) and those parking lot experiences hanging out with friends were inspirational in desire to create a burger joint that would bring people together (unlike fast food which was designed to feed people pre-cooked food and get them out). I also loved how they smashed little disks of beef into delicious griddled burgers.”

So I decided to try it. First, the place is small and there are very few tables. It is also jam-packed! If you are in a hurry, this is not the place to go! I think for sunny days, it is fine because you can just grab and go, but in the Winter, it is going to be a problem.

The restaurant is pretty cool: modern decor (makes me think about a modern dinner) with very bright colors (red, yellow and blue). They even have soda machines with touch screens!

So, first you order and then they give you a buzzer so you know when your order is ready.

I decided to try The Signature burger: a 6 Oz patty made of 100% organic beef (USDA), specifically rib eye and NY strip. It is supposed to be cooked medium well (mine was medium) and topped with American cheese, onions and pickles. I also got some ketchup and mayo.

The burger was pretty good: juicy and tasty with a lot of cheese. There was also a nice ratio bun / meat.

With the burger, I got some fries. I like shoestring fries. They were crispy and slightly salted.

Last, was a vanilla milk shake.

The shake was very thick and I had to wait before being able to drink it. It had a good vanilla taste, but was a bit too sugary. They mention on the cup that the milk shakes are hand-dipped. I will be honest with you: I had no idea what they meant! Whose hand was it! In fact hand-dipped means that they do it the old fashion way, with scoops of ice cream, milk and syrup, instead of using milk shake mix.

I got all of this for close to $10. I would probably get the same price at Mc Donald's but for a much lesser quality. I though it was pretty good for the price. But still not as good as Five Guys...

If you tried it, let me know!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

The Hester Street Fair in New York City begins!

The Hester Street Fair jus started and will take place every Saturdays from April 28th to October 27th. The fair features handcrafted accessories, art, clothing and most importantly Food! 


Among the vendors, you will find:
- Pies ‘n’ Thighs (confort food)
- The macaroon parlour
- Luke’s Lobster
- Brooklyn Taco
- La Sonrisa (for empanadas)
and many more!


When: Saturdays from April 28th to October 27th - 10 am to 6pm
Where: corner of Essex and Hester street in New York City
Info: www.hesterstreetfair.com

Gobuki Korean BBQ Food Cart in NYC, New York

In the past few years, New York has seen Food Trucks and carts popping up all around. The beauty of it is that it is not just the hot dogs cooked in dirty water, but different types of cuisine, from all around the world. Some used it as a way to start a business and opened later a brick and mortar restaurant, like the Taco Truck in Hoboken. Others just opened food carts / trucks in different locations like The Hallal Guys or Yogo (Frozen yoghurt).

Of course, some people might still be worried of the sanitary conditions and when the restaurants grades were introduced in New York, some people advocated to have a similar concept for food carts and trucks. I am not really scared of trying food cart and so decided to try Gobuki.


It is a Korean BBQ Food Cart, that popped up approximately 6 months ago on the corner of 52nd and 6 avenue in New York. Their food is a typical Korean food, so do not expect any twist like Korean Tacos! Their traditional menu offers:

• Kalbi plate or sandwich: marinated beef short ribs.
• Bulgogi plate or sandwich: marinated beef rib eye.
• Spicy chicken: marinated chicken with spicy sauce.
• Stir fried noodles and vegetables.
• Udon soup: Japanese noodle soup.
• Vegetable fried dumplings.

Prices are pretty reasonable, going as low as $4 for the dumplings and as high as $8 for the Kalbi plate.

I decided to go with the bulgogi sandwich.

When I ordered it, they first steamed the bread that was kind of an amoroso bread, similar to a cheesesteak. At the same time, they heat the meat, the onion and some sauce for few minutes. Then place all of it on the bread and added a delicious sauce. When ordering, they ask if you want to have it spicy or not. I decided not. 

I really liked it: the bread was very good, although at some point the sandwich broke down because of the juiciness of the meat and onions mix. The meat was delicious, tender and there was no fat. 

My friend Bill chose to go with the bulgogi plate.

It is equivalent to the sandwich but without the bread and with some slaw and rice. He liked the meat, but said that there was not enough sauce for the rice. I guess you can ask for more sauce!

Overall, I like Gobuki Korean BBQ: the sandwich was tasty and delicious! Definitely a food cart to go back to or to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

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!

 

Baked by Melissa Cupcakes in NYC, New York

Baked by Melissa has been a cupcake sensation for the past few years. The particularity of these cupcakes is that they are bite size and paperless.  Each of them costs $1 (time of this post). They also offer the possibility of creating your own, but for this, you will need to order 300 of them!

The place was opened by Melissa Bushell and her partners, after she lost her job in advertising. Since it opened in 2009, several stores were added and Baked by Melissa has become a reference for cupcakes.

So we decided to try some of them. We picked 12 cupcakes (6 different varieties) for $10. Smartly, they put them in a box with holes to hold the cupcakes. That way, they do not dance in the box while you are walking!

We picked:

 The cinnamon cupcake: this is my favorite. Great cinnamon taste! It is made with yellow cake, cinnamon stuffing, vanilla icing and cinnamon sugar topping.

 The cookies and cream: pretty good too with a nice chocolate cookie on top. The rest of the cupcake is chocolate cake, chocolate cookie stuffing and vanilla icing.

 The chocolate chip pancake was one of my least favorites. It is made with yellow pancake, maple syrup icing and chocolate chips on top. The cake was quite dry!

 The red velvet cupcake (red velvet cake, cream cheese icing and red sugar crystal on top). It was an ok cupcake. At least the cake was moist, but there was not enough icing on top.

 The S'mores: made with chocolate cake, and stuffed with Graham cracker and fluff. The top was made of the same Graham cracker and fluff with also chocolate icing. It was pretty good.

The Tie dye, made of vanilla Tie Dye cake, vanilla icing and topped with rainbow sugar crystals. It was just ok.

So, at the end of the day, it was an ok experience: out of 6 cupcakes, I like 3 (the cookies & cream, the cinnamon and the S'mores). The cake was pretty inconsistent, sometimes moist, sometimes dry and there was clearly not enough icing. They were also quite sugary. These cupcakes are nice to try and cute to look at, but they are definitely not the best (Sweet in Hoboken is definitely the best!).

Enjoy (I half 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!

Magnolia Bakery in NYC, New York - Average cupcakes...

I heard about Magnolia Bakery in New York City for many years but never went there. In fact, a long time ago, I went to a restaurant on top of the Bakery Midtown, restaurant that is now closed.

Cupcakes are really big here and I do not know if one day they will be as big in France. Why? Because there are so many different pastries with some many different flavors that I am not sure people would be attracted to it. However, what makes the difference is that cupcakes offer, for the same concept, a wide range of possibilities: you can make different types of cake, have some cream or fruits in it and then have an infinite choice of frosting and decoration. A Millefeuille (close to a Napoleon) is a millefeuille!

So we went to Magnolia Bakery Midtown. The place was a mad house! You can have cakes like banana cream pie or order coffee or tea besides cupcakes. Of course, most of the people will go for the cupcakes. And the scene is always the same: pick, pay and inhale!

So we went for the vanilla cupcake and the red velvet cupcake. Red velvet has to be good! If a bakery does not know how to make it, there is a big chance they do not have good cupcakes! I was wrong: the red velvet frosting was pretty good but the cake was very dry (very red too: they must have put a lot of food coloring in it). 

I preferred the vanilla one: great frosting, not too sweet and the cake was moist.

I am not sure I would go back to Magnolia Bakery but have to note two things that I liked: 

• The ratio cake / frosting was perfect. I hate when there is too much cake! The best is the frosting!
• The box to carry the cupcakes is perfect as lots of bakery just offer regular boxes and the cupcakes will roll in it.

I was not wowed by Magnolia bakery to be honest. I may have to try another time...

Enjoy (...)!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

I started with the spicy tuna tartare. 

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy (I kind of did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!