Candies!!! At Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy

Warning: if you are a dentist, you will either hate this post or love it as it will bring you more customers!

There are few places in New York City that I love to visit for candies. For sure the choice is endless, whether you go to places specialized in candies or to delis, supermarkets...But here, a candy store is definitely different: when you go to a grocery store, you have food all over and you probably did not come just for candies. However, if you go to a candy store, then you cannot ignore the excitement that it triggers, making you feel like a kid again! 

So, the three places I will take about in this blog post are: Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy!

Dylan Candy Bar: 

Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

This is definitely one of the most renowned candy places in New York City!  It is owned by Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren who is said to have been inspired to open this store by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The store is on two floors and you go from one to another via the "Stairwell to candy heaven", where each step is encrusted with candies!

Stairwell to Candy Heaven at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you have a wide variety of candies, such as the classic jelly beans that I tried for the first time in this country!

Jelly Beans at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

My favorite flavors being banana, pear and root beer!

They also have an impressive wall of gum balls!

Gum balls at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

What I like about it is also the range of old fashioned candies I have never seen before:

Old Fashioned candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

such as the Abba-Zaba that I doubt was named after a pop music band...

Abba Zaba candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, if you prefer chocolate, they have also something for you!

Chocolate fountain at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Like the chocolate fountain or these big blocs of fudge:

Chocolate fudge at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, you can also buy some candies by the pound and you cannot miss the display at the entrance of the store!

Candies by the pound at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you will find the classic candies sold by the weight: coca cola sour bottles, licorice, sour peach candies, raspberry candies or these gummy chicken feet:

Gummy chicken feet at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Dylan's Candy Bar is definitely an institution in NYC and they know how to market it! If you go there, do not miss they display of famous people who went there, so you can see what candies they like!

Celebrities at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

We sure love their candies...

shopping bag at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Sockerbit:

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Sockerbit mean "Sugar Cube" in Swedish and it is a store that proposes Scandinavian little candies aka "smågodis". We found that place walking on Christopher street and surely, because of the white setting of the place, we could not miss the vibrant colors of the candies!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

The white walls and furniture made it as if we were in a hospital where the only medication was candies! Definitely my kind of hospital!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Besides some products that I will talk about later, Sockerbit sells candies by the pound, for a price similar to most of the candy places. Some of the candies are very familiar like the sour coca cola bottles or the banana.

candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But they also have some interesting ones that might be different by shape, but not taste, like the Sura Persikor or sour peach:

Sura Persikor or sour peach candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

My favorite being the Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls!

Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

If you prefer chocolate, they have plenty of different ones for you!

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They also sell chocolate bars:

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But, what is also interesting with Sockerbit, is that they also sell Scandinavian products such as pickles:

pickles at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Jam:

jam at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Or those little Swedish bread we call "Petits Pains Suedois" in France!

Petits pains Suedois Krisprolls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They are so good with butter and Jam!

bag from Sockerbit in NYC, New York

So, definitely, Sockerbit is a unique place to discover! People there are friendly and their candies delicious, even if you do not know how to pronounce their name!

Sockerbit

89 Christopher St.

New York, NY 10014

www.sockerbit.com

Economy Candy:

Economy Candy might not be as known as Dylan's Candy Bar, but this place, that has been around for more than 80 years is also an institution. When going there, do not expect a well organized spacey store: the alleys are tight and you kind of feel overwhelmed by the choice of candies they propose!

They either sell candies by the unit or by bulk. You can find there old fashioned candies you may not have heard about (for sure there are some candies that did not cross the Atlantic!) and some more known!

In the well known, there are of course:

Big lollipops with fantastic colors:

Jelly beans (remember: my favorite flavors are pear, banana and root beer)!

Or Pez:

They also have chocolate:

The Milka chocolate is very popular in France, especially milk chocolate (Milk-a), although it lost some ground to brands like Lindt. They also have the Cote d'Or brand that I cannot find anywhere else.

And then I saw a box of Mon Chéri! They are made of a cherry soaked in Kirsch liquor, surrounded by dark chocolate. Love it!

In fact, Economy Candy has lots of candies and chocolate bars that I use to eat in France and that are difficult to find in stores (some delis have them, but not always), such as the Lion bar:

A Lion bar is made of a filled wafer, caramel and crisp cereal (in the original recipe this was Kellogg's Special K) covered in milk chocolate.

Or Bounty that makes me think about my sister Corinne who loves it!

Bounty is like the Mounts bar without the almond!

The last cool thing about Economy Candy is that they have lots of candies with fun packages!

So, definitely, Economy Candy will overwhelm you so much, that you will not realize that you put a little too much candy in your bag...But, is there such a thing as too much candy???

Economy Candy

108 Rivington St

New York, NY 10002

www.economycandy.com

To conclude this post, if I had to root for one place, I would go for Sockerbit because of its originality!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Lunch at Ajisen Ramen in Chelsea, NYC, New York

We went to Ajisen Ramen on a Saturday with Jodi, Jessica and Alex. We never went to that place and were excited to try it as we love ramen and there are so many places in NYC where to eat this delicious noodle dish.

The logo is funny and cartoony and, contrary to most of the ramen places we have been to, there is no sitting at the counter, watching the cook do its magic. I discovered, while writing this post, that Ajisen ramen is a chain, created in Japan.

The waiter gave us the menu and I was pleased to see photos as I always find that, if well taken, they can  speak better than words. Although words are still necessary to describe each dish and, believe it or not, there was none! I tried to get some answers from the waiter but he was unable to explain what the dishes had. 

So, Jodi and Jessica went for the corn ramen 

and I went for the Ajisen ramen as it was the name of the restaurant.

Both dishes were similar: it was based on a broth made with pork that has a milky color. I thought in fact that it was because of a small amount of curry paste and possibly coconut milk...Both ramen had some slices of pork that were pretty descent, some green onions, cabbage and carrots. The corn ramen had...corn!

I finished my ramen that was good. Not to the level of the ones I tried before, but good. The advantage of this one is that it was not crowded at all, probably because of the location. I think they should either describe their dishes or have their staff have a better knowledge of the dishes, because, sometimes, if people like a restaurant, they like to come back to try other dishes they saw on the menu! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Japonica, Japanese restaurant in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

It has been a while since we wanted to try Japonica, located near Union Square, in Greenwich Village. Each time we passed by, the restaurant seemed packed, with sometimes a line outside. At that point, one may think that there must be a reason for it! 

So here we are, thinking that we would have to wait; it was not the case and they sat us immediately. What we could not miss about the decor were the trees all around that gave a nice touch.  The staff was very nice, polite and efficient. They first brought us a hot towel and then proceeded to take our order. 

We started of with appetizers. First were the vegetable gyoza. 

They were proposed steamed or fried; we picked fried to have a nice crunch to it. They came very hot! Inside, we could definitely taste edamame. Unfortunately, they were underseasoned. Fortunately though, we poured some soy sauce and its saltiness helped overcome it. 

Then, we ordered the shrimp shumai:

They were big, with a nice shrimp on top of each and the filling being made of pork. Unfortunately, I did not like them: watery, they were also tasteless if not for the shrimp!

For the entrees, Jodi ordered avocado rolls:

Nothing extraordinary there, but we appreciated the ripe avocado.

On my side, I ordered the Uni Ika made of squid and sea urchin:

The last time I had Sea Urchin was in Malta in 1998! They were captured fresh, opened on the spot and eaten right away with a bit of lemon. So good! So I was excited this time! Unfortunately, it was not as expected! The squid was a bit tough and the sea urchin turned to a watery paste...

Well, this was not as good as what we expected: expensive and average. We were wondering if the continuous flow of customers was because there are not that many Japanese restaurants in this area!

Enjoy (...)!

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I have tried again the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern in NYC, New York

If you recall, last year, I went to Minetta Tavern to try their Black Label Burger that is supposed to be the best of the best in NYC! This pricey burger ($26) is made of prime dry age meats: strip or ribeye, skirt steak and brisket, all coming from the Creekstone Farms (black angus beef raised and grazed in the US and USDA approved). Just reading this could make me salivate, unfortunately, I did not like it! The main reason is that I ordered it medium and it was very pink. However, the highlights of that previous meal were the fries (spectacular) and the coconut cake from Balthazar (they have the same owner). I think there is a psychological limit as to how much people would pay for a burger and $26 passed it, so it clearly gives people high expectations. 

I therefore decided to try again and we went with our friends Diana and Peter for this revisit. This time, the waiter clearly indicated how raw the meat would be if ordered medium, so I asked for medium-well.

And it was definitely how I should have asked the first time! Clearly, this burger is beautiful: thick and shiny, with its caramelized onions on top. The brioche bread was also very good, fresh and not dry, that is important because it is the first thing you will taste when you bite on the burger.

So it was good, although salty. With the burger came these delicious fries that I raved about last time: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I finished them!

Jodi decided to go for the shirred eggs with black trumpet mushrooms:

Shirred eggs are baked eggs. The eggs were well cooked, but there was not enough mushrooms! Also, the portion was small! For $21, they could have thrown a salad!

We had a good time and good brunch at Minetta Tavern with our friends, but I still think that their burger, although good, is not the best in New York (Collichio & Sons and its $18 burger is far better, or the cheaper Corner Bistro) and it is not worth the $26 we paid!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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Lobster roll at The Claw New York in NYC!

I recently went to The Claw New York with my friend Benny, to their location in Hell's Kitchen. Their motto is "Bringing the Hamptons to NYC". I was wondering if I had to dress up for the event!!!

The place was not what I imagined: I thought I would order at the counter and then sit to eat. It was not the case: it was table service.

We decided to start with the crab beignets:

They were disappointing to say the least! The dough was not as soft as beignets, it was dry and salty. Clearly not recommended!

Then we each got the lobster roll:

It was supposed to be served with mayonnaise and butter: I write "supposed" because if there were some, it was very subtle. Don't get me wrong: I prefer that way so I can really taste the lobster. However, it would have been great with a bit more butter either when poaching the lobster or on the toasted potato bread. I also appreciated the fact that there was a nice amount of lobster!

The fries were not the best, but I was pleased that they had some as otherwise I would have been hungry.

I think The Claw New York is decent. Not the best but decent and a good alternative if you are in the area and want to eat a lobster roll. However, know that if you go with a vegetarian, they only propose a salad...or desserts!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Beard Papa's cream puffs in NYC, New York

Yes, I confess: when writing my blog post about Dinosaur BBQ, I omitted a small detail...It concerns the fact that we were planning to walk up to the restaurant and, coincidently, we passed by Beard Papa's...I am sure that when Jodi will read the word "coincidently", she will roll her eyes...I am discovered! Yes, I had a plan! Look, walking to Dinosaur BBQ requires so energy and Beard Papa's had what I needed! If you do not know what Beard Papa's is, it is a French-style bakery franchise that originated in Japan in 1999 and specializes in delicious cream puffs or choux à la crème! You cannot not notice the logo that is a bearded...papa...who looks like a sailor!

I still remember the first time I tried Beard Papa, few years ago. We were walking in the street on the Upper West Side when a delicious smell came through our noses. Outside of the store, they were giving samples of these cute choux packed with deliciousness! After we tried it, we had to get several of them! From all the flavors they propose, the vanilla custard remains my favorite! Even the chocolate one does not measure up for me. 

So, here we are again! The staff greeted us in Japanese and freshly stuffed the Chou with the vanilla custard. 

I think it is great that they fill them a la minute, because otherwise, the shell would lose its slight crunch. You should have seen my big smile when they handed me over the yellow bag...

I delicately opened it, and there was the vanilla custard filled cream puff, with a bit of confectioner's sugar on top (that usually ends up on my shirt!).

The first bite was fantastic, as well as the second, third, etc...The vanilla custard was so good!

It really tasted fresh and homemade!

Then, few weeks later, thanks to a colleague, David, I got the chance to try a Paris-Brest cream "donut" puff. Paris-Brest is a French Pastry made of a chou cut in half with praline cream in between the two slices.

As well as an eclair one:

The Paris-Brest was very good with a slightly different shell for the chou. The chocolate eclair would satisfy any fan of chocolate! First of all, it tasted like real chocolate melted and not just some sugary one. Then, the filling was a vanilla custard and I really thought that it was an excellent pairing with the dark chocolate, because it counter balanced the bitterness of it. 

Well, after writing this post, it makes me want to go back quickly! What about you?

Enjoy (I did)!

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Trece Mexican Restaurant in NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap eateries near Union Square, we ended up at Trece Mexican Cuisine and Tequila Bar. We did not really know what to expect, but were for sure excited to have Mexican food! The place was big and colorful. They sat us at a table next to the bar and the big TVs overlooking the dining room. Well, for sure the staff was more interested in the TV novella than the customers!!! 

We started with a dish we always order in Mexican restaurants: guacamole!

The guacamole is made to order that is always great and better than having a restaurant serve some guacamole that was made few days ago or just bought somewhere!

It was good, with big chunks of avocado, was not too salty (I hate that!), but was missing a bit of acidity.

Then I got the fish tacos:

It was not good! First of all, as you can see on the photo, the avocado were not good. Then, the fish tasted fishy and there was too much iceberg lettuce.  The sauces were good, but the wait staff was unable to explain what they were!

Jodi ordered a blend vegetable quesadilla!

It was so disappointing! And expensive for the quality of the food. We should have passed our way...

Enjoy (...)!

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Nanoosh Mediterranean Cuisine in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap places near Union Square, we ended up at Nanoosh, a restaurant serving Mediterranean food. The place was packed so we imagined that there was a reason for it. The dining room was pretty big with high ceilings adding to the impression of volume. They sat us at the communal wooden table. 

The menu is supposed to be on the healthy side, featuring salads (Greek, greens, tabbouleh, quinoa...), hummus plates (with falafel, chicken, beef...), wraps or for an even healthier version, bowls, that are in a way or to simplify this post, a different version of the salads or hummus plates they propose. 

We decided to go for hummus plates. The hummus can be plain (original) or made with roasted red peppers. It is made daily with fresh organic chickpeas. 

Jodi decided to go for the falafel hummus plate. 

And I ordered the chicken hummus plate.

With the hummus plates, they brought us some pita (we picked whole grain):

The presentation was beautiful and very appetizing. They laid out the hummus in the bottom and then added the different ingredients. We added some toppings such as cucumber, tomatoes and olives, but I have to say that I was surprised that they charged us for it ($1 each), especially as it was not a big quantity they put and it definitely contributed to make the dishes pricey compared to other similar restaurants like Mamoun's falafel or Taim!

In term of taste, it was disappointing: the falafel, that were baked (therefore healthier than their fried version) were missing some crunch and texture. The hummus was just ok, not as tasty as I would have liked. The chicken was good at least...as well as the olives!

I also ordered a mint iced tea:

I guess the mint part refers to the couple of mint leaves that were added to the iced tea. Unfortunately, there were not enough to give that wonderful refreshing taste to the drink. 

When we finished our dinner, we felt that something was missing and that our dinner was incomplete. For sure it was not dessert as they only proposed rice pudding or a chocolate dessert...

To conclude: average food and pricey considering the much cheaper choices in the city! I definitely prefer Mamoun's falafel or Taim over Nanoosh!

Enjoy (...)!

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11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park in NYC, New York!

Today was a good day for my stomach: the 11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park took place over the week end, featuring some of the best pitmasters in the country, from Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Alabama...This event takes place every year, one week end of June, in support of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. 

The festival was all about food, but there was also a beer garden, some BBQ demonstrations and some music.

It was for sure packed and more and more people showed as the day went by, trying to benefit from the food that cost $9 a plate. Surely, walking around, you could not miss the delicious smell originating from the different BBQ pits, each pitmaster having his own design, some of them looking industrially made:

and others looking more...homemade!

As I mentioned few times on this blog, what we call BBQ in France is grilling and I can assure you that each time I have visitors, I bring them to a BBQ joint and they really love it! So, imagine me in this festival: I was like a kid in a candy shop! Especially looking all these stands prepare their food!

Like Whole Hog at Skylight Inn:

Sausages at Jim'N Nick's:

Baby Back Ribs at Memphis BBQ Company:

With all this food all around and that smell that kept tempting us, it was time to try some food! We started with Blue Smoke. 

I always wanted to try their restaurant and it was the perfect occasion to taste their salt & pepper beef ribs!

They were fantastic! Juicy, with a nice char on top and some delicious fat, the meat was falling of the bone. There was also a nice quantity of it: in fact I found it to be one of the best deals there!

Then, we went to Salt Lick BBQ from Texas:

They were serving sausage and brisket:

They served it Southern style, with a slice of white bread in the bottom and we put some of their BBQ sauce. The sausage was pretty good, with a nice kick, but the brisket was a bit tough and dry. So sad, because we got a sample earlier and it was very good and juicy.

The last one we tried was Scott's BBQ from South Carolina.

I am not a big fan of shredded pork shoulder because it tends to be dry, but I was curious to try this as they mentioned pork skin and I could see them shredding the pork that had this beautiful reddish crisp skin.

Here again, they served the meat on a piece of white bread and put some vinegar all over it.

Well, they called it vinegar, but I did not really taste vinegar! I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting some of the skin of the pig we saw before. Instead, they throw some fried skin from a bag...It was good and crispy, but still not what I was expecting. This was good, but a bit bland and dry. I did not finish it.

This was a great opportunity to try different BBQ joints and was for sure for meat lovers as there was nothing for the vegetarian: no Mac & Cheese and no fried green tomatoes! Chapeau to the pitmasters and staff for cooking in these high temperatures on a hot day! The Big Apple Block Party was fun and well organized and I will probably go back every year! One thing is certain: the beef ribs from Blue Smoke were the best from what I tried and I am looking forward to try their restaurant!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Taboonette, pocket food in NYC, New York

The owners of Taboon, a Mediterranean restaurant located in Hell's Kitchen, decided to open another location in Greenwich Village; a sister location named Taboonette. The concept is pocket food: putting food into a pita or wrap, like a little pocket. 

I was pretty excited as I love Mediterranean food and the simplicity of pita sandwiches. I was also looking for cheap eats in this area (the highest price on their menu is $12).

The place is nice with a simple decor; the light wood gives a zen atmosphere to it.

I also loved the lamps and the old fashion bulb where you can see the filament. For sure it is nicer than those energy efficient bulbs! If they could make them look like that, that would be awesome!

We started off with some hummus with pita chips:

The hummus was good, but did not taste homemade; more like the one I buy at the supermarket. The pita chips were very hard and burnt.

Jodi ordered the Roasted eggplant Tabouleh:

It was made of bulgur, parsley, tomato, onion, mint and scallion. It is in fact the way tabouleh is done in countries like Lebanon: the grain is not couscous but bulgur and there is a lot of parsley. I liked it. although I would have preferred more eggplant.

I ordered the Kebab in a pita:

It was served with few homemade chips. The stuffing was made of ground lamb and beef, grilled eggplant, lettuce, tomato puree, tahini, mint and cilantro. The meat was good with the nice strong flavor of the lamb coming through. But, I do not know if it was due to the tahini, but the texture was off in the bottom of the sandwich.

I was a bit disappointed with Taboonette. I definitely prefer Mamoun's Falafel for kebab and Taim for a vegetarian option...

Enjoy (...)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Isaan Thai Food at Zabb City in NYC, New York

We really found this Thai place, Called Zabb City, by coincidence as it is located in a street, in the East Village, where the only attraction would be Momofuku Milk Bar! It does not look like your typical Thai restaurant: with such a decor, I would easily see a Wine Bar there (would a Thai Wine Bar make any sense? Could be a trend!). Their menu offers Isaan dishes. I know: me too, I have no idea what it means...Isaan is  is the northeastern region of Thailand.Well, their menu proposes the usual dishes you would find in Thai cuisine, but I was desperately looking for the Chef's specials to see if they served frog legs...Yes, I mainly find these delicacies in Thai restaurants! Unfortunately they did not have it!

Of course, I got my usual Thai Iced Tea:

I love that drink: so refreshing with its kind of indescribable taste. When you think that you pay $3 for it, that is the price you would pay for a regular tea in a restaurant! $3 for hot water: no (except if the tea is not a basic one); for a Thai Iced Tea: definitely!

We started of the meal with spring rolls:

They were served with duck sauce and red chili flakes (it was not really spicy). The rolls were good, although I would have preferred less dough.

Jodi got the glass noodles or Pad Woonsen:

They we pretty good: the tofu was fried and was bit tasty and there were a lot of veggies (mushrooms, pepper, broccoli...).

I ordered my test dish for Thai restaurants: Chicken Massaman.

It was served with white rice. I liked it a lot: the sauce itself was divine and had a little kick that built up in the back of my mouth. The potatoes and onions were well cooked (soft) and cut in a way that it was not a nightmare to eat (no knife needed). No need to say that I finished my plate...

Zabb is a nice and quiet place that offers a good, traditional Thai with similar prices than most of the Thai restaurants in NYC. I surely prefer that place over Spice, located few blocks away...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Italian Dinner at Casa Nonna in Hell's Kitchen NYC, New York

I recently went to Casa Nonna, literally Grandma's house, located in Hell's Kitchen, for a dinner with Erika and Kenta from Tabélog, a new online space for restaurant lovers that has more than 40 millions users in Japan and is launching a site in the US!  For sure, I would have never found that place if not meeting people, as it is in the middle of a block, on 38th street. Not that many passersby!!!

I was surprised because the restaurant is big with different areas: the bar, two dining rooms of a good size and a counter next to the kitchen. 

Interestingly, there is a small area on the right of the entrance that is a Go Burger! We sat in the dining room in the back; the first impression I had, besides the volume of the room, was that it looked more like a steakhouse than an Italian restaurant, thanks to the dark wood and leather banquettes. 

The tables were heavy and made with the wood from wine boxes. 

The menu was definitely Italian, but not your basic / classic dishes. No spaghetti with meatballs, but rather veal meatballs as an appetizer. No eggplant Parmesan or linguini a la Vongole as I am used to! But I am not going to complain, considering that I am a big fan of that type of cuisine and their menu had interesting dishes! 

We started of with appetizers. Polipo - baby octopus, peanut potatoes, pearl onions drizzled with a Meyer lemon vinaigrette:

I was excited to have baby octopus because I love it! Unfortunately, it was not that great! I think after I had better octopus at Officina Laina or Thalassa,

I was expecting something fantastic...It was a bit chewy and the only thing you could taste was the fact that it was fried!

We also shared the fried calamari:

Interestingly, there were vegetables mixed with it: not a large amount, but enough to be noticed. Also, instead of serving them with marinara sauce, they served it with a delicious lemon-chives aioli. I liked it: crispy, not rubbery and not greasy! Perfect!

The last appetizer was the veal meatballs:

It was two big veal meatballs smothered in a pomodoro sauce with a bit of ricotta, basil and parmesan. I loved the balance of flavors with the acidity of the tomatoes being neutralized by the ricotta. However, the meatballs, although not dry, were a bit bland. Made with pork and/or beef, it might have been a hit!

For the entree, I ordered the gnocchi with Berkshire pork ragu and crispy pig ears:

Gnocchi is definitely a good test for an Italian restaurant because you do not want the gnocchi to be dough-y or potato-y. 

They did a good job at Casa Nonna: they were very, very light and perfect with a pork ragu that was delicious (yoou could taste a bit of wine). What elevated this dish a bit was the crispy pig ears: it added some crunch to the dish: wonderful! Before leaving, I asked the waiter if they make their own pasta and he mentioned that everything is homemade there.

Then was time for desserts! I could try two. The tiramisu:

And the mascarpone cheesecake, served with a blackberry citrus sauce:

Desserts were definitely not the highlight of the meal! So sad, because the presentation was spectacular. The tiramisu was overpowered by the chocolate on top and I could barely taste the espresso cream. The cheesecake might have been better, but had nothing exceptional and did not have enough blackberry sauce.

The food at Casa Nonna was average and forgettable (I still prefer Morandi or, for family style dinners, Tony Di Napoli). Fortunately, the conversation with Erika and Kenta and discovering Tabelog made the experience worth it!

Enjoy (...)! 

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Little Fox Cafe in Chinatown, NYC, New York

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

I got invited to review the Little Fox Cafe, located near Chinatown. I was very excited to go there because, looking for their menu on the internet, I discovered that they have an artist, Mike Breach, making portraits on latte and there are some incredible photos on their facebook pages (the Jean Simmons portrait is awesome)! Unfortunately, Mike Breach is only present on Wednesdays and it is not possible for me to go there on those days. Interestingly, few weeks ago, my sister Corinne told me that she heard on the French TV about a cafe in New York making portraits in latte, but she could not remember the name! That was probably this place that was also featured on Good Morning America.

I was also excited because I love coffee: I drink coffee and I bleed coffee and a place that has a sign like the one above is on the right track!

The place is small but I truly appreciated that there were not too many tables as a lot of cafes are trying to maximize the space to the point where it becomes uncomfortable!

It definitely had a rustic feel with its 18th Century Church pews and shelves from the recently demolished Kenmare hotel. Apparently, the name comes from one of the original owner who comes from England (they have lots of foxes there) and looking at the decoration, I would think there is a British touch to it!

We are greeted by WC:

We talked a bit and I learnt that he is an artist who travels the world to do murals. In fact, the Little Fox Cafe has a room downstairs that they are planning to open to display Art and organize parties at some point. Because Little Fox Cafe is like Jekyl and Hyde: cafe during the day and bar at night! You can get a hint looking at the beer on tap they serve! But know that beer is not the only beverage they serve on tap: there is also iced coffee that was perfect on this hot day!

I also tried their espresso that I found good but a bit too bitter:

But I think my favorite was the latte! Latte is made with espresso and steamed milk. This one is probably one of the best I ever had: it was so creamy! And the best of all is that WC was able to draw little characters on it as shown below:


Step 1 - make the latte:

Step 2 - draw with a thin wooden stick

Step 3 - Et Voila!

Or:

That started to be interesting when I drank some of it!

They typically do it if they see that people are not in a hurry and I guess if they have time!

Food wise, they have quite few interesting items: cookies, brownies, croissants, pecan bars...coming from different suppliers such as Ceci Cela Patisserie for the croissants or a guy named Andy for cookies!

I asked WC which item was the most popular and it was the croissant with nutella that I decided to try:

They cut the croissant in two, put a generous amount of nutella on one side, close and grill it like a panini sandwich!

It was delicious! A bit crunchy, with the fantastic taste of the warm nutella pairing well with the flakey and buttery croissant!

It was very good and if you decide to go there, do not miss the latte and nutella croissant!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Looking for Pizza on Bleeker: Keste Pizza and Vino, John's Pizzeria and Pizza Roma in NYC, New York

I never really noticed how many pizza places there are on Bleeker, until I went to review John's Pizzeria (an institution here in New York!), Keste Pizza and Vino and Pizza Roma! This post is about our trip to these pizza joints (not the same day...)!

Keste Pizza and Vino:

The great thing with the blog is that now, when people eat in great places, they will send me some information or give me a business card from the place, suggesting me to go. That is how I heard about Keste Pizza & Vino: one of my co-workers, Richard, recommended it. As I went down to my long list of places to try and was in the mood for pizza, I proposed Jodi to go there.

It was a Saturday and the place was not that busy. I liked the decor and the atmosphere that gave a certain authenticity to the place. Their menu was mouth watering and, as we do most of the time, we already checked it before coming and knew exactly what we would order! In fact, each time we go to a pizza place we look for two items: the homemade burrata and the four cheese pizza! And Keste had both of them!!!

So we started off with the homemade burrata.

It was a big portion and was served with half a tomato, a slice of bread and some prosciutto. It was really good, although the mozzarella shell could have been a bit thinner. It also missed a bit of olive oil and the dish could have been elevated with some balsamic vinegar that would have enhanced the delicate taste of the cream.

Then came the four cheese pizza!

It looked very appetizing with its burnt edges. The cheeses were mozzarella, grand cru (I guess pecorino), caciocavallo and parmigiano reggiano. They also put on top some fresh basil leaves and some olive oil.

The crust was delicious with all these blobs at the edges and a bit of a burnt taste here and there. Unfortunately, it lost its crispiness because there was too much olive oil that made it a bit soggy.

But overall, it was a delicious pizza that would satisfy any cheese lover! They were really generous with the amount of cheese too! Fantastic!

It was definitely a great lunch at Keste that is, by the way, the official location for The APN (Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani) whose mission is to protect and preserve the Neapolitan pizza tradition and promote the art of pizza making. I will definitely have to go back to try some of the other pizzas they offer on their menu!

John's Pizza:

Walking around Bleeker while waiting for Keste Pizza and Vino to open, I eyed at John's pizza and decided to go there for my next Pizzeria review. This place has been around for quite some time: opened in 1929 by John Sasso, it looks as if it was suspended in time! 

We went early because there is always a line and they sat us at one of these tight booths, overlooking the busy kitchen (the coal oven was not visible from there)! 

Sitting there, you cannot miss the walls, full of carved graffiti:

Their menu is simple: pizza, a few pasta dishes and meatballs: no way you can get overwhelmed by a large choice, but for sure, you would want to order a bit of everything! Yes, this is the type of restaurant that smells authentic and where you wish there was a tasting menu!

We decided to go simple and order a 14 inch pizza (6 slices) with mushrooms:

The pizza was delicious: the crust, a bit burnt on the edges, was perfectly crispy!

The pizza sauce was very good with just enough cheese, but not enough mushrooms (at $3 a topping, they could have put more!).

It was a good pizza, but I remain convinced that San Matteo Pizza on the Upper East Side is the best!!!

Pizza Roma:

The last pizza place we tried on Bleeker (last but not least for sure!) was Pizza Roma, a small joint, steps away from Keste and John's pizzeria! We passed by few times and could not miss the delicious slices of pizza at the window! So here we are! We can either order pizza or some other food, but the choice for us was fairly quick! 

The way it works is that you pick what pizza you want and they will slice it for you, eat it and serve at one of the few tables near the entrance.

We decided to go for the mushroom pizza and the Cipola Y Gorgonzola (onions and gorgonzola) pizza:

as well as the plain pizza and Tricolore (Basil pesto and mozzarella di buffala):

The mushroom pizza was good except that the mushrooms were mushy. The best of all was the onion and gorgonzola one, but unfortunately there was not enough cheese! The plain was good but the pizza sauce tasted like any can you can buy...

The slice with the basil pesto and mozzarella di Buffala looked very appetizing, but the pesto was so overpowering...

So, the slices were not that great and it was expensive: more than $26 for all of this with a coke...Definitely, they cannot measure up to Keste or John's Pizza!

Enjoy (...)!

 


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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Lunch at Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem NYC, New York

For my birthday, Jodi and I went to Dinosaur BBQ IN Harlem. It has been a while I wanted to go back. The last time was 6 years ago for our friend Gary's Birthday. The place opened few months before and, as a Syracuse University Alumni, he was thrilled to bring a bunch of friends to celebrate. I remember that I had a fantastic ribeye!

Another time, visiting Syracuse University, we went to their first location. This time , no ribeye, but BBQ chicken.

So, here we are on our way there. Before arriving at the restaurant, we passed the famous Cotton Club! I confess that I did not think it was still there!

We got our table fairly quickly, thanks to the reservation we made. No reservation was definitely synonym of  a long wait. Interestingly, the crowd was a mix of families, couples, friends and bikers.

Entering the restaurant, our noses immediately smelled BBQ! For sure, that makes you hungry!

We started off with the appetizer sampler for two.

It was composed of chicken wings, shrimp, fried green tomatoes and eggs mayonnaise.

I truly appreciated the fact that they offered a sampler so we could try several appetizers. The chicken wings were my favorite: the skin was smothered with an heavenly delicious BBQ sauce. Know that they were not spicy.

The shrimp were good but had nothing special. They were served shelled, but it was not an issue as BBQ means dirty hands!!!


The green tomatoes were not bad, but they were missing that crunch that I am so used to since I tried them at Southern Hospitality!

Last were the eggs mayonnaise that I really liked: tasty and not too mayonnaise-y.

Then, Jodi ordered the wedge salad, but with no walnuts:

The salad was good...for a salad! What was great is that they put the blue cheese dressing on the side (they offer different choices such as BQ Blues House, Creole Honey Mustard Vinaigrette...).

She also ordered a side of Mac & Cheese:

It could have been a decent Mac & Cheese, unfortunately, the seasoning they put on top was overpowering. 

I decided to order a BBQ sampler plate. I think it is great that BBQ joints offer samplers: that way, I can try different meats! Luckily, they have a small sampler, called the Nuevo Sampler.

It came with chicken, ribs and brisket. The brisket was definitely the star of the plate! It was tender and not dry with a nice amount of fat. The chicken was ok with a crispy skin, but a bit bland. The ribs were dry. 

With the platter, they give you a corn bread (very good) and you pick 2 sides. We went for the fries and the brussels sprouts that were the side of the day. It was good, but nothing extraordinary!

I admit that I was a bit disappointed by the experience: the food was just ok at the end and I remain a fan of Southern Hospitality and Brothers' Jimmy!

Enjoy (...)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A visit to the Brooklyn Museum: Brunch at Sunshine Co and treats at Joyce Bakeshop!

Jodi wanted to see the exhibit of John Singer Sargent at the Brooklyn Museum and we planned for few weeks to go with our friends Gary and Jen. So the rain did not stop us and we were certain to add to this artistic experience a culinary one, especially considering that more and more delicious restaurants are opening in Brooklyn! We did not pick in advance a place and just used our mobile phones to find out where to go. Unfortunately, the first two choices we had were not possible, because of the waiting time. Usually, we do not mind, but with the rain, waiting was a big no-no! That is how we found Sunshine Company! 

We immediately got a table! The place was nice with a rustic although modern feel, very bright thanks to the large windows going up to the high ceilings. 

Most of the items on the menu looked fantastic and it was a tough choice! I started anyway with a double espresso, my drink of choice for brunch...

Then, Jodi got the baked eggs:

The baked eggs were served with grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, tomatoes and feta cheese, topped with some salad. It came with two slices of buttered bread.

The eggs were perfect: the yolk was slightly runny like I love it! I was even surprised to see Jodi eat them as she usually do not like runny yolks! Also, having all these vegetables made this dish very earthy. 

I decided to order the Tres Leches French Toast:

It looked fantastic and the French toast itself was good with the bread perfectly soaked. I just wished it has more tres leches taste, similar to the one at The cuban in Hoboken!

We definitely had good food and a good time at Sunshine Co and it was great that we found this little gem just walking desperately around!

Then, after the museum, we wanted to see if there was a bakery around. Same modus operandi to find a place: cell phones...And we ended up at Joyce Bakeshop!

It is a nice little place, perfect for a coffee in the afternoon to catch up with your long time friends. Their pastries looked delicious and very tempting and what I liked was the fact that they propose a large and a regular version of most of their cakes!

Gary and Jen had a Woopie pie and a black and white.

We ordered a chocolate chip cookie

and an almond and pear tart:

It looked better than it tasted! The almond and pear tart was dry as was the cookie, despite all the chocolate in it. The crust in the tart was a bit salty too: it definitely needed butter!

Look, we tried and you never know: sometimes you find great places just walking around, like the Sunshine Co!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Burger or pizza at Bin 14 in Hoboken, NJ

It is no secret that I am a fan of Bin 14, the Hoboken Wine Bar of Chef Anthony Pino. I like the atmosphere as much as the food. We often go there for brunch as they have a fantastic brunch menu. I think I tried most of their menu, but there is one item that I never ate there: the burger. So, Jodi and I decided to go to remediate to this!

Once there, I ordered my Bin 14 burger:

The beef patty was delicately put on a piece of brioche bun (the menu said toasted, but it was not), with a roasted tomato, fresh mozzarella, arugula and pancetta. It was served with French fries, skin on, drizzled with pecorino cheese. 

First of all, the presentation was very appetizing and I just wanted to have this first bite that can be so comforting when eating a burger. The meat was perfectly cooked, juicy (I asked for medium) and did not seem to be full of fillers. It was a good burger, although not the best I had: the cheese had a too subtle taste to be really noticed, the pancetta was barely noticeable too and the arugula has a too strong flavor to go well with the meat as it has a tendency to overpower it.

The French fries were very disappointing: limp, not crunchy and not cooked all the way through. So sad...

Jodi had the truffle and creamy taleggio pizza.

This pizza is definitely a hit for us: they are generous with the cheese and the truffle and the crust is thin and crunchy, cooked divinely in their brick oven. 

I definitely recommend the pizza over the burger!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pie By The Pound in NYC, New York

Pizza is definitely one of my favorite meals, although I probably say this about everything I eat!!! I love pizza: it is comforting and often cheap. This is the type of food where you would say that less is more: a plain slice can be so good. No need to add tons of toppings on top!

A big difference between the US and France is that, in France, except in boulangeries (bakeries) and sandwicheries (for sandwiches), you cannot find pizza by the slice. So usually, in a pizzeria, people would order their own pie. I prefer by the slice because you can try few. So you can imagine how excited I was to go to Pie by the pound, where they sell slices...by the pound!!!

I tried the location near Union Square. I guess they cater to students as the place has an area with a copier, or people who want to hang out with books (mainly about food, gluten free food) and even games (not that they are only for them). 

They have a large selection of pies and what you do is choose your pie, tell them how much you want of it; they will weight it to determine the price et voila!

We selected the following slices:

The snow white (mozzarella, ricotta, oregano and garlic)

Mushroom (mozzarella, tomato sauce, portobello mushroom and arugula)

Fresh Mozzarella (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil)

It was really good! The crust was thin and crispy. The tomato sauce was delicious (well, what makes the difference between one pizzeria and another is the tomato sauce for the most part!). My favorite was the mushroom one as it was made with fresh mushrooms that did not seem out of a can! I also appreciated that there was not too much garlic on the white pie!

Pie By The Pound is definitely a place to know for a nice, cheap bite! And if you prefer whole wheat or gluten free, they have something for you!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Hotel Tortuga Mexican Restaurant in NYC, New York

Walking around NYU in search for cheap eats, we found this place called Hotel Tortuga. It is a Mexican restaurant that offers a large selection of vegetarian dishes for reasonable prices. Yes, it is called Hotel Tortuga, but it is not a hotel! In fact, they want you to imagine that you are in a hotel near Acapulco. The decor definitely feels like South America and is very cozy with its red booths and relaxed atmosphere. 

This restaurant serves traditional stuffing for tacos such as beef, chicken or fish, as well as a large selection of vegetarian ones: tempeh (soy protein), vegetable chorizo, grilled vegetables...

This is what we ate for less than $30:

A large side of guacamole with corn chips:

The guacamole was decent, but I do not think it was fresh. We could get as many chips as we wanted, as they offered chips and salsa.

Two vegetarian chorizo tacos:

One grilled chicken taco:

One fish taco (tilapia):

The tacos were made of two soft corn tortilla (you can pick flour instead of corn): they were good and there was a lot of stuffing in it.

The chicken taco was pretty good and the chicken had a nice grilled taste. The fish taco was perfect too: the fish was moist and did not taste fishy. However, the vegetable chorizo was not good: the first bite was ok and interesting as it was the first time we tried vegetable chorizo, but it was very salty and after a couple of bites, the saltiness was too much.

We finished with a Mexican hot chocolate:

It was hot chocolate with some cinnamon that was a fantastic combination as the cinnamon enhanced the taste of the chocolate. As you can see on the photo, they put a lot of whipped cream on it! This is definitely a must have, even for dinner...

I think that Hotel Tortuga offers a nice Mexican menu for good prices. My main disappointment is that they do not have homemade desserts, just cakes that they buy in a bakery in Vermont, cakes that are more American than Mexican. Despite that, this is definitely a good place to gather with friends and chill out.

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pho at Pho 66 in Hell's Kitchen - NYC, New York

There are days where you are fixated on a particular dish. This time (shall I say again?), it was ramen! We were planning on going to Sapporo ramen, but it was packed. So Jodi and I decided to walk on 9th avenue, aka Hell's Kitchen, and see if any restaurant would erase our disappointment. We noticed Pho 66. The location looked familiar and it is only after we entered the restaurant that we realized that we went there several months ago, at the time it was a Colombian place called Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa. I could not believe it!

If you do not know what Pho is, it is Vietnamese dish consisting of broth, noodles usually made from rice, herbs, vegetables and meat. Well, it was as close to the ramen craving as it could be...

What I really liked is the fact that they offer different sizes of bowl: large, medium and small, to accommodate any appetite.

Jodi ordered the Pho Verte:

Pho verte at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

Verte means green in France and here, it relates to the fact that it is a vegetarian dish. 

On my side, I ordered the Pho Bun Bo Hue:

Pho Bun Bo Hue at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

It consisted of pork shoulder and beef shank and came with some lime, soy and lemongrass to mix with.

Pho Bun Bo Hue at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

Both broths were tasty with for sure bolder flavors thanks to the meat in the Bun Bo Hue. The noodles were good, but I preferred the one in the Pho Verte as the one in the Bun Bo Hue were a bit too al dente for my taste and as they were thicker, it was less enjoyable. I liked both dishes, with a preference for the vegetarian one in fact! Incroyable!

For dessert, we decided to share a black rice pudding:

Rice pudding at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

It was made with coconut milk and served with slices of mango. I did not like it to be honest: the texture was off, I could barely taste the coconut milk and the mango was not ripe enough.

I really liked Pho 66 (except the dessert): the Pho are pretty good (they have a nice selection), they look beautiful and taste good, all of that for a reasonable price! I did not regret not having ramen that night! 

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!