Dinner at Bob Bob Ricard in London, England

Preparing the trip to London, we wanted to have a nice dinner and we found out this place called Bob Bob Ricard. I have to admit that at first we wanted to eat in one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants, but there was no reservation available. Reviews of Bob Bob Ricard were good and after looking at the menu, we decided that it would be the place to go. For sure, this restaurant is fancy and pricey, but it was our treat on our London trip. So we dressed up and ended up in Soho, in this art deco restaurant. The place was big for sure with an interesting decor. Downstairs, they had an impressive wine cellar.

We sat at a booth and immediately noticed the button to call for champagne. But no, I did not press it...

We looked at the mouth watering menu and saw that they served a beef Wellington for 2. We always wanted to try it, as it is always on the menu on Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey and we never had the opportunity to try. Well, this is a British dish and we were in a nice restaurant in London, so we were thinking that they probably made it well...They told us that it would take 45 minutes to cook, but we were ok with that!

So, they proposed to bring some bread.

It was very good and crispy, served with some French butter (beurre d'Isigny). In fact I mentioned the bread, because we discovered that it was not free...Pretty interesting as usually you do not pay for bread when you eat in a restaurant!!!

So, then came the beef Wellington!

The presentation was spectacular! They brought it to us on a wooden plank before slicing it. And I can tell you that we were right to skip the appetizers! It was huge!

They served us a nice slice and put some juice on it. The meat was cooked medium rare (the temperature of the meat depends on how long the puff pastry needs to cook). The crust was crispy and buttery and there was a phenomenal layer between the pastry and the meat, that was made of foie gras, mushroom and truffles. I could not taste the truffles, but it was delicious! And the meat was very tender (it was a 28 days aged filet of Aberdeenshire Scotch beef)! 

With the beef Wellington, we ordered some truffled mash potatoes (yes, again mash...):

The portion was definitely small and it was too bad as the mash was fantastic: the truffle taste really came through! It was a great side dish for the beef!

Of course, we could not leave without having dessert...We decided to go for the BBR signature Chocolate Glory.

It was a sphere made of chocolate Jivara mousse, chocolate brownie, meringue and passion fruit jelly. They poured some hot chocolate sauce on top of it...This was awesome! Not too sweet with lots of different flavors from the different components! It is definitely a dessert I would recommend!

This was a fantastic dinner and a great opportunity to try a beef Wellington. Although pricey, it is a great restaurant, with a great decor and service. A place to go to!

Enjoy (I did)!

My trip to Europe - December 2012

I was recently in Europe, in London and Paris! Needless to say that one of my interests was food, although England does have a bad reputation when it comes to cuisine. It has been years since I have been in London, the last time being December 2006! Going for the holidays is always exciting: there is a certain energy in the air, emphasized by the fantastic decorations that can only be found during this period of the year. I admit that I thought London did a fantastic job with all the lights and I was disappointed by the lights on the Champs Elysees in Paris! 

So, first stop was London! When we left, we definitely wanted to try some pub food, specifically Fish & Chips. Imagine that the first time I tried this dish was not in London, despite my multiple trips there. No, it was at...Disney - Epcot in Florida....I know: that sounds weird but it is true. I went there few years ago with Jodi and we decided to dine at the International pavillion where you have all types of restaurants from many countries: Japan, China, Canada, France, Mexico...And they have England with the Rose & Crown Pub. We had fantastic fish & chips there. Interestingly, the entire staff in the restaurants are from the country they represent, to add some authenticity.

Back to our trip: after checking in our hotel, we started our quest to find a pub. You would think that it was easy, but it was not as we were located in a business area. We ended up at the New Moon on Gracechurch street. This pub had a warm atmosphere and a phenomenal ceiling, all red! Supposedly, it has been featured in movies like James Bond or Tomb Raiders...

Well, this is where our experience stopped: they did not even acknowledged us!!! We were the only ones in the establishment and they did not say hello or check if we wanted anything!!! So we decided to leave as, if it was the way they were treating their customers, their service was probably slow and inefficient and their food not worth it. That is how we ended up at Mother Mash, located on Leadenhall street!

Mother Mash is a small restaurant that serves Pies and a traditional British dish: bangers and mash!

The place was pretty bright, modern, but quite small. We stayed on the first floor and at first, it was fine, as there were not that many people, but at some point, customers started to come in and it was very crowded. The restaurant opened few years ago and only started recently to propose food to go, explaining the wave of hungry business customers who stormed the place. Unfortunately, the staff focused on these customers, instead of us and our food took forever to come! After being ignored at the New Moon Pub, this trip started well...

The menu was simple and we decided to try the mash potatoes. The ordering was done in 3 steps:

First you pick your mash, then the type of sausage, then the gravy.

We both got the Cheesy Mash, made with milk, butter and cheddar. For sausages, Jodi got the vegetable and herb one with a vegetarian gravy (served on the side).

On my side, I ordered the lamb and mint sausage with the traditional gravy, made with the juice of the sausages and vegetables.

The food came barely hot (thanks to the slow service I guess...) and the portions were small. I was lucky that Jodi did not finish her plate...

The cheesy mash was fantastic! Dense but with some creaminess and with a nice mix of cheddar and butter taste! The sausages however were just ok: the vegetable and herb sausages had a weird taste; the lamb and mint sausages barely tasted lamb as the meat was overpowered by the mint. I also enjoyed the traditional gravy that was far better than the weird vegetable one! It was very comforting.

Even if the sausages were not that great, we loved the mash that was delicious! I would definitely just go back for this. Hopefully, the next time, the service will be better organized...

Anyway, it was good to have a light lunch as we went for a nice dinner at Bob Bob Ricard later that day. Stay tuned...

Enjoy (I did)!

L'Ybane Wine Bar in NYC, New York - Permanently Closed

Entrance of L'Ybane in NYC, New York

I passed many times in front of L'ybane, a wine bar few blocs away from Times Square. So, after seeing Lincoln in the movie theater, we decided to try that place. We then came back a second time. This post is about both times!

L'Ybane is a Lebanese restaurant that has also a location in Nice, South of France. They offer a wide range of Mediterranean dishes in full size or tapas style. I have to say that I love tapas, because it is a good way to try different dishes and sharing a dinner is a wonderful thing.

Beaujolais nouveau at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

The decor reminds me restaurants you would find in France and the atmosphere, besides the fact that our waiter was French, was very European.  They have a pretty impressive wine list, that is not surprising when you see all the bottles on the wall, in the bar area. Luckily, we were there couple of days after the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau! They offered a bottle for $28 or by the Glass for $9. I chose the glass that was a very good deal considering the quantity served.

Jodi and I decided to order few appetizers and then dessert.

We started off with tapenade.

Tapenade at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

It was a traditional one, made with black olives and served with crostini. It was well done and was not salty at all that is an issue I found sometimes with this dish. The crostini was good, but a bit greasy.

The second appetizer was the merguez.

Merguez at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

Merguez is a lamb sausage that I love and can only find in few restaurants. It can be spicy. At L'Ybane, it was not. However, the sauce it was served with was!

The third appetizer was grilled eggplant with yogurt.

Grilled eggplant with yogurt at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

This was fantastic! The eggplant was so good and well made. It had this great grilled eggplant taste coming through! At that point, I did not care about the tomatoes and cabbage that were also part of the dish.

Then the last one was the vegetarian moussaka.

I also loved it: it was very tasty, between the eggplant, peppers and crushed tomatoes, and very light!

Then, for dessert, we ordered the baklava and the key lime pie.

Baklava at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

The baklava was good but a bit dry.

The key lime pie however was delicious!

Key Lime pie at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

This was a great first dinner there, with a fantastic service from one of my fellow compatriots and so, we decided to go back! The second time, we went again for some plates to share.

We started off with the cheese plate.

Cheese plate at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

The plate looked good: lots of cheese and seedless grapes. Unfortunately, they put some nuts on top of the grapes and cheese! They should tell their customer ahead of time as some people do not like nuts and others are allergic! Although their was a nice quantity of cheese, it was not a great selection: brie, swiss and ricotta salata. Disappointing!

The second dish was eggplant fritters.

Eggplant fritters at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

It was just ok. The eggplant was barely cooked, probably because they sliced it too thick.

The third dish was the goat cheese salad.

Goat cheese salad at L'Ybane in NYC, New York

Jodi loves goat cheese salad! Each time we go to France, she enjoys it! This one was extremely disappointing! The cheese was just put on a piece of stale bread. 

So the second time was not good in term of food and service (the waitress did not even check on us). This shows that restaurant experiences can vary and it is not because you have a bad experience one day that it will not be great the next. Except if it is awful of course! Because of our first experience at L'Ybane, we will probably go back and continue discovering, hopefully, great dishes!

Enjoy (I did...the first time)!

Cupcakes from Billy's Bakery in NYC, New York

If you live in New York, there is a big chance that you heard about Billy's Bakery. Located in Chelsea, this bakery is an institution for the sugar lovers. I discovered there an amazing banana cream pie and pineapple upside down cake (see Billy's bakery review here). What I love when I go to Billy's is the butter smell when you enter in the store: it makes me hungry (one would say that I am always hungry though).

So this time, we went for cupcakes. Jodi decided to go for a chocolate cake and vanilla frosting that is a pretty standard one.

You cannot not notice the nice ratio cake / frosting that is important: the best part in a cupcake is the frosting!!!

The cake was good and moist. However, the vanilla frosting was very sweet. Too sweet!

On my side, I ordered a banana-nutella cupcake.

It was clearly missing some frosting. Anyway, I could barely taste the nutella! I was so disappointed as I love this scrumptious hazelnut spread! The cake was good, moist, with a nice banana taste coming through.

So I was a bit disappointed. I should probably stick with the banana cream pie....

Enjoy (I did not this time)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

 

Brunch at Bar Boulud in NYC, New York

I am a big fan of Chef Daniel Boulud. Few years ago, Jodi and I had a little celebratory dinner at Daniel, his eponym fancy restaurant in New York City and we still talk about it (what was great is that they offered a vegetarian tasting on top of the regular tasting, but also, for each course, proposed two choices of dishes).

So, one Sunday, we decided to go to Bar Boulud for brunch. I love brunch: it is so good and comforting. As I have a good appetite, I decided to go for the three course prix fixe ($32). Jodi did not.

I liked the restaurant: the decor is simple and very "organic" with its light wood, but still modern with its tunnel shape.

If you go downstairs, you cannot miss the impressive wine cellar that I bet has some incredible bottles!

So here we are for brunch! I was so excited to try that place! Let's start with what Jodi ate as she only ordered one dish!

She picked the Omelette avec pommes rissolees (omelet with sauteed potatoes).

The omelet was made with ham, swiss cheese and mushrooms. It was a nice omelet: perfectly cooked, meaning not overcooked and no brown color on it (Wolfgang Puck would be proud). The potatoes were delicious: cooked all the way through, soft in the inside and crispy on the outside.

On my side, it started with a choice of one viennoiserie (croissant, chocolate croissant aka pain au chocolat,...).

I chose the chocolate croissant. It was fantastic! Buttery, flaky and airy with a nice amount of chocolate. Too bad it was a miniature one because I could have eaten more of it!

Then the first course was the pate grand mere:

The pate was made with chicken liver, pork and cognac. With the pate, came some delicious, fresh and crispy bread.

I enjoyed the pate: dense and tasty, it was very traditional. I just wish the portion was bigger...

The second course was the croque monsieur.

When I ordered it, I was convinced that if I were to have a great croque monsieur, it would be in a French restaurant. I was wrong. Although there was a good amount of cheese, it was very, very dry. The portion, here again, was small, although this time, I did not mind it...

The third course was the dessert. I ordered the Ile Flottante or Floating Island.

Ile Flottante is a French dessert made of a vanilla steamed meringue and a vanilla sauce (creme anglaise). It was very light, not too sweet. The meringue was perfectly made, meaning dense and light. I just wish there was more here again and there should put more vanilla sauce. I did not really care about the praline though...

So, the brunch was so so and the quantities pretty small. Not that I was hungry after that, but still! I was a bit disappointed as I expected more from Daniel Boulud.

Enjoy (I almost did)!

And remember: I just want to Eat!

Bibimbap at Wonjo in Koreatown - NYC, New York

After going to Cho Dang Gol (review posted 2 days ago), we wanted to go to another Korean restaurant, in our search for the best Bibimbap (rice bowl). So we ended up to Wonjo, in the heart of Korea Town. This place is definitely known considering the line in front of the restaurant when we left (we went early fearing the crowd). This restaurant has 2 floors and serves some Korean BBQ also.

So we started with the traditional Banchan (small plates).

I always enjoy them! This time, I especially liked the tofu:

It was fried and dipped in soy sauce with some jalapeno on top. Delish! They also gave us the usual and acclaimed (by me) Kimchi (fermented cabbage):

With the Bibimbap, they served us a miso soup.

It was a nice touch, but I was just waiting for my bibimbap!

Jodi ordered the Tofu bibimbap:

And I ordered the chicken teriyaki bibimbap:

Both came extremely hot and both were...bland...We had to add some soy sauce and I added some spicy sauce to get some flavors. This was very disappointing!

So, definitely, Wonjo is not the place for me for Bibimbap...I will have to try somewhere else or go back to Korea Palace!

Enjoy (the post)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Korean Food at Cho Dang Gol in NYC, New York

After I went to Korea Palace (check the review of Korea Palace here) with my colleagues few weeks ago, I promised Jodi that we would go to a Korean restaurant to try a Bibimbap, a rice bowl dish that can be declined in many ways. So I searched on the internet for the best Bibimbap in NYC and that is how we ended up at Cho Dang Gol.

We went twice in fact...So, first time for the Bibimbap and second time to try a Jjigae (stew).

Both times, we got the small appetizer plates (banchan) that any Korean restaurant would serve you. 

Each time I went, it was different, at the exception of two sides: the tofu and eggplant pancakes (bottom left) and the Kimchi (fermented cabbage).

Kimchi is and will always be a favorite, although it can be spicy. And these pancakes were exquisite! Especially the tofu ones that were melting in my mouth! I just wish they were proposing them as appetizers too!

Jodi ordered the dol sot bibimbap.

They provided a scallion sauce with it to add some flavor to the dish. As you can see on the photo, there is a raw egg. But it will not be raw for long as the bowl where the dish is served is extremely hot and will continue to cook the ingredients for a while!

On my side, I ordered the squid bibimbap.

As you can see on the video, the food was sizzling and there was a lot of squid! The secret is not to mix too often the ingredients, so the rice will burn a bit in the bowl and create this heavenly delicious rice crust! This dish was good, but necessitated some soy sauce to boost the flavors. 

The second time, we decided to try Jjigae that is a Korean style stew. Jodi ordered the Juk Suk Cham Dubu that was simply homemade tofu with scallion sauce.

The dish came also in a very hot bowl and was served with scallion sauce and rice. Looking at it, you would think that there is nothing particular about it. In fact, what is special is the fact that the tofu is homemade! And you can taste it! It is soft and silky with a delicious soy taste. I had some in the bulgogi  Jjigae I ordered and some were big chunks of it!

This was very, very hot, but so good! It had an egg in it, beef and some amazing tofu! I surely finished the bowl!

I liked the food at Cho Dang Gol, although I preferred the Jjigae over the pricey Bibimbap! I think that the Bibimbap at Korea Palace was much better and more flavorful! But for sure, their tofu is fantastic and would make people change their mind about it!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pizza at Dusal's Italian Restaurant in Freehold, NJ

Recently we were in Freehold, NJ and needed a quick bite. We ended up at Dusal's, an Italian restaurant and Pizzeria.

The restaurant has two rooms: in the front is for the pizzeria and in the back, the restaurant. We decided to try three of their slices:

The plain slice:

It was good, although pretty standard. The crust was thin and crispy with a nice char in the bottom.

The Sicilian pie:

Good, with lots of cheese and a nice pizza sauce. However, the crust was a bit hard on the corner.

The white pie:

This was a great pie because they put a lot of ricotta all along and not only some patches of it! Also, they did not load it with garlic that overpowers the cheese. A hit!

So, Dusal's is definitely a great pizza place!

Enjoy (I did)!

Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Here is a very easy recipe for a delicious Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

Ingredients:
- 7oz (200g) of butter
- 7oz (200g) of powdered sugar
- 7oz (200g) of white flour
- 5 eggs
- 1teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon of almond extract
- 1packet of yeast
- 1can of sliced pineapple

Steps:
1 - Prepare the cake batter:

• Melt the butter and integrate it with the sugar
• Incorporate one by one the eggs
• Add the sifted flour and the yeast
• Add the almond and vanilla extracts
• Add some of the pineapple juice from the can

2 - Make a caramel:

• In a saucepan, melt some brown sugar and water to make caramel
• Bring to a boil

3 - Assemble the cake:

• In a cake pan (I use a springform pan), pour the caramel and then lay the slices of pineapple.

• Cover with the cake batter, making sure that no batter goes under the pineapple slices.

4 - Cook the cake:

• Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Cook for 35 to 50 minutes (check if the cake is cooked with a knife).

When the cake is cooked, put it on a plate, pineapple up, and let it cool. Et voila!

Bon appétit!

Spot Dessert Bar in Koreatown - NYC, New York

I was very excited to try the new location of Spot Dessert Bar in Korea Town, on the third floor of Food Gallery 32! The experience we had in the East Village was memorable and I cannot stop thinking about the Green Tea Tiramisu that was the highlight of this discovery (see the review of Spot Dessert Bar here)!

I like Galley 32: lots of food choices and hidden secrets, Spot Dessert Bar being one of them, but I am sure not for too long! The place was the only one opened on the third floor and quasi empty. It is not like the one in the East Village that offers a large selection of incredible desserts. This one has a limited menu. There is of course their best seller: the chocolate green tea lava cake that we tried the last time we went there! 

We decided to try two of their desserts. The first one was the Golden Toast.

It is an interpretation of a French toast, made of a honey buttered toast, condensed milk ice cream, fresh strawberries and whipped cream. This was divine! The toast was a brioche that had a delightful buttery taste. Your palate was catching many different flavors, from the butter, to the honey, with the need sometimes to balance the flavors and counteract the sweet taste with the whipped cream. It is a must have!

Then, we tried the Kabocha Brulee Cake.

It is a pumpkin cake served with condensed milk ice cream, walnut soil and a jasmine flower wafers. Although I enjoyed the ice cream (not sweet fortunately!) and the top part of the cake (brulee), I did not really like that one. Not that this creation was not good, but more the fact that I do not like pumpkin cake (I tried few after that).

Even if I did not like the Kabocha brulee cake, this place is amazing, especially if you like desserts and moreover, desserts with a twist!

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Patron, Mexican Grill in NYC, New York

After watching the last James Bonds (Skyfall) in a movie theater in Times Square, we decided to find a restaurant on 9th avenue. Several times we noticed Patron and we thought it would be a good idea to go there as it has been a long time we ate Mexican food and we were kind of craving it. So we thought that joint would satisfy that crave...

The place is divided into two parts: the bar with its communal tables and the dining room. We got seated in the bar area.

The menu offers classic Mexican cuisine, from tacos to burritos and fajitas. We decided to share some appetizers and sides.

We started off with the Queso Fundido.

It was served with some homemade tortilla:

At first, it is fine and I would say even good, especially if you like cheese! But then it starts to be too much grease...At least the tortilla were good. Not sure it was a good choice!

We also ordered some guacamole.

That we ate with tortilla chips. 

This guacamole was the worst I ever ate! You had the impression that they just put chunks of avocado in a bowl! It was lacking lime and seasoning. Horrible!

And it was not the rice and beans that made me not regret to be in that place! It was bland and they were not that generous on the portions!

At least, there were the maduros!

These fried plantains with cream were delicious! The sweetness of the plantains was counter balanced by the cream (crema), making it a great dish.

Fortunately we got the plantains, but trust me: this is a forgettable experience! The food was really forgettable for me!

Enjoy (the post)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat !

Nick & Stef's Steakhouse in NYC, New York

It is no secret that I love steak and that I consider that meat in this country is far better than what I ever had in Europe ! So I always enjoy a trip to a Steakhouse! This time, we ended up at Nick & Stef's that is supposed to have been voted in the top 10 Steakhouses in NYC!

So we were on our way and trust me, we had to find it! Because of construction, it was kind of hidden! This is not your typical steakhouse with leather and wood all over: it had a modern setting that sets it apart.

Jodi ordered the petite filet mignon (medium):

The meat was perfectly cooked but missed the mark in term of tenderness and taste: it did not have this delicate taste that this piece of beef usually has.

I ordered the ribeye (medium rare):

This was a nice piece of meat (24 Oz) and was cooked to perfection. It had a lot of fat though, that could be a turn off if you do not like it. It was tasty, especially in the area close to the bone. Not the best I had, but good!

With the meat, they propose different sauces (for free). We picked the bearnaise that was perfect!

For a side, we ordered the Mac & Cheese with a parmesan crust.

When the plate came, it was very appetizing thanks to the nice parmesan crust on top. It seemed also very creamy. Unfortunately, it had this horrible taste of processed cheese (velveeta?) that even overpowered the parmesan crust on top! I do not understand why a steakhouse would serve Mac & Cheese made with processed cheese! 

We were hopeful that dessert would make us forget the average dinner we had. We went for the cinnamon fritters.

They were served with three sauces: vanilla, chocolate and caramel. The fritters themselves were fantastic: served hot, they had a nice sugar and cinnamon taste. I could have surely eaten tons of them! The sauces however were not that great, at the exception of the caramel. The vanilla had no taste, while the chocolate had a weird off taste!

So, it was a very average dinner that sunk with the velveeta Mac & cheese! This place is definitely overpriced for the quality of the food! I would believe that it was voted in the top 10 steakhouses in NYC, if there were only 10 steakhouses (it would be the last), but it is not the case and there are plenty of better ones: Ruth's Chris or The Old Homestead being good examples!

Enjoy (the post)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Press Dinner at Thalassa in Tribeca - NYC, New York

I have been invited to a press dinner at Thalassa, a modern Greek restaurant located in Tribeca that is celebrating its 10 years of existence. Remember when reading this post that it is a press dinner: food is complementary and the staff knows who we are. 

Interestingly, I went to this restaurant 10 years ago. I was asked why I never went back and the answer was simple: New York City has so many restaurants that I was just trying different ones. Do not ask me if I remember the food: it was too long ago. However, I remember that the lights were less dimmed (I always notice the light for my photos)...So, I was really excited to go back and try their food! 

The restaurant's specialty is seafood as the name Thalassa (Sea in Greek) suggests. This also comes through with the decor as you can see in the photo of the bar below (you can see sails on top).

I like the modern and sophisticated decor of this three levels restaurant. The 30 foot long bar made with ivory marble looks fantastic as well as the main dining room with its white leather chairs and huge columns. It is also nice to see that they left space between tables so you do not have the impression to eat with people you do not know...

They also have an impressive wine list and you can have a glimpse to their wine cellar if you go downstairs. Their cocktail list is also interesting and showcases Thalassa's creations. I went for a Greek pear martini (that I asked in a regular glass because I hate martini glasses: I always end up with some of the cocktail on my shoes!!!). It was fantastic! The taste of the pear really came through and it was not strong at all.

So, as I mentioned, this is a seafood restaurant; they have an amazing display where you have a fresh selection of fish and shellfish. It was beautiful!

Apparently, you can select what you want to eat directly from there. I saw these huge king shrimp called Garides: I bet that grilled, they are fantastic! Looking at this display can only make you hungrier than you were before. At least, it worked for me! We had the opportunity to meet the Chef, Raphael Abrahante. We learnt that he is a native of New York of Puerto Rican origin who never set foot in Greece! During his culinary study, he discovered seafood and got passionate about it. He then worked in a Greek restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, before becoming the Chef at Thalassa.

After we sat at our table, they served us some olives and hummus.

The hummus seemed to be freshly made and had a strong chickpea taste. It was served with some homemade bread that was very good. In fact, they brought us later on some pita that was also homemade and delicious!

Then, they brought us some meze. Meze are small dishes served in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Balkans. It is great for tasting and also sharing!

The first one was a cod fritter.

It was an amuse bouche. Very good and not greasy that is always appreciated with fritters!

The second meze was zucchini and eggplant chips.

I really liked it, although I would have preferred it hot. The chips were crispy and not greasy with the veggies perfectly cooked. They were served with tzatziki sauce that was a perfect pairing!

The last meze was Pikilia Mediterranean dips:

They were served with some homemade pita. I have to admit that I do not recall all the dips, but for sure I noticed the first on the left that was an eggplant caviar that was fabulous. The tzatziki sauce was also delicious. It is clearly a perfect dish for sharing and start a meal!

Then came the first course: Grilled Octopadi from Portugal.

It is a grilled octopus served with micro organic greens, olive oil and a red wine vinaigrette. This was my favorite! The octopus was perfectly cooked, not chewy and had a nice char. I loved the fact that you could really taste that it was grilled. I would not have minded a bit less vinaigrette though.

The second course was veal dolmas (grape leaves).

The grape leaves were stuffed with veal and rice, and drizzled with Avgolemono sauce (sauce made with egg and lemon). This dish did not work for me: although the stuffing was good, there was too much grape leaves, making it tough and bitter. The sauce other wise was good with a nice subtle lemon taste.

The third course was the Maine Diver Scallop wrapped in Kataifi filo, served with a sheep's milk butter and kalamata olive reduction.

I was excited to try this as it seems it is one of their signature dishes. Unfortunately, I did not like it. I think the main issue is that the dough was too greasy and there was too much of it, so you could not taste the scallop. I then tried to eat the scallop alone but it tasted bland. For sure, I acknowledge the fact that it is difficult to make a complicated dish that would not overpower the delicate taste of scallop.

The fourth course was the Mediterranean Lavraki (Branzino or Loup de Mer in French).

The fish was served with a New Zealand Langoustine, a garlic almond mousse and okra. I liked the langoustine that was conveniently separated from the shell.  It was perfectly cooked and fresh. However, I did not like the fish that was slightly overcooked, maybe because it sat before being brought to the table immediately. The garlic almond mousse was good, but too cold compared to the rest of the dish.

Then came an assortment of dessert. In fact I think we were lucky to try all of them! I do not remember all of them, but clearly remember the panna cotta that was topped with some delicious caramelized pear, the valrhona molten chocolate cake and the Greek yoghurt that was served with toasted walnuts. All of the desserts looked phenomenal and were delicious. This was a nice surprise to finish the meal! 

Although I did not like all the dishes and we had to wait a long time between each of them, I had a good time at Thalassa with my fellow bloggers. When we were there, there was even a guitar player who played quietly in a corner of the restaurant, contributing to the relaxed atmosphere of the place (there is live music every Wednesday). I like the concept of modern and elevated Greek food, although sometimes less is better and one of the particularity of Greek food, especially for seafood, is to cook simply the main ingredient so it remains the star of the dish.

Enjoy (I always do)!

And remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Stage Deli in NYC, New York - CLOSED!

If there is one thing we do not have in France, it is Delicatessen or Deli. Each time I have family or friends visiting, I strongly suggest them to go to a deli and try a sandwich. But not a regular salami or turkey: rather pastrami or corned beef. In fact, the way I knew corned beef when I was a kid was totally different: my mom used to buy these cans that contained some fatty ground meat that in France we call corned beef. She was adding it to a tomato salad. It was delicious, but I am wondering if it was really made of corned beef! Well, sometimes it is better not knowing what you eat...

So, my friend Benny and I decided to go to Stage Deli, a deli that has been opened for more than 70 years. I guess we could say that they compete with the usual suspects: Katz, Junior's, 2nd Avenue Deli or Carnegie Deli, not far away.

The place looks like any deli that has been at the same location for years: old fashioned with old photos, most of the time tilted...
This always gives a certain charm and authenticity to the place.
Of course, at the entrance, there is the usual cake display:

To be honest, none of these cakes look appetizing...

The menu has the traditional deli items like matzoh ball soup, knishes or chopped liver. It also has some sandwiches with Celebrities names such as the Adam Sandler, Kathy Couric or Aretha Franklin. It all started in 1937 when the founder of the deli, Max Asnas, invited his famous patrons to the carving board to create their own sandwiches.

We decided with Benny to share an appetizer and a sandwich as, based on the prices, most of the sandwiches were big....

We started off with chopped liver.

It was served with pickles, a sliced onion and some rye bread. I really enjoyed it! The chopped liver was dense and very tasty and the bread delicious. 

We then went for the pastrami and corned beef reuben!

It was huge! So huge that they made it open face. They were nice enough to allow us to have two types of meat in it, the pastrami in the bottom and the corned beef on top.

The way they do it is put the bread in the bottom, then the meat, then some sauerkraut for some crunch and then some swiss cheese. For sure, they were generous with the portions! There is no way a single person can eat this alone (don't challenge me!)! Unfortunately, it was just ok for me: the corned beef was good, but the pastrami was not as fatty and tasty as it should. Also, I prefer a regular sandwich as it allows you to have all the flavors at once: bread, meat, sauerkraut and cheese. This was definitely not a reuben I would dream about; not like Junior's or Friedman's lunch in Chelsea Market!

So it was an ok lunch finally and I was not wowed by the food. Instead of going to Stage Deli, I would rather go to Junior's or Carnegie Deli close by. 

The last thing I would add about this place is that you also get the experience of the rude service! Similar to Katz. Except that I do not think it adds any charm to the whole experience!!!

Update: This post has been prepared few weeks ago and I just learnt today that Stage Deli closed due to a rent increase! So sad to see businesses opened for that long face such issues with rent!

Enjoy !

Benares, Indian Restaurant in NYC, New York

I am a big fan of Baluchi's, an Indian restaurant that serves fantastic and delightfully tasty Indian cuisine. So I was a bit disappointed when I saw that their Midtown location was replaced by Benares, although another Indian restaurant! Baluchi's had this great lunch deal (50% off) and an amazing crab curry that I could have eaten all day (ok, I exaggerate a bit). I heard from a former Baluchi's employee that they simply sold the place, maybe because it was not profitable enough. So, I decided to go to Benares, with an open mind...I went twice in fact!

The decor is totally different: although Balucci's has a more traditional decor, Benares looks more modern. 

There is no more lunch deal, but a buffet instead for close to $13. 

The buffet proposes approx. 9 different dishes, some vegetarian and some not. 

This is what I ate:

Gobi Masala - Cauliflower Curry

Matar Mushroom

Saag Paneer -  a very common dish, I found it a bit overcooked.

Shrimp Moilee - Pretty good with thick sauce that had a nice flavor.

Chicken Tikka Masala - This is the dish I always try in an Indian restaurant. It was just ok for me.

Lamb curry - I'll pass on that one! The curry had a weird taste and the lamb was tough! Not the best part used for sure!

Tandoori Chicken - I liked it! The chicken was well cooked, still moist and not spicy with nice flavors. It is not on the buffet table: they will bring it to your table.

Veggie Pakora - good and crispy, this is a nice appetizer.

Yellow Daal (lentils) - very good: I liked the thickness of it and it was flavorful. Great vegetarian dish.

Gulab Jamun - Gulab Jamun is my favorite dessert! It is a deep fried milk dough that is then immersed in a sugar syrup. At Benares, the consistency was perfect, but it was way too sweet!

Ras Malai - It means literally Juicy Cream. It is a sweet dessert made of cheese balls (to simplify the explanation...) simmered in milk and cream. It was quite good and not too sweet.

Naan bread - they will bring the naan bread to your table. Both times I was at Benares, the bread seemed to have been pre-made: it was a bit hard and dry. 

I was clearly not wowed by Benares and the feedback I received from my colleagues seem to confirm the opinion I have of it. If you want to eat for less than $20 with tax and tip, this is not a bad deal, but do not expect some incredible Indian food: it is just ok and seems to be inconsistent. I wish Baluchi's was still there! Come back!

Enjoy (I barely did)!

  

Brunch at Telepan in NYC, New York

Our friend booked a table at Telepan for a Sunday Brunch. This restaurant gets its name from its Chef and Owner Bill Telepan. It has been opened many years ago and seem to remain the place to go for a delicious meal. The space itself is interesting as it is made of 2 conjoint townhouses and one would think that it is setup like a labyrinth. The atmosphere is more stuffy than cool and I can imagine that at dinner it is worse than at lunch...

The restaurant proposes a brunch prix-fixe for $32 that includes a bread basket, an appetizer and an entree. 

From the bread basket, I especially appreciated the focaccia bread that was delicious!

For the appetizers, Jodi ordered the baby romaine salad.

It was served with dry monterey jack dressing and garlic & herb croutons. Nothing extraordinary about it.

On my side, I ordered the Semolina Cream Crepes.

They were served with sauteed butternut squash and brown sugar sauce. The cream was inside the crepe and this was a succulent dish! I wish I had more! The crepes were fantastic: great texture and perfectly made. What was the most incredible is the balance of flavors when the semolina cream and the butternut squash / brown sugar sauce met! This was a fantastic taste I will not forget! This appetizer is definitely a hit!

For the entree, Jodi went for the mushroom and herb omelet.

The omelet was perfect: no brown as Wolfgang Puck would make them (I watched the first episode of Top Chef where he explained how to make a perfect omelet), fluffy and moist. Very good omelet!

On my side, I chose the Kabocha Squash Tortelloni.

Tortelloni are stuffed pasta with a shape similar to tortellini (I did not know when I ordered...). There was not only squash, but also mushrooms and the dish was drizzled with a balsamic reduction (that was very good). I liked the dish although I found that the pasta was a bit hard in some parts and thick. Not sure if tortelloni are supposed to be this way, but it gave a doughy taste to it.

So, brunch was good and I bet they serve a killer dinner, but it is for sure pricey! At least for $32 they could include a drink!

Enjoy (I did)!

Quails at Market Cafe in Hell's Kitchen NYC, New York

On a Saturday night, we were walking in Hells Kitchen and noticed Market Cafe, a modern look restaurant that has an interesting menu. The place was pretty bright with its white tiles and great photos, mainly related to food, on the wall. It definitely had a modern vibe, although the white tiles reminded me of a bathroom or a slaughterhouse.

The location is clearly not ideal for a restaurant as there is not much people passing by, and at the same time, it is one of the rare restaurants in the middle of delis and takeouts. The place was empty for a Saturday night...Was it a sign?

After we ordered, they brought us some olive oil and bread.

I like dipping bread in olive oil instead of the traditional bread and butter. The bread was chewy, limit old.

They also brought some water with a slice of cucumber in it.

That was a good idea: very refreshing!

We decided to share an appetizer and picked the handmade gnocchi.

It was served with smoke ham, peas, ricotta and parmesan cheese in a thick tomato sauce. The gnocchi itself was not that geat: very pasty. But the sauce was delicious and made up for it! Have the peas in the sauce added some crunchiness to it and the ham was a nice addition. 

Jodi ordered the Market Caesar.

It was composed of romaine, radicchio, and supposedly freshly grilled croutons. The croutons were soggy and the salad was a bit overdressed.

On my side, I went for the quails.

It has been couple of years I did not eat some and was excited! I remember that I use to buy quails at Whole Foods or in Chinatown, in a small joint that sell them cooked so you just have to pop them in the microwave.

At Market Cafe, the quails were served with spinach and raisin, in a red wine reduction. When the plate came, I could immediately see that they were generous with the amount of quail: there were 6 legs, the thigh being deboned, helping in the eating process! The quail itself was good and tasty with a nice char taste. It was well cooked, meaning not overcooked as otherwise, it can be dry. The raisins and the spices in the sauce gave a Middle Eastern taste to the plate, but I would have served it with some couscous rather than spinach. The sauce was good, but there was too much on the place and I was wondering when I would get some on my pants! It was a bit soupy! 

Last was dessert! We went for the brown butter banana cake!

For sure, they give you a big slice of a very dense cake! It has 3 layers with vanilla cream cheese frosting in between (not enough!). The cake was good, but a vanilla bean sauce or more frosting would have definitely made it a hit. 

The dinner at Market Cafe was just ok: the food was just acceptable and the service, although courteous was very slow. I will not go back and will more go to the heart of Hell's kitchen to have lunch or dinner.

Enjoy (the post)!

Ribeye steak at Gallagher's Steakhouse in NYC, New York

It has been so long since I ate at Gallagher's. I used to go for their lamb chops and never tried their steaks. But it was many, many years ago...This place has been around since 1927, so you would think that they probably are making great steaks. So, let's see!

Going to Gallagher's you immediately notice their dry-aged room at the entrance. It surely makes you salivate to see all these pieces of meat!

Gallagher's serves meat dry-aged for 21 days. The dry aging process consists in keeping the meat for some days at a near freezing temperature to enhance the flavor and make the meat tender.

What is interesting is that the place does not look like a steakhouse: no dimmed light, no dark wood and no leather! It has an European feel; the kind of place where you would have an Oktoberfest...

Although their signature dish is the New York Strip, I decided to order the ribeye.

Ribeye is my favorite piece of beef: it has this nice and strong flavor, especially when you are closer to the bone. I ordered it medium that is pink in the center. When it arrived, I immediately noticed the nice char. The meat was perfectly cooked, flavorful and tender. However, it was not as good as the ribeye I ate at Dino & Harry in Hoboken or Ruth's Chris in New York.

For the sides, we had onion rings.

As well as creamed spinach.

The sides were disappointing: the creamed spinach had an off taste; the cream was too thin and it was as if the spinach sat in the cream for too long, giving a green-ish color to it (should be green and white from the cream), but worse of all, eliminating any flavor from the cream. The onion rings, although not greasy, were overcooked.

For dessert, I was lucky to try three desserts:

The Key Lime Pie:

Good, not too sweet, but the Graham Cracker crust should have been more buttery.

The Cheesecake:

It was pretty good with a nice density and a bit of creaminess.

The Apple pie with vanilla ice cream:

It looked messy, was not good at all and had a weird taste! To be avoided!

The meal was just ok for me. There are so many great steakhouses in New York (The Old Homestead, Ruth's Chris), that I will pass next time...

Enjoy!

The Houndstooth Pub in NYC, New York

We went to see the play Tarragona from our friend Gary Giovannetti (yes, yes! I am advertising for it as this was a great moment and Gary is very talented! Although this post comes a bit late as it is not playing anymore: we went on the last day). After the play and some Cava (champagne) & cheese, we decided to all go to The Houndstooth Pub nearby. If I go to a pub, I will either order a sandwich or fish & chips.

So, I ordered the cheeseburger (cheddar cheese).

It was a big juicy black angus patty made with a nice char. You could definitely see that they press on the patty when they cook it. It was served on a toasted bun. 

The fries were steak fries (not my favorite: I prefer a regular cut) that were good also.

Jodi ordered the fish & chips.

The fish, cod, was well cooked and flaky. I liked it!

It was overall well cooked, although it missed a bit of crunchiness. I in fact preferred the fish & chips from the cheeseburger.

It was a good dinner. I never think about going to pubs for dinner: maybe I should revisit that....

Enjoy (I did)!

Press Dinner at Mint, an Indian restaurant in NYC, New York

Recently, I have been invited to a press dinner at Mint, an Indian restaurant from Chef Gary Sikka, located Midtown East. 

So, before you read this post, remember that it was a press dinner, meaning that the restaurant knew I was a blogger. 

I was really excited to go there as I love Indian food! I started to discover it while traveling to...Hong Kong. But, later, I was lucky to be able to go few times in India, in Mumbai and then later across Rajasthan. I know that a lot of people cannot stand the spices, but not me: it is so tasty and there are so many different dishes to discover with a wide range of flavors.

The restaurant is definitely modern with a nice decor from the bar to the dining room. It has a private room that can accommodate approximately 10 people.

Courtesy of Mint

The dining room is very colorful with its drum lamps and Indian paintings, that definitely confirm this place proposes fine dining and is not just casual food.

Courtesy of Mint

The service was very nice and we got taken care of by the "Wine Director" as they called him! He proposed to either choose some dishes from the menu or to let the restaurant pick for us. We chose the latter. I looked at the menu anyway and noticed that they offer a large selection of regional Indian food, with lots of options if you are vegetarian. In fact, if you are, Indian restaurants are great spots to get delicious and flavorful vegetarian dishes!

I started of course with my usual Sweet Lassi.

Lassi is a yogurt based drink, made by mixing yogurt with water and Indian spices. It is a great drink to counteract the fire of spicy food! I was a bit disappointed because the sweet lassi tasted like buttermilk with sugar. 

We started of with the Chilly Fish:

The fish (tilapia) was smothered in a thick sauce full of spices and bell peppers. They told us it was spicy but in fact there was just a nice kick. The fish was a bit crunchy and it kind of reminded me of a General Tso fish, in a way, without the sweetness. The Chilly fish was a fantastic dish and one of my favorites of the dinner!

Then, we got the Chicken Malai Kebab:

It was pieces of chicken marinated in herbs and spices and served with a mint sauce. There was also a nice kick to the dish! The chicken was perfectly cooked and moist. Definitely a great appetizer.

The next appetizer was Aloo Methi Tikki:

These are spicy potato (Aloo) and fenugreek cakes seasoned with herbs and spices. In fact it was not the cakes that were spicy, but the onions! I liked it as it was tasty, not heavy and not greasy.

Then came the entrees. First was the Chicken Tikka Masala (cubes of tandoori chicken cooked in a fenugreek tomato sauce).

It had a wonderful color and I just wanted to dive in it! This sauce was so good and creamy! I could have eaten the whole plate of it! Not spicy at all also! This is my test dish whenever I go to an Indian restaurant!

The second entree was Lamb Pasanda (lamb cooked in a cashew sauce):

I did not really like this specialty from Kashmir: the lamb was tough and the sauce was lacking flavors.

Then there was the Saag Paneer (homemade cheese with sauteed spinach):

I have never been a big fan of that dish and the only time I liked it was at India on the Hudson in Hoboken. This one did not change my mind...However, I liked the homemade cheese...

What I surely appreciated was the garlic naan bread!

It was freshly made, fluffy with a bit of butter and did not have too much garlic. Simple but delicious!

Of course, to finish, we had to try traditional Indian desserts. It is interesting to think that a lot of people ignore Indian dessert because they do not think they have some or do not know what they are. For sure, you need to like eating sweet! But there are several desserts that I love eating! On the top is the Gulab Jamun,  deep fried milk dough that is  immersed in a sugar syrup.

It was sweet, but not too much. It had a perfect consistency, not too firm, but not mushy, and was served warm. I inhaled it!

The second dessert is Ras Malai.

It means literally Juicy Cream. It is a sweet dessert made of cheese balls (to simplify the explanation...) simmered in milk and cream. I loved it too! Not too sweet and the cheese balls had a nice texture.

If I were to go back, my meal would be: Chilly fish, Chicken Tikka Masala, Gulab Jamun and garlic Naan. The question is: would I go back? I enjoyed most of the dishes, but expected more as the description of the restaurant was Indian dishes with a modern flair. I wish for instance that there were twists to traditional dishes that are Chicken Tikka Masala or Saag Paneer (a deconstructed version?). So, yes, I would go back, especially to try their weekday $12 buffet, as well as other dishes they are proposing that seem to be delicious (pricier though). And if you are vegetarian, you will surely enjoy the wide selection of vegetarian dishes. 

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just Want To Eat!