L'Apicio, Italian-inspired restaurant in Greenwich Village

TV shows are a great way to find restaurants and, once again, it was thanks to our television that we found our next target: L'Apicio, an Italian-inspired restaurant located in Greenwich Village. This time, it was not because of an episode of Unique Eats, but The Best New Restaurant, the show with Tom Colicchio, co-produced with Chef Gordon Ramsay, that is trying to find the best new restaurant in the US, crowning the winner after tense duels.

We saw the episode where L'Apicio was featured and immediately booked a table. It was few weeks ago, my bookings being already full. So, when we arrived, I remembered two things: first, they use a nice amount of heat in their cooking, the Executive Chef being from Texas and marrying Texan flavors with Italian ones, hence the label Italian-inspired. The second one was that the pork chop is their specialty. 

I admit that I did not really remember the decor there, but immediately liked the warmth of the dining room, whether it came from the wood (I respect it, Mr Larry David) or the exposed bricks.

We sat in the room adjacent to the bar, thankful that we would have lots of light for the photos, light that was coming from the floor to ceiling windows. 

In terms of the menu, I hesitated. There was the quail, served with braised cipollini, maitake mushroom and a pickled pearl onion, and the charred octopus, that came with fregola (a pasta from Sardinia), pepperoni, olives and lemon. I decided to go for the latter...

First, the presentation was very nice, but I admit that I was expecting more octopus for the price. At least, the octopus was delicious: perfectly cooked and charred, not rubbery, with enough acidity to it from the lemon. Then, the pasta, pepperoni and olives were an outstanding combination, the pepperoni giving a nice heat to the dish.

Jodi decided to go for the bibb salad, served with nice chunks of gorgonzola, pancetta and croutons.

But this was only the start of a fantastic dinner. Our entrées definitely convinced us that we were in a good place (in all senses of the expression).

Jodi ordered the tajarin, which is pasta that looked like tagliatelle. They came with morel mushrooms, garlic, parmesan and thyme. 

On my side, I ordered the garganelli verde with lamb bolognese, chili and pecorino cheese (I asked for not too spicy, remembering the show...).

Both pasta dishes were delicious. Homemade, they were perfectly cooked and their accompaniments were perfect, whether it was the morel mushrooms or the lamb bolognese. No need to say that I finished my dish!

For dessert, although full, we could not resist. Jodi ordered the caramelized pineapple cake. What made her pick this was the coconut, as it was composed of tapioca coconut and toasted coconut gelato. I should not forget the sublime almond cake that was underneath.

On my side, I chose the chocolate hazelnut ice cream cake. If you love hazelnut, this is definitely a must have. It has a salted-caramel gelato that gave a nice sweet and salty dimension to the dessert, as well as a praline-hazelnut crunch that was divine. I also finished it...

This was a fantastic dinner and we were surely not disappointed. I am not not sure how L'Apicio is going to perform on the show (we need to catch up few episodes), but do not care in that: it is a great place, although on the pricey side. I should mention that the service was courteous and efficient, definitely contributing to this great experience. So, no need to ask me if I would go back: I guess you know what I would say. But, what about you? 

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken in the East Village, New York, NY

I cannot resist fried chicken. The first time I tried it, I could hear angels singing. Yes, fried chicken is a very comforting food that I never had in France. Well, there is the escalope panée (breaded veal cutlet), or poisson pané that was the quintessence of frozen food, but I do not recall poulet pané or breaded chicken. And then, when I saw on TV chicken and waffles, I was mesmerized and could not wait to try it. And when I did, I was, again, in heaven, loving the sweet and savory taste. 

This place is part of The Blue Ribbon Restaurant Group, created by Chefs Bruce and Eric Bromberg who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School in Paris. It is casual and you cannot miss the smell of fried chicken when you enter.

You order at the counter and they will give you a buzzer that will vibrate and light up when your order is ready. You then go to the pickup window, where you can see all this delicious fried chicken already cooked (I guess they flash fried it to have it served hot). Then, find a seat and enjoy!

At the table, you will find a nice choice of sauces and flavored honey: wasabi honey (it had a slight wasabi taste), wildflower honey or chipotle honey (my favorite) that are perfect with either the chicken or sides.

I was with my friend Benny, and we decided to try few dishes:

The natural sandwich - grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato and pickled cucumber:

The Blue Ribbon - Fried chicken breast, lettuce, tomato and pickled cucumber:

Both sandwiches were good, but I preferred for sure the Blue Ribbon sandwich, i.e. the fried chicken one that was delightfully crispy, although the grilled chicken had a nice char. Both chicken breasts were perfectly cooked and moist. I also appreciated the fact that the bun was soft and not dry as it is the first thing you bite into.

For sides, we tried:

The french fries, that were like I love them: crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through:

The spinach Judy, made with sour cream and water chestnut (not my choice, if you see what I mean...):

The hush puppies that were delicious and had had pieces of corn in it:

I loved the fries and hush puppies, but not so much the spinach. I thought that their choices of sides were quite comforting and they probably just missed a good mac and cheese.

Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken serves some good food at reasonable prices. Would I go back? Probably, if I am in the area...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Añejo in Tribeca, NYC, New York

As we were craving Mexican food, Jodi and I decided to try Añejo (aged in Spanish), the small plate restaurant where Chef Angelo Sosa, a runner up of Top Chef Season 7, crafted an elegant menu, elevating some traditional Mexican dishes. This place, opened last year, is an offshoot of the location in Hell's Kitchen. I do not know if the decor is the same, but the location in Tribeca is gorgeous: exposed brick, reclaimed wood, crystal chandeliers and Mexican art.

It is a tequila bar as well (they have an impressive selection), so do not go there if you want to have a quiet dinner! Between the music and the people at the bar, it was a bit tough to have a conversation...

There were many dishes we wanted to try on their menu. We started off with guacamole. Smartly, they have a sampler.

The guacamole we tried were:

The traditional, made with avocado, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño and lime:

The Verde, made with avocado, tomatillo, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate, poblanos and chipotle:

The pineapple chipotle, made of pineapple, chipotle and cotija cheese:

They were served with homemade tortilla chips that were delicious.

Their guacamole was good and I truly appreciated that none of them were spicy. My favorite was the traditional, then the verde (I loved the pomegranate in it, that added a nice sweetness and tartness) and the pineapple last, being a bit too sweet. 

Then, we got the fish tacos:

The fish (hake) was dipped into corn flour before being perfectly fried. it was accompanied by pickled jalapeño slaw, mustard seeds and radish. It was good, but I thought it was missing some crunch and could have had more seasoning.

The next dish was the corn dumplings.

I loved that dish, for the corn and cheese dumplings, but also for the chorizo and tomato sauce that was fantastic, very hearty.

Last was the pork empanadas:

It was made of pork adobo and black beans, and served with a salsa verde. I really liked it: the shell was flaky and crispy, and the filling delicious.

We still had a bit of space for dessert. Well, we knew we would have dessert from the start, when we saw that they had a tres leches cake.

Unfortunately, if was just an ok dessert, not as exquisite as the tres leches we had in other restaurants. We should have gone for the flan...

For the most part, I liked our dinner at Añejo and would not mind going back, maybe more for lunch than dinner, the noise level being too high for me...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

The Odeon in TriBeCa, New York, NY

Located in TriBeCa, The Odeon is a French restaurant. I am not sure I would call it a brasserie, although the decor reminds me of one (besides the low light at dinner time), and the small brasserie menu they offer (I did not see the usual escargots or steak frites though, but they had the confit de canard or duck confit, as well as the soupe à l'oignon or French onion soup that I chose to start with. 

It was delicious, flavorful, with lots of croutons inside and a nice cheese crust. 

For her entrée, Jodi went for the classic Croque Monsieur. 

Made with Pullman white bread, it was stuffed with black Forrest ham, prosciutto di Parma and Gruyere (also on top, in a Béchamel sauce). This was a delicious Croque Monsieur: it was perfectly made, not dry, with lots of cheese. 

On my side, I went for the moules frites. 

What struck me when it came was the size of the mussels: they were big and definitely fresh. The sauce, made with confit tomato and leeks in a saffron cream was fantastic. I even ate some of it with a spoon, like a soup, or with some of the bread they brought at the beginning of the meal. 

I should also mention the delicious fries that were like I love them: crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through inside. 

For dessert, we got the warm doughnuts, served with a raspberry jam and maple syrup. 

I admit that I was looking forward to it, but was disappointed as the doughnuts were a bit tough on the outside and tasteless. 

This was a nice dinner and the food was delicious. Would I go back? Certainly! I already eyed some dishes such as the beef tartare, the duck confit and the chocolate pudding. I would not mind going for brunch also, where the noise level might be lower. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Wolfgang's Steakhouse in Times Square, New York, NY

Few years ago, I had a so so experience at Wolfgang's Steakhouse (see the post here), and I decided to give it another try, but in their latest restaurant located in Times Square. The space is pretty impressive, with lots of light (for a change, steakhouses being often dark) and incredibly high ceilings. 

After we got our bread basket, that is a fairly standard item in a steakhouse, I got one of my favorite appetizers: crab cakes.

It was perfect, with nice lumps of crab and little filler, so the crab was the star of the dish.

Then, we got our steaks. Jodi ordered a filet mignon, medium, that was served with a pepper sauce.

On my side, I opted for the ribeye, medium rare.

At first, when the steaks came, they looked overcooked and dry, but, when cutting them, the juice oozed from the meat that was perfectly cooked, tender and delicious, especially the ribeye that was heavenly fatty. 

I do not like pepper sauce and was glad that we ordered béarnaise, although the steaks were succulent without it.

We decided to order only one side dish and picked the onion rings that were perfect: the onion was well cooked, it was crunchy and not greasy.

I should mention that with my ribeye, I got a glass of pinot noir, my favorite wine to pair with such a meat as it has a bold flavor that complement well the steak.

Last was dessert. We went for the key lime pie, served with their homemade whipped cream or schlag. Great dessert, the whipped cream counterbalancing well the sweetness of the pie.

This was a fantastic dinner, with a great service, and the steaks were delicious. I guess I changed my mind about Wolfgang's Steakhouse. So I will be back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Restaurant Week: City Hall in Tribeca, NYC, New York

For our last incursion into Restaurant Week, we decided to try City Hall. This restaurant, opened in 1998 by Chef Henry Meer, got its name from the city government building located few blocks from there. This place has definitely a stunning decor: very high ceilings (it is built in an old warehouse), wooden tables and old photos of Manhattan all around the dining room.

The menu for Restaurant Week was totally different from their regular menu.

After we ordered, they brought us a small plate of olives and pickled vegetables, similar to what some steakhouses serve, replacing the standard bread and butter.

Then, Jodi got the burrata salad. It was served with grilled zucchini, frissée salad and tomato-chili jam.

On my side, I went for the wild mushroom risotto with white truffle olive oil and thyme.

Between the two, I preferred the risotto. Not that the burrata was not good, but the risotto was phenomenal: creamy with a fantastic taste.

Then, Jodi ordered the blackened barramundi that is a white flakey fish.

It was served with sea peas, coconut basmati rice and guacamole. The dish was just ok for me: I liked the fish, but not the rice.

On my side however, I got a great dish: day boat sea scallops with meyer lemon cavatelli and braised red swiss chard.

The scallops were perfectly cooked, with a nice sear on top and a delicious saltiness. The cavatelli, that were homemade, did not stand out by themselves, but, were succulent with the swiss chard and the cheese.

Last was the City Hall ice cream sundae. 

The brownie was very good, but, unfortunately, the ice cream (vanilla and salted caramel) was just ok.

The dinner for Restaurant Week at City Hall was good, but not to the point that I would definitely go back or highly recommend it for Restaurant Week. They probably should have stick to their regular menu to showcase it, encouraging people to go back...

Enjoy (...)! 

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

Restaurant Week: Koi Soho in the Trump Hotel, NYC, New York

Another pick for Restaurant Week was Koi Soho, the Japanese fusion restaurant that opened in 2012 in the Trump Soho hotel. If you follow this blog, you probably know now that I like to have a dinner where I can enjoy the company I am with and do not need to yell to be heard. Well the funny thing is that, as soon as we opened the first door, we heard the music blasting and Jodi and looked at each other thinking that it would probably be hell. Fortunately, they put us few tables from the bar that was packed with people enjoying drinks and food. But still, loud music. 

Decor wise, it is an impressive place: modern and slick, with floor to ceiling windows, booths as well as comfortable chairs giving an elegant and trendy feel to the place.

Replacing the bread basket that would anyway not make sense in a Japanese restaurant (!), was the edamame that was on top of the Restaurant Week menu. 

I liked it as it was perfectly cooked and salted. 

For her appetizer, Jodi ordered the Koi crispy rice that is one of their signature dishes. To top it, she had the choice between tuna and avocado. She chose the latter. 

This was fantastic, especially the rice that was heavenly crunchy. It was definitely a dish I recommend. 

On my side, it was the Kobe style potstickers that were also very good, the dough being as I like, meaning thin and a bit crunchy and charred on one side. The pork filling was very tasty as well. I guess it was a good start!

Then, for her entrée, Jodi picked the vegetable quinoa croquettes, that was served with an edamame wasabi cream. This was a good vegetarian dish and I loved the croquettes that were deliciously crunchy. Would I order it?  Maybe, but more for an appetizer. 

On my side, I went for the O Su Su Me, Chef Nobu's selection of nigiri and double tuna roll (tuna sashimi, on spicy tuna roll with wasabi tobiko and wasabi aioli). 

This was not too original, but I admit that I enjoyed it, the fish being fresh and the roll having a nice texture. 

For dessert, we both got the trio that was composed of green tea Mochi ice cream, a raspberry with caramel (yes, it counts as one in the trio...) and a succulent green tea tres leches, that was a nice take on this Latin dessert.

That was a good way to end our Restaurant Week dinner at Koi. Would I go back? Probably, for more crispy rice and that tres leches!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Restaurant Week: Tribeca Grill in NYC, New York

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. 

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. 

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). 

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

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

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!

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).

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

The second dessert was kheer that is basically rice pudding. 

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!

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.

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!

Omakase Kaiseki at Fushimi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

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.

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.

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.

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

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. 

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.

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

Uni (sea urchin):

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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. 

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. 

It had:

Kimchi (quite standard and my favorite):

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

Soybean:

Spinach:

Black beans (great texture and taste):

Squid (spicy!):

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. 

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

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.

For the bibimbap, Jodi ordered the tofu one. 

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

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!

Brunch at Landmarc in Tribeca, New York, NY

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. 

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. 

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. 

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). 

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

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!

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

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.

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 decided to share several dishes and I definitely missed some as far as photos were concerned... For appetizers, we got:

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.

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...

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. 

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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...

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.

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!

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

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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.

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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!

Eatery, Theater District, NYC, New York

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.

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.

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.

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...

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

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.

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)!

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Pigalle in New York, NY

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. 

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. 

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

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. 

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. 

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

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. 

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). 

For dessert, we opted for the chocolate mousse. 

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!

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!

East LA in Hoboken, NJ

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. 

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

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

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. 

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". 

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

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!