Bonne Année!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all celebrated the new year well!

As 2014 is starting, let's review a bit 2013 for I Just Want To Eat!

I cannot not start this post without talking about the Cronut!

Some people say that this craze will soon stop: I do not know about that and it seems that, even with the cold weather, there are still people lining up to get this fantastic pastry (fusion between a donut and a croissant). For sure there were copycats, like the Crumbnut from Crumbs, but it was not up to par with the original. Most importantly, Dominique Ansel, that I consider a pastry genius (he makes a brioche where the center is a chocolate soufflé or frozen s'mores), launched a trend where we will probably see pastry chefs come up with original creations, maybe not to get the same attention, but rather as a challenge.

In New York, it was also the year where French bakeries have been popping up, especially Maison Kayser and Francois Payard, my preference going being the latter.

Talking about pastries, I also discovered Lady M Confections that opened a new location at Bryant Park. How do they keep their floor clean with all these people drooling in front of the cakes???

One of the most interesting anecdotes of the year was when I ended up cutting the ribbon for the opening of BCD Tofu House in Korea Town: I was very surprised that they proposed me and was very honored. 

So, if I had to review all the places I visited, I would say:

The best pastry shop / bakeries:

• Dominique Ansel Bakery,
• Lady M,
• Francois Payard Bakery,
• Villabate Alba in Brooklyn.

The worst pastry shop / bakery:

• Carlo's Bakery (and I tried few times!),
• Maison Kayser (for the cakes, the viennoiseries are good).
• Molly's Cupcakes.

The best restaurants:

• Kingside (must have: the caramel pudding),
• Luzzo's (great pizza).,
• Le Relais de Venise (just steak frites).

The worst restaurants:

• 21 club (this is an institution, so go for the decor, not the food!),
• Zuni in Hell's Kitchen,
• The Turtle Club in Hoboken.

I limited the list to just a few because otherwise this post would be too long. There are so many places that I will wonder where to go! I was asked recently what the next trend would be and I think that it will be the farm to table concept as people are more and more conscious about what they eat. Let see in a year if I am right! In the meantime, remember: I Just Want To Eat! And I am sure you do too!

Enjoy (I will)!

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Dinner at Inakaya in Times Square, NYC, New York

We found Inakaya by sheer coincidence, walking on the side of The New York Times Building in Times Square. From the outside, we already saw that it was an upscale Japanese restaurant. We tried to go a first time, but it was packed and the wait was way too long. So the second time, we reserved a table.

They sat us at the large counter that oversees the kitchen. 

It was full of Japanese elements that were intriguing and integrated well in the decor, highlighting the fact that this was not a usual place.

After we sat, they brought us some wet towels:

And we ordered some green tea.

While sipping our tea, we noticed that the people on the other side of the counter were carrying some sort of wooden peels, similar to the ones that restaurants use to put and remove pizza from the oven.

A couple of minutes later, we saw one of the staff putting a dish on the peel and reaching out across the counter to a patron, who took it from there. That was quite surprising and amusing!

So, it was time to order. We went for classic dishes:

We started off with Robata-yaki or grilled vegetables. The first one was eggplant:

I love eggplant and, when eating in a Japanese restaurant, we usually order nasu (the Japanese word for eggplant), that is eggplant in miso. This dish was really good: simple, keeping the eggplant be the star, it had a nice but not too pronounced char taste.

As you can see on the above photo, the eggplant was tendered to us from across the counter...

The second dish was grilled mushrooms in foil:

Opening the aluminum foil was like unwrapping a gift.

It was extremely hot and, when we opened the foil, there was a wonderful smell coming out from it. This dish was made of three kinds of mushrooms (like the shimeji mushrooms below), cooked in soy sauce.

It was simply made though very successful, the mushrooms having each a different texture. It was so good that when I told Jodi that we should go back and try other veggies, she mentioned that next time, she would like to have this mushroom dish for herself...

The next dish was the grilled squid.

I loved it and if you love squid, this is definitely a recommendation. The squid was tender with a fantastic char. The sauce in the bottom was made with soy, adding a slight saltiness to it.

After that, we ordered three different rolls:

We picked the spicy scallops:

Tuna and avocado:

Salmon and avocado:

Each of the rolls had sesame seeds for a bit of nuttiness and the avocado was perfect (I hate when the avocado is not ripe). The ingredients tasted fresh and it was pretty good, although it was a quite standard dish. I guess next time, we should shoot for more original ones. Because there will probably be a next time! Yes, we liked this place and will probably be back at some point: good food and interesting way of serving the guests. It is pricier than your average Japanese restaurant, but it is justified by the quality of the ingredients.

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Korean lunch at Don's Bogam in Murray Hill, NYC, New York

On Christmas Day, we decided to eat in the city before going to see the second installment of The Hobbit, with Jodi's cousins Jessica and Michael, their sons Alex and Brian and their friends Andrew and Manuel. As I was not sure what was open, I went to open table to try to find a good place to go. That is how we ended up at Don's Bogam, a Korean restaurant we passed by several times but never tried before. The name is interesting and I asked the waiter who was not sure how to explain it, so here is my interpretation: Don is the name of the owner; Bogam is an ancient medicine. Therefore, Don's Bogam is Don's medicine.

It is a BBQ and Wine Bar and for sure, you cannot miss the wine part when entering, with its modern L-shape bar, and the dining room sections separated by empty wine bottles.

The main dining room is big and had some warmth thanks to all the wood, from the floor to the tables.

The seating is interesting though, as it is floor level with chairs without legs to be comfortable. Going in and going out was a bit challenging, though entertaining...

They first brought the banchan, these small side dishes that are always exciting to see: you never know what you will get.

It was composed of:

Some Korean zucchini or Chosun Hobak:

Eggplant:

Seaweed:

Soy:

Potato Salad (always surprising to have that!):

Kimchi cabbage:

Kimchi radish:

Spicy squid:

My favorites were definitely the squid and two kimchi, all of them having a nice kick.

Then came our entrees: all of us ordered bibimbap, these rice dishes that come in a very hot bowl. Don's Bogam has a nice selection, either with meat or vegetarian.

Jodi ordered the Dubu-beoseot, made with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables:

On my side, I ordered the Galbi bibimbap, made with short ribs:

The galbi bibimbap had this fantastic smell coming from the meat that emanated from the bowl. The meat, although slightly overcooked, was delicious and tasty. In the bottom, the rice was already burnt, making a crust that was deliciously crunchy.

I loved the galbi bibimbap and the photo below can attest on how good it was:

The food was delicious and everybody liked Don's Bogam. The service though was just ok and I am not sure if it was because our waiter was not happy to work on Christmas Day: we ordered tea and never got it. We asked for an egg in the bibimbap and when the dishes came, he simply say "No, no egg". But, despite that, I would definitely go back! Oh, I forgot to mention that they have a gluten free menu too!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Product review: Booskerdoo coffee - Monmouth Beach, NJ

If you follow this blog, you probably know what my favorite drink is. It is not wine, margaritas, cognac or whiskey. No, it is coffee. I drink lots of it, all day long, to the point where, if I do not get enough, I am not feeling too good: this is called addiction. I drink it black with no sugar, but sometimes, I do not mind un cafe au lait (coffee with milk) and I discovered last year the Macchiato from Illy that, although pricey, is exquisite. Interestingly, I love coffee to drink, but I am not a big fan of coffee in desserts, with the exception of tiramisu.

I stopped using sugar in coffee few years ago, after reading an article where the writer explained that it usually takes few weeks before getting accustomed to this. So I tried. At first, I did not like it, but after three weeks, I was fine. Considering the amount of coffee I drink, cutting on sugar was probably a good idea.

What could explain my addiction is that coffee is an institution in France: people drink it for breakfast, after lunch or after dinner, and sometimes in the afternoon, when socializing with family and friends. Except in tourist places such as Les Champs-Elysées in Paris, you can just sit at the terrace of a café for few hours, enjoying each others company or watching people: a lot of time, nobody will bother you, asking you to order something to be able to stay. Don't be surprise also to see kids sipping a cup of coffee at a café: it is the only "adult" drink they can have, alcohol not supposed to be served if you are not 18 years old (although they never check the age of the patron...); it is also the cheapest.

So I was excited when I was contacted to review coffee from Booskerdoo, a micro roaster located in Monmouth Beach, NJ. I received three different coffee beans that were freshly roasted, because they do not have a warehouse and roast the coffee right before shipping it.

Each coffee bag came with a description: type of coffee, origin if applicable, roast and body (mouthfeel), as well as suggestions for pairing (food, friends or even smoke breaks!). Although full of humor, the pairing was interesting, because when ordering coffee, you would typically ask for the way it is done or served: regular, espresso or latte. You would not think about choosing the kind of coffee as you would for wine. Preparing this post, I did some research and realized that the same descriptive terms for wine apply to coffee: floral, citrusy, spicy, woody, caramel, nutty...Interesting, no? So, why not pairing? Maybe one day we will see that in a dessert menu. 

So here are the ones I got to try: Black and Tan that is a Danish Blend.

Single origin that was from Guatemala:

Jersey Diner-style blend:

I did few tries, adjusting a bit the time I ground the beans before making my espresso, but I would say that the first two where my favorite, having more body.

I am not an expert of coffee and will probably never be, but I enjoy that drink at any time of the day. Trying Booskerdoo made me realize how much there is to learn about this beverage: like wine it has its characteristics that only few people know. The fact that Booskerdoo roast the coffee before shipping is a big plus as it gives their coffee some freshness and this fantastic aroma that even people who don't drink coffee can recognize. 

Booskerdoo

36 Beach Road, Suite 9 

Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750

www.booskerdoo.com

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Please note that the coffee was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!  

Recipes

A
Almond Cigars
Arepas

B
Baguette
Bread: Anise Infused Bread
Bread: sourdough
Brioche
Buns
Burgers (homemade)

C
Chili (vegetarian)
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Truffles
Crab cakes benedict

G
Galette des rois
Ghetto Garlic Bread

M
Mac & Cheese
Macarons
Mantecao

O
Olive oil oven poached tilapia
Onions rings

P
Pasta with Walnut Sauce
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

R
Ravioli in Parmesan Cream Sauce

S
Shekshouka

T
Tilapia (olive oil oven poached)
Tomato Bisque
Truffle Mac & Cheese

V
Vegetarian Chili

Authentic Mexican dinner at El Maguey Y La Tuna on the Lower East Side, NYC, New York

I was recently invited to El Maguey Y La Tuna, a restaurant located on the Lower East Side that serves authentic Mexican cuisine. As a blogger, I love these press dinners, not only because you get to meet other people who love food, but also because you often meet with the owner or Chef who will give you some information or back stories that you would not have as a regular diner.

I admit that I had no idea what the name of the restaurant was referring to and thought that Tuna was...tuna! In fact, it means "The Tequila/Mezcal and Prickly Pear Plants". It is a family owned and operated business: in the kitchen, Executive Chef Leonides Cortez and his wife, Sous Chef Manuela Cortez. At the front of the house is their daughter Maria who gave us plenty of hints that evening.

It is a medium size place, with a 45 seats capacity that, as Maria mentioned, was designed to make people feel like they are in the family kitchen, a feel perfectly rendered by the terra-cotta floors, the wood and tile tables and the white tile walls, decorated with photos (one of them is Maria's grandmother, overlooking the dining room and emphasizing the importance of family), as well as ceramic from Mexico.

We started off with drinks. I could have gone for a Mexican beer but decided to go for their margaritas that they flavor with fresh fruit puree. 

I ordered the mango margarita that is my favorite flavor. 

It might not have been the best margarita I ever tried, but I liked it, although a bit dangerous because you couldn't taste the alcohol too much making it taste like an innocent drink...

I also tried, out of curiosity the jalapeño margarita (don't think I drank two margaritas: that will never happen!).

I never heard of such a drink and if there would not be jalapeños floating around, I would have never guessed what it was. It was refreshing, not spicy as I would have expected.

We started the dinner with chicken tamales that they made especially for the Holidays as Maria told us.

We had to unwrap it to discover the filling made with chicken and masa (a corn dough), that we ate with green salsa.

I have never been a big fan of tamales and Jodi loves it. It might have been because I never had a good one before. Yes, I liked it at El Maguey Y La Tuna: it had a nice amount of chicken and was tasty with the right amount of green sauce.

The next dish was chicken flautas, also called taquitos.

These little cigars were served with pico de gallo and guacamole. I like that dish with or without guacamole. 

It was not greasy, crunchy and very flavorful. In fact, I preferred them over the next dish that was taquitos al guacamole: corn patties filled with ground beef, also served with guacamole and pico de gallo.

I appreciated the crispiness of the homemade corn patties, but found it less flavorful than the chicken ones.

I should add that the guacamole was quite good, tasting fresh and perfectly seasoned.

Then came the entrees. We started off with Chile Relleno.

it was made of a roasted poblano pepper that was stuffed with cheese and simmered in a roasted tomatoe sauce. They served it with rice and beans.

As well as homemade tortillas.

I like the chile relleno: very flavorful, it had a slight kick that was perfect and for sure a lot of cheese. 

Then came the mole poblano, one of their specialties that is composed with close to 20 spices and takes 2 to 3 days using the original method (much quicker with a blender, but Maria mentioned that it would not have the same taste).

Because it is a complicated dish, it is also made for special occasions. This was served with chicken and, interestingly, smelled of chocolate but did not taste of it! I guess that for a lot of people, including me, a mole is associated with chocolate: we got this all wrong and I am glad I had the chance to try an authentic one.

This was delicious: it had a complex flavor but yet well balanced, perfect with chicken, rice or just eaten with a spoon.

The second mole we tried was a chipotle chile mole sauce:

It was served with pieces of pork. The pork was quite tender, smothered in a thick sauce where I could definitely taste cumin. Maria explained that this is a basic mole and that any woman has to know how to make it to be ready to get married. 

The last entree was the tacos de pescado:

It is on their menu simply because they have lots of patrons from California who asked them for it!

It was also eaten with green sauce. The fish (they use either tilapia or flounder) was fried, giving a good crunch, and had a nice flakiness. It was a delicious dish for sure.

Of course, we had to try some desserts after that. There were two:

The flan:

And the Mexican chocolate cake:

The chocolate cake was good, but my favorite was the flan. I truly appreciated that none of these desserts were too sweet.

But the meal would not have been complete without a Mexican coffee (con leche above and black below).

They were served in authentic Mexican cups.

El Maguey Y La Tuna is a bit off the beaten path but I truly recommend that place: I had a good time and good food. It definitely opened my eyes to the diversity of Mexican food and from now on, I will consider other dishes than the usual tacos, burritos or fajita. If I had to recommend a full meal, it would be: chicken flautas, mole poblano and flan. 

Interestingly, they serve a cheap brunch menu Tuesday to Sunday where, for less than $12 you get a drink and a dish. I'll probably be back soon!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!  

Pie Face Union Square, NYC, New York

Has my mind been tricked or are there Pie Face restaurants everywhere? Is it the Starbucks syndrome? Well, it is true that the owners have a target to open 60 locations in NYC, but I am amazed by the pace!

So, my last try was at Union Square, where they opened the biggest I have seen so far. 

There, no surprise in term of menu as it is standard. So we decided to share few pies...

The first one was the cheesesteak one:

Pretty interesting creation, marrying the pie concept from Australia with one of the most famous sandwiches in the US! For sure, the presentation was not as nice as for the other pies, but I loved it! It was really like eating a cheesesteak, without the bread. The meat was delicious and tender, the onions soft with a nice sweetness and there was a lot of cheese. 

The second pie was a BBQ pulled pork:

We ordered the small size for that one. It was also very good, although completely overwhelmed by the generous amount of BBQ sauce. I liked it but I am not sure I would have eaten an entire regular size pie. 

We also tried the spinach quiche that was good, but did not have anything that made it unique. 

Last was dessert of course! We went for the cherry pie

And the pear and ricotta tart. 

As I mentioned in previous posts about Pie Face, I love their cherry pie! In fact I love their desserts: succulent, they are not too sweet and the fact that they serve them in small size is perfect to end a meal on a sweet note. I should add that the combination pear / ricotta is fantastic and has an inherent freshness to it. 

I am a big fan of pie face and I guess I have no other choice than trying each and every location...for the blog of course!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Moroccan brunch at Barbès in Murray Hill, NYC, New York

We found Barbès when looking for a restaurant near the Morgan Library as we wanted to see the da Vinci exhibit. I was pretty excited to go to a Moroccan restaurant: I remembered some fantastic vacations many years ago where I spent a week going from Marrakech to Ouarzazate in a 4x4, sleeping mostly in tents in the Sahara desert.

I was wondering if the restaurant was named after the very popular Barbès boulevard in Paris, but unfortunately could not confirm. 

The entrance of the restaurant is a heavy wooden door with a hand of Fatima that can be used to knock. Spiritually, it represents protection. Hopefully, this would provide protection to our stomach as we noticed that the restaurant had a Grade Pending that can mean few things: new restaurant not yet rated, the restaurant disagreed with its grade and filed an appeal, or they really had lots of sanitary violations...

The place had some warmth with its exposed bricks and hardwood floors, and the high ceilings gave a feel of space. 

We started off with some mint tea that they poured from a distance to create some foam on top. Some say it is to bring some oxygen to it.

The tea pot contained approximately four servings.

We opened the top (it was very hot) and a wonderful smell emanated from the tea leaves.

Then, they brought us some pita that was nicely chewy. I do not know if they made it or not.

For the appetizer, we shared the Mediterranean salad:

It was made of zaalouk, roasted eggplant with tomato and garlic.

Hummus (puree of chick peas, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil):

Chakchouka, that is a dish made with peppers:

It was delicious and a great appetizer to share. They tasted fresh and were perfect with the pita. 

Then, Jodi could not find anything that she would like for brunch that day, so she decided to go for the cobb salad. 

For sure this is not your typical Moroccan dish! But at least, know that they offer other dishes in case you are with people who would want something familiar to eat.

On my side, I went for the eggs and merguez.

Merguez are lamb sausages that are quite popular in North African cuisine.  I truly appreciated the fact that they gave four of them as in a lot of restaurants, it will either be two or four very small ones. 

These were delicious: a bit spicy (I used the yolk to offset the spiciness) and not dry, with a nice char on the outside. Serving them with eggs was a very good idea, truly representing the concept of Moroccan brunch. 

I have to mention that they brought me the wrong dish and when I told them that it was the eggs with merguez that I ordered, their reaction was not very customer friendly, questioning the veracity of my comment. They apologized later, but I have to say that this was a bit disappointing.

We skipped dessert as we were going to Lady M after...Would I go back? Probably for dinner to try their couscous or tagines.

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Lunch at Telly's Taverna in Astoria, New York

When we got invited to Telly's Taverna, we were thrilled! Jodi used to live in Astoria at the time I met her and this was my first discovery of Queens. In fact, we walked around and even went to her old place after lunch, trying to identify what was new and what was not. 

I was not surprised that it was a Greek restaurant that invited us: Astoria has a large Greek community and there are plenty of Greek restaurants there. 

The first thing we noticed when we entered in the restaurant was the fish display and the grill that was behind it.

They get their fish from a market in the Bronx and it definitely looked fresh.

After passing the first dining room, we ended up in the second one that was pretty large and full of Christmas decorations, with a tree in the back.

We sat close to the window, ready for a feast! But first was a glass of ouzo, a traditional Greek aperitif that is anise-flavored.

I just added couple of ice cubes in it and sipped it, not like milk for sure...

The first dish that came was Nana's green salad, made with chopped romaine lettuce, feta, scallions and peppers.

It was light and refreshing, however, I would have liked a bit more feta in it.

Then came three dips:

From left to right:

• skordalia (potatoes and garlic),
• taramosalata (fish roe),
• tzatziki (cucumber, yogurt and garlic).

We ate them with some bread:

And some pita:

Both were grilled on an open flame, giving them a fantastic char.

I loved the tzatziki, but I admit that I did not really liked the other two dips, the skordalia having too much garlic and the taramosalata having a different taste than the tarama I am used to.

Later in the lunch, they served us some fried zucchini and eggplant:

That were delicious with the tzatziki:

When I looked at the menu before coming, there were couple of dishes that I hoped they would serve and my wishes were realized...First was the saganaki:

It is so interesting how every Greek restaurant makes it differently. This one was made with the cheese wrapped in phyllo and then pan fried. It was heaven! The cheese was gooey with a slight crunch from the phyllo. 

The second dish was the grilled octopus:

It was grilled on an open flame, giving a nice char to it.

It was tender and quite tasty, bathed in olive oil and lemon.

The next appetizer was lima beans baked in tomato sauce:

I loved that dish, it was very comforting, the beans being perfectly cooked and melting in my mouth. The beans were cooked with onions that kind of neutralized the acidity of the tomato sauce and added a slight sweetness to the dish. This is a great vegetarian dish and a good side if you order a grilled fish.

Then came a spectacular piece of red snapper that was simply grilled:

Everything looked beautiful in that fish, from the head:

To the tail:

They deboned it for us:

And brought to the table some olive oil and lemon sauce that they made:

The way the fish is prepared is by putting it in a fish grill so it can be grilled on an open flame and turned without any problem. The photo below shows a swordfish grilled as we were leaving, using the same technique: 

The fish was very good: fresh, moist, flakey, the olive oil and lemon enhancing the taste of the fish. I never think about ordering fish in Greek restaurants, going primarily for the moussaka or lamb Yuvetsi, but, after this experience, I will definitely consider fish! 

Then came dessert: it was a Greek yogurt with preserved grapes:

They did not make the yogurt, but made the preserves that were fabulous: their sweetness complemented very well the yogurt.

Of course, I could not refuse a coffee and got a Greek coffee:

They added some sugar to neutralize the bitterness. It was stronger than regular coffee and there was a thick layer of ground coffee in the bottom. When reaching that layer, you know you have to stop drinking it.

Although I did not like all the dishes, I liked Telly's Taverna: it is a nice neighborhoody Greek restaurant that serves traditional food which I found comforting and flavorful. My favorites were definitely the saganaki, octopus, red snapper and Lima beans. Hey! That could be your next lunch when you go there!

Enjoy (I did)! 

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Dark Dining Projects - blindfolded dinner at Camaje bistro in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

Last week, I was invited to a blindfolded dinner organized by the Dark Dining Projects at Camaje, a bistro located in Greenwich Village, serving French-American cuisine. 

Dark Dining Projects started in 2005 from the imagination of Dana Salisbury, a New York City based artist / choreographer. She stepped down in September of this year, being replaced by Amy Baumgarten who was hosting this event, helped by Breanna Gimble.
The principle seems simple: you eat while wearing a blindfold, adjusting it so you do not see any light. Well, the only moment during the event where you could see the light is if you go to the bathroom. You would then raise your hand and somebody would guide you to the bathroom, holding your hand and moving them to make you understand which direction your body should follow. Once the door is closed, you can then decide to remove the blindfold or not. When you are done, you put it back, knock at the door, and they bring you back to your table.

Not only it forces you to trust the Chef for the food you are going to eat, but also the wait staff who will not only serve you but also help. I think that lots of people are freaked out that there will be something weird or disgusting in their food, so imagine when you cannot see! It is also a way to heighten your senses; don't we say that we first eat with our eyes? 

So we put those blindfolds outside the restaurant, before entering, and were guided inside by the organizers. I cannot imagine what people in the street were thinking when they saw this line of blindfolded people (in fact, I can imagine...). If you look in the mirror in the photo above, on the left, you can see people being seated with one hand on the shoulder of the person preceding them. And yes, the photos in this post have been taken blindly, so to speak, by myself and Jodi for the one above. I later discovered that taking photos blindfolded would also prove to be a challenge!

So, as I mentioned previously, we put the blindfolds before entering the restaurant and, as the windows were covered by thick drapes, I only discovered how the place was when looking at the photos (by the way, did you notice the guy on the left of the photo above?). However, when seated, I tried to imagine the space, listening to the people around us and   thus placing tables in my mind. Coincidently, our neighbors, Valerie and Joe, lived few blocks from us and we spent the evening chatting together.

The event was not just about the food and at some point, we could feel some movements, objects or hands on us, adding a bit more to the mystery. 

We started off with a hot towel for our hands.

Then they served us a glass of wine.

Amy asked us to first smell it, feel the temperature and the shape of the glass. As it was cold, we guessed right away it was a white wine. 

After that, they brought us the crunch course that I just called garlic bread at that time...We received the menu few days later and I included the description of the dish that was more appealing than mine...

It was a toasted Stirato (Italian baguette) with extra virgin olive oil and garlic. We immediately smelled the garlic and could hear the distinctive noise it made when people where eating it, the bread being toasted and crunchy.

The second appetizer was a caramelized onions and goat cheese tart (the menu says: "Caramelized onion and goat cheese puff pastry tart with Lucknow Fennel & Kohlrabi sprouts):

The crust was made with a puff pastry. I was able to guess what it was at the first bite, although I did not guess the micro greens that were on top.

The first two dishes were perfect to start because they can naturally be eaten with our hands. The next ones proved to be more challenging. It started with a fish dish, made with Arctic char and sea scallops (menu: seared Arctic char with a sauce of sea scallops, tomatoes, chipotle, cilantro, fish broth over mixed greens).

I did not recognize the Arctic char and thought it was halibut because of the flakiness. It was also disturbing because each bite was different. I think that the first one was the fish and then the second one was the sea scallops, two different tastes that threw me off! 

One of the challenges in eating these dishes was to know when to stop, meaning when the dish was empty. I admit that I brought few times an empty fork to my mouth, thinking that anyway nobody could see me, except the staff who was probably used to it...

Then I got another glass of white wine:

The next dish was oxtail with a creamy polenta (menu: red wine-braised ox tail over Polenta with Parmigiano):

I knew it was a meat dish from the smell and then identified the oxtail after trying a first challenging bite of the meat. It was definitely slow cooked in red wine and I even tasted a carrot, cooking process that was later confirmed by the Chef and owner Abigail Hitchcock. 

As I was struggling to eat the meat, I heard "You do not need to eat with your utensils" and, like many people, I ate with my hands. At that point, I it was really all about the taste, the touch and the smell. People were laughing about the fact that they had to use their hands and all inhibitions that they would have if they were not in that situation were gone. Their family, friends or dining neighbors would not tell them that they had no table manners as they could not see.

At that moment, we had a spill. Not a big deal and treated diligently by the staff.

I tried to capture it, but unsuccessfully...

After this dish and before serving us dessert, they brought us some ginger beer:

This was interesting as I never had that before. Sparkling, it was a good palate cleanser with a nice ginger taste and smell.

Dessert was a chocolate cake with puffed rice and almonds (menu: flourless chocolate-almond cake with egg nog crème Anglaise and sprinkled with puffed rice).

It was light, chocolaty and not too sweet, with a nice crunch from the puffed rice.  Because of the cream, I decided not to go with my hands, and I guess I did a good job eating it, although, without the blindfold, I would have probably finished that cream!

The evening finished with Chef Abigail Hitchcock telling us what we ate.

She described the regular menu served that night, but I have to mention that they took care of any dietary requirements. For instance, Jodi asked for a vegetarian menu (that I did not try as I did not want a fork in my eye), but others asked for no nuts or no seafood. 

At $120 per person, you may think it is pricey, think about it: it is a 4 courses meal with wine pairing, but also a unique experience that I am glad I participated to, similar to a show. It can really be fun with family, friends or co-workers for a team building evening. The food was good, but I wonder how different my opinion of it would have been if I could see it. But this, we will never know...

Thanks to Dark Dining Projects and Camaje for hosting us!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Couple of weeks ago, we wanted to have dinner at L'Ybane (know that L'Ybane closed in 2018), close to Times Square, but the place was so packed that we decided to try Il Forno  Hell's Kitchen, an Italian restaurant that opened recently. 

When we arrived, the place was packed. And then, after 8pm, it was empty. The explanation: early diners eager to find a place to eat before their show.

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The place has an interesting decor: you get the impression you are eating at a terrace of a restaurant in the middle of a village in Italy. Pretty well done!

Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Their menu proposes pretty common Italian dishes, such as pasta, risotto and pizette, that are small pizzas, enough for one person. Of course, that does not prevent you from sharing...

We decided to start with the warm caprese salad that was served with burrata instead of the usual mozzarella. 

Burrata Caprese salad at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Besides of the burrata, it was composed of cherry tomatoes and arugula, and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was good, fresh and creamy, but not worth the $14 price tag considering the quantity they served.

Black label pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

Then we ordered two pizettes. The first one was the black label, made with prosciutto black label, mozzarella, caramelized cippolini onions and basil.

Black label pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The second one was the Margherita pizette.

margherita pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

In fact, they brought us first on with bacon and we sent it back as it was not what we ordered.

bacon pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

The pizette were good, being between a pizza and a flammekueche or tarte flambée. The black label was the best one, having a lot of flavors. The Margherita was just ok, missing a bit of cheese.

margherita pizza at Il Forno Hell's Kitchen in NYC, New York

I have to mention that the food took forever to come and between the wrong dish sent and the wait, it kind of spoiled the experience, regardless of the torrent of excuses from the waiter. That explains also why I skipped dessert that day. So, would I go back? Maybe, but then to try pasta and risotto. For pizza, I would go to Capizzi that is few blocks from there and is far better!

Enjoy (...)!

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Pinche Taqueria in NYC, New York

Recently, we ate at Pinche Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant located few steps from Union Square. It all started in 1973 in Tijuana and now, they have three locations in NYC: 14th, Mott street and Lafayette street. 

It is like most of the fast casual food places: you order at the counter, they give you a number and then bring the food to your table.

Their menu has the standard Mexican dishes: tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tamale, tortas and for the healthiest of us, salads.

We decided to start with guacamole and chips.

The guacamole was delicious and fresh, worth the $4. 29 we paid for compared to Tacombi a la Fonda Nolita that was quite expensive. The chips were good, but I do not think they make them.

Jodi got a black bean taco:

It was served with guacamole, onions and cilantro, on a soft corn tortilla. It was just ok for me; nothing specific to that restaurant, it is just that I prefer vegetarian tacos with more flavor.

On my side, I decided to go with a combination of two tacos: pollo assado (charbroiled chicken) and pescado (fish):

It came with rice and refried beans that seemed to be homemade (they claim that they do not use any frozen or canned food and on that one, I tend to believe it). 

The chicken taco was served with onions, cilantro and guacamole, similar to Jodi's vegetarian taco.

It was good, the chicken being quite flavorful.

The fish taco was served with cabbage and cilantro dressing.

It was fresh, flaky, crispy and not greasy. However, the cabbage was a bit dry.

With our dinner, we drank a Mexican pineapple drink that I love!

The food was pretty decent, at a good price, and I would certainly go back there. However, I hope they will lower the volume of the music because it was very loud and not very soothing. Also, the service was unequal, some staff being very nice and some others less, like this guy who was upset because the dish he brought to us was not ours...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cooking class at Cook & Go Culinary Studio in Chelsea, NYC, New York

I was recently invited for a cooking class with bloggers at Cook & Go Culinary Studio located in Chelsea. 

Cook & Go started few years ago in France, more precisely in Lyon that is the capital of Gastronomy there. Their classes target people who are not professional or advanced cooks and want to learn simple recipes in a relaxed atmosphere. You come, cook and then go with the food you just made so your friends and family can try! 

The place is big and can host up to 80 people. Of course, there is no way that 80 people can cook at the same time or in that case it will have to be uncooked dishes like some we made. Interestingly, some companies are organizing events there: good idea for team building sessions.

Our teacher (and Chef), Christine, made the experience very relaxed, with no pressure, providing useful tips.

Each of us had its own space setup.

And I was ready to start! Au menu were:

• Purses filled with pear, brie and raspberry.
• Tuscan White Bean Crostini.
• Apricot Chicken.
• Cakes filled with dates.
• S'mores shooters.

The recipes below were courtesy of Cook & Go. 

The first dish was Purses filled with pear, brie and raspberry. 

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed

8 oz brie

24 raspberries

2 pears sliced and caramelized

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Unfold on a lightly floured surface:

1 puff pastry sheet , thawed.  Using a rolling pin, roll the sheet into a 10x15-inch rectangle.

Cut into 24 (2 1/2-inch) squares.  

Divide the brie, raspberries, and pears among the pastry. Close like a purse.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Et voilà!

It was delicious, but I should have put more brie in it. Problem was that with more cheese, I am not sure I would have been able to close the pastry...

The second recipe was Tuscan White Bean Crostini:

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cans (15 ounces each) white beans (such as Great Northern or cannellini), rinsed and drained 

1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped or 1/3 cup finely chopped roasted red bell pepper 

1/3 cup finely chopped onion 

1/3 cup red wine vinegar 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

18 slices French bread, about 1/4 inch thick 

Directions:

1.Combine beans, bell pepper and onion in large bowl.

2.Whisk together vinegar, parsley, oil, garlic, oregano and black pepper in small bowl. Pour over bean mixture; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight (of course we did not do this at the class).

3.Arrange bread slices in single layer on large ungreased baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil, 6 to 8 inches from heat, 30 to 45 seconds or until bread slices are lightly toasted. Cool completely.

4.Top each toasted bread slice with about 3 tablespoons bean mixture.

It was good and refreshing, a perfect amuse bouche if you have guests, but a bit tough to eat as the garnish tends to fall off the bread...

After that, we made Apricot Chicken:

Yield: 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds apricots, roughly chopped, pits removed and discarded

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces

Salt

1 Tbsp unsalted butter (can sub olive oil)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 cups chicken stock or broth (use gluten-free stock if you are cooking gluten-free)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce (you can add more if you like)

Black pepper

Directions:

1 Place the chopped apricots in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and the vinegar. Let sit while you brown the chicken in the next step.

2 In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place chicken pieces in the pan, without crowding the pan, and brown them on each side. As the chicken cooks, sprinkle salt over it. Once the chicken is browned, remove the pieces from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

Note: this is where the recipe differs: we just put all the ingredients in a bowl as showed on the photo below and cooked it in the oven.

3 Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown. As the onion cooks and releases moisture, use a flat edged spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off the browned bits from the chicken (called fond) from the bottom of the pan. 

4 Once the onions have browned a bit, add the chicken stock and lower the heat to medium.

5 Put about 2/3 of the apricots, along with any juice they have given up, into a blender and blend into a purée. Pour the purée into the pan with the chicken stock and onions. 

6 Add the cinnamon, rosemary and Tabasco and taste. You may need to add some salt. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and gently simmer for 10-20 minutes. 

7 When you are ready to serve, put the chicken and the remaining apricot pieces into the pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice.

This was my least favorite dish: although the chicken was moist (I cut large ribbons, smaller would have make it dry), it was very sweet; too sweet.

After the apricot chicken, we cooked Cakes filled with dates:

Directions:

In a bowl, measure the butter, cream and sugar. Mix with a spatula until blended. Add sunflower oil, and orange blossom. Mix again. Add flour and mix. 

Refrigerate. In another bowl, measure your dates and remove the pits. Chop coarsely and add the orange blossom and cinnamon. Mixing to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Cut the dough into 4 pieces per serving. Place a piece of dough in hand. Flatten and widen slightly in the middle without a hole. Place the stuffing at the center and close the cake. 

Arrange on a sulfurized paper and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

This was, with the last dish below, my favorite: the cookie was buttery and flakey. I will sure try this one at home, probably with chocolate...

The last dish we cooked was dessert (shall I say long awaited?). It was S’more shooters:

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

12oz semi-sweet chocolate – chopped finely

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp light corn syrup

Directions

In saucepan on med-low heat, heat the cream until bubbles start to form – watch it very, very closely

Add chopped chocolate to med size bowl.  Add cream and leave it for 2 mins.  Slowly stir to melt chocolate (whisking quickly creates air bubbles)

Add butter and corn syrup.  If mixture is not completely melted together, put in the microwave in 10 sec intrevals.

Assembly

The secret to these shooters and any layered dessert (Trifle) is to be very neat and tidy with your layers.  That means making sure each layer is smoothed out evenly and touching the side of your dish but also the sides of the glass dish are kept clean.  If you slop on the side and above the layer you are working on, take a cloth and wipe it otherwise the layers will not show properly.  For creating this layered look in the shooter glasses, put your marshmallow frosting in a piping or ziploc bag.  The glaze can be put in a bag but it will be in almost a liquid until cooled – use either a spoon or a ziploc bag.

Layer the following: put 2 tsp of graham cracker crumbs in each glass, marshmallow frosting, chocolate glaze and then repeat. If you are using a piping bag for the frosting, just swirl it in the glass but make sure it touches the edges. Once filled to the top, garnish with graham crumbs and chocolate chips.

This was fantastic and I cannot wait to make it at home (well, since Jodi knows that I can make it and saw the result, I do not have that much choice...).

I had a good time. I love the concept and truly appreciate the fact that the recipes are easy to make, so I can wow my family and friends next time I receive them!

If you are interested by a class, you can use this 15% coupon BPIBLOG at http://cook-and-go.com/

Thank you to Cook & Go for inviting me to this great event.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that this cooking class was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

Cakes at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

On a Saturday afternoon, while walking near Bryant Park, we saw the new location of Lady M, a pastry shop many of my friends recommended. We decided to get some lunch and come back there for desserts. As we say in French: "chose promise, chose due" (I believe that in English, it is "A promise is a debt that we may not forget"). So, after a brunch at Barbes, a Moroccan restaurant located on the East side, we went back!

Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

The place was packed for sure, but we were able to find a table in this tiny location. It was all white, probably to have the colors of the cakes pop. 

It was hard to choose what we wanted to eat, because there were so many mouth watering cakes! For instance, they have a Mont Blanc cake made with crème de marrons (chestnut cream) or a gâteau au chocolat (chocolate cake). We decided to go with their signature cake: Lady M Mille Crêpe:

Lady M Mille Crêpe at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

They have it in different flavors: vanilla (our choice), green tea (quite few tables around us ordered it) or crème de marrons.

Lady M Mille Crêpe at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

It was a cake made of a succession of layers, alternating crêpes and vanilla custard. There were not Mille crêpes, that means a thousand in French. Probably thirty. The crêpes were very thin and soft, easy to cut through with a fork (no need for a knife). Overall, it was light and not too sweet, with a nice delicate vanilla taste. We understood why it was so popular!

Our second choice was the raspberry and chocolate bar:

Raspberry and chocolate bar at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

If you like chocolate, this is for you! First of all, it looks fantastic, with the raspberry gelée dripping a bit and a fresh raspberry on top. This is the kind of dessert that make you think you ate your serving of fruit for the day...

Raspberry and chocolate bar at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

I love the combination of red fruit and chocolate. For instance, the raspberry chocolate from Ghirardelli is one of my favorite. So, when it comes to this dessert at Lady M, I think it is spectacular: there is the right balance of raspberry and chocolate, the latter being present in different forms: milk and dark chocolate ganache, as well as gianduja-laced feuilletine for a nice crunch and a slight hazelnut taste. Needless to say that we finished it...

sugar at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

Of course, I had an espresso with my cake and the chocolate definitely enhanced the taste of the coffee:

espresso at Lady M Confections Bryant Park in NYC, New York

Both desserts were amazing and made us want to try more. So don't be surprised if you see me there soon!

Enjoy (I did)!

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AOC - L'Aile Ou la Cuisse in NYC, New York

AOC means L'Aile Ou la Cuisse in French (the wing or thigh) and does not refer at all to the French wine certification (Appellation d'Origine Controllee). It has been a while since I wanted to try this restaurant, probably because I realized that I do not go that often to French restaurants...

So we decided to go there before seeing a documentary downtown. When we arrived, they sat us in the back, in what I consider a large room, with a bar and a TV screen showing some European soccer. You may think it is an insignificant detail, but you will understand at the end of this post why it is not!

So the place has two dining rooms, one in the back and one in the front, plus a garden that must be nice during warmer days.

The Chef crafted a menu that is for the most part French, with classics such as poulet roti (roasted chicken), croque Monsieur or salade Niçoise. 

We ordered our food and it took forever to come, the staff more interested by the soccer game than taking care of us. The bread basket took also forever to come and I noticed that some of the bread was slightly burnt.

I am always suspicious with warm baguette, because we use to heat it when it was stale to make it better.

So, after waiting for quite some time, our food comes. Jodi ordered the croque Monsieur:

It started well as it has lots of cheese and a nice amount of ham. It was good, but barely warm, making us think that it sat there.

On my side, I ordered the merguez sandwich:

I ordered it with fries (similar to Jodi, I had the choice between fries and salad, Jodi opting for the healthiest)...The fries were good: crispy but soft inside. The sandwich was good too: it had merguez (lamb sausage) and peppers in it, and had a nice kick. 

But one of the sides was burnt! 

I mentioned it to the waitress who laughed and apologized, but still laughing at the same time. She then went to one of the managers and simply asked for the check. When he came to us, I explained to him what happened and he seemed fairly upset. I told him that we were on a time schedule (especially considering the time the food came) and there was no way I could have asked for the food to be remade. As a nice gesture, he removed the sandwich from the bill and apologized again. 

We left with mixed feelings about that place: their menu looked appetizing, but the execution and service was not good. Hopefully they will improve...

Enjoy (...)!

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Dinner at Fushimi in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York

In the past weeks, I have been discovering Brooklyn's dining scene and I have to admit that there are quite few gems there! The last one I discovered is Fushimi, a Japanese restaurant located in Bay Ridge, where we were invited for dinner. Fushimi has two meanings: first it is the name of a city in Japan; second, it means "Clear water" in Japanese.

They have three locations: Bay Ridge and Williamsburg in Brooklyn, as well as Staten Island where they serve the same menu, an Asian fusion of Japanese, Korean, Thai, French and American cuisine, crafted by Executive Chef Chul Kee Ko.

Chef Chul Kee Ko has an impressive resume: born in Seoul Korea, his mom owned a popular Japanese restaurant, where Chef Ko helped in the kitchen at age 14. Then he went to the French Culinary Institute, before working for Jean Georges and Buddha Bar in Washington DC. The training in the latter allowed him to spend two months at the Buddha Bar in Paris. 

The restaurant is surprising: from outside, it looks like a club with the blue lights. Then, when you enter, the first room is dominated by the red and blue fluorescent bar, giving a lounge-y feel to the place. But it is not just a bar area, there are tables and booths were people can dine. I counted three more dining room, making this place quite big.

In the main dining room, you can sit at the counter, observing the Chef prepare the food, next to a small seafood display.

In the back is a cellar containing an impressive collection of sake.

I started the evening with a yuzu citron martini:

It was made of yuzu sake, citron (lemon) vodka, PunZone organic liqueur (vodka). It was good with a nice citrus-y taste, but clearly not something I would sip like milk...

The first two dishes were from their New Year's eve menu. It started with Four Senses of Lobster:

They took 1 1/2 lb lobster and prepared it 4 ways.

Tiradito that is similar to a ceviche, where slices of the lobster tail were topped with caviar and a spicy vinaigrette.

Sushi made with the claw meat, some homemade lobster oil, some sea salt, and of course some rice. This was to be eaten with soy sauce and wasabi.

Lobster salad: First was a brush of pesto on which the salad was placed. it was composed of asparagus,  snap peas, cherry tomatoes, crunchy cauliflower (tri-color - I can recall purple, green) and a carrot confit (the carrot is cooked 3 hours at low temperature in olive oil).

The sauce was an orange vinaigrette. The lobster was topped with a Meyer lemon and pineapple jam that gave a nice acidity to the meat.

Special Roll made with different types of lobster meat, rice, avocado and mango, topped with a sweet aioli.

The presentation of the dish was beautiful and the creativity of the Chef being undeniable. It was like a progression of flavors, some the simplest to the more complex flavors. My favorite was the sushi, then the tiradito / ceviche and then the salad, each of them being delicate and elegant. However, I did not like the roll, whether it was the texture or the taste, the lobster being a bit lost.

The second dish was the Black Garlic Magic of Seafood:

Another beautiful dish, very colorful. It was like a tartare of lobster, lump crab meat and seared scallops, topped with black garlic and put together with a creamy aioli that let the seafood shine. It was accompanied with a brunoise of vegetables that added a nice crunch to the dish (carrots, French beans, cauliflower). This was another successful dish. Definitely, the black garlic was intriguing. It is aged for 6 months and has a soft texture and a more subtle taste that definitely did not overpower the dish.

Then came the rack of lamb:

Another fantastic presentation and a great dish! The lamb was seared in 7 spices and brushed with Dijon mustard that created a nice coating. Then it was slow cooked to obtain a meat cooked medium and heavenly juicy. It came with haricot verts and crispy mashed potatoessimply made with yukon potatoes, butter, salt and pepper, a perfect side for the lamb.

After the succulent lamb dish, came the filet mignon:

Chef Ko poured a sauce similar to the one you can find in shabu shabu, made with a port wine reduction, shallots, beef stock and butter. 

It came with a roasted shishito pepper, a pan seared oyster mushroom (did not really like it), panko crusted mash potatoes (delicious and crunchy), a roasted cherry tomato and one of the best sweet potato purées I ever had (there is crème fraîche in it!). But the best part was the filet mignon. I typically never order meat when not in a steakhouse; but, to my surprise, this was very good! The meat was tender, deliciously seared and topped with some kosher salt. Although juicy, it paired perfectly with the sauce that has a nice sweetness. The meat was cooked medium to medium rare, and even Jodi who likes her steak well done loved it!

At that point, I am not sure I could eat more. But then, they brought us some desserts...The first one was a warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream (perfect to cut the sweetness and bitterness of the chocolate).

We cut it in the middle and observed the chocolate oozing from the center. It was fantastic!

Then, we had a trio of crème brûlée:

The flavors were: vanilla.

Green tea

Coffee.

I thought that it was a great idea to offer a crème brûlée tasting and it was the perfect quantity as it was not too big and not too thick. The custards were perfectly set, not too sweet and the caramelized top was very good. My favorite was the vanilla, then coffee, then green tea (that was not bitter by the way).

The last dessert was a panna cotta made with Greek yogurt and topped with a yuzu citrus gelée. 

This was my least favorite dessert: I did not like the texture of the panna cotta and the yuzu citrus gelée taste was too pronounced.

This was definitely an unexpected dinner at Fushimi: the food was fabulous, taste wise and presentation, showcasing the creativity of Chef Ko. This is not your typical Japanese restaurant. However, if you want a more straight forward Japanese dish, they have that also on their menu! Whether you live or not in Bay Ridge, Fushimi is worth the trip...

Enjoy (I did)!

 

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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Villabate-Alba in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York

I admit that when I moved in the US, the only true Italian desserts I knew was the famous tiramisu. I do not recall having seen an Italian pastry shop, except in Marseille, South of France, when my parents used to go to this bakery to buy some Italian bread. For sure I traveled to Italy few times, but still, I can only remember the tiramisu or the gelato of course. Other desserts were unknown to me. Then I came to New York. My first cannoli was a disaster: not good at all and making me ignore this delicious pastry for many years, until Giorgio's in Hoboken.

So, on top of the usual excitement to discover a new place, I was excited to see what treasures Villabate-Alba had. This pastry shop and bakery is located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, close to the Italian restaurant Il Colloseo that I posted last week. Believe it or not, but we went to these places the same day, hoping to optimize our time, sacrificing our diet...There, we got to meet with Anthony Alaimo, the son of Angelo Alaimo, who, with his other son Emanuele, started a bakery more than 30 years ago, naming it Villabate that is also the name of the town in Sicily they come from. Close by was a pastry shop called Alba. When the owner retired, he sold his shop to Angelo and that is how Villabate-Alba was born, merging the bakery and pastry shop altogether, making it the oldest in Brooklyn.

Villabate-Alba is not your small pastry shop and you may think, looking at the photo above, that it was quiet. It was not: I took this photo between two waves of customers. Yes, at some point it was packed and I cannot blame people who go there considering what this place has to offer.

When you enter, on the left, you cannot miss the gelato that they continue to offer, even if the temperature has dropped. I was glad to see that they have nocciola / Hazelnut that is my favorite flavor with praline, bringing me back few years ago, when Jodi and I were in Venice and Rome and had gelato everyday (keeps you hydrated!). 

Then is the counter where you can have a nice coffee with some pastries, or even breakfast.

When you go around the store, you see an incredible number of cakes, some looking amazing! Anthony told us that they also custom made cakes and showed us some of them that looked like edible works of art. They probably should get a show on TV (I guess this idea was already taken...).

The fruits below made with marzipan.

So we went at the counter where Anthony made us try few specialties. The first one was a Cassatella:

It is a white wine ravioli filled with ricotta (I should mention that their ricotta is imported from Sicily).

The shell was crispy and nicely sweet and the inside so smooth, it was divine.

In fact, it was perfect with an espresso.

Then we got to try some pignoli and some rainbow cookies.

The pignoli were fantastic: soft inside, not too sweet, it is perfect if you love almonds as the cookie is made with it.

The rainbow cookies, also made with almonds, were delicious because you definitely could tell that they were made with fresh ingredients and the strawberry really came through.

And then, when we thought it was time to go (to our next stop in Brooklyn...), Anthony brought us this:

It was very nice and generous of him and we could not refuse... So, we had to get a tasting.

Sfogliatelle:

The outside was definitely crispy with multiple thin layers; however, I did not like the inside that was made with sweet ricotta cheese and semolina: it was too heavy and dry for me.

Red velvet cake:

It was filled with cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar. That was a nice Italian version of the red velvet cake (that was perfectly moist by the way)

Cardone: cookie crust infused with ricotta cheese, dipped in liquid sugar, fondant and then dipped in almonds.

That was one of my favorites. It was crunchy, thanks to the almonds and the cookie, delicately sweet thanks to the fondant, but smooth, thanks to the ricotta.

Baba au rhum:

So, this is not an Italian pastry: more Polish. It is made of a light cake imbibed with rum. This one was good although slightly overcooked, but not dry at all (and I remind you that it was rum...).

Iris:

It was a delicious twisted roll with ricotta inside and topped with cinnamon sugar. I loved it: light and, again, not too sweet, it had this wonderful ricotta cream inside that paired well with the roll that was a bit airy. Second favorite!

Of course, the cannoli, filled with ricotta:

They were of a nice size. The shell was fresh and crispy and the filling divine, with a nice cinnamon touch. 

Napoleon:

This definitely looked like the French mille feuilles, but with a vanilla cream rather than a crème pâtissière. Sometimes, the icing is replaced by a thin layer of confectioner sugar, but, at Villabate-Alba, the icing looked and tasted similar to the one I am familiar with. I admit that I ate more of the top than the bottom part though... 

Zuppa Inglese horn:

The shell was similar to the sfogliatelle, crispy with lots of thin layers, and the inside had a very light cream that was delicious.

Foret noire slice:

First of all, this cake looked amazing. It was light and had several layers, alternating cream (strawberry or coffee for instance) and a very good and soft sponge cake. 

I am not sure what the next one is called, so I name it the Mandarin thrill:

It was a light cake with a quite good filling that had a nice mandarin taste.

Cassatini Siciliani:

It is a smaller version of the Sicilian Cassata, made with marzipan and filled with ricotta. This was my all time favorite and I had to battle with Jodi who, usually, does not like almonds...Strong recommendation!

The last cake was made with rainbow cookies and had a light strawberry mousse in the middle.

 I liked the rainbow cookie, but did not like the cream.

All these cookies were great and I just wished that they had a store in my neighborhood. Or maybe it is a blessing that I do not have one, because I would be there everyday, few times a day, all the time (hopefully I do not sound too creepy...). For a delicious and authentic Italian experience, Villabate-Alba is definitely recommended.

Enjoy (I surely did)!

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

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Il Colosseo in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York

Last week end, Jodi and I were invited to Il Colosseo (The Coliseum), and Italian restaurant located in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, that opened in 1991, at a time where the area was an all Italian neighborhood. There, we met with Giulio Mannino, the son of the owner, Lorenzo.  He gave us a bit of history about his family who comes from Sicily and explained to us that he worked in the restaurant business since age 14. He also told me that the dishes at the restaurant are straight or derived from family recipes.

When you enter the restaurant, there is first the bar area.

Then, you pass an arch to go tot the dining room with its open kitchen in the back.

There is definitely a feel that it is an old Italian restaurant where you would eat traditional dishes.

Also visible from the dining room is the wood fire brick oven where they make pizza.

Apparently, when they opened, they were the first to have such oven in Brooklyn. 

Giulio decided to make us try different dishes that are on the menu. We first started with the Misto Mare, an appetizer plate composed of octopus, shrimp and baked clams:

The octopus and shrimp (that were of a nice size) were deliciously grilled, giving them a nice char; simply grilled I should say, letting them be the star. The octopus, purchased from one of their friends in Bensonhurst, was perfectly tender that is not a given, and they served the full animal...

However, I did not like the baked clams: too much breading and I could barely taste the clam.

The next appetizer is a classic: calamari fritti or fried calamari.

It was good, maybe not the best I ever had, but good, the calamari itself not being rubbery. It came with a sauce that I guess was marinara, that was a bit watery.

Then, we tried their eggplant pizza or Pizza Melanzane, made in the brick oven.

After Capizzi recently, I am rediscovering eggplant pizza. Often, there is too much breading or the eggplant is cut so thin you cannot taste it. At Il Colosseo, it was big chunks of eggplant, so I could enjoy the texture as well as this particular taste this vegetable has, both smokey and sweet.

The crust of the pizza was nicely charred with a crispy outside and a soft center. There was also a nice amount of cheese on it. So it is definitely a great pizza to try.

After the pizza, we tried the pasta: penne a la vodka.

They gave us each half portions that we had a lot of food to try. I cannot imagine eating a full portion anyway by myself (although...).

Let me tell you: that sauce was fantastic! First of all, there was enough sauce, that is not always the case in restaurants. Second, they make it with fresh tomatoes and a touch of cream, so it is still light but tasty. I could have licked my plate (I think I did...).

The last dish was chicken Francese.

The way this dish is made is by dipping the breast (often pounded to make it thin) in flour and egg, cooked in a skillet and smothered by a light lemon sauce. At Il Colosseo, they dip the breast in butter and sauté it with white wine and lemon. When it came, you could definitely smell the white wine and lemon. The chicken was perfectly cooked and moist and the sauce was delicate, not overpowering. Nice dish if you like chicken.

After this feast, Giulio proposed to have some homemade desserts...How could we say no? We started off (or I should say finished?) with tiramisu.

That was a fantastic tiramisu! It was light and creamy. What is interesting about this dessert is that you will not find one identical tiramisu in pastry shops or restaurants: they all have their own recipe. At Il Colosseo, they add a bit of anisette to it. It was perfect with an espresso:

The second dessert was the Italian cheese cake, made with ricotta, of course.

When I tasted it, it reminded me a bit of a tourteau fromagé, a specialty from the Poitou-Charentes region in France, except that it did not have the thick shell, burnt on top, that the tourteau has. However, the texture, lightness, freshness and taste was very close. This is definitely not your regular cheese cake, the American version being denser. I really liked it, although between the two desserts we tasted, the tiramisu was my favorite.

This was definitely a delicious meal: if you are looking for traditional Italian dishes that will transport you to Italy, Il Colosseo is a good spot for you!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Mexican brunch at Sabores in Hoboken, NJ

I am not sure how to start this post, the experience at Sabores being so disappointing, food and service wise. And it is not as if we went there right after they opened! 

Before I start with the details, let me give you some information on the restaurant. It is located in the middle of Washington street, and area that has always been tough for restaurants because there is more foot traffic downtown. Several restaurants tried but failed; the last one was Piri Piri, a Portuguese BBQ, unique in Hoboken. Of course, food or service are not the only reason: rent increase is a big factor that led, for instance, to the closure of my favorite Indian restaurant in town: India on the Hudson. 

So, Sabores serves Mexican cuisine. In fact, we were greeted by: "Here we serve real Mexican cuisine", probably a dig to East LA, a popular Mexican restaurant located few steps from it. 

The place is big (high ceilings) and very colorful with dark pink walls.

So, Sabores means "savors" in English: let see how the food measured up! Similar to most of the mexican restaurant we went to, they brought us some tortilla chips and salsa, a little after we ordered.

I guess it is the equivalent of bread and butter, Mexican style! I appreciated to have chips that were not stale as it happened some other times in other restaurants.

Then, we decided to order our favorite appetizer: guacamole!

Nice presentation, however, the avocado was not ripe, making it inedible. Interestingly, the table next to us had the same problem!

Jodi ordered the ensalada verde, made with red onions, tomatoes, avocados, arugula, corn and radish.

The price, $10, was right, but, what should have been the star of the dish, the avocado, was not good, again.

On my side, I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, my favorite Mexican brunch dish!

Huevos Rancheros are sunny side eggs, cheese, beans and salsa on tortilla. I liked it: the egg was perfectly cooked with a runny yolk where I dipped the tortilla. I just would have liked more beans...

Needless to say that the experience was disappointing. Knowing that avocado is used in so many dishes, how can you serve bad ones! Concerning the service, the issue was more inexperience than anything else, so hopefully it will improve as time passes.

Enjoy (...)!

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L'allegria in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

There are times when, as soon as you enter in a restaurant, you get this feeling that you probably should have passed on it. It was what I felt at L'Allegria. The manager was outside and asked us to follow us inside, so far, nothing unusual. But then, he did not even hold the door, called somebody and left. As soon as we got seated, we heard a big noise and it was one of their customers pounding his fist at the table because something was wrong. We were too far to hear what the problem was, but there were four staff members surrounding him. It calmed down quickly, but Jodi and I were wondering what we were doing there! After a while, a waitress came to us, bringing us the menus. At least she was courteous, not like most if the staff that was not making us feel welcome. 

We ordered our food and had enough time to look at the 1970 decor of the restaurant. Yes, it clearly did not look modern! 

They also brought some bread that was most likely made with the same dough as the pizza and cooked in the same oven:

It came with some tasteless olive oil and some balsamic vinegar that had a consistency that made me think that it probably sat in that oil for a while...

We decided to order their Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella. 

It was a six slice pie that had some cherry tomatoes and fresh basil as well.

What a disappointment: the thin crust was not crispy and was not even at the level of a NYC pizza joint and I am wondering where is the brick oven they advertise!!! Imagine that for the same price, this is what you get at Luzzo's:

Clearly no comparison! 

We also ordered the eggplant parmesan: 

It was good, with lots of cheese and a nice tomato sauce, but a bit pricey. 

This was not a great experience and I would certainly not go back there for their pizza! Hell's Kitchen has so much better to offer that I would never think going back to L'Allegria. For a good Italian restaurant in that area, try Capizzi!

Enjoy (...)!

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