Sol Caribe in Hoboken - My advice: improve your cooking!

Sol Caribe in Hoboken is a latin fusion restaurant that opened recently, replacing Harvest Cuisine. It is located Midtown Hoboken, so it is not a bad location to attract dinners. The restaurant has been fully renovated with bamboo everywhere and a Caribbean feel. Each time we passed in front of it, we did not see that many people though. So I got curious. I can tell you that when we entered, they jumped on us! They are probably dying to have customers, but I suggest they make some changes, otherwise it is not going to happen. Yes, the food was not that great. The way they set it up is the following: you can order a la carte or have the all day special for $7.99. It is comprised of: rice (Morro or yellow), meat (chicken, pork or beef) or fish, plantains or yuca, soup or salad. All of this is prepared buffet style.

We first started with a cheese empanada. I really liked it: there was enough cheese and it was not too greasy.

Then, we went for the $7.99 menu: we chose the morro rice (made with rice and black beans), chicken and skirt steak with fried vegetables, maduros (plantains) and Caribbean salad.

I did not care about the salad: it was made with potatoes, beans and corn with a pink dressing that I guess was made of yoghurt. It was bland!
The rice was dry: they should have prepared the rice with some black bean sauce so it does not dry out as fast.

The skirt steak was like eating my shoe! I did not even finish it! This is very rare as would people who know me say.

The only things I liked were the chicken (just a drumstick) and the maduros. I also had a batido of banana (Latin American handmade blended beverage similar to smoothies, made with milk, fruit, and usually ice) that was very delicious.

The food is definitely not good, even for the price! We ended up spending as much as what we spent at La Isla, where we would have had a better quality meal!

Hopefully, they will improve, otherwise, I am not sure how they will be able to stay opened! There are so many good restaurants in the area, that you have to serve decent food and Sol Caribe failed to do it!

No enjoy this time!

Urban Spice - Indian buffet in Iselin, New Jersey

This week, with my colleagues, we decided to eat at Urban Spice, an Indian restaurant located in Iselin.  We went there few times and my friends of Indian origin consider it very good. We always go for their lunch buffet: good price and good food!

The restaurant is pretty nice and I was impressed by the two wooden doors located behind the buffet. The service has always been good and efficient.

The buffet varies and is always composed of:

- a soup

- some vegetarian entrees

- some meat entrees

- a dessert (why only one???)

They also bring some naan at the table.

This time, for the buffet, we got:

Vegetarian Pakora: 

Assorted vegetables dipped in a seasoned gram flour batter that is then deep fried.

Gram flour is a cereale flour made of chickpea also called chickpea flour or garbanzo flour. It is used in vegan cooking to replace eggs.

The pakora were good and not greasy at all.

Dal Makhni:

Black lentils slow cooked, finished with butter and cream.

One of my favorites!!! 

Kadai Paneer:

Cottage cheese sauteed with a julienne of tomatoes, onions and bell peppers.

This was delicious! Creamy and very tasty.

Methi Corn:

Methi is in hindi fenugreek. 

I unfortunately could not find how they made this dish. Too bad, because it was very good! I guess they are using sweet corn, because it had a nice sweetness to it!

Malai Kebab:

I am not sure what spices they put with the chicken, but it was tasty and moist.

Fish Curry:

I believe it was tilapia, prepared with herbs and coconut milk. The sauce was delicious, but I did not really like the fish.

Tandoori Chicken:

Tandoori is cooked in a clay oven. This was good but I hurt my palate with a bone as they cut the drumstick probably with a meat cleaver, leaving some sharp bones. I would have kept the piece whole!

Otherwise, it was good....

The last part of the meal is the dessert! The only regret I have in this place is that they only have one! This time, it was Dubble Ka Mitha, a sort of bread and nuts (I guess cashew) dipped in sweetened milk. If you like sweet desserts, you will like this!

On top of this delicious buffet, they had different "complements" such as raita. This was definitely a feast! If you are in the area, Urban Spice is a good place to go for Indian food (there are several restaurants in the area and an Indian market by the way).

Enjoy (I did)!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Found last Sunday while eating chips!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ok, I will not write a cheesy post about Love! But, just remember that is a great day for good food. Although you cannot forget as most of the stores and restaurants start to advertise about it right after the New Year! I usually do not go to restaurants and cook a nice dinner with my lovely wife, as I found that usually, restaurants tend to sacrifice quality over price. But whatever you do, enjoy! I will!

Side note for my nephew Valentin: bonne fete!

Pastrami Reuben and cheesecake at Junior's in New York!

Who doesn't know Junior's? Well, I did not know it until, few years ago, my cousin Sandrine who came in New York for a visit, told me that she absolutely needed to go there. I remember that, at the time, the only cheesecake I tried were in various restaurants and I was just ok with that dessert. After going to Junior's, I was addicted!

What is Junior's? It all started in 1929, when the Rosen family opened a diner in Brooklyn. It is only in 1950, that they decided to change the name to Junior's, apparently referring to Rosen's two sons, Marvin and Walter. What I discovered is that in 1982, Governor Mario Cuomo declared May 27th Junior's restaurant day! I love this type of celebration!
I never went to the restaurant in Brooklyn or Grand Central, but I am sure the food is as good. I always went to the one in Time Square: it is like a beehive! Always crowded! Although, at the top of the Financial crisis in 2008, Junior saw a decrease in its number of customers and had to layoff 7 staff members. Based on what I saw yesterday, I guess they are doing well now!

I go to Junior's for two reasons: the deli and the cheesecake! I think that with Katz's, Carnegie Deli and 2nd Avenue Deli,  Junior's is at the top. They offer the traditional deli food as well as diner food. Their menu is quite big. Like any good deli, they will start by bringing pickles. I love the pickled beets!

Yesterday, we tried some classics:

Matzoh ball soup: one of the best we had. But note that the soup does not contain any vegetables like for instance at the 2nd Avenue Deli. 

Potato pancake: very good! Not overcooked, not greasy and served with a fantastic homemade apple sauce.

Pastrami Reuben: pastrami, grilled sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing (blend of mayonnaise and ketchup complemented with such additional ingredients as horseradish, pimentos, chives and spices) served in a toasted rye bread. You need a solid appetite to eat this, especially if you go for dessert after! This was awesome: the meat was very tender and the toasted rye bread and grilled sauerkraut added a bit of crunchiness to the sandwich. I love the layer of flavors between the bread, the cheese, the sauerkraut and the meat! Definitely one of my favorites!

They also have other great dishes:

• Tuna melt sandwich: they serve it open face on a big (trust me, big) English muffin. For those who do not know what it is, it is tuna salad on a piece of bread with melted cheese on top.
• Pastrami or salami sandwiches: classics!
• Grilled cheese made with thick Challah bread.
• Chopped liver served with lettuce and onions.

I also tried their roasted chicken, but did not really like it.

Some of the dishes are served with fries: know that these fries are thick cut (I prefer the thin and crispy ones!).

Yesterday, we saw some Mac & Cheese at the next table: they looked good...Maybe for the next time!

So, now, let's talk about dessert and of course the famous cheesecake! Yesterday, they had a special: red velvet cheesecake. As I already know the traditional one, I decided to try the special. It was made of several layers: cream cheese frosting, red velvet cake and traditional cheesecake. It was very good, not too sweet and kind of light (yeah, right). But my heart goes to the traditional one: dense and tasty.

Of course, they are smart: if you do not have time to eat at the restaurant, they have a place for take out. You can also order online...

Junior's is definitely a great place to go for deli and cheesecake, with good quality food that is not always easy to find when you are too close to Time Square!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you have any question, story or comment on Junior's, enter a comment below!

Poor Service at Napoli's pizza in Hoboken!

Imagine: we went to Napoli's pizza in Hoboken, New Jersey today and there was barely anybody in the restaurant: a table who already ordered and got their food, and us. First, we arrive and although they see us, they do not come to seat us. So we decide to seat at a table close to the windows. Couple of minutes later, they realize we are there and bring us the menu. They do not ask at this point if we would like anything to drink. Then, seeing that nobody is taking care of us, I go to the counter and the cook tells me that somebody will take care of us; he then calls the waiter. Five minutes later, still nobody asking for our order, although there were 4 people behind the counter. We decided to leave at that point and it is only then that they decide to ask us if we are ready to order. Yeah right! And then the pizza will take two hours to come???

We ended up at Benny Tudino's and had a great slice and a nice and efficient service! Look at the size of this pizza compared to the fork!

Seriously, with all the pizzeria in Hoboken, owners should make sure their restaurant treats customers properly!

Enjoy (I sure did...at Benny Tudino's)!

Restaurant review- The Pink Tea Cup (NYC) - CLOSED!!!

Update February 11th 2012:
Apparently this restaurant closed! Well, I am wondering if the high prices and so so service mentioned in my post caused their demised!


The Pink Tea Cup is a restaurant located in the village that serves soul food. The decor was very nice with a lot of pink (surprising!) and a large communal table in the middle of the main room. The ambiance was ok, although the live band they advertise was not there! There is a good choice of food from typical brunch (oatmeal, pancakes) to soul food (grits, chicken and waffles...).

At the beginning, they bring you biscuits: they were delicious! I then had a chicken and Waffle. The waffle was good but not outstanding and the chicken was cooked perfectly and not greasy. However, they give you only one piece of chicken and for $17, I was surprised. The service was so so. Was it a bad day? Maybe...

New on I Just Want To Eat!

A new page has been added to I Just Want To Eat! It is the Pick Of The Month. On a Monthly basis, I will suggest a place I really liked and if you go there, leave me a comment to tell us all if you liked it! 

Enjoy (we all will)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Tang Pavillion in New York, New York

Tang Pavillion is a chinese restaurant located outside of Chinatown, Midtown. The cuisine is supposed to be from Shanghai and Soo Chow provinces. But, normally, Shanghai cuisine is spicy and Tang Pavillion is not. So is it a true good Chinese restaurant? Well, each time I went, I saw a lot of Asian people eating there: this is a sign that the cuisine is authentic. They probably make it less or not spicy to satisfy a greater number of customers. 

The atmosphere in the restaurant differs if you go for lunch during the week, for dinner or during the week end. During the week, it is a madhouse! So, what people take as rudeness, is efficiency (note that all the staff says "Hello" when we enter the restaurant and get seated)! Think about it: the rent for a restaurant in Midtown must be high; the prices, although not cheap (I would lower them by 10%), are still low for the area, so they need a high turnover. Hence the food coming quickly and the fast service.

Concerning the decor, there is nothing that wow me. The main room is in the back and there are no windows, increasing the sense of busyness at lunch time! Not the best place for a romantic dinner.

When seated, you can get some tea (free) and they bring you some appetizers: peanuts and pickles.

I always ask for pickled turnips: crunchy and tasty.

Concerning the food, I tasted several dishes there:

I love the duck with black bean sauce: the meat is well cooked and the sauce delicious! They serve it with peppers and onions. A bit salty though. 

The chicken with cashew nuts is also very good and the meat is usually moist.

The shrimp with vegetables are for those who think it is a healthy dish. Not my favorite. I think it might need more seasoning.

I also tried their chicken pan fried noodles: awesome! At least they put some noodles if you see what I mean Ollies!!! The General Tso is also delicious with a choice of chicken or shrimp. It is not too spicy, but has enough kick! 

One time I went for their dim sum: I loved it. I do not like when the shell is too thick; theirs is perfectly made.

Last, for dessert, they always bring a fortune cookie and fruits. Nice attention that helps clean your palate!

Tang Pavillion is definitely one of my favorite Chinese restaurants (with the Peking Duck House) outside of Chinatown. Don't get fooled if you get rushed: the food is great!

Enjoy (I did)!

First Ethiopian restaurant at Meske in New York, New York!

The name of this restaurant was Meskerem and is now Meske, although even the menu mentions the old name....Meskerem is the first month of the Ethiopian calendar (so equivalent to January).

Ethiopian food was a first for me! My cousin Jessica loves it and talked few times about it so we decided to give it a try! I am not familiar at all with Ethiopian cuisine and just heard about it in different occasions:

• First was in When Harry met Sally (1989) with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Billy Crystal who plays Harry Burns says: We're talking dream date compared to my horror. It started out fine, she's a very nice person, and we're sitting and we're talking at this Ethiopian restaurant that she wanted to go to. And I was making jokes, you know like, "Hey I didn't know that they had food in Ethiopia? This will be a quick meal. I'll order two empty plates and we can leave." Yeah, nothing from her not even a smile. 
• Then in Along Came Polly (2004) with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. The scene at the Ethiopian restaurant with the spicy food is hysterical! I tried to find if it was a restaurant in NYC, but could not find any solid information about it. I have to say, I thought about that scene before going, not because I was scared it would happen to me, but because I love it!
• Chef Marcus Samuelson showcased traditional Ethiopian dishes in Top Chef Masters on Bravo TV. This was a bold move considering how different the flavors were compared to the other Chefs' dishes! For those who do not know, Marcus Samuelson is originally from Ethiopia and has been adopted by the Samuelsons, a couple from Sweden, when he was a child. He is today a very renowned Chef.

So we go to Meske for lunch: when you enter, you immediately notice the smell of incense. The decor is simple with bricks on and behind the bar and some traditional art on the walls. The service was courteous, attentive and efficient. 

We decided to go with combination platters. I think they are very smart to propose that because if you only try one dish and do not like it, you may think that all the food is not good. 

Combination dishes were served on an Ethiopian bread, called Injera, that is like a spongy crepe. They gave us two more. In fact you eat with your hands, using the bread to take the food from the plate to your mouth. There is no fork, knife or spoon (you can ask for it as did the table next to us). The bread was good with the meal, but did not have that much flavor alone.

Meskerem Combo:

it is composed of three meats (from top left to top right on the photo):

• Yebeg Alecha: tender pieces of lamb marinated with butter then sauteed with ginger, garlic & curry.
• Tibs wat: prime beef cooked in a pan, then sauteed with berbere (red chili used in hot stews). 
• Gomen Besaega: a special cut of prime beef seasoned with garlic, onions and ginger, then finished with boiled collared green.

My favorite was the Tibs wat: very tasty and savory. Not hot at all. The lamb dish was kind of disappointing: it was a bad cut of lamb that was very tough. 

They also serve the meat combo with two veggie dishes (bottom left to right):

• Miser Alech: split lentils dipped with ginger, garlic, onions, olive, curry.
• Miser Wat: split lentils with ginger, garlic, onions, olive oil and finished with berbere sauce.

Both of them were really good and it was probably what I loved the most on the plate!

Vegetarian Combo:

This combination platter contained (top left to right then bottom left to right):

• Miser Alech: split lentils dipped with ginger, garlic, onions, olive, curry.
• Miser Wat: split lentils with ginger, garlic, onions, olive oil and finished with berbere sauce.
• Not sure!!!
• Broiled collar greens.
• Shro Wat: powdered and highly seasoned chickpeas in berbere sauce.
• fresh cabbage, potatoes & carrots sauteed with garlic, ginger and curry.
• fresh string beans, carrots and onions w/ tomato sauce.
• Not sure!!!

I have to say that the vegetarian combo was pretty good! 

The meal was delicious, whether I tried the meat or vegetarian combo. Each dish had its own flavor and it was a complete discovery. The lentils were supposed to be hot, but it was just a bit. When you see the plate first, you think that the quantities are small, but I can tell you that it is enough considering that you eat with the bread.

Definitely a great experience that I recommend! 

Enjoy (I did)!

Spot Dessert Bar in New York, New York - Bring me a shovel!

Just hearing the name, you want to go! A DESSERT BAR!!! I did not even need to show an id to be able to enter there.

This place is quite interesting: located on St Marks, it is easy to miss. But I can tell you that not that many people missed it: it was packed (quite noisy too)! The concept is interesting: Classic "American" desserts with an Asian twist. I put American between quotes because  a lot of desserts are from around the world such as the creme brulée or the tiramisu.

The restaurant is not that big, so be patient if you go on a week end! In term of decor, it is mainly made of wood and most of the furniture is made of repurposed material. I also noticed some kind of plastic grass here and there...

If your well placed, you will have the chance to see the staff preparing desserts (real beehive over there) and you can't keep looking at the desserts they are bringing to the tables. 

The service was efficient and courteous. Despite the fact that it was packed and they needed our table, the waiter, after we payed, proposed us some more water and started to talk to us.

Now, let's talk about the most important thing: the desserts!

Imagine that they call regular desserts Tapas. Trust me: these are no tapas but regular desserts size. They propose for a discounted price to a combination of dishes (2,3,4,5...). We went for three and picked:

The Thai Tea creme brulée, served with a flour less jasmine rice wafer and a hot thai tea. Great presentation: it was served on a slate and the orange color of both the tea and dessert were vibrant. They added a bit of playfulness by providing additional syrup and condensed milk in case people want more flavor for their tea. Although the presentation was great, I did not really like the creme brulée.

The Chocolate Green Tea Lava, served with a green tea ice cream. The cake was delicious and not as sweet as what I would have expected! I loved the first bite when you see this mixture of chocolate and green tea fall off the cake like...lava. Very nice color. However, I did not like the ice cream: it had a very bitter taste. This was, with the Tea-Ramisu, one of the items that I saw the most leaving the kitchen.

The Green Tea-Ramisu made of matcha green tea essence, green tea madeleine sponge, shaved white chocolate-green tea. Let me tell you that, like the other desserts, the presentation was outstanding! It was served in a wooden box and had an incredibly vibrant green color. The taste was to die for, not too sweet and not bitter at all despite the fact that everything was with green tea! I think I still remember the first bite! The addition of the white chocolate was a great idea as it added some flavor to the dish. This was definitely my favorite!

We also tried a Tahitian Coconut cupcake: the cake was very good and moist and the cream cheese frosting delicious. It had a perfect proportion cake / frosting. Next time, I have to try the red velvet!

At the end of the day, even if I did not like all the desserts or part of it, I would go back: Chef Kittichai is very creative and the twist he is giving to these desserts makes this place unique. They are also serving brunch, so you may see me there one day, enjoying a crepe or a waffle!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you went to this restaurant or have a question or comment about this post, do not hesitate to leave a comment!

It is February 5th!!!

Today is one of the most important day of the year! It is marked with cheers and passion. People talked about it for weeks and will talk about it again several days after. People will gather together to celebrate it, bringing food and drinks to complete the picture. Fans will wear specific T-Shirts. There might be arguments between friends about it, but at the end, they will remember their friendship. Couples will fight, but at the end, they still love each other. 

That day is:

World Nutella Day!

©Word Nutella Day

Yes, it is today and we should all celebrate! What? You do not know what Nutella is??? It is a chocolate  hazelnut spread that was created in 1944 by an Italian Pastry maker, Pietro Ferrero who is also the founder of the Ferrero Company (great chocolate products). It all started when he tried to extend his chocolate supply with Hazelnuts that he found in the Piedmont area. At first, he sold a solid product, but few years later, he made a creamy version called "Supercrema". 

The name Nutella came several years later when his son, Michele, decided to change the name and work on the composition to make a more marketable product and sell it across Europe. The first jar of Nutella left the Ferrero factory on April 20 1964. It is now sold all around the world! So, you will ask me how February 5th is World Nutella Day and not April 20th? World Nutella Day started in 2007 when an American blogger living in Italy and appreciating this delicious spread realized that there was a days for anything, except Nutella. It was a way to get fans of this delicious spread celebrate and be creative (link to recipes below).

There are different ways to eat it: the most popular is on a toast (a thick layer please!) or in crepes, with or without bananas. I also tried one time Nutella cupcakes: it was awesome. There are many, many ways to appreciate it (click here for more recipes). Now, it is true that in term of nutrition, you will never lose weight on a Nutella diet (remember what I just said: you will NEVER lose weight with Nutella)....But, it is all about appreciating in moderation (right!).

So, join me in celebrating World Nutella Day!!!

Enjoy (I did and will)!

I you love Nutella or have questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Ethiopian food in New York City

First time in an Ethiopian restaurant. Hopefully I will not have a Ben Stiller situation (Along came Polly)!!!

Las Olas, Latin and Japanese fusion in Hoboken, NJ

I guess now everybody is trying to do some kind of fusion! Japanese and Latin since to be the way to go these days. That is true that there are two completely different cuisines. I am not sure if a Pakistani / Indian or Portuguese / Brazilian fusion restaurant would have that much of a success! After Taka Taka few weeks ago, we ended up at Las Olas in Hoboken, a new restaurant that replaced the Sushi House. 

The place is nice and neat with a nice bar and sushi bar. The service was attentive and courteous, maybe too much (might have been because they just opened and were dying for clients as the place was empty). In term of prices, it is pricier than most of the Japanese restaurants in Hoboken.

We started with the appetizer: a spicy mango tuna tartare (photo 2) that is spicy tuna (from a can?) chopped with mango and served with homemade tortilla chips. I love tuna tartare, but I was kind of disappointed, because it was canned tuna and missed the freshness of a tuna tartare made with chopped fresh tuna. To give a latin flair, I would have served it with avocado or guacamole as they did at Taka Taka (not that I am comparing...). Then, I decided to go with one of my favorite roll: spicy scallop roll. They have a latin version called El Fuego (photo 1): spicy scallop and avocado served with jalapeno and two types of tobiko (fish eggs). Based on the name, I thought that I would get some spice in my mouth and would not need any wasabi. It was not spicy at all!!! Good, but not spicy! So do not call it El Fuego! It is misleading!

We also tried the Yakisoba (photo 3), stir fried soba noodles with vegetables. This was a bad choice: bland, very, very bland. Where were the veggies? There were only onions in it! 

So, at the end, I was disappointed by the meal, probably because the Japanese / Latin fusion made me expect more flavors. I do not know if it is because they just opened and are trying to fine tune their menu.

I may go back another time and try something else as their menu is appetizing. Hopefully it does not stop there...

Enjoy (I will)!

Las Olas
1319 Washington St
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 222-9991
www.lasolasushi.com

Let me know what you think about Las Olas by posting a comment!

Easy Thin Fish With Olive sauce Recipe!

I like sometimes to try few recipes easy to prepare with ingredients I like. Olives is one of them! When I prepare my Olive Oil Oven Poached Tilapia (click here for the recipe), it takes a bit of time. So I decided to do try an olive sauce with simple ingredients: olives, olive oil and garlic.

For the fish, you can use any thin fish such as tilapia or sole. 

Quantities will depend on how much olives you would like. I used manzanilla olives, pitted of course as you do not want to spend your time eating removing the pit...

First, I put some olive oil in a pan (2 tablespoons) and cook the garlic and olives together, with a hint of French tarragon and pepper. Once the garlic starts to brown, remove from the heat.

In another pan, cook the fish in olive oil. I usually cook it for approximately 7 to 9 minutes: all depends on the thickness of the piece you get. Once the fish is closed to be cooked, I add the sauce prepared before. Et voila!

You can serve this dish with mash potatoes or vegetables like corn, asparagus or brussels sprouts.

Bon appétit!

Suspenders in New York, New York - Just bar food...

We had to go to the Financial District over the week end and were looking for somewhere to grab a bite. I saw this place Suspenders, that is not that easy to find and with a weird entrance (you go one story down then open some white doors and then see the entrance)! Going there, do not expect anything than bar food, although with a Mediterranean flair. They serve dishes like grilled octopus, chicken souvlaki (that I tried) or more classic dishes like grilled cheese or sandwiches. The place was of course empty for a Saturday lunch time (do not forget it is a business area). The room is pretty big with first the bar and then the dining room. The service was courteous and efficient.

On the week end, they have a week end special that is a dish with a soda for less than $8. Of course, what they serve is smaller than the regular dish and fortunately we had an appetizer!

We chose the Mediterranean Platter: house made hummus, babaganoush, tzatziki, kalamata olives (3 of them!) and warm pita. Overall very good even if the babaganoush was lacking some eggplant.

I then tried the chicken slouvaki: a marinated chicken skewer served with tzatziki sauce and greek salad. The chicken was good, especially dipped in the tzatziki sauce. However, I could care less about the greek salad: the tomatoes were not of great quality and there was only one cube of feta!

I also tried the Grilled Cheese made with sharp cheddar cheese and fresh mozzarella grilled with crispy bacon and tomato. It was pretty decent despite the cheap processed cheese....It was also served with a greek salad, similar to the one with the chicken.

Suspenders is probably not the best restaurant in the area and seems to be more an after work gathering place. The food was ok for the price. It was this or Subway next door...

Enjoy (I barely did)!

Where is my lunch??? 10th and Willow Bar and Grill in Hoboken, NJ

We decided to go to 10th and Willow in Hoboken for Brunch. The place is nice with a warm atmosphere rendered by the wood from floor to ceiling (high). We were given the choice of sitting in the bar room on high chairs and high tables or go to the dining room in the back. We picked the bar as it had a certain charm.

The menu offers classic brunch dishes or meals you would find in tailgate such as chicken wings or burgers (build your own). We ordered French toast and Huevos Rancheros (one of my favorites). I am not sure if they prepare the food out of town, but it took more than 30 minutes to get served and I had to ask the waitress if there was a problem with the kitchen so she took care of us!!! Clearly poor service! The table next to us arrived before us and when we left, did not even have their food! I have to say that I admired their patience; the Bloody Mary may have helped them...I did some research on the internet and it seems that poor service is one of the characteristics of this place!

So, 30 minutes later, our food arrived:

First was the cinnamon raisin French Toast, served with toasted coconut butter and fresh fruits. When we asked for some more coconut butter, they were nice enough to bring a lot more, although I was a bit scared that it would take another 30 minutes! The French toast was very good: crunchy and moist. 

The coconut butter was awesome and I am not a coconut addict!

I also appreciated the fact that they served the dishes with fresh fruits: it gives an impression of a complete meal.

Then there was the Huevos Rancheros: two poached eggs in a crispy corn tortilla shell with black bean salsa puree, shredded cheddar, spicy salsa, guacamole and home fries. The price of this plate is $15 so I was very surprised when I saw the quantities they were serving. It was probably worth $12. However, I am ready to pay a good price but it has to be real good! The guacamole was good, although missing a bit of acidity; in term of quantity, it was perfect. The eggs were well poached and the tortilla crispy as advertised. But, the black bean puree should have been called "thin layer of black bean puree"! I could barely taste it! And where was the spicy salsa? It was not spicy at all. So it was kind of disappointing. For good Huevos Rancheros in Hoboken, next time I will go to La Isla!

I am not sure it is worth giving another try. Especially considering the other good restaurants in the area!

Enjoy (meh)!

If you had a similar or different experience there, let me know by posting a comment!

Great Steak at Dino Harry's in Hoboken, NJ

Yesterday we went with close friends to one of my favorite Steakhouses: Dino & Harry's in Hoboken. I love this place: great service and most importantly great food! We did not have a reservation so it was good that we went early as the place got packed later! I do not think that it is because it was Restaurant Week, although I am sure it attracted some additional crowd. Of course, we followed the rule of not getting the Restaurant Week's menu in a Steakhouse. I did the test once at Dino & Harry's and it was disappointing (to learn more, click here). 

Here is an interesting story about this restaurant in Hoboken:  it opened in 1991 in a 1800's building, under the name Frankie and Johnnie's, a family owned venture that was created in New York during the prohibition by two waiters from Philadelphia. But in 2008, a legal battle between Dino Panopoulos, Harry Panopoulos' son and their cousins forced them to rename the restaurant to be able to have the sole control. This is how Dino & Harry's (re)started.

There is definitely a certain atmosphere in this restaurant, probably thanks to the decor: tin high ceiling, tiled floor (similar to the logo of the restaurant), warm red color of the walls, cherry bar and a more than a century clock. There is also a piano near the entrance, used on Fridays and Saturdays. I regret that they only serve dinner (at the time of publishing): they would open for brunch, I am sure they would have a great burger...

Each time I went there, the service has been efficient and courteous. Concerning the food, I always had great meat there (except in the Restaurant Week's menu)! The meat is usually tender, juicy and cooked to perfection (I typically ask for medium, sometimes medium rare).

I think I have tried most of the pieces of meat they propose:

• My favorite is the porterhouse, a piece of meat taken from the short loin, with a T-shape bone that has on one side strip steak (usually the larger piece of meat) and tenderloin on the other side. They serve it with butter, so they always tilt the plate with a smaller plate when serving at the table. This is big piece of meat (for 2) and they cut it into slices so you do not have to fight with the person you ordered it with.

• Then they have the filet mignon (filet de boeuf in French) that is the smaller part of the tenderloin. This is also a very tender piece. They prepare it with mushrooms that are a nice addition. I hate to order a steak and discover that it is swimming in a disgusting sauce that overpowers the taste of the meat (yes The Palm, you know what I am talking about)! Be aware that in France, Filet Mignon will refer to pork, so you might be disappointed when they bring the plate...
• The ribeye is more fattier, still juicy and they served it with a nice char. 
• If you do not like beef, you can have lamb: their lamb chops are huge! You can get 2,3 or 4 of them. The first time I tried, I went with 3...2 was enough! They are so juicy, that when you cut them the knife will make all this delicious juice go on the plate. 

You can add a sauce for an additional cost: bearnaise, poivre (pepper) or roasted garlic aioli. The bearnaise sauce is very good and homemade. One serving is ok for two.

To go with the meat, you can order sides. This is in this restaurant that I had the Italian Mac & Cheese that I tried to recreate (recipe here)! But this time, they did not have it! What a shame! I have noticed that it comes and goes, so do not desperate if you go there: they might serve it! 

Otherwise they have the classics: mash potatoes, fries, onion rings... Yesterday, they had three cheese gnocchi: it was an amazing dish! The gnocchi were very light and the cheese sauce delicious! It was so good that we should have ordered another one!

Last is of course desserts: the menu changes regularly. Their creme brulee is perfect. They also have the Snowboken that is vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, and chocolate cake and coconut. The presentation is great: they use a glass of wine that will be completely black thanks to the fudge. 

So it was definitely a great dinner! I should probably buy a pair of pajama jeans and wear them next time I go there!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

Let me know what you think about Dino & Harry's by posting a comment!

NY ChiliFest this Sunday at Chelsea Market!!!

From 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sun. Jan. 29 at Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave

If you like Chili, it is the place to go tomorrow! But you really need to like it as you have to purchase a $55 ticket in advance, not at the door, that will give you access to a 500 feet concourse with all you can eat chili, beer and music ($45 without the beer)!

The chili will be prepared by NYC restaurants who will compete in front of a panel of judges (one of them is Michael Symon, the Iron Chef) to win the Golden Chili Mug. 

For more information, visit: http://chilifest2012.com

Enjoy and let me know your experience by posting a comment!

Ali Baba in Hoboken, NJ

This post has nothing to do with the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves! It is a restaurant located in Hoboken, NJ, that I heard whose owner is of Lebanese origin. It is one of my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in the area, with good food and good prices. The restaurant is nicely decorated and the service courteous and good.

The photos above are from their vegetarian party platter that serves 3 to 4 people. I love this platter, although I just realized that they closed to double its price(!!!): you can pick 5 different appetizers: from hummus to baba ganoush (both I believe homemade), to taboule or falafel. They always add delicious olives and peppers, and are very generous with the pita (packaged)! The falafel are small and crispy, never greasy. The taboule is typical, very tasty and fresh. A great platter if you have a party (hence its name!).

I also love their sandwiches that are served in a pita. My favorite is the tandoori chicken one. It is a bit messy to eat because of all the sauce they put, but it is so good that I do not care at all! They also serve other typical dishes like couscous or kufta (type of meat patty).

For dessert, they serve baklava: sometimes good, sometimes too dry. Not the place to go for dessert for me!

Last, if you want, you can enjoy some Hookah (instrument for smoking flavored tobacco in which the smoke is passed through a water basin before inhalation), but I cannot comment about that!

Leave me a comment to tell me if you shared the same experience or what you think about this post!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

The Old Homestead: home of the steaks and burgers!

The Old Homestead is definitely an institution: located in the famous meatpacking district in New York, it is one of the longest continually serving restaurant in the USA that opened in 1868! For me, it is one of the best Steakhouses in New York and trust me: I tried many! Their meat is of great quality, perfectly cooked and each time I went, I was never deceived! Their filet mignon is awesome, but my favorite is the ribeye: juicy with an incredible taste! I am drooling just thinking about it! However, one thing they removed from their menu is the truffled Mac & Cheese; they replaced it with a Lobster Mac & Cheese. I think it is a mistake: Mac & Cheese is a great side for a steak house, that changes from a regular mash potatoes, bland broccolis or fries. But not everybody likes seafood in it! I would have kept the truffled Mac & Cheese: it was incredibly delicious!

This restaurant otherwise is like many steakhouses: dark atmosphere with dimmed light, wood and leather for a warm and cozy feeling. They have a big cow on top of the entrance, outside, that clearly defines the place! The service is attentive and courteous.

These days, for lunch, they are serving the Burger Diamonds: a lunch menu that includes a beer or glass of wine, a caesar salad (nice portion), three sliders and tater totes. 

The three sliders were:

• Filet mignon with truffled mushrooms and an onion ring on top. 
• Kobe beef with caramelized onions and bacon. In fact, this restaurant was one of the first in America to serve Kobe beef.
• Sirloin with cheddar.

All the sliders were great: juicy, tasty and perfectly cooked (medium for me), that is difficult considering the size of the piece of meat they have to work with. They give you a very decent portion. My favorite was the sirloin: it was the juiciest of the three and the sharp cheddar was awesome! The burger bun was a brioche (not dry at all) and there was a nice proportion bread/meat. The tater totes were also delicious, not greasy and crispy. All of this served in a playful way, with on the bottom some reproduction of a newspaper and a cauldron to serve the tater totes. Last, they give you enough ketchup and mayonnaise, so you do not have to beg for more!

This restaurant remains one of my favorite steakhouses in New York!

Enjoy (I did)!