Food trucks at Pier 13 in Hoboken, NJ

If you love food trucks and love walking along the Hudson River, overlooking the beautiful NYC skyline, then the food trucks at Pier 13 are for you. Ok, you never know what you will get, except if you check on their facebook page, because it is never the same food trucks, although some are coming more often than others.

We went few times and tried quite few dishes. The first time was pizza at Pizza Vita, from Summit, NJ.

This is crazy: they have a wood fire oven on the side of the truck and in a matter of minutes, you will get a delicious Neapolitan pizza. 

We decided to go first with the margherita pizza. 

And then with mushrooms and truffle. 

Both were personal pizzas, that were thin in the center and puffed up on the outside (like any Neapolitan pizza should!). They had a nice char thanks to the magic of the oven.

If I had to pick my favorite, it would be the truffled one: plenty of delicious fresh mushrooms (not canned) and that wonderful truffle oil smell (they put a lot of it). 

This pizza is definitely a must try!

The second truck we tried was Hibachi Heaven. 

When I think about hibachi, I think about the chef making a show in front of you while cooking. Well, in the truck, it is a bit difficult...so, no show!

Jodi got a vegetarian version, served with tofu. 

I got the one with shrimp. 

We asked for fried rice. The two dishes were made with the same vegetables. Then, for mine, I was excited because there were lots of shrimp (a dozen) of a good size. 

But they were just ok: they were a bit overcooked and, in fact, it tasted like the food you would get from a buffet, whether it was the shrimp, the veggies or the rice. The tofu was no better! 

So, definitely, this is no heaven!!!

The third truck was Shorty's. they have a brick and mortar restaurant near Port Authority, that I did not try yet. 

They serve hoagies, salads and...cheesesteaks with bread shipped daily from Philly and baked in the truck. 

So here we are ordering our sandwiches. Jodi goes with American cheese. 

I decided to go with cheese wiz. I know it is bad, but I had cheese wiz at Tony Luke in Philly and it was delicious. 

This time, it was not! Way too much of it and do salty! Too bad because the meat was perfect: tender and juicy; the bread was also soft and tasted fresh. I ended up eating more the half of Jodi's cheesesteak that she was not eating than mine!

So, Shorty's is recommended, but avoid the cheese wiz!!!

The fourth truck is a well known truck as well as restaurant: Luke's Lobster.

They serve lobster, crab or shrimp rolls. I went for the lobster roll. There, there is no choice: it is poached in butter, so there is no mayo to overpower the lobster! And for $16, they give you a lot of lobster!

It was heavenly buttery and the lobster, that tasted fresh, was perfectly cooked. 

The last truck we tried was The French Quarter.

There, while I was having my lobster roll, Jodi ordered a muffelata. What is great at the French Quarter is that you can order a whole, half or a quarter of it. She went for a quarter that was already a good size. 

I liked the taste of the olives and the freshness the veggies were bringing to the sandwich. It was pretty good. 

With it, we ordered some beignets, with some nostalgia from the time we went to New Orleans and had beignets at Cafe du Monde every morning (they were so good that we could not resist). 

The beignets from The French Quarter were made to order and really looked like the ones from Cafe du Monde. Unfortunately, there was this overpowering almond taste to it. Why? I bet that without it, it would have been a hit!!!

Ok, the beignets were not great for me, but I am ready to try their jambalaya next time...

So, as you can see, there are things for all palates there! My favorite is definitely the pizzeria, but all the other trucks have interesting menus at affordable prices that I will surely discover!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Sandwiches at Francois Payard Bakery in NYC, New York

I went to Francois Payard few times already, mainly their location on West Houston. This time, we decided to go to the one near Columbus Circle to grab sandwiches. I always like to go there because their pastries look fantastic. 

We decided to order a croque Monsieur first. 

It was made with big pieces of ham, cheese and bechamel sauce, served between two slices of white bread. It was very good; the bechamel sauce adding some gooey-ness to it. It is one of the best ones I had so far for a reasonable price. No need to serve it fancy, just simply!

Then, we ordered the ham and Brie. 

They asked us if we wanted it heated: we said no as we wanted to go authentic. There again, there was a lot of ham and thick slices of Brie. They made it with a piece of salad, some butter and some mustard. I personally would have preferred just butter, ham and Brie, the mustard over powering at time the sandwich. Also, the bread was not that fresh. I guess that it is because they prepare it in the morning (we went after 2pm) and keep it refrigerated. 

Still, I love Francois Payard: they have good sandwiches and amazing pastries. 

Francois Payard Bakery
Midtown West
1775 Broadway
New York, NY

Enjoy (I did)!

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Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

I went to Johnny Rockets for a second time: it is a place like no other, like traveling in the past! Everything makes you think about the 50's, from the decor to the music, although the first restaurant opened in 1986. 

Let's start first with the decor: You have two types of seats: at the counter or in a booth. The entire decor reminds me of American movies or TV series we use to watch in France, when I was a kid. TV series like Happy Days, called "Les jours heureux", a literal translation. 

Then there is the tiny jukebox in every booth: you put 5 cents (provided by the restaurant), pick a song and the choices from the patrons will play sequentially (hopefully...).

In term of food, they have a large selection of burgers, sandwiches and salads. We decided to start with some fried pickles:

They were pretty good, not greasy, crunchy, with a delicious sour taste.

Then, Jodi ordered the route 66:

A beef patty with fried onions and mushrooms. It was just ok: the onions were too big and a bit messy to eat!

On my side, I got the Smokehouse burger:

A beef patty with moked bacon, crispy sourdough onion rings, cheddar cheese and their special barbecue-ranch sauce. It was good with a nice crispiness coming from the bacon that added some smokiness on top of the one coming from the BBQ sauce.

With it, we shared onion rings and fries that were pretty good, especially the onion rings that were crunchy and not greasy.

Of course, I could not go to Johnny Rockets without trying their vanilla milk shake!

The presentation, straight from the 50's was fantastic and it was a very good shake: very tasty and not too thick. Know that they give you a lot of it!

It might not have been the best burgers, but I think that just the experience makes Johnny Rockets worth the trip!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Republic in Union Square, NYC, New York

One of my favorite reasonably priced fast serving restaurant in Union Square is Republic. I went few times and have never been disappointed! 

The pluses besides the prices?

- they have a nice selection of small plates that are perfect for sharing. 

- several menu items are vegetarian. 

- fast service. 

The minuses:

- the noise level, especially the music. 

The decor is very simple with amazing photos featuring noodles (they have several dishes made with it). There are only communal tables, but they usually sit you on your own table, except if it is too crowded. 

So we decided to order small dishes. 

We first shared the sauteed mini dumplings. 

It was the first time we ordered this and I was surprised because I was expecting a plate similar to what I eat in a Chinese restaurant ! It was served like a salad, with cabbage, ginger, cilantro and scallions. The sauce was oyster sauce. The dumplings, made with minced pork, were light and softer than I expected. I guess the salad made it look like an healthy dish! Great dish in fact!

Then Jodi ordered the vegetarian salad.

It was of course with some fried tofu (not greasy), cabbage, carrots, broccoli...Lots of veggies for sure with a delicious ginger dressing. Light and fresh!

I ordered the fried calamari. 

For sure, I was not expecting the Italian version if the dish! It was an Asian rendition that was quite successful! It was lightly breaded calamari dipped in a spicy mayo, topped with sesame seeds. 

I also ordered the Vietnamese Chicken Salad:

It was made of shredded chicken, napa cabbage, carrots, shallots, asian basil, with a ginger dressing. There was quite a lot of chicken considering it was a small dish. It was very refreshing and light.

This was again a great dinner and perfect as we were heading to a concert at Irving Plaza! Definitely a good spot for a quick, affordable and delicious food!

Republic
37 Union Sq W
New York, NY 10003

Enjoy (I did)!

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Papatzul Mexican restaurant in Soho, NYC, New York

Papatzul is a Mexican restaurant located in Soho. It has this fantastic dining room decorated with colorful posters, but also because of the sunlight coming from the window on the roof. It feels authentic for sure.

We went there for brunch and their menu offers standard Mexican dishes, most of them at a reasonable price. We started of with the dish we always order in a Mexican restaurant: guacamole.

Although it looked homemade, we definitely could see from the oxidation of the avocado that it was done a little earlier and not a la minute. It was good otherwise, served with some crispy corn chips.

Then, I ordred Huevos Rancheros. Unfortunately, the waiter did not understand me and came back with Huevos con chorizo or scrambled eggs with chorizo. As we were in a bit of a hurry, I did not bother and decided to try.

It was the driest eggs I ever tried and only ate the refried beans that were good...and the soft tortilla...

Jodi ordred the Torta de Aguacate y Queso Panela:

It is a sandwich made with avocado, panela cheese, refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce and a sauce I could not really identify! It was passable and a bit spicy.

We were craving Mexican food and left disappointed. The service was also just ok and they did not even ask if there was a problem with my dish. Interestingly, all the restaurants around were packed except this one: there might have been a reason!

Enjoy (...)!

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BCD Tofu House in Korea Town NYC, New York

If you follow this blog, you may remember this wonderful moment I had at BCD Tofu House for their Grand Opening back in April (check out the post here!). I had the honor and privilege to be part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, standing next to the President and Founder of BCD Tofu House, Mrs Hee Sook Lee! 

Courtesy of AD Group Communique

So we decided to go back as regular customers. We went on a Saturday, for an early dinner and showed up there around 6:15pm. Believe me or not, but the place was packed! We waited 10 minutes and got our table, excited to try their food.

While looking at the menu, we noticed the table sets that had some sentences in Korean translated in English and with some help for the pronunciation. Reading it, I clearly realized that the couple of words I know in Korean might not be pronounced properly! Hopefully, I never offended anybody!!!

After we ordered, they brought to us some side dishes, called banchan, ritual that is typical of a Korean restaurant.

As we were looking, trying to figure out what was what, they gracefully explained each dish, although I admit that I do not remember the details for all of them.

Kimchi (fermented cabbage):

Squid:

Fried fish (first time ever I get that)!

Fish cakes:

Soy:

Seaweed (I do not like like it, but Jodi does):

Some dish made with veggies and gelatin:

The best for me was the kimchi (quite spicy) and the squid. 

As an appetizer, we ordered fried pork dumplings:

They were very good and the shell was crispy, but extremely hot! 

Then, this time, we wanted to try their bibimbap. Bibimbap is a rice bowl dish served in a piping hot bowl, so the rice gets this fantastic crust if you let it sit for some time!

Jodi ordered a vegetarian one, served with Tofu and a raw egg that cooked after being mixed in the bowl.

I ordered the regular one, with bulgogi beef. I asked or an egg and got a fried one:

Mine had tofu also and in term of ingredients, they were very close: mixed rice with vegetables, sauteed spinach, shitake mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, radish, served a red pepper paste that was not spicy. We also added some soy sauce to give some flavor. This was good, but it might not be the best bibimbap I ever had. In fact, when leaving, we noticed that most of the customers ordered the Soon Tofu Soup that we tried last time and that I really liked. So maybe we should have stuck with it! Well, I am sure I will go back anyway!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Pink Tea Cup in NYC, New York - CLOSED!

I would not call our last visit to The Pink Tea Cup a revisit per se as it was the first time we went to their location near Union Square. Yes, close to the start of the blog, we went to their location downtown, that closed few months later. Then, few years ago, this one popped up and I promised myself to try it someday. That day had come! The place was for sure different: no communal table but a large painting taking an entire wall, pink walls in the back. 

This place serves comfort food and there was one particular Southern dish I really wanted to try there: chicken and waffles. Weird combination, but so good! It is like having an entree and dessert at the same time! What makes this place so particular is that they serve different proteins with waffles, such as catfish, shrimp...Also, they make all kind of waffles: plain, sweet potato, raspberry...

To start, we decided to share the fried green tomatoes. 

When the plate came, it did not look that appetizing. We had to ask for a sauce and they only had some caesar dressing that was pretty salty. We barely ate them! The tomatoes were a bit mushy and the breading we were expecting was breaking apart and quasi none existent. These are fried tomatoes! Don't be shy about the frying: we were not expecting a healthy dish!

Then, Jodi ordered the Mac and cheese. 

We could immediately see that they served it from a tray. It was good: lots of cheese (probably processed) and not dry. 

Them came my chicken and waffle:

Contrary to the first location I went to, there was a decent amount of chicken. Unfortunately, it was overcooked and so dry. The waffle, plain, was good but the syrup was so sweet (low quality) that at the end the waffle taste was lost in too much sweetness. 

So it was definitely not the best revisit for a restaurant and we left pretty disappointed. At least we tried!

Enjoy (...)!

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Dino & Harry's steakhouse in Hoboken, NJ

Yes!!! A dinner at Dino & Harry, one of my favorite steakhouses in Hoboken! We were so excited to go there as we always had great food there (well except for Restaurant Week where the quality of the steaks was not that great...)! My only complaints would be the noise level, but we asked to be seated next to the windows where it is quieter (also for the light for the photos...).

So, the ritual is always the same: we get the bread basket and butter.

Then, we got our steaks! Jodi ordered her usual petite filet mignon, served with mushrooms.

She also ordered some delicious béarnaise sauce with it. I think it is great when steakhouses propose a petite version if a filet, because otherwise, the pieces of meat can be so big! So it can satisfy anybody with a small appetite (compared to me...). The filet was very good as usual, tender and perfectly cooked (Jodi asked medium-well). Also, we appreciated the fact that the mushrooms were not overpowering at all!

Then was my steak: ribeye!

That was huge! 24 ounces! Probably the size of my head...I ordered it medium-rare and it was fantastic: tender, juicy, with a nice char and this incredible taste of charred fat! This is one of the best ribeyes I had! I know: that's a statement I have to live with!

With the steaks, we were happy to see that they resurrected the Mac & Cheese, one of the best dishes with meat, I think, besides fries or mash potatoes.

Well it was not the Italian Mac & Cheese they used to serve and that I tried to reproduce (check this recipe), but still. It was deliciously creamy: definitely recommended. 

Last we got dessert. I admit that I saved myself for dessert this time by not eating the entire ribeye. At least, in the US, if we do not finish, we can take the food home and not waste it. It is a concept that does not exist in France (although quantities are smaller), except for wine in very limited number of restaurants because patrons were not ordering a bottle (wine by the glass is rare), thinking that it would be a waste. 

So, back to dessert, we decided to go for the Snowboken: vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, marshmallow, crumbled Oreo cookies and shaved coconut. 

I liked it, but Jodi not so much! It was a good take on a sundae and perfect for a warm weather.

It was a great dinner: great food and great service. Dino & Harry remains one of my favorites!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Vive La Crepe in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

Crepes: a typically French dish that some people call thin pancakes...I love crepes. In fact I learned how to make crepes at school, when I was probably 7 or 8... So I was really excited to try Vive La Crepe, located near Union Square! It is Jodi who found this place and we added it to the long list of places to try. 

This small place was fairly busy and the staff was efficient. At least, they had five crepe makers to work with!

The menu offers sweet and savory choices, French inspired for the most part. 

Jodi ordered the ham and gruyere crepe:

I ordered the raclette:

Raclette is a dish popular in France and Switzerland, where cheese is melted on potatoes. So this crepe was made of cheese, boiled potatoes and prosciutto. There was enough meat, but clearly not enough cheese! Also, the potatoes were bland; I would have preferred less potatoes or maybe skin on would have given a bit of taste. 

The ham and cheese did not have enough ham...and cheese either!

What was very disappointing was the crepe batter: weird taste! I do not understand how they can screw it up! It is so simple to make ( I should post the recipe!). 

For dessert, we ordered the sugar and butter crepe and the banana and Nutella one:

I could unfortunately not get past the taste of the batter. Too bad because there was a lot of nutella!

So it was clearly disappointing ! And pricey! Bar Suzette remains for me the best so far, although I am always amazed by the cost of this cheap dish!

Enjoy (...)!

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Brunch at Craftbar in NYC, New York

I have become a fan of Tom Colicchio: not for his personality on TV, but his food! We tried Colicchio and Sons and the famous TC Burger that is for me the best burger so far in New York City. So, last time, we were close to Union Square, trying to find a place for brunch and decided to try Craftbar as it was on my wish list of restaurants (trust me: it is a very long list). The place is gorgeous: high ceilings, dark wood with a gateway across the restaurant joining the wine cellar that you cannot miss.

Similar to Colicchio and Sons, although a bit industrial looking, there is this sense of space, modernity and warmth. 

For brunch, the menu offers pretty standard brunch dishes, but just reading their description, you know that it is different and you wish you could order everything! After a difficult time to make up our mind, we ordered our food. Jodi ordered the croque Madame:

Croque Madame is a croque Monsieur with a fried egg. It was served with mustard and pickles.

What definitely made this dish successful is the sauce Mornay that is the Béchamel sauce with additional shredded or grated cheese. This was fantastic and very filling. 

On my side, I ordered the braised mushrooms and poached eggs:

Even if I preferred the croque Madame, I liked that dish: the eggs were perfectly poached (I hate when the yolk is overcooked), there was a lot of fontina cheese and lots of mushrooms that gave an earthy dimension to the dish and contributed to the balance of flavors.

This was definitely a great brunch and I look forward to going back to try their Craftbar “Double Stack” Burger!!!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Island Burgers and Shakes in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Island burger is a burger joint located in Hell's Kitchen. This place has been there for years and I probably went there 8 years ago! I think that at the time, the menu was simpler. This time, I was very impressed by the wide variety of dishes: they have close to sixty different types of burgers with names like Bourbon Street, Hippo or El Camino, each being prepared with different ingredients and a different level of spiciness. They also propose the same dish in two ways: burger or churascos, that is grilled chicken.

I decided to pick The people's choice burger, made with swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and sauteed onions.

It came with slices of tomatoes, onions, pickles and lettuce. The bread was a potato bun with lots of sesame seeds, too many I have to say.

The burger was disappointing: the meat was flavorless and a bit dry (I ordered medium well because the waiter told me that medium would be pink in the center, but also all around). 

My friends Benny and Shaj ordered the Mulberry street churasco in ciabatta bread:

For sure the sandwich was big! I tried the chicken and it had a nice flavor coming from the grilling. Unfortunately, I found it dry.

Then we ordered fries:

as well as onion rings:

Both were very good. The onion rings were not too greasy, but some were a bit overcooked. The fries however were very good: crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside as I like them.

Last, to go with the burger, I decided to go with the black and white milkshake!

It looked beautiful and very appetizing. Instead of being a mix between a vanilla and a chocolate milkshake, it was chocolate sauce and a thick vanilla milkshake that was very tasty and had a perfect consistency. This was the best part of the meal in fact!!!

The dinner at Island Burger and Shakes was disappointing and pricey: I would have definitely preferred a smaller menu made to perfection. But it was not the case. The only highlight was the milkshake...I'll pass next time!

Enjoy (...)!

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The Capital Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

I went recently to The Capital Grille, for lunch. It was a first time. I guess I always thought that this was a big chain where quantity would be the priority over quality. I was wrong...entering the restaurant, you can immediately feel it is a fancy steakhouse!

The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

As a proof, they have lockers on both sides of the entrance that regulars can rent for $350 a year to store their wine. 

On the left is the giant bar:

The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

In the front is the dining room, that kept the feel that steakhouses use to be places for men, with darker colors and leather. Good light though, not as dimmed as in most of the steakhouses I visited, although it was lunch time and not dinner.

The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

Then the main dining room that is huge!  It is on two floors with very high ceilings giving incredible dimension to the place. What I liked were the booths, accommodating two people.  I love booths: we do not have that in France and at first, I discovered them in movies and TV series. Love it!

An interesting thing they do is changing the color of the napkin depending on the color of you outfit: white napkins are linty so if you wear dark colors, they will replace them with black ones! Very thoughtful.

After they brought us some bread and butter with a bit of salt, I was ready to order!

bread at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

There are couple of dishes I love in steakhouses. For appetizer, crab cakes are my favorite! At The Capital Grill, they have lobster and crab cakes!

lobster and crab cakes at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

Nice presentation! There are two cakes, served with a refreshing corn salad and a tartare sauce that seemed to be homemade. I could immediately see that they were not using too much breading, that is a good starting point! The pieces of crab were kind of small, however, you could see pieces of lobster. It was a decent lobster and crab cake, but not as good as Ruth's Chris or Del Fresco.

Then, I got my filet mignon, ordered medium rare:

filet mignon at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

This piece of meat was gorgeous and perfectly cooked, with a bit of salt all around, accentuating the taste of the meat. Unfortunately, they served the steak with a sauce made of beef stock, butter and herbs that was overpowering.

I was able to try their filet mignon served with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms:

filet mignon at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

This one, cooked medium, was perfect: juicy and tender.

With the meat, I asked if they had any sauce and ended up with a delicious bearnaise sauce:

bearnaise sauce at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

As a side, I tried the truffled fries:

truffle fries at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

When they arrived, I could immediately smell the truffle oil. These fries were very good: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Last was dessert...I could not resist the chocolate hazelnut cake:

chocolate hazelnut cake at The Capltal Grille in Midtown, NYC, New York

It was huge but so good! The chocolate cake was moist and the chocolate hazelnut cream was divine. In fact, I was mainly eating it!

Needless to say that I was full when I left The Capital Grille. It was good, but not to the point where I would recommend it strongly if you are looking for a steakhouse. Ruth's Chris, the Old Homestead or Dino and Harry are still the best for me!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Vegetarian dinner at Zen Palate in NYC, New York

Zen palate was the first vegetarian restaurant I went to, when I was dating Jodi. I would characterize their food as Chinese inspired vegetarian cuisine: makes sense considering that if you are vegetarian, Asian restaurants has been for a long time the perfect place for you, although it is changing more and more. I still remember their location at Union Square, that closed few years after and then reopened close by and then closed again...They also have a location in Hell's Kitchen and if you recall, we walked out of the restaurant the last time we went because they completely forgot our order. We decided to give it another chance though. 

We went on a Friday evening: the restaurant was busy and they sat us in the back, a room that looks less modern than the one in the front.

To accompany the dinner, I ordered a soy milk. I love soy milk: it is not milk so it does not taste like milk for sure if you never tried. It has this weird taste and can have a richer texture than cow milk; it is perfect for lacto vegetarian or vegan diets, or people who are either lactose intolerant or have a true milk allergy. Some people, like me, like it plain, others prefer it flavored with vanilla or chocolate (No, I have not been endorsed by the soy industry!!!).

For starters, we ordered the scallion pancakes:

They put inside some soy protein, so i is like a sandwich. It is one of my favorite appetizers at Zen Palate. The pancakes taste like the ones you would have in any Chinese restaurant, are a bit crispy and not greasy. The addition of the protein is nice, but not necessary.

Jodi ordered The Sweet and Sour sensation:

It is a soy protein that is fried and dipped in sweet and sour sauce. It reminds me in a certain way of sweet and sour chicken. It was served with blanched broccoli as well as brown rice and a spring roll. The spring roll was too doughy and the broccoli bland. However, the protein smothered with sweet and sour sauce was fantastic: extremely tasty, you would probably forget it was soy protein when eating it, even if the texture is softer than chicken. It is definitely a good dish to try if it is your first attempt at vegetarian food.

On my side, I got the Cantonese pan fried noodles:

The plate was big and the presentation very nice with the colors of the veggies (sweet peas, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, bokchoy and carrots). The sauce was Kung Pao sauce.

First, they should have chosen a better plate, because when they brought it, I thought I would end up with some sauce on my pants! Then, I was disappointed by the amount of noodles that was not enough compared to the veggies. Last, the veggies were a bit bland. I only appreciated the mushrooms and sweet peas. Too bad!

I think Zen Palate is good, but a bit pricey compared to the food you could get in a good Chinese restaurant in NYC. If it is your first time trying vegetarian food, I suggest the Sweet and Sour Sensation as well as the scallion pancakes.

Enjoy (...)!

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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).

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. 

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! 

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. 

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:

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:

1. Luzzo's
2. Sam's
3. Lombardi's pizza
4. J & V

Enjoy (I did)!

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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...

Then, we shared the Goujonettes or crispy Atlantic Pollack fritters:

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

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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! 

On my side, I ordered a cafe gourmand.

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

Enjoy (...)!

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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. 

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. 

Jodi ordered a salad with fresh tuna.

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

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)!

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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):

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.

Jacques Brasserie

204 E 85th St 

New York, NY 10028

http://www.jacquesbrasserie.com/

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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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