Cannoli time from Giorgio's bakery in Hoboken, NJ

The first time I saw a cannoli (I should probably say cannolo!) was in New York. I have to say that I did not like it at all. I guess it was not the best bakery because when I tried the ones from Giogio's in Hoboken few years after, I became addicted to it! Cannoli are sicilian pastries made of fried dough, shaped like a tube, filled with a cream that contains mainly ricotta, with a hint of cinnamon. 

Now look at the photo and imagine that you are bitting in this cannoli: the crunchiness of the shell married with the sweetness of the cream will make you want to bite again and again and again. That's why I usually get two of them!!!

But it is not only for the cannoli we go there! They have great cookies and pastries. For instance, I love the St Joseph Zeppole, that is like a chou pastry filled either with ricotta, similar to a cannoli, or with custard.

They also always have delicious cookies.

The chocolate blob cookies is always there, waiting for you and me. They also have plenty of Italian cookies made with almonds. Last time, for the first time, they had a coconut macaroon that was awesome!

If you have a sweet tooth like me, go to Giorgio's in Hoboken: he is the boss!

Enjoy (I do)!

Restaurant Review: Mother's (Baltimore, MD)

Brunch is one of my favorite meal, although I would say the same thing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks...In short, anything that concerns food. For our last meal in Baltimore, we wanted to go for  brunch. We decided to go to Mother's in Federal Hills. The restaurant is pretty big and seems to be a popular place. 

In their menu, they propose eggs, french toasts, pancakes, but also some more elaborate dishes. That is how I ended up with two sunny side eggs with shrimp over creamy grits. This was an excellent choice and the plating made it very appetizing! I like my eggs over easy and all the components worked nicely together, especially mixing the yolk, the cream (I was surprised by its lightness) and the grits.

The pancakes were good but nothing special to mention except that they served them with...potatoes...

If you are in Baltimore and are looking for a brunch place, Mother's is the place to go!!! And if you go, I suggest the shrimp dish that was amazing!

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Caesar's Den (Baltimore, MD)

This country has great Italian restaurants and we decided to go to Little Italy in Baltimore to try some good food. We did not pick any restaurant in advance and just walked in the streets. We ended up in Caesar's Den, a restaurant opened in the 70's. 

The restaurant was quite dark and the decoration quite "heavy". The menu had lots of choices, from typical italian to original dishes. Prices were reasonable (I always check prices against Fettuccine a la Vongole or Fettuccine Alfredo). I tried their shrimp in cream sauce over black linguine and the large bow-ties pasta with wild porcini mushrooms, cheese and light cream. I doubt that the pasta were homemade. They cooked them well, not al dente though, and the two dishes were slightly too salty. In both cases, the cream sauce was very good. We ended up with large plates, so we passed on the dessert...(I know, incredible!).

Overall, it was an ok restaurant. I would be back to Little Italy, I would probably try another one...Anyway, it seems that the owners would like to retire and are looking for somebody to take over.

Enjoy (he)!

Restaurant Review: Castle Bay Irish Pub (Annapolis, MD)

During our trip to Annapolis, we were looking for a restaurant close to the Harbor. I was in my quest for seafood! So, we ended up in...an Irish Pub! It is not what one would have imagined for a seafood place but hey, their menu had crab, shrimp...Needless to say that if you want typical Irish cuisine, they serve what you need!

I first started with the cream of crab soup to see if they made it similar to Obryki's in Baltimore (see review). In fact it was far better! You could really feel the crab and the texture of the cream was more appetizing. I then had 1/2 lb fresh shrimp lightly steamed with chef's spices, served with cocktail sauce and drawn butter. The cocktail sauce was nowhere to be found, but I did not care much as I had the butter. Although it was missing some seasoning, I really enjoyed it and the shrimp were delicious and cooked to perfection.

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: Obrycki's Crab House (Baltimore, MD)

One of my favorite shows is Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. Each time we go somewhere, we check if Adam Richman, the host, went there and check out the restaurants he tried. We saw the episode in Baltimore, MD and decided to go to Obrycki's, a crab house located in Fells Point (you can watch the video here or watch it on TV on August 12, 2011 at 3pm), but also at the Baltimore and Cleveland airports. 

The restaurant is nice, although the fact that a cop was in front of it all night long made us wonder where we were going!!! The service was very good and the wait staff kept checking on us that is always appreciated (to a certain point of course!).

They have a wonderful menu for seafood lovers with crab, shrimp, mussels....One of their main "attraction" is the hard shell blue crabs: they will simply put them directly on the table and provide you with a crab mallet to break the shell. I have to admit that the experience seems to be fun but probably for few of them; after the fun is gone and it seems to be frustrating. So, I decided to try three different specialties: the cream of crab soup, the crab cake and the seasoned snow crab with drawn butter. The cream of soup was good but extremely thick (the consistency of a pudding) and the crab cake was so so (too much bread crumbs). The snow crab however was delicious and perfectly cooked (overcooked seafood is quite bad). I also tried the tuna that was grilled (you can choose blackened otherwise): I am not a fan of all the way cooked tuna and prefer pan seared.

To digest (what?), we tried the bread pudding: not that great either (too heavy and dry). 

Overall, it was not an unbelievable meal but I enjoyed it. If you have the chance to go, try it! Be aware though that the location in Fells Point will close beginning of November so if you want to try, you will have to go to the airport.

Enjoy (I kind of did)!

Man v. Food Nation: Milwaukee!

If you are planning a trip to Milwaukee (I do), check this out! it will be aired at 9pm Eastern time on the Travel Channel today!

Restaurant Week - A Steakhouse put to the test!

We all have theories. I have two concerning Steaks:

1 - Do not order steaks if not at a Steakhouse.

2 - Avoid Steakhouses during Restaurant Week.

Let me elaborate on the second theory: I will not deny that Restaurant Week is a perfect way for Restaurant owners to promote their establishment. But I think there are two kinds of owners: those who hope to have people discover their restaurant (and therefore will come back) by serving an outstanding meal at a discount price, and those who just take this opportunity to make money considering only the number of people who will come rather than the number of people who will come back. In the first category, I remember Fig & Olive. In the second category, I was mainly disappointed by Steakhouses: Steak Frites or The Palm are good examples of first time / last time.

So we decided to do a test with Dino and Harry's in Hoboken. Dino and Harry's is one of my favorite Steakhouses and each time we went there, we had a delicious meal. So we put it to the test tonight. The restaurant proposed a 3 courses prix-fixe dinner for $35. For appetizers, we picked Pea soup and calamari salad. For entree, petite filet mignon with sauteed mushrooms and for dessert, a sticky toffee pudding and an almond flan. 

First of all, the quantities were same as usual. The appetizers were very good: the pea soup was creamy and they used pancetta or lardons to add some smokiness that was a nice touch. The calamari salad was very good too, well dressed, with a decent quantity of calamari. The dessert were delicious, although the flan was a little too dense. Now let's talk about the petite filet: the quality of the meat was different than usual. Let's face it, lower. This was a big disappointment and confirmed my theory about Steakhouses and Restaurant week. So, if you have to try Dino and Harry's, I suggest you avoid Restaurant Week, because this Steakhouse is worth it!

Enjoy (I did not...this time)!

Restaurant Review: The Abbey Burger Bistro (Baltimore, MD)

Now let me tell you: I wish the Abbey Burger Bistro was in NYC!!! They serve one of the best burgers I ever had! I cannot tell you what else is on the menu as we came especially for it. The way it works is that you create your own burger: you pick the meat (beef, lamb, bison, Ostrich, chicken, turkey...), the bread (bun, muffin, pretzel bread...), cheese (american, swiss, ...), the toppings and sauces (both quite diverse and original). I picked a lamb burger and also tried the beef burger. The meat was so good: perfectly cooked (medium), very tasty and juicy, but not to the point where it becomes messy to eat (an issue with 5 Napkins Burgers)! As sides, they offer chips, onion rings (slightly greasy) and fries. 

If you go to Baltimore, I definitely recommend this place!

Enjoy (I did)!

Milk Shake at Kilwin's!

With this hot weather, thank God we got Ice cream and Milk Shakes! We were in Annapolis this week end and the temperature was so hot, that I really needed to...hydrate... We found a Kilwin's store. We first started with a sample of their triple chocolate fudge: delicious! I then ended up having a praline butter pecan milk shake. I usually choose vanilla milk shakes, but this time, it was too tempting as it is rare to find praline flavor. It started very well when I saw the person put three huge scoops of ice cream in the cup. The milk shake was thick and vary tasty. The only regret I have is that the straw was a regular straw and pecans got stuck from time to time in it. This was one of the best milk shakes I ever had!

My wife got the toasted coconut ice cream and she loved it!

Too bad Kilwin's is not in New York!

Scrambled Eggs!!!

Why can't restaurant cook eggs properly? I hate when they overcook them: they are all dry and lose their taste! There are so many different ways of cooking eggs: omelet, boiled, scrambled, Benedict, poached...Today, let's talk about scrambled eggs.

The origin of scrambled eggs goes back far far away, in Ancient Roman. Eggs will be whisked and mixed with vegetables and spices before being baked. Was it similar to what we know today as scrambled eggs or to an omelet? Difficult to say! The ingredients you mix the eggs with depend on the culture, region or country. For instance, in Nigeria, they will make them spicy with tomatoes, herbs and chillies. In Morocco, with tomatoes, onions and cumin.

Did you know that the song "Yesterday" from the Beatles was at the beginning called "Scrambled Eggs" ("Scrambled Eggs/Oh, my baby how I love your legs" was the first verse)? This was at the time John Lennon and Paul McCartney were writing using the method of the substitute lyrics.

So, now let me tell you how I prepare them: I usually whisk them with salt and pepper and then scramble them in a pan, while adding milk. I like to cook then slightly runny after making sure the milk has been fully integrated with the eggs: they will be moist and smooth. I will eat them with a piece of buttered toast. Yum!

Enjoy (I do)!

Food everywhere? Come on!

Seen at Dick Blick (Art store) today: Burger and Fries ear buds. Who would use that???
By the way, if you are interested, you can find them on Amazon: Hamburger and Fries Earbuds

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

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

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

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

Etiquette 101 - Wine

Wine is definitely a good complement to a delicious meal. Whether you drink it in a restaurant or somebody's home, there are different rules (I am just giving them: that does not mean I apply them!):

• If somebody brings wine, you are supposed to open the bottle and drink it with them. The only exception is if your guest ask you to keep the bottle for another occasion.
• You might be in presence of two or three glasses at the table: the biggest one is for water (normally on the left), the middle one for red and the smallest one for white.
• Before every sip, clean your lips so your glass remains clean during the entire meal.
• If you do not want to drink wine, do not put your end on top of the glass. Just say "No wine for me, thanks" (not literally: you understand what I mean). If you do not want more wine, stop drinking and leave some of it in your glass. Wine is not for hydration: water is!
• Some say that wine should only be served after the soup or the potage if part of the menu.
• At a restaurant, aways make sure that the wine you pick satisfies everybody's taste. Otherwise, wine by the glass might be the solution...
• After choosing a bottle of wine at the restaurant, always check the label to make sure that the waiter or sommelier gave you the correct wine. I went to a restaurant few years ago and ended up with a $300 bottle (I did not pay for it). When you taste the wine, if you do not like it, send it back gently, especially if it is an expensive one. If it tastes like cork, definitely send it back! The cork will be placed next to you not to play with it or bring it as a souvenir, but rather to check if you see some mold or if it is too dry.

Last, if you are serving wine, make sure it is at the correct temperature. As a guideline:

                 

                 Fahrenheit          Celsius

Red            57 to 68              13 to 20

White         48 to 58              9 to 14

Rose           48 to 54              9 to 12

Sparkling    42 to 54              6 to 12

Conclusion: with all these rules, I am not surprised that so many people drink soda!!!

Restaurant Review - Good Eats (Woodbridge, NJ)

Oh Boy! I should have worn my stretch pants the day I went to Good Eats!!! This restaurant is pretty good and the portions are quite...big. Good Eats is a Tex-Mex and Cajun restaurant (interesting combination) that serves traditional Tex-Mex dishes such as fajitas, tacos, etc...and traditional Cajun cuisine such as crawfish etouffee, Jambalaya or blackened fish. I went for lunch and the restaurant was full; apparently, on the week end, it is packed and you need to be patient to have a table. The atmosphere in the restaurant reminds me John Wayne's movies, but, fortunately, my meal did not end up in a fight. 

I had the chance of trying different dishes (now you will understand my first comment): I chose the chicken taco and cheese enchilada combination plater and picked jambalaya instead of rice & beans (great that they give the choice). I also asked for guacamole (good) and sour cream (extra). The chicken taco (soft taco shell) was ok: I wish they put some cheese in it. The cheese enchilada however was delicious: they were very very generous with the cheese! The Jambalaya was quite good and was an excellent way to try some Cajun cooking at the same time. I also tried the blackened catfish that was tasty, although spicy (normal for a blackened fish). Finally, I tried the chicken from the chicken fajita and it was moist and tender. 

I would definitely go back to Good Eats and maybe next time I will try the Margaritas that are supposed to be fantastic!

Enjoy (I do)!

Restaurant Review - Bin 14 (Hoboken)

Bin 14 is one of my favorite restaurant for brunch, lunch or dinner. This wine bar opened in 2008 by Chef Anthony Pino who also owns Anthony David's in Hoboken (awesome for Eggs benedict lovers). The decor is really warm with a marble bar, red bricks walls and a brick oven. 

I like this place for different reasons:

- all dishes are small sizes, so it can be shared: not only it is a great way to try a little bit of everything, but it is also fun when dining with a group of people.

- the wine list offers a wide choice (more than 100) and they serve the wine by the glass in different quantities: 2 and 6 ounces. 

- the food is de-li-cious! They have a good variety of cheeses, brushetta, pizza (the truffle and creamy taleggio cheese is terrific) and small plates, such as meatballs in marinara sauce, arancini made with fresh mozzarella and warm tomato salsa (2nd photo), truffle fries with Romano cheese and black pepper (addictive), the sauteed shrimp with lardons and grits (3rd photo) or the mushrooms and truffle oil risotto. Try also the pasta that are made daily. One of their best brunch dish is the Goat cheese and mushrooms omelet (they are generous on the cheese - 1st photo). 

The only negative about Bin 14 is that there are no desserts, except if you go for brunch and try their zeppoles. 

Bin 14 organizes different wine events that teach the basics but also focus on specific topics such as Italian white wine. On Tuesdays, they propose for $19 all you can eat mussels and fries. The record is apparently owned by a woman: 8 servings. I have to say that after a slice of pizza and a brushetta, I could only eat 3...but I do not desperate to try to beat that record!

Last, they have a kid menu for brunch and kids under 8 eat for free!

Enjoy (I do)!

Etiquette 101 - The Art of Eating Soup

Some people always wonder how to behave at the table. There are extreme, moderate and relaxed rules and these good manners should not prevent you from enjoying your time at the table. What is interesting is that some of these rules can apply at home, when being a host/hostess or invitee, but they do not apply in a restaurant.

Let's start with Soup: first, be aware that the spoon for the soup must be placed on the right side of the plate. There are two ways of eating soup with the spoon: from the end of the spoon (French way) or from the side (British); in all cases, do not put the entire spoon in your mouth and do not make any sound (slurp!!!)... If the soup is too hot, you are not supposed to blow on it; instead, eat the soup from the sides of the plate. When finishing your soup: do not try to get the last drops of the soup by inclining the plate or using a piece of bread. 

When you are finished, leave the spoon in the plate: do not put it on the table!

Recipe: Pasta with Walnut Sauce

If you like nuts, here is a very easy recipe for a pasta sauce that will serve two persons. In this recipe, Walnuts can be replaced by unsalted peanuts.

In a bowl, grind a 1 - 1 1/2 cup of walnuts. To grind them, I am using a coffee grinder. Add a teaspoon of minced garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of parsley, season with salt and add 4 generous spoons of sour cream. Mix all the ingredients and it is done! I suggest you heat the sauce for one minute in the microwave before serving. Isn't this easy?

Enjoy (I do)!

The $5000 burger!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy (I do)

Restaurant review - Remi (NYC)

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy (I do)!

Restaurant review - Bobo (NYC)

Salt and Pepper at Bobo in NYC, New York

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

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

Blueberry muffin at Bobo in NYC, New York

Cherries at Bobo in NYC, New York

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

French toast at Bobo in NYC, New York

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

Crab cakes benedict at Bobo in NYC, New York

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

Enjoy (I did)!

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