Dinner at Aji 53, Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn, New York

I did not know what to expect when I received an invitation from one of the partners of Aji 53, Kevin,  proposing to dine in one of the three restaurants located in Bay Shore (original), Smith Town and Brooklyn. 

Aji means "Taste" and 53 comes from the address of their original location in Bay Shore: 53rd exit and located at number 53. So they made 53 their lucky number. We decided to go to the Brooklyn location for a dinner last Tuesday.

The restaurant in Brooklyn opened last June. Its predecessor was another Japanese restaurant called "Yoshi" that apparently had some issues. When we entered, we immediately saw that it was not a standard Japanese restaurant, but rather a higher version of it. On the right side was the dining room that was split into two parts: one with red booths and the other one with regular seats. 

On the left, the incredible marble bar with its blue lighting, giving a lounge-y feel to the place. 

Then, in the back, the counter where you can sit and watch the Chef prepare sushi and sashimi.

We started off with some drinks, Jodi going for a green tea:

And me, ordering one of their signature cocktails: The Cucumber Cooler:

It was made of Pearl cucumber vodka, Saint Germain, pineapple juice and fresh shredded cucumber.

It was delicious, with a nice cooling effect, but was definitely a dangerous drink, because you could drink that as if it was just some juice...

We started the dinner with appetizers. The first one was Five Way Sashimi:

It was composed of sushi grade tuna in a ponzu sauce:

Striped bass with a Dijon mustard sauce:

Salmon with a truffle sauce (you could definitely smell the truffle when the dish came):

Yellowtail with a Jalapeño and yuzu sauce (that had a nice kick):

Albacore tuna with a ponzu sauce and salmon roe:

First of all, the presentation was fantastic with beautiful colors. The fish were the selection of the day, the Chef shopping on a daily basis at the fish market (closed on Sunday). It was definitely high quality fish, paired with sauces well chosen and not overpowering the fish that remained the star of the dish.

After that, we got the tuna gyoza:

It was made of cooked spicy tuna wrapped in a wonton and deep fried, served with guacamole and an apple sauce. It was an interesting creation, showcasing a fusion that will be present all along the dinner (started anyway in the first course with the jalapeño). I did not really taste the apple sauce, however, the dumpling had a nice crunch and paired perfectly with the guacamole that neutralized in a way the spiciness of the tuna.

The next course was called Ocean River:

 It was raw salmon wrapped around wasabi lobster and avocado, served with a truffle yuzu dressing.

There again, we could smell the truffle and the colors, with a predominent orange, were beautiful. It had a smooth texture and the yuzu added the necessary acidity. However, I was expecting a kick from the wasabi, but it was not the case.

Then came the warm sautéed wild mushroom salad:

The mushroom smell emanating from this dish was incredible and very appetizing. The sauce was simply made of olive oil and truffle purée. There were different kinds of mushrooms, all organic: butternut, shiitake, oyster and beech.

At the same time, they brought us another dish with mushrooms: Kuromame scallop.

It was grilled scallops, served with mushrooms and asparagus, bathed in a delicious black bean miso. The mushrooms and asparagus added a nice texture and there was a nice balance of flavors in this dish that was one of my favorites.

Then came another fusion dish: Beef short ribs.

It is one of their popular dishes. The short rib is marinated in sake overnight, then slow braised for 4 hours before being smothered in a house made BBQ soy sauce. The result, a meat that falls of the bone without the help of a knife.

I liked it, but it was my least favorite, surprising considering that I love short rib and BBQ, The sauce was delicious, not too salty and nicely sweet, but the meat, although tender, had a bit of cartilage.

After that, we tried the rock shrimp tempura:

Rock shrimp are a variety of shrimp that has a hard, spiny shell similar to a lobster. The shell is "hard as a rock", hence the term rock shrimp. This tempura version was crunchy with a nice kick. It was so good, I could not stop eating them!

We then tasted the Chilean Sea Bass, fish that was imported from Japan, marinated in Saikyo miso, then broiled.

It was served on a sweet potato mash. The fish was perfectly cooked, flaky and moist, with a nice caramelization. This was a delicious dish, perfect for fish lovers who only eat cooked fish.

At that point, I started to be really full and Kevin proposed to have some Sake. They have a nice selection there, with tastings graded standard, expert and premium.

Kevin served us the premium tasting:

It was composed, from left to right:

• Sayuri Nigori: Japan's number one selling unfiltered sake. The restaurant describes it as "refreshing aroma, natural sweetness & smooth aftertaste".
• Wakatake Daiginjo: rice milled to 50%. The restaurant describes it as "full body, medium dry and rich, smooth as silk with aromas of pineapple, papaya and roasted nuts".
• Horin Jumai Daiginjo: rice milled to 50%. The restaurant describes it as "delicately fruity nose, well balanced, smooth & clean finish, with a hint of pear".

Not being a connoisseur of Sake, it was great to be able to compare each of them. I sipped the sake for what was unexpectedly coming: a sushi and sashimi sampler!

It looked fantastic and we could not not try this amazing selection! 

It was composed of:

Sushi made of salmon, yellowtail (bon-hamachi) and big eye tuna:

Octopus:

Sashimi made of slices of big eye tuna and yellowtail:

As well as salmon sashimi:

Next to the damon was the fresh wasabi. They serve fresh wasabi because good quality fish deserve good wasabi!

Monster roll (salmon and avocado inside, topped with grilled Alaskan king crab and Louisiana blue crab meat, served with eel and chili sauce:

Okinawa roll (spicy white tuna and blue crab, wrapped with soy bean nori and topped with albacore white tuna and avocado, served with yuzu creme and pineapple chili puree.

The freshness of the fish was again undeniable and the creativity of the rolls sensational, bringing different flavors together perfectly. 

At that point we were really full, but could not resist a dessert...They brought us a home-made mochi ice cream:

One was made of peanut butter and the other one mango. It was the perfect way to finish this incredible meal.

Aji 53 is definitely not your regular Japanese restaurant: it proposes creative dishes, fusion or not, at reasonable prices, made with high quality ingredients. My only regret is that they are not in our neighborhood!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note 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!

My nephew culinary visit: outtakes...

You may have thought that I was done with all the food we ate when my nephew Valentin was in NYC, but in fact, no! We really wanted to make him try some food he would not find where he lives and I think we did a pretty good job! I should probably mention that when I spoke with his mom after he came back home, she mentioned that he had a bigger appetite. Oops...

So here is some of what we ate:

The Doughnut Plant:

There is no better donut in NYC than the Doughnut Plant! I know that it is a bold statement, but if you try it, you will be convinced too. 

So, after Katz's, as we were on the Lower East Side, we decided to have Valentin try one of their donuts. So we went to their original location on Grant street.

There, Jodi ordered the coconut cream donut:

It is a yeast donut, filled with some coconut cream, as its name indicated. It is chewy and not too sweet and is one of the coconut delicacies I love.

Valentin and I ordered a tres leches donut, one of their signature:

It is a cake version of a donut, a bit heavy but so good...I just wish that they put more tres leches cream inside...

The double espresso accompanied by sparkling water was perfect to go with it:

Kossar's Bialys:

Then, next to The Doughnut Plant was Kossar's Bialys, a bakery established in 1936 and only serves Bialys, these small Polish rolls.

This is part of the old New York, with restaurants like Yonah Schimmel or Katz's, and it is incredible that they are still there considering they only serve one item that is not as popular as one may think.

So we bought some bialys for breakfast and ate them with either butter or cream cheese. There were onion bialys:

As well as garlic bialys:

They were still hot and the smell that emanated from them was divine! Definitely something to try!

Junior's:

If there is one place where I would have people try a cheesecake, it is at Junior's: it is the best. Creamy and dense, we ate it after going to Luke's Lobster, but instead of going to the restaurant, we went to the take out place next door.

City Bakery:

We went there not for their hot cocoa that is supposed to be the best in the US (I tried it and do not think so), but for their chocolate chip cookie: large, dense, chewy with lots of butter and chocolate. Definitely not your average cookie.

We have other undocumented culinary visits such as Giorgio's (cannoli) or Sweet (cupcakes) in Hoboken, as well as Dylan's Candy Bar, so, as you can imagine, he had quite a taste of what this area has to offer when it comes for food. 

We had a fantastic time, food and non food related, and I am sure we will remember Valentin's visit for a while!

Enjoy (we all did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 9: Venezuelan cuisine at El Cocotero in NYC, New York

For his last day in New York, we decided to bring Valentin to try some Venezuelan cuisine, especially arepas. The last time his father came, we brought him to Caracas. As this place is always crowned, we decided to go to the quieter El Cocotero. We went there several times: cheap and good food, fairly low key.

When we entered, at lunch time, the restaurant was very dark, the windows being blocked by Halloween decorations, the sunlight emerging between them. We all ordered the same thing, but decided to share some guacamole, called guasacaca. It never came...I guess the waiter forgot about it and, to be honest, we did not mind as long as they would not try to charge us for it (they did not). I asked for a double espresso and had to ask again, as they probably also forgot about it: it started well!

Fortunately the espresso was good...

Our second appetizer order finally come after a while: yuca fries with guasacaca and cream (Yuca  frita con nata y guasacaca). 

It was good: the yuca fries were crunchy and cooked all the way through, delicious when dipped in the cream and guacamole.

Then, we all ordered the arepa La Chiquinquira, made of guasacaca, Guyanes cheese, avocado and tomatoes.

It was just ok for me: not as good as usual with too much vinegar overpowering the rest of the ingredients.

I was a bit disappointed: the food was just ok and the service was so so, although there were not that many people in the restaurant. I guess next time I'll stick to Caracas...At least, Valentin was able to try arepas!

Enjoy (...)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 8 / part 2: Hibachi at Ayame in Hoboken, NJ

For his last evening, we brought Valentin to Ayame, a Japanese restaurant in Hoboken that proposes Hibachi. It was for sure for the show, but I admit that their food is delicious. It was a Friday night and the place was packed, full of people enjoying the show of the different Chef's that were serving tables. If you have never eaten in an Hibachi place, the video below will give you a good perspective on how it works!

The Hibachi dinner included a soup:

or a salad, made mainly of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot and ginger dressing.

I picked the soup that was very light and had few mushrooms with it. It was a good way to get ready for the main dish. Jodi ordered the tofu hibachi that was served with white rice, noodles and veggies.

Valentin and I ordered the chicken and shrimp combo, served with noodles, veggies and, instead of white or brown rice, we decided to order fried rice.

It was very good and we had plenty of food! At least, the shrimp were not tiny and they served quite a bit of it. 

This was a nice last evening for my nephew and he loved the show of the Chef as well as the food!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 8 / part 1: Italian sandwiches at M&P Biancamano in Hoboken, NJ

Next stop with Valentin was M&P Biancamano in Hoboken. Why? Well, first to try a good Italian sandwich and then, because we discovered this place recently and loved it!

First of all, it is not a restaurant, but a deli with few tables next to the entrance if you cannot wait to inhale your sandwich and shelves full of food, mainly Italian, from Pasta to Olive oil to panettone. 

But it is in the back that the whole operation to create fantastic sandwiches takes place and you cannot miss the huge pieces of charcuterie hanging from the ceiling, promising some fresh cuts of meat!

The owners, Terry and Peter were there to serve us each time, very courteous and ready to help us if were not sure what to order, making the experience enjoyable and highlighting the fact that it is a family business, a sort of neighborhood shop that makes you feel welcome.

Looking at Peter slicing the meat is always a fascinating, considering how generous he is with the portions. Yes, their sandwiches are huge! The first time we did not know and ordered the one with ham, prosciutto, salami, sopressata, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomatoes with a balsamic vinegar dressing. There was so much meat that we could not even close the sandwich and shared held for lunch and half for dinner! But this is not it: it costed us less than $18 with chips!

So, of course we went back there! And this time we got curious about the mozzarella that they make themselves and has been nominated "Best Mutz in Hoboken" last January, in a competition at the Elks Club. This time, we decided to order only half a sandwich, but when I saw it on the plate(s), I was wondering if it was really half; Peter confirmed!

Valentin went for prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers:

I went for mortadella, salami and mozzarella:

For sure, the quantities were again generous, creating massive half sandwiches! Imagine that these two sandwiches with two sodas costed us $19.50!

They were delicious: soft bread (they have a crispy one that I never tried), fantastic mozzarella that was soft and smooth (as opposed to rubbery), with high quality of meat.

This might look rustic, but there is no better place for such good sandwiches! I am now officially a big fan of M&P Biancamano!

Enjoy (I did)!



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My nephew culinary visit: day 7 / part 2: Cheesesteak at Shorty's in NYC, New York

One thing that, for sure, we do not have in France is cheesesteak. The first time I tried it was in Philadelphia,  many years back, in a hole in the wall mainly frequented by students; I wish I could remember the location. 

Shorty's was definitely on my list as the cheesesteak we tried at their food truck on Pier 13 in Hoboken was delicious: soft bread shipped from Philadelphia daily and cooked in the truck, tender and juicy meat and lots of cheese (photo below).

So, we arrived at this place and we were totally surprised: we thought it was a restaurant dedicated to this spectacular sandwich, but it is in fact a bar! So, for sure, it was not the best place to have a conversation and relax...

We ordered the cheesesteak sandwich with provolone and Valentin added some onions. As it was big and we had lot of food that week, we decided to share with Jodi. It came all wrapped up and we delicately uncovered it.

At that point, we were a bit disappointed: there was more bread than meat and the quantity of the latter were close to half what we had at the truck. It was good, tender and juicy, but there was not enough cheese and the proportion bread / meat was at the advantage of the bread.

With the cheesesteak, we also ordered some fries that were good, crunchy and not greasy.

Valentin liked it, but I wish we had a better cheesesteak: I guess that for Shorty's, we will just stick to the truck next time...

Enjoy (...)!



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My nephew culinary visit: day 7 / part 1: Indian food at The Masala Wala in NYC, New York

Talking with Valentin, I was not sure he ever had some good Indian food before. So I picked The Masala Wala: good food and reasonable prices, especially with their lunch special. I discovered this restaurant back in August and promised Jodi that we would go there to try some street food, as they serve some amazing dishes there.

We sat in the bright dining room dominated by the gold coin representing one of the owners, Satyen Mazumdar, and decorated with paintings representing street scenes in India.

We decided to share the different dishes we ordered and started off with the Dahi Puri, these little semolina puffs filled with spiced potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind, mint and yogurt. 

These one bite puffs are very good and extremely refreshing, thanks to the mint and yogurt.

Then we shared a vegetarian samosa and some veggie pakora that are sort of fritters.

The samosa was delicious, filled with spiced potatoes and peas that added a nice texture, on top of the crispiness of the shell. The pakora were good, slightly greasy, but crispy and kind of comforting.

Then we had one of my favorite Indian dishes: chicken tikka masala that Valentin ordered.

I love the color of the sauce and its creaminess. At that point, I did not really care about the chicken and could have eaten the sauce without it. It had a slight kick that was perfect.

Jodi ordered the Shahi paneer (pressed Indian cottage cheese cooked in a rich cashew-almond cream sauce). In fact, it is not on the menu, but as I mentioned that I tried it last time and could not find it on the menu, they proposed to make it especially for us: that was very nice!

And the three of us were so happy! They should definitely have this on the menu: although a bit spicy, the sauce was heavenly creamy with a smooth taste.

We ate these dishes with some white rice:

And some Naan bread (we picked the Naan basket, my favorite being the butter one):

On my side, I ordered the chicken tikka, cooked in the tandoor oven:

It was good, but I found the chicken a bit dry and did not like the rice that was served with it.

Valentin and I ordered a mango lassi, that is a meal in itself and was perfect to counteract the spiciness of the dishes. 

This was a delicious meal and The Masala Wala is a great place for some good Indian food!

Enjoy (I did)!


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My nephew culinary visit: day 6: Cuban cuisine at La Isla in Hoboken, NJ

La Isla is a great Cuban restaurant in Hoboken: cheap with great cuisine. So we were thrilled to bring Valentin to that place for what would be another discovery.

We sat at a table, more convenient than the bar to share dishes when more than two people. The service was very quick and we got some very good comforting food.

We started off with beef empanadas, a must have.

The crust is flaky and a bit crispy, and the inside, made with beef and some tomatoes, moist and slightly salty.

We also had maduros, that are fried plantains:

Tostones (smashed plantains twice fried):

Black beans:

And yellow rice with pigeon peas:

The portions were enough for the three of us. I love to eat all the dishes together, sometimes eating some empanada with rice and beans or maduros with beans, using tostones like I would a piece of bread.

The food was, as usual, delicious! La Isla is really a great Cuban restaurant if you are in Hoboken.

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 5 / part 2: Dinner at Morimoto in NYC, New York

On Tuesday night, we decided to go to Chef Morimoto's eponym restaurant as we really wanted Valentin to try some outstanding Japanese food. I suggested to him not to have sushi or sashimi because he would end up with probably some great seafood, but he would not experience what made Chef Morimoto famous.

I love that place: modern decor with a dining room overlooking the kitchen where you can see the Chefs preparing the scrumptious food.

We were ready for a feast, our chopsticks out for what would be another memorable dinner in this establishment.

We started off with some appetizers that we shared. First was the Yu-burrata, the Chef's version of burrata, served with heirloom tomatoes, berries, cucumbers, with a sauce made with wasabi and sherry vinegar.

The burrata itself was made with tofu skin. It was a fantastic dish: very fresh, the burrata was heavenly creamy and paired perfectly with the acidity of the tomatoes and cherry vinegar.

The second appetizer was the sautéed foie gras & grilled eel:

That was a succulent dish where the smooth texture of the foie gras complemented well the texture of the eel, rendering a nice version of surf & turf. It was served with some Asian pears for sweetness and sake Meyer lemon for acidity.

The third appetizer was the pork gyoza:

You would never think that it was pork gyoza there, but in fact, the six gyoza were under the crispy shell.

It was sitting on a bacon foam (I admit that I barely tasted the bacon), some tomatoes and the shell was nicely cooked and soft. 

Then came the entrees. This time we did not share...Jodi ordered the Ishi Yaki Buri Bop, similar to a Korean Bibimbap, it was yellowtail on rice cooked in a stone bowl.

It came with a raw egg and the waiter mixed the ingredients together. Et voila!

The fish was very good, flavorful and moist. The rice sat and cooked against the very hot bowl until forming a delicious crust.

I suggested Valentin to try the surf & turf that I tried the last time we went.

The fish was Hamachi cut in ribbons, mixed with crushed citrus and avocado, prepared tableside.

The turf side was Wagyu beef, perfectly cooked medium rare, with a nice char on the outside:

The side was herbed potatoes:

On my side, I decided to order the seafood "toban yaki", a sort of fish stew made with lobster, king crab, mussels, clams and diver scallops. The broth was made of red miso, butter and lobster. It was served with rice.

It was a succulent dish, packed in flavors and perfect if you are a seafood lover. The best part was definitely the broth that was fantastic with a nice bold flavor.

Of course, we could not leave without dessert! We first picked the Warm chocolate cake:

It was served with a blood orange-sake sherbet and truffle honey, that was fantastic. The inside of the chocolate cake was deliciously runny and a bit addictive, perfectly paired with the orange sherbet.

The second dessert was the mori-monkey bread, Chef Morimoto's version of monkey bread:

It was made of cookies similar to vanilla wafers, banana cream and chocolate. My favorite though was the banana chocolate chip ice cream, that was very creamy and tasty.

This was a fantastic dinner and for me, Morimoto is by far the best Japanese fine dining restaurant, far beyond Nobu!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 5 / part 1: Tacombi at Fonda Nolita in NYC, New York

Interestingly, Valentin told us that the only tacos place they have where he lives is a Middle Eastern version rather than Mexican! So, we decided to bring him to a restaurant serving tacos and ended up at Tacombi at Fonda Nolita on the Lower East Side. 

It is a very interesting place: when you enter, it is as if you were on the side of a road, with a small van in the middle where they make tacos! 

Looking carefully inside the van, you can see the Chef works his magic:

On the right when you enter, they have a small cafe, for take out:

The name Tacombi is in fact the contraction of Tacos and Combi, the latter being the van that is used as a taxi in Mexico. 

Our waiter was nice and efficient, but the food took some time to come. We started off with guacamole and chips. 

It was freshly and perfectly made, but I was surprised by the small quantity for close to $12. 

Then, we all got different tacos. Jodi ordered the veggie one that was mainly made with mushrooms.

It was good, especially if you like mushrooms as it was the predominant taste, overpowering the cilantro, onions or what seemed to be kale. 

Valentin ordered their special taco as well as the crispy fish and chicken mole. On my side, I ordered three different tacos (they advice to eat three to be full and they were right). 

The first one was barbacoa that is beef brisket. 

It was a bit dry and I added some chipotle sauce to it, that added some spiciness to the dish. 

The second one was pork belly, that had more flavor. 

It had, besides pork belly, radicchio and fried pig skin.

The third one was crispy fish that was my favorite, but a bit messy to eat. I had to eat it with a knife and fork...it was served with a spicy mayo (for a nice kick) and some cabbage to give some additional crunch. 

We also shared rice and beans, that was good but the beans were a bit dry.

With the meal, we ordered some Mexican soda: pineapple (sparkling) and lime. 

The soda were very good and I wish I could find them at the Supermarket. 

Tacombi was very good and I would just go for the unique decor. However, I found it a bit pricey...

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 4 / part 2: Luke's Lobster in NYC, New York

So, after Katz's and the Doughnut Plant, we wanted to eat light (!) and went to the original location of Luke's Lobster, one of my favorites for Lobster rolls. I was very excited because it was a first for Valentin. In France, lobster is still considered a luxurious ingredient that you will mainly find in expensive restaurants, although few spots in Paris have been trying to impose this delicious lobster sandwich. 

The place is very small, with a tiny kitchen and a decor that is all about fishing, and we got lucky to find a spot to seat. 

We decided to go for their lobster roll, too full to try their trio (shrimp roll, crab roll and lobster roll).

We got served fairly quickly. There was a lot of lobster and there was a buttery smell emanating from the sandwich. It was fantastic! I clearly prefer a lobster roll served this way, not smothered in mayonnaise. 

With The Red Hook Lobster Pound, Luke's Lobster is my favorite spot for Lobster rolls in NYC! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 4 / part 1: Katz's Deli in NYC, New York

I have never been a big fan of Katz's before, preferring Junior's for a better dining experience (and their cheesecake). But as Valentin never tried a deli, I proposed to go there and give it another chance, as this place remains an icon in New York 

We arrived around 1pm, received our tickets (not to be forgotten otherwise you pay the high price), and the place was packed. Not surprising though as it is in all the guides and it is not uncommon to see buses full of tourists make a stop there. 

At Katz's, you have two choices: wait for a table with full service or order some food at the counter, where you can observe (briefly) the staff preparing food and then, find a table to sit. 

We went for a waited table and probably waited 15 minutes before being seated. strangely, our waiter was nice...

We decided to order several dishes to share, after eating the traditional pickles they put on the table:

The Matzo ball soup:

The matzo ball was good, light and spongey, but the broth was just ok: I prefer the one at Junior's or 2nd Avenue Deli. 

Potato pancakes:

Served with apple sauce and sour cream. They were deliciously crispy and not too greasy. 

Pastrami Reuben:

It was served with sauerkraut, cheese and Russian dressing. The meat was literally melting in our mouth. I loved it, but it is clearly a heavy sandwich. 

Salami sandwich:

We picked the soft salami; they were very generous with the amount of salami for sure and it was delicious with mustard. 

The last dish was hot dog, ordered with sauerkraut:

It was a very good hot dog, the sausage having a nice texture and spices. 

We had a pleasant time at Katz's...surprisingly! The food was good and, for the first time, we got good service! So I guess I changed my mind about this place...

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 3 / part 2: Kambi Ramen House in the East Village, NYC, New York

We decided to bring my nephew Valentin to a ramen place and picked Kambi Ramen; not that we already went there, but I heard they serve good food. Well, Kambi means "perfection" in Japanese, so it was the perfect occasion to see if their were perfect!

The story of this place is interesting: the owner, Shigeto Kamada, a Japanese musician living in NYC, was disappointed with ramen noodles in the City and decided to open his own restaurant, after learning the secrets of cooking these dishes!

When we arrived (a Sunday night at 8:30pm), the place was packed. It is small anyway, but still, it was very crowded, from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. So, we gladly accepted their offer to sit at the bar. It was the perfect spot to see the kitchen, where the cooks were preparing dishes flawlessly, cooking in concert with no need to talk to each other.

They have different kinds of noodles that seemed to be fresh, although pre-packed. 

They propose noodles from thin to thick and you can choose which one you want when you order your ramen.

We decided to start with some appetizers. I admit that I was a bit disappointed that they did not have the pork buns, one of my favorite appetizers in this type of places! So we ordered gyoza, thin dumplings that are either proposed fried or steamed. I prefer fried because I love the char it creates!

We went for the pork gyoza (photo above) and the shrimp gyoza.

Both were delicious: thin shell, perfectly cooked, with one side soft and the other one, deliciously burnt, a bit crunchier. They were both tasty, but my favorite was the shrimp one, probably one of the best I had so far. Why? Because, there was a whole shrimp in it, so you could really taste it!

Then, Valentin and I decided to order the Kambi ramen, made with a pork and chicken broth.

The broth was flavored with soy sauce, probably giving this darker color and fortunately not too salty. It was served with an egg (half - fully cooked), vegetables and some sliced stewed pork that was melting in my mouth. We decided to go with the thin noodles that were perfectly cooked and brought us to a heaven of slurpiness. 

Jodi ordered the Shoyu, that was similar, but the broth base was only pork.

It was good too and the broth was quite similar, maybe with a less strong taste than the other one.

It was very good and we finished full! These ramen dishes were packed in flavors and perfect for this weather!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 3 / part 1: 67 Burger in Brooklyn, New York

On Sunday, we went back to Brooklyn for some shopping and ended up at 67 Burger, a burger place located at 67 Lafayette street in Fort Greene. I remembered this restaurant because we went there few years ago, for my first immersion in Brooklyn.

Similar to lots of burger places, you can either order from their menu or build your own burger. Then, once you order, they give you a number and will bring your food at your table.

Our food came fairly quickly. As Valentin likes blue cheese, we ordered the Western burger, made with BBQ onions and blue cheese, cooked medium.

We also ordered a cheeseburger with Cheddar:

Jodi built her own and went for a veggie burger with avocado and goat cheese (great that they were proposing goat cheese as a choice: it is pretty rare).

All the burgers were good and juicy. I preferred the Western over the cheeseburger because it had more flavor. Jodi's veggie burger was also good and perfect with avocado and goat cheese.

For sides, we shared some fries that were cooked skin on:

And some onion rings:

I preferred the onion rings that were missing a bit if salt though, but were not that greasy, over the fries that I prefer crispier.

It was good although I would not go specifically for their burger, but if you are in that area, it is a good spot.

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 2 / part 2 - John's pizzeria in Times Square, NYC, New York

That time, we wanted Valentin to try a good pizza. Not that where he lives there is none. In fact there is a large Italian community and lots of pizzerias. So, we decided to bring him to John's Pizzeria in Times Square. For the pizza, but mainly for the decor as this place, that opened in 1997, used to be the Gospel Tabernacle Church. 

The decor is fantastic, especially the ceiling that was kept untouched. It is also a huge place, supposed to be the largest pizzeria in the US.

The place was packed (it was Saturday night around 8:30pm) and they sat us in one of the dark adjacent rooms. We decided to start with some chicken wings:

They were served with blue cheese sauce, full of blue cheese chunks, and celery. They were delicious, but I would have liked a little bit of kick to it. 

Then, we ordered two pizzas, small size that is six slices:

The top one was the pizza bianca, made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese (no tomato sauce).

And the bottom one was the traditional, simply mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce:

The crust was good, crispy and not floppy, with a nice char. My favorite was the pizza bianca that fortunately did not have garlic. I also appreciated that both pizza had lots of cheese.

We had a great time at John's Pizzeria. However, I would go there for the decor rather than the pizza where I would go to Luzzo's or Motorino. Last, I have to mention that the service was not that great; but I guess it is the price to pay when dining in Times Square...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Product review: Sexypop, popcorn for snack and...skincare!

I rarely do product reviews: it happened in the past that I received products, but declined to review because I did not like them. So, when I was contacted to try Sexypop, a new line of popcorn from the founders of Pirates Booty, I was thrilled to try, but a bit skeptical. You are probably wondering why. Well, Sexypop is a line of popcorn that not only does not contain any GMOs, Gluten, trans fat, cholesterol or rbGH (bovine growth hormone), but it contains ingredients that are used for skincare, promising a...clearer skin! Yes, imagine: snacking on something healthy! You wonder how this is possible? Me too! But as the founder of Sexy Pop, Robert Ehrlich, says: "Sexypop contains nourishing ingredients such as Avocado & Seaweed, a combination poised to become the world's first edible skincare regimen."

They in fact enhanced the nutrients with vitamins, such as A, C and E.

Of course, my main goal was to check how healthy this popcorn was... I tried the following flavors they sent me:  Bangin' Cheddar, Black Pepper, Brazilian Coconut and Lightly Salted. 

If I had to rank them, I would say that my favorites were:

1 - Black pepper (photo below),

2 - Bangin'cheddar,

3 - Lightly salted,

4 - Brazilian coconut (not that much taste although when opening the bag, there was a nice coconut smell).

Popcorn is often associated with movie theaters and...tons of butter, but it is a great snack that we enjoy from time to time. So, I guess we can now do it while taking care of our skin!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 2 / part 1 - Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, NY

We could not miss the occasion of my nephew's visit to go to Smorgasburg, the food festival that takes place every year in Brooklyn. We kept thinking that we should go so many times, but we had this image that it would be a pain, because far. We were wrong. In fact, recently, I ended up quite few times there and really enjoyed it, drooling in front of so many cool restaurants...

So here we are, at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg (it was a Saturday), located few minutes from the subway stop! Big place with a beautiful view of the New York skyline:

Despite what you may think looking at the photo, it was packed. 

We were very excited and decided to look around before hitting the first food joint, but it did not take us too long to start our food experience. First stop was Milk Truck Grilled Cheese:

We do not have grilled cheese in France, just croque monsieur, but a simpler version than the one you see in restaurants: no béchamel, just butter and a slice of cheese that will be cooked in a toaster. So it is pretty similar.

We decided to try the Ham and cheese:

It was made of Niman's ranch applewood smoked ham, Vermont aged cheddar and Colman's mustard on Blue Ribbon Bakery rosemary Pullman bread. It was very good, hot, perfect for a cold day. It had lots of cheese and a thick slice of ham, and the bread was deliciously crispy. 

We also tried the Milk Truck classic, made with aged Wisconsin gruyere, cultured butter on a Balthazar levain Pullman bread. 

It was delicious, with tons of cheese and, again, this delicious crispiness of the bread.

Next stop was Brooklyn Piggies for pigs in a blanket:

Another dish you will not find in France: sausage wrapped in a dough, whether croissant, biscuit or , like here, a puff pastry.

We decided to eat them with mustard and a BBQ sauce. They were delicious: the puff pastry was light and flacky, perfectly paired with the sausage that had a bit of smokiness.

Then we ended up at an interesting stand: Cheese Pops.

They serve cheese of course, but like lollipops or skewered, and propose a raclette one:

A bit of France there, but also Switzerland as they melt the cheese the way they do in that country for raclette, under a heated source:

So, the raclette pop is a skewer with pickles and roasted vegetables:

They will melt on top the cheese:

Et voila!

It was good, but there was definitely not enough cheese and the $9 we paid were not worth it...

Our next stop was at the BeeHive Oven:

There, they serve biscuit, that I love! They were cooking them on premisses, so they were fresh and hot.

We decided to order the simplest one: with butter and honey for $2 a piece.

That was so good! These biscuits were one of the best I tried so far, and so comforting. 

Next to it was Inglorius Yakitorius:

Where they propose yakitori of all sort: beef or chicken, but more intriguing, heart, liver or cartilage, cooked on their grill.

We decided to try the chicken heart and the chicken liver.

We decided to have them salted rather than with a sauce, so we could really taste the meat. It was very good, tender, but I was missing the char I love on grilled meat. Not to mention that Jodi was horrified, especially when she saw a valve on the pice of heart I was going to eat.

The last savory stop was Brooklyn Bayou for alligator chili:

It was made with alligator, andouille sausage, pork shoulder, tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic. We could see the pots of chili behind the counter:

They served the chili with some rice (overcooked) and some sour cream to counteract the spiciness.

It was good, but a bit overpriced ($10), although I do not know the price of a pound of alligator...If you ask me what it tasted like, I would be unable to answer, because they were so many ingredients smothered in the sauce, that it was not possible to identify it. I guess the only components we clearly identified was the sausage.

The last stop was S'more bakery:

We could not let Valentin leave without trying a S'more! 

We went for the S'morgasm, a sandwich made of two cinnamon sugar and clover honey graham crackers, a layer of Callebaut semisweet chocolate ganache and a bourbon-Madagascar vanilla bean marshmallow that is torched:

And here is the little sandwich:

Not only it looked good, but it tasted heavenly good! The marshmallow was so gooey and sticky, with a nice char taste. Definitely a great way to finish this culinary experience!

That was fantastic and I am happy that my nephew (and I) could try some food that you cannot find where he lives. My only regret is that we did not go earlier to Smorgasburg!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My nephew culinary visit: day 1 - steaks at Dino & Harry's in Hoboken, NJ

My brother and sister-in-law sent us for a week my nephew Valentin who turned 16 years old this year. We were all very excited to have him here and made it a culinary experience for two reasons: Valentin loves and appreciates food, and also because, where he lives, there is not as much diversity as in New York. So we skipped French restaurants and went for typical American as well as ethnic cuisine. First stop was at Dino & Harry's in Hoboken: you cannot come to this country without trying a steak!

I love this steakhouse that I consider one of the best: good quality of meat and they definitely know how to cook perfectly a steak.

So, while we were waiting for our steaks, we ate some delicious focaccia bread and breadsticks with some olive oil, catching up on the news from the family. 

Of course, Jodi ordered her favorite: petite filet mignon, perfectly cooked medium and served with mushrooms.

Delicious as usual, the meat was very tender and juicy.

Valentin and I shared the porterhouse for two:

It was a big piece of meat, where the strip loin (right) was separated by a T-shape bone from the tenderloin (left). We ordered it medium-rare and it was, again, perfectly cooked. The meat was tender, juicy, with a nice char on the outside. 

We ate it with some delicious béarnaise sauce:

For sides, we went for Mac & Cheese:

I was so happy to see that on the menu: it goes so well with a steak! It was nice and creamy.

We also shared the creamed spinach:

When I think that when I was a kid, I did not really like spinach! These were fantastic, probably because of the cream though...At least I could say that I had my share of greens that day...

Of course we could not leave without any dessert...Valentin tried the Snowboken, made of vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge, marshmallow, crumbled Oreo cookies and shaved coconut.

On my side, I ordered the pear and almond tart:

It was served with a cinnamon ice cream that complemented well the tart. However, I was a bit disappointed by the almond part of it: not enough!

It was a good start for this visit, Dino & Harry's being a great place, and Valentin was amazed by the steak he just ate! It would for sure only be the beginning...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Two Little Red Hens in NYC, New York

Two Little Red Hens was recommended by Malini from The Restaurant Fairy when we met her and her husband, Yozo, at the blogger event organized by Tabélog at SakaMai. 

Two Little Red Hens is a tiny place located in the Upper East Side. There are just few tables inside to eat and, the problem with a place like this is that there are so many yummy things, people get stuck in front of the counter for a long time, not knowing what to order!

Jodi was very excited when she saw that they had a coconut cream pie!

It was made with coconut cream filling, coconut whipped cream and coconut shavings. It was pretty good, although I am not the biggest fan of coconut in shaving form (I know: weird!). It was light and not too sweet, very creamy.

On my side, I ordered two small cupcakes (they offer the regular and small size), that they wrapped together so they stay tight when transporting them in a bag. The first one was the red velvet with cream cheese frosting (right):

It was good, with a nice proportion cake / frosting. However, it was not the best I had so far (Sweet in Hoboken, NJ is the best!).

I also tried the Brooklyn Blackout cupcake, recommended by Malini:

It was fantastic! Not too sweet, made with chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and fudge frosting. My only regret was that I did not order a regular size one! It was so good! Moist, not too sweet and full of flavors, it is the perfect chocolate cupcake for chocolate lovers!

Trust me: it is not the last time I will be there! And, if you go, do not miss the Brooklyn Blackout!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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Maison, French Brasserie located Midtown, NYC, New York

Maison is a brasserie located Midtown that is opened 24/7. Its decor is really impressive, between the high ceilings and the giant old ads. The place is of medium size, benefiting from the outside area that is perfect on a warm day.

It has ben a while I did not go there: at least since I started this blog! The last time was with our friends Diana and Peter, for brunch, and I had a succulent duck confit crepe that is not anymore on the menu.

We went for brunch and did not start that well as they kind of forgot us...The manager came and apologized, offering us some drinks; I just went for coffee (sorry, no bellini)! But we thought the service would be better once they realized we were there, unfortunately, it was not the case: it was the poorest service we had in a long time! And it was so unusual for that place.

Concerning the menu, you will find lots of basic dishes you would find in brasseries, although the restaurant features mainly specialties from Brittany, such as crepes, as well as standard brunch dishes such as eggs Benedict.

Jodi decided to try their Croque Monsieur, made with ham and beer marinated Swiss cheese:

When ordering, they ask you if you want fries or the mixed salad. She picked the salad. The presentation was wonderfully rustic and appetizing! And the croque monsieur was delicious! The bread was soft and there was a lot of cheese.

On my side, I ordered the smoked ham and gruyere cheese crepe with a fried egg on top:

Similar to Jodi, I had choice between fries or salad: I picked salad. The crepe itself was just ok: too thin, you could barely taste it! However, there were a lot of ham and cheese and I loved the fact that the fried egg was cooked over easy, so I could dip the crepe in the runny yolk!

And it is only few seconds before our dishes came that they asked us if we wanted some bread with some sort of pepper butter and olive oil!!!

Despite the service, it was a good brunch and we will probably go back. This time, hopefully, it will be a more enjoyable experience!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!