Recipe: Homemade Burgers

Here is a quick recipe to make a burger from A to Z!

Let's start with making some amazing buns:

For 6 buns:

• 3/4 cup of lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 onces of yeast

Mix all the ingredients together until you reach a very smooth and soft dough. Add flour until the dough is not sticky anymore. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. To prepare this, I use a bread machine that is awesome and makes the bread very fluffy!

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and put them on a baking sheet with flour in the bottom so the buns do not stick to it. Let rise for another 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (I use a convection oven).

Brush the buns with egg wash (1 egg beaten - some add a little bit of water) and then cook them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the buns are golden.

For the meat, for 5 people:

I use 2 lb organic grass fed ground beef with a ratio of 80/20 fat so the burgers are juicy. I put the meat in a bowl and mix it with half a bottle of dark beer. The beer will help keeping the meat together and it will add some juiciness. No need to season the meat, not even salt.

Now here is the secret weapon: in the middle of each patty, I put a large slice of sharp cheddar! The cheese will explode in your mouth at the first bite and will keep the temperature of the meat hot for a little longer. To do it, I use a small springform pan: put a first layer of meat, then the cheese and then add a second layer of meat. Make sure you close it well so the cheese does not leak while cooking.

I then cook the meat for 15 minutes on a skillet, with no oil, flipping regularly so each side cooks. I finish by putting one large slice of cheddar on top of each patty and cover with a lid so the cheese melts evenly. Once the meat is cooked, it is time for plating!

I always toast the bread so it will give a bit of crunchiness to the burgers. You can then put any topping or sauces you like (I love to mix mayonnaise and ketchup). Et voila!

Bon Appétit!

Restaurant Review: Red Rooster (New York, NY)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy (I did)!

Restaurant Review: India On The Hudson (Hoboken, NJ)

I love Indian food: it is so diverse and tasteful! I was lucky to be able to travel to India few years back and being exposed to some great cuisine. I have retrieved these delicious flavors in the New York / New Jersey area and I always enjoy a good indian meal. 

There are many places around here for a great indian experience (avoid The Dosa Hut in Jersey City though!!!). One of my favorite is India on the Hudson, located in Hoboken. I prefer it when they serve their buffet rather than a regular dish because they have a tendency to make dishes spicy (of course you can ask, but when you forgot...). They serve their buffet for lunch (for $10) and for dinner on Tuesday and Thursday ($13). They always propose a large choice in their buffet: fruits, chicken salad, pakora (veggie fritters), three vegetarian appetizers, tandori chicken, chicken tikka masala (one of my favorite) and two specialties that vary. Of course, they give you rice and some naan bread that is delicious! You will finish, if you still have some room, with a dessert that changes regularly (my only regret is that they propose only one dessert!).

This is a good example of a buffet where quality and quantity are present! Their food is outstanding and you end up with a festival of spices and flavors in your palate, but in a good way!

In Hoboken, only two out of the three indian restaurants offer a buffet: Karma Cafe and India on the Hudson. The latter is definitely the best!

Enjoy (I did)!

All You Can Eat Mussels And Fries At BIN 14

After my post on the All You Can Eat concept, let me tell you about my last AYCE experience at Bin 14.

Every Tuesday night, Bin 14, located in Hoboken, NJ, is proposing all you can eat mussels and fries (with pecorino cheese, yum!) for $17.50. They offer four different sauces: spicy tomato, sweet tomato, garlic & white wine and Pernod and cream. My favorite is the garlic and white wine. My least favorite is sweet tomato because it is missing some texture and is a little bland. The mussels were perfectly cooked and I could not resist dipping the fries in the sauce...We were pressed by the time so I stopped after three servings, but trust me, I could have easily gone for a fourth one! The record is apparently eight!!!

Be aware that Tuesdays can be crazy there and if you do not have a reservation, they usually give you one hour to eat (we went over and they did not come to remind us that we had to go...). Also, they do not announce it on the menu, but on flyers, so if you are not sure, do not hesitate to ask: it is worth it!

Enjoy (I did)!

My take on the All You Can Eat Concept

All You Can Eat (AYCE) concept is interesting: most of the people will be attracted by the quantity of the food rather than the quality (when restaurants marry quality and quantity, it is awesome!). 

For the restaurateur, it is a risk based on the assumption that for most of the customers, they will still make a profit, because these same customers will not eat more than a certain quantity of the most expensive items. Look around and you will see that they always serve something that will stuff you! You need examples? Here you go:

- Churrascaria Plataforma: Brazilian BBQ. They have a salad bar, are generous on sides and always start serving cheaper meats such as...chicken...So my advice: pass on the salad bar, don't eat too much of the sides and ask for the filet mignon and ribs!

- Bin 14: all you eat mussels every Tuesdays. They serve them with French Fries that are yummy and addictive! By the way on the Upper East Side, the restaurant La Tour used to do the same: they are close now (and I am not responsible!). 

Other restaurants will serve you rice, starch or bread for example. Isn't that smart? 

So that does not mean you should avoid AYCE meals; always keep in mind that restaurateurs are not philanthropists...

NYC Restaurants Grade for dummies

If, like me, you did not know what the ABC grades that NYC restaurants must displayed are, I hope this post will help you understand. The ABC grades started in July 2010 at the initiative of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (inspired by the experiment in Los Angeles). It is a way for consumers to make a conscious choice when eating in a restaurant and force restaurant owners to maintain a certain standard. By restaurant, the Health Department, means fixed location restaurants (excluding mobile food vending units), coffee shops, night clubs for instance. Restaurants in Hospitals, primary or secondary schools, correctional facilities are for example not concerned by the program.

Grades are the results of inspections: each violation is given a number of sanitary points. The lesser, the better!

• A - 0 to 13 points (next inspection: after a year).
• B - 14 to 27 (next inspection: 5 to 7 months after re-inspection).
• C - 28 or more (next inspection: every 30 days until the restaurant improves his grade or is closed. Then, 3 to 5 months after the cycle of inspections ends).

If a restaurant gets a B or C, the restaurant owner has the opportunity to defend himself before the Health Department's Administrative Tribunal. Until then, he can chose to show the given grade or to display a "grade pending" card.

To search for the number of violation points of a restaurant, click here. Note that all restaurants should be graded by the Fall of 2011.

I don't know about you, but personally, I will only go where I see an "A" at the window!

A trip to Chelsea Market!

The last episode of the Next Food Network Star took place at Chelsea Market in New York City, where the contestants not only tasted, but had to described the food they ate there, as if it was the best thing they ever ate (inspired by another show from the Food Network). After seeing some mouth watering food, we decided to go check it out. We started with Friedman's, a restaurant that serves comfort food at reasonable prices. We tried two of their sandwiches: the pastrami reuben and the Heirloom tomato sandwich.

Let's start with the best first and probably one of the best sandwiches I ever had: the pastrami reuben. It was served with sauerkraut, swiss cheese and russian dressing on a rye bread. It was simply delicious from the first to the last bite (you need a solid appetite though!)! The rye bread was grilled and gave a nice crunchiness to the overall experience. The pastrami was moist and melted in my mouth. The second sandwich, the heirloom tomato sandwich, was made with burrata, fresh basil and drizzled with a balsamic reduction, between two pieces of ciabatta bread. It was a good sandwich: not as good as the pastrami one, but very good too and refreshing.

To help digest the reuben, we decided to have a sweet crepe at Bar Suzette. We picked the beurre et sucre (butter and sugar): it was so good that I think we inhale the crepe. It is nice to find crepes that good that far from my country of origin (I am not talking about the nasty ones they serve at the street fairs!). They first prepare the crepes on a crepe maker. Once it is ready, they fold it, put a stick of butter on it and let it melt few seconds. They then spread the butter on the crepe and add the sugar. The buttery and sugary taste is to die for! 

This was definitely an awesome experience and we will go back to these restaurants to try more of their specialties (Chelsea Market has anyway so many different choices).

Enjoy (I did)!

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!!!