Brunch at Distilled in Tribeca, NYC, New York

I noticed Distilled, located in the upscale Tribeca, when walking to the New York Academy of Art where Jodi is taking painting classes. Yes, I noticed it for one thing: the country fried duck and waffle in their brunch menu. I love fried chicken and waffles, so why not doing a pairing with any type of bird?

This is a fairly big place, the high ceilings contributing in giving this impression. On the right of the entrance is the bar.

On the left is the main dining room.

With a smaller section in the back, overlooking the kitchen.

So, we sat at out table and ordered our beverages.

Jodi ordered her tea and I wanted to have an espresso. Unfortunately, they do not have any espresso machine, that is surprising for a place like this. So, I ended up with some American coffee served in a mug:

At the same time they brought our beverages, they brought some delicious spicy popcorn that was made with various condiments such as pepper, chili flakes and cumin.

Jodi decided to order two sides as she could not find anything she wanted on the menu.

First was scrambled eggs that were very good: soft and moist like I love them.

And tater tots served with a Manhattan Island sauce, probably their interpretation of Thousand Island sauce.

I liked the tater tots, although some of them were a bit overcooked.

Then came the long awaited fried country duck and waffle:

It definitely looked good. So, I poured the smoked chili maple syrup over the French toast style waffle and had a first bite. 

Unfortunately, this was not good: the spices in the maple syrup were totally overpowering; I did not like the waffle that was very dense and did not taste at all like a waffle and the duck was not only very salty (even for a confit), but the crust tasted as if it sat there for hours, not being crispy at all.

This was such a disappointment for such a promising dish. Well, I guess I will have to find other spots to find some great bird and waffle dishes!

Enjoy (...)!



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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Distilled
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	TriBeCa / American New
	* Street Address
	211 West Broadway (Corner of Franklin St.), New York, NY 10013
	* Phone
	(212) 691-9514

Hot Dog Pizza at Ribalta in NYC, New York

Ok, I admit that the only reason I wanted to go to Ribalta, a restaurant located few steps from Union Square, was to try their hot dog pizza. Yes, you read right: a hot dog pizza. I do not see any problem about having such a pizza, having seen pizza made with cheeseburger, mac and cheese or vodka sauce. I guess it is a good way to show some creativity and have something on your menu that will make people want to try and, sometimes, talk about it...like me! 

There is one thing you need to know about Ribalta: it is owned by Rosario Procino, former founder of Keste pizzeria, and Chef Pasquale Cozzolino, former Executive Chef at Dellaroccos in Brooklyn Heights and Pizza Arte, who want to stay true to the Neapolitan pizza making. 

The place is pretty big, with high ceilings and a giant TV where people were watching the winter olympics in Sochi.

We decided to start with an appetizer and could not resist ordering the meatballs.

They were served in a Neapolitan ragu that was thick and had a very bold flavor, as well as some large slices of parmigiano cheese.

This was a delicious dish, the meatballs being perfectly moist. I admit that the star was the ragu though.

Then came the hot dog pizza:

Called the Americana, it was simply tomato sauce, mozzarella, French fries (crispy on the outside and soft on the inside) and a sliced hot dog sausage. 

Cooked in a brick oven, it had a nice char and the crust was crispy.

Overall, it was a very good pizza, all the components working very well together. Would I go back just to get this pizza? Maybe for fun with friends, as it sounds like a crazy dish. But I would probably go back to try other pizza such as the Nobile, made of mozzarella, gorgonzola, truffle sauce and truffle shaving, or to try pasta. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Hogar Dulce Hogar, a Basque Bakery in Soho

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

Last Sunday, I got invited for a review of Hogar Dulce Hogar, a Basque Bakery that opened two and a half weeks ago. It is always exciting to go to a place that just opened, although you never know if you will have a good experience, the kitchen or staff needing sometimes some adjustments at the beginning.

Located in Soho, this place is the sister restaurant of Hogar Dulce Hogar in San Sebastian, Spain, an area thriving with fantastic food and a culinary culture that made it the city with the most Michelin stars per square meter in the world! 

So, we arrived at the restaurant a little after noon. Of course, we could not miss the sign outside, that did not get fully register to me, probably because I was too busy taking photos. I opened the door and the second thing I saw were...blankets!

And behind them, a little space with a couch that was like a living room, minus the TV.

Looking up was a screen where movies were playing and an incredible suspended garden all along the wall, going to the ceiling. At that point, you wonder in which world you just entered, but know that this is going to be different.

We met with the manager Gonzalo who introduced us to Miguel Blanco, who came with the concept and took care of us, explaining to us not only the food, but also the kind of experience he wanted to give to his customers. So, we were wondering about the couch area? They wanted to make it like an extension of a living room. The blankets? It is just in case you get cold. How thoughtful. The general idea is to make you feel cozy and at home. Normal, considering that Hogar Dulce Hogar means Home Sweet Home in Spanish. 

So you can just go there and, besides eating and drinking, read or surf the internet with the iPads they provide (they also have a free wifi). You can also go in the back in a little space covered with a chalk board and draw:

Or use some of the chalk and small chalk board signs located on each tables.

There are plenty of little details all over the restaurant that surely make this place unique, such as the mint plant on the coffee table:

or the plants on each table:

The screen is also interesting: in the morning, they project videos showing what is happening in the kitchen that is located upstairs. Later, the video will change based on various criteria. For instance, in the winter, you may see a video of beaches or dogs with their head outside the window of a car. In the Summer, when it is hot, mountains.

Every detail is there to make you think about happy things, why not vacations when seeing the surf boards hanged against one of the walls or reading some positive saying such as the one at the entrance (today is good day to smile).

Food wise, they make everything on site, but know that it is not a pure bakery: they also serve lunch, brunch or dinner. We got sweets, but definitely, their savory dishes look yummy, like the toast with Iberico ham or one of their best sellers: the apple and bacon burger. They also serve a 50-second fresh squeezed orange juice. The idea behind it is that the vitamins in the juice will start to fade after the first 50 seconds because of the contact with the oxygen, so they commit to bring it to you...in 50 seconds.

So, we started off with beverages. Being a coffee drinker, I was curious about their choices. Miguel explained that their coffee is a blend of 6 different beans from countries like Indonesia or Ethiopia that they roast for 12 minutes, instead of 14 minutes, in order to obtain a sweeter and less bitter taste. They then ship it from San Sebastian, close to 4,000 miles away. You can get an espresso or a latte, but they also propose some interesting creations, such as the bombon that is made with dulce de leche, or the café Magdalena aka Muff’nJoe, made with a muffin!

I decided to try the café donut or DoughJoe, that is coffee and a donut put in a blender. Don't worry: it does not taste like baby food, but like a very creamy coffee, not too sweet and with a slight coffee taste.

Jodi went for the hot chocolate. Ok, this is not your regular hot chocolate. Let's zoom a bit so you can understand:

A little more detail:

As you can see, it is a very thick hot chocolate, closer to a pot de crème rather than a regular hot chocolate. Miguel warned us and said that it was so thick that a spoon would stand on its own. So we did the test...

And it stood on its own, right like Miguel said. It was very chocolate-y and a bit sweet, but still addictive. 

Then, the first pastry we tried was torrija, a Spanish specialty close to a French toast (another best seller).

Instead of using some old bread, they use a brioche that they dip in milk and orange, then dip in eggs and fry. It is then put in powdered sugar and cinnamon, the sugar melting as the bread is hot. 

It was delicious and definitely reminded me of the pain perdu we use to make at home when I was a kid.

We then tried the amonna cake (grandma's cake):

Think about it as a sweet version of a quiche.

This was sublime and my favorite: I could not stop eating it! The inside, simply made with cream, eggs and sugar, was sweet, but not too much. The crust was crumbly, adding a bit of texture to a pastry that I surely recommend.

We then tried the Santiago Almond Cake:

I thought it was like the almond cakes you find in any other bakeries, but I was mistaken. 

There was no crust. It was pure almond, like a concentrated version of marzipan. Not too sweet and definitely a great pastry if you love marzipan.

After that, we tried their gelato that are also homemade and made with high quality ingredients.

We tried the following:

• Quark (dairy product) with honey and walnuts. It tasted like a frozen yogurt gelato.
• Dark chocolate (definitely for the chocolate lovers).
• Green apple.
• Hazelnut.
• Super lemon.

My favorite was the hazelnut one as this is one of my favorite flavors with praline for ice cream, but I admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the green apple and lemon one, fruity flavors being more associated for me to sherbet rather than gelato.

I really liked what we ate at Hogar Dulce Hogar and had a good time talking to Miguel who was definitely passionate about his business, placing quality and hospitality above everything, so people feel like home, in a place that has some character. I cannot wait to go back there to try their savory dishes and get some more pastries.

And do not feel bad leaving your dog outside while you enjoy your meal or treat inside: they have a spot created specifically for them, where they can enjoy some fresh water and dog treats. If these are as good as what we got, maybe I should bring some home for a snack!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Hogar Dulce Hogar
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	SoHo / Spanish
	* Street Address
	341 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013
	* Phone
	(917) 510-7351

Brunch at Momofuku Ssam Bar in the East Village

I had Momofuku Ssam Bar on my wish list for a while, being a fan of other Momofuku's locations and of their creator, David Chang. Problem is that they do not have that many vegetarian dishes, catering more to meat lovers, especially pork or duck, the later being another reason I wanted to go there, my love for this bird being incommensurable. 

We decided to go on a Saturday for lunch, early enough to get a table as they only take reservation for large group and specific menus served for three people or more, like the  bo ssäm pork shoulder (serves 6-10 people), the whole-rotisserie duck (serves 3-6 people), or the dry aged ribeye (serves 3-6 people).

When we arrived, luckily, there were not that many people in this zen and modern restaurant. Twenty minutes after, it was full of people coming to try their menu made of small plates, perfect for sharing, as well as large ones.

They sat us in front of the kitchen that is located in the back of the restaurant. It was definitely busy over there, the dishes leaving the kitchen at an incredible pace. Surprisingly, our first plates came within few minutes. The first one was the steamed pork buns, one of the signature dishes of

Momofuku Noodle Bar

and this place.

These buns, made with pork belly, hoisin, cucumbers, scallions were succulent, the cucumber giving a nice crunch, the pork belly being tasty and heavenly fatty and the hoisin sauce giving a fantastic sweetness. Definitely a dish I recommend.

The second dish was the kimchi deviled eggs.

Kimchi is fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables (the most common being cabbage) with a variety of seasonings. Mixing it with the mayo and egg yolk is genius! It was not spicy as I expected and you could taste bits of kimchi that added a bit of texture to the dish. 

Then, we shared the edwards ham and egg sandwich:

It was a nice take on a classic ham end egg sandwich, made with a delicious biscuit (I could eat these with just some butter and honey), a sunny side egg and a red-eye gravy (no idea how they made it, but it was very good). It was served with chicharron that is fried pork skin.

This is another recommended dish.

The last dish was grilled duck hearts served with red cabbage, sunny side egg and toast.

The presentation looked very appetizing and a bit surprising as I thought that they would just serve it on a piece of toast rather than breaking the bread into pieces. What I did was to pierce the yolk so it dripped in the bottom of the plate and soaked the bread.

I really liked the dish, the duck hearts not being chewy and having a nice grilled taste and the cabbage adding some crunch and texture. I thought that this was a better dish than the duck hearts dish I had at

Craftbar

last year. 

We had a great brunch at Momofuku Ssam Bar. Not surprisingly, the food was original, elaborate and delicious. The only negative is the very limited vegetarian dishes, but I am sure that if you ask they can accommodate you.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brunch at Tartinery in Nolita, NYC, New York

We were looking for a place to get some brunch with our friends Jen and Gary and ended up at Tartinery in Nolita. I was expecting a small bistro, but when we arrived, we discovered a fairly modern place that seems to cater to a younger crowd rather than families.

Although, there is a bit of nostalgia as can attest the black and white photos on the walls (Jimi Hendrix, Serge Gainsbourg, a popular and scandalous French singer on top of his career between 1970 to 1991 when he passed away - check his interaction with Whitney Houston on Youtube...).

There are two main sections: upstairs, next to the bar, where couple of tables are lined up.

And downstairs, a more spectacular room with huge ceilings and wine bottles sitting in enclosures several feet from the floor, only accessible using the iron ladder.

The restaurant describes itself as a contemporary bistro: I would agree, although it can give the impression of dining in a dungeon!

Well, as you probably know, restaurants assign a number to their tables; at Tartinery, they paint the number on the tables themselves...so there is no confusion...

Let's talk about the menu: the main concept is a tartine, a French term for a slice of bread with a spread on top. At Tartinery, it is simply a whole meal served on a piece of rustic bread. Imagine a buschetta but with limitless choices on top of the bread. There, you can pick three different breads: country peasant and health multigrain from Eli's bakery or rustic sourdough from Poilane bakery in Paris.

Before we started our meal, we ordered some beverages. Gary went for a beer from Corsica called Pietra.

I went for a fresh squeezed juice, the Delicious Trio, made with apple, pineapple and orange:

This was very good, the taste of each fruit still standing on it's own.

But an espresso was also welcome.

Anyway, before we ordered our tartines, there was one dish that caught my eye: Ravioles De Royans. Ravioles are little ravioli filled with cheese that you find in the Dauphiné province. It is sold in supermarkets, usually in sheets of 48 ravioles (left), and are cooked like pasta (right).

They can be eaten simply with a cheese sauce (Crème fraîche and roquefort is succulent), in gratin or even on pizza (all photos from my last trip to France - and yes, I take photos of everything I eat)!

At Tartinery, they made the ravioles with some cream and truffle oil.

This was small and it is unfortunate because I would have eaten it on my own. It was so good, so creamy, with just a hint of truffle scent.

If you go to Tartinery, you cannot miss this dish!

Then, we had our tartines. Jodi ordered the Saint Marcellin:

 It was composed of Saint Marcellin cheese, prosciutto, arugula and olive oil.

It looked good, but was a total miss: not enough cheese and the prosciutto was very, very, very salty.

Jen and I each ordered the Croque Monsieur:

It was made of cooked ham chiffonade, gruyere cheese and béchamel sauce. 

This was another miss: dry probably because not enough béchamel sauce and very salty. 

Gary seemed to have a better chance with the Benedict tartine.

I was so disappointed when I left: not only I did not like the food, but I thought it was overpriced. This is unfortunate because this is a great concept. At least I got the delicious ravioles...

Enjoy (...)!

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Tabata Noodle in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

With the weather we had these days, ramen was definitely the perfect dish to warm us up. This time, we decided to try Tabata Noodle, located few steps from Port Authority. 

It is not a big place and we did not mind being seated at the counter, allowing us to watch what was happening in the kitchen.

Looking at their ramen menu, they offer the usual: shio, miso or shoyu ramen. But they also propose the Tabata ramen with coconut milk that sounds more Thai than Japanese. I admit that I hesitated between this one and the shio ramen. I went for the later one.

I ordered it with an egg that they forgot. No problem: they brought me one couple of minutes later, apologizing for having forgotten.

The soup looked good and appetizing, with its bean sprouts, bamboo shouts, scallions and noodles. Unfortunately, the pork was bland and with lots of cartilage in it. The egg was perfectly cooked, the white being soft and the gold a bit runny and I liked the noodles. However, the broth had nothing fantastic and I did not even finish it.

Jodi ordered the vegetable ramen:

It was composed of napa (cabbage), carrots, onions, bean sprouts, shiitake and shimeji mushrooms, scallions, snow peas and broccoli.

We did not like it, the entire dish being overpowered by a very strong taste of celery. This was so disappointing, the presentation being so promising.

So, definitely, Tabata noodle is a miss for me. I prefer Ivan ramen located few blocks away, even if a bit pricier.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Tabata Ramen
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Hell's Kitchen / Japanese / Asian Fusion / Ramen
	* Street Address
	540 9th Ave , New York, NY 10018
	* Phone
	(212) 290-7691

Bibimbap at Korea Spoon in KTown NYC, New York

If you follow this blog, you know that I love bibimbap, this Korean rice bowl that comes pipping hot! As we were out on a very cold day, we decided to look for a place in Korea Town. We noticed Korea Spoon.

It is a huge place with very high ceilings and another dining room on the second floor.

When you are inside, you immediately get a modern feeling.

So we got seated at one of the tables on the first floor and handed a menu that was full of appetizing photos of the dishes.

After we ordered, they brought us some barley tea:

And the banchan, these little side dishes:

There, we had:

Some greens:

Some pumpkin salad:

Some radish:

And again radish (different way, spicier):

Some anchovies:

Some soy:

Some kimchi:

My favorites were the radishes and kimchi. I truly appreciated the pumpkin salad as it counterbalanced the heat of some of the dishes.

For bibimbap, Jodi ordered the mushroom one:

On my side, I ordered the bulgogi one (with marinated slices of beef).

When the dishes arrived, we were a bit disappointed because there was no egg and, looking at the photo on the menu, we were expecting one. Otherwise, my bibimbap was pretty good, tasty and I definitely finished it. The one from Jodi was good too, but missing flavor, despite the abundance of mushrooms.

I liked Korea Spoon: they have a decent bibimbap, but I still prefer the one at Bann, Don Bogam or Korea Palace.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Korea Spoon
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Flatiron / Korean
	* Street Address
	39 West 32nd St. (Between Broadway & 5th Ave.), New York, NY 10016
	* Phone
	(212) 560-9696

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

It has been a while since I wanted to try Brick Lane Curry House, the restaurant being on my list after I saw an episode of Man vs Food where the challenge was to eat the Phaal, a very hot curry, so hot that you need to wear a gas mask to cook it, the fumes of the ten different chili used being too intense. But it was not for the Phaal that we went, and the disclaimer below did not change my mind, even if I can get a free beer...

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

Brick Lane Curry House takes its name from the neighborhood in London that is supposed to have the best curry houses outside of Asia. I have never been there, maybe one day.

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

It is also a subway stop, so no wonder why you can see some subway signs (underground as they say in the UK) or subway maps.

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

The place is like a labyrinth with three different dining rooms, the two main ones being separated by bottles of wine.

Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

As soon as we sat, they brought us some delicious papadum:

papadam at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

For appetizers, we decided to try some classic vegetarian dishes: pakora.

vegetarian pakora at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

These are vegetable fritters served with a tomato chutney that had a nice kick. The pakora were good, but missing a bit of crunch.

Then, we had aloo (potato) samosas:

aloo or potato samosa at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

Served with the same tomato chutney, it was just ok for me, as they mainly tasted the potato that was a bit bland.

aloo or potato samosa at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

The shell however was deliciously crispy.

Then, we shared the Chana Masala (Vegan):

chana masala at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

It is a dish made of chickpeas, tomatoes, onions and spices.

chana masala at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

I usually love chana masala, but did not like this one that was missing texture and flavor.

However, the lamb madras curry was perfect!

lamb madras curry at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

The waiter told us that it was spicy, but in fact, it just had a bit of a kick. The curry, made with a gravy prepared with mustard seeds, curry leaves and finished with coconut milk was very good and flavorful. I could have eaten that even without meat (the lamb was perfect), with just rice or better, with naan.

Both dishes were served with some rice:

pulao rice at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

And we also ordered some naan that was freshly made:

naan at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

As usual, I ordered a sweet lassi that was pretty good: thick but not too much and not too sweet, it was perfect to extinguish any heat coming from the dishes.

lassi at Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

The food at Brick Lane Curry House was just ok for me and I think that it is overpriced. I definitely prefer Baluchi's or The Masala Wala over this place.

Enjoy (...)!

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Restaurant Information:

* Restaurant Name

Brick Lane Curry House

* Overall

★★☆☆☆

* Neighborhood / Cuisine

East Village

/

Indian

* Street Address

306-308 East 6th St., New York, NY 10003

* Phone

(212) 979-2900

My Trip to India - Bukhara in Delhi

What you are going to witness is one of the best Indian dinners I ever had. It was at Bukhara, a restaurant located at the Luxury Collection ITC Maurya Hotel in Delhi that, for more than 30 years, served the same menu made of dishes from the North Western part of India. 

The restaurant itself is bursting with a mix of tourists, expats, business men and Indian clientele in a decor made of stone walls, dark wood beams and red rugs.

In the back is the kitchen, visible from the dining room, where you can see the Chef and cooks prepare the dishes in their tandoori ovens (clay ovens).

We got the privilege to visit the kitchen, where many skewers were ready to be put in the ovens.

So I was ready for my meal, bib on, wine in one hand and menu in the other.

The wine was an Indian wine called Sula from the Nashik region, 180 km Northeast from Mumbai.

After we sat, they brought us some papadam:

And red onions:

But was I was waiting for was the family naan, a giant naan perfect to share with the entire table that was the attraction of the restaurant.

Then, the food came...First was this incredible dal.

Made with a blend of dark lentils, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, it is slow cooked for 24 hours on a charcoal fire, finished with cream and some unsalted butter, giving it a creamy texture and an amazing taste.

Then was the tandoori salad:

It was composed of onions, capsicum, tomatoes, fresh cottage cheese and pineapple seasoned with yellow chilies, garam masala, black cumin and malt vinegar.

We also tried the paneer tikka, that is cottage cheese marinated in fresh cream, gram flour, ajwain (caraway) and yellow chillies.

We also ordered a fish called pomfret that was cooked in the tandoor with yellow chillies, garam masala, turmeric and caraway.

Then, we got the slow cooked leg of lamb - Sikandari Raan:

It is a whole leg of lamb that is braised in a marinade of malt vinegar, cinnamon, black cumin and red chili paste. It is then finished in the tandoor, giving a nice char on the outside. The meat was very tender and moist: divine! If you love lamb like me, this is definitely a dish to order. In fact it is close in concept to the

gigot d'agneau de 7 heures

, a French dish that is also slow cooked lamb.

Chicken:

ok, I admit that at some point lost track of the dishes as they all came at the same time and I was trying to take my photos...This was a good chicken, served in a creamy sauce that was not spicy at all.

After this feast, we still had some space for dessert...First was the gulab jamun that were quite big!

Phirni, a dessert made with milk, basmati rice and cardamon, quite close to rice pudding (besides the texture).

And Rasmalai, poached dumplings of cottage cheese in a saffron flavored reduced milk sauce.

I admit that I was full after this, but thrilled that I got the opportunity to dine at Bukhara. If you are in Delhi, this is definitely not to be missed.

Enjoy (I did)!

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My trip to India - The Spice Route at The Imperial Hotel in Delhi

Gate of India - Delhi, India

I was recently in India, Delhi more precisely. It has been 14 years since I went there and I was thrilled to go back. 

Lotus Temple - Delhi, India

Crossing the street - Delhi, India

Food wise, I was very excited as I love Indian food, although I did not try the street food as I did not want to get sick and my Indian colleagues and friends told me to be extremely careful and only eat cooked food. I followed their advice and had some of the best meals ever, especially at Bukhara, a world famous restaurant serving incredible meats cooked in a tandoor (clay pot) oven. 

Street food - Delhi, India

Street food - Delhi, India

In the next posts, you will read about some of the most memorable meals I had:

Spice Route at the Imperial Hotel, Delhi (India)

Hallway of the Imperial Hotel - Delhi, India

The Imperial Hotel is one the fancier restaurants you would find in Delhi. As soon as you enter in the lobby, you are mesmerized by the fantastic decor. Walking in the hallway, you will find The Spice Route, considered by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top ten best restaurants in the world. There, Chef Veena Arora crafted a menu that follows the route of spices from the Malabar Coast in Kerala through Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam. 

Designed by Rajeev Sethi, the decor is hand painted with vegetable and flower dyes by mural painters brought in especially from a temple in Guruvayur, Kerala and furnished with antiques from South East Asia.

There, we tried the express lunch that was a tasting menu, which proposed vegetarian and non-vegetarian. I went for the latter.

Before our dishes came, they served us some papadam with various sauces, some of them very spicy and some sweet.

The spiciest one being the one in the bottom left that I truly enjoyed.

The first dish was composed of a Por Pia Chae or Thai style spring roll, served with a sweet chili and a plum sauce. On the left, was Yum Woon Sen Chae or Thai bean vermicelli salad with vegetables:

On the right, Laab Kai or minced chicken salad flavored with glutinous rice.

Then, came the soup:

It is called Tom Kha Kai, that is a traditional Thai soup made with coconut milk, vegetables, lemongrass and galangal (root similar to ginger).

After eating this delicious soup, we got our entree(s):

First was the Meen Varuval or crispy filet of sole flavored with Kerala spices. It was sitting next to some jasmine rice.

On the left was Kaeng Kheow Waan Kai or chicken cooked in Thai curry with pea and krob aubergines.

In the center was Pad Thai noodles:

And on the right was a Chef's special: stir-fried bok choy with shiitake and coral mushrooms, and a soy bean paste flavored with bird eye chilies. 

Last was dessert: vanilla ice cream with rambutan.

This was a wonderful meal, tasty and very flavorful, made mild at our request. After eating there, no wonder why some consider it one of the top ten restaurants in the world!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Korean BBQ at Madangsui in NYC, New York

When I got invited by Sang Kim, the owner of Madangsui Korean BBQ to try his restaurant, I was really excited: each time I go to a Korean restaurant, it reminds me of my trip to South Korea many year ago, when I got to try my first BBQ.

Couple of blocks from the heart of Korea Town, Madangsui is located on 35th street. Next to the entrance is a display of their dishes that I admit makes you hungry and wonder what you should order, so many dishes looking yummy.

Then is the dining room, similar to lots of Korean restaurants, if not for the distinctive sign that is present on each pillar:

I was wondering what it was until I understood what Madangsui means in Korean: man. It implies a person with strong moral fiber who rises early, works hard and helps those around him according to the restaurant who does not hesitate to associate the definition to Sang Kim, the owner, who opened this place in 2007 and explains the concept of the restaurant in his press release:

“My mission is to introduce organic Korean food – especially our BBQ – to Americans throughout the country, as well as to travelers from abroad,” says Mr. Kim. “I started working in a Korean restaurant as a waiter in college, just loved the industry and was promoted to manager. Here at Madangsui I’m always delighted when people love our food – and even more so when they come back for more!”

“We use only USDA prime meat,” says Mr. Kim. “Our beef comes from pasture- raised and grain-finished cattle that are humanely treated by American cattlemen and we use wet- and dry-aging methods with the utmost care. So what we serve is the highest quality American beef, prepared Korean style.”

With an introduction like that, I was ready to check for myself especially after looking at the menu, crafted by Chef Hyun Kim: with plenty of vegetarian choices, it proposes a large selection of BBQ, Bibimbap, soups, noodles...

So we sat at one of the tables that had a grill in the center and few minutes later, they brought us the banchan, these little side dishes served at the beginning of the meal. 

A Korean restaurant without banchan is like a French restaurant with no bread! What they served us was: mashed potatoes.

Kimchi:

Bean sprouts:

Pickled radish:

Bok Choi:

Octopus:

As a drink, I opted for a Korean wheat wine (Saeng Mak Geol Li) rather than the usual soju.

It was served in a big bowl with a large spoon and looked milky.

It was very close to unfiltered sake.

Our first appetizer was the jap-chae, Korean glass noodles fried with vegetables and beef, seasoned with soy sauce.

These noodles were fantastic! Made with sweet potatoes, they have a nice sweetness that married very well with the vegetables and beef. This is definitely an appetizer I recommend.

The second appetizer was the mandoo or dumplings.

We had the choice between fried or steamed and we chose steamed. They were stuffed with beef, pork and vegetables.

These were also very good: the shell was not too thick, not doughy and the filling very flavorful. Needless to say that we ate them all...

For the entree, we first picked the bulgogi bibimbap.

Bibimbap is a rice dish that comes in a bowl that is extremely hot, so the ingredients continue to cook in it, creating a delicious crust with the rice. The photo above shows the rice bowl before being heated, and the photo below after, once all the ingredients have been mixed together.

Unfortunately, the bibimbap was a miss for me. I found it bland with not enough beef in it.

Next was the BBQ. We chose the Yang-Nyum Galbi that is marinated short rib. They started off by turning on the grill in the center of the table.

Then, then brought us the different ingredients. First was the lettuce:

Then, the onions:

The chili paste sauce (not spicy):

And the star of the show: galbi or short ribs.

That meat looked definitively of good quality, with a nice marbling and thick cut.

They put it on the grill with the slice of onion, mushroom and pepper it came with.

There, it cooked for few minutes.

Once ready, we picked a lettuce on which we put some onions, some meat and some chili paste.

We then closed the lettuce and ate it like a sandwich. The first bite was divine, all the ingredients working well together, but letting the incredible pieces of short rib shine. I could have just eaten the meat alone: tender and juicy, it had a rich flavor. To my surprise, Jodi who is usually not a big fan of Korean BBQ loved it (I thought I would have all of it for myself...). 

I really liked my dinner at Madangsui and may have found my new spot for Korean BBQ, my favorite one having closed a couple of years ago. The meat there is definitely of higher quality and I will probably go back as they offer other selections of BBQ such as the well known Bulgogi, tongue or seafood. 

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! 

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Madangsui
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Midtown West / Korean
	* Street Address
	35 West 35th St., New York, NY 10001
	* Phone
	(212) 564-9333

The Brick Pizzeria in Hoboken, NJ

We decided to try The Brick, a new pizza place uptown Hoboken. I am sure the stakes are high for The Brick considering the number of pizza places in Hoboken, such as Benny Tudino's, Johnny Pepperonni or Basile's. So I was curious to see what would make it stand out.

The decor has nothing fancy, but there is a bit of warmth from the bricks on the walls.

I decided to try their homemade mint lemonade.

It was delicious, not too sweet, with the right amount of mint, making this drink quite refreshing.


With it, they brought us some olive oil with basil, where they added a nice amount of parmesan.

We ate it with some bread.

Looking at the menu, they have interesting dishes such as their own version of chicken wings, made with siracha sauce. They also have salad, pasta and pizza.

For the appetizer, we went for their caprese bruschetta:

I was surprised to see 4 pieces of it.

It was composed of grilled eggplant, fresh tomato, basil, garlic, red onions, kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella and parmigiano cheese, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. I really liked it, the bread being soft and not too chewy and I loved the mix of flavors that made each bite unique.

Then, we ordered the margherita pizza:

It was made of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, drizzled with olive oil. This pizza being quite common, this is the perfect choice to compare to other pizzeria.

I liked it: the tomato sauce was good and the crust deliciously crispy, although I would have liked a bit more cheese.

The second pizza we tried was The Brick pizza:

This is not your regular pizza: it is made of prosciutto, pear, fresh mozzarella and Gorgonzola cheese on a white crust.

This was even better: there was a nice amount of gorgonzola that paired perfectly with the pear that added a delicious sweetness to the pizza, counterbalancing with the saltiness of the prosciutto. I would definitely reorder it!

I liked my dinner at The Brick and I am looking forward to go back there to try some other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Lady M Upper East Side, NYC, New York

After having tried Lady M at Bryant Park several weeks ago, as well as the one in the Plaza Hotel, we decided to go on the Upper East Side, thinking that, as it is their original location, it would be bigger and would have more choices. 

I admit that I was a bit disappointed as it was the same size as the other one and the same menu, but my disappointment did not last too long at the sight of these spectacular cakes that they showcase.

I was there fixated on one and one only cake: the Mont Blanc!

It is made of cream and chestnut cream and topped with a fresh chestnut.

When you start digging in, you are wondering where the cream is.

But then you find it and you are happy about it, because it cuts on the sweetness of the chestnut cream; because yes, it is very sweet. But very addictive too, to the point that I finished it...

Jodi was set for the vanilla mille-crepe, but finally decided to order the banana mille feuilles:

It is made of big chunks of banana, puff pastry, whipped cream and layers of sponge cake. This was sublime! It reminded me of a banana cream pie in a way.

These desserts were perfect with my double espresso. Jodi ordered a tea that was good, but pricey ($8)!

The more I try Lady M, the more I like this place and I can tell you that it was not my last visit!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Dandelion chocolate - San Francisco

Recently, we received a package containing some chocolate bars from Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco, sent by Jodi's cousin, Rebecca and her boyfriend Leo. They went there after we saw this place on the TV show Unique Sweets (I love that show and recommend any person with a sweet tooth to watch it: it is definitely some food porn!). 

So we got to try the following chocolate bars:

70% Ambanja, Madagascar 2013

What I like about this chocolate is that they describe the beans and process as well as what one should taste when eating it. This one says: this batch has a bold, lemon front, followed by a mellow nutty finish.

I tasted the lemon, but not the nutty finish...

70% Mantuano, Venezuela 2012

This one says: we taste notes of fudge bownie and espresso with a lively cinnamon finish.

I would agree.

70% Maya Mountain, Belize 2013

The last one says: we're excited to introduce this fruity bar that has notes of pineapple and honey.

This was in fact my favorite: I loved the finish taste of honey.

This was a great tasting, trying each chocolate bar, one after the other, and trying to see if we could match their description. This is definitely some good chocolate if you like dark, made only with cocoa beans and cane sugar. On their website, they display the places where you can find them all over the country. For instance, in New York, you may find their chocolate at Chelsea Market Baskets. I will have to check that you!

Thanks to Rebecca and Leo!

Enjoy (I did)!

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BXL Café in the Theater District, NYC, New York

BXL Café is a Belgian restaurant located in the Theater District. The last time I went to a Belgian restaurant besides Le Pain Quotidien was B Café on the Upper West Side: disappointing experience. Few years ago, I use to go to Café de Bruxelles that had these fantastic escargots au roquefort (snails with a blue cheese sauce), but unfortunately, it closed. So we decided to try BXL Café (BXL is short for Bruxelles). When we arrive, the place was not that crowded, but when we left, it was packed, with people not only eating in the dining room, but also at the bar.

It is a small place in fact with a rustic feel: wood everywhere, from the floor to the tables and chairs. 

In term of menu, they propose traditional Belgian dishes such as moules frites (mussels and fries), waffles, as well as American dishes like cheeseburger. Interestingly, they also propose a beer and cheese tasting!

We decided to try few dishes. First, we shared the Croquettes aux Truffes or Truffle mushroom and cheese croquettes:

It was very hot! But the first bite was divine: the croquette itself was crunchy, not greasy and light.

The inside was made with potatoes, cheese and a tiny bit of truffle mushroom that gave a very subtle taste. I really enjoyed it with the salad that came with it.

Jodi ordered a Salade Verte au Fromage de Chèvre Chaud or warm goat cheese salad:

There was some honey that gave a nice sweetness to counterbalance the sour taste of the goat cheese.

On my side, I ordered the mitraillette sandwich:

A mitraillette is a traditional Belgian sandwich that can be found in the North of France, made of steak, fries on a French baguette with a tangy sauce. I am sure you are wondering what this sandwich has to be special as looking at the photo and description it would be just another steak sandwich. Well, normally, the fries are with the steak, in the sandwich itself! 

So here I am, disappointed at the sight of my dish that is not really what I ordered. So I proceeded to put some fries in it, but I admit that it was a bit fought to eat, because the meat was cut into two and fell all over...

Too bad, because I really like the nice char on the burger meat, the sauce, as well as the crispy fresh bread. 

I liked my brunch at BXL Café, even if my dish was not exactly what I was expecting. The service was courteous, but the kitchen quite slow. We also noticed that the prices on the menu were not the one billed ($1 to $2 difference), that is something I do not like as it is a bit deceptive; if they change the prices, they should reprint the menus.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	BXL Cafe
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Times Square / Belgian
	* Street Address
	125 West 43rd St., New York, NY 10036
	* Phone
	212-768-0200

Rosticeria Da Gigi in Hoboken, NJ

Rosticeria Da Gigi, located uptown Hoboken, is the kind of small joint where you would go to grab a quick bite: nothing fancy, but comforting.

It is a small place that probably sits 16 people.

So we sat at one of the tables and went through the menu. It consists of standard breakfast dishes like eggs, pancakes...as well as panini, sandwiches or items from their rotisserie.

Jodi decided to try their croque-monsieur:

When the plate arrived, we were a bit surprised as it did not look like a croque-monsieur, but more like a panini.

There was for sure a decent amount of ham and cheese, but the brioche bread was too thick and unbalanced the proportion of bread / ham / cheese. It was also a bit dry.

On my side, I went for half roasted chicken:

It was definitely a nice piece of chicken and I really liked it: the chicken was moist and the skin crispy.

With it, I could pick two sides and decided to go for the meatballs with tomato sauce and the rice balls with tomato sauce.

It came in one plate as the tomato sauce was the same for both sides. The meatballs were good, but I really did not like the rice balls that were missing flavors. Even with the tomato sauce, the only thing I could taste was some overcooked rice.

Besides the chicken, the meal was ok. I would probably go back to try some other dishes, their menu being so diverse. Although maybe it is the issue: too many things on the menu. I am still unsure about that place...

Enjoy (...)!



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Lazzara's Pizza and Café in the Garment District, NYC, New York

I love pizza and with a city like New York, you can find so many different ones, each restaurant having its own way to make the crust, the sauce, to cook it...This time, we went to Lazzara's in the Garment District. You really need to know that it is there, as it is located off the beaten path and you may miss it walking on 38th street.

Opened in 1985 by the Lazzara's brother, Sebastian and Tony, the restaurant is located on the second floor of a townhouse.

The dining room has a warmth and reminded me some restaurants we ate at in Italy, especially in Venice that is in fact representing in a painting hanged on the wall.

When we sat, they brought us the menu as well as the special of the day written on a little chalk board.

There, they serve an all Italian cuisine: pizza, pasta, heroes...We decided to go for the pizza. What I like about Lazzara's is that they propose their specialty pizza in half portions. Of course, you can always add toppings on half a pie in most of the restaurants, but here, I am not talking about toppings, but the pizza itself.

As you can see on the photo above, the pizza is square; but it is not like a Sicilian pizza: the crust is thin. So, the top half of the pizza was the lasagna pizza:

It was made of ground beef, ricotta, mozzarella and some seasoning.

The second half was the margherita pizza:

It was composed of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.

I have to say that I love both: the tomato sauce was delicious and seemed to be made with fresh ingredients. There were in fact some slices of tomatoes and fortunately, it did not make the pizza soggy as it is sometimes the case. 

The lasagna pie was also very good, rendering perfectly what lasagna would be, replacing the pasta with the crust: it was very flavorful and they were generous in the quantity of meat and ricotta. I definitely recommend it.

The thin crust was on the chewy side, being crispy on the outside.

I was ready to get some dessert, but they brought us the check, making me feel dirty...I then asked if they had some homemade desserts, being interested by a tiramisu, but they do not and the waitress did not seem to be interested to tell me where they buy them. So I decided to pass...

The pizza at Lazzara's was good. It is a good spot if you want more than just a slice, although I prefer Capizzi located few block away.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Lazzara's Pizza
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Garment District / Italian / Pizza
	* Street Address
	221 West 38th St. (Between 7th Ave. & 8th Ave.), New York, NY 10018
	* Phone
	(212) 944-7792

Little Pie Company in NYC, New York

The Little Pie Company was on my radar for a while and I confess that I lured Jodi to that place, making sure we would pass in front of it when going to the Gotham West Market. 

Little Pie Company is small, but don't be fooled by its name: the kitchen next to it is of a good size.

I was looking around to see what to get, not realizing that they had a banana and coconut cream pie. But trust me, Jodi immediately saw it and ordered it right away as it was the last one and she did not want to see it go to somebody else, leaving me with just couple of minutes to take a decision. 

I was surely not going for one of the cookies that looked a little sad compared to what you can get at City Bakery or Macchiato. I desperately looked for a cherry pie and then saw a cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. That was my choice.

It was pretty good, creamy with the same density as the cheesecake at Junior's. I loved the crust that added another layer of deliciousness and a slight sweetness.

Of course I could not let Jodi eat alone the banana and coconut cream pie. Originally, I thought it was only a coconut cream pie and Jodi kept telling me it was with banana, I was so desperate to find something that I did not hear. When she told me, I was so happy: I love banana cream pie! 

And this one is a little piece of heaven! I loved it, even with the toasted coconut on top, although I would have preferred without. Not only did I finish the cheesecake, but had a nice piece of pie.

So, do not be surprised to see me going back soon!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Murray's Cheese Bar in the West Village, NYC, New York

Being French, I was raised eating cheese, any kind of cheese, although, as a kid, I hated the stinky ones. I have no favorite and in fact, with close to 400 different cheeses in France, it is tough to choose. I remember that the first time we went to France Jodi and I to visit my family, I brought her to a supermarket to see the different cheeses proposed, but also how cheap it is compared to the US. I would say that it is 2 to 3 times the price. So sad, as cheese is so good! The best places to buy cheese in New York City are for me Fairway, Zabar's and Whole Food, where they offer a wide variety of cheeses from all over the world. But there is also Murray's on Bleecker.

So, as were were walking down the street on a Saturday, we decided to see if their restaurant, located few steps from it had seats available.

When we arrived, the place was not that crowded, but when we left, it was packed!  They sat us at the bar that was very comfortable considering that it is fairly large and we were not too close from our neighbors.

They menu offers well known specialties with cheese such as Mac & Cheese, grilled cheese or cheese fondue. But we decided to go directly for cheese a la carte and picked few of them.

The cheese took a while to come: this was surprising as you would figure that they just need to cut few pieces and put that on a plate. But when it came, it looked spectacular, the cheeses arranged on a slate and paired with a something sweet.

This is what we picked:

Vendéen Bichonné from France:

This is a creamy cow’s milk cheese that is salty and nutty with a hint sweet cinnamon-clove spice. It was paired with pickled raisins.

Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from Vermont:

Made with cow's milk, it is sweet, savory, nutty and tangy. It was paired with an apple butter.

Vacherin Fribourgeois from Switzerland:

Made with raw cow milk, it has a slightly acidic and resiny flavor. I admit that I forgot what the chutney was...

Époisses from France:

Produced in the village of Époisses in Bourgogne, this cheese an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese with a pungent taste. It was paired with a carrot chipotle that had cumin in it.

Blu di Bufala from Italy:

This blue cheese made with buffalo milk had a nice buttery texture and was both sweet and tangy. It was served with a salted caramel.

This was a perfect dinner and it will for sure not be the last time I will be there! Definitely the place for cheese lovers!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Murray's Cheese Bar
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	West Village / American New
	* Street Address
	264 Bleecker St. (Between Cornelia St. & Morton St.), New York, NY 10014
	* Phone
	(646) 476-8882

Restaurant Week: Spice Market

For my last Restaurant Week review, we decided to go to Spice Market for lunch. Located in the trendy Meatpacking District, this place is amazing! Well, its owner, Jean-Georges Vongerichten (Jean-Georges, Jojo, The Mercer Kitchen...), is no stranger to creating unique experiences and this time we were there for a treat. Inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten's travel in South East Asia, Spice Market has an impressive decor and as soon as you enter, you are transported miles away.

At the entrance is the bar with its wood carving and white leather stools. 

Then the dining room with its custom-made colonial style furniture, mixed with artifacts brought from all Asia, the antique copper lamps and the fans. But it is only the first floor. Downstairs, an  even more impressive dining room is available.

Interestingly, they have a whole section kind of separated from the rest that can cater to large parties and provide some privacy.

So we sat at our table on the first floor and got greeted by our waiter Lionel. He explained to us that the food was served family style, each dish being brought to the table as soon as ready. We looked at the menu, inspired by South Asian street food and made our choice from the Restaurant Week deal ($25 for an appetizer, an entree and a dessert).

They brought us some papadam that is a lentil bread. It was served with a spicy tomato sauce.

I then had a house made soda called Calamansi that takes its name from a widely cultivated fruit in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

It had a fantastic color and was very citrusy.

Then, the first appetizer came. Jodi ordered the soy cured salmon served with Cilantro, crème fraiche and some Asian pear.

This was fantastic: refreshing with the crème fraiche and Asian pear, the salmon was delicious and delicate.

My pick for appetizer was the Thai beef noodle soup made with crispy garlic and herbs:

This was very good, especially the broth that was light and milky, flavorful. The beef was sort of giving some flavor to the dish and clearly not the star of the dish. Yes, again, that broth...

For the entree, Jodi chose the Wok charred pearl noodles served with smoked tofu in a black bean sauce.

If you are still doubtful that tofu or vegetarian food can be good, you have to try this dish: the noodles were fantastic and the smoked tofu was incredible, showing that tofu does not need to be bland. Last, the sauce, which had peanuts in it, was perfect and I truly appreciated that it was not too salty.

On my side, I ordered the Tempura catfish Bahn Mi prepared with pickled carrots and mint:

Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese term for bread that refers in the culinary world to a sandwich, the bread being usually a baguette.

This was an amazing sandwich: the tempura was crunchy and not oily, the fish was perfectly cooked, the toasted baguette soft but a bit crispy and the entire sandwich was bursting in flavors, between sweet and savory, with peanuts in the bottom for an extra texture. This is definitely a sandwich to try.

Last was dessert. We tried first the banana cream pie made with caramelia chocolate sauce.

It was not your usual banana cream pie: it was a cream puff. The shell was quite good and the filling delicious, not too sweet, with some pieces of banana in it.

The second dessert was the Japanese cheese cake served with Kumquat marmalade.

This was a very good dessert, the cheese cake not being too dense, but I think the star was the kumquat marmalade that was superb.

I loved my lunch at Spice Market: again another restaurant that embraces the principle of Restaurant Week by serving spectacular dishes that make want you to go back. Not only was the decor amazing,  the food was uncommon and out of this world. Bravo Jean-Georges Vongerichten!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Spice Market
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	West Village / Asian Fusion
	* Street Address
	403 West 13th St., New York, NY 10014
	* Phone
	(212) 675-2322