Abbottega, Authentic Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York - CLOSED

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!

Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

I was recently invited to try Abbottega, an Italian restaurant that opened this year in the West Village. I like the way the owner, Davide Ranucci narrates the story of this family business that started 100 years ago in Italy:

"

It all began in 1913 when my grandfather Giulio opened his “Osteria” in Montefiascone, a small town with an enchanting view of the lake Bolsena, just 60 miles from Rome...a territory, with a high concentration of mountains and hills.

At “Abbottega” in all these years, we have proudly served our traditional meals to our guests (including Cardinals) who used to come to us by carriages, bicycles, motorcycles, antiques automobiles (with drivers always blowing their horns twice) and today, with modern cars equipped with A/C and navigation systems!"

dining room of Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

Entering the restaurant was like traveling to Italy: they did a great job with the decor made of white bricks that sometimes look weathered, the dark solid wood tables and the counter at the entrance that not only features wine from Italy, cured meat or cheeses, but is also where the Chef will make fresh pasta. Yes, all their pasta is fresh and this is definitely a plus for a restaurant! They should definitely mention it on the menu (wink, wink)! 

pasta making at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

Interestingly, "bottega" is the studio of the master artist in Italian, where apprentices and students learn by participating in the work. It was a good opportunity to taste the creations of the artist, the Chef!

In the back, where we got seated, is a large photo of the owner's Grand-Mother, overlooking the dining room, as if she was still present, making sure the tradition continues. Her photo is also on the menu.

Falanghina wine at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

They served us a tasting, with a glass of Falanghina from the region of Campania in Southern Italy, a white wine sipped cold. While waiting for the food to come, we looked at the small menu that was definitely mouth watering. Roy, the manager of the restaurant explained to us that they are serving simple traditional dishes using organic ingredients and grass fed meat.

We started the dinner with some bread and appetizers:

Bread at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

The bread with a spread made with arugula, potato and some parmesan cheese. Quite good.

Then came the Carpaccio di salmon marinato: salmon carpaccio served with spinach and oranges.

Salmon Carpaccio at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

It was served with some mayonnaise. Good and fresh, the best combination was the salmon and orange together. 

The second appetizer was the Crema di pomodoro e gamberi or chilled tomato soup with shrimp:

Chilled tomato soup with shrimp at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

Now, that is what I am calling shrimp! They were of a nice size, butterflied, perfectly cooked and paired well with the creamy tomato soup. That day was a very hot day and we surely appreciated that the soup was chilled. 

The last appetizer was the Calamaro Spadellato or sauteed calamari with tomatoes and green beans.

sauteed calamari at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

I always have a bit of apprehension when I eat calamari, because sometimes you end up with something rubbery and chewy. It was not the case: very tender and simply prepared with a bit of pepper. 

Then we tried the fresh pasta!!! The first dish was the Ravioli di carciofi or artichoke ravioli.

artichoke ravioli at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

These ravioli were Jodi's favorite! They were served with crispy prosciutto and parmesan. The ravioli was fantastic: very thin with a delicate taste, I could imagine the same dough with so many combinations, from mushrooms, to cheese, squash...Also, I typically do not like artichoke if not in a salad, but it was pretty good served in a ravioli. The only part of the dish I did not like was the crispy prosciutto that rendered too much saltiness.

The second pasta dish was the Lombrichelli Amatriciana:

Lombrichelli pasta with pomodoro sauce at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

When the plate came to the table, we could smell the tomato sauce that was delicious. The pasta, that were cooked al dente. I would have preferred them just a bit more cooked because they were thick, but otherwise, they were good.

Then was the secondi or main course (what, so far it was just the appetizers???). They served us the Tagliata di manzo or grass-fed skirt steak with roasted vegetables.

Grass-fed skirt steak at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

Once you have tried a great steak in a steakhouse, it spoils all your future experiences and makes you more picky about meat. That is why I rarely order meat if I am not at a steakhouse. But when I do, I sometimes have a good surprise. It was the case at Abbottega: the meat was very good! Cooked medium, it was extremely tender and had this delicious taste that meat will have when grilled. Also, the sauce all over it was made with beef stock that was reduced. I appreciated the fact that the sauce was not overpowering allowing the meat to shine. The vegetables were eggplant and zucchini that were a nice complement.

Finally was dessert! At this point, we were wondering how this will end as it was definitely a spectacular culinary experience! They brought us three desserts:

desserts at Abbottega, Italian Restaurant in NYC, New York

From left to the right: yogurt cake with candied oranges and drizzled with creme patissiere (also in the bottom right of the photo), espresso panna cotta and strawberry semi fredo. My favorite was the yogurt cake that interestingly is called "plum cake" in Italy, although there are no plums in it! It reminded me of a yogurt cake I baked at school when I was a kid and brought back some good memories! The semi fredo was also very good and refreshing with a nice texture.

You are probably wondering why I did not talk about the panna cotta? It was not my favorite. I love coffee (some say I bleed coffee), but not in desserts and the panna cotta did not change my mind.

We finished the dinner talking to Roy about the restaurant and his past experience in some well known NYC spots. He surely made this experience pleasurable, providing us some quite interesting information. I have now added Abbottega to my list of favorite Italian restaurants in New York, next to Morandi!

Abbottega

14 Bedford St 

New York, NY 10014

http://www.abbottega.com/manhattan/index.php

Enjoy (I did)!

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Another attempt to get a Cronut at Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC, New York !

There has been a storm in NYC the past months and it is called a Cronut. No, it is not a prehistoric artifact, simply the genius creation of Chef Dominique Ansel that combines a croissant and a donut. Before I explain why it is not as simple as that, let me tell you that I am a big fan of Chef Ansel, because he could have just gotten comfortable and serve classic French pastries. That would have for sure been a hit. Instead, he decided to propose classic desserts sometimes introducing a twist, such as the Paris-New York, that is his take on the Paris-Brest, where the praline cream is replaced by peanut butter. I tried it; I enjoyed it!

So, why is the cronut (that is now trademarked) is not just a fried croissant with some glaze on top? As it says on the website of the bakery:

Made with a laminated dough similar to a croissant (but not exactly), the Cronut™ is first proofed and then fried in grapeseed oil at a specific temperature. Once cooked, each Cronut™ is flavored in three ways: 1. rolled in sugar; 2. filled with cream; and 3. topped with glaze. Cronuts™ are made fresh daily, and completely done in house. The entire process takes up to 3 days.

There is only one flavor of Cronut every month. The inaugural flavor in May was Rose Vanilla, and for June it is Lemon Maple".

The cronut. for the past weeks, has been in every newspaper or on TV. It has also been featured in the foreign press, the proudest being the French press as Chef Ansel is from France. But the incredulity of people came from seeing the long lines and the black market where you can find the cronut for up to $50 (it costs $5). The frenzy has been such, that they limited the cronut to two per person. So we decided to go at some point, thinking that this frenzy would be over. We showed up at 8:30am on the week end and were astonished by the number of people already waiting in front of the bakery.

People were excited, but also anxious, not knowing if they would be able to get that precious little thing. At the same time, people bonded, talking about this phenomenon or answering to the questions of passerby who were wondering why there was such a line in the street. Some of them were surprised to hear that people were waiting for a donut, others asking what a cronut was. Most of them leaving saying "I hope it is good!". 

After 1h30, we are close to the door. One of the employees of the bakery announces that there might not be enough cronuts to serve everybody in line. 15 minutes after, we are in front of the door. A woman exits the bakery with a bag claiming: "I got the last one!". Nice to mock us, the poor people who waited 2 hours to hear they were sold out! Fortunately nobody had the idea to jump her, but you could see some despised her for continuing to say that she had the last one (she kept saying it!). At least we heard that she arrived at 7:30am, meaning 3 hours wait and one hour before us! No regrets on our side, but a bit of disappointment. Some people left, also disappointed, but we decided to stay to get some breakfast.

There was still a line inside, so we had time to look inside the kitchen, through the window that separates it from the rest of the bakery. It was so small, so they must have another room to prepare all these mouth watering pastries and viennoiseries!

Then we saw one of the staff members making madeleines (they are prepared to order). Graciously, he handed some over to us so we could try them, probably also feeling bad for us.

They were fantastic: buttery, warm, with a bit of lemon zest, I could have eaten a full batch!

But I had another item in mind: the almond croissant!

I was at first put off by the confectioner sugar on top because I do not remember any when I was in France. But the first bite made me forget that! It was amazing: buttery, it had a lot of almond cream that was delicious. It is one of the best almond croissant I found in NYC! Yes, I repeat: it is one of the best almond croissant I found in NYC! 

Jodi went for the DKA or Dominique Kouign Aman, that cannot also be missed if you go to Dominique Ansel Bakery!

Look how good it looks with the sugar all over!

So, were we disappointed that we did not get the cronut? Yes, but it was a fun experience and we ended up with a delicious breakfast. So Dominique, please make more cronuts!!!

Updated on 8/18/13: you may think it is over, but it is not! Check out this post and see how it ended up...

Enjoy (I did)!


Dominique Ansel Bakery
189 Spring St
New York, NY 10012

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Bambootori, Japanese Yakitori in NYC, New York

I discovered Bambootori a month and a half ago, trying to find a place that serves quick and cheap food around Union Square. Bambootori serves yakitori, or Japanese skewered food. I admit that I did not recall having tried yakitori before, although the concept of skewer is not unknown to me: the first time I tried one was in Singapore, beef skewers served with a peanut sauce.

It is a tiny place for sure with few seats. The decor is very zen with its light colors and fun with its mirror full of drawings made by its customers.

At the entrance is where they prepare the food and cook it, using a machine brought back from Asia and a grill.

I met with the owners, Hendy, Christophe and Jonathan who are featured in the video at the end of the post. Hendy explained to me the cooking process with the machine: the skewers are made to order. So, when you order one, they will put it on the machine and it will go around twice, cooking at high temperature and releasing the fat in the tray, making it healthier. 

These two cycles take approximately 8 minutes. Then, then finish the skewer on the grill. Et voila!

What I like about Bambootori is that they have a menu that can accommodate both the carnivores and the vegetarians, offering meat skewers as well as veggie ones. I tried both of course and they were delicious! So, let start with the vegetable skewers! The first time we went, we tried the eggplant (middle), zucchini (left) that were delicious.

If you wonder what the one on the right is, it is the pork belly...This is my favorite of them all! I got it as a skewer, but also in a bun. In fact, you can order any of the meats or veggies in a fantastic soft steamed bun.

Look at this piece of pork belly tempting you!

The last way of eating the skewers is on rice, with pickled onions and seaweed.

There, I tried the asparagus and bacon (a good way to bridge the carnivore and vegetarian in me...), the chicken thigh with scallions and the chicken breast with scallions. It was good and juicy and I love the combination of the chicken and the scallions that in fact enhanced the taste of the chicken pretty well.

Then are the meatballs! There are three types: pork, chicken and beef. 

As explained by Christophe during the interview, the beef meatballs are made with some parts of the pork belly and beef tri-tips that are not served to the customers. If I had to recommend meatballs, it would be the pork ones.

I really like these meatballs: tasty and not dry. The main difficulty is to recognize what is what, but these guys can help you.  

The tri-tips in a bun was also very good, tender, juicy and perfectly cooked.

So, as I explained at the beginning of the post, I met with the owners and started to ask them about the  restaurant. They told me for instance that "one of the main reasons we opened BambooTori is because there was too many similar offerings for lunch crowds in NYC. The common grub like burgers/hotdogs/ salads / sandwiches. We want to bring something completely different and Unique". So I wanted to know from them what was so different and unique and proposed a video interview so they can explain the concept behind Bambootori themselves.
Below is the interview of Hendy, Christophe and Jonathan. I apologize in advance for the clicking sound that was due to the auto-focus of the camera.

I hope you learnt a lot about that place. And if you are looking for an affordable food joint near Union Square, try Bambootori: you will not regret it!

BAMBOOTORI

JAPANESE YAKITORI

106 University Place

btwn 12th and 13th

New York, NY 10003

Enjoy (I did)!

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Spice, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

I have to admit that I did not know what to expect from Spice, a restaurant chain, that serves Thai food. We went to their located close to Union Square.

For sure, this is not like your typical Thai restaurant: the atmosphere is more the one of a club than a restaurant, with very dimmed lights, eclectic decor and loud music.

After ordering a Thai Ice Tea that was very good, we ordered our food. I have to say that the waitress was annoying as she was trying to push us to order the special of the day, instead of the dishes we chose!

We started off with appetizers. The vegetable Spring rolls:

They were tasty but very, very greasy!

Then, I ordered the duck bun(s):

Jodi does not like duck so it was only for me. As the name of the dish was in singular form, I did not expect to see three of them! For $7, it is a good deal! The first bun was so so: the duck was a bit tough. However, the next two were divine with a more tender duck and a delicious hoasin sauce in the middle as well as the duck sauce all over the plate! A bit messy to eat, but fantastic!

Jodi ordered the Pad Thai:

These large noodles were delicious, although a bit salty. They were served with egg, scallions and bean curd.

On my side, I ordered the Chicken Massaman:

This is one of my favorite dishes and theirs was pretty good, although spicy (there was no chili next to the dish on the menu indicating it would be spicy). It was a nice quantity of it.

With it, came some white rice that was well presented.

Well, what can I say more? That was just white rice...Nothing special.

Although I liked the dinner, I did not really appreciate Spice: too loud and pushing too much on specials to have a nice evening with a love one or friends.

Spice
39 E 13th St
New York, NY 10003

Enjoy (I did)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Lobster Roll at Lobster Smack in NYC, New York

Before coming in the US, I had no idea that lobster rolls exist! Lobster is considered a delicacy in France and nobody would have the idea of putting such a delicate piece of seafood in a piece of bread, smothered by sauce, mainly mayonnaise based! But this is changing and few restaurants are trying to showcase this fantastic sandwich across the Atlantic, such as Lobster Bar near Rivoli, Jeanne B in Montmartre or  Ralph's, the eatery inside the Ralph Lauren store at Saint Germain des Pres. 

So, after a bad brunch, walking in the streets, we saw Lobster Smack. As I always wanted to try it and did not eat so much before, I decided to go there to try their lobster roll. The place is a fast casual restaurant, where you order at the counter and pick up your order. You cannot miss the fact that they serve seafood, considering the decor. 

So, I went up to order and it was as if I was bothering the guy. Started well! A warm hello and a smile would have been welcome! I seemed to annoy him when I asked what the Old Bay sauce was. It is not as if the place was packed and they were stressed out! As Jodi put it, he was like a ray of sunshine. Then, not only it took forever to be prepared (again, there was barely any customers), but they also prepared the order of the person who came after me first, showing their lack of organization in processing orders. Suddenly, I heard "Old Bay regular"! I turned and saw my lobster roll at the counter. No "enjoy" to accompany it, but thank you anyway!

I think the surprise was when I opened the box: it was small! I probably made a face showing my surprise and disappointment. Not only it was a baby lobster roll, but on top of that, there was more bread than lobster. To add to this culinary catastrophe, the old bay sauce was salty. 

I will for sure remember my visit at Lobster Smack and next time I want a lobster roll, I will probably go somewhere else!!!

Enjoy (...)! 

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Sugar and Plumm in NYC, New York

For Jodi's Birthday, we went to Sugar and Plumm's location on the Upper West Side, the reason being that the last time we passed by that place, Jodi immediately noticed their coconut cake!!! So, it was Her day! 

The place is fun because it mainly caters to families and it definitely is not where one should go for a romantic dinner! If you really want to go there, but would like to avoid family crowds, it is better that you go after 2pm if not 3pm. 

When you enter Sugar and Plum, you will notice three areas:

The candy area on the right that is amazing! 

Not because if the regular candies by the pound they sell, that are pretty standard. 

But because of the ones made of chocolate, some if them being spectacular, like this red shoe (Jodi loved it!):

or a bottle of champagne:

In the center, various items:

Macarons

Croissants, pains au chocolat or cookies

Pastries, cakes and cupcakes:

or ice cream and sorbet:

Last, on the left, the dining room with its colorful mosaic on the wall, accentuating how fun this place is. 

We started our lunch with the following. For Jodi, the ham and cheese crepe. 

The darker color of the crepe was a clear indication that it was made with buckwheat. There was a nice amount if cheese, however, for $12, I would have expected a salad on the side. Besides being pricey, it was very good and similar to a crepe I would have eaten in Paris. 

So, as there was no salad, Jodi ordered one!

Let's face it: it was just a salad. Nothing to dream about. 

I decided to order the chicken and waffles. I love this Southern concept and it is the perfect example of how sweet and savory can be successfully combined together!

I immediately saw that the chicken was not fried, but probably baked. I did not like it: fry with a weird taste and with the skin missing some crispness. For sure healthier, but who cares!

The waffle however was delicious! Dense but not too much, with a fantastic taste enhanced by vanilla. 

To go with the chicken and waffles, I went for a vanilla milkshake:

It was very good: tasty, it had the perfect consistency which is that I did not have to struggle to get it through the straw, even if that straw was a bigger one.

Then was time for the long awaited dessert!!! The coconut cake:

It was quite appetizing and we liked it although it does not measure up with the one at Balthazar or the coconut cream pie at Billy's. 

I think that if you like waffles or have kids, Sugar and Plum is the place for you. For instance, we witnessed the patience of the staff and their kindness toward children (also the adults!). Otherwise, I thought that some items were overpriced. 

Enjoy (...)!

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Fantastic Dinner at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, New York

Danny Meyer is to food what Donald Trump is to real estate: a tycoon. I know that this comparison is far fetched, but it expresses my admiration for a Chef who knew how to redefine dining in New York, whether it is for fine or casual dining. Who does not know Shake Shack today? A success story for sure in the expanding world of the burger joints. There is also Blue Smoke that I recently tried, or Union Square Cafe. But, one of my latest discoveries is Gramercy Tavern. I knew the name, but never tasted the food! Until now!!! In fact, preparing this blog, I learned that one of the co-founders, back in 1994, was Tom Colicchio, who left the adventure few years later, the restaurant having ups and downs.

It was tough to get a reservation there and we booked it a month before, at 6:30pm on a weekday. Early dinner, but would it be worth it? And as if the elements tried to convince me to abandon what would be a culinary adventure, it was pouring and the trains were delayed. But it was not enough to stop me from going there!

The place was packed when I arrived, full of people without a reservation. We got seated pretty fast, in a dining room where tables were not too close to the others, but enough to do some eavesdropping. The clientele was quite heterogeneous: business people, some of them recognizable by their name tag (is the company that treated her employees at Gramercy Tavern hiring???), people in jeans and polo shirts or other fully dressed up (not to mention the hybrids: women in evening dresses and men in jeans)! Well, although the name has tavern in it, this is an elegant place! 

We decided to go for the tasting menu. They had two menus created around seasonable ingredients. For Jodi, they were kind enough to serve a vegetarian menu, mainly inspired by the vegetable menu, but without any meat or seafood. 

I was surprised in fact not to see straight away a vegetarian menu considering that it would cater to lots of people in New York. 

They started with bringing us an amuse bouche:

It was a puff pastry filled with herbed ricotta, shallots and tarragon. It was very delicate and pre figured a fantastic dinner! 

When the first dish came, they announced the fact that this dinner would be unforgettable: the presentation of each and every dish was spectacular, as if Chef Michael Anthony was using the plate as a canvas. The first dish for me was the marinated scallops, served with asparagus, almonds and American caviar.

I admit that I had no idea that there was such thing as American caviar! And I loved it as not bitter as a sevruga would be! Overall, the dish was light, fresh, with a nice balance of flavors. 

Jodi got a salad with squash, peas, micro greens and nuts:

The colors looked wonderful and it was a nice start for the vegetarian menu, the nuts giving a little crunch to it. 

Then, came the warm lobster salad:

It was served with carrots, watercress and fingerling potatoes. The lobster, that was perfectly cooked, was delish!

Jodi got the warm vegetarian salad with farro. 

It was her favorite dish of the evening, and she particularly liked the farro and its crunchy texture. For having tried that dish, I admit that it was pretty good, but not my favorite vegetarian dish, that came next! It was grilled carrots with honey, pistachio, olives and a Camembert sauce. 

I did not care about the Camembert sauce that I thought was not needed on the plate. However, the carrots were fantastic: mixed with the honey and pistachio, there was this delicious sweetness and crunchiness that made this dish a killer one!

On my side, I got halibut with a beet dashi, radish and Swiss chard. 

The contrast between the white color of the fish and the bright red of the beet dashi was eye catching. The fish was flaky, moist and melting in my mouth. However, I did not like the sauce that was not as tasty as I would have preferred. 

Then, Jodi got roasted asparagus and ricotta. 

Interesting combination, wonderful and appetizing presentation with the ricotta buried under the veggies.

I got at that point some ricotta tortellini, morel mushrooms and fava beans. 

That was a great dish: one of my favorites and Jodi probably regretted that it was not on the vegetarian menu! The tortellini were soft and perfectly complemented by the mushrooms. 

Then came the last entrees: Jodi got roasted beets. 

They were served with some homemade yogurt, pickled plum, basmati rice and chips. Believe it or not, but Jodi who does not like beets, ate that dish! That was interesting because I do like beets and was not that fond of that dish...

My last dish was roasted duck breast. 

It was served with lentils, celery root, mushroom and hazelnut. The duck was perfectly cooked medium rare (they asked me if that temperature was ok) and came with a bit of fat that was delicious. The hazelnut added some crunch and nuttiness to a dish that was perfectly balanced, delicate and flavorful. It was my favorite dish for sure! 

Then came dessert. Oh wait! Not dessert: pre-dessert!!! Yes, a restaurant serving a pre-dessert is for sure my type of place! It was a strawberry yogurt panacotta with mascarpone and meringue. 

Great way to start dessert: refreshing and not too sweet. We inhaled it literally!

Then came the chocolate pecan coconut cake served with butter pecan ice cream!

I loved it, especially the ice cream that was incredibly good: creamy, buttery and full of pecan! Bring me a gallon please!!! The coconut cake was good too, very chocolaty with layers of coconut, enough to balance the bitterness of the chocolate. 

At the time we were thinking it was time to walk several miles to help diggest, they brought us some chocolates (caramel on the left, mint on the right):

As well as cookies:

I do not know how Jodi resisted to eat them: I could not...

Then, with the bill, they brought us some delicious coffee cakes that we ate for breakfast. 

I can tell you that we were full after this feast at Gramercy Tavern! The food was delicious and the presentation spectacular. I would like also to mention the service we got from Jahir: he made us feel welcome and looked after, checking with us between each dishes if it was to our liking or if we needed anything. Not to mention his sense of humor! It is what makes the difference between service and hospitality. 

For fine dining, Gramercy Tavern is definitely on the top of my list! It was a dinner we are not ready to forget! And the best proof that being vegetarian does not mean that you have to eat mushy and bland food!

Enjoy (we surely did)!

Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Etiquette

Some people always wonder how to behave at the table. There are extreme, moderate and relaxed rules and these good manners should not prevent you from enjoying your time at the table. What is interesting is that some of these rules can apply at home, when being a host/hostess or invitee, but they do not apply in a restaurant. Hopefully this section will help you know what to do, but as I said before, don't go to the extreme! The main rule is: Don't be gross!

The Art Of Eating Soup
Wine

Sweet Revenge in the West Village, NYC, New York

Sweet Revenge: what an interesting name! It kind of make you think that what they serve is decadent and sinful. We went to that place many years ago, thanks to the recommendation of one of Jodi's friends and, roaming around West Village, we decided to go back, but not only for their cupcakes, also for brunch as we were curious to see what kind of food they propose on their menu.

This place is tiny, so if you are a large group, good luck! Otherwise, it has this type of atmosphere that makes you think it is an old place that is a hole in the wall, kind of secret and reserved to the cupcakes lovers. 

We ordered from the menu that proposes some traditional dishes, but with a twist, such as the Croque Monsieur Savory Cake!

I think it is a great idea to mix the two concepts: croque monsieur that is a pretty standard brunch dish and a cake, and I admit that the presentation was beautiful. The Croque Monsieur part was made of ham and jarlsberg cheese cake and was served with a delicious warm honey Dijon mustard. With it, there was mesclun greens, cranberries and chipotle pumpkin seeds. I wish I ordered it instead of Jodi! So good! But a bit small though! You definitely got the texture and taste of the cake that complemented well the saltiness of the ham and cheese. Great dish!

On my side, I ordered the Scotch Eggs:

This dish was composed of two hard boiled eggs, wrapped in chicken sausage with a cracked black pepper panko crust. They served it with roasted thyme potatoes and some fruit.

It was the first time I tried such dish and I did not like it: it was dry and bland, especially the chicken sausage! Now you understand why I wish I had ordered Jodi's dish!!! 

Well, we could not leave without trying cupcakes! So we went for the Pure:

Made with Mexican vanilla cake with Mexican vanilla buttercream. And the Crimson & Cream, made with a raspberry red velvet cake and a cream cheese frosting:

Both cupcakes were delicious: the cakes were moist and the frosting tasty and not too sweet. For the Pure, you could really taste the vanilla. The red velvet was good, but not the best I had (I am a big fan of Sweet in Hoboken, NJ that has the best cupcakes so far!).

Despite the Scotch eggs, I had some good food at Sweet Revenge and will certainly go back there to try some of the other cupcakes they serve, as well as the Croque Monsieur Cake that makes me salivate as I write that post...

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Candies!!! At Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy

Warning: if you are a dentist, you will either hate this post or love it as it will bring you more customers!

There are few places in New York City that I love to visit for candies. For sure the choice is endless, whether you go to places specialized in candies or to delis, supermarkets...But here, a candy store is definitely different: when you go to a grocery store, you have food all over and you probably did not come just for candies. However, if you go to a candy store, then you cannot ignore the excitement that it triggers, making you feel like a kid again! 

So, the three places I will take about in this blog post are: Dylan's Candy Bar, Sockerbit and Economy Candy!

Dylan Candy Bar: 

Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

This is definitely one of the most renowned candy places in New York City!  It is owned by Dylan Lauren, daughter of Ralph Lauren who is said to have been inspired to open this store by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The store is on two floors and you go from one to another via the "Stairwell to candy heaven", where each step is encrusted with candies!

Stairwell to Candy Heaven at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you have a wide variety of candies, such as the classic jelly beans that I tried for the first time in this country!

Jelly Beans at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

My favorite flavors being banana, pear and root beer!

They also have an impressive wall of gum balls!

Gum balls at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

What I like about it is also the range of old fashioned candies I have never seen before:

Old Fashioned candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

such as the Abba-Zaba that I doubt was named after a pop music band...

Abba Zaba candies at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, if you prefer chocolate, they have also something for you!

Chocolate fountain at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Like the chocolate fountain or these big blocs of fudge:

Chocolate fudge at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Of course, you can also buy some candies by the pound and you cannot miss the display at the entrance of the store!

Candies by the pound at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

There, you will find the classic candies sold by the weight: coca cola sour bottles, licorice, sour peach candies, raspberry candies or these gummy chicken feet:

Gummy chicken feet at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Dylan's Candy Bar is definitely an institution in NYC and they know how to market it! If you go there, do not miss they display of famous people who went there, so you can see what candies they like!

Celebrities at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

We sure love their candies...

shopping bag at Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC, New York

Sockerbit:

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Sockerbit mean "Sugar Cube" in Swedish and it is a store that proposes Scandinavian little candies aka "smågodis". We found that place walking on Christopher street and surely, because of the white setting of the place, we could not miss the vibrant colors of the candies!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

The white walls and furniture made it as if we were in a hospital where the only medication was candies! Definitely my kind of hospital!

Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Besides some products that I will talk about later, Sockerbit sells candies by the pound, for a price similar to most of the candy places. Some of the candies are very familiar like the sour coca cola bottles or the banana.

candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But they also have some interesting ones that might be different by shape, but not taste, like the Sura Persikor or sour peach:

Sura Persikor or sour peach candies at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

My favorite being the Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls!

Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

If you prefer chocolate, they have plenty of different ones for you!

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They also sell chocolate bars:

chocolate at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

But, what is also interesting with Sockerbit, is that they also sell Scandinavian products such as pickles:

pickles at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Jam:

jam at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

Or those little Swedish bread we call "Petits Pains Suedois" in France!

Petits pains Suedois Krisprolls at Sockerbit in NYC, New York

They are so good with butter and Jam!

bag from Sockerbit in NYC, New York

So, definitely, Sockerbit is a unique place to discover! People there are friendly and their candies delicious, even if you do not know how to pronounce their name!

Sockerbit

89 Christopher St.

New York, NY 10014

www.sockerbit.com

Economy Candy:

Economy Candy might not be as known as Dylan's Candy Bar, but this place, that has been around for more than 80 years is also an institution. When going there, do not expect a well organized spacey store: the alleys are tight and you kind of feel overwhelmed by the choice of candies they propose!

They either sell candies by the unit or by bulk. You can find there old fashioned candies you may not have heard about (for sure there are some candies that did not cross the Atlantic!) and some more known!

In the well known, there are of course:

Big lollipops with fantastic colors:

Jelly beans (remember: my favorite flavors are pear, banana and root beer)!

Or Pez:

They also have chocolate:

The Milka chocolate is very popular in France, especially milk chocolate (Milk-a), although it lost some ground to brands like Lindt. They also have the Cote d'Or brand that I cannot find anywhere else.

And then I saw a box of Mon Chéri! They are made of a cherry soaked in Kirsch liquor, surrounded by dark chocolate. Love it!

In fact, Economy Candy has lots of candies and chocolate bars that I use to eat in France and that are difficult to find in stores (some delis have them, but not always), such as the Lion bar:

A Lion bar is made of a filled wafer, caramel and crisp cereal (in the original recipe this was Kellogg's Special K) covered in milk chocolate.

Or Bounty that makes me think about my sister Corinne who loves it!

Bounty is like the Mounts bar without the almond!

The last cool thing about Economy Candy is that they have lots of candies with fun packages!

So, definitely, Economy Candy will overwhelm you so much, that you will not realize that you put a little too much candy in your bag...But, is there such a thing as too much candy???

Economy Candy

108 Rivington St

New York, NY 10002

www.economycandy.com

To conclude this post, if I had to root for one place, I would go for Sockerbit because of its originality!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Lunch at Ajisen Ramen in Chelsea, NYC, New York

We went to Ajisen Ramen on a Saturday with Jodi, Jessica and Alex. We never went to that place and were excited to try it as we love ramen and there are so many places in NYC where to eat this delicious noodle dish.

The logo is funny and cartoony and, contrary to most of the ramen places we have been to, there is no sitting at the counter, watching the cook do its magic. I discovered, while writing this post, that Ajisen ramen is a chain, created in Japan.

The waiter gave us the menu and I was pleased to see photos as I always find that, if well taken, they can  speak better than words. Although words are still necessary to describe each dish and, believe it or not, there was none! I tried to get some answers from the waiter but he was unable to explain what the dishes had. 

So, Jodi and Jessica went for the corn ramen 

and I went for the Ajisen ramen as it was the name of the restaurant.

Both dishes were similar: it was based on a broth made with pork that has a milky color. I thought in fact that it was because of a small amount of curry paste and possibly coconut milk...Both ramen had some slices of pork that were pretty descent, some green onions, cabbage and carrots. The corn ramen had...corn!

I finished my ramen that was good. Not to the level of the ones I tried before, but good. The advantage of this one is that it was not crowded at all, probably because of the location. I think they should either describe their dishes or have their staff have a better knowledge of the dishes, because, sometimes, if people like a restaurant, they like to come back to try other dishes they saw on the menu! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Japonica, Japanese restaurant in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

It has been a while since we wanted to try Japonica, located near Union Square, in Greenwich Village. Each time we passed by, the restaurant seemed packed, with sometimes a line outside. At that point, one may think that there must be a reason for it! 

So here we are, thinking that we would have to wait; it was not the case and they sat us immediately. What we could not miss about the decor were the trees all around that gave a nice touch.  The staff was very nice, polite and efficient. They first brought us a hot towel and then proceeded to take our order. 

We started of with appetizers. First were the vegetable gyoza. 

They were proposed steamed or fried; we picked fried to have a nice crunch to it. They came very hot! Inside, we could definitely taste edamame. Unfortunately, they were underseasoned. Fortunately though, we poured some soy sauce and its saltiness helped overcome it. 

Then, we ordered the shrimp shumai:

They were big, with a nice shrimp on top of each and the filling being made of pork. Unfortunately, I did not like them: watery, they were also tasteless if not for the shrimp!

For the entrees, Jodi ordered avocado rolls:

Nothing extraordinary there, but we appreciated the ripe avocado.

On my side, I ordered the Uni Ika made of squid and sea urchin:

The last time I had Sea Urchin was in Malta in 1998! They were captured fresh, opened on the spot and eaten right away with a bit of lemon. So good! So I was excited this time! Unfortunately, it was not as expected! The squid was a bit tough and the sea urchin turned to a watery paste...

Well, this was not as good as what we expected: expensive and average. We were wondering if the continuous flow of customers was because there are not that many Japanese restaurants in this area!

Enjoy (...)!

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I have tried again the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern in NYC, New York

If you recall, last year, I went to Minetta Tavern to try their Black Label Burger that is supposed to be the best of the best in NYC! This pricey burger ($26) is made of prime dry age meats: strip or ribeye, skirt steak and brisket, all coming from the Creekstone Farms (black angus beef raised and grazed in the US and USDA approved). Just reading this could make me salivate, unfortunately, I did not like it! The main reason is that I ordered it medium and it was very pink. However, the highlights of that previous meal were the fries (spectacular) and the coconut cake from Balthazar (they have the same owner). I think there is a psychological limit as to how much people would pay for a burger and $26 passed it, so it clearly gives people high expectations. 

I therefore decided to try again and we went with our friends Diana and Peter for this revisit. This time, the waiter clearly indicated how raw the meat would be if ordered medium, so I asked for medium-well.

And it was definitely how I should have asked the first time! Clearly, this burger is beautiful: thick and shiny, with its caramelized onions on top. The brioche bread was also very good, fresh and not dry, that is important because it is the first thing you will taste when you bite on the burger.

So it was good, although salty. With the burger came these delicious fries that I raved about last time: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I finished them!

Jodi decided to go for the shirred eggs with black trumpet mushrooms:

Shirred eggs are baked eggs. The eggs were well cooked, but there was not enough mushrooms! Also, the portion was small! For $21, they could have thrown a salad!

We had a good time and good brunch at Minetta Tavern with our friends, but I still think that their burger, although good, is not the best in New York (Collichio & Sons and its $18 burger is far better, or the cheaper Corner Bistro) and it is not worth the $26 we paid!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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Lobster roll at The Claw New York in NYC!

I recently went to The Claw New York with my friend Benny, to their location in Hell's Kitchen. Their motto is "Bringing the Hamptons to NYC". I was wondering if I had to dress up for the event!!!

The place was not what I imagined: I thought I would order at the counter and then sit to eat. It was not the case: it was table service.

We decided to start with the crab beignets:

They were disappointing to say the least! The dough was not as soft as beignets, it was dry and salty. Clearly not recommended!

Then we each got the lobster roll:

It was supposed to be served with mayonnaise and butter: I write "supposed" because if there were some, it was very subtle. Don't get me wrong: I prefer that way so I can really taste the lobster. However, it would have been great with a bit more butter either when poaching the lobster or on the toasted potato bread. I also appreciated the fact that there was a nice amount of lobster!

The fries were not the best, but I was pleased that they had some as otherwise I would have been hungry.

I think The Claw New York is decent. Not the best but decent and a good alternative if you are in the area and want to eat a lobster roll. However, know that if you go with a vegetarian, they only propose a salad...or desserts!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Beard Papa's cream puffs in NYC, New York

Yes, I confess: when writing my blog post about Dinosaur BBQ, I omitted a small detail...It concerns the fact that we were planning to walk up to the restaurant and, coincidently, we passed by Beard Papa's...I am sure that when Jodi will read the word "coincidently", she will roll her eyes...I am discovered! Yes, I had a plan! Look, walking to Dinosaur BBQ requires so energy and Beard Papa's had what I needed! If you do not know what Beard Papa's is, it is a French-style bakery franchise that originated in Japan in 1999 and specializes in delicious cream puffs or choux à la crème! You cannot not notice the logo that is a bearded...papa...who looks like a sailor!

I still remember the first time I tried Beard Papa, few years ago. We were walking in the street on the Upper West Side when a delicious smell came through our noses. Outside of the store, they were giving samples of these cute choux packed with deliciousness! After we tried it, we had to get several of them! From all the flavors they propose, the vanilla custard remains my favorite! Even the chocolate one does not measure up for me. 

So, here we are again! The staff greeted us in Japanese and freshly stuffed the Chou with the vanilla custard. 

I think it is great that they fill them a la minute, because otherwise, the shell would lose its slight crunch. You should have seen my big smile when they handed me over the yellow bag...

I delicately opened it, and there was the vanilla custard filled cream puff, with a bit of confectioner's sugar on top (that usually ends up on my shirt!).

The first bite was fantastic, as well as the second, third, etc...The vanilla custard was so good!

It really tasted fresh and homemade!

Then, few weeks later, thanks to a colleague, David, I got the chance to try a Paris-Brest cream "donut" puff. Paris-Brest is a French Pastry made of a chou cut in half with praline cream in between the two slices.

As well as an eclair one:

The Paris-Brest was very good with a slightly different shell for the chou. The chocolate eclair would satisfy any fan of chocolate! First of all, it tasted like real chocolate melted and not just some sugary one. Then, the filling was a vanilla custard and I really thought that it was an excellent pairing with the dark chocolate, because it counter balanced the bitterness of it. 

Well, after writing this post, it makes me want to go back quickly! What about you?

Enjoy (I did)!

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Trece Mexican Restaurant in NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap eateries near Union Square, we ended up at Trece Mexican Cuisine and Tequila Bar. We did not really know what to expect, but were for sure excited to have Mexican food! The place was big and colorful. They sat us at a table next to the bar and the big TVs overlooking the dining room. Well, for sure the staff was more interested in the TV novella than the customers!!! 

We started with a dish we always order in Mexican restaurants: guacamole!

The guacamole is made to order that is always great and better than having a restaurant serve some guacamole that was made few days ago or just bought somewhere!

It was good, with big chunks of avocado, was not too salty (I hate that!), but was missing a bit of acidity.

Then I got the fish tacos:

It was not good! First of all, as you can see on the photo, the avocado were not good. Then, the fish tasted fishy and there was too much iceberg lettuce.  The sauces were good, but the wait staff was unable to explain what they were!

Jodi ordered a blend vegetable quesadilla!

It was so disappointing! And expensive for the quality of the food. We should have passed our way...

Enjoy (...)!

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Nanoosh Mediterranean Cuisine in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap places near Union Square, we ended up at Nanoosh, a restaurant serving Mediterranean food. The place was packed so we imagined that there was a reason for it. The dining room was pretty big with high ceilings adding to the impression of volume. They sat us at the communal wooden table. 

The menu is supposed to be on the healthy side, featuring salads (Greek, greens, tabbouleh, quinoa...), hummus plates (with falafel, chicken, beef...), wraps or for an even healthier version, bowls, that are in a way or to simplify this post, a different version of the salads or hummus plates they propose. 

We decided to go for hummus plates. The hummus can be plain (original) or made with roasted red peppers. It is made daily with fresh organic chickpeas. 

Jodi decided to go for the falafel hummus plate. 

And I ordered the chicken hummus plate.

With the hummus plates, they brought us some pita (we picked whole grain):

The presentation was beautiful and very appetizing. They laid out the hummus in the bottom and then added the different ingredients. We added some toppings such as cucumber, tomatoes and olives, but I have to say that I was surprised that they charged us for it ($1 each), especially as it was not a big quantity they put and it definitely contributed to make the dishes pricey compared to other similar restaurants like Mamoun's falafel or Taim!

In term of taste, it was disappointing: the falafel, that were baked (therefore healthier than their fried version) were missing some crunch and texture. The hummus was just ok, not as tasty as I would have liked. The chicken was good at least...as well as the olives!

I also ordered a mint iced tea:

I guess the mint part refers to the couple of mint leaves that were added to the iced tea. Unfortunately, there were not enough to give that wonderful refreshing taste to the drink. 

When we finished our dinner, we felt that something was missing and that our dinner was incomplete. For sure it was not dessert as they only proposed rice pudding or a chocolate dessert...

To conclude: average food and pricey considering the much cheaper choices in the city! I definitely prefer Mamoun's falafel or Taim over Nanoosh!

Enjoy (...)!

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11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park in NYC, New York!

Today was a good day for my stomach: the 11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park took place over the week end, featuring some of the best pitmasters in the country, from Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Alabama...This event takes place every year, one week end of June, in support of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. 

The festival was all about food, but there was also a beer garden, some BBQ demonstrations and some music.

It was for sure packed and more and more people showed as the day went by, trying to benefit from the food that cost $9 a plate. Surely, walking around, you could not miss the delicious smell originating from the different BBQ pits, each pitmaster having his own design, some of them looking industrially made:

and others looking more...homemade!

As I mentioned few times on this blog, what we call BBQ in France is grilling and I can assure you that each time I have visitors, I bring them to a BBQ joint and they really love it! So, imagine me in this festival: I was like a kid in a candy shop! Especially looking all these stands prepare their food!

Like Whole Hog at Skylight Inn:

Sausages at Jim'N Nick's:

Baby Back Ribs at Memphis BBQ Company:

With all this food all around and that smell that kept tempting us, it was time to try some food! We started with Blue Smoke. 

I always wanted to try their restaurant and it was the perfect occasion to taste their salt & pepper beef ribs!

They were fantastic! Juicy, with a nice char on top and some delicious fat, the meat was falling of the bone. There was also a nice quantity of it: in fact I found it to be one of the best deals there!

Then, we went to Salt Lick BBQ from Texas:

They were serving sausage and brisket:

They served it Southern style, with a slice of white bread in the bottom and we put some of their BBQ sauce. The sausage was pretty good, with a nice kick, but the brisket was a bit tough and dry. So sad, because we got a sample earlier and it was very good and juicy.

The last one we tried was Scott's BBQ from South Carolina.

I am not a big fan of shredded pork shoulder because it tends to be dry, but I was curious to try this as they mentioned pork skin and I could see them shredding the pork that had this beautiful reddish crisp skin.

Here again, they served the meat on a piece of white bread and put some vinegar all over it.

Well, they called it vinegar, but I did not really taste vinegar! I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting some of the skin of the pig we saw before. Instead, they throw some fried skin from a bag...It was good and crispy, but still not what I was expecting. This was good, but a bit bland and dry. I did not finish it.

This was a great opportunity to try different BBQ joints and was for sure for meat lovers as there was nothing for the vegetarian: no Mac & Cheese and no fried green tomatoes! Chapeau to the pitmasters and staff for cooking in these high temperatures on a hot day! The Big Apple Block Party was fun and well organized and I will probably go back every year! One thing is certain: the beef ribs from Blue Smoke were the best from what I tried and I am looking forward to try their restaurant!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Hibachi at Ayame in Hoboken, New Jersey

Ayame ("Iris" in Japanese) is the only Hibachi place in Hoboken. If you do not know what Hibachi is, it is a grill where food will be cooked during a cooking show that surely requires some skills!

I sometimes wonder if people go to Hibachi places for the food or for the show! I go for both!!! First time I tried it was in Seoul, Korea. It was in the hotel I was staying in and I still remember the filet mignon and the grilled veggies, notably the mushrooms and onions that were fantastic. The Chef put a bit of a show, but it was not as much as what I saw later. 

So, here we are at Ayame, excited at the idea of what is to come. Jodi orders the vegetable and tofu Hibachi and I ordered a combo of two where I picked shrimp and chicken (they also have scallops, filet mignon, lobster...). The Chef comes with his little cart full of ingredients and greets us. He then starts by whipping out the hot surface and the show can begin. The video below will speak more than any words I could write!

This was spectacular! What you do not see on the video is that he proposed me some sake. I thought that he would give me some in a shot glass, but instead, he squeezed a bottle to let the sake flow come to my mouth! 

Jodi's vegetable and tofu looked like this:

My shrimp and chicken combo like that:

There was definitely a lot if food and the fried rice was not necessary! The only negative is that they asked us if we wanted regular or fried rice, as if it was included!

Otherwise, the food was fantastic: tasty with generous portions. For instance, the shrimp were of a good size and I had a dozen. 

For the second time at Ayame, trying the Hibachi, we had not only a good time, but also some delicious food! We definitely need to go back and try their other dishes!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Taboonette, pocket food in NYC, New York

The owners of Taboon, a Mediterranean restaurant located in Hell's Kitchen, decided to open another location in Greenwich Village; a sister location named Taboonette. The concept is pocket food: putting food into a pita or wrap, like a little pocket. 

I was pretty excited as I love Mediterranean food and the simplicity of pita sandwiches. I was also looking for cheap eats in this area (the highest price on their menu is $12).

The place is nice with a simple decor; the light wood gives a zen atmosphere to it.

I also loved the lamps and the old fashion bulb where you can see the filament. For sure it is nicer than those energy efficient bulbs! If they could make them look like that, that would be awesome!

We started off with some hummus with pita chips:

The hummus was good, but did not taste homemade; more like the one I buy at the supermarket. The pita chips were very hard and burnt.

Jodi ordered the Roasted eggplant Tabouleh:

It was made of bulgur, parsley, tomato, onion, mint and scallion. It is in fact the way tabouleh is done in countries like Lebanon: the grain is not couscous but bulgur and there is a lot of parsley. I liked it. although I would have preferred more eggplant.

I ordered the Kebab in a pita:

It was served with few homemade chips. The stuffing was made of ground lamb and beef, grilled eggplant, lettuce, tomato puree, tahini, mint and cilantro. The meat was good with the nice strong flavor of the lamb coming through. But, I do not know if it was due to the tahini, but the texture was off in the bottom of the sandwich.

I was a bit disappointed with Taboonette. I definitely prefer Mamoun's Falafel for kebab and Taim for a vegetarian option...

Enjoy (...)!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!