Joe's Shanghai in New York, NY

It has been years since I went to Joe's Shanghai, having tried their midtown (food just ok and poor service) and their Chinatown location. But, after trying the soup dim sum at Red Farm, I wanted to go back and see how these restaurants measure up against each other.

We went on a week day and showed up a bit before the opening as, each time we passed by, there was a long line, this restaurant being recommended in a lot of guides. Surprisingly, there was barely anybody, so we got a table right away. 

The restaurant filled up slowly, but was not as crowded as expected. 

Few minutes after we sat, the waiter came with some tea and asked us if we wanted the dim sum so they could fire them up in the kitchen. We answered affirmatively and proceeded to look at the menu to pick the other dishes we wanted to try. 

I could not of course resist ordering the fried quail, a dish that you can buy to go in few locations in Chinatown (or at Whole Foods, uncooked).

There were succulent: a tad crispy, but still moist, that is not that simple as it is easy to overcook them. 

Then, we shared the fried spring roll.

Unfortunately for Jodi, they were made with shrimp, that she hates except in shumai. I liked it, but it was not as good as the scallion pancake that followed that was probably one of the best I had so far. 

Then came the pork soup dim sum:

They were eight of them, very, very hot. I proceeded to put one in a spoon 

And eat it from the top. 

The shell was very good, as well as the filling, although I found it way too fatty and prefer the more delicate taste of Red Farm. 

Our last dish was braised bean curd with spinach, the same dish we ordered the last time we went. 

I admit that I conceded this dish to Jodi, as I am not a big fan of spinach...

The bean curd was very good, smothered on a delicious thick sauce, but I wished they served something else than spinach. 

The bill, paid cash only, was light, for a very decent meal. Joe's Shanghai is a good spot for Chinese food, it's Asian crowd proving it. They are precursor of these delicious soup dim sum, but if you really want to try, go to Red Farm: I think they are better there, even if pricier. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Joe's Shanghai

Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

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

Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Paname, that means

Paris

in slang, is a French restaurant located Midtown East, opened a year ago by Chef Bernard Ros, a veteran of the New York food scene, known not only for his cuisine, but also his mentorship in the industry, helping people get jobs or training them, solely for the love of food. The adventure started in 1967, when Chef Ros came to Montreal for the World's Fair. He then decided to go visit New York...and never went back to France, working in many restaurants, before opening Meli Melo and then Paname.

Chef Bernard Ros of Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Chef Bernard Ros with the "Marilyn Monroe's legs"

I spoke at length with him during my dinner at Paname and truly felt that he was more interested in making his customers pleased with the experience at the restaurant, serving them classic bistro dishes, reinvented, at low prices, creating a loyal clientele, instead of one time diners. 

dining room at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Chef Ros goes everyday to the market to pick ingredients, putting an emphasis on the quality of the meat and seafood he will serve. If you go to Paname, you will definitely see him (he is there 7/7) going from table to table, to ensure everything is fine. 

dining room at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Menu wise, you will find classics, but as I mentioned before, reinvented. For instance, there are escargots (snails), but not cooked the usual way, with garlic and butter. Also, everything is homemade, including the desserts, that can be a challenge for a Chef, but not for Bernard Ros, as you will see in this post.

We started our meal with an amuse bouche that was made with gorgonzola and a tomato coulis, a perfect combination. 

amuse bouche at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Then, I tried few appetizers:

Tomato and mozzarella:

tomato and mozzarella at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Grilled portobello mushrooms with mozzarella:

portobello mushrooms and mozzarella at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Homemade pâté with cornichons:

Homemade pâté with cornichons at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Homemade pâté with cornichons at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Escargots de Bourgogne with Russet potatoes:

Escargots de Bourgogne with Russet potatoes at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Escargots de Bourgogne with Russet potatoes at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

The first thing I noticed was the presentation and then, the originality of the escargot dish: it was definitely a different way of preparing escargot, like a twist to stuffed vegetables, a French classic, where the snails replaced the ground meat. On the plate were stuffed potatoes and zucchini.

Also, the pâté had this rustic taste, full of authenticity.

For entrees, I tried:

The paella Valenciana:

Paella Valenciana at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

You are right, it is a Spanish dish, but it seems that customers love this special, so it is often proposed. It was prepared with seafood (a lot, such as calamari, clams, shrimp and mussels), as well as chorizo and chicken. Delicious dish, very appetizing with all these vivid colors.

The sautéed cod fish à la niçoise with a tomato fondant:

The sautéed cod fish à la niçoise with a tomato fondant at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

I really liked it: the fish, sitting on top of smooth mashed potatoes, was perfectly cooked and topped with a sort of stew made with roasted tomatoes, peppers and a black olives (the 

à la niçoise

part of the dish) that was sublime, giving another dimension to the dish.

Last was the bouillabaisse, a fish stew that comes from the city of Marseille in the South of France, where I was born!

bouillabaisse at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

When the dish came to the table, it had this wonderful aroma and I could not wait to taste the broth that was delicious and very flavorful, perfectly seasoned. It was composed of mussels, clams, baby scallops, shrimp and cod, accompanied with a garlic aioli (on two pieces of toasted bread, as well as on a spoon, to mix with the broth)..

bouillabaisse at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

That was very good and very comforting, definitely a dish I would recommend, even in Summer time.

Then, it was time for dessert. At Paname, they have classic ones, such as crème brûlée, tarte tatin or mousse au chocolat. I did not eat the latter, but Bernard Ros, showed me how they served it and it was amazing: not served in the usual bowl, it was truly artistic.

mousse au chocolate at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

I tried the flourless chocolate cake that was probably one of the best I had so far. Prepared with some Valhrona bittersweet chocolate, it was dense and very chocolatey.

flour less chocolate cake at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Last were the homemade crêpes, made with Grand Marnier and served with almonds.

crepes at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

The crêpes were thicker than what I am used to, making them a bit heavier. However, I truly appreciated that they put the right amount of alcohol and the added texture of the toasted almonds.

Last were cookies:

cookies at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

I should mention that I drank a glass (or two) of Côtes du Rhône with my meal.

Cotes du Rhone at Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

The short walk after we left was welcome...Paname is a nice place to go to, simple and unpretentious, where the passion of its Chef and owner really reflects into the dishes. And with a $35 prix-fixe with an appetizer, entree and dessert, you cannot go wrong!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Per Se in New York, NY

Per Se in New York, NY

We dreamt about going to Per Se for a while and decided, for our wedding anniversary, to go there instead of traveling. It was worth it. Acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller and his crew, led by Chef de Cuisine Eli Kaimeh are like magicians. They not only make disappear your appetite and a large sum of money from your bank account, they also erase any memory or reference to any good meal you had before going to Per Se. Yes, after dining at Per Se, any good restaurant will be like going to MacDonald's after tasting the burger at Minetta Tavern. This team shows so much technique and artistry that we were blown away.

Time Warner Center going to Per Se in New York, NY

Before I talk about the food, let me tell you a bit about this restaurant. Located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center, the American Chef Thomas Keller opened Per Se in 2004. It soon received the accolades of critics and easily gained three Michelin stars, reaching the top of the New York dining scene and being constantly mentioned in best restaurants ranking, including world best. 

Per Se in New York, NY

Arriving at the restaurant, my heart was beating faster from the excitement to finally go there. We sat few minutes in their anti chamber of heaven, looking at the blue doors that are a reference to Thomas Keller's flagship The French Laundry in California (the dining room has 62 seats like The French Laundry - another reference?).

Per Se in New York, NY

Then, it was time to start this culinary adventure. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and got seated at a table overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park, the latter reminding me that I would probably need the gym later on...

Per Se in New York, NY

To make sure everything was at its place, they brought Jodi a little stool for her bag...

Per Se in New York, NY

I started by ordering a glass of wine picked from their impressive list displayed on an IPad. 

wine list on iPad at Per Se in New York, NY

I went for a glass of Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py, 2012:

Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py, 2012 at Per Se in New York, NY

We made our choice from the menu. Per Se proposes two prix fixe for $310 service included: the vegetarian menu (Jodi's pick) and the Chef's Tasting, each of them having 9 courses. For each course, you have two choices, some of them including an up charge, as prepared with luxurious items such as foie gras, caviar or truffles. Know that the menu will change on a daily basis, although some of the dishes, search as the first course I got seems to be a recurring choice.

So, let's see what we got!

Amuse-Bouche:

For Jodi, it was a cone with Belgian endives, grapefruit and cream cheese:

Amuse bouche at Per Se in New York, NY

For me, a cone with marinated salmon and cream cheese:

Amuse bouche at Per Se in New York, NY

Cheese gougères (choux pastry mixed with cheese):

Amuse bouche Cheese gougères at Per Se in New York, NY

I love when they bring amuse, because not only it opens your appetite, but it also contributes to the excitement of the whole experience.

First Course:

For Jodi - Meyer lemon-lime sorbet, served with Rocky sweet melon, Hass avocado puree, Yarrow blossoms and finger limes:

Meyer lemon-lime sorbet at Per Se in New York, NY

For me -

Oysters and Pearls

Oysters and pearls at Per Se in New York, NY

Sabayon of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar. This dish is very often served on the menu apparently and, after the first bite, I understood why: what is surprising about it is how well these ingredients worked together, texture wise, flavor wise and temperature wise. The sabayon was hot while the caviar and oysters were not; it was sweet, while the caviar was slightly salty. I really loved that dish that was like bringing the appetizer and dessert together.

Second course

For Jodi - turnip "Bavarois":

turnip "Bavarois" at Per Se in New York, NY

Composed of Stonington nori, compressed nectarine, Persian cucumber and charred hearts of romaine lettuce.

For me - Hudson Valley Moulard duck foie gras:

Hudson Valley Moulard duck foie gras at Per Se in New York, NY

At that point, I had a choice between a salad of marinated tomatoes or a foie gras for $40 supplement. I did not think twice and went for the latter. It was served with a confit de canard sauce, oat Streusel, stewed blueberries, fennel bulb, amaranth and black winter truffle, as well as the most delicious brioche ever, drizzled with coarse salt:

Brioche bread at Per Se in New York, NY

Funny enough, I was half way through the brioche when they removed it from the table, causing my heart to drop, but it was to replace it with another one. Well, they could have left both on the table: they would not have made it that long there...

There was also some salt for the foie gras brought to the table, coming from different countries such as a sel de Guérande from France or the black salt from Hawaii.

salt at Per Se in New York, NY

I did not use the salt as I thought the dish did not need any and was perfect as is. The only regret is that, although it had the visual of truffle, it did not have the aroma.

At the same time they brought us the second course, they brought some butter and bread. The first butter was a honey butter, shaped like a beehive:

honey butter at Per Se in New York, NY

The second one was from a farm in Vermont where they have only ten cows:

butter at Per Se in New York, NY

 It came with a small bread:

bread at Per Se in New York, NY

But then, before the third course arrived, they came with a beautiful bread basket:

bread at Per Se in New York, NY

Jodi chose the pretzel bread:

pretzel bread at Per Se in New York, NY

While I chose the mini-baguette:

mini baguette bread at Per Se in New York, NY

All these bread were deliciously fresh and crunchy when expected.

Third course

Jodi - Griddled corn cake:

Griddled corn cake at Per Se in New York, NY

Served with Brentwood corn relish, pole beans, tomatoes, quail eggs, mâche (green salad) and black winter truffle.

For me - Crispy skin Mediterranean lubina:

Crispy skin Mediterranean lubina at Per Se in New York, NY

Served with Rick Bishop's snow peas, green market radishes and horseradish crème fraîche. Lubina is in fact sea bass; that was definitely the star of the dish: it was perfectly cooked and that crispy skin was succulent. I also appreciated the fact that the crème fraîche was not overpowered by the horseradish.

Fourth course

Jodi - English pea "flan"

English pea "flan" at Per Se in New York, NY

It was served with morel mushrooms, asparagus, heirloom carrots and garlic scapes.

For me - Butter poached Nova Scotia Lobster:

Butter poached Nova Scotia Lobster at Per Se in New York, NY

The dish was composed of the lobster, greek bottarga (salted, cured fish roe called

poutargue

in French), avocado squash, cranberry beans, stonecrop and garbanzo beans vinaigrette. Just the presentation was amazing, from the plating to the popping colors. But the best was of course the flavors that were like a concert in my mouth, the bottarga adding a subtle bitterness and the avocado some richness to a perfectly cooked lobster.

Fifth course

This was a long awaited course: the truffle course. For Jodi, it was a pasta course and she had the choice between basil agnolotti and the gnocchi with truffles. For me, it was either the fricassee of Salmon Creek Farms' pork belly or the tagliatelle with truffles. Each truffle dishes required a supplement of $125. I admit that we hesitated a bit and then went for it, thinking that we would probably regret not having them and, as it was a special occasion...

Australian black winter truffles at Per Se in New York, NY

The black winter truffles, that are from Australia, came in a box. When they opened the lid, our noses got invaded that this fantastic smell so characteristic of these ugly fungus. They shaved them generously on our plates, making us wonder how they know when there have to stop.

Australian black winter truffles at Per Se in New York, NY

So, the dishes were:

For Jodi - russet potatoes gnocchi with parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) and black winter truffles (of course):

russet potatoes gnocchi with parmigiano reggiano at Per Se in New York, NY

For me - hand cut tagliatelle with parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) and black winter truffles (of course):

hand cut tagliatelle with parmigiano reggiano at Per Se in New York, NY

Do not think that we left the shavings that were on the side of the dishes: for that price, we surely ate them!

It was delicious: not only because of the truffles with their pungent aroma and wonderful taste, but also because the creamy cheese sauce and the pasta were scrumptious. We definitely did not regret the extra cost.

Sixth course

For Jodi - Croustillant de pommes de terre:

Croustillant de pommes de terre at Per Se in New York, NY

It was served with ruby beets, French leeks, Spring onions, mustard cress and "bordelaise".

For me - Marcho Farms' "selle de veau" (veal loin):

Marcho Farms' "selle de veau" (veal loin) at Per Se in New York, NY

It was composed of Oregon morel mushrooms, good nugget potatoes, Tokyo turnips and brown butter jus. The veal loin was just ok for me, as I did to really like the texture, but, with all the components of the plate, it made it successful, especially the morel mushrooms and the brown butter jus.

Seventh course - cheese course

For Jodi, Moses sleeper cheese from Vermont (it is close to a French brie), with walnut "melba", heirloom cauliflower, stonecrop and Royal Blenheim apricot compote.

Moses sleeper cheese from Vermont at Per Se in New York, NY

For me, Consider Bardwell Farm's "pawlet", with Hadley Orchards' Medjool dates, Jingle bell peppers, glazed broccoli, petite parsley and "Romesco":

Consider Bardwell Farm's "pawlet" at Per Se in New York, NY

It came with a tiny garlic ciabatta bread:

garlic ciabatta bread at Per Se in New York, NY

I did not know what pawlet was, but I really liked this soft and buttery cheese from Vermont.

Eight Course - Assortment of desserts

That is when the madness started: desserts were coming one after the other, each one more exquisite than the other.

First, Jodi got a Victoria sponge cake with blackberry jam, vanilla and white chocolate buttercream and green market berries.

Victoria sponge cake with blackberry jam at Per Se in New York, NY

For me, a strawberry soda, lemon verbena pastry cream, champagne granité and French meringue:

strawberry soda at Per Se in New York, NY

strawberry soda at Per Se in New York, NY

Then, Jodi got the fig ice cream with a rose geranium gelée:

fig ice cream with a rose geranium gelée at Per Se in New York, NY

And I got a toasted almond ice cream with a garniture from Montélimar, a city in France known for its nougat.

toasted almond ice cream with a garniture from Montélimar at Per Se in New York, NY

For our anniversary, they brought us a dessert made of white and dark chocolate mousse inside:

white and dark chocolate mousse at Per Se in New York, NY

And when we thought we were done, they brought us some more. For Jodi, a dessert called "Loma Sotavento", made with salted caramel, peanut "Nutella" and red verjus jelly.

"Loma Sotavento" dessert at Per Se in New York, NY

For me, a chocolate mint made with a Valrhona chocolate ganache and with an "After Eight" and mint tea purée.

chocolate mint made with a Valrhona chocolate ganache at Per Se in New York, NY

And when we thought we were done, they brought us some more (I think I already said that...)! First were chocolates:

chocolates at Per Se in New York, NY

They came with this big box full of different chocolates, the top row being dark chocolate, the middle row white and the bottom row milk chocolate.

chocolates at Per Se in New York, NY

I picked:

- on the left, an olive oil and rosemary white chocolate where these two surprising ingredients burst into my mouth delightfully.

- on the bottom right, a vanilla bourbon milk chocolate.

- on the top right, a Mats brothers Madagascar dark chocolate.

Few minutes later, came a semifredo cappuccino and donuts, a dessert from The French Laundry:

semifredo cappuccino and donuts at Per Se in New York, NY

semifredo cappuccino and donuts at Per Se in New York, NY

And what I would call a magic box:

magic box of sweets at Per Se in New York, NY

It opened, revealing some more sweets!

magic box of sweets at Per Se in New York, NY

In the bottom were chocolate truffles:

truffles at Per Se in New York, NY

In the middle, macarons:

macarons at Per Se in New York, NY

On top, some nougats and caramels:

nougats and caramels at Per Se in New York, NY

And then for home, some shortbread cookies with chocolate in the middle.

shortbread cookies at Per Se in New York, NY

It was as if the dinner was ending with fireworks. We left full, not only in our bellies, but full of memories: we will remember that dinner for sure. Everything was on point and the food was spectacular, not only taste wise, but also the way it was presented, each plate used to serve the dish looking as if it was custom made.

Butter poached Nova Scotia Lobster at Per Se in New York, NY

This is definitely a restaurant I recommend for a special occasion if the price is not an issue. Chapeau Per Se!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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Per Se

Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Before stating that you definitely do not like fish, go to Le Bernardin, the three Michelin starred restaurant of Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Coze, located in Midtown Manhattan. This place, opened in 1986 is the pinnacle of seafood in America and kept a solid reputation all these years. There is no doubt Chef Ripert is talented, crafting an elegant and tasteful menu that even the most skeptical will rave about, but, behind the scenes is one man, an incredible fish butcher by the name of Justo Thomas, who takes care of more than 1,000 pounds of fish per day, requiring three people to replace him when he is on vacation! Thanks to his craftsmanship, you will not find one bone or fish part that you cannot eat, filleting fishes to perfection and ensuring you have the best quality on your plate, making the whole experience there unforgettable (I just drooled by the way just thinking about it).

Le Bernardin in New York, NY

We went there for our wedding anniversary, for a first celebration (yes, we had two!). I do not really remember the decor, three years ago, when we went for dinner, right before their renovations, adding a lounge to the restaurant, where I believe you can just walk in and have a more casual experience than in the dining room (Gentlemen, jacket is required). The decor is classy, modern and warm, with a beautiful painting in the back from Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner representing the sea, dominating the entire dining room.

As we were still deciding what to pick from the menu, they brought us an amuse bouche.

amuse bouche at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

It was composed of:

Goat cheese and beet in phyllo:

goat cheese and beet in phyllo at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Oyster from Washington State with sea beans:

oyster with sea bean at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Carrot and ginger soup with a tuile:

carrot and ginger soup at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

That was a great way to start, my preference going to the soup because I thought that it had complex flavors. Even Jodi, who does not like carrot loved it.

Then, they brought us some bread and butter.

butter at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

There was a large choice of bread for sure.

bread basket at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Jodi picked the pretzel bread

pretzel bread at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

And me, the sundried tomatoe and fennel (pretty good).

sun dried tomato and fennel bread at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

We opted for the prix fixe dinner, the tasting menu looking good, but having plenty of dishes that Jodi would not like. For $135, you get three dishes and a dessert. Pricey, but totally worth it.

The first dishes were in the section

Almost raw

. For Jodi, it was the striped bass:

striped bass at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

It was a wild striped bass tartare, Jicama salad with a champagne-mango emulsion. For most of the dishes, the sauce or emulsion was put at the end, poured slowly by the wait staff, like a ceremonial gesture.

striped bass at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

It was served with some toasted sourdough bread.

toasted bread at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

I got the yellowfin tuna that was layered over foie gras and toasted baguette, with chives and extra virgin olive oil on top:

yellowfin tuna and foie gras at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

This was a nice take on surf and turf, and it worked! Similar to a carpaccio, I loved the combination of fish / foie gras, with the added crispiness from the baguette.

The second dishes were from the section

Barely touched

. For Jodi, it was the white tuna or escolar poached in olive oil and served with niçoise olives, grilled maitake mushrooms and a citron (lemon) vinaigrette.

escolar poached in olive oil at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

For me, the king fish and caviar:

king fish and caviar at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

It was served with brioche bread.

brioche toast at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Similar to Jodi's first dish, the light marinière broth was added at the table.

king fish and caviar at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Et voila!

king fish and caviar at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

This was a fantastic dish: the king fish was sliced like a sashimi and not at all overpowered by either the broth or the caviar that gave a very slight saltiness to the dish.

Then was the last dish, from the section

lightly cooked

. Jodi ordered the crispy black bass, served with wood ears mushrooms and water chestnuts, and bathed in a black truffle hot and sour pot au feu:

crispy black bass at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

She was a bit disappointed, especially after she tasted my dish...I tried it and liked it, the fish skin being deliciously crispy and the fish being perfectly cooked, but I have to agree with her that we could barely taste the truffle.

So, on my side, my last dish was spectacular! It was a surf and turf made of white tuna (escolar) and kobe beef.

white tuna and kobe beef at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

There were three elements to the dish:

The escolar with its soy-lemon emulsion:

white tuna or escolar at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

The kimchi and Asian pear:

kimchi and Asian pear at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

The kobe beef:

kobe beef at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

That was the best dish of the evening and, considering what we had so far, it is a pretty big statement! The escolar was so good, with its nice grilled taste, it was literally melting in my mouth. So was the beef that was tender and juicy (I drooled again!).

Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the S'mores (smoked Madagascan chocolate crémeux, Graham cracker sablé, Tahitian vanilla ice cream) that she inhaled:

S'mores at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

And I ordered the banana, a dessert composed of a roasted banana mousse cake and ice cream, Piedmont hazelnuts:

banana dessert at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

I loved it: it was quite light and delicate, not too sweet, perfect if you love banana!

But it was not the end. They brought us a small plate with, from left to right, a cherry chocolate (that had peanut in it), a salted caramel (my favorite), a peach pate de fruit and black currant financier:

sweets at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

I should of course mention the wine. I went for a glass of Meursault "Les grands charrons", a Bourgogne from 2011.

Meursault "Les grands charrons", a Bourgogne from 2011 at Le Bernardin in New York, NY

With its medium-bodied flavor, it was perfect with the fish.

Dining at Le Bernardin was a sublime experience: the service was outstanding and the food beautifully presented and delicious. Yes it is pricey, but this is the kind of restaurant where you will not be disappointed. So I guess there is no need to ask me if I would go back: you know the answer!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Le Bernardin

Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

As we were craving Mexican food, we decided to go to Empellon Taqueria, located in the West village; a place whose staff has definitely a sense of humor...

Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

Big place with beautiful mural on the wall.

dining room at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

That day, they were hosting a birthday party and I did not had time to have a look at the menu crafted for the event, but noted that this could be a good place for a group meal. 

guacamole at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

To start, we went for the guacamole and chips.

guacamole at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

The guacamole was definitely freshly made as could attest the chunks of avocado, chopped onions or fresh cilantro. 

guacamole at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

I truly appreciated the fact that they put the jalapeño on top, so if one does not like it, it is easy to remove them. 

tortilla chips at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

It was perfect: well seasoned, served with delicious tortilla chips. 

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the mixed mushroom tacos (she chose to get two instead of three, that are the two sizes proposed). 

mushroom tacos at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

This was a delicious dish that I recommend if you love mushrooms, because they put a lot of it and it is not mixed with any sauce or ingredients that would overpower the entire dish, letting the mushroom be the star. 

mushroom tacos at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

On my side, I was first set for tacos, but changed my mind when I saw that they were serving a churro French toast. Yes, you read that right and I was sure the combination of a churro and a French toast would be divine: I was not mistaken. 

Churro French toast at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

First of all, it was a perfect French toast: the bread that was like a brioche or challah was perfectly soaked, and the churro created a crust that was delightfully crispy. It worked so well that I did not need to add any butter and maple syrup. 

Churro French toast at Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

This was a fantastic brunch there, all the dishes being very good and the service perfect. I am still ecstatic about the churro French toast that I definitely recommend. I will definitely go back as I saw some tacos I definitely want to try. I really enjoyed: oh yes I did! Sorry, I just drooled all over my computer...

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Empellón Taqueria

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

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

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

There are so many Thai restaurants in New York, that I was a bit skeptical when I received an invitation from Kao Srisuphasiri, one of the owners of Larb Ubol, a Thai restaurant located in the bottom part of Hell's Kitchen. Even there, that restaurant is surrounded by other ones serving Thai food. I soon understood why Larb Ubol is original. 

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Well, like many Thai places, you do not go there for the decor and they admit that they prefer putting the money on the food as this is the reason why customers come back. Entering in the restaurant, you immediately notice the big empty space at the entrance: at this point, they are not really sure what to put there, whether a plant, fountain or tables. For the moment, it is nice because it does not feel too crowded. 

dining room at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

The decor is very simplistic: 

banquettes and chair backs are covered with Thailand’s traditional checkered pha khao ma cloth used to fashion everything from sarongs to hammocks

. On the ceiling and walls, some small umbrellas coming from Thailand:

umbrellas at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

So, it was clear that we were there for the food, and we made sure we tried several dishes prepared by Chef Ratchanee Sumpatboon, who worked for 20 years in New York City, in well known restaurants, such as Zabb Elee. Her menu is Isan cuisine, from the North East of Thailand, characterized by its heat, chili peppers being prominent, as well as sticky rice, used as we would bread.

sticky rice at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Looking at the menu, I immediately noticed the absence of the massaman or penang curry I am used to seeing in Thai restaurants, the only well known dishes being Pad See ew or Pad Thai. I guess that is where Larb Ubol is different. So, it was time to check it out!

To start our feast, we ordered a Thai beer (Singha):

singha beer at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

As well as Thai iced tea that was perfect to cool me from the heat of the dishes.

Thai iced tea at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Thai iced tea at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

To start, we ordered a couple of appetizers. First was the Larb, a spicy ground meat salad that gave its name to the restaurant (Ubol comes from the city of Ubon Ratchathani where the Chef grew up).

Nuer Larb at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Nuer Larb at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

We had the following choices for the ground meat: chicken, pork, beef, veggie duck...We went for beef (

Nuer Larb

). It was good, but spicy and I loved mixing the spicy meat with the refreshing cucumber or mint leaves. I liked it so much that I kept going at it.

Then, I tried the grilled chicken liver skewer (

Tub Yang

), served with a tamarind dipping sauce:

Tub Yang at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

If like me, you like chicken liver, this dish is for you. I admit that it was a bit dry, but the tamarind sauce did its magic, making it a very enjoyable appetizer.

The next dish was Peek Kai Tod or marinated chicken wings, served with a sweet chili sauce:

Peek Kai Tod at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I thought it would be spicy, but it was not the case at all: the sauce was on the sweet side and was perfect with the moist chicken wings. Good dish for bird lovers.

Then, we had the Pukk Boong Fai Dang or sautéed morning glory with fresh chili:

Pukk Boong Fai Dang at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I do not think I ever had morning glory before. It looks like this:

morning glory at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I enjoyed the dish, but should have ordered it with crispy pork as I am not too much of a vegetarian. The morning glory tasted a bit like spinach, maybe a bit less bitter.

Then was the Chicken Pad Ped:

Chicken Pad Ped at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

It is one of their Chef's special, composed of chicken, Thai eggplant, bell pepper, basil, wild ginger and drenched in a spicy curry paste. I should add the large quantity of peppercorn...

Chicken Pad Ped at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

After one bite, my mouth was literally on fire and I was glad I had the sticky rice and Thai iced tea to cool down!

I also ate some Pad See Ew that helped against the heat:

Pad See Ew at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

We went for the tofu version that was very good.

Last was dessert: we ordered the fried ice cream.

Fried Ice Cream at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I always find fried ice cream to be an interesting dessert: who got this idea to fry ice cream? 

Fried Ice Cream at Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

This was a very addictive dessert, the vanilla ice cream pairing well with its shell that was slightly crispy and deliciously sweet.

This was a very good dinner and I am glad I had the opportunity to try a different cuisine. Larb Ubol is definitely unique and stands out from the traditional Thai restaurants. Would I go back: certainly. But this time, I'll ask for non spicy dishes...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Larb Ubol

Taste of Asia 2014: Huaiyang cuisine cook off!

I was recently invited by the Epoch Times to attend the final cook off of Taste Of Asia, a collaborative project between the Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Television part of a celebration of Asian Restaurant Month. During that month, several famous Asian restaurants in New York such as Junoon, Kittichai or Prime & Beyond, offer a prix-fixe menu or special deals. 

So you understand what the invited part means, let me explain: this is a free event, open to everybody, where you can attend some of the workshops to learn, for example, how to make Chinese and Korean hand-pulled noodles, mochi or dumplings (in fact there was even a dumpling eating contest).

You will also find many booths proposing Asian cuisine, such as Nyonya, a Malaysian restaurant.

I have tried their chicken curry with pickled vegetables and it was fantastic, a bit spicy, but so good, the pickles adding a refreshing part to the dish.

Nyonya
199 Grand St
New York, NY 10013

No, the most important part of the invitation was the possibility to try some of the dishes that the Chefs were cooking during the cook off. So it all started when our hosts presented the Chefs:

On the left is Kean Wong, host at NTD Television and producer of the movie Free China, The Courage to Believe. On the left, Jenny,  anchor of Global Watch and also the Hostess of Time with Fang Fei on NTD Television.

First was Chef Ueda Tadayoshi from Japan:

Chef Tong Yuncai from the US:

Chef Zhang Jun from Germany:

The jury was composed of Chefs as well as Akiko Katayama, a food writer that you may have seen as a guest judge on Iron Chef America on the Food Network.

The Chefs had 45 minutes to cook dishes inspired from the Huaiyang cuisine, known for its delicate taste and demand on technique. I got to sample three of them:

Braised dried tofu shred from Chef Ueda Tadayoshi from Japan:

Similar dish from Chef Tong Yuncai from the US, but with shrimp:

Based on the taste, I believe that the shrimp were dried, having a bit of a fishy taste. I definitely preferred the first one from Chef Ueda Tadayoshi.

The next dish I tried was sweet and sour swordfish from Chef Ueda Tadayoshi:

The bright color of the dish was spectacular, as was the dish, that had a nice sweetness and crispiness also; the only negative being the bones...

I did not try any other dishes, but was waiting for the judges to declare the winner. First, each of the contestants had to face the jury:

Chef Ueda Tadayoshi (Japan) and the jury

Chef Tong Yuncai (US) and the Jury

Chef Zhang Jun (Germany) and the Jury

I am sure the Chefs were impatient to know the result, so was the audience. Few minutes after deliberation, it was time to discover whose cuisine reigned supreme. But it was not announced like that, after reading the name of the winner on the microphone.

It was written in Shūfǎ or Chinese calligraphy.

And the winner was:

Chef Ueda Tadayoshi (Japan)

Second was Chef Tong Yuncai (US) and third, Chef Zhang Jun (Germany)

It was great to see the competition and try some of the dishes (I am glad I liked the one from the winner, Chef Ueda Tadayoshi). I think this event is a perfect way to learn few things about Asian cuisine. Thank you to The Epoch Times for giving me the opportunity to attend!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brunch at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

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

Brunch at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

I do not know how many times I passed by SOB's, but I truthfully thought it was just another club that entertained many for more than 25 years. Until I received an invite to come and try it. This venue that can accommodate up to 450 people is huge and composed of different sections:

Brunch at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

The bar area:

bar at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

With its table football that was there especially for the World Cup.

table football at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

table football at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

Its large dining area with a stage where they play music for patrons who either want to eat, drink or dance.

dining room at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

In fact, during our brunch, there was band playing some Brazilian songs.

stage at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

I admit that when they arrived on stage, I was thinking that it will probably be loud and annoying as I like to enjoy my meal in a atmosphere where I can talk to my wife without screaming. It was perfect, being more in the background; the acoustic was fantastic and the band was very good.

caipirinha at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

They brought us the brunch menu that, for $31, includes unlimited sangria (red or white), an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. I was more inclined to try a caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail made with  cachaça, sugar and lime.

caipirinha at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

I truly appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and well balanced, with a nice quantity of lime in it.

caipirinha at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

At the same time, they brought us a bread basket:

bread basket at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

It was composed of a small croissant, bread, corn bread and of course, some cheese bread or pao de queijo (I love it):

cheese bread at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

Then of course was the food. The menu, crafted by Chef Jorge Lima is latin, not only Brazilian.

Chef Jorge Lima at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

So we started with the appetizers. We went for the butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin pepitos and crème fraiche:

Butternut squash soup at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

It was very good, with a nice sweetness from the butternut that worked perfectly with the crème fraiche (I just wish there was more of it).

The second appetizer was the empanadas:

empanadas at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

One was made with cheese:

cheese empanadas at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

The other one with some spicy beef:

beef empanadas at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

Both were good and I could not decide which one I liked best. The shell was delightfully crispy and flaky. Dipped in their spicy red pepper sauce, it was divine!

red pepper sauce at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

Let me tell you: this sauce was very hot, but so good, that I could not resist dipping the empanadas in it.

Then, Jodi got the fish tacos:

fish tacos at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

It is like a do-it-yourself version of it, made with pan-fried tilapia served with chopped greens, fresh tomatillo salsa, avocado relish and sour cream. The fish was perfectly cooked, slightly crispy and not greasy and at some point, I did not care about the tortilla and just ate it with the different components it was served with. It is a great dish.

But, the specialty I was thrilled to try at SOB's is the feijoada:

feijoada at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

It is Brazil's national dish made with pork ears and tail, dried beef and black beans (

feijão

is the Portuguese for "beans"). Yes, I was thrilled to eat it because I first tried it in April at a restaurant called Bolinha in São Paulo. It was also served with rice, collard greens (surprisingly delicious as I tend to find them too bitter), a slice of orange and manioc flour. Was it close to what I tried in Brazil? Yes, Although Chef Jorge Lima told me that he is trying to recreate it with the ingredients he can find here. And I am sure anyway that everyone has its own recipe. What I can tell you is that it was very good and comforting: the meat was very tasty (they had a generous amount of it) and I liked mixing the different components together.

You are probably wondering at this point if we were still hungry. Well, not really, but we could not leave without trying some desserts! We tried:

The flan:

Flan at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

And the empanadas with chocolate and banana:

banana and chocolate empanadas at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

My favorite was the flan: dense, it was prepared with condensed milk, like in Brazil. This is definitely a dessert I recommend. The empanada? It was just ok: I thought that there was not enough filling and that it was not heavenly spread, only one bite (photo below), having a nice amount of chocolate.

banana and chocolate empanadas at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

This was a fantastic brunch and surprising: I would have never thought about going to SOB's for lunch or brunch. Would I go back? Hell, yeah!

Enjoy (I did)!

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SOB's

My trip to Europe: Gelato in Florence, Italy

Gelateria in Florence, Italy

You cannot go in Italy and not eat Gelato! We had gelato probably every day, but not at Eataly that was there, Via dei Martelli.

Eataly in Florence, Italy

And not in the multiple gelateria we saw while walking in the street, some of them with a spectacular presentation...

Gelato in Florence, Italy

One of the gelateria we found was in the opposite side of Eataly. It was called Caffè Del Battistero.

Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy

There, we simply ordered our flavors and the guy serving us (I wonder if he ever smiled in his life), gave us a huge gelato that ended up on our hands, the ice cream melting fairly quickly because of the outside temperature. Jodi got the coconut gelato:

coconut gelato at Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy

And I got the hazelnut one:

hazelnut gelato at Caffè Del Battistero in Florence, Italy

The gelato was good, but I wish they asked us for the size we wanted, 10 euros being a bit expensive for what it was anyway.

Caffè Del Battistero

Via Martelli 13 Florence, Florence, Italy

But then, we went to Vivoli, a gelateria recommended by Jodi's friend Sabrina.

Vivoli in Florence, Italy

When we arrived, there was a group of tourists there, making me think that it is probably in lots of guide books. The way it works there is that first you pay and then you go to the gelato counter and order your flavor. Jodi ordered her coconut gelato that was deliciously creamy.

coconut gelato at Vivoli in Florence, Italy

On my side, I did not order my usual hazelnut flavor, but a pear and caramel scoop that was amazing. Ok, I did not really taste the caramel, but the pear taste was incredible: I bet they make their ice cream with real pears there.

pear and caramel gelato at Vivoli in Florence, Italy

This was the best gelato we had in Florence and I truly recommend Vivoli. Know that they have a location at Macy's in New York. We went there, but I admit that it did not look that appealing and we did not see any tempting flavors. I guess I will stick with Grom...

Vivoli

Via Dell'Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Florence, Italy

http://www.vivoli.it

The last gelateria I would mention is Carabé that I found surfing on the internet (it was recommended by Condé Nast Traveller).

Carabé in Florence, Italy

There, Jodi ordered two scoops: coconut and chocolate.

coconut and chocolate gelato at Carabé in Florence, Italy

Although not as creamy as Vivoli, I thought it was pretty good.

On my side, I ordered the pear gelato:

pear gelato at Carabé in Florence, Italy

I liked it, but, again, Vivoli was better.

Carabé

Via Ricasoli, 60, Florence, Italy

http://www.gelatocarabe.com

So, do not miss out on gelato in Florence and if you can, go to Vivoli: it is definitely worth it!

Enjoy (I did)!

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My trip to Europe:Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy

After few days in Florence, it was time to go back home. Florence is such a beautiful city, that even people who don't like art would appreciate it.

Florence, Italy

So for our last dinner, we went to Trattoria Sostanza that was, after Trattoria Mario, our second experience with a restaurant that serves food on communal table. We heard about this restaurant after doing some research on the good places to eat in Florence. One of the recommended dishes was the buttered chicken. I was for sure going to try it!

Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

For dinner, they have two sittings: 7:30pm and 9pm. We decided to go to the earlier one and showed up 10 minutes before, just in case they opened the door in advance to hungry customers. As we arrived, there was already a small group of people waiting. 

dining room at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

7:30pm, they opened their doors. We did not have a reservation and I was scared they would not have any availability. But, luckily, after just a couple if minutes, they brought us to a table where there was seated an American Family, as well as a Belgian couple. 

7:50pm: all tables are taken (they sit approximately 35 guests).

dining room at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

Few minutes after, they brought us some bread; no bread basket: they simply put it in front of you with their bare hands, making the family next to us talk...

bread at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

As the menu was in Italian and Jodi and I do not speak the language, I asked for an English version: they did not have any, forcing them to describe dishes to tourists. But hey, this is part of the experience!

menu at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

To start, I decided to try one of their Italian beers.

beer at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

And we ordered some delicious salami:

salami at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

For her entree, Jodi ordered the tortellini al burro or tortellini with butter:

tortellini al burro at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

It was very good, the amount of butter not being stranger to that. But for sure, these pasta seemed store bought. 

On my side, I got the buttered chicken:

buttered chicken at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

I admit that, when I ordered it, I was a bit anxious, because everybody was ordering either the chicken or the bistecca a la Fiorentina that is simply a grilled T-bone steak you can find all over the city. I did not try it, preferring to try more traditional dishes. 

When the buttered chicken arrived, it was still sizzling, a delightful smell of butter emanating from the very hot skillet. I did not try the chicken first, but rather dipped a piece of bread in the sauce that was simply butter; and I mean a lot if butter. This was divine. Of course, I could not not notice the envious looks from my neighbors. The American family ordered the chicken too, for three people and it came in a larger skillet, but they served the chicken in dishes, so they had much less butter than me, hence more envious looks on their part...

buttered chicken at Trattoria Sostanza, communal dining in Florence, Italy

The piece of bread dipped in the butter was delicious, but when I tried the chicken, I was in heaven: it was so good! Perfectly cooked, it was moist and I noticed a nice slight salty taste on the surface of the breast that was breaded with eggs, flour, salt and pepper. They probably sear it for several minutes before cooking it in the oven. 

This is a fantastic dish, a bit pricey (18 euros) as there was no side, but so delicious that I would definitely reorder it, even if it is a heart attack on a plate. 

I still had some room for dessert. We decided to go for their signature dessert: 

It was made of very small strawberries (first time I saw them), meringue, chocolate and whipped cream. It was very good: not too sweet, not too heavy (although Jodi would say that my conception of heavy might be different from anybody else...). At 10 euros, this dessert was also pricey. 

I really liked my meal at Sostanza and would definitely go back to try some other specialties, although I found the prices to be on the high side. The communal table is also a fun social experience that clearly depends on who you are sitting with. But anyway, you do not have to talk to people and can just enjoy the meal. And I enjoyed, I did!

Trattoria Sostanza

Via del Porcellana

25/R, 50123 Florence, Italy

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My trip to Europe: Osteria Santo Spirito in Florence, Italy

For our last day in Florence, we decided to walk around the city and check the Piazzale Michelangelo where one can admire the panorama of Florence, as well as a second replica of The David. 

I admit that I was disappointed in a way, as I was expecting a square with a park and the statue in the middle, and not a parking lot and small shops for tourists...

It was a nice walk though and from there, we went back to Piazza Di Santo Spirito where we dined the second day in Florence. Our restaurant of choice was Osteria Santo Spirito that Jodi's friend, Missy, recommended.

It was a nice place, with a neighborhood feel, and the service was very good.

Right after we sat, they brought us some bread and tapenade.

The bread being unsalted, it was perfect with the tapenade.

Then, we went for a tomato and mozzarella salad.

The mozzarella di buffala was deliciously soft; I am not sure if they make it there or buy it at the store. Anyway, as you can see on the photo, the plates used to serve the food were a bit...used, similar to Grandma's kitchen!

We then ordered the Polpete Al Sugo or meatballs with tomato sauce.

The tomato sauce was cooked with onions and carrots, probably for few hours.

But the star of the dish were the meatballs: they were succulent, moist and tasty. This is definitely a dish I recommend.

We also tried the Minestra di Farro or spelt bean soup:

I ordered the small size and did not expect to get a large bowl.

It was also very good and very comforting. I also recommend that dish that I finished without any problem.

When we finished, they brought us some cherries.

We definitely had a wonderful meal at Osteria Santo Spirito, a place that I definitely recommend.

Osteria Santo Spirito
Piazza Santo Spirito, 19 r, Florence, Italy
http://www.osteriasantospirito.it

Enjoy (I did)!

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My trip to Europe: Caffè Scudieri in Florence, Italy

After our dinner at Trattoria ZàZà, we decided to stop at Caffè Scudieri, to check their pastries. It is a big place with a large terrace and plenty of pastries to try.

We chose to sit inside instead of at the terrace.

We decided to order couple of pastries, as well as a tea for Jodi

And a macchiato for me.

It was good, but not as good as the one at Caffè Gilli that was tastier.

Then, the pastries came, and I was ready...

We decided to order:

A chocolate eclair:

A baba:

And a cannoli:

The eclair and baba were delicious and fresh, but the cannoli was not good: as it was not filled to order, the shell was soggy. The ricotta filling however was good, but not as good as the one at Caffè Gilli.

It was nice anyway, but I definitely prefer Caffè Gilli over Caffè Scudieri.

Caffè Scudieri

Piazza di San Giovanni, 19, 50129 Florence, Italy

Enjoy (I did)!

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My trip to Europe: Trattoria ZàZà in Florence, Italy

We decided to go back to the Piazza del Mercato Centrale after our meal at Trattoria Mario, as we saw that there were plenty of restaurants, thinking that they probably source their ingredients from there. At that time, the market was closing down and the market crowd was gone, replaced by tourists looking for some amazing food.

We looked around and noticed a very crowded place called Trattoria ZàZà. That place, opened in 1977 by Stefano Bondi, is huge. They sat us in a small, quiet area, away from the noise.

We were ready for a feast and were not disappointed. Problem was: what do we order? The menu had so many mouth watering dishes that we were not sure...

So we started with the San Lorenzo "Tagliere", a plate of prosciutto, salami, stracchino (so good and creamy) and pecorino cheese, olives. This was a big plate for sure, but so good, especially the cheese.

We also tried a sampler of three traditional soups:

It was composed of:

• Ribolita (top left): a vegetable and bread soup.
• Pappa al pomodoro (bottom left): tomato, basil, leeks and bread soup.
• Bean soup with barley.

This was delicious and I am glad that they offered a sampler. My favorite was definitely the bean soup that we found in other restaurants, cooked in different ways.

Then, Jodi got the Insalata Campagnola, a salad made with pecorino cheese, prosciutto and pears:

On my side, I ordered the linguine alle Vongole, desperate to find one that topped the grainy one from Borgo Antico.

It was just ok, not having enough white wine sauce. At least, the clams were well cleaned.

We did not have dessert as we had other plans and, anyway, needed a little walk after that feast...I certainly recommend Trattoria ZàZà for a good dinner. Their bistecca alla fiorentina looked fantastic and I would have gone back, I would have probably tried it!

Enjoy (I did)!

Trattoria ZàZà
Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26, 50123 Florence, Italy
http://www.trattoriazaza.it

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My trip to Europe: Il Salimbecco in Florence, Italy

As Pisa is close to Florence (approx. 1h20 minute bus drive), we decided to book a tour and go there an afternoon. For sure, we could not miss seeing the leaning tower.

This construction that was built over 199 years starting in 1173 is impressive with its tilt that makes you wonder how in the world it is still standing.

So, before the tour that left at 1:30pm, we had to find a restaurant. We ended up at Il Salimbecco, located across the Capelle Medicee.

We sat outside, at the terrace, as the weather was pretty nice.

We started off our lunch with bruschetta e fettunta con extra vergine Toscano or bruschetta with tomato, garlic and olive oil:

This is a very simple dish that was refreshing.

Then, Jodi got the pizza Tartufata that is with mozzarella, truffle, porcini mushrooms and fresh tomatoes:

This was a disappointing pizza, being very soggy and the mushrooms having a weird texture.

On my side, I had fettucine Alfredo that I only saw in this restaurant while in Florence.

This dish was just ok, the sauce being a bit grainy.

So, you can guess that we were not that thrilled about that lunch. I would definitely pass the next time...

Il Salimbecco

Via del Canto de'Nelli 38/r

Florence, Italy

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My trip to Europe: Mamma Gina in Florence, Italy

Finding a restaurant in Florence is not a problem. The question is where to find a good one. There are of course guide books or sites like Trip Advisor, but the best is to get it either from locals, or from people who lived there. That is what happened with Mamma Gina: it was recommended by Jodi's friend Sabrina, who used to live there. 

Mamma Gina is located few steps from the Ponto Vecchio, the famous arch bridge re-built in 1345 across the Arno river, that was in fact the only bridge not destroyed in WWII.

It has interesting architecture, with its shops built along the arch; shops that use to be occupied by butchers, and now by expensive jewelers.

So, here we are at Mamma Gina. I originally thought that this place was small, but it is fairly big. I counted three different rooms: a small one at the entrance.

One in the back 

That has a view of the kitchen. 

And one on the side where we dined. 

We decided to start with the Parmesan salad (nice amount of Parmesan on it):

As well as the chicken liver crostini. 

Ok, I admit that the brown color of the chicken liver pâté was not very appetizing, but it was a good dish, different in texture from the chicken liver pâté you would find in France or the chicken liver in the US. 

Then, Jodi got the eggplant Parmesan:

It was a good portion and did not need any pasta as a side with it. I am not sure how they prepared it, but it surely let the eggplant be the star of the dish. 

On my side, I ordered the tagliatelle al ragù. 

The pasta were freshly made there and perfectly cooked. I truly appreciated the generous portion of this delicious ragù that was very comforting. 

We finished off with the panna cotta that was succulent.

The service there was good, that was, from what we experienced so far, surprising...Anyway, Mamma Gina was definitely a good recommendation and I am glad we had the opportunity to try it. 

Enjoy (I did)!

Mamma Gina
Borgo San Iacopo
37 r, 50125 Florence, Italy
www.mammagina.it

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My trip to Europe: Trattoria Mario, communal dining in Florence, Italy

We went to trattoria Mario thanks to a recommendation from Jodi's friend, Missy. This place, that is only open for lunch and does not take any reservations, is located near the Mercato Centrale or Central Market, where one can either buy food (inside) or bags and souvenirs, outside. 

We arrived twenty minutes before and there were already people waiting outside.

Few minutes later, they opened the door and told us to get seated at specific spots, mentioning that the kitchen would only open at 12pm.

At 12:05pm, the place was full and we heard them telling people that the wait would be thirty minutes.

One particularity of this place is that it is communal seating: that was our first experience in this type of setup and we ended up eating with two regulars who knew the staff so well that one of them helped himself by grabbing some bread next to the small kitchen. They told us that they come on a quasi daily basis, because the food is as good as the one cooked by Grandma.

But let me restate how communal it is: imagine a table of two we are used to and put four people on it.

We looked at the menu that was fortunately translated in English and had to make our choice quickly. Jodi ordered the ravioli verdi alle zuccine or ravioli with zucchini. 

This was a very nice dish, sort of peasant food. The ravioli by themselves were not that great, because the filling made with ricotta was a bit dry, but with the vegetables, it was succulent. 

On my side, I ordered the manicotti al ragù. 

It was good and hearty, but I would have liked more ragù. Portion wise, it was small and I guess it was on purpose do people would order an appetizer. Concerning the pasta, I am not sure they were freshly made and tend to think they were store bought. 

With my meal, I got a carafe of Chianti. 

Eating at Trattoria Mario was a very nice experience. The food was delicious and came very quickly to our table and we enjoyed talking to the people sitting with us, although the table was a little small for four people. I definitely recommend this place, but know that, if you go, they only accept cash. 

Enjoy (I did)!

Trattoria Mario

Via Rosina, 2
50123 Florence, Italy

trattoria-mario.com

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My trip to Europe: Italian desserts at Caffè Gilli in Florence, Italy

After our average dinner at Borgo Antico, we decided to treat ourselves for some good Italian pastries and tried Caffè Gilli, a cafe opened in 1733 by the Gilli family, that moved since then in different part of the city.

Caffè Gilli is a beautiful place that combines a patisserie and a tea room that had a very elegant decor.

Jodi decided to order a tea

While on my side I ordered a latte macchiato

For pastries, we went for:

the tiramisu (of course, we could not not have it Italy):

It was delicious, very creamy with a nice amount of coffee.

The baba:

Very good, the cake was perfect and there was a nice amount of rum in it.

The cannoli:

Although I liked the ricotta filling, it was a miss, the shell being soggy.

This was a good way to end the evening. If I were to go back to Florence, I would definitely go back Caffè Gilli and definitely recommend the latte macchiato that was divine, as well as the tiramisu or baba (anyway, they have plenty more pastries to try!).

Caffé Gilli

Via Roma 1r, 

Florence, Italy

http://www.gilli.it

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My trip to Europe: Borgo Antico in Florence, Italy

For our second night in Florence, we had a walking tour that led us in front of the Santo Spirito Basilica, an area full of restaurants around a small park.

We decided to go to Borgo Antico, located in Piazza di Santo Spirito.

I did not see the interior of the restaurant as we decided to stay outside, the weather being perfect. I decided to order a glass of Spritz, a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy.

I enjoyed it with some black olives and bread.

We decided to just order an entree as we had other plans for dessert...Jodi ordered the pizza bianca con funghi misti e olio tartufato that is the white pizza with mozzarella, mushrooms and truffle oil.

It was a fairly good pizza with a wonderful truffle scent, but I would have preferred real truffle like other joint proposed.

On my side, I decided to order the linguine alle vongole or linguine with fresh clams, one of my favorite dishes.

The linguine were perfectly cooked and the sauce was fantastic. However, the clams were full of sand, so very grainy. Too bad.

This was just ok; I think we had much better meals in Florence, one of them in the same area, so next time, I will pass...

Borgo Antico

Piazza di Santo Spirito

6-r, 50125 Florence, Italy

www.borgoanticofirenze.com

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My trip to Europe: Il Caminetto in Florence, Italy

For our first dinner in Florence, we did not have any plan and decided to look for a restaurant near the Piazza Del Duomo, where the impressive cathedral, built in 1296 through 1436 was standing. 

We passed by Il Caminetto and noted the address as the restaurant was not yet open and we wanted to see what options were available.

But I was already sure we would dine there because of few dishes I saw and the fact that they make their own pasta, not that it is uncommon in Florence. 

It is not a big place and it filled up fairly quickly with tourists. I was hoping at that point that this was not one of those tourist traps...And it was not. 

To start of, I ordered a Zuppeta cozze e Vongole, that is mussels and clams. 

It was very good, the sauce being extremely tasty. In the bottom of the plate, submerged by the sauce was a piece of bread that I could not ignore. It started well!

For the main dish, Jodi ordered a seared tuna, a dish called Tonno agli aroma mediterranei. 

Quite good, I was surprised to see that it did not come with any side. 

On my side, I ordered the tagliatelle al ragù, the first of the series during my trip... This was delicious, the ragù being very flavorful and comforting. I definitely recommend it!

To go with my pasta, I ordered a glass of chianti "Poggio al ripe" Tenuta S. Martino 2008:

It was a good start for our vacation in Florence: the food was good as well as the service. Although mainly frequented by tourists, this is a nice and fairly priced place. 

Il Caminetto Ristorante

via dello Studio 34r

50100 Florence, Italy

Enjoy (I did)!

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My trip to Europe: L'Eden in Coublevie, France

Few years ago, we discovered L'Eden, a seafood restaurant located in Coublevie, Isère (check out my previous post). This is a spot that my family knows well, so we decided to go there to celebrate Mother's Day. Know that Mother's Day in France is always the last week end of May. 

The place was packed with families when we arrived, but we were the last to leave, after a three hour lunch...

The service was a bit challenging because the restaurant was clearly understaffed on a pretty demanding day. 

While making up our mind with the menu, we ordered the house cocktail that was made with champagne and curaçao, the latter giving a nice light blue color. Floating in the glass was a raspberry that went up and down as time went. 

We also ordered a bottle of wine, a Rasteau from 2010:

The brand is ORTAS that is an anagram for Rasteau.

Few moments after the brought the drink, they gave us a delicious velouté de champignons (cream of mushroom):

They had a set menu for the event, although they agreed to allow Jodi to order a vegetarian dish, as she did not like what they were proposing. Similar to last time, we ordered a Saint-Marcellin cheese salad. 

Nice looking, they put quit a lot of cheese, slightly toasted, on top of mesclun salad. 

On my side, I started with a wild salmon carpaccio with lime, apple, berries and olive oil. 

The carpaccio looked beautiful, made with slices of salmon a bit thicker than usual. The fish was sublime: fresh and delightfully fatty. Unfortunately, it was missing some acidity and the dish was overpowered by the olive oil. 

Next was the magret de canard with a morel sauce: 

Magret is duck breast that is typically thinly sliced with a bit of fat in the outside, usually cooked pink in the center. 

This was served with an écrasé de pomme de terre (crushed potatoes) that was deliciously creamy and some mushrooms. I really liked that dish: the magret was perfectly cooked and had a perfect amount of fat that had this wonderful grilled taste. And that morel sauce...so good! 

They also propose some cheeses like the fromage Blanc below, but I admit that after the feast I had that week end, I skipped it. 

For dessert, I chose the mango soup with a lemon sherbet and fresh mint. 

It was just ok for me, missing some mint and the mango not being that tasty. However, Jodi ordered the moelleux au chocolat, a delicious cake with a melted center. 

We finished our meal with an espresso. 

It was a nice Mother's Day celebration, Bonne fête Maman!

I am sure you wonder if I would recommend this place. I think it is always difficult to judge a restaurant as events like this one are always challenging. Think about it: for valentine's day or New Year's Eve, lots of restaurants are proposing overpriced prix-fixe that are not of the best quality. That does not make them bad. The same applies to L'Eden. 

L'Eden

395 Chemin des Voûtes 

38500 Coublevie, France

www.restaurant-poisson-grenoble.com

Enjoy (I did)!

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