European Vacation - Part 5 - Time for something sweet (Grenoble - France)!

You cannot go in France without trying sweets! And do not go there when on diet: you would miss so much!

Here is what I think is so particular about French Pastries:

• There is a large variety and in every pastry shop (patisserie in French), you will not only find different cakes, but also the creations of the Pastry Chef that will make your experience unique.
• Pastry Chefs use real butter, not butter cream (sorry Cake Boss!). You can definitely taste the difference. 

The difficulty with pastries is that you have to be extremely careful making any change to the recipe as it can completely mess up your cake. So, chapeau to the Pastry Chefs (I would like so much to be a judge on Top Chef Just Desserts...)!

In France, it is common for people to bring pastries whenever they are invited or to serve them at the end of a meal over the week end. Here are two different experiences we had in Grenoble.

L'instant Gourmand:

So, here we are, going to a lunch. We decided to stop by a pastry shop to bring dessert: L'instant Gourmand from Thierry Court who is a Pastry Chef and Chocolatier. First, you could not miss the macarons (macaroons): there were plenty with wonderful colors (photo above). There were so many flavors that it was tough to pick: vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, salted caramel, pina colada, banana, walnut with chartreuse alcohol, thym and lemon...So we asked them to give us one of each.

I had two favorites: the hazelnut and the salted caramel. The macaron itself was perfect: crispy outside and gooey inside, not too sweet. 

Then there were the cakes:

They had two sizes: regular and small (also called gateaux de soiree). They had the classics: baba au rhum, tarte tatin, mille feuille...And some creation: le bastille, le glamour, le finger citron...

Visually, it was amazing and my stomach started growling, imagining those little pastries going down my throat...

I of course had a baba au rhum, one of my favorite pastries: it is a brioche dough soaked in sugar syrup and flavored in rum (he he!). I also tried the tarte tatin. Both were delicious. 

This is definitely a great pastry in case you are visiting Grenoble!

They have two locations:

L’instant gourmand - Chocolatier Thierry Court 

17 Avenue Jean Perrot 38100 Grenoble

or

22 Rue de La Poste 38000 Grenoble

linstant-gourmand-38.com

Bonnat Chocolatier

Bonnat is one of the most known chocolatier in Grenoble. In fact, the chocolaterie (chocolate factory) is located close by, in another city called Voiron. It is a familly business that started in 1884.

We went there during Easter so they had a bunch of Easter creations that were beautiful.

Not only Bonnat sells, like any chocolatier, their small chocolate creations, but they also sell chocolate bars that I saw couple of times in stores in the US!

But one of the best thing to have at Bonnat is their hot chocolate! 

They have different ones; my favorite is the Caracas: it is 75% cocoa with an extreme chocolate flavor. They serve it in a pitcher that is equivalent to two cups. Of course they have other hot chocolate selection and if you do not like chocolate (what?), they have other drinks!

Definitely to try!

Bonnat Chocolatier

1 Rue République  38000 Grenoble

www.bonnat-chocolatier.com

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to Eat!

European Vacation - Part 4 - Brasserie Le 1836 in Grenoble

Imagine a restaurant located in an old hotel particulier (old townhouse of grand sort) where the Chef is dedicated to quality and food inspired by nature. This is the brasserie Le 1836. In fact, there are two restaurants: The Fantin Latour located at the entrance of the townhouse, where the Museum dedicated to the painter Fantin Latour was. The restaurant is kind of fancy and gastronomical with some mouth watering tasting menu. And then the brasserie Le 1836, a more casual but still upscale restaurant whose name comes from the year Fantin Latour was born.

The restaurant is owned by Chef Stephane and his wife Lea Froidevaux.  The story of the Chef is pretty interesting: According to him, he was 5 years old when he decided to be a Chef. He spent his childhood going in the mountain with his family to pick various plants, fruits...ingredients that he used later as an inspiration for his cuisine.

We only went to the brasserie for lunch and I have to say that the restaurant was beautifully decorated and there was no doubt that nature was the inspiration considering the large presence of wood and plants. They also have a lovely garden with a fountain that is opened when the weather permits.

In term of menu, it changes depending on the market availability. We went for the 26 Euros ($35) prix fixe menu: for that price, you get an appetizer, an entree, a dessert and either a glass of wine or a bottle of mineral water. But note that there is no choice for this prix fixe, except if there is really an issue with a dish or an ingredient. Otherwise, you need to order from the menu (written on a chalk board). So, that day it was:

Pissaladiere: pizza like dish from the South of France and the Italian region of Liguria, made of a bread dough thicker than that of the classic Italian pizza and the traditional topping consists of caramelized onions, olives, garlic and anchovies (either whole or in the form of pissalat, a type of anchovy paste).

Not only the presentation was incredible, but this was delicious although the Chef made it different: the onions were not fully caramelized and a bit crunchy, giving an awesome texture to the dish. The dough was a puff pastry and there were some delicious raisins. Last, the anchovies were replaced by a sardine. It was in fact my favorite dish!

Then, we had the Quasi de veau with a peas sauce.

Again, for this dish, the presentation was amazing. The Quasi de veau is in fact a piece of veal taken from...the bottom of the animal. It is supposed to be the best part for roasting. But I have to say that I did not really like the meat. The sauce and the sides were good, but the meat was tough. Too bad. However, I loved the mash potatoes, the couscous and the peas flan (very light) that came with it.

We also tried a piece of beef that is closed to rib steak.

Imagine that it came with truffle sauce! The sauce was amazing! The beef was perfectly cooked ("a point" meaning medium) and it was a nice piece of meat. The dish came with the same sides as the veal.

Once we finished the entrees and before dessert, they gave us a non alcoholic digestive shot made of pineapple and ginger.

It was very refreshing and helped clean our palates before dessert!

So here is the best part: dessert!!!

It was a chocolate tart with praline sauce, homemade whipped cream and homemade vanilla ice cream. This was simply delicious! The chocolate tart was like a fondant (meaning dense flour less chocolate cake). So, perfect for chocolate lovers! Mixed with the whipped cream or the ice cream, it was to die for.

I definitely had a nice meal, although I did not like the veal itself. The presentation of the dishes was very elegant, at the level of a gastronomic restaurant. The whole meal really shoed the creativity of the Chef and it was a pleasure for the eyes before being a pleasure for the palate. I would definitely go back, but next time, I would like to try the other restaurant of the Chef, The Fantin Latour!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I just want to eat!

Reference:
Le 1836
5, rue Abbé de la Salle,38000 Grenoble, France

European Vacations - Part 3: cheese / Fromage

France is definitely the country of cheeses (fromages)! Imagine that there are approximately 400 different types depending on how you count them. On top of this, cheeses can be aged, giving a different texture, color and taste. I remember that few years ago, I brought my wife Jodi to the cheese section of a supermarket in France and showed her not only the large selection, but also the prices that were 2 to 3 times less than in the United States!

It is very common in a French family lunch or dinner to end with a cheese plate (do not forget the bread)! There are also lots of recipes featuring cheese: a cheese souffle is a good example.

In New York, there are few places were you can find good French cheeses: Fairway (the cheapest), Zabar and Whole Foods are the most common. Freshdirect has also a good selection. Whenever I buy cheeses for a cheese dinner (understand only eating cheese and bread - yum!), I often select:

• A bucheron: sort of log of goat cheese with a strong, but not overpowering taste. It is delicious in a salad, toasted on a piece of bread.
• A Saint Nectaire: a rustic, earthy, washed-rind cow's-milk cheese aged for weeks on wooden planks and beds of straw that give Saint-Nectaire a pronounced grassy aroma and flavor.
• A comte or cave aged gruyere that has a lingering nutty flavor. I use it also for my Mac & Cheese.
• A Saint Andre: a triple-cream that is mild, milky, sweet and buttery.

Of course, the list is non exhaustive and I like to vary based on the selection in front of me. Some people do not like the strong taste of cheese. A good way to counteract this is to either eat the cheese with butter, honey or jam. Pear jam is especially good with cheese! 

So, in Grenoble, we went to Les Alpages, one of the best fromagerie (cheese store) in town. It is owned by Bernard Mure-Ravaud who after being named the best cheese merchant in the World, was awarded the title of Maitre Ouvrier de France (MOF) in 2007. This award is unique in France and sees professionals  from different categories compete to win the title.

The store is quite big (approximately 2500 sqf) and you cannot miss the smell of all the cheeses (there are so many!). Again here: small prices compared to what we are used to! Lots of people are there to buy but also receive advices from the employees or the Master itself with his funny moustache. 

We ended up there to buy some cheeses for a fondue (dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot -caquelon- over heat, and eaten by dipping long-stemmed forks with bread into the cheese). I have to confess that I forgot what cheeses they proposed. Most of the time, it will be Comte, Beaufort and Emmental.

To make a fondue for four people (I tried to adapt with regular cheese easy to find):

• 1/2 pound of Comte cheese or aged gruyere.
• 1/2 pound of Emmental or Swiss cheese.
• 1/2 pound of Beaufort or sharp cheddar.
• 1.5 cup of dry white wine.
• A garlic clove.

Rub the inside of a 4-quart pot with the garlic, then discard. Add the wine and bring to a low simmer on medium heat. Little by little, slowly stir the cheese into the wine, constantly to prevent the cheese from seizing and balling up. Cook just until the cheese is melted and creamy.

It will be eaten by dipping cut up bread (usually old bread) in the cheese. But be careful: if your bread falls into the pot, you have dare!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Reference:

Fromagerie Les Alpages

4, rue de Strasbourg

38000 Grenoble - France

European Vacations - Part 2: The Mc Baguette - oh la la!

So, few months ago I wrote a post about the revolutionary release of the Mc Baguette in France on April 18th 2012 and here I am on vacation over there!

Yes, I promise that I did not plan the trip just for that!

Let's step back a minute to understand few things:

1. Bread is a huge thing in France. In every French restaurant, they will systematically bring you a bread basket. Boulangeries (bakeries) are everywhere and you will often see people carrying a baguette or some bread, most of the time eating the end of it on their way home.
2. Baguette is the most popular bread, but not the only one. 
3. A recent study for the Sandwich and Snack trade fair indicated that 65% of the 2 billion sandwiches eaten each year in France are made with baguette.
4. The fast food industry represented 33 billion Euros (approx. $43 billion) in France showing an increase in a country that traditionally resisted to it! Mc Donald's, present since 1979, is a big part of it.
5. Mc Donald's is already serving in its Mc Cafes macarons and bread from the Holder Group that owns Laduree and Paul bakery (chain that makes delicious bread and sandwiches)

So, while in Grenoble, I could not resist to the temptation to try the Mc Baguette. I went to one of the Mc Donald's, located cours Jean Jaures. This place used to be a gas station before being sold to the fast food chain. I have to say that they created a very nice restaurant, very modern looking as you can see on the photo below.

So here I am, an American visiting France and eating in a Mc Donald's! At least, I am sure how to pronounce what I will order. I pick the medium menu: Mc Baguette, a soda (Coke zero) and fries. Few minutes later, here it comes!

So, I take out the sandwich from the bag. No surprise at this point: it is meat, cheese, lettuce and mustard sauce on a piece of bread.

But, the meat is supposed to be of high quality from one of the best cattle (charolais). The cheese is French emmental. I cannot miss the fact that the sandwich is falling apart: ok, they rushed to do it. Then I see that the cheese is not melted. Too bad. 

I take a first bite. The bread is pretty good: it tastes fresh and crispy. The cheese is as good as an emmental can be. But the meat is awful! They would have said that it was like a big mac in a baguette, it would have been fine; but they advertised the meat! Adding to that the stale fries, this was not a great experience and I am happy that I was not planning on having this as a meal, but more as a snack, to try it.

The Mc Baguette will be served in a limited time and I am not sure it will be successful. For the meal, I paid 6.50 Euros ($9). For the same price, I can have a great sandwich from a bakery.

The last thought I had concerns the perception of burgers that French people probably have. When my family came to New York few years ago, I suggested them to go to BRGR to try a real burger: they still remember how good it was. As many people associate burgers with America, it is too bad that their only reference is the tasteless burgers served in fast food chains.

Enjoy (the post, for the sandwich, go to BLT burger...)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

European vacations - Part 1: Introduction

If you read the post of the Facebook page of I Just Want To Eat!, you know that I was in Europe recently. The primary objective of my European trips is to see my family, but also visit places in Europe where I have never been or went a long time ago. This time it was Germany. 

So the trip was divided in three cities:

• Grenoble, a city in the Southeastern part of France, near the French Alps with a population of approximately 156,000 people. It is known abroad from hosting the Winter Olympic games in 1968. Food wise, Grenoble's specialty is the walnut: you can find it in candy or cakes for instance. But, of course, you can also find in this city some amazing French food from the region and all over France. People are sometimes surprised when I tell them that there is an Italian Quarter where you can eat some great (sometimes bad also, let's be honest) pizza (pasta is not a big of a deal as sometimes people associate it to the time they had to save money for food and thus eat pasta!). This is the Saint Laurent Quarter that is one of the oldest area of the city. Grenoble is located one hour from Lyon that is for lots of people considered as the capital of French Gastronomy with famous chefs (Paul Bocuse being the most famous of all) and delightful cuisine. It is also close to Savoie and Haute Savoie that is known for raclette (cheese dish based on heating the cheese and scraping off the melted part on boiled potatoes or meat) as well as fondue (dish of melted cheese served in a communal pot -caquelon- over heat, and eaten by dipping long-stemmed forks with bread into the cheese). 

• Munich in Germany: it is the capital of the state of Bavaria and third city in Germany behind Berlin and Hamburg with 1.42 million people. This city is of course known for its sad history (Hitler's putsch, Nazi stronghold and the Dachau camp close by are just few examples), as well as lighter things: soccer with the Bayern of Munich team and beer. 
• Berlin: It is the capital of Germany with a population of 3.5 million. Here also, there is a large history. 

One of my colleagues is from Munich and before going, I asked him what I should eat in Germany. He mentioned two things: sausages (wurst) and cakes, especially the World famous apple strudel. Of course, he added beer... In both cities, we saw many tourists from all over the world: USA, Europe, Russia. 

This was a memorable trip not only for the stomach, but also for the soul. I will at least share the first one on my blog and hope to make you (when possible) salivate!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just Want To Eat!

El Cocotero restaurant in NYC, New York

El Cocotero is a great Venezuelan restaurant located in the heart of Chelsea. I went few times and they have been pretty consistent: good service and great food! This is were I discovered what arepas were (check out the recipe of arepas here)! 

We went there for lunch and had a feast!

We started with drinks:

Venezuelan lemonade made with sugar cane. Pretty good, although not the usual lemonade taste.

They also have shakes. I pick banana. The shake is quite good, not too thick.

For food, we started with the fried yuca served with guacamole and sour cream (nata).

This is a great dish! The yuca is cut like thick cut Fries and dipping in the sauce is divine. 

The cheese empanada was pretty good too although a bit tough to cut. I was also surprised when cutting through because I am used to have melting cheese. This one was made with white cheese (queso blanco).

Then we went for the arepas (cooked cornmeal pocket stuffed with various ingredients). They have a wide range of combination, whether you want an all vegetarian or some meat. 

This time, we went with the Santa Barbara, made with Guayanes cheese (white cheese) and sweet plantain. First of all, the arepa itself was real good: a bit heavy but not too much, perfectly seasoned and cooked. At first bite, you notice a caramelized taste coming from the plantains. The cheese is nice and soft. 

The second one is La Chinquinquira, made of quasacaca (Venezuelan Guacamole), guayanes cheese (white cheese), avocado and tomatoes. This is probably my favorite! Very fresh and extremely tasty with all the layers created by these ingredients.

El Cocotero has a wide range of dishes from Venezuela for those who would like to discover such cuisine and I will probably go back to try some more!

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I just want to eat!

Madison Square Eats, spring 2012 Edition! May 4th to June 1st 2012!

The Madison Square Park conservancy is hosting again this year the Madison Square Park Eats, a festival of food with several vendors like:

• Roberta’s Pizza,
• Asiadog,
• Momofuku Milk Bar,
• ilili,
• Sigmund Pretzelshop,
• Bar Suzette,
• Calexico,
• Nunu Chocolates
• Birch Coffee

They will serve food daily in the Worth Square area just west of Madison Square Park (24th and 5th Avenue).

Enjoy (I will)!

Steak'n Shake Signature in NYC, New York - Another Burger Place?

I am wondering how many burger joints New York City will need!!! Between the restaurants who try to surf on the wave of this popular dish and the chains that try to multiply like pickles, there will soon be a burger place in every corner of the City!

Well, I am not going to complain! What is funny is that in France, people associate burgers with McDonald's! Normal: burgers are not popular there, steak frites are!

The last chain I went to is Steak'n Shake Midtown. Smart people: they opened, back in January, next to the David Letterman Show!

This is not a new chain: it was founded in 1934 in Normal, Illinois. When it opened, it got some additional buzz when Danny Meyers told The New York Times in an email that Steak'n Shake inspired him to open Shake Shack. He wrote: “Spent a lot of my weekend nights as a teenager at Steak ‘n Shake (curbside service was awesome — especially after getting driver’s license at 16) and those parking lot experiences hanging out with friends were inspirational in desire to create a burger joint that would bring people together (unlike fast food which was designed to feed people pre-cooked food and get them out). I also loved how they smashed little disks of beef into delicious griddled burgers.”

So I decided to try it. First, the place is small and there are very few tables. It is also jam-packed! If you are in a hurry, this is not the place to go! I think for sunny days, it is fine because you can just grab and go, but in the Winter, it is going to be a problem.

The restaurant is pretty cool: modern decor (makes me think about a modern dinner) with very bright colors (red, yellow and blue). They even have soda machines with touch screens!

So, first you order and then they give you a buzzer so you know when your order is ready.

I decided to try The Signature burger: a 6 Oz patty made of 100% organic beef (USDA), specifically rib eye and NY strip. It is supposed to be cooked medium well (mine was medium) and topped with American cheese, onions and pickles. I also got some ketchup and mayo.

The burger was pretty good: juicy and tasty with a lot of cheese. There was also a nice ratio bun / meat.

With the burger, I got some fries. I like shoestring fries. They were crispy and slightly salted.

Last, was a vanilla milk shake.

The shake was very thick and I had to wait before being able to drink it. It had a good vanilla taste, but was a bit too sugary. They mention on the cup that the milk shakes are hand-dipped. I will be honest with you: I had no idea what they meant! Whose hand was it! In fact hand-dipped means that they do it the old fashion way, with scoops of ice cream, milk and syrup, instead of using milk shake mix.

I got all of this for close to $10. I would probably get the same price at Mc Donald's but for a much lesser quality. I though it was pretty good for the price. But still not as good as Five Guys...

If you tried it, let me know!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

The Hester Street Fair in New York City begins!

The Hester Street Fair jus started and will take place every Saturdays from April 28th to October 27th. The fair features handcrafted accessories, art, clothing and most importantly Food! 


Among the vendors, you will find:
- Pies ‘n’ Thighs (confort food)
- The macaroon parlour
- Luke’s Lobster
- Brooklyn Taco
- La Sonrisa (for empanadas)
and many more!


When: Saturdays from April 28th to October 27th - 10 am to 6pm
Where: corner of Essex and Hester street in New York City
Info: www.hesterstreetfair.com

Gobuki Korean BBQ Food Cart in NYC, New York

In the past few years, New York has seen Food Trucks and carts popping up all around. The beauty of it is that it is not just the hot dogs cooked in dirty water, but different types of cuisine, from all around the world. Some used it as a way to start a business and opened later a brick and mortar restaurant, like the Taco Truck in Hoboken. Others just opened food carts / trucks in different locations like The Hallal Guys or Yogo (Frozen yoghurt).

Of course, some people might still be worried of the sanitary conditions and when the restaurants grades were introduced in New York, some people advocated to have a similar concept for food carts and trucks. I am not really scared of trying food cart and so decided to try Gobuki.


It is a Korean BBQ Food Cart, that popped up approximately 6 months ago on the corner of 52nd and 6 avenue in New York. Their food is a typical Korean food, so do not expect any twist like Korean Tacos! Their traditional menu offers:

• Kalbi plate or sandwich: marinated beef short ribs.
• Bulgogi plate or sandwich: marinated beef rib eye.
• Spicy chicken: marinated chicken with spicy sauce.
• Stir fried noodles and vegetables.
• Udon soup: Japanese noodle soup.
• Vegetable fried dumplings.

Prices are pretty reasonable, going as low as $4 for the dumplings and as high as $8 for the Kalbi plate.

I decided to go with the bulgogi sandwich.

When I ordered it, they first steamed the bread that was kind of an amoroso bread, similar to a cheesesteak. At the same time, they heat the meat, the onion and some sauce for few minutes. Then place all of it on the bread and added a delicious sauce. When ordering, they ask if you want to have it spicy or not. I decided not. 

I really liked it: the bread was very good, although at some point the sandwich broke down because of the juiciness of the meat and onions mix. The meat was delicious, tender and there was no fat. 

My friend Bill chose to go with the bulgogi plate.

It is equivalent to the sandwich but without the bread and with some slaw and rice. He liked the meat, but said that there was not enough sauce for the rice. I guess you can ask for more sauce!

Overall, I like Gobuki Korean BBQ: the sandwich was tasty and delicious! Definitely a food cart to go back to or to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

 

Qi Bangkok Eatery - Great Thai in Times Square, NYC, New York

If you are in or near Times Square, this could be a good place to go! It is always driving me crazy to see that people are missing great restaurants in this area! There are great places on 9th Avenue and on 8th, I discovered Qi Bangkok Eatery (pronounce Chee).  The restaurant has been opened since mid 2011 by Chef Pitchet Ong (P*ONG).

At first, I did not know it was a restaurant! From the outside, it looks like a club and when you hear the loud electronic music, you would surely think you are in a club. 

The decor is beautiful: mainly white (white marble, white leather...), modern furnitures and amazing chandeliers, with a Buddha in the back of the room.

They also display holograms from the menu to the check to...the bathroom!

We started with Triple Mushroom Spring Roll: crispy spring rolls stuffed with glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and minced vegetables, served with pomegranate Asian plum sauce. It had a nice presentation and was really good: tasty, not doughy and not greasy. The plum sauce was delicious.

Then we had the Chicken Curry Massaman. I simply loved it. Very flavorful. I just would have liked less potatoes.

The Tofu Pad See Euw (Flat rice noodles stir-fried in sweet soy sauce with Chinese broccoli, broccoli and eggs) was superb! The Tofu was flavorful thanks to the spices! 

To help cool me down, I had a Thai Iced Tea that was delicious!

Qi BangKok Eatery is definitely a great Thai restaurant and with reasonable prices. I missed on the dessert as I was full, but will probably try again as Chef Pong is a Pastry Chef!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just Want To Eat!

Mexicana Mama in NYC, New York

We were walking in the West Village in New York when we saw this small colorful Mexican restaurant called Mexicana Mama. My wife already went there, but for me it was a first.

I liked the nice blue color of the walls and the tables with their tablecloth impressions full of colors. This is a small restaurant and you have a view on the also small kitchen.

The menu for lunch was made of a short list of dishes. I do not mind because sometimes, the more is on the menu the less the food is good: I prefer when the Chef or cook focusses on few items.


We started of course with some guacamole, served with fresh tortilla chips.

This was a great start! The guacamole was made fresh and was perfect. I noticed that a lot of restaurant have a tendency to over salt it. The tortilla chips were crispy and not greasy at all.

We then tried the goat cheese and avocado salad. The dressing was made with peppers: it was a nice touch. I only regret that there was not that much cheese in the salad.

The Quesadilla was delicious: it was two small corn tortillas filled with chile roasted pork. I really liked the flavors.

Last was the Tostada De Ave: chicken, fresh corn, grilled onions, and black beans tossed with a roasted red salsa. served on a fried corn tortilla and garnished with grilled panella cheese, avocado, fruit, and mexican cream. I really liked it. Mixing all the ingredients together gave this layering of distinctive delicious flavors. When reading all the ingredients, you would think that it is too much, but it works.

I liked eating at Mexicana Mama: the service was good and the food delicious. Definitely a good address in the West Village, with reasonable prices.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Brasserie 8 1/2 French Restaurant in NYC, New York

Brasserie 8 1/2 is one of my favorite upscale French restaurant in New York. The location is weird: the restaurant is located underground! If you do not know it is there, you cannot guess! To go to the main room, you will walk down an impressive staircase that will bring you to the mezzanine area where the bar is located. The decor is amazing and is featuring some artwork from Matisse and a glass sculpture from Fernand Leger. 

So we went back one Saturday night with our friends Jen and Gary. The restaurant was not that crowded that night. The service was efficient and courteous, and the atmosphere was not too stuffy.

The food served at Brasserie 8 1/2 is pretty diverse and they have great seafood. These days, they are still offering a three courses menu for $35.

So, here is what we ate!

First, after ordering, they offered is an amuse bouche. It was a salmon tartare with a refined taste.

Then, I decided to go with several appetizers instead of an entree, to try different dishes. I started with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes served with artichoke, sea beans, pommery mustard sauce. It was good but definitely not the best crab cakes I ever tried (Ruth's Chris or Del Fresco!). 

I think that when you read Jumbo Lump, you will imagine a strong crab flavor. It was not the case!

After that, I had the Clam Chowder. It was delicious! Very creamy!

The third appetizer was a risotto made with crab and bone marrow. This was great! First, the presentation on a stone board was very nice. The risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy and the crab and bone marrow added nice flavors.

I also had a taste of the Filet Mignon served with a sauce au poivre (we always ask for the sauce to be separated in case it is not good)! Although we were not in a steakhouse, the steak was very good!

For dessert, we had a white chocolate mousse with meringue. This was delicious! Light and not too sweet. Perfect to end this great dinner!

We had a good time at Brasserie 8 1/2 and the food was amazing as usual! Brasserie 8 1/2 is definitely a great restaurant Midtown New York!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

 

Baked by Melissa Cupcakes in NYC, New York

Baked by Melissa has been a cupcake sensation for the past few years. The particularity of these cupcakes is that they are bite size and paperless.  Each of them costs $1 (time of this post). They also offer the possibility of creating your own, but for this, you will need to order 300 of them!

The place was opened by Melissa Bushell and her partners, after she lost her job in advertising. Since it opened in 2009, several stores were added and Baked by Melissa has become a reference for cupcakes.

So we decided to try some of them. We picked 12 cupcakes (6 different varieties) for $10. Smartly, they put them in a box with holes to hold the cupcakes. That way, they do not dance in the box while you are walking!

We picked:

 The cinnamon cupcake: this is my favorite. Great cinnamon taste! It is made with yellow cake, cinnamon stuffing, vanilla icing and cinnamon sugar topping.

 The cookies and cream: pretty good too with a nice chocolate cookie on top. The rest of the cupcake is chocolate cake, chocolate cookie stuffing and vanilla icing.

 The chocolate chip pancake was one of my least favorites. It is made with yellow pancake, maple syrup icing and chocolate chips on top. The cake was quite dry!

 The red velvet cupcake (red velvet cake, cream cheese icing and red sugar crystal on top). It was an ok cupcake. At least the cake was moist, but there was not enough icing on top.

 The S'mores: made with chocolate cake, and stuffed with Graham cracker and fluff. The top was made of the same Graham cracker and fluff with also chocolate icing. It was pretty good.

The Tie dye, made of vanilla Tie Dye cake, vanilla icing and topped with rainbow sugar crystals. It was just ok.

So, at the end of the day, it was an ok experience: out of 6 cupcakes, I like 3 (the cookies & cream, the cinnamon and the S'mores). The cake was pretty inconsistent, sometimes moist, sometimes dry and there was clearly not enough icing. They were also quite sugary. These cupcakes are nice to try and cute to look at, but they are definitely not the best (Sweet in Hoboken is definitely the best!).

Enjoy (I half did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

 

The Drive-In Dinner at Brooklyn Brewery on April 18th!

Do not miss the Drive-In Dinner at the Brooklyn Brewery on April 18th!

This 5 courses Food Truck dinner paired with beer is organized by the Brooklyn Brewery and Edible Brooklyn (ediblemanhattan.com). For $40, you have one course at a Food Truck (Bongo Brothers Cuban Food Truck, Coolhaus, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Feed Your Hole, The Morris Truck), paired with a beer. 

Do not miss it!

The Brooklyn Brewery

79 N11 Street,Brooklyn, NY, 11249,United States

April 18, 2012 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm


More information here.

Wu Liang Ye - Authentic Chinese cuisine in NYC, New York

Wu Liang Ye in Midtown Manhattan is a family style Chinese restaurant; each plate can serve 2 people, hence, don't be surprised by the price. This place is always crowded and if you are a large party, you'd better reserve! I went there for lunch time and it was like a beehive: customers going in and out, waiters running around to satisfy the crowd.
The restaurant itself is located on the second floor of a brownstone. The weather was nice outside and it was freezing inside!

Food wise, I really liked it! But be careful: they serve authentic Szechuan cuisine that is spicy!

We had couple of dishes. The first one was Shredded chicken with spicy garlic sauce. The chicken was moist and the sauce not too spicy. Fortunately, it was not too garlic-y either!

We also tried the tangerine chicken.

It was a first for me. I really liked it. I think it is a perfect alternative to the General Tso Chicken: a bit crunchy with less fried taste. The sauce was not overpowering at all.

Then was one of my favorite dishes: the kung pao chicken.

This dish is mainly made with chili pepper and peanuts. No way to have it mild! I can tell you that it was spicy. Delicious but spicy! I love the thick sauce coming with it that baths the chicken and the veggies (onions, peppers...). Great dish!

Wu Liang Ye is a great Chinese restaurant outside of Chinatown! Definitely for you to try!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pastis restaurant in NYC, New York - Overrated!

Pastis is an anise flavored spirit that is served mixed with water. It originates in South of France. Instead of Pastis, you may also hear the names Pernod or Ricard that are derived from the name of the company Pernod Ricard who use to produce pastis.

The Pastis I am talking about is different though: it is a popular restaurant in the Meat Packing district of NYC, New York. Pastis is a French bistro opened by Keith McNally with Executive Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. These names do not ring a bell? They are the same cast as Balthazar in NYC. In fact, the bread served at Pastis comes from Balthazar. 

Having heard about it so many times, I decided to go few years back, but did not become a fan of Pastis. As the restaurant is still there and always crowded, I decided to give it another try. 

I went on a Friday, for lunch. Let me tell you: it was packed! At the entrance, they tell us that they cannot sit us right away and that we have to wait at the bar for approximately 30 minutes, until lunch is served (there were several empty tables). Interestingly enough, five minutes after we order a drink at the bar, they sit us and we wait for 20 minutes before ordering. I am kind of suspicious that they sat us at the bar so we would consume a drink. I hate this type of practices!

We decide to go for the croque monsieur and the cheese burger. The waiter warns us that the croque monsieur does not come with any side. I am a bit surprised. Ok, no side needed. The food takes a bit of time to come.

When the croque monsieur comes, several parts look burnt. That's fine, we love burnt cheese. We taste it and it is disappointing: there is not enough béchamel sauce and it is salty. Not worth the $15 it costs! I really prefer the croque monsieur at Brasserie Cognac!

When the burger came, it was promising: lots of cheese, good ratio meat / bun and a nice bun (not sure if homemade by Balthazar). Unfortunately, the meat was a bit dry. The fries are a bit overcooked. Disappointing too!

On top of this, the noise level was pretty high with loud psychedelic music playing! Only the service was good.

So my re-visit to Pastis did not meet my expectations. The food was disappointing and overpriced. I think this place gets its reputation not because of the food, but because of the sceney atmosphere. Not a recommended restaurant for me!

Enjoy (I did not)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Magnolia Bakery in NYC, New York - Average cupcakes...

I heard about Magnolia Bakery in New York City for many years but never went there. In fact, a long time ago, I went to a restaurant on top of the Bakery Midtown, restaurant that is now closed.

Cupcakes are really big here and I do not know if one day they will be as big in France. Why? Because there are so many different pastries with some many different flavors that I am not sure people would be attracted to it. However, what makes the difference is that cupcakes offer, for the same concept, a wide range of possibilities: you can make different types of cake, have some cream or fruits in it and then have an infinite choice of frosting and decoration. A Millefeuille (close to a Napoleon) is a millefeuille!

So we went to Magnolia Bakery Midtown. The place was a mad house! You can have cakes like banana cream pie or order coffee or tea besides cupcakes. Of course, most of the people will go for the cupcakes. And the scene is always the same: pick, pay and inhale!

So we went for the vanilla cupcake and the red velvet cupcake. Red velvet has to be good! If a bakery does not know how to make it, there is a big chance they do not have good cupcakes! I was wrong: the red velvet frosting was pretty good but the cake was very dry (very red too: they must have put a lot of food coloring in it). 

I preferred the vanilla one: great frosting, not too sweet and the cake was moist.

I am not sure I would go back to Magnolia Bakery but have to note two things that I liked: 

• The ratio cake / frosting was perfect. I hate when there is too much cake! The best is the frosting!
• The box to carry the cupcakes is perfect as lots of bakery just offer regular boxes and the cupcakes will roll in it.

I was not wowed by Magnolia bakery to be honest. I may have to try another time...

Enjoy (...)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

Morimoto Restaurant in NYC, New York

I am a big fan of Chef Masaharu Morimoto and try to never miss his appearances on Iron Chef America! Chef Morimoto is incredibly talented. On the show, he always comes with incredible presentations and association of food you would never think of. 

So we decided to go back to his restaurant. I have great memories of the first time I went there few years ago: I remember that I had the surf and turf that was made with fish and Kobe beef. I did not like the taste of the kobe beef but I still can talk about the dish!!! On top of that Chef Morimoto was there, making sushi!

So we went back and had another memorable dinner! I love the place: modern with an elegant decor. Not a stuffy atmosphere at all. The service was, like the previous time, perfect: courteous and efficient. 

The menu makes you drool from the first page. It offers a modern Japanese menu with some Western cuisine hints.

We started with the Nasu (eggplant in Japanese).

The eggplants were pickled. When they arrived on the table, one could not have noticed the amazing blue of the Japanese eggplant. It popped on the dish! It was the first time I tasted a pickled eggplant. It was a surprising taste: eggplant of course but definitely raw. 

I then had the Oyster Foie Gras that is oysters, foie gras, sea urchin in a teriyaki sauce.

The presentation was spectacular.

Of course it is at this point that my camera shut off because the battery was empty...But I had other resources! So, back to food! This dish had so much flavors: I was scared at first that the teriyaki sauce would be overpowering, but it was not the case. You could taste all the layers: from the gigantic oyster to the foie gras and sea urchin (had been a long time I did not have some).

The Kasutera, custard omelet was very good. Light and fluffy.

We also had a tuna roll. This was very good but I will be honnest: I can get a great tuna roll in my favorite Japanese restaurant as it is pretty basic. For sure, however, the quality of the tuna is probably superior!

For the main dish, I decided to reorder the surf and turf made with Australian Wagyu beef and Hamachi fish.

This was really great! First, it changes from the traditional lobster and steak. The Hamachi fish is cut in ribbons and prepared with avocado, tomatoes, crushed citrus and onions. They mix all the ingredients together at the table, after adding some Yuzu sauce. It tasted so fresh!

The beef was cooked perfectly (I asked for medium) and was extremely tender! It has a perfect charr on the outside too. Last, this was served with potatoes cooked with a delicious cream. 

We could not end this feast without trying some desserts!

We tried the warm flourless chocolate cake served with caramel popcorn and rice crispies, sesame-caramel sauce, white chocolate foam, green tea-pear sorbet.

This was amazing! I loved the caramelized popcorn and rice crispies on top of the cake. The cake itself was moist and very chocolaty.

Last, was the tofu ‘hot and cold’: soy milk soufflé, tofu cheesecake, maple ice cream.

Let me tell you: who could have imagined that a soy milk soufflé would be so good! It was my favorite dessert! However, I did not really like the tofu cheesecake: it was kind of tasteless.

These desserts were pretty imaginative and really reflect the versatility of Chef Morimoto cooking!

I am definitely a fan!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

The New French Restaurant in NYC, New York

We were walking around in the West Village when we noticed this small place called The New French.

But do not be fooled: this restaurant, opened in 2008, is not serving French cuisine, but more an American cuisine, although some dishes can be associated to France, such as the crepes!

I like the place that reminds me of places you would find in certain areas of Paris such as La Buttes aux cailles. The furniture looks like a typical bistro / brasserie tables and chairs.

In one of the walls, there is a big mural from local artist Maira Kalman.

We went for brunch. The menu at The New French is pretty simple. At least, you do not have in front of you a huge menu and are not wondering what to eat! But it has the basic brunch items: pancakes, French toasts, eggs...

We went for the crepe filled with goat cheese, mushrooms and spinach. It was served with some salad. I have to say that the crepe was good! The crepe itself was well done and the filling delicious.

We also tried the buttermilk biscuit sandwich served with bacon, eggs and cheese. For the side, you could pick potatoes, fries or salad. I went for the potatoes that were pretty good and not greasy at all!

The sandwich was awesome too: there were a lot of flavors that mixed well together and the biscuit was amazing! They put some honey that added a nice sweetness to the salty taste. But it was on top of the biscuit, so either you end up having sticky hands or have to eat with your fork and knife.

At the end of the brunch, I was stuffed and did not get a chance to try the sugar crepe. I bet it is really good!

If you are looking for brunch, I definitely suggest The New French!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!