Cheap Eat: Banh Mi Saigon Bakery in New York, NY

I discovered the banh mi at Spice Market, the trendy restaurant of Jean-Georges Vongerichten located in the Meatpacking district. They had the great idea to include this fantastic sandwich in their restaurant week menu and their version was spectacular. But how did it compare to an authentic, cheap one? That is what I would discover at Banh Mi Saigon Bakery, a small place located in Little Italy.

The place is small with a long shape; on the left of the entrance is a counter where they sell jewels, and in the back is the counter, overlooking the busy kitchen. 

So, what is banh mi? it is a Vietnamese sandwich, banh meaning bread and mi, wheat. This tasteful sandwich reflects the French influence during the colonial period, during which the baguette was introduced. 

At Banh Mi Saigon, you have close to ten different choices of banh mi, enough to satisfy the carnivore or the vegetarian. On my side, I decided to go for the Banh Mi Nem Nuong, or BBQ pork sandwich ($4.50).

Jodi got the Banh Mi Do Chay, a mixed vegetables sandwich ($3.50).

Imagine that for the prices I mentioned above, we got each a foot long sandwich that was tastier than some of the chains out there. My favorite was definitely the one I ordered with BBQ pork as it had this divine crunchiness and sweetness. Both tasted fresh (they had corrupts, cabbage...) and I truly appreciated that they put lots of fresh cilantro in the sandwiches. The bread was soft and, trust me, one sandwich was enough.

Would I go back to Banh Mi Saigon Bakery? Definitely! I certainly recommend it, whether you are on a budget or not. Next time, I will try their pork buns: I bet they are delicious.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share or post a comment. Merci!

Celebrating Halloween at The French Cheese Board

As all kids were trick or treating for candy, I was at The French Cheese Board to trick or treat for...cheese. Mimolette to be precise, the bright orange hue color of that quite unknown cheese being similar to a pumpkin and therefore perfect for some carving. 

Mimolette was created at the demand of Louis XIV, in the 17th century: he wanted to have a French product that could compete with the then popular Dutch edam and had it colored orange, using a natural colorant called anatto. On the outside, the cheese looks like a cantaloupe, result of the work from cheese mites. Imagine that the cheese makers use 11 gallons of milk to make a ball of mimolette! The cheese is cave-aged and it was interesting to taste the mimolette at the different stages of the aging process.

First was the 3 month old mimolette:

At that stage, it is a soft cheese (the name comes from molle that means soft in French), with a subtle fruity aroma and a mellow nutty taste.

Then, the 12 months (vieille "old" mimolette):

As it ages, it becomes firmer, with a sharper taste, similar to a cheddar, that has a more intense fruity and nutty taste, with notes of caramel.

Then was the Extra Vieille "Extra Old" mimolette that is aged 18 months:

At that point, the cheese is hard and crumbly with unique flavor of caramel and a strong aroma of citrus and a roasted nutty taste.

What was interesting is to see how the cheese shrinks as it ages, between the 12 months (right) and the 18 months (left):

Back to Halloween, I got the chance to meet with Krai, the world’s only cheese sculptor, who carved mimoletes like pumpkins for the occasion: it was beautiful!

I thank The French Cheese Board, The Cheeses of Europe and Président cheeses for this wonderful event. By replacing pumpkin with mimolette, they may have re-defined the way Halloween should be celebrated in France, or at least the French way!

French Cheese Board

26 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018

From and about The French Cheese Board:

The French Cheese Board is a studio devoted to all things French Cheese. Conceived as an idea lab, it is a space for consumers & trade members to discover the diversity & richness that France has to offer through a series of interactive showings and events.
 
The new home of French Cheese in New York, we blend the culinary arts with contemporary art installations, meshing lifestyle, art, cheese & more. We put art & design at the forefront of modernity, development & innovation. We invite artists, designers, chefs & researchers to work together on projects related to French cheese & the nutrition of today & tomorrow.  The French Cheese Board provides a platform for the exchanging of ideas – for education & for the Celebration of French Cheese.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Trattoria Dell'Arte in New York, NY

Located across the street from the Carnegie Hall is Trattoria Dell'Arte, an Italian restaurant that claims to have the largest antipasto bar in the city. 

The decor is all about art, hence the words Dell'Arte in the name, from the sculptures of body parts to the paintings. After all, Italy is know for its art and the restaurant gives a nice homage to it.

I went there for lunch and ordered their luncheon menu that offers an appetizer and an entrée for just $27.50. It started of course with the homemade focaccia bread, made with peppers and olives: simply delicious.

A little after, they distributed a prosciutto muffin that was a pretty interesting creation.

With my meal, I went for a not so Italian drink: a coke...I mention it because they serve it right away with a refill, that is a nice attention.

For the appetizer, I ordered the sautéed shrimp and scallop.

The menu was mentioning scallops, in plural, but there was only one, that was well cooked. It was a refreshing dish, although I would have liked more flavor to it.

The entrée I picked was the Italian crab cake with pappardelle pasta.

It was a delicious dish: the homemade pasta was amazing and the crab cake perfectly done, really tasting of crab, with a big lump of it. I liked the fact that there was a sauce for the crab cake (made with pepper) and one for the pasta, more on the lighter side and complemented with tiny asparagus.

I really enjoyed my meal at Trattoria Dell'Arte: not only delicious, but also elegant. It is a bit pricey though considering that it did not include the drinks or the desserts. Would I go back? Definitely, to try this time the eggplant parmesan or the calf liver.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

New Opening: Lo Fatt Chow, Healthy Chinese Cuisine, in Hoboken, NJ

Like a lot of people, I do not associate healthy cuisine with Chinese food. When I want to eat Chinese, I immediately think about greasy and saucy dishes, at the exception maybe of dim sum. Well, I was wrong: there are ways to cook healthy Chinese food and Lo Fatt Chow (probably a take on low fat), a Chinese restaurant in the Monroe Center in Hoboken, is a good example. Freshly opened on October 16th, they cook their food a la minute (no frozen or pre-cooked dishes) without any MSG and do not use peanut oil.

It is small, with only two seats for dining in, catering more for delivery. We decided to try few dishes. First were the scallion pancakes:

It did not start well: I was so looking for some greasy and crispy pancakes. Well, they were none of it and seemed undercooked.

Then, we tried some fried veggie dumplings:

They were delicious: tasty, the dough was perfect, not too doughy and thick.

Then, was the egg drop soup:

It was a good soup, that came with my order of General Tso chicken:

Fairly classic, this was a well executed dish: the chicken was well cooked, crispy and deliciously sweet. For $5.75 with the soup, it was definitely a steal.

We had a good and tasty lunch at Lo Fatt Chow. I wish them well and am looking forward o go back to try they Peking duck wrap (I LOVE Peking duck)!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Maxwell's Tavern in Hoboken, NJ

If there is a place that is an institution in Hoboken, it is Maxwell's Tavern, located Uptown. The place opened in the late 70s and quickly became famous for being a music haven, where famed  bands and musicians performed, such as R.E.M, Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins or Joe Jackson. Bruce Springsteen also shot scenes of his clip from Glory Days there in 1985. But in June 2013, the club decided not to renew its lease and closed its doors on July 31st 2013, at the surprise of the public. It reopened later as a bar, after undergoing renovations.

I cannot tell you how Maxwell's was before, as I only went once, long time ago, trying to get a photo of my brunch for a photo contest. We did not come back as we never knew when they were opened for brunch...

We went twice since they reopened and they are definitely working on their menu. They make pizza that is an odd choice considering the multiple pizza places in the city, and their brunch menu is more a bar menu than a brunch menu, lacking the usual egg, pancake or French toast dishes. Of course, they have burgers, and we tried the classic American burger with (lots of) sautéed mushrooms:

And the black bean burger, with again, lots of sautéed mushrooms:

These were decent burgers, the beef patty being slightly overcooked for me. They were served with a choice of fries or homemade chips, the latter being delicious.

The second time we went, Jodi got their wedge salad, that had lots of cheese in it:

While I was having two starters. The first one being the crab cake sliders:

They were good, the crab cakes being made with the claw meat, giving a nice sweet ness to it. But the best was the sriracha mayo that was spicy, but addictive. I just wished the crab cakes were thicker, so it could stand up more with the bread and tomato.

I also tried the buffalo wings. They were honest when I ordered them, because they mentioned a special for the day: 50 cents a piece, giving a dozen or the price of 6.

They came pipping hot and I started to regret that I was wearing a white tshirt...

The delicious and slightly spicy sauce was dripping all over the chicken that was a bit overcooked. Overall a good dish though and my t-shirt remained immaculate!

We had decent meals at Maxwell's. Would I go back? Probably, as their pizza menu got me curious.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brunch at Estela in New York, NY

We decided to go for brunch at Estela, a restaurant located in Nolita that made it in the news recently, after President Obama and the First Lady ate there. Nothing unusual if it was not that the credit card of the President was declined. He explained later: "I guess I don't use it enough, so they [the bank] thought there was fraud was going on." Fortunately, Michelle Obama's card worked...

So, Estela is the result of the collaboration of Thomas Carter, who was beverage director at the award-winning Blue Hill at Stone Barns for six years, and Ignacio Mattos, an award wining Chef born in Uruguay. The menu is composed of American dishes with European influences, perfect for sharing. To go with our brunch, Jodi got some tea that she loved and, of course, on my side, I got some coffee, that I did not like...

Our first plate was the burrata with salsa verde and charred bread.

I love burrata, that sublime Italian cheese made with mozzarella and cream and was surely not disappointed: yes, it was creamy and had a wonderful freshness to it. Pairing it with the salsa verde that soaked the bread was a genius idea. I definitely recommend this dish.

The second dish was a take on a bacon and egg sandwich, the South American influence being the guacamole and the European one the danish pastry, that was like a chocolate croissant without the chocolate, but with poppy seeds.

This was a fantastic sandwich: the guacamole had a little kick; the egg was perfectly cooked, the yolk being runny; and the danish pastry was flakey and very buttery. I should not forget the smokiness of the bacon, that paired altogether made this a fantastic sandwich. Another recommendation.

The only disappointing dish was for me the lamb ribs prepared with charmoula and honey.

I was very excited to try that dish as I love lamb. My excitement did not fade when I saw that the meat was literally falling of the bone, but did fade when I choked on the amount of spices, especially the pepper. I had to rub it off the meat to be able to eat it. At that point, I regretted not ordering the fried arroz negro with squid...

It was a good brunch at Estrela: the dishes are original, although a bit pricey. Would I go back? Definitely: it made me want to try their dinner this time.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Maze by Gordon Ramsay at The London Hotel in New York, NY

It has been a while since we wanted to go back to Maze, one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, located in The London Hotel, Midtown. We wanted to go there for a simple reason: the beef Wellington that is one of the dishes cooked on the Chef's TV show Hell's Kitchen, a dish that triggers a lot of yelling from the Chef. 

When the entered the hotel, it was unclear where the restaurant was, no plaque visible and the place looked like an hotel bar at first. In fact I should have looked at the ceiling that represents a maze...

The menu that has some French influence was really mouth watering and I did not know what to order, between the caviar deviled eggs, the duck confit tater tots or the crab cakes. So we went for the scallops. Similar to the Wellington, the scallops are a recurring appetizer on the show that causes the Chef to yell at the contestants, especially when they end up being rubbery.

The scallops, nicely seared, were served with a delicious carrot and ginger purée (lots of ginger) and a bacon marmalade that added a wonderful smokiness to the dish. I definitely recommend this dish.

Then came our beef Wellington:

You order it for two people, with two sides of your choice, but it can probably be shared by three persons.

The meat was very good: tender, juicy and tasty, coated with a mushroom duxelle and foie gras. It was served with a Madeira wine sauce that was delicious and added some more decadence to the dish.

For our sides, we chose the sautéed wild mushrooms with truffle butter and the French fries with herbs and shaved parmesan.

The sides were a bit disappointing, especially the mushrooms. Don't get me wrong: they were good, but I did not taste at all the truffle butter. The fries were crispy, but having these big slices of parmesan was a bit odd as not heavenly distributed on the fries.

Then of course, we could not leave without trying their desserts. This choice was not driven by the show this time as they very rarely make desserts. The menu was apparently new, representing different seasons. We opted for the chocolate decadence, a dense and very chocolatey cake served with salted caramel and a milk sorbet.

I think the name of the dessert suits it: it was definitely decadent and you cannot stop eating! I loved the addition of the salted caramel that paired perfectly with the dark chocolate. This is definitely a dessert I recommend.

The second dessert we ordered was simply called Apple. It was apparently their take on a tarte tatin, the classic French dessert.

This dessert was composed of an apple bombe, apple compote and apple tatin ice cream, with a bit of caramel. Although very refreshing, I only liked the ice cream and the crumbles under. It missed a bit of the buttery taste that I was expecting. 

Then, we got a surprise: more desserts on the house. It followed my discussion at the end of the meal with our waiter, Vincent, who wondered if I was working in the restaurant industry, as I was not only taking pictures, but asking questions about the dish. I explained that I was a blogger. Asking then if we were celebrating something, I explained that, once a month, we celebrate the 8th as that is the day we got married.

The first dessert was a sort of hazelnut mousse that was superb, especially if, like me, you love hazelnut desserts. The second one was on the menu: the gingerbread.

The gingerbread dessert is a celebration to Autumn and a take on a cheese plate, the bread being of course the gingerbread itself and the cheese being replaced by the cheesecake. Added to that was a walnut ice cream as well as some red wine poached pear and pear pates de fruit. If was good, but I think that the chocolate decadence eclipsed all.

This was definitely a good dinner, very refined, the highs being definitely the beef Wellington and the chocolate decadence, that were a-maze-ing. Would I go back? Probably: there are so many other dishes I would like to try...

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share or post a comment. Merci!

New Opening: Dough in Chelsea, New York, NY

When I heard that Dough was opening an outpost near the Flatiron, I could not resist to go and try some of their original flavors. Yes, I tried Dough earlier this year, when one of my colleagues brought some donuts for breakfast (see my review of Dough here). This place opened last Friday, October 17th, and, with all the buzz they got, I was not surprised to see a line of excited foodies, waiting to get their sugary fix.

They have good donuts, handmade, but most importantly original. For instance, they have flavors like hibiscus, café au lait and Nutella, that I just tried!

I definitely could not resist, as I love Nutella. This donut was smaller than the others, and the cream, made with Nutella was in the center of it, like a little well of deliciousness.

We also ordered the toasted coconut as it is Jodi's favorite flavor, as well as the glazed donut.

The donuts at Dough are delicious: soft and airy, they are also big. I definitely understand the success they have, but have to admit that I love when the donut has cream in it, like The Doughnut Plant makes them. Imagine their café au lait with some thick cream inside: that would be even more sublime!

Would I go back? For sure, but if I have visitors, I would still recommend The Doughnut Plant first.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

O MAI in New York, NY

O Mai is a Vietnamese restaurant located in the trendy Chelsea. It is a decent size place with a warm decor and an interesting menu with unique dishes that can satisfy any palate. We went there on a Friday night and the place was packed. This is definitely the place to go if you like loud music, loud people and barely no light to see your food...Fortunately, the cuisine is worth it: delicious and packed in flavor. Each dish has a name in Vietnamese and there is always an hesitation to give the original name or the main ingredient; should I ask for Ca Bam or monkfish? Bo Luc Lac or beef sirloin? I tried the original names of the dishes, making sure I was pointing them on the menu so there would not be any misunderstanding, and I am glad to report that we got the dishes we wanted...thanks to my finger...

We started with the crispy vegetarian rolls (Cha Gio). Nothing extraordinary there, but still, good rolls, a bit hot as just made.

Then, I could not resist to try their grilled calamari, served with cucumber, tomato, mixed greens and fresh herbs.

I love calamari and was not disappointed at all: it was perfectly cooked, not rubbery and very refreshing with the salad.

Then, Jodi ordered a tilapia served with some vermicelli noodles.

The fish was deliciously spicy, flakey and moist.

On my side, I ordered the sugar cane shrimp:

It is as if the shrimp was put in a blender to create a thick paste that was then put around a sugar cane stick, before being grilled.

It was sitting on a sort of rice net and served with a rice crepe. The way I ate it was by putting some mint leaves, peanut sauce, peanuts, onions and of course shrimp on the rice crepe, and then roll it. It was delicious: I was expecting some sweetness from the sugar cane, but did not taste any. The roll was packed in flavor, the mint giving some freshness to the dish.

Last was dessert. We decided to order the warm banana bread with Tahitian vanilla ice cream.

It was just ok; the banana bread being a bit too dry, it would have been better served with a creme anglaise.

This was a nice dinner and the service was very good. I love the food at O Mai: packed in flavor that is original and surprising. Would I go back? Sure!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it or to write a comment! Merci!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Pierre Loti Wine Bar in New York, NY

Pierre Loti is a wine bar with multiple locations across New York. In fact, I discovered that fact the hard way... We were supposed to meet for dinner in Chelsea where we had our reservation. I admit that I completely forgot it was in Chelsea and, before leaving work, simply entered the name of the restaurant in Google Map to get the directions. I ended up Irving Place, ten minutes earlier.

So I texted Jodi to let her know I was there and proceeded to take photos of the exterior of the restaurant. Soon after, I received a text from Jodi telling me that she would soon arrive, as she and our friends were across the street. I could not see them...Weird...I kept looking around wondering where they were, and, on her side, she went inside the restaurant to find me as I told her I already arrived and she could not see me outside. That is when we realized we were not at the same place! She was in the correct one, in Chelsea! It took me approximately 15 minutes to go there, promising that next time, I'll take the time to check the address.

The name of the restaurant is a tribute to the French novelist and naval officer (1850-1923), who published many novels throughout his travels around the world. 

It is a wine bar, so it is not surprising that they have an impressive wine list made of bottles not only from France, but also from Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Italy and Spain. They also propose some American wines from California, if you prefer drinking local...

The menu is mediterranean inspired, with a bunch of small plates to share, cold or hot, making it a perfect place to dine with friends or for a quick bite and a glass of wine. That is where we met with our friends Livia & Georges and Letizia & Scott for dinner.  

We first ordered bottle of Bordeaux - Chateau Les Rambauds 2009:

As we were waiting for our appetizers, they served us some olives and pita, that are, I guess, a reference to Greece.

Then, we got our appetizers. The first one was the phyllo cheese rolls:

As we were six people, we ordered two. They were filled with feta and blue cheese. Although I barely tasted the blue cheese (probably because its taste was neutralized by the feta), I really liked it, the shell being crispy and the filling, a bit hot, being delicious.

The second appetizer was zucchini pancakes:

Served with a thick Turkish yogurt, it was delightfully greasy, a bit crispy and comforting. 

The last appetizer was the grilled octopus that was sautéed with baby potatoes and carrots in olive oil.

I did not like it at all: it was mushy and tasteless. So sad, I love octopus and was so happy to find people willing to share that dish with me!

Then, we all got our entrees:

Jodi went for the pan seared salmon. It was crusted with shredded wheat and served with sautéed vegetables (in that case, beets and carrots).

That was delicious, the crust adding some texture to a perfectly cooked salmon.

On my side, I got the grilled quail with mushroom risotto:

Cooking a quail is tough because it is so small that it is easy to overcook it and it will be awfully dry. At Pierre Loti, they succeeded in cooking it properly, the little bird being moist and succulent. However, I did not like the risotto. It was as if it was made with beer...weird!

Last, we decided to share some desserts. The first one was a chocolate cake that I recommend if you love chocolate.

The second one was a berry tart that was very refreshing:

We had a good time at Pierre Loti: the food and wine were good, and the service welcoming. We stayed there a while, chatting, and they did not even make us feel we had to leave. For all these reasons, I recommend this place.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it or to write a comment! Merci!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Brunch at Thalia in New York, NY

I passed so many times in front of Thalia, in the Theater District, not really enticed to try it. I should have looked at their brunch menu before. It has your traditional dishes, but some of them with a twist, like the Crème brûlée French toast that was amazing: the bread was perfectly soaked, the top was crunchy and deliciously sweet.

After adding some butter and maple syrup, I was in heaven. Needless to say that I did not care at all about the bacon. 

Jodi went more traditional with an omelet stuffed with ham, cheddar and caramelized onions, served with house potatoes.

A decent omelet, big for sure. 
I should mention that entrées are coming with a choice of drink; I opted for the apple juice. 

As well as the bread basket that contained blueberry muffins and a biscuit.

After trying the brunch at Thalia, I am now looking forward to go back for dinner in this trendy place. So, no need to ask if I would go back...

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci! 

Tarallucci e Vino Events - New York, NY

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

This week, I was invited by Tarallucci e Vino, an Italian restaurant located few steps from Union Square, for a party to promote their events. I admit that I thought it would take place at the restaurant itself, but it was not the case: it was located in one of the four large lofts on top of the restaurant. There, Chef Andrew Welch, formerly of Essex House & Esca, crafted a menu made of seasonal dishes, composed with ingredients from the Union Square Green Market as well as his uncle's farm in New Jersey. 

Here are some of the dishes I sampled:

My favorite was the squid ink pasta and I was scared that my white shirt would like it too. But one of the favorites of the night was definitely the cheese as the photo below shows...

So, if you are planning an event, Tarallucci e Vino might be a good option.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brunch at The Brass Rail in Hoboken, NJ

The Brass Rail is a popular restaurant located downtown Hoboken, in the historic part of the city. This place, built in the turn of the twentieth century is not only known for its New American cuisine, but also for its paranormal activity. It is said that the staff witnessed the apparition of a bride and groom who passed away there. In 1904, on her wedding day, the bride tripped on top of the spiral staircase, fell and broke her neck. The groom, heartbroken, drunk and, devastated by the loss of his new wife, hung himself in a room adjacent to the staircase, leaving a note saying:
"Now that my wife has been taken from me, there is no reason for me to live".

Other paranormal activity includes trays falling on the floor, an activity that only occurs late at night.

I like the place: the decor is fantastic, with its etched glass doors, red velvet banquettes and 1900s drawings.

Menu wise, as I mentioned before, they serve New American cuisine and their brunch, that we tried, offers a good deal: for $19 you get an appetizer (not just a salad as you will see) and an entrée. For $11 more, you get an alcoholic beverage, unlimited, such as a beer or a mimosa. As my drink of choice for brunch is either coffee or fresh squeezed juice, I went for the first option, similar to Jodi.

Unfortunately, they did not have any fresh squeezed orange juice, so I went for a double espresso that was a bit bitter.

They then brought us some chocolate chip muffins:

For appetizer, Jodi ordered the gazpacho:

It was made with tomatoes and cucumber. It was very refreshing and you could definitely taste the cucumber that gave an added cooling effect.

On my side, I ordered the falafel bites:

There were three regular size falafel (when I read bites, I thought it would be small), that have been cooked in the oven, rather than fried. Because of the cooking process, they were not as crispy as I am used too, but in fact they were very good: soft and not dry inside.

Then, Jodi got a goat cheese omelet.

The omelet was good, well cooked as the eggs were not dry, but I would have liked more cheese as it was mainly on one side.

I ordered the chicken and waffles.

I admit that when it came, I did not find the dish appetizing as the chicken had this grayish color. I also noticed that I got three quarters of the waffle and was wondering where the fourth one went. Anyway, the waffle was not good at all: dense, dry with an off taste. I mentioned it to the manager who saw that I barely touched it and she apologized and offered the cost of the double espresso as a compensation as I did not want a replacement. As for the chicken, it was ok, the crust being overcooked, but the chicken being moist inside.

Although I did not like the waffle, I enjoyed the brunch at The Brass Rail. Would I go back? Probably, but I'll pass on the chicken and waffles!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share or to write a comment! Merci!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Shop in New York, NY

We were looking for a nice homemade ice cream shop and ended up at Van Leeuwen in the East Village. This ice cream parlor started its adventure selling ice cream in yellow postal trucks, before expanding and opening a brick and mortar location, as well as...an Indonesian restaurant. Don't ask me how the two relate and let say that the common link is entrepreneurship. 

All the ice cream served at Van Leeuwen are made in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with organic ingredients for the most part purchased at small producers. For instance, the milk is hormone and antibiotic free. They say that they use "ingredients celebrated by nature, not science", that is a welcome statement in a world smothered with processed food. 

The place in the East Village is big and has an antique feel, probably thanks to the wooden floor, tables & chairs and counter, as well as the filament apparent bulbs. 

We were not sure what to get as there were many yummy flavors proposed. They have of course the classic: vanilla, chocolate or hazelnut, but also some strange ones: ginger, currants and cream, Ceylon cinnamon or earl grey tea. They also have a bunch of vegan choices made with coconut or cashew milk.

Jodi decided to order two scoops: coconut and salted caramel. 

Although I liked the coconut (Jodi who is the coconut pro did not like it), I thought that the caramel was a bit too salty, the saltiness becoming a problem after few bites. 

On my side, I ordered the classic Sundae. 

It was made of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, salted caramel and walnuts. 

That was big and pretty decadent, full of flavors considering the multiple ingredients they use. The ice cream was fantastic: creamy and tasty, with the strawberry one having this fresh fruit taste that definitely sets it apart. 

Although I did not like everything at Van Leeuwen, I would definitely go back to try some other flavors or maybe their banana split that seems to be fantastic. 

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it  or to write a comment! Merci!

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Dim Sum at Oriental Garden in Chinatown - New York, NY

As we were craving dim sum, we went on the internet to find a place in Chinatown: that is how we ended up at Oriental Garden, on Elizabeth street. I admit that the entrance, with the trash in the front, was not that appealing, but you know, this is part of the charm of Chinatown.

Decor wise, it had nothing special, besides the big dragons in the back, as well as the fish tanks at the entrance, where live animals guarantee the freshness of the ingredients. 

After sipping some tea, we ordered a selection of dim sum. Jodi was more inclined to order vegetarian ones, so we got:

Fried Vegetarian rolls:

And crispy tofu:

These two dishes were disappointing: first, the vegetarian rolls had meat in it, I guess pork and it was quite greasy. Then, the tofu had something in it that might have been shrimp. I know: it is scary to think that there was something not easy to identify in it...

On my side, I was glad that I ordered the shrimp dumplings, an all time favorite.

It was a good dish, although the dumpling was stuck to the paper and broke...

I also got the fried crab claw that was decent, the crab taste being a bit hidden by some fillers.

Last, we shared steamed pork dumplings that were quite good:

This was an ok dinner for me and a very disappointing one for Jodi who really wanted some vegetarian dishes. Would I go back? No, I definitely prefer The Golden Unicorn over Oriental Garden.

Enjoy (...)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

En Japanese Brasserie in New York, NY

What you are going to read below cannot express enough how sensational our dinner at EN Brasserie was. We passed so many times in front of that restaurant, located in Hudson street, in an area not that ideal for restaurants, if not maybe the lack of competition. Going there was like setting foot in Japan and we tasted some phenomenal dishes that convinced me more that there is not just sushi and sashimi in Japanese cuisine. At EN Japanese Brasserie, Chef Abe Hiroki crafted a seasonal menu with very original dishes that can be either ordered from the menu or discovered kaseiki, a traditional multi-course dinner that we would simply call...a tasting menu. What is great there is that they propose a vegan one, called Nohara, that would not make any vegan or vegetarian feel uncomfortable to order. To the contrary, the carnivore that I am, often eyed at the dishes served to Jodi. 

Before I describe the dishes, let me tell you about the place itself. It is a large place, with huge ceilings and a zen decor. On the right of the entrance is the bar. An important part of the place as EN Japanese Brasserie is a sake and shoshu bar. I am familiar with sake, but had very few shoshu before (soju from Korea, yes, but not Shoshu). Shoshu is a distilled beverage that looks like clear sake or again, soju. I appreciated the fact that they propose samplers of both drinks and decided to try the shoshu one. 

It was composed of:

Barley

Sesame

Rice

My favorite one was the sesame that had a slight nutty flavor. My least favorite was the one made with rice: too strong. 

Besides the bar is, of course, the dining room. There are two: one on the left of the entrance, and then the larger one with its incredible tree in the center and, for the curious, the open kitchen where you can watch the team make their magic while dining. 

Below is what the Nohara dinner (vegan) had:

The first dish (Zensai) was composed of:

Fresh tofu (they make it on premises):

Forget the tofu you have in your average Chinese or Japanese restaurant, or the kind you can buy at the supermarket: fresh tofu is so silky, I love it!

Mozuku seaweed:

HijiKi (hijiki seaweed, snow peas, green beans, shirataki, and soy beans simmered in shoyu):

Konnyaku, that I believe is a plant (they made a gel with it):

The next dish was spectacular: smoked yuba tofu salad:

This was a fantastic presentation and you could definitely smell and taste the smokiness of the dish. Tofu yuba is tofu skin and it was surprisingly good. However, there was too much veggie compared to the quantity of tofu skin. I should mention that the dressing they put on top is truffle soy milk dressing that was also divine. 

Next was the Yaki Nasu that is a dish made with eggplant (nasu), and served with veggies such as okra.

The next dish was the least successful of the Nohara menu: Oshinko roll (housemade Nuka Zuké pickled vegetable sushi roll):

After that was the Yasai Kushiage (lightly fried vegetable skewers with a hatcho miso sauce), that I would have simply called tempura...

But, before that dish came, they brought the next dish, Jyugokokumai Gohan or 15 grain rice with mushrooms.

The way it works is that you let the flame go and at that time, you start the hour glass. When all the sand goes down, you can start eating.

I love the playfulness of that dish; we checked the flame every 10 seconds as soon as we saw that it started to be weak and same for the hourglass when it was close to be over. In term of taste, it was a pretty good vegetarian (shall I say vegan?) dish, especially for mushroom lovers. 

For dessert, Jodi got the Kisetsuno sorbet:

There was apple sorbet:

And raspberry sorbet:

These were great sorbets as you definitely could taste the fruit. Great way to end an all vegan dinner.

On my side, I got the Aozora tasting. The first dish (Zensai or hors-d'oeuvre) came first:

I guess that, like me at the time, you first noticed the slice of truffle...

It included yaki nasu:

Odashi tomato:

Assorted vegetables with dashi gelée:

Yaki baby corn:

Then, came the zuke sashimi to yasai (marinated sashimi in a yomogi tofu sauce with yuzu gelée):

That is not your usual sashimi for sure and the texture, with the gelée, was interesting. Overall good dish.

After that, I had a lobster Kuro tempura, served with asparagus and a bincho tan batter:

This was a fantastic presentation with the contrast of the colors, from the red lobster shell and the charcoal tempura.

The green powder on the left of the photo was green tea salt that was interesting. I really liked that dish; well, ok, first because of the lobster, but also because I thought it was well executed: not greasy, slightly crunchy, with a perfectly cooked lobster.

The next dish was one of my favorites and I just wishes they served me more of it: corn chawanmushi (corn steamed egg custard):

I do not know how they are making this, but it was succulent: served warm, it was deliciously sweet, the custard being perfectly set.

Then came the shabu shabu, a Japanese dish made of thinly sliced beef boiled in water. At En Japanese Brasserie, it was composed of steamed sliced Washugyu (crossbred of Kobe beef with the Japanese black wagyu and the American Black Angus) and vegetables with a sesame ponzu:

Very good dish, very flavorful, the beef was very tender.

The last entrée was anago chasoba or grilled sea eel with green tea soba noodles:

This was another favorite: the broth in which the noodles were bathed was surprisingly cold, contrasting with the warmth of the fish, that was perfectly cooked, meaty. The noodles, that I believe are homemade, were cooked slightly al dente, giving some texture to the dish. This is definitely a recommendation.

Last was dessert: strawberry panna cotta.

I admit that the desserts were good, but disappointing at the same time as I was expecting something more original. Yes, you taste the fruit, but, considering what we ate before, I was expecting some unusual desserts, with maybe a playful presentation.

This was a great dinner: original, unusual, fantastic and spectacular are the words that come to my mind when I think about En Japanese Brasserie. This is the kind of place I would go to for a celebration or business, rather than a go to place if I want to eat Japanese food. It is on the pricey side, but worth trying. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Torino, Italian Restaurant in New York, NY

Maison, the French brasserie opened 24/7 on the corner of 53rd and 7th is gone, replaced for the past 2 months by Torino, an Italian restaurant. New owner, new decor, with the only artifact of the previous place being the art deco lights on the ceiling. 

But, compared to its predecessor, Torino has more spectacular decor: from the impressive display of wine to the open kitchen, it definitely has a certain elegance. Noticeable is the homage to one of the most famous Italian actresses: Sophia Loren.

As far as the menu is concerned, you will find some of the classic Italian dishes, but it is worth noticing that they make their own pasta. I admit that when the bread basket came, I was a bit disappointed, expecting some homemade focaccia.

But the parmesan sticks were to die for and the bread delicious with the spread that followed, made with goat cheese, pepper, tomato and olive oil.

For the appetizer, I decided to ignore the crudo and salumi in favor of the grilled octopus, one of my favorite appetizers.

I will be honest: although all the ingredients were good and worked well together, my only focus was the octopus: perfectly cooked and tender, I just wished it had a bit more texture that additional grilling would have given. But overall, great dish.

The second appetizer was the burrata, that was served with fresh figs.

Now, that was a fantastic appetizer: not only because of the burrata that was perfectly creamy, but also because of the pairing of the cheese with the fresh figs that gave another refreshing level to the dish as well as a nice sweetness.

For the main dish, this is where I might have made a mistake...I decided to go for the homemade gnocchi with mushrooms.

The gnocchi were a bit doughy, heavy, and the sauce overpowering.

For dessert, I picked the tiramisu over the panna cotta.

It was a pretty good tiramisu and I really liked the taste of the espresso coming through. Talking about espresso, I enjoyed one with my dessert...

Despite the fact that I did not like my entrée, I found the food at Torino fairly good. Would I go back? Probably, but this time to try their Linguini with clams that was only proposed for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!

Angus Club Steakhouse in New York, NY

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

Last Friday, I was invited at Angus Club Steakhouse, a restaurant that opened its doors in February 2014. Yes, it is a steakhouse, one more in a city that got plenty. So, what would make Angus Club standout? The food? The service? That's what I wanted to know.

For sure the place is impressive: from the entrance that has this long hallway to the dining rooms: a small one on the top floor to a larger one downstairs that can fit 150 guests. But what I loved were the multiple private party rooms, each of them having their own character.

Decor wise, it is definitely elegant, but you do not get the same feel you get in lots of steakhouses: a dark place with dark mahogany wood, mainly reserved for a male clientele. No, at Angus Club, the dark wood has been replaced by a brighter reclaimed barn wood, rendering a lighter atmosphere and making this place gender neutral.

 But, what about the steaks? I got to speak with the owners Dino, Margent and Zef, as well as Executive Chef/co-owner Edward Avdyli who hand picks each piece of cattle (USDA prime only) and ages it for 30 to 35 days, few days more than the usual 28 days aging, so the meat is tender and juicer.

I was ready to try the food and, few minutes after we sat at our table, they brought us a much expected bread basket and butter:

And some steak sauce:

There are only two reasons why I use steak sauce: the first one is because there is a problem with the steak I am eating, whether it is because it is dry or tasteless. The second one is when I have beefsteak tomatoes or a thick slice of Canadian bacon. And guess what? I got the latter!

The smell of the bacon was sublime and yes, it is fatty, but so addictive. I was glad they had that as an appetizer as it is often missing from steakhouses' menu.

The second appetizer was the crab cake.

For me, crab cake is a must-have on the menu, but I am always wary that either there would be too much filler, or that they would use meat from the claw that tends to be sweeter and less tasty. At Angus Club, it was perfect: it was crab, crab and crab. 

Then came the long awaited steaks! Filet mignon for Jodi, beautifully cooked medium.

And my favorite: the rib eye, that I ordered medium rare.

I should mention that they came in very hot plates, so you could hear them sizzling, like hearing angels singing to my ears... These steaks were delicious and the first bite, as well as the subsequent ones, were divine: the meat was tender and juicy, with a nice char on top, and a slight hint of kosher salt. The ribeye was deliciously fatty and paired perfectly with the glass of Pinot Noir I ordered.

We also ordered some great sides; sides are important in a steakhouse as their have to complement the meat. At Angus Club, they have a nice selection and I was glad that they have my favorite side: Mac and Cheese. Ok, let me correct: truffle Mac and Cheese!

It was very good, although I would have preferred it creamier.

The second side was the truffle steak fries:

The truffle part is an option, but how could we resist? They were good, cooked all the way through.

The last side was the sautéed mushrooms, a delicacy.

They were sautéed with slices of garlic that were delicious (and yes, I was protected from vampires for the entire week end).

After such a meal, how could we refuse dessert? Well, we did not and ordered some of their recommended dishes. The first one is a classic, but with a twist: the coconut tiramisu. 

If you follow this blog, you know that Jodi loves coconut, so she was definitely in heaven. On my side, I preferred the key lime pie.

It was a fantastic dessert: sweet, but not too much, perfect anyway with some shlag (whipped cream) that cut some of the sweetness.

A decaf espresso closed the deal for me, a tea for Jodi.

We had an awesome meal at Angus Club Steakhouse: we felt welcomed and the food was delicious. Of course, they knew that I was there for a review as they invited me, but I observed how attentive and engaging the owners and the staff were to other customers. Our waiter was also taking care of tables next to us and I could see that he took good care of them too, talking with mouth watering details of the menu and making sure that they did not need anything. Would I go back? Hell, yeah!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Les filles à fromages exhibit: Bourbon and Cheese Tasting

Coming from France, I was probably born with cheese in my hand; my first word was probably "fromage" and my first walk motivated by the Camembert in the fridge. Yes, being French, I was raised eating cheese. Imagine: there are between 350 and 400 different cheeses there, with different characteristics: soft, hard, smelly, very smelly, etc... This is one thing that I really miss in the US. Not that you cannot find cheeses there, but first, raw milk cheese cannot be imported (hello, pasteurized cheese), second, it is more expensive here. So sad: there are so many delicious ways of eating cheese; with or without bread, with butter or jam to cut the strong if not pungent taste of the cheese, or in various recipes (soufflé, gratin, salades,...). 

So needless to say that I was intrigued when I received an invite to attend a Bourbon and Cheese event hosted by Four Roses Bourbon and Max Mc Calman, a maître fromager, at FCB - French Cheese Board / La Maison du Fromage, a location near Bryant Park, where the photo exhibit by Thomas Laisné "Les Filles à Fromages" showcasing ladies who love cheese was on display. 

Bourbon and Cheese: that would make plenty of my compatriot yell sacrebleu just thinking about it! Yes, we are more accustomed to drink wine with cheese, red, although I heard few sommeliers recommend white, because red wine can be too aggressive, while white can complement. The cheeses were presented by Max McCalman, known in North America who has the precious title of Maître Fromager (Cheese Master), given by France's Guilde des Fromagers. 

The first cheese I tried was comté with Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon.

Comté is one of my favorite cheeses. The rind is of a brown colour, and the pâte is a pale creamy yellow with a hard and flexible texture. Taste wise, it is a strong and slightly sweet cheese. It was quite interesting paired with the bourbon that had a rich, spicy and sweet flavor with a hint of caramel.

The second cheese was an époisse, paired with the Four Roses Single Barrel.

Epoisse is an interesting cheese: it has a very strong smell and lots of people stop there and do not even want to taste this very soft and pungent cheese. The Bourbon complemented perfectly the époisse, as it had complex, robust and fully bodied notes.

The last cheese I tried was the mimolette with the Four Roses Yellow Bourbon.

I admit that I am not a big fan of the mimolette, this orange cheese whose taste is close to a parmesan, similarly salty. It was another interesting pairing as the Bourbon was fruity with hints of pear and apple that counterbalances well the saltiness of the cheese.

This was very interesting and after this tasting, I was thinking Bourbon et Fromage? Pourquoi pas?  

Merci FCB, Four Roses Bourbon and Max for this wonderful event.

Enjoy (I did! Vraiment!)!

The French Cheese Board

26 West 39th Street, New York, NY 10018

info@frenchcheeseboard.com

Please note that this tasting was complimentary, but this post reflects my opinion.

AOA Bar and Grill in New York, NY

AOA is a bar and grill that is Located next to the Hilton Garden Inn in TriBeCa. Sounding like a weird onomatopoeia, its name means Avenue Of the Americas.

There, Chef Nadav Cohen crafted an upscale bar menu that includes items with truffle, such as the Mac and cheese, as well as wood fire pizza (the oven is visible from the second bar) and classic dishes. 

The decor has this European feel that reminded me a bit of an old train station, with all the apparent metallic pillars or the passage between the restaurant and the hotel topped with a clock. 

I admit that it did not take long for us make a choice: we were there for burgers. Well, at least I was set on that, as Jodi decided to order their veggie burger that was more a falafel in pita sandwich, the falafel being molded as a patty. 

It was served with tahini and Harissa, that is a Tunisian hot sauce. Luckily, Jodi got it on the side, because it is very hot and they might put a lot of it. As a side, she picked some delicious tater tots that I ate more than their house cut fries. 

My burger, perfectly cooked medium, and juicy, was the AOA burger. Well, when it gets the restaurant name, it means it is their signature burger, so expectations are high. 

It was composed of lettuce (too much of it, I ended up removing some, but I admit that I am not a huge fan of it on a burger anyway), tomato, onion, bacon, aged cheddar and chipotle mayo (perfect: I always add mayo to my burger). The menu said that there were crispy onions, but they were nowhere to be found.

Inside the burger was some peppercorn that gave an interesting texture to it, but I would have preferred without. Verdict: decent burger, nothing more for me. Would I go back? Maybe, but to try other dishes, not specifically for the burger. 

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post, the photos or the blog, please feel free to share it or post a comment. Merci!