I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/19

Ravagh Persian Grill in Midtown

Operated since 1998, with few locations in New York City, Ravagh Persian Grill is, according to one of my co-worker who is Iranian-American, the best Persian restaurant in the city. So we had to try it and did so on a Saturday evening. With its two floors, the place slowly filled up as the evening went by, with quite a lot of Iranian patrons, a good sign that this place had some authenticity. Food wise, we were there for a treat, with large plates coming in front of us, enough for this diner and another. My eyes went directly to the kebab section that is definitely more geared towards non-vegetarian diners, but if you are vegetarian, you should not be disappointed by the vegetarian kebob plate that was composed of grilled vegetables, basmati rice and hummus, delicious with the Persian bread they served with the meal. On my side, I admit that I was looking forward to try their sultanI kebab, composed of barg (marinated strips of sirloin) and koobideh that is a skewer made of chopped beef that is grilled on an open flame. Both were delicious, juicy and tasty. My dish was also served with basmati rice, but we also asked for plain tadig, the burnt crust of the rice aka soccarrat for paella lovers. Good but a bit tough, it is probably better accompanied with some stew. Anyway, we ate the rice with mast khiar, a yogurt based side with cucumber and mint. I should also mention the Doogh I drank, a classic Persian drink made with yogurt diluted in water, salt and mint, that is either house made (what I had) or from a can, if you prefer carbonated.

Doogh at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Bread at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Mast Khiar at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Vegetarian kebab at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC

Tadigh at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Sultani kebab at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Dessert is not to be missed. Of course you can get a baklava or some ice cream, but my favorite is the zoolbia bamieh, some Persian donuts made with rose water and saffron. If you like jelebis that are Indian sweets, you will love the zoolbia. Crispy and very sweet, it is perfect with Persian tea, but will definitely increase your sugar level...

Zoolbia bamieh at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Bamieh at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Zoolbia at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

Persian tea at Ravagh Persian Grill in NYC, NY

So overall, we had a great meal at Ravagh. The food was good and I would probably put Ravagh at the same level as Persepolis on the Upper East Side.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Ravagh - 11 East 30th Street, NY 10016

I Just Want To Eat! 4/12/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/12/19

Choc O Pain in Jersey City

As I had to be in Jersey City for an early meeting, I could not miss an opportunity to go to Choc O Pain few steps from the Grove Street Path Station. Smaller than its sisters bakeries, Choc O Pain has a nice neighborhood feel, with a rusticity that gives some coziness to the whole place, an a French touch from food to music.

As I had to be in Jersey City for an early meeting, I could not miss an opportunity to go to Choc O Pain, a few steps from the Grove Street Path Station. Smaller than its sister bakeries, Choc O Pain has a nice neighborhood feel, with a rusticity that gives some coziness to the whole place, an a French touch from food to music. Menu wise, there is no surprise there, with the usual French viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissant, brioches...) and sandwiches. When we arrived, the place was empty but it filled up quickly right before 8am, not surprising considering how good this place is.. And no, I do not own any part of it: I just love it!!!

Dining room at Choc O Pain in Jersey City

Brioche au sucre at Choc O Pain in Jersey City

Bread, viennoiserie at Choc O Pain in Jersey City

Chocolate croissant at Choc O Pain in Jersey City

Enjoy (I did)!

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Choc O Pain - 530 Jersey Ave, Jersey City, NJ07302

I Just Want To Eat! 4/10/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/10/19

Hometown Bar-B-Que in Red Hook, Brooklyn

It has been a while since I wanted to try Hometown Bar-B-que in Red Hook, but I admit that going from New Jersey to Brooklyn can feel like a whole trip, especially on the weekends with all the construction in the subway. But, I saw that it was possible to go there using the ferry to the neighboring IKEA, a ferry that is free on week ends, but can be packed. So we ended up going the week end of Labor Day (yes, I know: this post is long overdue) at Pier 11 with my co worker Quentin, for what would be a phenomenal meal. 25 minutes after boarding, we approached the restaurant, noticing a nice smell as well as a small “portable” smoker on the side of the street, smoker that I guess is used in fairs like Smorgasburg. After taking a photo of the facade, we entered the place and are surprised to already see a line inside considering that it was only 5 minutes after they opened, it was Labour Day week end and I secretly hoped that people would be sleeping late, hungover from their Friday evening drunkiness. I was wrong and we waited 30 minutes on line, Jodi making sure we got a table.

Smoker near Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Dining room at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

People in line at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Bar area at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Hometown Bar-B-Que is quite big, rustic and smokey: you will surely leave with your belly full and your clothes smelling whatever wood they use for their BBQ. This is a cafeteria style restaurant with a carving station that makes you drool on the spot. Know that drinks are ordered separately at the bar. Food wise, Billy Durney, the pitmaster and co-owner, and Michael Conlon, the “pit boss”, serve a Texas style BBQ but not only: they crafted a menu that goes beyond you classic BBQ, offering for instance lamb belly, banh mi or Vietnamese chicken wings. There is unfortunately no sampler, but you can order by the half pound that will not spare you from ordering too much if like me you get crazy in this type of joint and...always order too much!

Here is what we had:

For drinks, I had a root beer and Jodi a ginger ale. They also have beers, but as we were going to a whiskey tasting later, I passed...

Root beer at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Lamb belly: if you like lamb, you will surely like it, although the amount of fat is pretty impressive as dripping from the meat and creating a not so appetizing coating once it becomes a jelly...Otherwise, it is very good, especially if you get some of the burnt ends.

Lamb belly at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Baby back ribs: I admit that I did not expect such a big size and thought these were small ribs...They were superb: falling off the bone, nicely charred and barely no fat.

Baby back ribs at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Thick cut pastrami bacon: we fortunately ordered only one slice instead of 1/2 lb considering all the food we had. But it was so good that I regretted not having more. This is one of the best I had.

Thick cut of bacon at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Hot Vietnamese wings: you get 3 for $9 and these are whole wings, not just the small chicken wings you sometimes get in restaurants. With their beautiful orange color, they were delightfully sticky, but not hot, slightly crunchy and sweet. But not hot at all. The chicken was perfectly cooked, being moist.

Hot Vietnamese wings at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Brisket: the brisket was perfect. It was tender, juicy and had a nice char on the outset. In fact, when they put it on the board, just looking at that beautiful piece of meat, I was literally drooling and noticed that many people ordered the brisket sandwich that looked amazing. It was very good, but I admit that the brisket at Fette Sau is even better, a bold statement considering how good the one at Hometown is.

Brisket at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Homemade Italian sausage: delicious, the casing was not too hard and it was not over seasoned. I often find that homemade sausages in BBQ joints have too much fennel in it. It was not the case.

Homemade Italian sausage at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Now you probably wonder what Jodi ate. Being a vegetarian, a BBQ place might not be the best choice for her. Well, she was fine with sides and got the Mac and cheese that was quite creamy and the corn bread that was succulent, deliciously sweet.

Corn bread at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

Mac and cheese at Hometown Bar-B-Que in Brooklyn

We skipped dessert as we planned to go to Ample Hills Creamery, but it is another story...

I was so glad I tried Hometown Bar-B-Que: it went beyond my expectations and I understand now why people think this is the best in New York. It is a bit out the beaten path, but going there makes it a nice experience that you will not regret.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Hometown Bar-B-Que - 454 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

I Just Want To Eat! 4/8/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/8/19

Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

I often crave Italian food, especially pasta, and was glad to discover Aunt Jake’s Wine Bar and Pasta Lab in Greenwich Village. I am sure we passed in front of it several times, unnoticed, until I found it on Opentable. Crowded for a Wednesday evening, a reservation was needed and people without one were turned away. We sat at a table, but I admit that my eyes keep looking at the counter where one guy kept making pasta over and over, wondering if he would not get bored at some point. Yes, they propose fresh pasta at Aunt Jake’s and I like the fact that you can make your own dish, choosing first the pasta (fettuccine, tagliatelle, cavatelli or rigatoni to name a few), and then the sauce to pair it with (marinara, arrabbiata, meatballs, all vodka, etc.), making each visit different. Of course, you can pick a specialty dish like I did: I opted for the squid ink fettuccine all vongole, a fusion of two of my favorites: squid ink pasta and all vongole that is clams in a white wine sauce. Although I would have preferred the pasta al dente (they probably cooked it 1 minute longer than what I would have liked), it was a succulent dish: with lots of medium size clams, the sauce was delicious; so was the pasta. Jodi chose the fettuccine with marinara sauce that was also quite good.

Fettuccine marinara at Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

Squid ink fettuccine alle vongole at Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

We could not not try an appetizer that was served with their homemade garlic breadsticks (ask for it: it is very good). Our choice was the burrata “stracciatella” that was served like a big bruschetta made with a rustic bread, topped with cheese, roasted tomato and a basil tapenade. Not your regular burrata for sure, but still good If like me you like cheese.

Breadsticks at Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

Burrata at Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

I should mention their cocktails: they have few like the thunderbird I tried, made with scotch, lemon and jalapeño for some spiciness, or you can build your own by choosing a spirit, then a flavor profile (sour, bitter, sweet or spicy) and an ingredient (fruit, produce or syrup): they will do the rest. Playful, you may endup with a nice creation!

Thunderbird cocktail at Aunt Jake's Wine Bar and Pasta Lab

We skipped dessert as we were full and thinking that we would have to go back, the food being very good and the service on point despite the crowd. If you are craving fresh pasta, Aunt Jake’s is the place to go to, but do not forget to reserve your table: you will not regret it! I should mention the pasta lab: they give classes if you want to know how to make pasta. For $35 including eating the pasta, they propose a good deal.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Aunt Jake’s Wine Bar and Pasta Lab - 47 W 8th St, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 4/3/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/3/19

Dozzino, pizza in Hoboken, NJ

Located off the beaten path, Dozzino serves pizza cooked in a wood fire oven with rustic decor and a relaxed atmosphere. It is one of my colleagues who recommended this place and told me that it is packed on week ends, but going during the week right after they open is perfect for some quiet time. The pizza itself is not that big, probably enough for one person, but perfect to share, with a nice mix between vegetarian and non-vegetarian. The crust is crispy and not floppy in the center, with the outer part being puffed up and nicely charred. La Pizza is their classic, made with fior di latte that they make in house from curd from Caputo Brothers Creamery, tomato and basil. But I admit that the tomato sauce seems straight from a can, not as good as the one at Uptown Pizza that is succulent, especially on the Sicilian pizza that is my favorite. The Supercheese, made with fior di latte, pecorino romano, fontina and “artisanal cheeses” is also good, but I admit that I was expecting more cheese like maybe a blue. Same here: good but I got better for 4 cheese or cheese pizza like the burrata pizza at Annabelle in Hell’s Kitchen.

Supercheese pizza at Dozzino in Hoboken, NJ

Beverage wise, they do their own lemon drink and also offer an Italian coke.

So Dozzino was good but not exceptional for me. For pizza, besides slices, I would more go to Zero Otto Uno or the famous Grimaldi’s, both on Washington Street.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Dozzino - 534 Adams Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 4/1/19 I Just Want To Eat! 4/1/19

Brasserie Cognac, French restaurant Midtown Manhattan

I have been to Brasserie Cognac few times but for brunch, so it was time to try their dinner, knowing that there was one dish that I wanted to taste there: the cassoulet, a white bean stew that is up and coming in New York. Owned by a descendant of the famous writer Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Brasserie Cognac serves a delicious French fare where classic brasserie dishes are proposed like escargots (remember, the butter sauce is the best with pieces of bread, but the salad that comes with it is as if they wanted to justify a higher price) or steak frites. Their cheese soufflé that can be served an appetizer or an entree (the entree will have a salad, the same as for the escargots by the way), is very good, elevated with truffle oil. Vegetarians have few choices like the cheese platter that I always consider to be a bit of a ripoff as you get small pieces of cheese for what you pay, or the goat cheese and tomato tart that is succulent, the three main components that are the puff pastry, goat cheese and tomato working well together, in a balanced way. As far as the cassoulet is concerned, I however was quite disappointed: served at the time of this post only on Thursdays, it was pricey for the quantity and gave me the impression that it was a fusion between a boeuf bourguignon and a cassoulet, the former being more prominent. I would definitely not go to Brasserie Cognac to try this dish, rather La Sirène or Bar Boulud.

Goat cheese and tomato tart at Cognac in NYC, NY

As beverages, they have a nice selection of wine, few whiskey (no French ones though that could be a good idea), beers and spirits. If you like anise based alcoholic beverages, try the Ricard that is quite refreshing.

Dessert is quite good with a special mention to the île Flottante or Floating Island, a dessert made with egg whites that sit on top of creme anglaise (a vanilla sauce): this is a must have.

Brasserie Cognac is a great French restaurant whether for dinner or brunch: there, they truly capture the atmosphere of a French brasserie. I would just pass on the cassoulet…

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

Brasserie Cognac - 1740 Broadway, New York, NY 10019