Veniero's Pasticceria in the East Village, NYC, New York

Veniero's is the oldest Italian pastry shop in the US, opened and owned since 1894 by the Veniero family. During its long life, this East Village place has earned multiple awards and is said to be the best place for dessert in New York. This put the bar pretty high considering the multiple options the City has to offer. So I was very excited to try it and we decided to go after our lunch at S'Mac and right before seeing the movie Dallas Buyers Club with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto (great performance from both by the way). When we arrived, we noticed the café adjacent to the pastry shop and decided to come back after the movie, to have some time to taste several pastries. So, chose promise, chose due (promises are made to be kept): more than two hours later, we reenter the place that is packed! I was so glad that I took few photos earlier. 

When you enter the place, you arrive in the pastry shop where I could probably spend an afternoon looking at these fantastic desserts in regular and small size, drooling on the ornate marble floor. I thought it was great to propose the smaller size, so one can try several kinds of Italian desserts, but I can ensure you that I would have had a hard time making up my mind! 

It can be so crowded that you need to pick a number to be served before going back in line.

Passing the crowd, there is another display, for large cakes (you can admire the staff decorating cakes if you like):

And then, here is the café, in the back, with its incredible stained glass ceiling and an authentic atmosphere that transports you back in time in Italy.

Their menu was pretty large and the only regret I had was not to see some of these small pastries or a sampler. But this could not stop us from trying a few desserts.

Jodi decided to order a coconut cake:

Not a surprising choice as it is her favorite dessert. This one was just ok and she did not even finish it. The disappointing factor was the fact that the cream on top did not incorporate any coconut: it was just drizzled on top of the cake. So far, her favorite, and I would agree, is the coconut cake from Balthazar that you can even find at its sister restaurant, Minetta Tavern.

On my side, I chose the Baba au rhum:

They propose it with or without custard. I decided to go with. It was another disappointment: the cake seemed to be a bit stale, although imbibed with the rum and there was an off taste. I could not even eat half of it.

After these two miss, we had high hopes on the cannoli:

It looked good and appetizing. The shell was very good, fresh and crispy, however, the filling was a bit bland. 

I guess the only thing I loved there was my double espresso...

I was very disappointed by Veniero's and it is after trying three of their desserts, two of them quite traditional. Maybe the Italian cookies are better, but clearly not what we picked. If I had to compare it to another Italian pastry and propose it as an alternative, it would be Villabate Alba in Brooklyn. 

Enjoy (the post)!


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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Veniero's Pasticceria and Caffe
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	East Village / Italian / Desserts
	* Street Address
	342 East 11th St. (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.), New York, NY 10003
	* Phone
	(212) 674-7070

Brunch at City Bistro in Hoboken, NJ

If you come to Hoboken, there is one thing that you cannot miss: the number of bars in the mile square city. City Bistro, located uptown, is one the popular ones that has a big advantage over the others: its rooftop. Not that it is very useful in the winter, but in the summer, it is definitely the place to be and they sometimes even ask bands to come perform there. 

It was not our first time there, being there for drinks, but also a dinner few years ago, that I hated, not because of the food, but because of the noise level that very loud, not allowing me to understand a word of the conversation. So, this time, we decided to go for brunch, thinking that it was probably quieter. I am sure that there would be a game, it would have been a madhouse though...

It is a bar, so the decor is pretty standard: wooden floor, bricks, high and low tables. The first time we went, I noticed all the strollers at the entrance and a large number of families inside.

I had hopes for the brunch, because a lot of time, bars are proposing great comforting dishes. Their menu offers the classic choices you get for brunch, as well as their own dishes. The first time, Jodi went for the salade Niçoise, a French specialty made of tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and tuna.

The tuna, in the original recipe, is canned. At City Bistro, they made the salad using fresh seared tuna that made the dish more elegant. The tuna had this nice grill taste on the outside and the flavor was enhanced with some coarse salt. What I liked also is that they added their own twist by putting on the very top some fried onions.

I ordered the short rib grilled cheese:

For the side, I had the choice between fries and a salad. I went with fries of course!

The grilled cheese sandwich was made of short ribs, gruyere, baby arugula, caramelized onion on a country white bread. I liked it although the short ribs were a bit dry. Fortunately there was the cheese (a bit more would have even be better and would have balanced the sandwich) and the caramelized onions that gave a nice sweetness to the dish. 

The second time we went, Jodi ordered the crunchy French toast:

What made this French toast different from any other is that it was battered in corn flakes, giving it a nice crunch. The bread was also properly soaked in the batter. If you like French toast, this is definitely one I would not miss.

On my side, I wanted to try the burger. I hesitated between the Bistro burger (10oz. ground sirloin, lettuce, tomato, vidalia onion, choice of cheddar, swiss, bleu cheese) and the Hoboken burger (ground beef, fried egg, seared ham). I decided to go for the Hoboken burger, with cheese (they charged me for it).

The meat had a nice char and was juicy (I asked for medium).

I liked the egg on top, the yolk being runny and making the use of ketchup or mayo useless. With the ham, this was definitely a heart attack on a plate!

I really enjoyed the brunch at City Bistro: the menu is classic, but they were able to put some interesting dishes on it that will satisfy all palates.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Masq: a taste of New Orleans in NYC, New York

I was recently invited for a press dinner at Masq, a New Orleans inspired restaurant located in Turtle Bay (Midtown East) that opened in March 2013. The owners, Nora and George Chaprastian, who are true New Yorkers, fell in love with New Orleans and decided to open a place to celebrate Louisiana cuisine in a setting that would feel like home, the restaurant being in the first floor of a townhouse.

Masq is short for Masquerade, and as soon as you enter in the restaurant, you can understand how the decor will be: you are greeted by a beautiful Mardi-Gras mask. There are in fact masks all over the place and they are incredible.

There is even a Mona Lisa represented there, adding a touch of humor!

The layout of the restaurant is interesting as the place has a sort of long shape, each room with a decor New Orleans inspired: first is the horseshoe shaped bar, made of white oak and decorated with multiple exposed-filament light bulbs:

There, I tried the Dark & Stormy cocktail, made with dark rum and ginger beer; this is the kind of cocktail that is dangerous because it does not have a strong alcohol taste and thus can be sipped like a soda...

Then the lounge, with its vintage fabric-upholstered chairs, antique oak and maple tables, a vintage velvet sofa and Persian rugs:

After walking through the lounge, is the dining room, decorated with an exotic New Orleans wall mural:

The last room in the back was the red room:

It is used for private parties (it can seat 45 people).

Before I talk about the menu at Mask, know that my experience of New Orleans cuisine dates from May 2006, when Jodi and I went there for a week vacation. I did not have the blog at the time, but, before going, we already made reservations or identified the places to go to: Emeril's Nola, John Besh's Luke, Mother's or Cafe Du Monde for the scrumptious beignets we ate everyday for breakfast. That is where I first tried jambalaya, crawfish étouffée and bread pudding.

It is in the lounge room that they setup our table.

At some point during the dinner, we got introduced to the Executive Chef Marc Getzelman and owner George Chaprastian (who is also the beverage director), who explained to us how the menu (New American inspired by New Orleans cuisine to be precise) was crafted, as well as gave us some interesting information about some of the dishes.

Executive Chef Marc Getzelman and owner George Chapastrian

So, here is what we ate:

The first dish was a Mac and Cheese croquette:

Like a lot of recipes, it started off by accident: there were some leftovers in the fridge and the Chef had this crazy idea to mold a croquette with it, using an ice cream scoop. He then added a roux, bacon and rolled it in panko bread crumbs before frying it. It was served with a spicy remoulade.

I really liked this dish: when you bite in it, you first experience the crunchiness of the croquette and then you hit the Mac and cheese that was gooey. They mentioned to us that the regular serving is three croquettes, that is perfect for sharing (we got smaller portions for all the dishes because it was a tasting).

I should mention that each dish was paired with a wine. For the mac and cheese croquette, it was a Franciscan Estate 2011 Chardonnay (Napa Valley):

The next dish was prosciutto and fig flatbread:

This is not what I would associate immediately with New Orleans. But you know what? This shows some diversity there! I liked it: the bread itself, homemade, was crispy, and there was a nice sweetness coming from the figs that counterbalanced well the tangy flavor of the arugula and the sharpness of the cheese.

They served the flatbread with Danzante Pinot Grigio 2012 (Italy):

After that came the crawfish étouffée:

As an anecdote, they did not plan this for the tasting menu, until they heard that a French blogger was coming. So they swapped it against an Asian salmon. I admit that I was pleased to have the opportunity to try it, because it is definitely a dish associated with New Orleans. The difficulty there was to have enough crawfish, the supply not being abundant.  But here were we with a nice dish in front if us. It was pretty good, a nice kick and some heat building in the back of my throat.

The wine served with this dish was a Venezia Giulia 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Italy:

Then we got the Po'Boy.

There were two kinds: shrimp.

And catfish.

I preferred the shrimp one for sure: nice piece of shrimp, crispy and tasty. The bread, homemade, was a sweet Hawaiian roll. It was served with some coleslaw that was very good, with a touch of fennel for an added crunch.

The wine paired with the Po'Boy was a 10 Span 2012 Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County.

The last entrée was the jambalaya.

I was also looking forward for this dish. It was composed of andouille sausage, Cajun spice chicken, shrimp and rice. As you can see on the photo, they have goat cheese on top; it is used to cut down the heat from the dish and I have to say that it worked perfectly, the taste of the cheese being quite discreet and not overshadowing at all the other ingredients. 

The jambalaya was served with an Alamos Malbec 2012 (Argentina):

Last was the long awaited dessert! It was a Sabayon:

Sabayon, also spelled Zabaione, is an Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine. It was served with berries.

And paired with Sambuca:

Again another dish that I did not associate with New Orleans, but let me tell you: I was glad they served it! It was so good that I could have eaten few of them. Not too sweet and light, it was a nice alternative to what could have been a boring fruit salad.

I liked my dinner at Masq: the food was good and comforting, transporting me miles away from New York for a moment. They have a large menu with some mouth watering dishes spanning between New Orleans and New American cuisine, that can satisfy any palate. And if you go there, do not forget: Il faut laisser le bon temps rouler as they say in New Orleans! 

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!

Famous Ben's pizza in Soho, NYC, New York

Walking in Soho, we were looking for a quick bite before going home. Pizza is always a good choice in that case, because the wait time would amount to the time to order and then to heat the slices. As we were walking, we saw Famous Ben's Pizza, a small pizza joint. We were wondering what Ben was famous for and then saw the sign indicating that it was for his Sicilian Pizza rated best by...somebody. 

This is you typical pizza joint: you would go there for the food, not the decor that was simplistic, if it was not for the quotes on the wall.

There we ordered the following slices:

Vodka slice:

This was a surprising slice: think about the vodka sauce that you typically find on penne pasta and put it on pizza instead of the classic tomato sauce. Et voila the vodka slice. Genius, original and very good!

The second slice was the Palermo pizza:

Originally, we wanted to try their marinara pizza, but their inverted the sign and ended up with this one. What a mistake: it was not good. I am not sure how it was made (tomato sauce of course and onions, but what else?), but I did not like the taste and the texture of it.

Last was of course the Sicilian pizza. Remember: "Rated Best Sicilian Pizza".

Well, it was just ok. For a better slice of this kind, I prefer Stromboli that is not too far from there.

I was a bit disappointed, not that I had high expectations, but sometimes, you find these little hidden gems. Famous Ben's Pizza is not one of them, although their vodka slice is delicious and I would just go back for that one!

Enjoy (...)!


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Ramen Misoya in the East Village, NYC, New York

I will always be amazed by the number of ramen places in New York, serving different types of this delicious soup where slurping is not impolite. I were a kid, I would definitely listen to my Mom if she wanted me to eat this kind of soup, over a vegetable one I had in my childhood. 

Ramen Misoya is located in an area where there are plenty of Ramen places, but trust me, they have no problem getting customers. Or I should say that their only problem is the size of the restaurant.

It has probably 20 seats and, contrary to a lot of restaurants of that sort, the kitchen is in the back, separate from the dining room, so you cannot sit at the counter and observe the Chef do his magic.

We went there on a Saturday night, at 6pm, and it was packed from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. 

The restaurant serves three types of miso:

• Kome miso ramen, that they describe as: "made of rice, the standard miso. Intense flavor with rich aroma".
• Mame miso ramen: "made of beans, dark-colored miso. Among the three miso, it has the sweetest and richest texture". 
• Shiro miso ramen: "Compared to Kome Miso, Shiro Miso is less intense in flavor and sweeter. A light-colored miso".

If you look at the menu, there is no vegetarian option, all the soups being made with at least ground beef. In fact, they have a separate vegetarian menu that they will bring if you ask them. I am not sure though why they do not include the vegetarian options in the regular menu!

Jodi went for the vegetarian Shiro miso ramen:

It was composed of fried tofu, an egg, bean sprouts, bamboo shoot, cabbage and noodles.

Mine was the Mame Miso Cha-Shu:

The presentation was very appetizing. It was made of pork cha-shu, a fried shrimp, an egg, ground beef, bean sprouts, cabbage, bamboo shoot and noodles. 

Both ramen were delicious, but I admit that I preferred the Shiso miso one, although it was vegetarian. It was simply because the broth was delicious, sweet, soft and light, very milky. The fact that the tofu was fried was a good idea as it gave a bit of texture and crispiness to the dish.

But, the shrimp and pork were definitely good, the pork having this braised taste that was heaven. Let's not forget the egg: it was so soft that my chopsticks cut through without any effort and the yolk was perfectly runny. And the noodles: they seem to be the same in both bowls. However, mine were more al dente and the color darker, probably because of the dark-colored broth.

Both ramen were delicious and I can't wait to go back to Ramen Misoya. The food was good and the service efficient and courteous. I think Ramen Misoya is another alternative to the priciest and overrated Ippudo!

Enjoy (I did)!


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Revisit: Republic in Union Square, NYC, New York

Republic is one these little gem that Union Square has to offer: great food and reasonable prices. We go from time to time and have never been disappointed. We ended up there again. I admit that I forgot how loud this place is...and the fact that the seating is communal means that you will probably hear whatever people around you are talking about...

What I love about the decor is all these beautiful black and white photos where noodles will be present (their motto is "Think noodles"), with people most of the time. And, as it was close to Christmas, they saddled them with Santa's hat.

I love the diversity of their menu, that spawns from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and China, sourcing quality ingredients. What I like is that they offer small dishes, perfect for sharing, as well as large ones if you want to go solo.

We started off with our favorite appetizer: sautéed mini dumplings.

Made with minced pork, they are small; but they serve plenty of them, mixing them with cabbage, ginger, cilantro, scallions, and dressed with an oyster sauce. 

Then, Jodi ordered the curry vegetable noodle soup:

This sole choice of soup for vegetarians was composed of rice noodles,  coconut milk, tofu, snow peas, carrots, fried shallots, cabbage and broccoli. 

On my side, I ordered the curry chicken noodle soup.

It was composed of rice vermicelli, shredded chicken, curry, coconut milk, bean sprouts and cilantro.

The soups were overall good and tasty, my favorite being the chicken one. Definitely, picking a broth with coconut milk is rarely disappointing, the milk adding some smoothness to it. However, I prefer when the noodles are thicker as they have more texture. But overall, it was good. 

So I can tell you that it was not the last time at Republic! And if you go there, do not miss the dumplings!

Enjoy (I did)!

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1st Annual Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York - Jan 27th to Jan 31st 2014 - CLOSED

Circo in NYC, New York

Last Wesnesday, I was invited to Osteria Del Circo aka Circo which presented the menu for an event called

The 1st Annual Bollito Misto week

that will run from January 27th to January 31st 2014

.

 If you do not know this restaurant, you probably know its famous owners: the Maccionis. Sirio Maccioni is to Le Cirque what his wife Egidiana (Mamma Egi) and sons Marco and Mauro are to Circo. Opened in 1996, Circo fulfills the wish from the sons to create a more modern and less formal place than Le Cirque, while staying true to their Italian heritage. I remember seeing them in the documentary A Table in Heaven debating withmtheir father about a no-tie rule at Le Cirque.

There is definitely a tough challenge for Circo considering the fame of Le Cirque and its history. Most of the famous Chefs we know today worked at Le Cirque, under the mentoring of Sirio: Daniel Boulud, Jacques Torres, Francois Payard, Geoffrey Zakaryan, etc, etc. Today, the Chef is Alfio Longo that I met in a previous event.

Chef Alfio Longo at Circo in NYC, New York

Chef Alfio Longo and his team

Circo is an amazing place. First is the logo is is beautiful, representing an acrobat:

Circo in NYC, New York

Then, inside, the decor that boasts impressive high ceilings where red and white drapes go across, symbolizing  a European circus tent (chapiteau in French), with acrobats similar to the logo above our heads:

decor at Circo in NYC, New York

Some sculptures representing circus people, like a fire eater.

decor at Circo in NYC, New York

As well as colorful paintings from Milton Glaser on the same theme:

Paintings from Milton Glaser at Circo in NYC, New York

Paintings from Milton Glaser at Circo in NYC, New York

The way the restaurant is laid out is the bar at the entrance, the dining room with a seafood display on the left:

seafood display at Circo in NYC, New York

And the kitchen in the back.

Kitchen at Circo in NYC, New York

The photo above showing for instance the pizza oven.

I sat at the dinner table with other media guests, Carlo Mantica (Co-managing member at The Maccioni Group), Maria Von Nicolai (Executive Assistant to Sirio Maccioni), Jean Lee (PR and Social Media Manager for The Maccioni Group) and close to my fellow blogger Malini from

The Restaurant Fairy

and her husband Yozo. 

table and menu at Circo in NYC, New York

table at Circo in NYC, New York

plate and logo at Circo in NYC, New York

At the head of the table, next to me, there was nobody, until Mamma Egi came and sat. I was very honored to have Mamma Egi sitting right there! It gave me the opportunity to talk to her about many topics: the history of Le Cirque, Italy, France, paintings...I proudly told her that I know how to make fresh pasta and learnt that Mamma Egi presents Circo evening in cruises where she will teach people how to cook some Italian dishes, but in a simple manner. For instance, how to make pasta or pizza dough in a food processor rather than by hand, making it more accessible to people.

restaurant fairy malini, Mamma Egi and Mauro Maccioni at Circo in NYC, New York

With Mamma Egi, Malini and Mauro - Courtesy of Malini, The Restaurant Fairy

Few minutes after the start of the dinner, it was the turn of Mauro Maccioni to come, having dinner at the table next to us with some friends, one of them being Donatella Arpaia, restaurateur, author, and television personality (you may have seen her as a head judge on both Iron Chef America and Next Iron Chef).

restaurant fairy malini, Mamma Egi and Mauro Maccioni and Donatella Arpaia at Circo in NYC, New York

Group photo with Donatella Arpaia, Mamma Egi and Mauro - Courtesy of Malini, The Restaurant Fairy

So, back to the other star of the evening: the main dish that gave the name to the menu is bollito misto, a Northern Italian stew that resembles to the pot-au-feu, a classic French dish. I was curious to see what similarities I would find when tasting it. But, although the centerpiece of this meal, bollito misto was not the only one dish. Of course, there is no Italian meal without any bread, all homemade:

bread basket at Circo in NYC, New York

With some olive oil instead of butter to dip the bread in:

Olive oil at Circo in NYC, New York

The first dish was Culatello Di Zibello, Mortadella Di Bologna, Parmigiano, Panzerotti, Mostarda or Antipasto Platter, Culatello Riserva, Mortadella di Bologna, Parmesan, Panzerotti Bread, Mustard Fruit:

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

That was definitely a good way to start the meal.

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

This was a pretty standard dish to start, but what was new for me was the Panzerotti bread, a deep fried parmesan bread that was so delicious I could have eaten it the entire evening!

Antipasti platter at Circo in NYC, New York

In addition to it, the candied fruits added a nice sweetness to counteract the sharp taste of the parmesan (nice quantity of it by the way). This definitely opened my appetite.

The second dish was Tortellini Mamma Egi or Handmade traditional Tortellini with Broth:

Tortellini Mamma Egi at Circo in NYC, New York

As Mamma Egi was next to me, I prayed that I would love this dish and not make a face, especially as she explained that she usually makes the tortellini for special guests and we were special! And guess what: I liked it!

Tortellini Mamma Egi at Circo in NYC, New York

The tortellini were cooked slightly al dente and were filled with a mix of meats and herbs that gave an incredible flavor that did not overshadow the delicious taste of these delicate pockets.

Then, came the Cappellaci Mantovani Con Zucca, Salvia, Saba or Pumpkin Cappellacci, Mantovana style, Butter, Sage, Saba Wine Sauce:

Pumpkin cappellacci at Circo in NYC, New York

Cappellacci are ravioli from the Province of Ferrara in Italy. Homemade, they were soft with a delicious filling. Overall, the dish had a nice bitterness as well as sweetness that I believe was enhanced by some brown sugar drizzled on top of the Cappellacci. This was really a sophisticated dish that I would definitely recommend to order if on the menu.

Then came the long awaited Bollito Misto:

Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York

It came with different condiments such as salsa verde, candied fruits, sea salt and mustard seeds similar to a moutarde a l'ancienne.

Condiments for Bollito Misto at Circo in NYC, New York

The way you eat it is by adding the condiments, whichever you want, to the Bollito Misto. I first took each of these condiments and put them on the side of my plate to try each of them. Then, Mamma Egi grabbed the salsa verde and put a bit of it on the different pieces of meat that were on my plate, simply telling me: "Try this way, this is the way we do it". So I tried it this way! Before I explain what I though about the dish, let me tell you what was in there: there was capon and beef sausage, with vegetables, bathed in a light broth. At sight, I could see the similarities with the pot-au-feu, although, in a pot-au-feu, there is usually more vegetables and less varieties of meat. However, the concept and taste were very close, bringing me back to my childhood. I admit that, when I was a kid, I was not fond of this type of dishes. Maybe with the condiments, it would have been different, as they add a bit of fun and creativity in a way to the dish. My favorite piece of meat was the chicken and beef sausage: very tasty and comforting, Mamma Egi told me that she used to make it to make sure her sons would eat chicken. You can find the

recipe of the Bollito Misto from Mamma Egi's cookbook by clicking here

,  courtesy of the Maccioni Group.

Following the Bollito Misto, they served us dessert: Pere Cotte Al Vino Rosso Con Zabaione or Red Wine Poached Pear, Zabaglione:

red wine pear dessert at Circo in NYC, New York

Biscotti Fatti in Casa or Petit Fours:

biscotti dessert at Circo in NYC, New York

And we also tried Torta della Nonna con Gelato or Sable tart filled with vanilla cream with toasted pinoli nuts and cafe-latte gelato (not part of the Bollito Misto menu):

Torta de la Nonna at Circo in NYC, New York

The desserts were all good, making me wish that they would soon do the 1st Annual Dessert Week...

I ate them of course accompanied by an espresso!

This was a fantastic media event: the food was delicious and having the privilege to meet two members of one of the most iconic family of the food industry was priceless. The menu they propose for the 1st Annual Bollito Misto is a great opportunity to try dishes that go beyond the usual pizza and pasta dishes in an incredible setting, at a fair price $49.

Thank you to The Maccioni Family, The Maccioni Group, Chef Alfio Longo and Circo for having me!

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!

S'mac in the East Village, NYC, New York

There are many recipes today with a wide variety of pasta used (check out for instance my recipe of Italian mac & cheese that uses orzo) or cheese (blue for instance), as well as other ingredients added to the mix, such as ham, or in a more elegant version, lobster or crab meat. I admit that I never had any good seafood mac and cheese, probably because the amount of seafood is not enough to let it shine. But, definitely, mac and cheese is my favorite side with a steak and I am surprised that  restaurants do not propose it more often on their menu. The best I had in a restaurant was at The Old Homestead in New York City (it was made with truffle, probably oil - sorry Anthony Bourdain) and at Dino & Harry's in Hoboken. The worst was at Nick and Steph's Steakhouse in the City: the cheese tasted like Velveeta...mac and cheese is a comfort food that is present in many countries, in different forms. In France, it is called gratin de pâtes. When I was a kid, we use to eat it as a main dish rather than as a side. The basic recipe is fairly simple: macaroni or rigatoni, cheese (my Mom used Gruyère), crème fraîche, salt and pepper. The secret being of course to put lots of cheese and crème! Everybody though has its own recipe; I remember that my cousin Sandrine was using an egg and it is not uncommon to prepare a béchamel sauce and smothered the pasta with it. The commonality of these recipes: the sublime burnt cheese crust created when broiling the cheese on top that gave the word gratiné. 

So, now, imagine a joint that only serves mac & cheese! This is what Sarita's Mac and Cheese aka S'Mac is all about. Opened in 2006 by Sarita & Caesar Ekya, S'Mac proposes a decadent menu: for sure, if you are on a diet, this is not for you, although they offer a mixed green salad as a side. Now, if you eat gluten free, are vegan or lactose intolerant, they also propose alternatives that I am sure is truly appreciated. 

The place is fun with a two tone color pattern: red and yellow, the latter being the color of the cheese.

You first order at the counter:

And then, they give you a number.

Once your order is ready, they bring it to your table.

They serve Mac and Cheese in different sizes, from small (nosh) to large (partay). But what is a fantastic idea is the sampler that we picked, allowing us to try 8 different recipes.

But, you do not pick: what is in the sampler is already defined. So we tried:

• All American, made with American cheese and cheddar.
• Cheese burger: American cheese and cheddar, with ground beef.
• 4 cheese: cheddar, munster, pecorino and gruyere.
• Cajun: cheddar, pepper jack, andouille sausage, green pepper, onions, celery and garlic.
• Alpine: gruyere and bacon.
• La Mancha: manchego cheese, fennel and onions.
• Parisienne: brie, figs, roasted shiitake mushrooms and rosemary.
• Napoletana: fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic and fresh basil.

To help us know what was what, they gave us a sheet of paper:

Sampler content

4 cheese

Cajun

Cajun

Alpine

4 cheese

It was very good: the macaroni was perfectly cooked and there was a lot of cheese. My favorites were the classic All American, the 4 cheese, the Alpine and the Parisienne. My least favorites were the cajun (too much celery, although I loved the andouille sausage that was a bit spicy) and the Napoletana that had too much garlic.

S'Mac is definitely a great place: simple concept, good food at a reasonable price that would put a S'Mile on your face. If you go there, I definitely recommend the sampler.

Enjoy (I did)!

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BonChon in Midtown West, NYC, New York

I love chicken and worship fried chicken! Although it is not a dish popular in France, I tried it there, at KFC...Yes, KFC in Paris where I went a couple of times with my friends after seeing a movie. At the time, it was not as popular and widespread as it is today. I remember reading a few months ago an article in the magazine L'Express where they explained that KFC was opening its 150th restaurant in France and were planning on opening 150 more by 2017, representing a growth of 17% per year. Well, 10 years ago, they had maybe two locations! So 150? They also mentioned that the restaurants were very profitable in France, with revenue very close to Mc Donald's. I am sure that people think such a success would not be possible in a country known for its cuisine, but, each time I visit my family, I can observe the changes in the food industry, especially fast food: they are more and more popular, especially with the younger generation, but must adapt to their clientele as they can be more demanding there: think about the Mc Baguette! That is why KFC does not miss an occasion to advertise that they use only fresh poultry, real parts of the chicken and not mixed or reconstructed with leftover meat. 

But I admit that I never had KFC in the US and I am not really tempted. However, I discovered here the fried chicken and waffles as well as the wings that I enjoy from time to time, and not only during the Superbowl! So I was excited to try Bonchon. As Jodi does not like chicken, I went with my friend Benny who is a big fan of it. Bonchon is a chain with many locations in the US (the first one was in Leonia, NJ), from California to Virginia, as well as internationally in Indonesia, Philippines or Brunei. The concept though is not your regular fried chicken, but Korean fried chicken. The idea came to the founder Jinduk She who was inspired by the small fried chicken places present everywhere in Korea. He decided to call his restaurants Bonchon, that means "my hometown" in Korean.

I was not sure what to expect as I saw the location on 32nd that looked more like a bar than a restaurant. The place was quite big, with two floors: on the first floor is the bar with couple of tables in the back, perfect if you like dining in the dark... So we went upstairs to the main dining room. The decor has nothing particular besides the multiple flat screen TVs on the walls, similar to what you would find in a...bar. 

The menu is not only composed of chicken: you can also find seafood or beef in the form of traditional Korean dishes such as the bibimbap or the japchae (glass noodles), with very few vegetarian options.

We decided to go for the chicken and ordered a combo made of wings and drumsticks. For the sauce, we ordered a half & half that is half soy garlic sauce and half hot sauce.

In term of presentation, this dish looked like any chicken dish of this sort. What made the difference was the sauce: for me, the soy and garlic sauce had nothing special, the soy giving a nice saltiness to it. However, the hot sauce was very good! It is made of red chili pepper as well as a Korean spice called "gochugaru" ( litterally "pepper powder"). It is hot; not overly hot but still, and they had the good idea to serve it with pickled radicchio (no blue cheese sauce) which was perfect to counterbalance the heat. But even spicy like that, you go back to it.

The chicken, cooked to order, was very good: moist and perfectly cooked with this nice coating that was slightly crunchy.

A nice touch at the end was to give us some wet tissues to cleanup our hands.

We also tried their bulgogi made with marinated ribeye steak.

I liked it: the meat was tender and the overall dish quite tasty. It was served with white rice and the quantity was perfect for sharing.

Bonchon was good. Was it the best fried chicken I had? No. If you go for the soy sauce, you will not not see much difference with lots of restaurants that propose such dish either as their main specialty or simply as an appetizer. However, what sets them apart is their hot sauce that is delicious. The other dishes we saw passing by, such as the seafood bibimbap looked appetizing, so I would not be surprised to go back there with Jodi, but to eat something other than chicken!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Lunch at Sushi Damo in NYC, New York

It has been so many years we have not been to Sushi Damo, an elegant Japanese restaurant located Midtown West, right behind the Time Warner Towers. Tough location for sure, being off the beaten path, except if you are staying at the Hudson Hotel...

This place did not change and still has this zen atmosphere.

The menu, crafted by Executive Chef Takashi Okamura, has all the standard Japanese dishes you would find in any restaurant, as well as some interesting creations, such as the braised lamb in apple-soy sauce or the grilled Chilean sea bass in butter reduction.

We started off with some appetizers. The first one was the pork gyoza.

This is, with the shrimp shumai, one of my favorite Japanese appetizers.

They were very good: the outside was crispy and not greasy, and the filling was very tasty.

The second appetizer was Tako Yaki:

It was a baby octopus dumpling topped with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes. I love octopus and was thrilled to try this dish. Unfortunately, there were just minuscule pieces of octopus in each dumpling, so I tasted more the dumpling that the octopus.

Then, for entrees, Jodi went for the tuna and avocado roll:

I went for the spicy scallop:

I liked the presentation on the blue plates that made the colors pop. The rolls were very good and the fish seemed fresh.

Sushi Damo is a great Japanese restaurant: we had good food and good service there. The only regret is that they do not have a lunch menu like lots of Japanese restaurants do. I will surely go back to try some other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brunch and Lunch at Schnackenberg's in Hoboken, NJ

Schnackenberg's is one of the oldest restaurants in Hoboken, opening in 1931 few years after the founders, Dora and Henry Schnackenberg, came to the US, immigrating from Germany. This soda shop remained opened until being purchased by Eugene and Joyce Flinn who also own Amanda's and the Elysean Café, two of the most popular restaurants in town. After undergoing renovations for few months, the restaurant reopened in December 2013. So, it was time for us to try it! We went twice: once for breakfast and once for lunch (the lunch menu is available after noon).

Entering there is like traveling in the past, not only because of the decor and the different artifacts witnessing the old time, but also because of the overall atmosphere: from the music (lots of Frank Sinatra who was from Hoboken), to the uniform of the staff. 

Right at the entrance is the old cash register that did not leave the place.

As well as an old mirror that probably had some history.

When we went for breakfast, we sat at the bar where large cakes were on display. These cakes are not prepared in this place, but by a bakery in a neighboring town. 

Jodi tried the coconut cake, but did not like it though.

However, we tried their homemade donuts that they sell for $1 and they were delicious.

They have different kinds and we went for the cinnamon sugar.

I started off with some coffee, served in a mug with the mascot of the restaurant on it, a mascot that we will see on every plate.

As it was brunch, I went for the eggs Benedict.

They were the traditional ones: muffins, ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. With it, came some hash brown.

It was very good and the eggs were perfectly poached, the yolk being runny and the white a bit soft. 

Jodi ordered the scrambled eggs:

They were served with toast and some hash brown too. They were not the best scrambled eggs I ever had, but it was decent, the eggs not being overcooked and dry.

Then, when we came back for lunch, we sat at one of the booths. I started with a milk shake.

They serve different flavors, but I went old school, for a vanilla one. They served it in an old milk shake glass and I guess was made in the machine that is at the entrance of the restaurant.

It was a good milk shake, not too thick, with the vanilla flavor coming through, probably because they use vanilla syrup. Next time, I will have to try the black and white.

For the entree, Jodi ordered a grilled cheese, made with cheddar, leeks and onions.

It was good: lots of cheese, not too greasy, it would have been perfect with a tomato soup. However, I would go without the leeks and onions next time.

On my side, I ordered the reuben.

It was a perfect succession of bread (I chose rye), pastrami, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. You cannot compare this sandwich to the one at Katz's or Junior's, but I admit that it was pretty good, 

Both times, we enjoyed ourselves at Schnackenberg's: the food was good, the service excellent and the prices very reasonable. Our dishes took a bit of time to come, but I guess it will improve as time goes by. Schnackenberg's is definitely an address that I would recommend in Hoboken, moreover if you are uptown as there are not as many alternatives for breakfast there for such prices.

Enjoy (I did)!

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E-San Thai in Murray Hill, NYC, New York

We were recently invited to E-San Thai, a Thai restaurant located off the beaten path, in Murray Hill. This place opened in September 2012 by Chef Toi Kumdang who also owns a Thai restaurant in Brooklyn, Khao Sarn. From outside, the restaurant has nothing really distinctive, besides the bright yellow sign. At the entrance, first is the bar:

Then, on the right is the dining room, with its vaulted ceiling and warm colors.

There were not that many elements of the decor to remind you that you are in a Thai restaurant, except maybe the plastic lotus flower that was on every table:

Or the display on the right side of the bar:

We sat at one of the tables and

I started the lunch with a Thai Iced Tea, drink that I always order with Thai food.

I love the dark orange color with gradation of this drink. It was good and not too sweet.

Then the first appetizer was the vegetable spring rolls:

They were made of cabbage, carrots, celery and glass noodles, and served with a plum sauce. I found them delicious: they were crispy, not too greasy and there was the perfect amount of shell.

The second appetizer was the E-San sausage, that is a house specialty made with ground pork seasoned with Thai herbs.

It was good and tasty, the spices really coming through. I wish however that it was served with a kind of mustard or sauce to dip in.

The last appetizer was roti canai:

I love that dish that is kind of a fusion between Indian and Thai food. It is composed of a roti or paratha that was a bit thicker and less greasy than what I am used too. The bowl contained a dish made of a curry similar to a massaman, with potatoes, onions and chicken; it is the first time I got it with chicken as usually they propose it without meat. It was a delicious dish that I definitely recommend.

Then, we got Pad See Eew that are thick noodles, tofu, egg and broccoli, bathed in a black soy sauce.

Again another good dish: very tasty, I truly appreciated that it was not too salty.

The second entree was the Pineapple Na-Na, a crispy duck with a pineapple curry:

I was scared at first that this dish would be spicy, but it was perfect, having a little kick that  was well complemented by the sweetness of the sauce, as well as the pieces of pineapple. The duck was perfectly cooked and had a nice crunch.

It was served with white rice.


But what was the most spectacular was the sea bass that came after that:

It was a whole sea bass that was smothered with a sauce midly spicy and served with vegetables. The fish was perfectly cooked, moist and flaky, and the sauce was a bit sweet, with just the perfect kick. I never think about ordering fish, moreover a whole fish, in Thai restaurants, but this dish may have made me change my mind! If you go to E-San Thai, don't be freaked out by the mouth of the fish and enjoy it! I did!

Then, it was time to have dessert! The first one was the fried coconut ice cream that is one of their best sellers:

Fried ice cream is an interesting concept: the ice cream is first dipped in a batter and then fried. I can just tell you that I had to move fast with that one; not because the ice cream was melting, but because Jodi could not stop eating it!

That is true that it was delicious: the outside was a bit crunchy and the ice cream smooth, probably made with coconut milk. Another recommendation!

The second dessert was Thai donuts:

They were served with condensed milk and peanuts:

I liked them with or without the condensed milk...This is a very comforting dessert, a guilty pleasure that no one can resist, even after a full meal like the one we had!

With the desserts, I drank a Thai Iced Coffee that was a first for me:

It is like Thai Iced Tea except that the tea is replaced by coffee. I guess I will consider this drink the next time as I really liked it. It has a nice smokiness that I guess came from the coffee itself.

The lunch at E-San Thai was very good and made me want to discover more Thai cuisine. I often order "standard" dishes like Chicken curry Massaman, but there are so many other dishes to try. Of course my choices are also driven by the prix-fixe that restaurants propose, where unfortunately only these "standard" dishes are offered. I think it is a mistake, because there is so much to discover, and E-San Thai is the perfect spot for it.

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!

Brunch at Lafayette in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

After watching an episode of Unique Sweets, we had Lafayette in our list of restaurants to try. And we tried it! We decided to go for brunch, as the item displayed on the tv show was from the bakery. In fact, we did not think that restaurant was so big at that time, because they only showed the bakery located at the entrance.

They had lots of delicious things there, prepared by Chef Pâtissière Jen Yee and Boulanger James Belisle:  from standard viennoiseries (croissants, pains au chocolat, pains aux amandes) you find elsewhere in New York, to delicacies that I had when I was a kid in France, such as the Petit Beurres.

These are homemade, not like the ones I use to have that were mass produced and that I love to dip in a café au lait. Well, I did not try these...yet!

So, back to the restaurant: it is huge! On the left side is the dining room:

And on the right side is the bar with its classic look and amazing display.

We sat at one of the tables that had a banquette on one side, like a half booth.

Some patrons chose to sit next to each other on the banquette, but I decided not to as I like to see the person I am talking to...

Jodi ordered a tea as a beverage:

And I ordered a coke. Yes, no espresso this time!

I am happy I took a photo of it so I can remember it, considering that it was $5 for just a glass of soda!!! This is crazy!

Then it was time to try what we were coming for: the coconut banana chocolate croissant or pain au chocolat a la banane et noix de coco.

Let's be honest here: it was mainly for Jodi as she loved coconut. 

Imagine a pain au chocolat cut in half where some banana will be spread over as well as a coconut frangipane. It was quite good, having the flakiness and buttery taste of a pain au chocolat, as well as the texture of a frangipane (almond paste that you find in almond croissants). However, I wish they put two bars of chocolate and that there were more pieces of banana. Jodi, however, was in heaven!

For the main dishes, we had quite a large choice of French dishes prepared by Chef Andrew Carmellini and Chef de Cuisine Damon Wise: duck confit, beef tartare or Pâté Maison. French specialties, yes, but interpreted and brought to a higher level by the chef. For instance, the beef tartare is served with a quail egg; the duck confit with curried lentils and crème fraîche. 

Jodi ordered the egg white frittata with mushrooms:

It was good, but there were mushrooms only on one part of the omelet, the other part being just egg whites.

On my side, I ordered the soft scrambled eggs vol-au-vent with chèvre and leeks:

When the dish came, I could definitely smell some truffle that was present in the sauce. If you wonder what vol-au-vent is, it is like a well made with puff pastry that you would fill with whatever you want. This vol-au-vent was probably homemade; it was flakey and deliciously buttery. Inside was the scrambled eggs that were very soft and not dry, the way I like them. It was a good dish, however, not enough if you have a normal appetite and only order this. I think they should have thrown some potatoes with it.

I think the food at Lafayette was decent and we got good service there. Would I go back? Probably, but maybe more for the bakery than the restaurant that is a bit overpriced.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Georgian cuisine at Pepela in NYC, New York

I was recently invited to Pepela, a restaurant located in Murray Hill that serves cuisine from Georgia. I am not talking about the state, but the country in Eastern Europe. There are quite few Georgian restaurants in the City, but they are mainly in Brooklyn and Pepela, that opened just a year ago, is the first Georgian restaurant in the Manhattan.

As you can see on the photo above, the restaurant is in a townhouse. But do not expect to end up in somebody's home when you enter: it is a modern and upscale place that features some art from various artists. There are two floors: on the first floor is the lounge and downstairs is the dining room. 

As there was a birthday party in the dining room, we preferred eating in the lounge, meaning a different experience than a dinner per se.

As we were in the lounge, we could not not start without a cocktail...So I tried the Chacha Pom, made with Georgian vodka (Chacha), pomegranate juice, orange liquor and lemon juice.

It was good, but clearly not a fruit cocktail as they were generous with the Chacha...

Then, came the appetizers:

On the left was the sweet peppers with walnut paste and  carrots:

In the middle was the beets with walnut and Georgian Spices:

And on the right, the eggplant rolls where the eggplant was stuffed with a walnut paste full of spices.

The last one was my favorite, the smokiness of the eggplant adding a nice dimension to the dish. It came with some traditional homemade Georgian bread that reminded me the bread my Mom used to bake when I was a kid.

Then, came a "cheese pizza" made with sulguni cheese from Georgia:

If you like cheese, this dish is for you!

Yes, there was tons of cheese and it was gooey, nicely broiled on top to create some thin crisp areas.

The last dish was Chakhokhbili chicken:

It was pieces of chicken smothered by a sauce made with tomato, onions, cilantro, parsley, dill, spices, served with rice. The sauce was very good: thick, earthy with a bold flavor. However, the chicken was a bit on the dry side for me.

As I mentioned earlier, this was more a lounge experience than a formal dinner one, but it was an interesting discovery of Georgian cuisine!

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

Vietnamese soup at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

We were excited to go to Pho Nomenon, one of the new restaurants that opened recently in Hoboken. It replaced Hoboken Cottage that was really not one of my favorites. Well, think about it: they were proposing Chinese and Turkish cuisine; not sure what the link between the two is...Nevertheless, I tried both and did not like it.

dining room at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

So, we arrived in the restaurant that had a medium size dining room, dominated by a painting of Buddha. 

As soon as we sat, they brought us some green tea that was welcome considering the temperature outside, and kept serving it as soon as our cups were half empty.

green tea at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

As an appetizer, we ordered Goi Cuon Chav or vegetarian Summer rolls:

vegetarian summer rolls at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

Contrary to spring rolls, they are not fried, making it a healthier version. It was made of rice noodles, fried tofu, picked carrots, daikon, lettuce and mint, wrapped in rice paper.

vegetarian summer rolls at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

It has been a while since I ate this kind of roll and it was delicious, very refreshing, especially thanks to the mint. I ate it with the peanut sauce that came with and I also tried with some hoisin sauce that added some sweetness.

Hoisin and siracha sauces at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

Then, they brought some soy, lemon and basil for the Pho.

Soy, lemon and basil at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

Because we did not care about the rest of the menu: we came for Pho, this Vietnamese soup that was born in the 20th century in Northern Vietnam, taking some influence from both French and Chinese cuisine. Some believe that Pho is derived from "Pot au feu", a classic beef stew. I guess that now you see the link with the name of the restaurant, Pho Nomenon! Lets see if it is a real phenomenon!

Jodi ordered a vegetarian Pho with mixed vegetables, mushrooms and tofu. It was in fact the only one of the menu that did not have a Vietnamese name.

mixed vegetable Vietnamese soup at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I ordered the Pho Tai Chin Nam Ve:

Pho Tai Chin Nam Ve Vietnamese soup at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

It was a beef broth with eye round steak, brisket and flank. It definitely had a nice smell, quite appetizing. The meat was good, although a bit overcooked. However, there were some pieces of fat that were not good at all.

Noodles in Vietnamese soup at Pho Nomenon in Hoboken, NJ

I have mixed feelings about that place: it was cheap and decent, but the food was not to the point where I would want to go back quickly.

Enjoy (...)!

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Revisite: Chinese lunch at Szechuan Gourmet in Midtown West, NYC, New York

Szechuan Gourmet is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants outside Chinatown. Located Midtown West, this place is always busy; I am not surprised considering the very reasonable prices and how good the food is. They have an extensive menu that features some classic and not so classic dishes as you will see in this post, satisfying the meat eaters as well as the vegetarians.

We went there with my co-workers to celebrate the birthday of our friend David. As we were a large party, they sat us in their private dining room. Interesting room: you will not find any Chinese paintings, but European paintings where the subjects bare it all! 

We decided to share and let David take care of the order. We started off with scallion pancakes:

This is a very comforting dish and perfect if you had one too many drinks...It was crispy and not greasy, which is often the problem with that dish.

The second appetizer was the vegetable dumplings:

They were perfect: often, the shell is too thick and there is not enough stuffing. There, the shell was thin and the filling very tasty.

The last appetizer was the vegetable spring rolls:

Again another delicious fried appetizer, very comforting. 

Then the entrees started to come. First was the eggplant in garlic sauce:

This is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. For sure you need to like garlic because, after eating this, no vampire will approach you for days...The eggplant were perfectly cooked, melting in my mouth, with that delicious smokey taste so particular to that vegetable.

Then came the fried rice:

It was good, not the best I ever ate, but good.

After that came the crispy orange chicken:

That was a fantastic dish: the chicken was moist and crispy, smothered in a deliciously sweet sauce.

Then, we tried the Ma Po Tofu:

This dish had a beautiful color, but don't be mistaken: all the red is chile and that was spicy! Yes, it was good, but very spicy.

The last entree we tried was surprising: Jumbo Prawn in mayonnaise.

Just hearing the name of the dish, it does not sound really Chinese, nor appetizing. Apparently, this dish came from Hong Kong. It was a very good dish: the shrimp were crispy, mixed with broccoli and pineapple for some sweetness, and the creamy sauce was delicious, with a very very slight mayonnaise taste. For sure, the next time I see that dish on a menu, I will order it! 

Last was dessert:

It was Tang Yuan,  round soft rice cakes with black sesame filling, dipped in syrup.

I tried to photograph the filling but it was a bit challenging not to move...

I liked it, although I would have liked the syrup to be sweeter. The texture of the ball was similar to mochi, maybe a bit softer.

We had a good time at Szechuan Gourmet: good food, good company and good prices. This remains one of my favorite spots for authentic Chinese food in Midtown Manhattan. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cheap eats: Alberto's Pizza and Cheesesteaks in Chelsea, NYC, New York

Wandering close to Union Square, we found Alberto's Pizza and Cheesesteak. I admit that I wanted to try it not for the pizza, but for the cheesesteak as I love that sandwich and was a bit disappointed when I went to Shorty's. 

This is your typical pizza place and you do not go for the decor, for the service or to get some warmth (except probably if you are a regular customer). 

I ordered a cheesesteak with onions and provolone that they prepared on the grill, next to the entrance.

It was a decent sandwich: the bread was soft and the meat tender and juicy.

Jodi ordered an eggplant parmesan sandwich that was made with the same bread.

It was a good sandwich, served hot, with a nice amount of cheese.

Alberto's Pizza and Cheesesteak is a good cheap place, at least for what we tried. I may go back at some point to try some other Italian sandwiches or pizza. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Petit Déjeuner at Le Pain Quotidien in NYC, New York

If you recall, few weeks ago, I posted about a chocolate tour in New York City. Well, the tour started at 12pm and we decided to have breakfast in the city earlier that day. Our place of choice was Le Pain Quotidien, one of our favorite places. Don't be fooled: Le Pain Quotidien is not French but Belgian! This franchise is present all over the city and they have fantastic breads and viennoiseries such as croissants or pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant).

I love this place also because it has this rustic feel with all this wood and the communal table in the center of the room.

Jodi simply ordered a pain au chocolat:

I admit that the pain au chocolat at Le Pain Quotidien is one of my favorites in the city: flakey and buttery, it has a bit of crunch on the outside that is divine.

She had it with tea:

On my side, I ordered the petit déjeuner: choice of croissant or pain au chocolat with an assortment of organic breads, juice and a regular hot beverage.

I decided to order a pain au chocolat, an orange juice and some coffee.

The bread that day was 5 grains (flax seeds, rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds with raisins for some added sweetness), wheat and baguette.

Besides butter, they brought speculoos, that is a spread made from a cookie (Belgian in that case).

It looks like peanut butter, but definitely tastes like cookie which is not really something I like to taste on a piece of bread...

In France, speculoos is extremely popular and people even eat it in crêpes! 

They also brought some red berries jam:

It was fantastic with the 5 grain bread that was definitely my favorite or with the wheat bread.

But I admit that the 5 grain bread with simply butter was perfect.

This was a good breakfast: good price and great bread. Le Pain Quotidien is definitely an address I keep whenever I want to have a nice breakfast or just a pain au chocolat...

Enjoy (I did)!

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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!