I Just Want To Eat! 6/25/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/25/15

Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

Looking for a quick and cheap lunch in Hell's Kitchen, I ended up at Diego's Mexican Grill. I immediately noticed the warmth of this place, thanks to the exposed bricks and the Mexican floor tiles. Very colorful, with lots of art on the walls, this is like going to Mexico without paying the fare.

Dining room at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen — Dining room at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

Food wise, they serve the classics: fajitas, quesadillas...There, I tried their homemade guacamole that was good and well seasoned.

Guacamole at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen — Guacamole at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

Then, I went for the chicken quesadilla, that was just ok: a bit dry, they could have thrown some sour cream and guacamole (I put some of the one ordered as an appetizer).

Chicken quesadilla at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen — Chicken quesadilla at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

It was served with rice and beans that were good, but nothing to rave about.

Rice and beans at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen — Rice and beans at Diego's, Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

This was fine for a cheap lunch, but did not really entice me to go back, at least at this point. There are plenty of cheap eats that are much better in Hell's Kitchen and Diego's Mexican Grill fell short in convincing me to go back for dinner.

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! 6/23/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/23/15

Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York

I recently went to Patzeria Family and Friends, an Italian place located few blocks from Times Square, in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. It was for lunch and the place was empty. I think I went there a long time ago, looking for a restaurant after a movie, and the experience was not that great. But, hey, it was a while back and I was ready to give it another chance. Looking at the decor, you can really see the influence of Times Square, with all the posters from popular shows decorating the walls.

Dining room at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York — Dining room at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York

For close to $10, they offer for lunch an entrée and a soda, a fairly common formula for that area.

Garlic bread at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York — Garlic bread at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York

After eating some delicious warm garlic bread, I got my dish: the antipasto salad.

Antipasto salad at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York — Antipasto salad at Patzeria Family and Friends in NYC, New York

I rarely order salads, but it was too warm outside to order pasta...thet salad had peppers, olives, ham, prosciutto, salami...It was a good salad, especially if you like this kind of charcuterie.

The lunch at Patzeria Family and Friends was good, and the service courteous and efficient. I might go back for dinner finally!

Enjoy (I did)!

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I Just Want To Eat! 6/21/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/21/15

Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

Luscious Thai is a cheap Thai restaurant located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This quite small place offers a lunch special for $9.95, where you get an appetizer and an entrée. But, contrary to a lot of places, you have few choices for appetizers, from dumplings to a salad, with of course the usual Spring rolls that I decided to pick. Yes, usually, you have one or two choices, not more.

Luscious Thai is a cheap Thai restaurant located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This quite small place offers a lunch special for $9.95, where you get an appetizer and an entrée.

Dining room at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York — Dining room at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

But, contrary to a lot of places, you have few choices for appetizers, from dumplings to a salad, with of course the usual Spring rolls that I decided to pick. Yes, usually, you have one or two choices, not more.

Vegetable Spring rolls at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York — Vegetable Spring rolls at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

I liked their Spring rolls that were not greasy and had just enough crust, so I could taste the veggies inside.

Then, I went for my favorite: chicken curry massaman that I asked mild.

Chicken curry massaman at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York — Chicken curry massaman at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

Rice at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York — Rice at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

Served with rice, it was a nice portion, tasty, with a nice little kick. However, I left the potatoes that had a weird taste...

Not surprising, I ordered a Thai iced tea that was delicious and very refreshing.

Thai iced tea at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York — Thai iced tea at Luscious Thai in NYC, New York

This lunch special at Luscious Thai was a very good deal and I am curious to try some other dishes; I'll definitely go back for more!

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! 6/19/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/19/15

Cheap eats: Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Chili Thai is the kind of neighborhood gem I love to discover. Located in Hell's Kitchen, few blocks from Times Square, it proposes for lunch a very cheap deal: the lunch menu starts at $6.90 with an appetizer and a main dish.

Dining room at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York — Dining room at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

For $12, I got:

A Spring roll (tasty and not greasy, but very hot):

Vegetarian Spring rolls at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York — Vegetarian Spring rolls at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

A chicken massaman curry, my favorite Thai dish. It was delicious, with a little kick.

Chicken curry Massaman at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York — Chicken curry Massaman at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Rice at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York — Rice at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

And a Thai Iced Tea:

Thai iced tea at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York — Thai iced tea at Chili Thai in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

I really liked my meal at Chili Thai and for the price, it was definitely worth it. Would I go back? Definitely, and this time, I would try some other dishes like the Panang curry or the pad Thai.

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! 6/17/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/17/15

Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

We passed Black Iron Burger few times and had in mind to go there, thinking that they probably serve killer burgers. Well, I should mention that they are few steps from a Five Guys, so the competition must be fierce! Black Iron Burger is setup like a bar, with TVs and blue lighting that I feared a bit as I do not take any photos with the flash...

Dining room at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York — Dining room at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

Instead of going with their signature burgers, we decided to build our own. Jodi went for a single patty with swiss cheese and pickles.

Burger at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York — Burger at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

I went for a double patty with blue cheese, Swiss and caramelized onions.

Blue cheese and Swiss burger at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York — Blue cheese and Swiss burger at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

The way the burgers were presented was a bit sad, although mine looked better than the one Jodi had. On top of that, I was glad to have a double patty as the ratio bread / patty was definitely unbalanced in favor of the bread.

Taste wise, it was ok, nothing to be dreaming about and I admit that I was a bit disappointed considering that this is a place for burgers.

We also ordered some onion rings as a side that looked also sad, but were very good, especially with the ranch sauce.

Onion rings with ranch dressing at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York — Onion rings with ranch dressing at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

I should mention that I went for an oreo cookie milkshake with my burger: it was pretty good!

Oreo cookie milkshake at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York — Oreo cookie milkshake at Black Iron Burger in Chelsea, NYC, New York

Black Iron Burger was just ok: I prefer Five Guys that is few minutes away. Too bad: I really wanted a good burger that day!

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! 6/15/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/15/15

La Sirene, French Restaurant in Soho

I was really excited when I got invited to a press diner at La Sirene, a French restaurant located in Soho, couple of minutes from the subway. I met the Chef and Owner, Didier Pawlicki, at Le Village last December (below is a photo of Chef Pawlicki in kitchen of Le Village).

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

La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Opened in 2007, La Sirene serves classic dishes from the South of France, some of the dishes being in fact served at Le Village, such as the coq au vin or the banana brûlée. Located next to its third restaurant, Taureau, La Sirene is a casual place that reminds me some of the places I loved so much when I was living in Paris: intimate and welcoming.

Dining room at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Dining room at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Kitchen at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Kitchen at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Decor at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Decor at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Menu wise, the French food lovers will definitely find a dish to satisfy their appetite: they have escargots, foie gras, ravioles (French mini-ravioli that are amazing), mussels, paté, cassoulet, magret de canard (duck breast)...And the dishes I tried were pretty good! I got of course the Escargots à la Bourguignone, 6 snails smothered with a butter and garlic sauce that was divine and perfect either with the escargots or simply with their homemade bread.

Escargots à la Bourguignone at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Escargots à la Bourguignone at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

bread at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — bread at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

The second appetizer I tried was the Sepios sautés à la Provençale sur un lit de salade or Sautéed Baby Octopus with garlic, parsley, olive oil , tomato and mushrooms:

Baby octopus at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Baby octopus at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

The octopus was perfectly cooked, not rubbery and definitely reminded me the South of France.

The last appetizer I tried was the Tartelette de Chèvre Frais aux Echalottes, Truffes, Raisins Confit et Voile de Vieux Gruyère or Baked Goat Cheese tart with Shallots, Truffles, Grape and a Veil of 180 days Aged Swiss:

Goat cheese tart at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Goat cheese tart at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

I liked it, although I admit that I did not taste the truffles, but loved the fact that they were generous with the amount of cheese.

For the entrées, I tried the following:

Onglet Poêlée, à la Luchonaise or Butter Only Seared Hanger Steak, Roasted Garlic, Parsley (this is their signature dish):

Hanger steak at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Hanger steak at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Magret de Canard Gras Montmorency or seared Rohan duck breast, topped with sweet and tart Michigan’s cherry sauce:

Duck breast at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Duck breast at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Carre d’Agneau au jus de truffes or Frenched rack of lamb with white wine rosemary and truffle au jus:

Rack of lamb at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Rack of lamb at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

My favorite was definitely the hanger steak that was cooked perfectly and so juicy. I also liked the magret de canard, although I would have liked it pink; but I have to say that their cherry sauce is phenomenal and gives another dimension to the dish. The first two dishes were served with some potato au gratin that was so good I wish there was more and would have liked to see it offered as a side. There were other vegetables served with our entrées: carrot purée, Chayote (a Mexican vegetable), butternut squash and cauliflower.

Vegetables at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Vegetables at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

I should mention that with the meal, we drank some house wine (Pinot Grigio and Bordeaux):

House wine at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — House wine at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Of course, we could not leave without trying some desserts.

The tarte tatin (upside down apple cake):

Tarte tatin at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Tarte tatin at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Tartelette aux Fraises:

Strawberry tart at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Strawberry tart at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Choux Chantilly (made with homemade whipped cream!):

Chou with whipped cream at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Chou with whipped cream at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

Profiteroles:

All of these desserts were spectacular, but I admit that the profiteroles was my favorite. It is a big plate, perfect to share for sure, although I am to sure how one can resist the creamy ice cream, succulent chocolate sauce made with Caillebaut chocolate, the light house made whipped cream or the delightful choux. I guess I just drooled just describing it...

Decaf espresso at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York — Decaf espresso at La Sirene, French Restaurant, NYC, New York

I finished the meal, full and satisfied, with a decaf espresso. La Sirene is definitely a restaurant to know: charming with some delicious food. They have a 3 course prix-fixe from Sunday to Thursday, 5pm to 6:30pm that is worth noticing. Would I go back? Definitely! I already have my next meal there in mind: foie gras, tournedos rossini (filet mignon topped with foie gras) and the fondant au chocolate (dark lava cake). Chapeau Chef Pawlicki!

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! 6/13/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/13/15

Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

You may think that Pad Thai is a Thai restaurant. Well, you are half right: it is a Thai restaurant that serves also Japanese cuisine. Yes, that sounds weird, but they have a nice Japanese cuisine menu that includes the usual sushi and sashimi, bento boxes...But we were not going there for that and sticked to some Thai dishes.

Of course, I started by ordering a Thai ice tea, a must have in this kind of restaurant.

Thai ice tea at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York — Thai ice tea at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

Then, we ordered the Spring rolls, also called Po Pia Taud, that were served with a Thai sweet and sour sauce.

Spring rolls at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York — Spring rolls at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

They were pretty good, pipping hot, not too greasy and tasty.

For my entrée, I went for my favorite dish: chicken curry massaman.

Chicken curry massaman at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York — Chicken curry massaman at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

I asked to have it mild and it had a slight kick that I really liked. This was a nice portion that came with some white rice. It might not have been the best curry massaman I had, but I admit that I enjoyed it.

Jodi ordered string beans that were sauteed with soybeans, garlic and bean curd. That was good: I love when string beans are soft and it was the case at Pad Thai.

string beans at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York — string beans at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

For dessert, we decided to try their mango sticky rice. The sticky ice, bathed in coconut milk, was delicious. However, the mango was not ripe...Too bad!

Mango sticky rice at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York — Mango sticky rice at Pad Thai, Thai restaurant in NYC, New York

So, it was ok. Pad Thai is not a must have, but is conveniently located, few blocks from Penn Station. So, in case you are craving Thai food before hopping on a train, this might be your spot.

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! 6/11/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/11/15

Dinner at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Then came our entrée. At first, Jodi ordered some dal makhni, but the waiter told her that it was medium spicy and that anyway, I would have some in my dish. So he suggested that she picked a different dish, a gesture that I truly appreciated. So she went for the saag paneer, a dish made with spinach and cottage cheese.

For her Birthday dinner, Jodi wanted to go to Tamarind, the elegant Indian restaurant located in TriBeCa. We went there last year, for Restaurant Week, and had an amazing experience. The decor is spectacular: very high ceilings, modern and very elegant, not at all over the top.

Entrance at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Entrance at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Bar at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Bar at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

This time, we were seated in the Lotus Room instead of the main dining room.

The Lotus Room at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — The Lotus Room at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

We were pleased to be far away from the crowd, the noise level being definitely acceptable, until a large party arrived...

We started off the evening with a complimentary puff pastry that we dipped in a sauce that had ginger, as well as other spices that I admit I had difficulty to identify.

Puff pastry at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Puff pastry at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Sauce at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Sauce at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Then, we shared the vegetable samosas:

Vegetable samosas at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Vegetable samosas at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Served with mint and tamarind sauce, they were deliciously crispy and not spicy at all, with a nice filling made of potatoes and peas.

I also could not resist trying their chili crab, a dish I only saw at Baluchi's.

Chili crab at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Chili crab at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

This dish, composed of jumbo lump crab meat, chilies, tamarind and garlic was definitely spicy, but so good that I was going back for it, even if my mouth was on fire. Fortunately, I had a mango lassi to help...

Mango lassi at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Mango lassi at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Saag paneer at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Saag paneer at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

I am not a big fan of spinach, but admit that I liked it, especially the cheese (paneer) that seemed to be home made.

On my side, I went for the tandoori mixed grill, composed of lamb chop, shrimp, tandoori chicken, tulsi kabab (boneless chicken, tandoori spices, basil), Punjabi tikhe (Boneless chicken marinated in yogurt, roasted whole spices, jalapenos, ginger, garlic), black lentils (dal makhni).

Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Lamb chop in Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Lamb chop in Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

Dal makhni from Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Dal makhni from Tandoori mixed grill at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

That was a fantastic dish and my favorite was definitely the lamb chop that was perfectly cooked. The chicken, in all the different versions it was served, was also delicious, tender and moist, with a nice char and incredible favors coming from the spices used. I definitely recommend this dish if you love tandoori and meat, although know that they also have a seafood version that looks amazing.

Mushroom and truffle naan at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Mushroom and truffle naan at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

With the mixed grill came some naan, but we also decided to try their mushroom and truffle naan bread too. The aroma of truffle oil was very appetizing and the naan were spectacular: fluffy, slightly charred, perfect to eat with the saag paneer or dal, instead of rice, of just like that, without anything.

We could not resist ordering desserts. Jodi decided to order a coconut mousse bomb, that was like a pineapple cake deconstructed.

Coconut mousse bomb at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Coconut mousse bomb at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

On my side, I went to the usual gulab jamun, these cheese balls that are fried and dipped in a sugar syrup.

Gulab jamun at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York — Gulab jamun at Tamarind in TriBeCa, NYC, New York

I have to say that the desserts were disappointing and could have contributed to finish on a high note, the rest of the meal being delicious. I was so disappointed with the gulab jamun: first of all, they could have put 3 of them; second, they were way too sweet and I needed to drink a lot of water after that! On Jodi's side, the coconut mousse was good, but the cake that accompany her dessert was quite dry...

Despite that, I still consider Tamarind to be a great place and highly recommend it, if you want to go to an elegant Indian place: the food was simply fantastic.

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! 6/9/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/9/15

Brunch at Elysian Café, Hoboken, NJ

Going to The Elysian is always a challenge as this popular Hoboken restaurant is always crowded and it is often that a line would form outside on week ends, specifically for brunch. Owned by Joyce and Eugene Finn who also operate Amanda's, another popular spot, it is the oldest continually operated restaurant in the city. The adventure started in 1895, when the restaurant opened as Dillenger & Jeffson's. During the prohibition, it went from a restaurant to an ice cream parlor and hair salon. I am not sure when they took that name that sounds French, but is not.

I went there for dinner quite a while back and we did not plan to go there for brunch when we passed next to it on a Sunday, a little after 11am. As there seemed to be seats available, we decided to change our plan and eat there.

I love that place: the decor is antique, with molds on the ceiling, old furniture and a vintage chandelier. Their menu is French, but for brunch, it is more American as the concept of brunch is not really known there.

I started off with a fresh squeezed orange juice that was quite good, not watery with the taste of orange diluted.

fresh squeeze orange juice at Elysian Café, Hoboken, NJ — fresh squeeze orange juice at Elysian Café, Hoboken, NJ

I admit that I was expecting a bread basket, maybe with muffins while we waited for our food, but it never came...

We just ordered an entrée. Jodi went for the omelette au fromage:

omelette au fromage at Elysian Café, Hoboken, NJ

There was definitely a lot of fontina cheese in it, but, unfortunately, the eggs were slightly overcooked and dry.

On my side, I hesitated between the lobster roll and the eggs Benedict. I finally went for the eggs as I wanted a brunch dish.

Salmon benedict at Elysian Café, Hoboken, NJ

It was salmon Benedict in fact, the salmon being on top of an English muffin and topped with a poached egg that was also overcooked.

At that point I was a bit disappointed as I love when the yolk is runny and I can dip the salmon and muffin in it, while it mixes with the Hollandaise sauce, creating an interesting combination.

With our dishes, we decided to order French fries over Lyonnaise potatoes. And I have to say that they were pretty good, not too greasy and a bit crispy.

I have mixed feelings about this place after this brunch: they have a nice menu, with good prices, but the execution was not there that day. I doubt that it was because of the number of orders coming at the same time as it was not that crowded at the time we went. Who knows...
Would I go back? Maybe for the burger or croque Madame...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

I Just Want To Eat! 6/7/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/7/15

Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

I think I have more chance booking a trip to Greece than getting a table at Uncle Nick's in Hell's Kitchen. Well, in fact, it is what I thought, having tried few times to go there, until I saw their location in Chelsea. Uncle Nick's is well known: good food in a casual ambiance, far from the trendy Avra Estiatorio or the more elegant Molyvos, that is, according to one of my Greek colleagues, the best Greek restaurant in New York.

Dining room at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Dining room at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

We went there on a Friday and the place was packed, but there were still empty tables. Service there was courteous and very efficient, serving dishes to customers adding a little folklore, like for the saganaki where they shout "Opa" at the moment they pour the ouzo on the flaming cheese. Ok, I admit that I missed this one as we were talking and I did not realized the wait staff came with our order. So, by the time I grabbed my camera and turned it on, the huge flame was gone...

Saganaki flambee at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Saganaki flambee at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

The saganaki was fantastic: it was gooey and chewy at the same time, not too salty. Sublime! This is a dish I always enjoy in a Greek restaurant and definitely recommend it.

Saganaki at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Saganaki at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

We then shared a small greek salad or Horiatiki.

Greek salad at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Greek salad at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

It was of a good size for $9 and was very appetizing with all the vibrant colors of the vegetables. There were tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, as well as olives and grape leaves, topped with some feta.

We also tried their mixed grill, that was composed of Fried zucchini, eggplant and peppers served with scordalia dip.

Grilled vegetables at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Grilled vegetables at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

A scordalia dip is made with potato and garlic. And there was a lot of garlic...

Then, I could not resist the Octapodaki or grilled octopus, smothered in oil and vinegar.

Grilled octopus at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Grilled octopus at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

The octopus was well cooked, not rubbery at all, but I wish there was a nice char on top and less vinegar.

Last was the house made baklava.

Baklava at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York — Baklava at Uncle Nick's, Greek Restaurant in NYC, New York

Not the best I ever had (the one at Molyvos is fantastic), but good and a nice way to finish the dinner. I liked my meal at Uncle Nick's and the ambiance of the restaurant. I would certainly go back, maybe this time to try their moussaka or some grilled fish.

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! 6/5/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/5/15

Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Rue 57, French for 57th street used to be one of my favorite spots when I came to the U.S. many years ago. I used to order their Le château seafood platter for two for myself...so, when I went back, I thought it would be a good idea to order it, although I was not alone.

Le Chateau, seafood platter, at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Le Chateau, seafood platter, at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Lobster and shrimp at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Lobster and shrimp at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Clams at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Clams at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Oysters at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Oysters at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

It is a big platter, full of clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp and a lobster in the center. I loved it: carefully prepared, it tasted fresh and the shrimp and lobster were perfectly cooked.

As an entrée, I decided to go for yellowfin tuna tartare, served with ginger juice, avocado and cucumber. This was another great dish: fresh and refreshing, with a nice acidity, I loved the pairing of the tuna and avocado.

Yellowfin tuna tartare at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Yellowfin tuna tartare at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Yellowfin tune tartare at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Yellowfin tune tartare at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Last was dessert. I tried the crème brûlée, that was pretty good, but not that original, as well as the Grand Marnier bread pudding that was fantastic (it is made with dried cherries and chocolate chips).

Creme brûlée at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Creme brûlée at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

Grand Marnier bread pudding at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Grand Marnier bread pudding at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

I should mention that I chose a glass of Sauternes with my meal...

Sauternes wine at Rue 57 in NYC, New York — Sauternes wine at Rue 57 in NYC, New York

I really liked my lunch at Rue 57; their seafood is delicious and worth trying, being the main ingredient on their not so French brasserie menu. If you are looking for a restaurant midtown Manhattan, this might be your spot...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 6/3/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/3/15

Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

After a couple of years feeding the avid crowd of lobster rolls at Pier 13, Luke's Lobster set foot in Hoboken and opened on May 15th. It replaced a pizza joint that seemed to be always closed and was definitely a questionable business choice, considering the number of pizzerias in the area. The pizza place was preceded by a frites joint that unfortunately did not have the same success as Pommes Frites in the East Village. Why do I think that Luke's Lobster will do better? First, there is no other lobster place in the area, solely restaurants serving their own version of the divine sandwich. Second, it is Luke's Lobster and if they keep the same quality, it will surely be a hit. Third, they reorganized the place so there are seats inside and outside. It is in fact slightly bigger than their flagship restaurant, but a tiny bit.

Decor of Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Decor of Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

We went there on a Sunday night and the place was reasonably crowded, few people taking their order and eating it in the park. We decided to stay inside, where the air conditioning was blasting.

Jodi does not like seafood, so we were glad that they proposed a grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Grilled cheese at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

She decided to go for cheddar cheese over American. It was a decent grilled cheese, definitely not amazing and just an option for people who do not like lobster, crab or shrimp.

On my side, I went with the combo called Taste of Maine, that, for $22, came with half lobster roll, half crab roll, half shrimp roll, two crab claws, a pickle, chips and a soda.

Taste of Maine at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Taste of Maine at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

Chips and soda at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Chips and soda at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

It was a good deal considering all of this, but do not imagine that you will end up with large claws: they were definitely small.

Crab roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Crab roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

Shrimp roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Shrimp roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

Lobster roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Lobster roll at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

Crab claws at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ — Crab claws at Luke's Lobster in Hoboken, NJ

My favorite was the lobster roll and then the crab roll, that were delicious, with lot of meat on a buttered bun that was fantastic. I love the fact that they do not smother the seafood with mayonnaise, so you can taste it. My least favorite was the shrimp roll that I found bland.

Although this was a no-surprise meal, I am glad that they opened in Hoboken and hope they will be successful. Well, not to the point it will be impossible to go there though...

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! 6/1/15 I Just Want To Eat! 6/1/15

L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village

The Chef, Gabe Thompson is not unknown to me as we recently went to one of his other restaurants in Manhattan, L'Apicio, where we had a fantastic dinner. In fact, the menus at the two places have a lot of similarities. And for sure, we knew we would not pass on desserts as his wife, Katherine, is the pastry Chef and not only did we have amazing desserts at L'Apicio, but, when they appeared on the TV show The Best New Restaurant, she blew away the diners and the judges, Tom Colicchio being the host and head judge, each time with a different dessert.

We ended up at L'Artusi thanks to my brother Hervé who sent me a voucher for my birthday. I had this restaurant on my very long list and we were planning on going there for restaurant week, but had to cancel, so I was thrilled to have an occasion to go there.

Bar at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Bar at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

Kitchen at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Kitchen at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

We went at 8pm on a Friday and the place was packed. We saw couple of people trying to get a table without any reservation no success, the long wait being probably prohibitive. I should mention that when we left, there was a line at the entrance. It is a fairly large place, with a bar where you can dine and some tables overlooking the kitchen located in the back of the room. We got a table upstairs, where I noticed a private room that seem to also be their cellar. I really got lucky, because our table was right below two small lights and, when they dimmed the lights, we were not too much affected. It was not only important for the photos, but also because I like to see what I eat...

Menu at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Menu at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

I was in the mood for a glass of wine and chose a red from Tuscany: Rosso di Montalcino, Collemattoni, 2013.

Rosso di Montalcino, Collemattoni, 2013 at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Rosso di Montalcino, Collemattoni, 2013 at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

It went very well with the dishes I picked. We had to choose between the crudo (raw with tartare and ceviches), verdura (salads), pasta, pesce (fish) and carne (meat). The size of the dishes is supposed to go crescendo, but, ordering a pasta and a meat was definitely fine. The pasta I chose was the house made tagliatelle with bolognese bianco (meaning no tomato sauce) and Parmesan.

Tagliatelle with bolognese bianco at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Tagliatelle with bolognese bianco at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

That was a fantastic dish: the tagliatelle, larger than what I am used to, were so good and perfectly cooked, bathed in a bolognese sauce that was very comforting.

My second dish was the quail. I admit that I hesitated between this dish and the octopus, but rarely see quail on a menu, so went for it.

Quail a la plancha at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Quail a la plancha at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

The dish was small and I would have probably expected two little birds as the size was supposedly larger than the pasta dish. But in fact, I would have liked more, not because of the size, but because it was succulent. The quail itself had been butterflied, leaving only few bones to take care of. And that taste: quail is hard to cook as it can easily be overcooked and end up dry. At L'Artusi, it was so moist, with the skin perfectly seasoned and a slight heat from the chilies. It was served with pickled ramps and baby fennel.

Jodi decided to order two of the smaller dishes. The first one was the spring pea salad, composed of English peas, snap peas, poppy seeds, walnuts and yogurt.

Spring pea salad at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Spring pea salad at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

It was quite good and I appreciated the texture of the dish, the peas being a bit on the crunchy side.

But the best was definitely the roasted mushrooms, served with pancetta, ricotta salata and a perfectly made poached egg.

Roasted mushrooms at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Roasted mushrooms at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

This was very good and understand that, usually, Jodi does not like poached eggs: she inhaled it!

After a phenomenal meal, we could not miss the dessert from pastry Chef Katherine Thompson and decided to share the olive oil cake and the chocolate budino, an Italian chocolate pudding. Because of a large party, desserts took time to come, so our waiter offered me another glass of wine and comped the desserts, apologizing for the wait. This is great service and the kind of gesture that would surely make us want to go back.

But, back to the desserts. The olive oil cake was the best, even if the pudding was delicious, it surpassed it. There was no need for the raisins marmalade or crème fraiche mousse, as it was definitely standing on its own. The pudding itself was dense and very chocolatey, perfect for chocolate lovers.

Olive oil cake at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Olive oil cake at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

Chocolate budino at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York — Chocolate budino at L'Artusi, Italian Restaurant in the West Village, NYC, New York

We had a great time at L'Artusi and I understand why this place is so popular: not only the food is spectacular, but the service is outstanding, making the whole experience memorable. I highly recommend that place!

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! 5/30/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/30/15

O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York

The first time I tried a merveilleux was in Paris, at my friends Caroline and Arnaud who bought them at Aux Merveilleux de Fred. The merveilleux is a meringue cookie coated in whipped cream; it is a specialty from the North of France and Flanders (Belgium).

Cake display at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York — Cake display at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York

Coffee machine at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York — Coffee machine at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York

So I was excited to try O Merveilleux, a Belgian bakery located in Yorkville, on the Upper East Side. It is a colorful place that serves also some choux (cream puffs), cookies and macarons. We decided to get some treats with some tea and espresso (double of course...).

Espresso and meringues at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York — Espresso and meringues at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York

We chose three merveilleux as well as one cream puff, all of them mini sizes. Yes, they offer mini sizes that is smart, because people love to try a few.

Merveilleux and chou at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York — Merveilleux and chou at O Merveilleux in Yorkville, NYC, New York

We tried:

Merveilleux with dark chocolate:

Merveilleux with white chocolate:

Merveilleux with speculoos:

Vanilla chou:

All of them were delicious: the merveilleux were light and not too sweet. I do not think I had a favorite, all of them being good. The chou was succulent too and I loved the fact that there was a lot of vanilla cream in it.

I really liked O Merveilleux and would not mind going back there if I am in the area.

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! 5/28/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/28/15

Kyochon Chicken in NYC, New York

I love chicken in any way: fried, roasted, pan seared...So I was looking forward to try Kyochon Chicken near Koreatown. So, here I am in that place that is fairly modern: very bright, trendy decor and loud techno music, especially if you go upstairs where a large counter as well as tables are. You order at the counter and then have to wait until your buzzer tells you your food is ready.

I took the sal sal chicken combo. Sal sal chicken is crispy rice chicken strips.

I really liked the added crispiness of the rice, but thought that it was a bit dry. I just wish they were proposing a sauce with it. For the side, I picked potato wedges; another disappointment, but I would say that it was more a bad choice that anything else: I am more a fan of crispy fries.

With it, I really wanted to try their wings. Apparently their hot wings are dry hot and, in fact, I got a sample on my tray. I confirm: delicious but very hot. But again, delicious, so, even if your mouth is on fire, you cannot resist.

What I ordered were the honey wings.

This was very good: it was sweet, heavenly crispy and the chicken was moist. I regretted at that point that I ordered the sal sal chicken and did not go solely with wings.

I have mixed feelings about Kyochon, although I really enjoyed the wings. If I were to go back, I would stick to that or order their whole chicken...

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! 5/26/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/26/15

Like A Local Tours: Flatiron Food Tour

It has been a while we were talking about going on a food tour, when I received an email inviting us to one of the tours organized by Like A Local Tours, a company that proposes food tours in the Flatiron area as well as Brooklyn. We decided to try the Flatiron History & Food Tour. Ok, I admit that I was more interested by the food than by the history, but was in fact quite pleased to learn a bit of the past of this area I often visit. It was also a good occasion to take the time, in this fast paced city, to stop and admire the architecture of the buildings we passed so many times in front of, without even noticing how beautiful they were.

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

Robert Stout from Like A Local Tours: Flatiron Food Tour — Robert Stout from Like A Local Tours: Flatiron Food Tour

Our tour guide, Robert, was fantastic: very friendly and knowledgeable, giving us some interesting pieces of information as we walked from one place to another. The meeting point was in front of Eataly, the famous Italian marketplace opened few years back by Chef Lidia Bastianich, Joe Bastianich and celebrity Chef Mario Batali.

We went inside, admiring the architecture, as well as enjoying a double espresso made at Caffe Vergnano, a coffee shop opened in 1882 in Italy.

Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York — Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York

Espresso machine at Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York — Espresso machine at Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York

Espresso at Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York — Espresso at Caffe Vergnano, Eataly in NYC, New York

I was literally mesmerized by the coffee machine they were using, that was not only huge, but also beautiful, like the Rolls Royce of espresso machines. We then crossed the street, and ended up at Madison Square Park, home of the first two Madison Square Gardens. And guess what? We ended up at Shake Shack, right after they opened, explaining the short line in front of us.

Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York

When I think that the first time I tried this place I did not like it...Well, I changed my mind and I am a big fan of their burger, not the wait though...

Burgers at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York — Burgers at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York

'Shroom burger at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York — 'Shroom burger at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York

Vanilla milkshake at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York — Vanilla milkshake at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York

Park Burger at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York — Park Burger at Shake Shack at Madison Square Park, NYC, New York

Jodi went for their 'shroom burger (crisp-fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with lettuce, tomato and shack sauce) and I decided to try their Park Burger, a limited offer, made with applewood smoked bacon and a cave-aged jasper hill raw cow's milk cheese sauce. To help digest all of this, I got a vanilla milkshake that was delicious. There is no question that this place is worth trying, despite the long wait you may face when going there: Danny Meyer's burger chain is one of the best. When I think that it all started with a food cart at that location, before this flagship kiosk opened in 2004. And now, they have restaurants across the US as well as in UK, Turkey, Russia and Middle East.

Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

Then, we walked to the Flatiron building where Robert explained to us the origin of the expression "giving them the 23 Skidoo" that was unknown to me to be honest...Here is an extract from Wikipedia:

Perhaps the most widely known story of the origin of the expression concerns the area around the triangular-shaped Flatiron Building at Madison Square in New York City. The building is located on 23rd Street at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, the latter two of which intersect at a very oblique angle. Because of the shape of the building, winds swirl around it. During the early 1900s, groups of men reportedly gathered to watch women walking by have their skirts blown up, revealing legs, which were seldom seen publicly at that time. Local constables, when sometimes telling such groups of men to leave the area, were said to be "giving them the 23 Skidoo".

We then walked to Obica (means "that's happening right before your eyes" in an old Neapolitan dialect), an Italian restaurant we passed by so many times.

Exchange buffet signage at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York — Exchange buffet signage at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

At the entrance of Obica, you cannot miss the old signage from The Exchange Buffet, that is said to have been the first cafeteria in the US; signage that the owner found when building the restaurant. This is definitely an incredible piece of history and it is great that they kept it.

Dining room at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

Bar at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

This restaurant is huge, with a large dining room upstairs, as well as a room downstairs that is perfect for private parties. It had an interesting feel, modern and rustic at the same time, with definitely some warmth, thanks to the exposed brick, wooden bar and tables. Menu wise, they offer the usual dishes you would find in an Italian restaurant, but with some particularities. For instance, Obica being a mozzarella bar, you cannot miss this divine cheese that they ship twice a week from Italy. We got to try their burrata that was spectacular: so creamy, light and refreshing, that I was glad that Jodi paced herself...

Burrata at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

We ate it with some house made bread that I would have finished if I did not know a pizza would be served later.

Breads at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

I was definitely curious about the pizza that is Neapolitan style, made with triple-0 and whole wheat flour, the dough being left to rise for 48 hours. They cook it in a Valiorani gas oven made in Italy.

Gas oven at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

Pizza at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

The pizza we tried was the Pomodoro Biologico e Mozzarella, made with organic tomato, Mozzarella di Bufala and basil. This was really good and I liked the texture of the crust that was delighfully crispy.

Foccacina at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York — Foccacina at Obica, Italian restaurant in NYC, New York

We also tried some foccacina that is like pizza crust brushed with olive oil.

After sampling all of this, we definitely want to go back to Obica for dinner! But we had to leave and our next stop was in the corner of Broadway and 20th street, where we stopped in front of a beautiful cast iron building that today house Brooks Brothers and offices, but used to be owned by Lord & Taylor who opened a store there, in 1870, in this area known as Ladies' mile. We then crossed the street to go to Beecher's, a cheese shop that opened in 2011.

If you are a cheese lover, you have to see this place, where they make their flagship cheese right there, using a process called cheddaring. Yes, their flagship cheese is simply called flagship and it is gruyere made with the same process as cheddar.

Making cheese at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York — Making cheese at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York

Cheddaring at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York — Cheddaring at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York

They make cheese most of the day, using milk stored in the huge tank that is in the back of the room on the ground floor.

At Beecher's, you can either sit upstairs for a casual meal, or go downstairs, in the cellar, where you can have a meal surrounded by cheese that is aging up to 18 months.

The cellar at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York

After trying some samples, we tried their grilled cheese, made with the flagship cheese.

flagship at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York — flagship at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York

Grilled cheese at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York — Grilled cheese at Beecher's cheese shop in NYC, New York

This was a very good grilled cheese: not too greasy on the outside, the bread was crispy and they were definitely generous with the amount of cheese.

The last stop was Breads Bakery.

Jodi kept talking about this place since she tried their croissant at her friend Tessa's place. So here we were, like VIPs, going in the back of the kitchen, where we looked, envious and trying not to drool, at the delicious viennoiseries and breads they make.

The kitchen at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — The kitchen at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Scale at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Scale at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

First, we saw the rolls they prepare for Burger and Lobster, a place located close by that serves lobster rolls and...burgers.

Burger buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Burger buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Lobster rolls at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Lobster rolls at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Then, the challah bread that looked succulent.

Challah bread at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Challah bread at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

As well as the croissants, croissants aux amandes and cinnamon buns.

Croissants and cinnamon buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Croissants and cinnamon buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Cinnamon buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Cinnamon buns at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Almond croissants at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Almond croissants at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Croissants at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Croissants at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

Or preparing bread before putting it in the oven:

Preparing bread at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Preparing bread at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

But we were there for one reason: their chocolate babka that has been named the best in New York City by New York Magazine. I tried a babka last year and was not that fond of it, but after trying this one, I am sold! It was spectacular!

Chocolate babka at Breads bakery in NYC, New York — Chocolate babka at Breads bakery in NYC, New York

They prepare it with French butter (explaining the flakiness), nutella and Belgian chocolate. Imagine that Jodi does not like nutella, but inhaled her slice (to my disappointment, as I was hoping for some more...). I would go to Breads just for this, but there were other items like the rugalah that I certainly want to try.

We finished the tour full and glad we experienced it: Like A Local Tours is definitely worth considering if you want to indulge while learning history about this amazing city.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Obica Mozzarella Bar Pizza E Cucina on Urbanspoon

I Just Want To Eat! 5/24/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/24/15

Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

This is the ultimate pizza as it has four corner slices, preventing any fight over the almighty deliciousness that a corner is. I mean, who would want s middle slice from a Sicilian pizza???
The first bite was fantastic: the nicely charred crust was delightfully crispy and the sauce was divine. And that cheese...When you have tried mozzarella di bufala, there is no turning back!

If you ask me, luzzo's is one of the best pizzerias in New York City. I discovered it during a pizza tour two years ago and went to probably all their locations: in the East Village, at The Gansevoort Market, and now, TriBeCa.

Dining room at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York — Dining room at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

With a totally different decor from their flagship restaurant (look up and you will see what's on the ceiling), the one in TriBeCa displays a modern rusticity. I could definitely see myself having a drink or some pizza at the large bar. It is also a warm place, thanks to the exposed brick; my only regret is that the brick oven is not visible from the dining room. Last, I should mention the scooter at the entrance, adding a bit of authenticity to the place.

Scooter at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York — Scooter at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

Each time I went to Luzzo's, I was not disappointed and we were looking forward to trying different dishes. Few minutes after we ordered, they brought us some delicious bread, made in their oven, that we eagerly dipped in olive oil. I guess the base was pizza dough, with some yeast added.

Bread and olive oil at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York — Bread and olive oil at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

Then, came the arancini di riso, some deliciously creamy, cheesy and crunch rice balls that are served with marinara sauce.

Arancini di riso at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York — Arancini di riso at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

But, it was nothing in comparison with the pizza that came after that. We ordered a small "The quadrata", an old fashioned square pizza made with mozzarella di bufala, tomatoes, oregano and garlic.

Quadrata pizza at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York — Quadrata pizza at Da Mikele by Luzzo's in Tribeca, NYC, New York

This was another delicious meal and I wished that we did not have other plans for dessert so we could dive into their dessert menu. If you've never been to Luzzo's, I highly recommend it. As far as I am concerned, I will certainly go back!

Enjoy (I sure 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! 5/22/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/22/15

Avra Estiatorio, Greek restaurant in NYC, New York

For my birthday, we went to Avra Estiatorio, an elegant Greek restaurant located Midtown East. When people asked me if I already went there, I answered affirmatively: I went there more than 10 years ago and remember two things: the long wait (couple of minutes became 45 minutes) and the delicious fresh lobster I ate. I was hoping the first would not repeat...Well, it kind of did...

It was a Tuesday and the place was packed. Despite our reservation, we probably waited 25 minutes and they attempted to give us a table right next to the bar, where would have had other patrons derrieres as the sole sight. So we respectfully declined and waited for a better table that unfortunately never came: I sat my back to the door that was wide open (so the wait staff could go outside to serve people sitting at the terrace), the cold air forcing me to put my jacket on.

After we ordered, they brought us a bread basket (I was expecting pita), with olives, radicchio and some house made hummus that was a bit liquid. We started off with the fried saganaki:

At Avra, they do not flambé it, but, it was not necessary, the fried version being delicious: crispy, not greasy, gooey and chewy at the same time. Then, for her entrée, Jodi ordered the Tonos or Grilled sushi quality tuna with sautéed swiss chard and sliced marinated beets.

The fish was very good, perfectly cooked rare, as requested. However, the swiss chard was not Jodi or myself's favorite...

On my side, I ordered the youvetsi or Shrimp, scallops, clams and mussels in tomato and herbs with orzo and feta cheese.

This was terrific dish: first, the seafood was amazing, tasting very fresh and perfectly cooked. I should mention the large size of these shrimp that would make you regret to have dined once at Red Lobster and enjoyed their shrimp...Then, the orzo, bathed in this delicious sauce and sprinkled with feta was spectacular. This is definitely a dish I recommend.

For dessert, we went for baklava:

And a Galaktoboureko that is a custard pie:

I admit that I preferred the Galaktoboureko that was a first, the custard complementing well the sweetness of the sugar syrup. The baklava was just ok and definitely not the best I had (Molyvos has an awesome one!).

The dinner at Avra Estiatorio was good, but I prefer Thalassa or Molyvos: the food is better and the atmosphere less stuffy....

I Just Want To Eat! 5/20/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/20/15

Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Haldi is one the new new venues Michelin-starred Executive Chef Hemant Mathur is devoting his time and talent to grow. Chef Mathur is not unknown to me as I was lucky enough to taste his amazing food at Tulsi in November 2013 (he got a Michelin star there), but without a chance to meet with him. I mean, he has an impressive resume: worked at Bukhara, one of the popular restaurants in Deli that I tried last year; he teamed up to open Devi, getting a Michelin star in 2007, being the first Indian restaurant in the country to get one. I admit that I did not like Devi that since closed, but it was anyway way after Chef Mathur left the restaurant.

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

Executive Chef Hemant Mathur at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Executive Chef Hemant Mathur at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

We spoke a bit with Chef Mathur and I was truly pleased to see how nice and humble he is (he was also going from table to table to check with the patrons how the food was). Contrary to Devi or Tulsi, Haldi is more casual.

Dining room at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Dining room at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Ceiling at Dining room at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Ceiling at Dining room at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Food wise, the menu is not your usual Indian menu: there are of course traditional Indian dishes like Chicken Tikka Massala or vegetable samosas, but the majority of the dishes were unknown to me. These were regional specialties from Bengal as well as Rajasthan (Marwari). I should also mention the jewish bites and entrées that I have never seen before. So we tried different dishes in a tasting size. With my meal, I tried the different kinds of lassi: mango, salty (made with black salt and cumin) and sweet.

Mango lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Mango lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Salty lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Salty lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Sweet lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Sweet lassi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

After we sat, they brought us some papadum with tamarind sauce to open our appetite.

Papadum at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Papadum at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Then, came our appetizers. The first ones where from Bengal.

Jhal Muri or puffed rice, peanuts, green chutney and tomatoes.

Jhal Muri at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Jhal Muri at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Lamb egg roll, that is different from the Chinese egg roll and is more similar to a kati roll that had been fried.

Lamb egg roll at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Lamb egg roll at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

It was served with a garlic and onion chutney.

Garlic and onion chutney at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Garlic and onion chutney at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Chingri Malai or shrimp in a coconut and tamarind sauce, served with lachi that is a fried bread similar to puri.

Chingri Malai at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Chingri Malai at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Lachi bread at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Lachi bread at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Then, we got cheese samosas that are a jewish recipe.

Cheese samosas at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Cheese samosas at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

All these appetizers were delicious, my favorite being the chingri malai: that sauce was incredibly good!

Then, the entrées came. No chicken tikka massala for me as it is too standard. We had some vegetarian dishes that were succulent. First was the kali dal, made with black lentils and being similar to dal makhni (so creamy, yum):

Kali dal at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Kali dal at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

The other one was the Haldi paneer (from Rajasthan). Paneer is cottage cheese; at Haldi, they smother it in a tomato and onion gravy.

Haldi paneer at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Haldi paneer at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

I then could not resist trying the lamb kebab, served with papaya, poppy seeds and habanero pepper.

Lamb kebab at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Lamb kebab at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

As well as the shrimp ajwai tikka, served in a creamy marinade.

Shrimp ajwai kebab at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Shrimp ajwai kebab at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Last was chicken makhmura, a jewish entrée. It was diced chicken in an almond-cashew sauce.

Chicken Makhmura at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Chicken Makhmura at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

We ate our entrées with either rice or some deliciously buttery naan bread.

Rice at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Rice at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Naan bread at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Naan bread at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

We were definitely full after all these dishes, but could not resist to try one of their desserts: misti dhoi that is a custard made of caramelized sugar, reduced milk and yogurt.

Misti dhoi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Misti dhoi at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

Last, we drank a massala chai, that definitely helped digest after such a meal.

Massala chai at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York — Massala chai at Haldi, Indian restaurant in Curry Hill, NYC, New York

This was delicious: Haldi is definitely an Indian restaurant I recommend. The food, quite unusual, was fantastic and with the right amount of heat. I cannot wait to try the other restaurants of Chef Mathur and will certainly go back to Haldi.

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! 5/18/15 I Just Want To Eat! 5/18/15

Bagatelle, French restaurant in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

I was recently invited to a blogger dinner at Bagatelle, the popular French restaurant in the Meatpacking district. There, I had a fantastic time with the team of Blue Polo Interactive, Inc. (Jocelyn, Michael and Josh), as well as my fellow bloggers, Malini, The Restaurant Fairy, and Christine. There, we got to meet with Chef Sebastien Chamaret, who gave us an exclusive tour of the busy kitchen.

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

Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Chef Sebastien Chamaret from Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Chef Sebastien Chamaret from Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

The dinner was around 7pm and, for my first time there, I did not know what to expect, although one of my colleagues, Jérome, warned me that there might be some dancing on the tables at some point...Not so surprising as bagatelle means frivolous in French. I, of course, noticed the elegant decor, with white being predominant, and beautiful chandelier adding some chic to the place. I could also not miss the impressive bar and the even more impressive bottles of champagne sitting on one of the sides.

Dining room at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Dining room at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Champagne at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Champagne at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

After a certain time, enjoying our meal, the lights got dimmed and the DJ started entertaining a crowd that got more and more excited as the evening went. I left at 11pm, but apparently, it was only the start of what would become a real party.

We, of course, accompanied our dishes with a nice selection of wines, recommended by their sommelier, Thibault. Before the dinner started, I decided to cool myself down with a nice glass of Riesling.

Riesling at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Riesling at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Then, for dinner, we switched between white and red. For white, we went for a Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru 2011, Clos Saint Marc.

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru 2011, Clos Saint Marc at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru 2011, Clos Saint Marc at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

For red, we had a fantastic Bordeaux: a Saint-Estephe, Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Grand cru classe 2005:

Saint-Estephe, Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Grand cru classe 2005 at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Saint-Estephe, Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Grand cru classe 2005 at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

The wine was excellent, and the only problem of the evening was to find space on the table for the food, with all these different glasses...

Table at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Table at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

First, they brought us some bread (you cannot have a French meal without bread!) with some ricotta that added a fresh note.

Bread and ricotta at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Bread and ricotta at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Then, the appetizers came. You might not have gone to a dinner with a blogger, but understand that we were all camera ready to get a shot, standing up to be able to get a good photo, without spilling any wine or water.

Photoshoot at at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Photoshoot at at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

We got:

Gnocchi truffé a la Parisenne de Nicolas, or homemade gnocchi with black truffle pesto and truffle sauce. The gnocchi were light and fluffy, with the aroma of truffle making you want to eat the entire plate.

Gnocchi truffé a la Parisenne de Nicolas, or homemade gnocchi with black truffle pesto at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Gnocchi truffé a la Parisenne de Nicolas, or homemade gnocchi with black truffle pesto at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Tartare de thon Bagatelle composed of ahi tuna tartare, avocado salad, lime soy vinaigrette and taro chips.

Tartare de thon Bagatelle at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Tartare de thon Bagatelle at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Ceviche de Saumon Sauvage, or marinated Wild king salmon, kumquats confit & yuzu emulsion (beautifully presented in a scallop shell and so refreshing, with a perfect acidity):

Ceviche de Saumon Sauvage at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Ceviche de Saumon Sauvage at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Chou frisé or baby kale with dry cranberries, ricotta salata, pickled shallots and sunflower seeds. It was good, but I definitely enjoyed more the gnocchi and tartare. I mean, how many times did you read that I ordered a salad for lunch or dinner?

Kale salad at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Kale salad at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Then came the entrées:

First was the Filet de saumon sauvage grillé or grilled wild salmon. It was served with asparagus and a Hollandaise sauce.

Filet de saumon sauvage grillé or grilled wild salmon at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Filet de saumon sauvage grillé or grilled wild salmon at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

The second fish was a halibut or Filet de Flétan, served with fava beans, crushed fingerling potatoes and a hazelnut salsa.

Halibut at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Halibut at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Both fish dishes were good; however, my favorite was the salmon that had a delicious crispy skin.

Next was the coquilles Saint-Jacques rôties or scallops, served with baby artichokes, fennel “farrotto” and orange-saffron emulsion; it was one of the favorites of the people sitting around the table.

coquilles Saint-Jacques or scallops at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — coquilles Saint-Jacques or scallops at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

After the sea, came the land. First was the Canard a l'orange et citronelle. It was duck breast with a succulent confit leg fritter, glazed baby turnips and an orange and lemongrass sauce.

Canard a l'orange et citronelle at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Canard a l'orange et citronelle at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

But my favorite was definitely the Poulet fermier roti et truffé, served with country style potatoes. I mean, that chicken and these potatoes were simply incredible and I did not miss a bite, including the tasty chicken skin.

Poulet fermier roti et truffé at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Poulet fermier roti et truffé at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

When we thought it was time for desserts, two dishes came...First was the pizza a la truffe noire or pizza with black truffle, creme fraiche and scamorza cheese (Italian cow's milk cheese, similar to mozzarella).

pizza a la truffe noire at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — pizza a la truffe noire at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

And then, the Chateaubriand or beef tenderloin, served with truffled mash, peppercorn and red wine sauces. This is for two people, but I admit that I would not mind not sharing...

Chateaubriand at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Chateaubriand at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

Truffled mash with Chateaubriand at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Truffled mash with Chateaubriand at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

At this point, I regretted not wearing my stretch pants, especially when desserts came...We to to try:

The chocolate mousse:

Mousse au chocolat at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Mousse au chocolat at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

The tarte tatin (my favorite; that crust was delightfully buttery):

Tarte tatin at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Tarte tatin at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

The ile flottante (egg white poached meringue with creme anglaise, almonds and caramel):

Ile flottante at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Ile flottante at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

But the most spectacular is their giant sunday that comes with sparklers, accompanied by music, sometimes clapping and clamoring of the other guests.

Sunday at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Sunday at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

That ice cream was giant! Look at its size compared to the chocolate mousse! We just had time to snap some photos and so asked for more sparklers so we could take a video.

I finished the meal with a decaf espresso, although people around the table were stunned that it could even exist, or that someone would have the guts to order such a thing.

Decaf espresso at Sunday at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York — Decaf espresso at Sunday at Bagatelle in the Meatpacking District, NYC, New York

This was a fantastic dinner: great company and good food in a restaurant that is worth knowing. Bagatelle is definitely unique and has this great atmosphere that would make you think that you are far away, on vacation somewhere...

Thanks to the Bagatelle and Blue Polo Interactive team for organizing this wonderful event.

Enjoy (I did)!

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