Hotel Tortuga Mexican Restaurant in NYC, New York

Walking around NYU in search for cheap eats, we found this place called Hotel Tortuga. It is a Mexican restaurant that offers a large selection of vegetarian dishes for reasonable prices. Yes, it is called Hotel Tortuga, but it is not a hotel! In fact, they want you to imagine that you are in a hotel near Acapulco. The decor definitely feels like South America and is very cozy with its red booths and relaxed atmosphere. 

This restaurant serves traditional stuffing for tacos such as beef, chicken or fish, as well as a large selection of vegetarian ones: tempeh (soy protein), vegetable chorizo, grilled vegetables...

This is what we ate for less than $30:

A large side of guacamole with corn chips:

The guacamole was decent, but I do not think it was fresh. We could get as many chips as we wanted, as they offered chips and salsa.

Two vegetarian chorizo tacos:

One grilled chicken taco:

One fish taco (tilapia):

The tacos were made of two soft corn tortilla (you can pick flour instead of corn): they were good and there was a lot of stuffing in it.

The chicken taco was pretty good and the chicken had a nice grilled taste. The fish taco was perfect too: the fish was moist and did not taste fishy. However, the vegetable chorizo was not good: the first bite was ok and interesting as it was the first time we tried vegetable chorizo, but it was very salty and after a couple of bites, the saltiness was too much.

We finished with a Mexican hot chocolate:

It was hot chocolate with some cinnamon that was a fantastic combination as the cinnamon enhanced the taste of the chocolate. As you can see on the photo, they put a lot of whipped cream on it! This is definitely a must have, even for dinner...

I think that Hotel Tortuga offers a nice Mexican menu for good prices. My main disappointment is that they do not have homemade desserts, just cakes that they buy in a bakery in Vermont, cakes that are more American than Mexican. Despite that, this is definitely a good place to gather with friends and chill out.

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pho at Pho 66 in Hell's Kitchen - NYC, New York

There are days where you are fixated on a particular dish. This time (shall I say again?), it was ramen! We were planning on going to Sapporo ramen, but it was packed. So Jodi and I decided to walk on 9th avenue, aka Hell's Kitchen, and see if any restaurant would erase our disappointment. We noticed Pho 66. The location looked familiar and it is only after we entered the restaurant that we realized that we went there several months ago, at the time it was a Colombian place called Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa. I could not believe it!

If you do not know what Pho is, it is Vietnamese dish consisting of broth, noodles usually made from rice, herbs, vegetables and meat. Well, it was as close to the ramen craving as it could be...

What I really liked is the fact that they offer different sizes of bowl: large, medium and small, to accommodate any appetite.

Jodi ordered the Pho Verte:

Pho verte at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

Verte means green in France and here, it relates to the fact that it is a vegetarian dish. 

On my side, I ordered the Pho Bun Bo Hue:

Pho Bun Bo Hue at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

It consisted of pork shoulder and beef shank and came with some lime, soy and lemongrass to mix with.

Pho Bun Bo Hue at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

Both broths were tasty with for sure bolder flavors thanks to the meat in the Bun Bo Hue. The noodles were good, but I preferred the one in the Pho Verte as the one in the Bun Bo Hue were a bit too al dente for my taste and as they were thicker, it was less enjoyable. I liked both dishes, with a preference for the vegetarian one in fact! Incroyable!

For dessert, we decided to share a black rice pudding:

Rice pudding at Pho 66 in NYC, New York

It was made with coconut milk and served with slices of mango. I did not like it to be honest: the texture was off, I could barely taste the coconut milk and the mango was not ripe enough.

I really liked Pho 66 (except the dessert): the Pho are pretty good (they have a nice selection), they look beautiful and taste good, all of that for a reasonable price! I did not regret not having ramen that night! 

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series Event at Pouring Ribbons in NYC, New York

We were recently invited to the Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series at Pouring Ribbons in Alphabet City. This event was a way for Häagen-Dazs® to showcase "art inspired by a journey in Italy and gelato". I admit that we were there more for gelato than art as, after a trip to Italy few years ago, we got crazy about gelato! Imagine that when we went there, we had gelato everyday: coconut for Jodi, Hazelnut or vanilla for me! 

So I was curious to see what Häagen-Dazs® would present! And I was not disappointed! I think the biggest discovery of the evening was that gelato can be used as an ingredient for drinks or pastries! Yes, you read well: drinks and pastries! I know, ice cream cake is popular here, but not in France: we have frozen cakes but it is more for convenience than taste, at the exception of the omelette Norvegienne or baked Alaska. 

So let's start with the drinks! Besides regular drinks you would find anywhere, mixologist and co-owner of Pouring Ribbons Troy Sidle proposed some alcoholic drinks of his creation with gelato. We tried the Bello Rosmarino, made with vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice, raspberries, rosemary and a scoop of limoncello gelato from Häagen-Dazs®.

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. Based on the information given, this is how Troy Sidle got inspired:

"At the Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, Troy Sidle was struck by the pairing of rosemary and raspberries, never thinking they would go well together. After tasting the unique combination in Bologna, he was inspired to add in the refreshing flavor of Häagen-Dazs® Limoncello Gelato to create a delicious cocktail that can be made at home during the hot summer months".

I never had gelato in a cocktail and was pleasantly surprised. It was very good and the ice cream did not seem out of context. In fact, it was dangerous because so good, it was like drinking milk! 

Then, one side of the bar was full of desserts made by Christina Tosi, owner and celebrity Pastry Chef of Momofuku Milk Bar! What was there was not only appealing to the eyes (and the stomach), but very good and creative.

The best of all was the Häagen-Dazs® Dark Chocolate Chip Gelato Cake!

I can tell you that all the guests were gravitating around this cake! The description of Christina Tosi's inspiration was:

"I am a huge fan of ice cream cakes. Fudgie the Whale has nothing on this one! One of my favorite things to snack on while strolling (between gelato shops) in Florence is dried fruits, especially apricots.

Italian bakeries are always full of the most beautiful acetate-lined shiny chocolate cakes, and I just knew I wanted to create one on my terms, combining my American sensibility of an ice cream cake with Häagen-Dazs® Dark chocolate Chip Gelato and my favorite in-between-gelato shop snack."

By the way, writing this post, I discovered that Fudgie the Whale is a type of ice cream cake produced and sold by Carvel in its franchise stores!

Anyway, I got my hand on a slice of that cake!

Look at that slice and tell me you would not want a bite, or two!!! That was light and heavenly good. The pairing of the apricot jam with the chocolate was a killer!

The other desserts were made without Gelato. We got:


Dark Chocolate cookies:

Dark Chocolate Pistacchio spread:

That by the way I used as a filling for crepes! I used it like a nutella spread that was in fact the inspiration of the Chef! Delish!

Biscotti Milk that was Chef Christina Tosi's take on cookies and milk!

This was great and I enjoyed it with the chocolate cake!!!

They also pass around some Häagen-Dazs® gelato samples. We tried the Black Cherry one that was very good. I wish I could have tried other flavors but we had to leave!

Besides food, the evening was filled with art, also inspired from Italy and Gelato, as well as music, with a performance from Suzanna Choffel from "The Voice":

And let's not forget art! There was Tim McFaden (hand-blown glass gelato Bowl), Loren Bartham (cuff bracelet with vintage stones) and Kelsea Slade (leather clutch with tassel).

We had a good time there and were lucky to be part of the guests who could taste these delicious creations!

Enjoy (I did)!

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A Trip to Dominique Ansel Bakery and Pulino's Bar and Pizza in NYC, New York!

Despite the rain today, we tried to make the most of the week end and decided to go to the City to get some good food! I enjoy walking in the city, even with this type of weather to either photograph the street or nature, especially flowers with rain drops on them.

Our first target was Dominique Ansel Bakery: it is not the first time we went there and, if I could, I would go every day for their Kouign Amman!

It was not even 12pm and the place was packed! I admit that we went there for the cronut, a new creation from Dominique Ansel that is a CROissant-doNUT! Such a good idea: we could not wait to try it! Unfortunately, they were sold out!!! Of course, we could not leave like that and so, we decided to order a Kouign Amman:

This is a must have at Dominique Ansel Bakery! Imagine a croissant packed in butter and covered with a bit of sugar. Trust me: if you try one, you will dream about it and go back there just for it! But, what is great about this bakery is that they take classic French pastries and put a twist to it! Like the Paris New York that I also tried today:

The Paris-New York is inspired by the Paris-Brest, a French pastry, made of choux pastry and a praline flavored cream. In this one, the cream is made with peanut butter! It was very good, not too sweet and not heavy, with a nice balance between the peanut butter and the chocolate.

Then, we decided to walk uptown, under the rain, thinking that a bibimbap in Korea Town would be perfect for this weather. While walking, I started to have my mind thinking about all the places we could go to , maybe closer, such as ramen or Italian, but Jodi really wanted bibimbap, until I mentioned Pulino's Pizza! We were just passing by W Houston and she pushed me on my right to go towards that restaurant! Then, there was no possibility of changing her mind...and mine at the same time...

The last time we were there, we tried their burrata that was fantastic, as well as their four cheese pizza. We decided to order again the burrata, that is homemade:

If you like cheese, especially creamy cheese, this is for you!

It was heaven! The cream was perfect and refreshing! Combined with the crispy bread, the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar, it was an harmony of flavors dancing in my mouth!

We then decided to try the simpler pizza you can find: the margherita.

It is composed of tomato, mozzarella, grana cheese and basil leaves. The crust was divine, a bit burnt from the brick oven, but it was not an issue at all! The pizza sauce tasted fresh and they put a lot of cheese. To conclude: very, very good!

After this second visit at Pulino's, I think that it is a great restaurant. The only negatives today are the table placing (they squeeze their customers so much that it was difficult for the table next to us to get their food without us being on the way) and the waiter was rude!

Enjoy (I did)!



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A trip to Montreal - Part 9: Houston Steaks Côtes Levées Trudeau Airport

After a fantastic time in Montreal, it was time to go back. We showed up early at the airport to make sure we had enough time for customs and...lunch! Of course, we were not expecting the same level of food like the one we got used to in the past few days in Canada, but wanted to avoid fast food for sure! That is how we ended up at Houston Steaks Côtes Levées. 

Yes, this is a steakhouse and Côtes Levées means spare ribs (in Canada - in France it is travers de porc). I was not really motivated to have a steak there though and decided to order a burger:

It was the Houston burger, composed of a beef patty, BBQ sauce, herbed cream cheese, caramelised onions, capicollo and arugula. The bread that was a brioche bread was a bit dry and the arugula was so overpowering that I removed it. It was then just ok: not the best patty for sure! The onion rings however were real good, but there were only a few on the plate!

Jodi ordered the House salad:

It was composed of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, endives, onions and croutons, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette. Let say that it was just a salad! Nothing extraordinary...

Well, what can I say: we were not expecting fantastic food at the airport and it was an ok alternative to the fast food. If you are in a hurry, this is not for you: the service was slow and not that friendly!

Enjoy (...)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 8: French Bistro L'Express

On Sunday night, we went rue Saint-Denis to eat in a popular Parisian style bistro called L'Express. It was definitely a trendy place with an elegant decor and a typically French menu, from the appetizers to the desserts. The menu, elaborated by Chef Joel Chapouile, offers classic French dishes such as the rillette, oeufs mayonnaise (deviled eggs), foie gras or steak frites. 

When we arrived, there were not that many people. Normal I thought as it was Sunday night. But, as the evening went, more and more people arrived. When we left, the place was packed!

After we ordered, they brought us some bread and butter:

As well as some crunchy cornichons in a jar that gave a relaxed and rustic feel to the experience:

Jodi decided to order only a salad as she really wanted a dessert. She picked the goat cheese salad:

Goat cheese salad is pretty standard on a French menu. Sometimes the cheese is toasted, sometimes it is not. At L'express, it was not. The goat cheese can also vary, from buche to crotin de Chavignoles. It was a good salad: simple, refreshing and not overdressed.

I decided to order the salmon tartare:

It was served on a bed of micro greens. I liked it but would have liked more texture to it, maybe by cutting the salmon thicker. 

Then, for the main dish, I ordered the veal kidneys in mustard sauce:

This is a very classic French dish and I was looking forward to it! I was not disappointed! The kidneys were cooked as ordered, medium, and were tender with a delicate but particular flavor that I am not sure how to describe! They were mixed with delicious mushrooms and the sauce was phenomenal. I do not know how they make it but it was so good! And then there were sauteed potatoes that were awesome! Cooked all the way through, they were a bit crunchy. This was the best dish we had on that trip!!!

They it was time for dessert! Jodi got her long awaited Ile Flottante!

Ile flottante is made egg whites topped with caramel (sauce or harden) served on a vanilla custard sauce. It was delicious: light, not too sweet, the egg whites were perfectly firm and melted in my mouth immediately. The vanilla custard was creamy and tasty, a perfect complement to the eggs. 

I could not resist and ordered the Baba au Rhum!

The portion was big too. It was just ok: the cake was not as light and airy as it should and the rum was watered down a little. Between the two desserts, I clearly preferred the Ile flottante!

The walk back to the hotel was really necessary after this excellent feast we had at L'Express! It was a great dinner and if you go, I recommend the veal kidneys! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 7: Schwartz's delicatessen!

On Sunday, after visiting the Fine Arts Museum, we decided to got eat Rue Saint-Laurent. We noticed some delicatessens the last time we walked there and decided to go there to have some good deli sandwiches. We ended up at Schwartz's, located boulevard Saint Laurent.

The place has been opened since 1928 and reminded me of Katz's in many ways, although Schwartz's is much smaller and the staff is courteous...

The place was packed and we had two choices: try to get a table at the restaurant or go to the takeout section. We tried the restaurant and got lucky to be seated right away! We had to share a table with other patrons. Over there, the menu is on the wall only. Interestingly, the menu is small and if you are vegetarian, your choices are limited to fries, slaw and pickles...

Contrary to most of the delis in New York, they do not bring you pickles or slaw: you pay for it! So did we...

We decided to order two sandwiches:

The salami sandwich:

The smoked meat sandwich:

Smoked meat is what we call pastrami in the US. You can order it lean, medium (our choice) or fatty. It was very good, tender, with just enough fat in it.

The salami sandwich was also delicious with a nice quantity of meat for sure! As people come and sometimes share, they impose a small fee:

With her meal, Jodi ordered a black cherry soda.

At the end, they gave us our bill and we had to pay at the cashier, cash. So no fear of losing a ticket like at Katz's!

It was good and comforting. The atmosphere definitely reminded us of Katz's, but I thought it was much better. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 6: French Patisserie Boulangerie O Gateries in Longueuil

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

When my friend Malika came to New York, we told her that we were going to Montreal for a week end and she suggested to visit her friends Jean-Francois and Lise who own a Pastry shop in Longueuil, a suburb that is a few minutes from Montreal. 

Jean-Francois is a French pastry Chef who was trained by Les Compagnons du Devoir, a companionship that originated in the Middle Ages, during the construction of Cathedrals. The goal was to  teach and train very skilled workers during many years of apprenticeship. They then expanded to more traditional jobs. Being part of Les Compagnons du Devoir is not a small thing and not everybody can be part of it: you have to be dedicated, motivated and skilled. It is during his apprenticeship that Jean-Francois ended up in Canada, where he met Lise, and together, they opened O Gateries, that will celebrate 20 years this year, in July.

Besides talking about personal stuff with Jean-Francois and Lise, we spoke about being a boulanger - patissier and I could really sense a passion that I always like to find in people. One thing that I still remember that Jean-Francois said, was about technique: when making something, what matters is not the ingredients, but the technique. It makes sense, otherwise, each time I follow a recipe, I should have the same result as anybody, no? No.

To give you an idea of O Gateries, now: I was expecting a smaller place, but it was of a good size, with a terrace and a dining room. In fact, O Gateries is not only a bakery and pastry shop: it also does some catering (apparently their duck confit pie is a big hit) and serves meals. 

But, because of all the work, Jean-Francois decided to hand over part of the products he sells to local artisans: for the bread and the chocolates (at the exception of the truffles that he makes). This way, he can focus on making viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants called in Canada "Chocolatines" and in France, "Pains au chocolat",...) and pastries. He tries to stay traditional and looking at the pastries, we saw the classic ones: eclairs au chocolat, mille feuilles, religieuses...

As we were there for breakfast, they proposed us to try few things. Jodi ordered the chocolatine or Chocolate croissant.

It was very good: flaky and buttery!

Lise suggested to me to get the Eggs Benedict: I could not refuse, especially as I love that dish! But the way they prepare it is with a French twist!

It was composed of a slice of French bread, sauteed mushrooms that were fantastic, brie and a perfectly poached egg topped by Hollandaise sauce. They added some moutarde de Dijon / Dijon mustard that gave a nice kick. 

We also got the opportunity to try the palmier or elephant ears that were delicious: fresh, flaky, crunchy and buttery.

As well as the religieuse that is one of my favorite pastries!

I really appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and we could really taste the chocolate in the custard that is inside the puff pastry. 

We definitely had a good time there whether it was for the food or the company! O Gateries is definitely an address to know!

Enjoy (Id did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 5: Kitchenette

On Saturday night, we went to Kitchenette, a restaurant located in the Gay Village, close to Radio Canada. We found this place after watching Unique Eats that is one of our favorite shows! 

This place is located in a residential area and if you do not have the address, you can easily miss it! 

The interior is modern but has an old feel to it thanks to its leather banquettes. The dining room overlooks the kitchen that is right behind the bar, where you can see the Chef, Nick Hodge, who is from Texas, prepare some comforting dishes upgraded for fine dining. 

They started by bringing us bread and butter.

It was funny to see that the bowl in which the bread was looked as if it has been bought in a garage sale. In fact it gave the impression we were at a friend for a casual dinner.

For starters, Jodi ordered the albacore (tuna) tartare "beach style" nachos:

It was very good, light and refreshing. The nachos gave a nice crunch to the dish.

I ordered the crab cakes, served with Ranch dressing:

They were good: not the best I ever had but good. The crust was a bit too thick though and the crab was probably from the claw, as I noticed some sweetness so particular to it.

For the main dish, Jodi ordered the Brussels sprouts, parmesan grits and soft egg:

It was a great dish, proposed as an appetizer rather than a main dish, but with a nice portion. The egg was perfectly cooked and having the yolk oozing from it and getting mixed with the grits was divine. The Brussels sprouts were very good, proving once again that this little known vegetable is not as bad as its reputation.

On my side, I ordered the dish I saw on TV: blackened halibut with sweet potato mash, toasted marshmallows, Hoppin' John and fried brussels sprouts.

When the dish came, I was a bit disappointed because there was not as many toasted marshmallows as on TV! But this dish not only looked beautiful, but was phenomenal! The fish was perfect: a bit flaky and moist with a nice blackened skin. The Brussels sprouts gave a bit of crunchiness and the sweetness of the mash and marshmallows was a bit addictive! As if I was eating the main course and dessert at the same time, but with a combination that works!

I admit that I did not know what Hoppin'John were: rice and black eyed peas, this is a recipe from Texas, the origin of the Chef! It was good, but I would not have minded if it was not present on the plate that was already busy.

We skipped dessert as we were too full after our first day in Montreal. I regret it because this dinner was  memorable.

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 4 - Ice Cream at Chez Catherine!

Walking around near the Vieux Port, we saw this place called Chez Catherine that was packed! It is a cafe with a terrace that serves a menu as well as crepes and ice cream. Most of the people who lined up inside were there for the ice cream though!!!

They had plenty of flavors like cookie dough, bubble gum, black cherry, but there was no coconut for Jodi. So she ended up with vanilla ice cream in a sugar cone:

I ordered praline and cream in a waffle cone:

The ice cream was rich for sure! The vanilla was flavorful and the praline and cream delicious, although a bit sweet. We paid $12 for both of us (one scoop each), but there was a lot of ice cream, down to the tip of the cone!

It was fantastic and surely a destination to know in Montreal!

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 3 - Fish and Chips at Brit & Chips!

Fervent fans of the show "Unique Eats", we could not miss the occasion to be in Montreal and not eat at Brit & Chips! As you may guess, it is for the fish and chips that you would go there. Yes, I know: having fish and chips in Montreal might not seem the first choice for a visitor, but the show made it sound so exceptional that we had to try it!

We really though that it would be packed so we decided to show up early on Saturday...Well, we were the only customers, but it was probably because it was too early. I mean 11am...

The restaurant was interesting with two rows resembling a casual bar seating. 

The menu offers seven different types of fish with some recipes that are traditional with a touch of Quebec. For instance, the fish and chips made with haddock that Jodi chose, was prepared in a maple syrup batter. 

It was delicious with a bit of sweetness to it. The fish was perfectly cooked and flaky, and the batter that had a nice golden color was soft. 

I decided to order the traditional one, made with cod and a Burgundy batter:

The batter was crispier and darker, a bit greasier than the haddock one. But it was fine and I liked it a lot. The fish was also perfectly cooked, flaky and seemed fresh. My favorite was the one Jodi ordered though...

The chips or fries were just ok for me. They were soft on the outside and good with some vinegar !

If you are a fan of fish and chips, Brit & Chips is definitely the place to go to! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 2: dinner at Leméac, a French Bistro!

For our first dinner in Montreal, we went to Leméac, a French Bistro. 

The place was gorgeous with four sections: the bar that was very busy with not only people drinking but also diners, the main dining room, the patio with its large windows and the garden. 

We decided to walk to the restaurant from the hotel and it probably took us close to an hour, discovering leisurely part of the Old Montreal. So no wonder we arrived hungry! For sure the bread and butter were welcome!

For appetizer, I ordered the escargots (snails):

They were served with some pasta, with portobello mushrooms, a tomato coulis and a basil butter sauce. This was fantastic with plenty of different flavors coming from the different main ingredients. Even without the snails, I would have had appreciated that dish as an appetizers. The basil butter sauce was fantastic: smooth and tasty, it brought the dish to an entire level!

For the entrees, Jodi ordered the hanger steak with French fries and "Maitre d'Hotel" butter (called a "compound butter," which simply means that there is some sort of flavoring or seasoning ingredient added to the butter, usually parsley).

The steak, ordered medium, was perfectly cooked and tender, and had some kosher salt on it. I just wished it was a bit warmer so the butter could melt a bit more. The fries, served with mayonnaise, were like I like them: crispy outside and soft inside. 

I ordered the Duck leg confit, roasted fingerling potatoes and salad:

This was a fantastic fish: the duck confit was not too salty that is the issue sometimes with this dish. The potatoes, served skin on, were delicious, tasty and tender. I ate them with the salad that accompanied the duck. Overall a very good dish!

For dessert, we went for the French toast, milk jam ice cream & maple caramel:

I have to say that it was a big portion!!! I could not resist though! The bread was a buttery brioche bread that, although thick, was saturated with the batter. Adding to it the maple caramel that was not too sweet and the delicious ice cream, it was the perfect dessert to end the meal. 

We definitely had a great dinner at Lemeac and the service was courteous and efficient. This is definitely a great place for fine dining without being pretentious. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 1: Introduction

Place d'Armes in Montreal

Jodi and me decided to go to Montreal in Canada for the week end. In fact we were planning to go last year, but it snowed heavily in New York and in Montreal, causing our flight to be cancelled. So this time, we decided to go in May. It was a great choice as the temperature was fantastic: 25 degrees C / 77 degrees F!

That was perfect to walk around the Old Montreal and take some photos! 

Rue Saint Urbain in Montreal

Random Street

What was great is that the city has lots of parks!

Parc du Bassin Bonsecours

Bassin in the Old Port area

The city of Montreal is an island (1.7 inhabitants approx.), so the scenery near the water was beautiful and peaceful. 

People there speak French, with some particular expressions that are either what we would call old French ("breuvage" for "boisson" or drink) or very practical! For instance, dépanneur in Canada is a convenience store; in France, it relates to a mechanic. Both terms mean "helping out", but are used in different ways! I also found some similarities with the US. For instance, the "How are you doing?" ("Comment ca va?") when you go to a restaurant or at the hotel, that you will typically not hear in France. 

Food wise, I could eat my way out there! It is a cosmopolitan city, so no wonder why there are so many restaurants serving ethnic cuisine: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Burmese, Indian, Portuguese, Italian...I was really excited to go there and try some of their well known restaurants that you will discover this week. 

I kind of retrieved the relaxed atmosphere that you find in Europe, where people take time to sit and enjoy their meal, not feeling pressured to leave quickly so another patron can eat!  However, I mostly saw people have beer at the bars and coffee in chains like Starbucks 

or Van Houtte (when you order an espresso, they ask you if you want it short or long).

I admit that I mistakenly thought that Van Houtte was Van Houten, a firm from Holland specialized in hot cocoa drinks that my brother was fond of!

We also went to a Nespresso Boutique for the first time.

 The place was nice and modern with a store on the second floor. We just went there for an espresso as I was in urgent need for one, but they also serve food there as well as other drinks...Well, like a cafe! They will propose any flavor available in the capsules they sell, with different aromatic notes such as honey, citrux, spicy...

I went for the Arpegio, described as:


"INTENSE AND CREAMY

A dark roast of pure South and Central American Arabicas, Arpeggio has a strong character and intense body, enhanced by cocoa notes."

It was good but pricey: $5 for a double! I mean I should just buy a machine and open my own joint!

Anyway, I still enjoyed it (I did)!

Stay tuned for the rest of the trip!

A trip to Montreal - Part 2: dinner at Leméac, a French Bistro!
A trip to Montreal - Part 3 - Fish and Chips at Brit & Chips!
A trip to Montreal - Part 4 - Ice Cream at Chez Catherine!
A trip to Montreal - Part 5: Kitchenette

A trip to Montreal - Part 6: French Patisserie Boulangerie O Gateries in Longueuil

A trip to Montreal - Part 7: Schwartz's delicatessen!
A trip to Montreal - Part 8: French Bistro L'Express
A trip to Montreal - Part 9: Houston Steaks Côtes Levées Trudeau Airport

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Vanessa's Dumpling House in NYC, New York

We recently went to Vanessa's Dumpling House, located near Union Square, for dinner. This place, located near NYU, is supposed to propose cheap Chinese food, outside of Chinatown, although a lot of restaurants there are not so cheap, enjoying the flow of tourists. 

Vanessa's Dumpling House is small and you definitely can tell, looking at the customers, that it caters to students. It was packed and we were lucky to find a table after we ordered at the counter. 

I wanted to try several dishes and for sure the prices drove my frenzy when ordering. What you will see below costed us $22!!!

Here is what we ate:

Fried pork dumplings (4 pieces):

They were a little burnt in the bottom, but on fact it was great! It gave some crunch!

The boiled vegetarian dumplings (8 pieces):

The boiled shrimp dumplings (8 pieces):

The boiled dumplings were very disappointing. In fact, when we sat, I noticed a doughy smell: it was these dumplings. Not only did they smell doughy, but they also tasted doughy!!!

The pork bun (1 piece):

The veggie bun (1piece):

I did not like the stuffing of the veggie bun; however, I liked the pork one. The only problem is that there was too much bun and not enough stuffing. Very filling for sure!

Last was the sesame pancake with a fried egg:

I imagined something like a scallion pancake, but it was in fact like a bread. It was very good: homey, it also contained veggies that added some flavor and juiciness to it. It was my favorite with the pork dumplings. 

Although I did not like everything, I think Vanessa's Dumpling House is a good place for people on a budget. You just need to know what to order and...enjoy!

Enjoy!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Lunch at Trattoria Saporito in Hoboken, NJ

One of my colleagues suggested Trattoria Saporito few weeks ago, so Jodi and I decided to try it. I admit that we passed in front of it few times, but never thought about going in. When we entered the restaurant, we could not miss the decor. Let's summarize by this: if Gordon Ramsay was to help them in an episode of Kitchen Nightmares, he would for sure change the decor and furniture...

When we went there, we wanted to try their business lunch that offers, for $10.95 (at the time of this post) a prix-fixe where you can choose an appetizer, an entree and a soda. Pretty good deal! On top of that, they offer a wide choice of dishes, not like most of the place where choice is limited.

We started of with the appetizers. Jodi ordered the Caesar salad:

The salad was good, but a bit overdressed.

I ordered the fried calamari (calamari fritti):

It was pretty good: crispy, not rubbery and not greasy. It was served with a nice amount of marinara sauce.

Then, Jodi ordered the bucatini with eggplant and ricotta salata. 

There was a lot of sauce and the sauce was a bit watery in some part, but still good. The bucatini, that are a thicker version of spaghetti, were perfectly cooked.

I ordered my favorite dish: the linguine a la Vongole with white sauce.

I was suprised when the plate arrived as there were quite a lot of clams (a dozen). There again, there was a bit too much sauce, but I have to say that I enjoyed it! Again, the pasta were perfectly cooked. 

We finished the meal with a homemade tiramisu (additional to the prix fixe):

It was delicious, light and delightfully creamy. A great dessert!

Clearly the business lunch at Trattoria Saporito was a good deal. Imagine that with two prix-fixe lunches, a dessert and a tea, the total bill with tip was less than $41. Definitely a place to know!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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Crepes at Cafe Jolie in Hell's kitchen, NYC, New York

Coming from France, where crepes are pretty popular, I was thrilled to try Cafe Jolie in Hell's Kitchen. Not that I crave crepes as Jodi makes them regularly, but still: thrilled! 

If you do not know what they are, crepes are thin pancakes that originated in west of France, in a region called Brittany. The recipe is pretty straight forward, except that people usually use white flour, instead of the original buckwheat that will give to the crepe a stronger taste and darker color. Also, Crepes can be savory or sweet: some people use beer for savory, others milk for sweet. Personally, I use milk as I do not have time to make two different batters. 

So, here we are at Cafe Jolie. The place is more like a casual restaurant where you order and pick your crepe at the counter and go sit somewhere. Similar to a pizza place in fact. While you wait, you can learn some French...

They make their crepes on crepe makers, instead of a pan, as any creperie would. 

The restaurant was not that crowded, but apparently it is because they deliver a lot. They told me that, in average, they make 120 Crepes in the evening. 

I ordered the traditional ham and cheese, called The Amsterdam. 

The crepe looked very nice and had a lot of ham and cheese in it. Unfortunately, it was not fully cooked, probably because the crepe was not flipped to cook on both sides. 

Jodi ordered La Petite Mort:

It was filled with Brie cheese, avocado and black olives. The avocado was ripe and the olives have a nice salty taste to the crepe. But again, the crepe was undercooked. Well, when you know that La Petite Mort ("The little death") is an euphemism for orgasm, I can tell you that with this crepe, there was no Sally moment...

For dessert, Jodi ordered the butter and sugar:

It was just ok: greasy and again undercooked, it had however a nice nuttiness to it thanks to the brown sugar. 

I decided to order the S'mores crepe:

The crepe was filled with marshmallow fluff, dark chocolate chips and Graham crackers. The filling was good, although I barely tasted the Graham cracker and it was undercooked. 

I have to say that I was disappointed: it was expensive for crepes (we paid close to $38 for 4 crepes) and was not that great. I definitely prefer Bar Suzette located in Chelsea Market!

Enjoy (...)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Dinner at Zuni in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Each time we passed in front of Zuni, located in the lower part of Hell's Kitchen, it was packed. So we thought that there must have been a reason for that! So, as it was cold outside, we decided to try it as we did not have enough courage to look around for a new place to try for this blog that would have tables available.

That time too, it was packed. They told us that the wait would be 10 minutes: not bad; so we stayed. The host was trying to persuade us to sit at a table near the window, where even a waiter told him that it was difficult to reach. We refused and said that we were ok to wait a little longer.

Don't be fooled like me: Zuni serves New American cuisine, not Italian...Yes, I should have checked the menu before entering!

The place has a decent size and an interesting decor, full of colorful paintings. They have few booths that I love; understand that in France we do not have booths and we only saw them in movies and TV series (you would be surprised how many American TV series I know!).

When we got the menu, I have to say that I had a bit of a hard time to pick, that is fairly exceptional for me...I do not know: nothing was very inspiring or appetizing. So I made a choice out of despair.

Before the food came, they brought us some olive bread and some muffins:

The olive bread was a bit too chewy, the blueberry muffins had a weird taste and the corn muffins were a bit too spicy...Started well!

Then came the appetizer: the corn fritters.

They were served with honey and a spicy chipotle mayonnaise. The fritters were fantastic: not greasy, they were not too heavy and very tasty, with some corn in it. I loved the idea of putting honey with it: it gave a delicious sweetness to it and, if mixed with the chipotle mayonnaise, it balanced the spiciness of it (although it was subtle).

Jodi ordered the Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Watercress, Belgium Endive and Radicchio, with Pear, Apple and Sun Dried Cranberries:

The goat cheese looked weird! It had a crust that did not look appetizing and tasted weird. The salad itself was ok.

On my side, I ordered the Pan-Roasted Mussels with Belgium Beer, Pommery Mustard, Potatoes and Scallions:

It was horrible! The mussels did not taste fresh and the potatoes were not cooked enough. The sauce was not good either, too diluted and salty (probably due to the mustard). I wanted some bread to dip in the sauce and they gave me some bread that tasted like frozen bread. It was definitely a miss! For me, if you want to make mussels, serve them with fries and bread and make a killer sauce!!!

So, it was definitely not a good experience there and on top of that, it was expensive for what we got. What is crazy is that it was packed, although it is Times Square and a lot of people only come to restaurants once. No need to mention that we skipped dessert....

Enjoy (...)!

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Mini Doughnuts at The Doughnuttery in Chelsea Market - NYC, New York

Chelsea Market is definitely the perfect place for food lovers: there, you can eat all sort of delicious food that will make you want to come back or even stay there...One of my last discovery there is the Doughnuttery, that replaced People's Pop weeks ago (see my review of People's Pop). After the success of doughnut joints like The Doughnut Plant, one may wonder what makes the Doughnuttery different. First of all, they make fresh mini doughnuts using a small doughnut machine, where you can see these small delicate cakes form.

The machine will drop some dough in the hot oil and the doughnut will cook, navigating from right to left, until being dropped in a plate. Then, the doughnuts are either dipped or filled with the flavor you pick. They either propose elaborate doughnuts such as:

• The cacaoboy (Cacao nibs, sea salt, black),
• The Urban Monkey (Green coffee, banana, coconut) or
• The PBCP (Peanut Butter, cayenne, pretzel).

Otherwise, you can simply get a cinnamon sugar, a powdered sugar or a sprinkles one. We decided to go for 6 doughnuts for $6. Originally, we thought we would be able to try 6 different flavors, but the not so nice person serving us, said that it was not possible.

So we went with two cinnamon sugar, two powdered sugar and two sprinkles doughnuts. They came hot and fresh. They were pretty good, but were a but doughy. They were decent, but I prefer The Doughnut Plant; in fact for $6, you can have much better doughnuts there! Even for $6, you can get bigger and better doughnuts at Dunkin Donuts!!!

I think I will pass next time!

Enjoy (the post)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Sandwiches at Bite in the East Village NYC, New York

Continuing our exploration of the cheap eateries near Union Square, we ended up at Bite, a small restaurant that serves Mediterranean / Middle Eastern food.

Their menu offers and interesting variety of dishes: salads, soups or sandwiches, chili (???)...I was surprised however that they did not serve falafel!

We decided to order two sandwiches. The first one was the Middle Eastern mushrooms:

It was composed of sauteed mushrooms, hummus, goat cheese and Middle Eastern salad. The bread was ciabatta. The first bite was good, especially because they put a lot of goat cheese, but I could not get past the texture of the mushrooms that were probably canned. They would have used fresh mushrooms, this sandwich would have been fantastic!

The other sandwich was the Sabih:

It was composed of sauteed eggplant, hard broiled egg, hummus and Middle Easter Salad. The bread was also ciabatta. I really liked it! Sauteed eggplant is fantastic: it has this particular pleasant bitter taste and a spongy texture that will absorb the oil, oil that will then deliciously absorbed by the bread.

What we realized only after is that we could have picked pita instead of ciabatta bread; they did not ask and served bread by default. I think I would have preferred the pita because you have to press the sandwich when made with bread and then it becomes messy to eat because all the ingredients start to ooze from it!

Anyway, I could not not order their nutella and banana sandwich!!!

It was incredibly good! Look, you do not need to be a master Chef to make this sandwich good: banana and Nutella pair so well together, it would be a crime to separate them! Then, when served on a pressed ciabatta bread, it is heaven! Between the crispiness of the bread and the warmth of the Nutella that starts to melt, you cannot stop eating, carefully paying attention that no drop of Nutella will end up on your white shirt!

With this meal, we got also a homemade lemonade that was pretty good, a bit too sweet though.

The total for this meal was $23 that is a good price considering the amount of food we ate. It is definitely a place to know in the area! But, if I had to choose, for a great, cheap, Middle Eastern food, I would prefer Taim (check out my review of Taim).

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Opening Ceremony at BCD Tofu House in Korea town, NYC - New York

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

April 25th was an exciting day for me: I was invited to the Opening Ceremony of BCD Tofu House, located in Korea Town. For sure, I did not expect what happened once there! Let me narrate the evening and you will see how it turned out!

I think I went only once to a restaurant opening ceremony, many years ago and I do not even remember which restaurant it was. So I was excited when I received the invitation from BCD Tofu House to attend their event! If you follow this blog, you know that I love Korean food and discovered this cuisine when traveling to Korea many years ago. I still discover new dishes though from time to time...

BCD Tofu House gets its name from Buk-Chang-Dong, a city in Korea where Mrs Hee Sook Lee, the Founder and CEO of the company received her first cooking training. 

So, the place is spacious with two floors and a earthy atmosphere thanks to the decor made of wood, dark for the most part. It got crowded pretty quickly with an audience representing the press, the blogger community, but also the Korean community, such as Seung Ki Min, President of The Korean-American Association of Greater New York or Young Hyun Kwun, President of The New York Society of Korean Businessman. The President and Founder of BCD Tofu House, Mrs Hee Sook Lee, was also present to welcome the guests and cut the ribbon.

Courtesy of AD Group Communique

The Master of Ceremony was Michelle Park, food and fashion reporter at NY1.

Yes, it was a full ceremony and not just let's cut the ribbon and have some food! The program was the following:

• Opening Remarks by Michelle Park.
• BCD Introduction.
• Congratulatory remarks from Seung Ki Min, President of The Korean-American Association of Greater New York or Young Hyun Kwun, President of The New York Society of Korean Businessman.
• Welcoming Remarks from Mrs Hee Sook Lee.
• Special Guests acknowledgment.
• Prayer.
• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
• Vision statement and closing remarks.

Well, what happened is that at some point they asked me to come to the ribbon cutting ceremony to represent foodies. I was a bit surprised and accepted as it was a great honor, but thought that they wanted me in the background. Once the prayer was completed, they called few people and asked the others to step outside the restaurant, in the street. They then asked me to wait a bit and made me line up after the people that were just called. Suddenly, they handed me over some white gloves and a pair of scissors! Holy Cow! I realized that what they asked me was not to be in the background, but rather to be part of the ribbon cutting!!! As I walked out, people spread out across the ribbon and I ended up in the middle, on the left of Mrs Hee Sook Lee!!! My main thought was: "Do not screw up! Do not cut the ribbon before everybody!!!" Once a person shouted "BCD", we cut the ribbon and shook hands, happy and honored at the same time! That was fantastic to be part of this! 

Courtesy of AD Group Communique

Note: I am the fourth person from the right on the photo!

Now, let's talk about food! Prior to the dinner, they served us some hors d'oeuvres:

Shrimp Potato Rolls:

It was delicious! First the shrimp was big and well cooked. Then, the potato crust reminded me of hash brown and paired perfectly with the shrimp.

Grilled Tofu Skewer:

The tofu, that was firm, was sandwiched between a piece of pineapple and a tomato. It was interesting because one was giving the sweetness and the other one the acidity that enhanced the flavor of the overall skewer. Pretty good!

The Third Hors d'Oeuvre was a Fried Pork Dumpling:

This one was my least favorite: too crispy and greasy for me.

I decided to order soju, a distilled alcohol very popular in Korea.

This one was made with sweet potatoes!

Then, they started the dinner with the traditional banchan or small dishes. There served my favorite: Kimchi!

It was very good and a bit spicy! I have to say that Kimchi is the dish I always expect when I go to a Korean restaurant! You can also find some at Whole Foods...

Spicy Raw Crab:

It was a fresh crab marinated in a spicy and garlicky red pepper sauce. Well, for sure the sauce was spicy. As for the crab, I cannot say because it was a bit difficult to eat the meat. Not the best dish for a press event!

Pickles:

And zucchini:

These two were good and balanced well with the spiciness of the other dishes.

There was also  a dish made with gelatin that I tried:

It had no taste and I confess that I only had a bite...

They also served us Jabchae that are glass noodles:

One of my bosses who is Korean used to say that French people are always fond of this dish and...he was right! It was the first time I tried them at room temperature and I admit that it was perfect. In Korean cuisine, they are usually made from sweet potato starch. 

Then came the LA Galbi or BBQ Pork Rib:

I think this was a phenomenal dish! The meat might not have been as tender as I expected, but it had so much flavor, similar to the flavor you would get with a bulgogi, thanks to its marinade. Eating it with the chop sticks was a bit of a challenge, but I had enough motivation to overcome it...

Then came the long awaited soon tofu or tofu soup:

The tofu in it was soft (soon in Korean) and therefore absorbed the delicious flavor of the broth made with beef and seafood. Mrs Hee Sook Lee told me that it was 100% organic. It came piping hot and we broke a fresh egg in it so it could cook in the soup!

And it was served with white rice:

This soup was delicious: very comforting, it was perfect because slightly spicy and very tasty. The mix of seafood and meat was really good and the only negative was that the shrimp had its shell, but I guess it is to render more flavor to the dish. If you do not like tofu like I use to, it might be the dish that will change your mind!

After we ate the soup, they brought us some rice in a broth that was supposed to clean our palate:

It was made with the white rice that was cooked in a stone bowl and then a broth was added to it. I had a bit of it and the taste was particular for sure.

Last was dessert:

Apparently, it is typical for celebration and Holidays. I confess that I do not know the name of this dessert that was made with red beans. I did not like the taste of it.

So we definitely had a good time at BCD Tofu House. For sure, it was the Inauguration of the restaurant so the service was perfect and we could expect some good food. I will go back another time as a regular customer to try other dishes, especially the bibimbap and the bulgogi! If you go, I suggest the LA Galbi, Jabchae and Soon Tofu soup that were excellent.

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!