I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/15 I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/15

Restaurant Week: Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

The clam chowder was very good, quite smokey considering the generous amount of bacon there was in it. The salad was also good, the goat cheese deliciously counterbalancing the sweetness of the beets and chutney.

For the entrée, Jodi went for the salmon that was grilled with lemon and thyme, and served with white Tuscan beans and arugula.

For our next Restaurant Week place, we picked TriBeCa Grill, one of the oldest restaurants in the coveted area (it opened in 1990) and the first venture in the restaurant business of Robert De Niro. It is also co-owned by Lou Diamond Philips among others.

Dining room at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Dining room at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

Chandelier at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Chandelier at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

This ancient warehouse has an impressive decor, between the high ceilings, large chandeliers and what I read are Robert De Niro's father's paintings.

Bread at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Bread at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

After the usual bread and butter, our first dishes came. For her appetizer, Jodi ordered the baby beet salad, served with Asian pear, raisin chutney and goat cheese (she asked for no hazelnuts).

Baby beets salad at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Baby beets salad at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

On my side, I went for the New England Clam Chowder.

New England Clam Chowder at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — New England Clam Chowder at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

For the entrée, Jodi went for the salmon that was grilled with lemon and thyme, and served with white Tuscan beans and arugula.

Grilled salmon at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Grilled salmon at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

It was good, the salmon being perfectly cooked and moist and the white beans being a nice garniture.

On my side, I ordered the Amish chicken, that came with whipped potatoes and haricots verts.

Amish chicken at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Amish chicken at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

I admit that I started with the haricots verts as I am often disappointed with them, restaurants cooking them just a bit to preserve the vitamins. In France, it would be cooked longer and be softer. At TriBeCa Grill, it was cooked as I like them! That was a good start! Then, I tried the chicken that was very good: moist, with a nice grilled skin. Last was the whipped potatoes that were, as expected, delicious.

After that came dessert. For Jodi, it was the TriBeCa chocolate cake that was just ok, not tasting as chocolatey as I would have expected.

Tribeca chocolate cake at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Tribeca chocolate cake at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

But, my dish was fabulous: it was the apple, pear and cranberry crumble.

Apple, pear and cranberry crumble at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York — Apple, pear and cranberry crumble at Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

When it came to the table, I could smell the butter emanating from the crumble part. The first bite was divine: heavenly sweet and buttery, this dessert was amazing.

We had a nice dinner at TriBeCa Grill, but I admit that, although the food was good, I was not as excited as I was when I went to Tamarind, that is close by, or Hakkasan, these two places showcasing their menu in a way that is embracing truly the spirit of Restaurant Week. But I enjoyed it, I did...

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

I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/15 I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/15

Aaheli, Indian restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

Opened six years ago, Aaheli ("pure" in sanskrit), located in Hell's Kitchen, is a small restaurant with a forgettable decor, but a delicious menu, serving dishes from North and South India (for instance, they have masala dosa, these Lentil and rice flour crêpes stuffed with potato masala).

Papadum at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

Like most of the Indian restaurants I went to, it all starts with papadum, these large round crispy crackers that are so addictive, especially when dipped in tamarind or mint sauce.

Mango lassi at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

I also ordered a mango lassi. Yes, I used to order sweet lassi in the past, but I have to say that mango lassi has become my favorite. The second purpose for ordering lassi is that it cools me down, whenever the food has too much heat...

For the appetizer, we went for our all time favorite: vegetable samosa.

Vegetable samosa  at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Vegetable samosa at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

It was very good, not greasy at all and not spicy, tasty for sure with a deliciously flakey shell.

Jodi, who loves mushrooms, decided to go for the Mushroom Matar, a first as she usually goes for the chana masala or saag paneer, but she loves mushrooms and was curious.

Mushroom matar  at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Mushroom matar at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

This dish is made of green peas, potatoes and mushrooms in thick and rich sauce. It was delicious, but a bit spicy, and we forgot to ask not spicy when we ordered.

Rice pulao  at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Rice pulao at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

Naan  at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Naan at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

Even eating with the rice or fresh naan did not help (but do not forget I had a lassi to do the trick). Fortunately, the chicken tikka masala I picked did not have any heat.

Chicken Tikka Masala at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Chicken Tikka Masala at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

It was a great dish: creamy, with a perfectly cooked chicken. I love that dish that I find very comforting.

To end the meal, we got tempted by our favorite Indian desserts: gulab jamun that are these fried cheese balls dipped in a very sweet syrup made with honey.

Gulab Jamun at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Gulab Jamun at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

The second dessert was kheer that is basically rice pudding.

Kheer at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY — Kheer at Aaheli in Hell's Kitchen, New York, NY

Both were delicious (sweet for sure) and a nice ending after a very good meal. Would I go back to Aaheli? Sure and next time, I will try the dosa!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 3/5/15 I Just Want To Eat! 3/5/15

The Donut Pub in NYC, NY

Donuts are becoming more and more popular, to a point that I wonder if they are not the new cupcakes. There has always been traditional donuts, like the ones sold at Dunkin Donuts for a cheap price. And then, gourmet donuts with joints like The Doughnut Plant (I love the tres leches) or Dough (especially their Nutella one), without forgetting the Cronut from Dominique Ansel that is incredible.

One of the oldest donut places in New York is The Donut Pub, a place that opened in 1964 and is still serving some old school donuts, as well as some more modern ones. Going inside The Donut Pub is like traveling back in time, the place keeping an old feel that I used to see with curiosity in American movies when I was a kid.

We tried a few of their donuts:

The coconut and cream:

The Boston cream:

The honey dipped:

These donuts were good: they were light, airy and chewy. The Boston cream and honey dipped were fairly standard. The coconut cream was disappointing simply because it was vanilla cream inside and just some coconut shavings on top. I mean, it was good, but did not let the coconut shine.

The last donut I tried was a spin off of the cronut: the croissant-donut.

The croissant donut at The Donut Pub in NYC, NY — The croissant donut at The Donut Pub in NYC, NY

They have it in three flavors: chocolate, a jam that I forgot to be honest, and simply glazed, that I ordered. It was good, like anything that is fried, and was flakey, but tasted more like a donut than a croissant. It definitely does not measure up with the cronut from Chef Dominique Ansel though.

Also, do not think about ordering espresso there: they only have regular coffee...

The Donut Pub is definitely a place to know: it is not where you will be wowed, but it has certainly a nice old fashioned atmosphere and some delicious donuts that are pretty cheap (we paid less than $11 for the four donuts and the coffee). Would I go back? Certainly: to indulge in donuts, but also to support this old business.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 3/3/15 I Just Want To Eat! 3/3/15

Omakase Kaiseki at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

So, let's talk about the food. their tasting or kaseiki is something new that they have launched this year. Know that the menu, based on seasonal products, may vary. In this menu, Chef Ko took traditional Japanese dishes and elevated them, adding some ingredients from other cuisines, such as cumin, creme fraiche or orange juice.

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

I was recently invited to Fushimi in Brooklyn, an incredible Japanese restaurant I discovered end of 2013, that is now proposing a tasting menu or omakase kaseiki. Omakase literally means put your trust in me, and, after the spectacular dinner we had at Fushimi, we did not have any problem to trust Chef Chul Ke Ko that we met again the day we went.

Chef Ko at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Chef Ko at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

So, this time we went to their Williamsburg location. From the exterior to the interior, you can feel right away that it is not your usual Japanese place. There is something elegant and clubby to it, with its red and blue colors.

The entrance has these large sake barrels, as well as the shisa, the guardian lions that are protection against evil.

Entrance of Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Entrance of Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Then, after you pass the bar area, you arrive is the large dining room, where booths replae regular tables, making the experience comfortable. But, of course, if you prefer, you can sit at the sushi bar to observe the team preparing delicious food.

Bar at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Bar at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Dining room at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Dining room at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Sushi bar at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sushi bar at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Private room at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Private room at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

But I guess, one of the main attractions is in the back; it is called the tunnel and brings you to the...unisex restrooms...

The tunnel at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — The tunnel at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Kaseiki menu at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Kaseiki menu at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

I should probably mention their large selection of sake, but, most surprising, was their sake sangria, mainly made with strawberries, blueberries, sake and plum wine.

Sake sangria at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sake sangria at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

For the amuse bouche, we got a seafood bisque and a risotto ball. The bisque, made with a crab base, was deliciously creamy. Even Jodi, who does not like seafood, ate it. The risotto ball was crispy and also creamy and cheesy inside. This was a good way to start!

Seafood bisque and risotto ball at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Seafood bisque and risotto ball at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Risotto ball at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Risotto ball at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Then came a large wooden box. When they opened it, there were six assorted appetizers.

Six assorted appetizers at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Six assorted appetizers at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

It was composed, from the top left to the top right, of:

Scallop sashimi with red radish, kizami wasabi and ponzu sauce:

Scallop sashimi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Scallop sashimi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Seasoned sushi rice with baked fresh water eel, kabayaki sauce and rarima sansho:

Sushi rice and eel at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sushi rice and eel at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Organic heirloom cherry tomato in yuzu jelly (great at the end, as a palate cleanser):

Organic heirloom cherry tomato in yuzu jelly at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Organic heirloom cherry tomato in yuzu jelly at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

From the bottom left to right:

Sea grape seaweed in amazu (sweet vinegar sauce). I should mention that I am not a huge fan of seaweed, but finished it...

Sea grape seaweed in amazu at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sea grape seaweed in amazu at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Botan ebi (shrimp) tartare with ginger, uni (sea urchin) and dashi soy:

Chilled vegetables with saikyo miso:

After that, came the sweet soy glazed Chilean sea bass. It was served with a lobster stuffed zucchini blossom, pickled red onion and a black sesame ponzu purée.

Sweet soy glazed Chilean sea bass at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sweet soy glazed Chilean sea bass at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The third dish was called Chawanmushi. It is an egg custard in which Chef Ko put some lobster and shrimp, as well as shiitake mushroom.

Chawanmushi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Chawanmushi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Flower at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Flower at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Then, was the Chu Toro tartare, that is tuna tartare with seasoned seaweed, ikura (salmon roe), aonori (green seaweed), creme fraiche and ponzu, served with toast.

Chu Toro tartare at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Chu Toro tartare at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The next dish was simply called beef. It was a filet mignon with an orange and cumin carrot confit, carrot purée, asparagus, heirloom cherry tomato, fig, mash potato ball, in a port wine reduction.

Filet mignon at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Filet mignon at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Fig with Filet mignon at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Fig with Filet mignon at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The sixth dish was tempura. It was composed of six different varieties:

Tempura at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Tempura at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

There were French beans, shishito pepper, a julienne of mixed vegetables (sweet potato, zucchini and onion), as well as a coconut and macadamia crusted shrimp with tartare sauce. But the most surprising was the shiso leaf and sugar dusted rice puff that added a nice sweetness to the dish.

I started to get full and was glad that they brought us some green tea made with roasted brown rice.

Green tea with roasted brown rice at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Green tea with roasted brown rice at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

After the tea, we were ready to continue our discovery of the kaseiki...The sashimi plate that came was beautiful and had a little light underneath, adding a bit more to the presentation.

Sashimi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Sashimi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

It was composed of:

Yellowtail and king salmon:

Kumamoto oyster with ponzu:

Seared tuna with 5 spices and sweet miso, maul onion salsa with peach:

Seared tuna at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Seared tuna at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Uni (sea urchin):

Uni or sea urchin at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Uni or sea urchin at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

It came with some fresh wasabi that Chef Ko grated for us.

Fresh wasabi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Fresh wasabi at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Then, we got our last dish before dessert: kamadaki rice. It was served in a piping hot bowl, with lobster meat (lots of it), chive and corn. Next to it was a miso soup and some pickled vegetables.

Kamadaki rice at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Kamadaki rice at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Miso soup at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Miso soup at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Pickled vegetables at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Pickled vegetables at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

When dessert came, I regretted that I was not wearing stretch pants...We got to try the two desserts they propose in their kaseiki menu. The first one was a creme caramel with raspberry sorbet and fresh berries.

Creme caramel or flan at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Creme caramel or flan at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

The second one was a green tea ice cream (so creamy) with azuki beans (sweet), baby mochi and yuzu gelée.

Green tea ice cream at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY — Green tea ice cream at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Spectacular, incredible, sublime...There are not enough words to describe this extraordinary tasting. Chef Ko is so creative and his dishes not are only beautiful, but delicious, making this culinary experience one of the best I had so far. Fushimi is definitely a place to know and you do not need a passport to go to Brooklyn: it is worth it!

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 3/1/15 I Just Want To Eat! 3/1/15

Bibimbap at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Before going to see the last installment of The Hobbit trilogy with Jodi, her cousin Jessica with her husband Michael and their boys Alex and Brian, and our friends Andrew and Miguel, we had a request for bibimbap. As the movie theater was in Times Square, Koreatown was the best destination. I searched for the best places for bibimbap there and found Seoul Garden, a fairly big restaurant located on the second story of a building.

Dining room at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Dining room at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

When we arrived, the place was empty, but it took only thirty minutes to get it packed, definitely affecting the service.

At first, we got the traditional banchan, these side dishes I am always looking forward to eat.

Banchan at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Banchan at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

It had:

Kimchi (quite standard and my favorite):

Kimchi at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Kimchi at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Apple salad (perfect to attenuate any fire caused by the spices):

Apple salad at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Apple salad at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Soybean:

Spinach:

Black beans (great texture and taste):

Black beans at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Black beans at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Squid (spicy!):

Squid at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Squid at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Then, we ordered some delicious mandoo or pork dumplings that were perfect: the shell was thin and deliciously fried on one side, giving a nice crunch to it.

Pork dumplings at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Pork dumplings at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

There was no surprise there, compared to the kimchi pancake that was delicious and, contrary to what I thought, did not have any heat.

Kimchi pancakes at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

Then, they brought us, complimentary, an egg dish that came very hot that looked like a thick fluffy omelet or a custard and tasted like a soufflé.

The second complimentary dish was a miso soup.

Miso soup at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

For the bibimbap, Jodi ordered the tofu one.

Tofu Bibimbap at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

I ordered the galbi bibimbap that is with pieces of marinated ribeye.

Ribeye bibimbap at Seoul Garden in New York, NY — Ribeye bibimbap at Seoul Garden in New York, NY

We both added an egg, but we wanted a raw egg so it could cook in the pipping hot dish. The waiter resisted a bit at the beginning, but finally agreed, mentioning that there would be a $2 charge for each egg. When the dishes came, the eggs were there, but fried instead of raw and a bit overcooked for my taste...

I thought that the bibimbap was a bit bland, even after adding some soy sauce and there was not that much meat in it, adding to my disappointment. This was definitely a miss for me and I did not even finish my dish. I think the only thing I liked was the crust that formed after leaving the rice cook in the hot pot.

So, although I enjoyed the appetizers and banchan, the bibimbap was a bummer and Don's Bogam is a better choice for that dish as far as I am concerned. Would I go back? Maybe, but not for Bibimbap!

Enjoy ()!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/27/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/27/15

Brunch at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

We went for brunch and got seated on the second floor where few large parties were gathering, showing how kid friendly this place is for lunch, as the number of strollers outside can attest. There is some warmth to the place, coziness and the service was excellent.

It's been a while I wanted to go to Landmarc, the restaurant co-owned by Chef Marc Murphy that I met when dining at Kingside few days after its opening. I could have gone to the location in the Time Warner building, but preferred the original one, that opened in 2004 and seems to have a more human size.

Dining room at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY — Dining room at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

Menu wise, it is a mix of New American, French and Italian, offering so many different choices that it was a bit overwhelming, at least for me. Imagine: they serve steaks, pasta, as well as bistro dishes. Price wise, you get a bit of everything: the sandwiches are reasonable, whereas some appetizers, like the goat cheese profiteroles, were slightly overpriced.

Goat cheese profiteroles at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY — Goat cheese profiteroles at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

But hey, I did not regret ordering it: it was delicious, the choux being exquisite, being a perfect savory version of a classic French dessert.

Continuing with another French dish, Jodi got the salade Niçoise, served with seared tuna (as a reminder, the original recipe calls for canned tuna, a bit less elegant).

Salade Niçoise at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY — Salade Niçoise at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

On my side, I went for a Croque Madame, a Croque Monsieur with an egg on top.

Croque Monsieur at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY — Croque Monsieur at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

This was fantastic and probably one of the best I ever had! The egg was perfectly cooked and runny, there was a lot of ham, and, as you can see on the photo, there was tons of gruyère cheese. It was served on a country bread that had this nice char that makes me think that it was grilled over a flame at some point. I highly recommend it.

We did not have any dessert as we had other plans, but it seems that they have a sampler for $20. Next time, because for sure, we will go back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/25/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/25/15

Revisit: Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Prepared by Chef Gary Sikka, the food was delicious and, according to my Indian friends, fairly authentic. The only negative that day was the private room, that, can hardly accommodate the 10 guests they advertised...But hey, the food made us forget that. At Mint, they offer a large menu that would satisfy the vegetarian as well as the non-vegetarian with so many mouth watering dishes that it is hard to choose.

We were going for dinner with some of my colleagues and, as some of them are from India, I proposed to go to an Indian restaurant, to get their opinion about it. Mint came immediately in mind. The first time I discovered it was for a press dinner, back in November 2012 (check the review of Mint here). I remember that I loved the food and that the reviews of my fellow bloggers, especially Malini from the Restaurant Fairy, who is from India, were really good.

Bar at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Bar at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Vegetable samosas, made with potatoes and peas. They were heavenly, crispy and not spicy, but smaller than what I am used to. I really liked eating them with the tamarind sauce that added a nice sweetness.

Vegetable samosas at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Vegetable samosas at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Papri chat, a snack that I understand is normally street food. It is crispy fried dough wafers and potatoes topped with chutney and spices. Well, you know what we say: everything fried is good; this definitely was...

Papri chat at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Papri chat at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Jhinga Balchao, or shrimp in a spicy pickled sauce, a specialty from Goa. This is the kind of spicy dish that you cannot stop eating, even if your mouth is on fire.

Jhinga Balchao at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Jhinga Balchao at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Then was the long awaited chilly fish or spicy fish tossed in bell pepper, herbs and spices. This is the dish that I still remembered from the first time I went to Mint. But, this time, it was not crispy. Don't get me wrong: it was still delicious, had a nice spiciness, and is a dish I definitely recommend.

Chilly fish at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Chilly fish at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Then we went for the tandoor specialties. We ordered the paneer shashlik or cubes of paneer skewered with bell peppers and cooked in the tandoor oven. I was wondering how it would be, especially after I tried paneer in Delhi, at Bukhara, a dish that I wish I could find here in the US. At Mint, the paneer was pretty good, although not the same as the one I tried in India.

Paneer shashlik at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Paneer shashlik at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

The second tandoor dish was the fish tikka, that was marinated in yogurt and spices. Another great dish.

Tandoor fish tikka at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Tandoor fish tikka at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

We then tried few vegetarian dishes. The first one was the Diwan-e-Handi or assorted vegetables, paneer, baby eggplant, cooked in coconut, herbs and spices. It was good, although not my favorite dish.

Diwan-e-handi at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Diwan-e-handi at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

The next one was Malai Kofta, that are paneer dumplings in a rich cashew sauce. I was familiar with this dish that I really like, especially the creamy sauce.

But the best vegetarian dish was for me the Dal Makhni, a traditional Punjabi preparation of black lentil simmered overnight on a slow fire with onion and garlic.

Dal Makhni at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Dal Makhni at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

I could have eaten the entire bowl of it, loving its richness and creaminess, perfect with the different naan breads we ordered or pulao rice.

Naan bread at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Naan bread at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Rice pulao at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Rice pulao at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

For the non-vegetarian dishes, we got:

Chicken Tikka Masala, that are cubes of tandoori chicken cooked in a fenugreek flavored tomato sauce. This is my benchmark dish for Indian restaurants: if I like it, it is a good sign...And I loved it.

Chicken tikka masala at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Chicken tikka masala at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Chicken Jalfrezi or cubes of chicken cooked in a delightful spiced onion and tomato curry, combined with pieces of fresh tomatoes, onions and bell peppers, served with lemon rice. I'll be honest: I do not remember this one...I might have missed it with all the dishes we had!

Lamb Shahi Pasanda, a lamb cooked in a mild cashew sauce, a Kashmir specialty. Between the delicious taste of the lamb and the sublime creamy sauce, I was in heaven.

Lamb shahi pasanda at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Lamb shahi pasanda at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Malabar Shrimp, shrimp cooked with coconut milk and spices. A great dish with perfectly cooked shrimp and a very tasty and creamy sauce.

Malabar shrimp at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Malabar shrimp at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

I should mention that I drank a mango lassi that was perfect whenever the food was too spicy, that was in fact only restricted to couple of dishes.

Mango lassi at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Mango lassi at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

Last was of course dessert. I went for my favorite: the gulab jamun, these milk balls that are deep fried and bathed in a sugary syrup. They were good, but I wish there was more syrup in it.

Gulab Jamun at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York — Gulab Jamun at Mint, Indian restaurant in Midtown East, NYC, New York

This was a great dinner at Mint: the food was good, as was the company. I would certainly go back for some more delicious Indian specialties.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/23/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/23/15

Restaurant Week: Blenheim, a farm to table restaurant in NYC, New York

So, Winter Restaurant Week is back! As soon as I knew, I went on Opentable and made a bunch of reservations. The first one was for Blenheim, a farm to table restaurant located in the West Village. Farm to table is a growing concept, more and more popular in the health conscious circles. The restaurant gets its name from the township in The Catskills where the farm is located. There, they grow vegetables and herbs, have maple trees (they make their own maple syrup) and let animals roam free for the satisfaction of their customers.

Dining room at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Dining room at Blenheim in NYC, New York

I liked the place that was smaller than what I imagined and had a rustic feel. Next to us, sitting in the private room, was a large party and I thought I would have to yell to get heard by Jodi, but it was not the case...Yes, I really enjoyed the fact that the noise level was reasonable, the music not being loud at all. I do not remember when the last time it happened was...

Kitchen at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Kitchen at Blenheim in NYC, New York

In the back is the kitchen, where the crew was actively preparing dishes. We went for the Restaurant Week menu, that offered, for $38, an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. They started off bringing us some bread.

Bread basket at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Bread basket at Blenheim in NYC, New York

Cheddar and marmite bread at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Cheddar and marmite bread at Blenheim in NYC, New York

Flaxseed crisp at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Flaxseed crisp at Blenheim in NYC, New York

Homemade butter at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Homemade butter at Blenheim in NYC, New York

There were flaxseed crisps and a cheddar and marmite bread, all homemade, served with butter from the farm. I admit that I had no idea what marmite was, besides the French word that means a pot...If you want to know, it is a spread made of yeast extract (thank you wikipedia...). I am not sure where the marmite was, if in the dough or on top, with the cheddar, but I surely appreciated the cheesy top and the delicious butter. As far as the flaxseed crisps were concerned, I have to confess that I cringed a little when I heard the word flaxseed, but, after tasting it, I could not stop eating it; it had this fantastic nuttiness that was a bit addictive.

For the appetizers, Jodi went for the cauliflower custard, served with a gruyere broth, leek ash and garlic chips. I tried a bit of it and liked it, the custard being very well made, light and refreshing in a way.

Cauliflower custard at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Cauliflower custard at Blenheim in NYC, New York

On my side, I went for the carrot and crab bisque, served with a cumin lavash, a thin flatbread of Armenian origin. That was a great dish, although I had difficulties cutting with my spoon the bread that was immersed in the soup and wonder if I would not end up with some of it on my pants...It took a bit of time for it to get soft and soaked by the carrot bisque. I liked the combination carrot, crab and bread. the latter adding some texture.

Carrot and crab bisque at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Carrot and crab bisque at Blenheim in NYC, New York

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the roasted cod, served with caramelized sunchokes, brussels sprouts and meyer lemon butter. That was very good, especially the cod that was perfectly cooked and flakey. If I were to go back, I would definitely order this dish.

Roasted cod at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Roasted cod at Blenheim in NYC, New York

On my side, I went for the sweet potato gnocchi, accompanied by a preserved lemon cream. This was the only vegetarian entrée and yes, I ordered it and did not go for the chicken (I did not like the garniture) or the lamb (same here). The gnocchi were good: slightly sweet, the frying process gave them a nice texture. I could have eaten them with or without the lemon cream...

Sweet potato gnocchi at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Sweet potato gnocchi at Blenheim in NYC, New York

For dessert, Jodi decided to try their chocolate cremeux, that was served with licorice ice cream and star anise. The cremeux was delicious, very chocolatey, but the ice cream, although good, did not taste licorice at all...

Chocolate crémeux at Blenheim in NYC, New York — Chocolate crémeux at Blenheim in NYC, New York

On my side, I ordered the pear and frangipane tart. It was accompanied by a pear sorbet and some smoked almonds. This was an incredible dessert! When it came to the table, there was this sublime butter smell. No need to say that we inhaled it. I should mention the delicious pear sorbet that I wish I could find more often: it was very refreshing and the best way to finish the meal.

Pear and frangipane tart at Blenheim in NYC, New York

I really liked Blenheim, whether it is the concept, the decor, the ambiance or, most importantly, the food, that was well presented and delicious. I would definitely go back for brunch or dinner outside of Restaurant Week, maybe to try their take on eggs benedict or their braised chicken tacos...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/22/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/22/15

Recipe: Ramen with pork and chicken broth

If you follow this blog, you probably know that I love ramen, this Japanese noodle soup dish that has been very popular the past few years. There are lots of great places in New York, and the first restaurant where I tried ramen was Momofuku Noodle Bar, one of the places of the famous Chef David Chang. Then, I took few classes at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, where they taught how to make broths and various dishes with noodles. That is when I decided to try to make my own version, based on what I have eaten so far. Here is what I did:

Time: 5 hours (most of the time is for the broth)

Servings: 2 (the broth itself serves probably 10)

Ingredients:

For the broth:

4 carrots
2 potatoes (I used russet potatoes)
4 celery
3 lb pork bones
1 lb chicken wings (I used wings because I could not find bones and it is then the cheapest alternative)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 teaspoons of salt

For the soup:

1 cabbage
A can of sweet corn
6 oz pasta (I bought ramen at Bed Bath and Beyond)
Roasted seaweed (also found at Bed Bath and Beyond)
2.5 oz of enoki mushrooms
5 oz shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon of butter
scallions
2 eggs
2 tea spoons of soy sauce

Step 1: preparation of the broth

The preparation of the broth takes most of the time, but only if you decide to make your own. Otherwise, you can use an already made broth.

First, put the pork bones and wings in the oven for 30 minutes, at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

At the same time the meat is cooking, cut the potatoes, carrots and celery in large cubes.

Once the meat is cooked, put it in a large pot with the vegetables and 16 cups of water. Add the salt. Cook first on high heat and then, when it starts boiling, on low heat for 4 hours.

Once this is done, you need to strain the broth, removing every bit of meat and vegetables. To do so, I use a cheese cloth that will also remove any impurities.

There will definitely be a lot of broth. So, keep 4 cups for the ramen and freeze the rest.

Step 2: assemble the soup

First, cook the enoki and shiitake mushrooms in a pan, with 1 tablespoon of butter for 20 minutes.

Cook the noodles per the instructions. Cut the cabbage (I used approximately 1.5 cup) and the scallions.

Put the cabbage, mushrooms and noodles in the bottom of the serving bowls, then, put the pork belly (see recipe here), half a cup of corn, and the boiled eggs (I boiled them for 7 minutes that was too long...).

Then, add the soy sauce in the 4 cups of broth and pour 2 cups per bowl. Add 2 squares of seaweed and the scallions. Et voilà!

Bon Appétit!

I Just Want To Eat! 2/21/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/21/15

Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

Prepared with oyster mushrooms, oven dried tomatoes and Niçoise olives, it was a sublime appetizer: the dumplings were delicious, with a thin shell perfectly cooked and all the elements on the dish worked well together. The sauce the dumplings were bathed in was so good that I would have licked the plate...

Eatery was on my list of restaurants to visit as, each time we passed in front of that place, it was packed. So it got me curious. This casual place serves New American cuisine prepared by Executive chef James Henderson, with lots of Asian influence and with quite a nice selection of gluten free and vegetarian dishes.

We decided to share some dishes selected from the mouth watering appetizers section. We started off with the tempura calamari that was served with hijiki (brown sea vegetable used in Japanese cuisine), fresh mango (not ripped) and a white ponzu sauce.

Calamari tempura at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York — Calamari tempura at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

I loved it: it was crispy, not greasy and the calamari was not rubbery at all. I also liked the sauce that was not spicy and a bit sweet.

The second appetizer was the grilled camembert cheese, served with port wine drunken gapes and bread.

Grilled camembert at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York — Grilled camembert at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

If you love cheese, this dish is for you! I love grilled camembert for its gooeyness and creaminess. I highly recommend it.

The third dish was the mascarpone and ricotta dumplings.

Mascarpone and ricotta dumplings at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York — Mascarpone and ricotta dumplings at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

The only disappointing dish was the "stacked" seared tuna.

Stacked seared tuna at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York — Stacked seared tuna at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

It was composed of grilled portobello mushroom, vine ripened tomatoes, pesto and balsamic glaze. It was unfortunately bland and the tomatoes were a bit mushy.

For dessert, we decided to order the almond cake that was so good that we literally inhaled it.

Almond cake at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York — Almond cake at Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

Overall it was a delicious meal and the only negative besides one dish was the noise level. Would I go back? For sure, probably for brunch to try their beignets or Corn Flake French toast!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/19/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/19/15

Pigalle in New York, NY

I thought I would get the usual buttery sauce, but it was a bit different, the sauce tasting less buttery than usual and containing some leaves that I took for spinach. It was still good and I enjoyed it with the fresh bread they brought us at the beginning of the meal.

Ah, Pigalle! Wait: I am talking about the restaurant in the theater district, not the risqué area in Paris! Located next to the Hilton hotel, this French brasserie has been there for years, feeding large number of tourists looking for a French experience at a reasonable price. It has been a while since we last dined there, and we recently ended up there at two different occasions. The first time was for breakfast, as we were looking for a place for a large group Midtown West. We were 14 people and a simple click on OpenTable made the trick. The second time was for dinner.

Salt and pepper at Pigalle in New York, NY — Salt and pepper at Pigalle in New York, NY

For breakfast, you have a choice between the buffet, that offers basic breakfast items like eggs, bacon, French toast or waffles, for less than $22 or the regular menu. We went for the later.

Jodi got the scrambled eggs and toast.

Scrambled eggs at Pigalle in New York, NY — Scrambled eggs at Pigalle in New York, NY

I got the salmon Benedict, one of my favorite brunch dishes.

Eggs benedict at Pigalle in New York, NY — Eggs benedict at Pigalle in New York, NY

Both dishes were good, the poached eggs of the Benedict being perfectly runny.

However, I did not like the potatoes and wished I switched them for fruit.

For dinner, I started with the escargots.

Escargots at Pigalle in New York, NY — Escargots at Pigalle in New York, NY

Bread at Pigalle in New York, NY — Bread at Pigalle in New York, NY

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the Quiche Lorraine, that was served with few greens.

Quiche Lorraine at Pigalle in New York, NY — Quiche Lorraine at Pigalle in New York, NY

I was a good rendition of that dish: the quiche was fluffy, with some ham that gave a nice smokiness.

On my side, I went for the moules frites.

Moules frites at Pigalle in New York, NY — Moules frites at Pigalle in New York, NY

It was very good, the sauce, made with onions, tomatoes, cream and I believe white wine being the best part, delicious with either bread or French fries (yes, I always dip my fries in the sauce).

French fries at Pigalle in New York, NY — French fries at Pigalle in New York, NY

For dessert, we opted for the chocolate mousse.

Chocolate mousse at Pigalle in New York, NY — Chocolate mousse at Pigalle in New York, NY

Made with bittersweet chocolate, it was light and not too sweet. The only regret was that there was not enough whipped cream,which turned out to be not homemade.

I like Pigalle: the food is decent, with a wide range of brasserie dishes, at reasonable prices, served in a pretty authentic decor.

Enjoy (I did)!

And remember: I just want to eat!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/17/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/17/15

Brunch at Perilla in New York, NY

It has been a while we had brunch at Perilla. I think it was few weeks after they opened in 2007, as we were catching up on old episodes of Top Chef, Chef and owner Harold Dieterle having won the season 1. I remember that Jodi got a delicious grilled cheese with a tomato soup: this was the first time I had this combination, although I realize today that it is pretty common.

I like the decor that has a retro feel, maybe because of the orange banquette. Concerning the food, it is not your usual brunch menu, although some of the items there are pretty standard, but prepared with a twist. If you are vegetarian, you will only have few choices: the doughnuts (not bad...) and the kale salad, as well as a side of eggs, but I am sure that they can accommodate requests. We started off our meal with coffee and tea. For me, there was of course a double espresso and they brought us some freshly made blueberry muffins.

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the Berkshire smoked ham sandwich, that was served with a beer and cheddar soup.

The sandwich was delicious, the bread being a brioche with a nice crunch and the ham being perfectly paired with sauerkraut. But I admit that my main focus was on the soup that was fantastic: tasty and creamy.

On my side, I got the Dutch baby pancake, that was made with huckleberry, apple, mascarpone, powdered sugar and pistachios. It was the first time I had Dutch pancakes and I loved it, although I would have passed on the berries.

This was a good brunch, original and I look forward to go back to Perilla to try their dinner menu.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/15/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/15/15

East LA in Hoboken, NJ

It was composed of two over easy eggs on a soft corn tortilla, cheddar and jack cheese, salsa, and served with pinto beans and rice. It was good, but had nothing special that would make it come back just for it, like the Huevos rancheros at La Isla, several blocks away.

East LA is a Mexican restaurant in Hoboken known for his Margherita rather than its food. We went there few times and the food was ok, not making you rave about it. Their best dish is definitely the omelet with guacamole, but we wanted something different when we went back for brunch.

Dining room at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Dining room at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

They first brought us a generous amount of salsa that we complemented with some delicious guacamole.

Chips and salsa at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Chips and salsa at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

Guacamole at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Guacamole at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

We decided to share our entrées and first ordered the Huevos rancheros, one of my favorite egg dish for brunch.

Huevos Rancheros at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Huevos Rancheros at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

French toast at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — French toast at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

The second entrée was a big disappointment: the French toast. The description of the dish was mouth watering, but did not reflect what we had in our plate. It said:"egg bread dipped in a rich custard batter and grilled till golden, topped with sweet butter, strawberries and banana".

Strawberries for French toast at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Strawberries for French toast at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

This looked like a sad French toast: dry, the banana were nowhere to be found and the frozen strawberries were freezing cold.

Syrup at East LA in Hoboken, NJ — Syrup at East LA in Hoboken, NJ

They also brought us some cheap syrup that only upped the sugar level...

So, yes, this was very, very disappointing. Would I go back? Probably not: if I want French toast, I'll go to The Cuban that serves a tres leches one that is to die for!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/13/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/13/15

David Burke's Fabrick in NYC, New York - CLOSED

I have been a fan of David Burke's restaurants since I went to David Burke Kitchen and Fishtail, both for restaurant week, besides of course seeing him on TV, sometimes competing against other Chefs. So this time we decided to go to Fabrick, a restaurant located in the Archer Hotel, in the fashion district (hence the name). I love that place: the decor has something elegant and casual at the same time. When you enter the hotel, on the right, you first see the bar and its comfortable seating area. Très chic!

Then, there are the different parts of the dining room, with its impressive ceiling and bright colors, especially the red and yellow.

Another reference to the fashion industry is the drink menu, modeled as a swatch.

We went for brunch and I have to admit that their brunch was very original and definitely mouth watering. You will be amazed by the creativity of the Chef. Imagine for example, that they serve an avocado panna cotta or angry egg tacos, that are made with chorizo, eggs, cheese and caramelized onions.

This was a very playful dish, a nice take on a chorizo omelet. I admit that we did not know it was this way and it did not measure up with the Fabrick omelet that Jodi ordered.

It was a good omelet, made with bacon, spinach, american cheese and roasted tomato, but, after the delicious tacos, it seemed unimaginative. The omelet came with some toast, jelly and butter that was sitting on a rectangle of salt, similar to the butter presentation at Fishtail.

The second appetizer we ordered was incredible: the French toast nuggets.

This is a dish perfect to share, although I admit that I could have eaten all of it: it was one of the best French toast I ever had! I did not really care about the fruit, that probably makes people feel less guilty by eating something healthy; No, the best part was the French toast itself that was perfectly made: the bread was well soaked and had a very slight crunch on the outside. I should mention that they were served with a fantastic maple bourbon sauce.

The last dish I tried was the lobster BLT steamed buns. I decided to go with half a lobster, that was probably a smart move as, with all the food we ordered, I would not have been able to eat a whole one. This was a great take on a lobster roll, where the roll was replaced by buns (bao).

There were four buns, that were filled with lobster smothered in a spicy you mayo, candied bacon, tomato and jalapeño. Not only the presentation was amazing, but this dish, perfect for sharing, was delicious, even if the ration lobster / bun was a bit unbalanced in favor of the bun.

I loved my brunch at David Burke Fabrick and it was as expected: delicious and original. The two highlights were definitely the lobster buns and the French toast nuggets that I highly recommend. Would I go back? For sure, but this time, I'd like to try their dinner menu: their matzo ball soup with confit chicken and chicken liver toast seems fantastic, as well as the lobster dumplings. Chapeau Chef Burke!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/11/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/11/15

The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

We noticed The Burger Bistro when we went to Frère de Lys, few months ago and it was on my list, but I admit that that list starts to be a bit long...So I forgot about it until I was looking for a burger place close to The Metropolitan Museum. We could have gone to Bareburger, located on the next block of The Burger Bistro, but we wanted a change.

Dining room at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Dining room at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

It is not a big place and besides the nice warmth the exposed bricks are bringing, it has nothing special. Or maybe the large painting of the Brooklyn bridge is worth mentioning. Well, this franchise started in Brooklyn, Bay Ridge and Park Slope. But the most noticeable part of it is that the text is written backward and you can only read it in the mirror on the opposite side.

Menu wise, it is simple: build your own burger, one of my favorite as it offers plenty of combinations:

First you pick the patty: beef, Kobe beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, tuna or veggie. You also chose the temperature, from black and blue to extra well done.
Then, you pick the cheese: american, blue cheese, gruyere, cheddar, swiss...
The toppings: caramelized onions, frizzled onions, bacon, guacamole...The most interesting ones being the buffalo shrimp.
Then, you choose the roll: brioche, whole wheat, garlic bread...
Last the sauce: chipotle mayo, blue cheese...It will come on the side.

To order, you simply check the box in front of your choice, directly on the menu.

Menu at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Menu at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

After couple of minutes of few sips of root beer, our burgers came.

Root beer at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Root beer at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

When they came, I thought they looked spectacular! Jodi ordered a beef patty with sharp cheddar, caramelized onions, on a brioche roll.

Burger at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Burger at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

On my side, I ordered a beef patty with gruyere and blue cheese, caramelized onions, on a brioche roll. I went for the toppings of the avalon burger at Ted's Montana Grill, that I highly recommend and that is one of the best burgers in town.

As you can see on the photos, they were not cheap in toppings and I could not wait for that first bite. Unfortunately, it was disappointing: the beef patty was overcooked and dry.

For the sides, we got the homemade potato chips and the tater tots.

Homemade potato chips at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Homemade potato chips at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

Tater tots at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY — Tater tots at The Burger Bistro in the Upper East Side, New York, NY

I liked both of them, but preferred the tater tots that were succulent: crispy and not greasy. The chips had some seasoning that was probably BBQ inspired.

I left The Burger Bistro disappointed: they would not have overcooked the patty, it would have been phenomenal burgers. Would I go back? Maybe.

Enjoy (...)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/8/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/8/15

Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

I think I heard my colleague Abe talk about Benjamin Steak House for the past two years, this place being supposedly the best steakhouse in town. I love my steaks and New York offers lots of options when it comes to meat, so I was eager to see if Benjamin Steakhouse would be the Holy Grail, topping the Ruth's Chris, Bobby Vans or Old Homestead. Yes, I did not mention Peter Luger that is another category that lives up to its name. In fact, the owners of Benjamin Steakhouse use to work at Peter Luger, not that it is a guarantee of any sort, as working in a steakhouse does not mean you know how to cook a steak. So, we went on a Wednesday night and I admit that the fact that the place was packed was a good sign.

When you enter the restaurant, there is a long hallway with the walls alternating bottles of wine and photos of celebrities.

Entrance of Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Entrance of Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

We were seated on the first floor that was already impressive, with its very high ceiling in the center, going all the way up to the second floor that seemed also to be crowded. Like any steakhouse, it had this masculine feel, but I truly appreciated the fact that the lights were not too dim, so I could see what I was eating.

Dining room at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Dining room at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Menu wise, it was fairly standard and I did not see any dish that would have made Benjamin Steakhouse unique. Don't get me wrong: I was not looking for creativity, but solely for authenticity and taste, my choice being anyway set for a ribeye, my favorite cut. Of course, like most of the restaurants of that sort, it started of with the bread basket, that I only touched for the photo, pacing myself for what was coming.

For the appetizer, we shared a bunch of dishes:

Shrimp cocktail (ok, pretty simple, but at least it was jumbo shrimp that were perfectly cooked):

Shrimp cocktail at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Shrimp cocktail at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Crab cakes (nice, lots of lump crab, but slightly on the dry side):

Crab cakes at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Crab cakes at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Crab cake at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Crab cake at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

And the best: the slab of Canadian bacon! Now that's a bonus point for this place and I wish all steakhouses would have that on their menu. It might be a heart attack on a plate, but when you go to a steakhouse, you know you will not have a healthy meal, even if you order steamed broccoli with your steak!!!

Slab of Canadian bacon at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Slab of Canadian bacon at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Between the smell and the taste, I was in heaven, especially after pouring a bit of Benjamin steak sauce on it.

Steal sauce at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Steal sauce at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Then came my ribeye: nice piece of meat, with a beautiful char on top. I ordered it medium rare and proceeded to cut it to see if it was cooked as ordered. The first cut on one side was a bit tough, so I tried somewhere else. The meat was definitely not as tender as expected and there were quite few nerves. Disappointing.

Ribeye at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Ribeye at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Then, I thought all the juice would be released when cut, but it was not really the case... Flavor wise, it was just ok. So, I can say that I was very disappointed, especially as I was expecting a great steak.

For the sides, we tried:

The French fries (not crispy):

French fries at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — French fries at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Onion rings (well done):

Onion rings at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Onion rings at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Creamed spinach (delicious):

Creamed spinach at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Creamed spinach at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Sautéed mushrooms:

Fortunately, the desserts were delicious. I tried the key lime pie, that was not too sweet and the cheesecake, that was pretty good. Both of them were served with a scoop of schlag or whipped cream. At least, they could have brought a big bowl of whipped cream to make it a bit more spectacular!

Key lime pie at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Key lime pie at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Cheesecake at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Cheesecake at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

I should mention that they have a nice wine list and we had a fantastic Châteauneuf-du-Pape ("The Pope's new castle").

Châteauneuf-du-Pape ("The Pope's new castle") at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY — Châteauneuf-du-Pape ("The Pope's new castle") at Benjamin Steakhouse in New York, NY

Last was the service: rude and a bit pushy on the wine, probably because it is were restaurants make most profit. I guess some people feel that having a rude service is part of the experience in a steakhouse. Not me. Alright, so this is the perfect example that food is subjective. Abe likes it; I do not. So I guess you know what I will say if you ask me if I would go back...

Enjoy (...)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/7/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/7/15

Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

Terakawa Ramen is a Japanese ramen bar with two locations: Grammercy and Midtown. This is the latter that we tried. We went early on a Saturday, thinking that, like most ramen shops in the city, there would be a line quickly forming in front of the restaurant.

Terakawa Ramen is a Japanese ramen bar with two locations: Gramercy and Midtown. This is the latter that we tried. We went early on a Saturday, thinking that, like most ramen shops in the city, there would be a line quickly forming in front of the restaurant.

Dining room at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York — Dining room at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

Condiments at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York — Condiments at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

People arrived just few minutes after they opened and the dozen seat place was filled with hungry customers. We started our meal with pork gyoza, these delicious fried dumplings that are my favorite appetizers, with pork belly buns, when I go to a ramen shop.

Pork Gyoza at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York — Pork Gyoza at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

These gyoza were really good: the filling was tasty and the shell, deliciously crunchy and slightly charred on one side.

For the ramen, I got their signature one: the Terakawa ramen, made with bamboo shoots, scallions, red ginger, kikurage mushroom and roasted pork, in a pork bone broth.

Terakawa Ramen at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York — Terakawa Ramen at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

Jodi ordered their Miso ramen, made with bamboo shoots, scallions, kikurage mushroom and roasted pork, in a chicken and pork broth.

Miso Ramen at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York — Miso Ramen at Terakawa Ramen in NYC, New York

Both ramen were good, but I admit that I had a preference for the Terakawa soup that had a milky broth very tasty. The roasted pork was good and tender, and the boiled egg as I like, with a runny yolk, although slightly less cooked is even better. Last, the noodles were perfectly cooked, the one in the Terakawa ramen being thinner than the one in the miso soup.

This was a good ramen place and I am surprised that there is no line in front of it. Well, that's fine with me in fact!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/5/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/5/15

Breakfast at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

If you would like to be in Paris for a cheap price and without being jet lagged, an easy way is to go to Maison Kayser. There are quite a few in the city, but, the best spot to avoid the crowd is their location in the flatiron. This is the kind of place where you are mesmerized by all the goodies they sell, from bread, cakes, sandwiches to viennoiseries.

There, the staff, dressed with striped shirts cordially serves patrons avid to try some of Eric Kayser specialty, made with an incredible craftsmanship.

Dining room at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Dining room at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Table at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Table at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

We tried different things there. Of course, the bread and they have a nice bread basket for $5 that is worth it, although know that you do not know in advance what bread you are going to get and that if you have a nut allergy, you should tell them when ordering.

Bread basket at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Bread basket at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Jam at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Jam at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Nutella and jam at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Nutella and jam at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Butter at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Butter at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Tartine at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Tartine at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

I loved the rustic way it was presented and was surprised by the packaging of the jam and honey. It was also served with some Président demi-sel (salted) butter that was delicious. In term of variety, they gave me a baguette, poppy seed and walnut bread.

We also tried their viennoiseries that are succulent, whether it was a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), or the brioches (they have few different choices, from plain to au sucre or pralines).

Pain au chocolat at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Pain au chocolat at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Brioche at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Brioche at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Brioche au sucre at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Brioche au sucre at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Brioche aux pralines at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Brioche aux pralines at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Of course, a good breakfast is not complete without a good espresso, and theirs is perfect, as well as an orange juice. I should mention that they serve their espresso, coffee or tea with a little financier that is delicious.

Espresso and orange juice at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Espresso and orange juice at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

Financier at Maison Kayser in New York, NY — Financier at Maison Kayser in New York, NY

I really like this place and definitely recommend it for a nice breakfast à la Française.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/3/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/3/15

Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

Started in 2005 in Brooklyn, Baked opened its first Manhattan outpost in Tribeca last November. And you know what? I am glad they did! Let's talk about the space first. It used to be a burlesque club, so no wonder why you have a pole at the entrance, except that this one is a cake pole...

Cake pole at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Cake pole at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

In the back, is the medium size room where one can enjoy a quiet time or watch what is going on in the small kitchen.

Dining room at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Dining room at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

We went there quite few times, for breakfast, but also in the afternoon, never for lunch. I of course got a double espresso (a bit bitter) and Jodi some tea.

Espresso and tea at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Espresso and tea at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

But if I were to go back to Baked, it would not be for that! Their viennoiseries and cookies are awesome. For instance, they have an almond croissant that is to die for and I do not care if, traditionally, almond croissants are day old croissants. This one was flakey, buttery, crispy, with a nice amount of almond paste inside.

Almond croissant at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Almond croissant at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

Even better is their cinnamon roll, one of the best I ever had: light, with a perfect glazing and just enough cinnamon to make it stand out. My only regret: it was too small...

Cinnamon roll at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Cinnamon roll at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

Another good treat is their banana bread that has chocolate chips in it. Very good, with a nice banana taste, but not enough chocolate...

Banana bread at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Banana bread at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

If you have a sweet tooth, they have interesting cookies. First is the traditional chocolate chunk cookie, that, although does not beat City Bakery, was delicious, chewy, buttery and with a generous amount of chocolate.

Chocolate chunk cookie at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Chocolate chunk cookie at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

This is for sure not original, compared to the Brooksters, a brownie baked tart, filled with chocolate chunk cookie batter.

The Brooksters at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — The Brooksters at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

I mean, look at all this chocolate! You just need to pop that for few seconds in the microwave to make it even more decadent.

I also tried their whoopie pie that is a dark chocolate cookie sandwich with a vanilla buttercream filling. It was just ok for me; I guess I did not find yet a whoopie pie that sweeps me off my feet. But Jodi and her cousin Rebecca loved it (just saying).

Whoopie pie at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY — Whoopie pie at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

Now, one of their best bar is for me the twix bar or The salted caramel, made of a thick shortbread base, a rich salted caramel center and topped with dark chocolate ganache and fleur de sel.

Salted caramel bar or twix at Baked, Bakery in TriBeca, New York, NY

I love twix and their rendition of the delicious chocolate bar is phenomenal: very addictive, they were able to make it their own by using salted caramel and added fleur de sel. This is definitely a bar I recommend.

Baked is definitely a bakery to know and I am glad that I do not have to go to Brooklyn to enjoy it. So, I guess that after reading this post you understand that will surely be back there...I will!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 2/1/15 I Just Want To Eat! 2/1/15

Brunch at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ

It's been a while since we wanted to try Mikie Squared Bar and Grill in Hoboken and what convinced us to go that time was after an encounter with one of my colleagues in the bus from New York, who told me that he loves the brunch there.

This is a casual place, with not too many tables with an interesting menu that goes from American to Mexican dishes. So, we could not miss ordering their homemade guacamole.

Homemade guacamole at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ — Homemade guacamole at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ

When they brought it to the table (it is not done table side), we could see that it was not made to order, as it had few brown spots, despite the amount of lime they put in it (too much to my taste) and the pit that they kept in it. I admit that I did not like the texture that was way too smooth, making me think that they make it in a blender.

For her entrée, Jodi went for the homemade mozzarella and tomato salad that was good, the cheese being well made and soft, as opposed to rubbery.

Homemade mozzarella and tomato at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ — Homemade mozzarella and tomato at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I went for the huevos rancheros, one of my favorite brunch dishes. Well, they were advertising for it, so I was hopeful it would be delicious.

It was made with a crispy tortilla, two fried eggs, black beans, Monterey Jack cheese, topped with ranchero sauce and guacamole. It also came with toast, making it a complete brunch dish. The plate would have looked good if it was not from the brown guacamole that did not look appetizing at all.

Huevos rancheros at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ — Huevos rancheros at Mikie Squared in Hoboken, NJ

Also, the eggs were overcooked.

So it was just ok and did not at all measure up with the huevos rancheros served at La Isla, couple of block away. I was a bit disappointed to say the least. Would I go back? Not sure: there are so many other options with amazing food in Hoboken, such as La Isla mentioned before, The Cuban, Bin 14, The Madison Bar and Grill...

I have a question for you: what is your favorite brunch dish?

Enjoy (...)!

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