Scott's pizza tours in 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 booking site Vimbly and that the tour was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!
Last Sunday, I was invited to a pizza tour in New York City operated by Scott's Pizza Tours. It has been a while since we wanted to try a food tour as we have never done it and as we like food, it is a great opportunity to discover places not only with a fork, but also by learning stories about the visited places.
They proposed that I pick any tour that Scott proposes, bus or walking. I decided to take the bus tour, thinking that, with a bus, we would probably end up in one of the five boroughs. And I was right as you will read later!
The rendez-vous was at 10:45am in front of Lombardi's Pizza, licensed by the City of New York in 1905, hence the oldest pizzeria in the US. Well, is there any better place to start? Scott met with all the participants (some of them coming from Australia), chit-chatting with each of them (where are you from? Oh! From XYZ? Do you know the pizza place called ABC?) and, at that moment, we figured out that it would be fun, Scott having the perfect personality for this type of job!
We entered Lombardi's Pizza from a side door and after some tourists who were not part of the tour and innocently followed us were gently showed the door, the tour started. Or maybe I should call it as Scott did: not a tour, a support group! Because you must love pizza to go to a pizza tour! It started with some facts: 67,000 pizzerias in the US and 2,000 in the five boroughs.
Then, Scott gives us some history about pizza and its origins, insisting on the fact that it was made with scraps from food thrown on a pita bread in Naples way back then, pita was was used in coal ovens to lower their temperature. Then pita became pizza! He also talked about the difference between the pizza in the US and in countries like France and he was on point: in France, a pizza is always a personal pizza (of a good size for sure) and is eaten with a knife and fork. It is often elevated in fact. For instance, I use to eat a smoked salmon pizza: it was a cheese pizza where smoked salmon was added on top, right before serving, and with a nice touch of Crème fraîche and some dill.
After telling us the story about Lombardi's (I am not going to tell you everything Scott said!!!), we headed out to the kitchen where we saw the coal oven. There, they cook the pizza for 3 to 3 and a half minutes.
This is where a food tour is great: not only do you get the story, but on top of that you can access certain areas usually denied to regular customers. But for Scott, it was not a problem! He knew the staff in each of the pizzerias we went to, talking and joking with them.
So, after taking pictures of the oven, we went to the dining room where a pizza tour survival kit composed of a notebook, a pencil and some candies was waiting for us. Pretty useful: as I was taking my photos, Jodi took some notes. We quickly started to see the pizza coming and we each got a slice.
Everybody was looking at the slice to determine the particulars of the crust, the pizza sauce and the cheese, as well as the cheese to tomato ratio or CSR as Scott called it. The pizza was a margherita made with fresh mozarella and San Marzano tomato sauce (raw).
We entered Lombardi's Pizza from a side door and after some tourists who were not part of the tour and innocently followed us were gently showed the door, the tour started. Or maybe I should call it as Scott did: not a tour, a support group! Because you must love pizza to go to a pizza tour! It started with some facts: 67,000 pizzerias in the US and 2,000 in the five boroughs.
Then, Scott gives us some history about pizza and its origins, insisting on the fact that it was made with scraps from food thrown on a pita bread in Naples way back then, pita was was used in coal ovens to lower their temperature. Then pita became pizza! He also talked about the difference between the pizza in the US and in countries like France and he was on point: in France, a pizza is always a personal pizza (of a good size for sure) and is eaten with a knife and fork. It is often elevated in fact. For instance, I use to eat a smoked salmon pizza: it was a cheese pizza where smoked salmon was added on top, right before serving, and with a nice touch of Crème fraîche and some dill.
After telling us the story about Lombardi's (I am not going to tell you everything Scott said!!!), we headed out to the kitchen where we saw the coal oven. There, they cook the pizza for 3 to 3 and a half minutes.
This is where a food tour is great: not only do you get the story, but on top of that you can access certain areas usually denied to regular customers. But for Scott, it was not a problem! He knew the staff in each of the pizzerias we went to, talking and joking with them.
So, after taking pictures of the oven, we went to the dining room where a pizza tour survival kit composed of a notebook, a pencil and some candies was waiting for us. Pretty useful: as I was taking my photos, Jodi took some notes. We quickly started to see the pizza coming and we each got a slice.
Everybody was looking at the slice to determine the particulars of the crust, the pizza sauce and the cheese, as well as the cheese to tomato ratio or CSR as Scott called it. The pizza was a margherita made with fresh mozarella and San Marzano tomato sauce (raw).
Then we went outside to catch the bus to the second location: Luzzo's. I knew Lombardi's Pizza as I went there months ago, but did not know at all this one! So I was very excited! So the bus pulled out and...it was a school bus!
That is true that we were like pupils going to the pizza school.
That is true that we were like pupils going to the pizza school.
So we arrive at Luzzo's and sat in the back, next to the brick oven.
After receiving a bit of information, we went in the tiny kitchen to observe the pizza making process, once the dough was ready. So we saw this guy shape the pizza dough with his hands, but he did not do like a big show where the pizza would go over his head, spinning!
After receiving a bit of information, we went in the tiny kitchen to observe the pizza making process, once the dough was ready. So we saw this guy shape the pizza dough with his hands, but he did not do like a big show where the pizza would go over his head, spinning!
In fact, Scott showed us how it was working, using a dough that he took from the kitchen, the staff of the restaurant wondering what he was doing!!! He then asked us to take the dough on each side, with the top of our hands and pass it from person to person, stretching it naturally and with no effort.
So, back to the guy in the kitchen. First he was shaping the dough to a pizza size:
Then he added some raw tomato sauce.
Then some fantastic mozzarella di buffala, coming from Italy and made from water buffalo.
He then put the pizza in the oven for approximately 1 minute and 45 seconds, rotating the pizza from time to time.
Et voilà!
There, the stability of the crust was different: at Lombardi's Pizza, although thin, it was not floppy. At Luzzo's, it was very thin on the center and thicker on the outside, like any Neopolitan pizza should be, with a nice blistering on the outside, caused by the flames. Well, when I say that the outside of the crust was thicker, I should say swollen because when they stretch the dough, they gently push the air and gas to the outside and that gas will puff up during the cooking process. Let me tell you: that crust was fantastic, with this wonderful char!
So the dough was soft, thanks to the flour used (double zero), but also because they do not work the dough too much.
A nice touch at Luzzo's was the olive oil on each table where you could dip your pizza.
So it was then time to ho to our next stop: J&V in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn!
I was very excited because we do not go there that much! I know: we should considering the restaurant scene over there.
I was very excited because we do not go there that much! I know: we should considering the restaurant scene over there.
So, J&V stands for Johnny and Vinny, the original owners. This place looked more like a pizza parlor than a full restaurant, with stools in the front and tables in the back overlooking a large amount of pizza boxes... They are more like a typical NY pizzeria. Good to know: sodas cost only $1 there that is great considering that a lot of places charge a lot for just a can!
Their oven is a gas oven that has an interesting particularity: it has several rotating panels where they cook the pizza. When they open the door, only one tray is exposed to the outside, limiting the loss of temperature.
The pizza there was the grandma pizza. The way they prepare it is that first they cook the dough for 10 minutes, with just a bit of sauce (so the dough does not dry out), then add the cheese, the tomato sauce, and then re-cook it for 5 minutes. I did not like it: the crust was too hard, overcooked.
After this, we went to another pizzeria in Brooklyn: Sam's. Ok, you would not know it is a pizza place except if you notice "Brick Oven Pizza" on the second floor windows!
Sam's has been serving pizza in Cobble Hill since 1930. When you enter, you cannot miss the basil that they grow and serve on the pizza during the Summer time.
We entered and got greeted by Louis who has a fantastic personality. Seeing him interacting with Scott was like a TV show: fun to watch! There also, we went to the kitchen to observe the cooking of the pizza in their brick oven.
Until Louis served us the pie:
We entered and got greeted by Louis who has a fantastic personality. Seeing him interacting with Scott was like a TV show: fun to watch! There also, we went to the kitchen to observe the cooking of the pizza in their brick oven.
Until Louis served us the pie:
The slice was denser than in any of the pizzeria we went to, with lots of tomato sauce (raw before going to the oven) and lots of cheese. It was good that we finished with this one for two reasons: it was very filling and very good, finishing the tour on a high note!
We went back to the City with our bellies full, still getting some information from Scott about diverse topics related to pizza. For instance, he explained that a good way to heat a pizza is to use a pan. We also learnt that he will release soon a book on pizza boxes!
We had a great time and it was a great food tour. If you ask me why you should go:
- Scott's knowledge about pizza is incredible (I think he has been doing it for more than five years) and he has a true passion for what he is doing.
- You have access to kitchen / oven that you probably would not have access to if you were a regular customer.
- It was instructive and entertaining. On top of that, you never know where you will end up and if you like food and discovering new places, Scott's Pizza Tour is for you.
Now, if you want to know how I rank the pizzerias we went to:
- Luzzo's
- Sam's
- Lombardi's pizza
- J & V
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Molly's cupcakes in the West Village, NYC, New York
If you walk on Bleecker, you cannot miss this bright yellow store that houses Molly's cupcake. The place was not totally unknown to us as we saw them on Cupcake Wars, a TV show where several contestants have to show some creativity to showcase their cupcakes and battle against each other until only one stands. Molly's cupcake, that originated in Chicago, was one of them. If you wonder where the name is coming from, do not start imagining that it is the name of the founder. No, his name is Johnny and named this place Molly, in remembrance of his third grade teacher, Molly, who use to bake cupcakes whenever one of the pupils she was teaching to had a Birthday. I guess that this is also because of his childhood memories at school that Johnny decided to put swings inside where you can sit to joyfully eat your cupcakes. We went twice: the first time we sat there and the second time at a table.
This place has something that I truly appreciate: a way to make your own! I wish any pastry shop would have that!
You can make a mini or a regular size cupcake and pick, in order: the size, the type of cake, the frosting and any topping you want. The fact that they propose mini size is great because it allows you to try different flavors. The first time we went, it is what we did!
Jodi went for a mini vanilla with vanilla frosting, coconut and sprinkles for toppings (there was a tiny portion of coconut).
I went for a banana cake (regular as they do not offer mini size for this one), chocolate frosting and brownie chunks.
The last cupcake that time was a mini red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, a classic!
The vanilla and banana cakes were good and moist; however, the red velvet cake had an off taste, as if the ingredients were not well mixed together. Also, the frosting on each of these cupcakes was too sweet and the cream cheese frosting was like having cream cheese directly on the cake. Disappointing!
When we left, we thought that we would never come back, but we finally decided to give it another chance! That time, we went for cupcakes of their creation. Jodi ordered the Birthday cake one.
I ordered the Cookies & Cream:
It was again disappointing: the cakes were good, but the frosting on each was not good! The Birthday cake frosting was bland and the cookies & cream was too sweet.
After two visits, I am sure that it will not become one of the spots I would go to if I want something sweet! Sweet Revenge, that is close by, is far better! Also, I have to mention that one of the owners who served us twice was not very nice, as if we were bothering her! So, no regrets!!!
Enjoy (...)!
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French roast in NYC, New York
French Roast is a French bistro that has two locations in New York City: one Downtown and one Uptown. It is affiliated with some of the famous French bistros / brasseries like Nice Matin or Marseille.
The decor is pretty standard with its bistro feel, accentuated by the old ads that I love to look at: colorful and amazing.
The menu is also standard for a bistro, with the traditional dishes: escargots, moules frites, steak frites...
We decided to go for appetizers only, so we could try several dishes and hopefully dessert!
I started of with the escargots de Bourgogne:
They were cooked in butter, garlic and parsley. Good, but it was as if they added something else, the butter being overpowered by a secret ingredient, that reminded me the taste of escargots made with Pastis...
They were like fish beignets and the sauce was like a lemon preserved aioli (you could not miss the hints of lemon)! I really liked it: the fish was flaky and perfectly cooked. The batter was soft and not overpowering. A great appetizer to share!
Then, Jodi got the salade d'été:
It was made with bucheron goat cheese, grilled corn, summer squash...
It was pretty good and a nice twist to the salade de chèvre chaud (goat cheese salad) that Jodi loves to order when we go to France.
On my side, I ordered the confit de canard or petit salad.
It was a house made duck confit simply served with frisée salad. I loved it: tasty, it was not salty, that is often the case with that dish. Perfectly slow cooked or shall I say over cooked, the meat fell of the bones! Delicious!
Then, we decided to share a dessert and went for the chocolate mousse.
It was made with three layers of chocolate: white, milk and dark, each if them having a different texture, more dense as the color went darker. It was very good, light and again a nice twist on the very traditional chocolate mousse.
The food at French Roast was very good and I am sure we will be back to try other dishes! I would like to mention, however, that the service was not great and took forever, although the restaurant was not that crowded that night! Nevertheless, the food was worth the wait!
French Roast
Greenwich Village
78 W 11th St
New York, NY 10011
Enjoy (I did)!
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Maison Kayser in NYC, New York
Maison Kayser, located on the Upper East side is the flagship restaurant of French Chef Eric Kayser who opened this place last year and is currently in process of opening additional ones near the Flatiron and Columbus Circle. It is an interesting place. At the entrance, is the store where you can look at the yummy pastries and viennoiseries.
Then, on the right is the dining room where we decided to sit.
The staff was dressed with sailor t-shirts ("t-shirt marin") that are mainly worn in West of France, particularly in Brittany.
We already had lunch before, at Francois Payard Bakery near Columbus Circle, not at the one that opened across the street from Maison Kayser recently!!! So we decided to have coffee and desserts.
Jodi had a mint green tea that she loved, as well as a Mille feuilles.
I was so disappointed when I saw the Mille feuilles! It was not at all the traditional one and was really not as good. I mean, the best part in the Mille feuilles is the icing on top that is phenomenal and this pastry did not have any!
The concept of cafe gourmand is coffee with small size pastries. It started few years ago in France and is now quite common.
The pastries we got were: financiers (bottom left), Paris Brest (top left), tarte au citron (lemon tart - top right) and raspberry tart (bottom right).
The financiers were good, but not as dense as they should be, missing a bit the almond taste.
The tarte au citron had a very weird after taste.
The Paris Brest shell was overcooked and the cream so so (praline cream).
Only the raspberry tart was good.
We also shared an elephant ear or palmier.
It was big, but unfortunately overcooked and dry, missing the buttery taste that makes this cookie so good.
Fortunately, I tasted the viennoiseries another time. It was the chocolate croissant and the pain aux raisins. Both were good, although the pain aux raisins was a bit undercooked.
Yes, it was disappointing because so many people told me good things about this place. I think that Dominique Ansel Bakery is much better, serving incredible pastries that would satisfy any sweet tooth!
Maison Kayser
1294 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10022
Maison Kayser
1294 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10022
Enjoy (...)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
A visit to Princeton, NJ!
Recently, we went to Princeton for the day to visit our friends Livia and George.
It was the perfect occasion for me to see the campus as I heard so much about it. It was beautiful with this spectacular architecture, its gardens and so much green (well, in figurative too).
For lunch, Livia and George proposed to eat in one of their favorite places, apart from the main Street.
It was the perfect occasion for me to see the campus as I heard so much about it. It was beautiful with this spectacular architecture, its gardens and so much green (well, in figurative too).
For lunch, Livia and George proposed to eat in one of their favorite places, apart from the main Street.
We did not go to the restaurant, Blue Point Grill, but to the store on the left, Nassau Street Seafood Produce and Co, where they had an impressive selection of seafood, from lobster, crab, clam and all sorts of fresh fish that can be cleaned to order. They also have caviar!
Their fish tank with all these big lobsters was pretty impressive!
There, they offer a menu going from soups, salads, sandwiches...and you can even see them preparing it, in the small kitchen behind the counter.
The sauce was Caesar dressing. It was good, not overdressed and the fish (lots of it) tasted fresh. The only regret is that it was cooked all the way through and not pan seared with a red center.
On my side, I ordered the lobster bisque.
I was surprised to see them take an already prepared and packaged soup and serve it. They made it though and it was pretty good with little chunks of lobster in it!
Then, I decided to try their fish and chips.
I could observe them preparing it and fry it. Made me hungrier! It was good: fresh fish well cooked, light and crispy batter that was not greasy. The fries that came with it were perfect too.
Definitely a good choice off the Main Street!
Nassau street seafood and produce Co / Blue Point Grill
258 Nassau St
Princeton, NJ 08542
Nassau street seafood and produce Co / Blue Point Grill
258 Nassau St
Princeton, NJ 08542
Then, we went to Small World Coffee..for coffee.
I ordered a cold macchiato that looked fantastic with the cream on top!
Jodi ordered an iced mint lemonade that was just ok, but really refreshing considering how hot it was outside!
Small World Coffee
14 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542
Last top was at House of cupcakes.
This store is known because it won Cupcake Wars! We decided to share a red velvet.
It was delicious: moist and tasty cake, fantastic cream cheese icing that was not too sweet.
House Of Cupcakes
30 Witherspoon St
Princeton, NJ 08542
Needless to say that the walk around Princeton was necessary to digest all this good food! We definitely had a great time and are looking forward to go back to try some other fantastic food!
Enjoy (I did)!
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
Jacques Brasserie on the Upper East Side, NYC, New York
With a name like this, Jacques Brasserie is surely French! I know this place from when we used to live on the Upper East Side. We went often for their steak frites with béarnaise sauce, as well as their chocolate soufflé. So, after going to the Metropolitan Museum to see the Punk costume exhibit, we decided to go back to Jacques Brasserie for brunch. The place did not change: spacious, with the large mirrors on the walls, the warm atmosphere projected by all the dark wood, and the old ads all over the place, giving to the place some authenticity.
I recognized most of the items on the menu. After we ordered, they brought us some delicious bread, warm and a bit crunchy in the bottom.
I started off with the escargots de Bourgogne.
They served it out of the shell and yes, some people may find them disgusting looking, but they are so good!
I used the bread to dip it in the sauce made of butter, garlic and parsley. This was very good and as escargots de Bourgogne should be: no need to add anything else like bread crumbs for instance! If you never had them and would like to try, this is the place to go!
For entrees, Jodi ordered the salade niçoise.
This salad comes from Nice, a lovely city South of France known for its beach front called La promenade des Anglais. It is composed of tomatoes, green beans, tuna, Hard-boiled eggs, olives, anchovies and dressed with a vinaigrette. The olives are normally small, called olives niçoises, that are difficult to pit, so they put some black olives, pitted. If you go to France, normally, the tuna is canned. But, most of the restaurants are trying now to elevate this dish and serve it with seared tuna that is for sure much better, but pricier!
I then had the crepe jambon-fromage (ham and cheese):
I then had the crepe jambon-fromage (ham and cheese):
There were two Crepes filled with cheese and ham and topped with melted cheese: message here is that if you like cheese, this is a good choice!!! The crepe itself was good, probably made with white flour rather than buckwheat considering the light color. It also came with a salad that was a good addition, kind of making it as if it was healthier...
It was a wonderful brunch at Jacques Brasserie, that brought back lots of memories. Jacques Brasserie remains one of my favorite French restaurant in the city.
Enjoy (I did)!
It was a wonderful brunch at Jacques Brasserie, that brought back lots of memories. Jacques Brasserie remains one of my favorite French restaurant in the city.
Jacques Brasserie
204 E 85th St
New York, NY 10028
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
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!
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!"
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)!
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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
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...
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
Dominique Ansel Bakery
189 Spring St
New York, NY 10012
And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
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.
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.
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!
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)!
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:
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)!
42 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
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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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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!
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!
There, you have a wide variety of candies, such as the classic jelly beans that I tried for the first time in this country!
My favorite flavors being banana, pear and root beer!
They also have an impressive wall of gum balls!
What I like about it is also the range of old fashioned candies I have never seen before:
such as the Abba-Zaba that I doubt was named after a pop music band...
Of course, if you prefer chocolate, they have also something for you!
Like the chocolate fountain or these big blocs of fudge:
Of course, you can also buy some candies by the pound and you cannot miss the display at the entrance of the store!
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:
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!
We sure love their candies...
Sockerbit:
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!
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!
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.
But they also have some interesting ones that might be different by shape, but not taste, like the Sura Persikor or sour peach:
My favorite being the Sur Apelsinskalle or sour skulls!
If you prefer chocolate, they have plenty of different ones for you!
They also sell chocolate bars:
But, what is also interesting with Sockerbit, is that they also sell Scandinavian products such as pickles:
Jam:
Or those little Swedish bread we call "Petits Pains Suedois" in France!
They are so good with butter and Jam!
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
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
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
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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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
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!
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!
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)!
And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!