I Just Want To Eat! 4/29/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/29/17

BBQ at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

It's been a while since we wanted to go to Stacks Pancake House and Cafe, but I admit that I always got discouraged by the line outside on the weekends. So, when we got an opportunity to go for lunch on a weekday, we did not hesitate. I went there back in 2012, at the time when it did not offer the BBQ menu that was introduced much later.

Sign from Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

They brought us at the beginning of the meal some corn muffins, replacing the corn bread that we got the first time we went: it is always a crowd pleaser, unless of course you do not like corn.

Corn muffins at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

For her entree, Jodi decided to order their spinach salad made with mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon and avocado, served in a crispy tortilla. It was ok.

Spinach salad at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I, of course, ordered their BBQ and went for their combination platter composed of two ribs, three slices of brisket and 1/4 of a chicken. The meat is dry rubbed and marinated with their special blend of seasoning and spices and then placed in their specially designed smoker for an extended period of time. I admit that when the plate came, it looked dry. And it was! Even putting some of their sauces did not help at all and I did not even finish my plate that is really rare considering that I love BBQ. Not only was it dry, but the ribs did not fall off the bone and the brisket was not tender at all.

BBQ combination platter at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Chicken at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Ribs at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

Brisket at Stacks Pancake House and Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

So it was very disappointing. If I were to go back to Stacks Pancake House and Cafe, I would stick with pancakes and waffles. For BBQ in Hoboken, I would go to House of Que, few blocks away.

Enjoy (...)!

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

Stacks Pancake House and Cafe - 506 Washington St. Hoboken, NJ

I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/17

Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I recently noticed an increase in the number of restaurants serving poke (pronounce "po-keh"), this raw fish salad that is served as an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine. And Hoboken is not forgotten: few weeks ago, Makai Poke Co opened on Washington street, greeting customers with a cheerful "Aloha".

Dining room at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Sign at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

This is a casual place where you will order at the counter and chose between either pre-defined dishes like the "pele" I tried on my second visit, or you can build your own, an experience that is always fun, although overwhelming when you are not sure what to put in your salad...or your burrito (I am not sure I would try that one), feeling the pressure, especially if other customers are waiting behind you.

Here is how you build it:

They have few choices for the base of your dish: white rice, brown rice, zucchini noodles, kale, Spring vegetables or quinoa, the zucchini being my favorite as I thought that the rice needed a bit more sauce and was on the heavier side (you can add soy sauce if you want). It all depends if you chose the bowl, the salad or the burrito.
Then, you will pick your protein: shrimp, salmon, ahi tuna or tofu. For the fish, I have tried their marinated salmon and tuna as well as their spicy version, all being very good.
Next is your vegetables and fruit like mango, jalapeño, guacamole, edamame, corn, etc..A good number of items for sure.
You then add your sauce (I tried few of them, but admit that I forgot what was what...).
Last are the toppings: sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, crispy onions, etc...

Et voila!

Poke bowls at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

The first bowl I tried was composed of marinated salmon, marinated tuna, zucchini noodles and sushi rice (yes, both!), edamame, corn, mango and macadamia nuts.

Marinated tuna and salmon bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

The second time, I got the "pele" bowl, made with spicy tuna and spicy salmon, cucumber, edamame, jalapeño, pickled vegetables, corn, wasabi shoyu and sesame seeds. Another delicious dish, fortunately, the fish was not spicy (I cannot pick if I prefer the marinated or spicy version, both being very good). I should mentioned that the base was the zucchini noodles.

Pele bowl at Marinated tuna and salmon bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Pele bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Both times, Jodi ordered a bowl with tofu and zucchini noodles, varying the ingredients.

Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I should mention the beverages: they have a good selection of Hawaiian drinks like the mango cream soda we tried the first time or the coffee with milk made with Kona Coffee.

Mango creamy soda at Tofu bowl at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

Coffee with milk at Makai Poke Co in Hoboken, NJ

I love Makai Poke Co: they definitely have their place in Hoboken, where delicious healthy places are not that common. The concept is good as you cannot be bored because you can compose a different salad with fresh ingredients each time you go there. I definitely recommend it!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Makai Poke Co - 521 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/17

Kaizen conveyor belt at Yo! Sushi near the Flatiron - Closed

Last Friday, Jodi and I went to Yo! Sushi, a restaurant near the Flatiron that opened a month ago. I really wanted to try it as they have a kaiten conveyor belt, a fun way to eat sushi.

Last Friday, Jodi and I went to Yo! Sushi, a restaurant near the Flatiron that opened a month ago. I really wanted to try it as they have a kaiten conveyor belt, a fun way to eat sushi.

It is not a big place, organized with booths for two people in the first part of the dining room and seats at the counter in the back. Needless to say that if you are a group, you have limited ways to seat together. So, you can either take dishes from the conveyor belt, each plate having a color corresponding to a price, or, you can ask the waiter for hot dishes that will be prepared in the open kitchen. Each table even has a "help" button in case you need your waiter.

Here is what we had:

Tamago nigiri (Japanese omelet):

Shrimp sushi (ebi nigiri):

Avocado roll:

Seaweed salad (kaiso seaweed made with marinated seaweed, edamame and carrot in miso):

Yasai roll made with tamago, inari, avocado, cucumber and carrot:

Japanese chicken wings (dusted with sansho pepper and lemon):

Japanese chicken wings at Yo! Sushi in NYC, NY

Everything was really good, with a special mention for the wings that were delicious, crispy, with the chicken being perfectly cooked and moist, but very hot.

As a drink, we ordered a lychee soda that was quite good.

Japanese lychee soda at Yo! Sushi in NYC, NY

If you'd like to try Yo! sushi, know that you can also get your food to go as they have a bunch of already made dishes or can prepare them to order. On my side, I would go back for the conveyor belt as it is a fun way to dine, although a bit difficult sometimes to identify what the dishes are unless you go for simple ones as we did. It is a nice concept, the kind where people have so much fun that they keep taking plates and end up with a large bill. This was not our case fortunately...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Yo! sushi - 23 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/17

NYC Ferry event at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

I was recently invited by N YC Ferry to an influencer event at the Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City. NYC Ferry will launch a new service in the Summer stretching 60 miles of waterway routes, so New Yorkers (and others) can discover new parts of the city, taste new flavors and embark on new cultural adventures in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

Citywide Ferry event at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Here is what we had:

Rockaway Brewing Company: this was the place where the event took place, being packed with locals as well as various influencers who were invited. This is an interesting place, with a section where a band was rehearsing (the "Now Recording" on the door may have indicated more...).

The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Band rehearsing at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Main room at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Beer kegs at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Brewery at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

I tried two of their beers:

1875 - a pale ale that has a nice citrusy flavor and the Biere de garde - a dry and savory farmhouse lager with a nice dark color. It was in fact my favorite beer.

Beers on tap at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

1875 and biere de garde beers at The Rockaway Brewing Company in Long Island City

Caracas Arepa Bar, that not only has a spot in Rockaway, but also a very popular restaurant in the city. There, we tried some mini-arepas:

Address:

106-01 Shore Front Parkway, Queens NY

Reina Pepiada, made with chunky chicken and avocado salad, as well as the arepa gate, made with Guayanes cheese, avocado and sweet plantain.

Reina pepiada arepa from Caracas Arepa Bar

Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs:

There, I got to try some delicious ribs and chicken served in different style: BBQ and jerk. This was delicious! Of course, I could not not finish with their pulled pork sandwich that was really juicy, and their Jamaican patties (chicken, but also vegetarian).

Address:

7018 Amstel Boulevard, Queens, NY11692

A plate from Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs

Rib sandwich from Goody's BBQ Chicken and Ribs

Rockaway Beach Bakery:

This was fantastic: they had a mini-everything ham and cheese croissant that is a great fusion between an everything bagel and a croissant. I also loved their surfboard shortbread that had the mark of a shark attack.

Address:

87-10 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Far Rockaway, NY 11693

Mini-Everything ham and cheese croissant and surfboard shortbread from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Surfboard shortbread from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Mini-Everything ham and cheese croissant from Rockaway Beach Bakery

Other parties involved in this event were: Rockaway Beach Club, A-Team Paddleboarding, Tacoway Beach, Edgemere Farm, Citysticks, DJ Matt Webster and BEasy Band (might be the band I saw outside...). This was a nice event that allowed us to discover a few places in Rockaway and made us want to go there as soon as NYC Ferry starts their new service. Stay Tuned!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Rockaway Brewing Company - 4601 5th St, Long Island City, NY11101

I Just Want To Eat! 4/22/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/22/17

Truffle Burger from Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda

Opened since 1852, Urbani Truffles is a 6 generation family business that can argue to be the largest purveyor of truffles in the world, with approximately 18,000 truffle hunters, sourcing this delicious fungus mainly in Italy, France, Spain and Australia. Urbani Truffles is not unknown to me as I use some of their products when cooking and I was excited when invited to their truffle lab for a happy hour of truffle burgers and beer

The Restaurant Fairy working at Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

The truffle burger is the result of the collaboration between Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda, one if not the most known meat purveyor in the country. Their patty is made with chuck, brisket and short ribs, and contains real pieces of black Winter truffle.

Truffle Burger with burrata from Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda

Yes, there, you do not get truffle flavor, often artificial, or few drops of truffle oil, but real black truffle and the result is phenomenal! The burgers were prepared by the chefs from City Cooking West End, who propose cooking classes at the Truffle Lab of Urbani, a perfect setting for food lovers, as well as in other places.

We also tried their truffle burrata that was so good, creamy with a nice hint of truffle.

Truffle burrata from Urbani Truffles and Pat La Frieda

Truffle fries that I tried with a truffle mustard, but also truffle ketchup, a delicious elegant version of a classic sauce. I should mention their truffle chili sauce that was superb, not spicy, that I tried on a burger.

Truffle fries at Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

Truffle sauces from Urbani Truffles, NYC, NY

The event was sponsored by La Birra di Meni, an Italian beer from Cavasso Nuovo. I tried their Siriviela, a light blond beer that had a nice color and delicious taste. Know that their beers are made with all natural ingredients and are unfiltered.

This was a great event: the food was delicious. There, I learned that in terms of quality, the winter truffle is better than the summer one, and that the white truffle, rarer than the black truffle and so more expensive, has a more fragrant taste. Before, you needed to go to high end restaurants to get truffle, but, in the past few years, more and more are offering dishes with truffles, that name being a good justification to markup their prices. Fortunately, there are companies like Urbani Truffles and Pat LaFrieda who promote prime ingredients. I hope lots of restaurants will serve that sublime truffle burger and, if you are looking for Urbani Truffles products, you can find them in fine grocery stores, Eataly or even FreshDirect (the last two being where I buy mine). Much easier is to go to their website...

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! 4/21/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/21/17

5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side

My cousin Sarah was visiting and wanted to have a burger, a classic dish representing Americana. She lives in the U.K. Where they often go to Shake Shack that has an outpost (maybe several) in London, so not craving it, but still wanting to eat one in New York. She told us that she heard good things about Black Iron Burger, but, based on a previous disappointing experience there, I persuaded her to go 5 Napkin Burger, one of my top burger places in the city.

There are several restaurants across Manhattan and I reserve a table at their location on the Upper East Side, conveniently located across from the new Second Avenue subway. The place is not much different from the others, the decor taking elements from a slaughterhouse.

Dining room at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

That day, I was really reasonable and skipped the milk shake I usually order there (they make a great cookies and cream one), and just went for their signature burger, the 5 Napkin, called this because it is so juicy one napkin will not be enough. This burger is composed of 10 oz. fresh ground chuck, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli on a soft white roll. It is thick and messy and you not only need a good grab but also to open your mouth wide open to take a bite. And what a bite! First of all, you really taste the meat and it is not overpowered by tons of spices. Then, the balance meat / roll is perfect. And on top of that, if you add the generous amount of cheese, the sublime aioli and the juiciness of the patty, you are in heaven.

Signature burger at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

French fries at 5 Napkin Burger on the Upper East Side, NYC

The only thing that surprised me is that now, fries come as a separate order, a good way to make people think that prices did not increase..,Well, they did: the $18 dollar burger served in the past can now be considered a $23 dish.

I love Five Napkin Burger: their signature burger is for me one of the best in the City and I highly recommend 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!

5 Napkin Burger - 1325 2nd Avenue, New York, NY10021

I Just Want To Eat! 4/19/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/19/17

Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Last week, we were looking for a French restaurant and ended up at Gentleman Farmer on the Lower East Side. This small 20 seat place is unnoticeable, but, to my surprise, served some delicious food crafted by Chef Karim Nounouh. There, the Chef serves seasonal dishes inspired by French cuisine.

Dining room at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

We went early and the place was empty, fairly dark and with a space definitely optimized to pack as many tables as possible. Needless to say that I was glad it was not crowded so we could enjoy a quiet evening, rather than hearing the conversation of the table next to us...

Bread basket at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Butter and peppers at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

They started off by bringing us some bread with butter as well as peppers. I ate the bread with my appetizer: curried snails, an original dish, far from the original escargots de Bourgogne and their delicious butter and garlic sauce. It was good, although medium spicy.

Curried snails at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

For the entree, I wanted to order the cassoulet that was on their menu online as well as outside the restaurant. Unfortunately, both of them were outdated and they did not serve it. So, I finally decided to go with the tournedos Rossini that is filet mignon with seared foie gras on top, accompanied with asparagus and carrots confit. It was not my first choice because I often have been disappointed by meat in non-steakhouse restaurants. I was wrong! The filet mignon, ordered medium rare but coming more on the medium side was very good: tender and juicy, it was the perfect combination with the sublime foie gras. The veggies that came with it were also quite good, my preference going to the carrots confit that were melting in my mouth.

Tournedos Rossini at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Jodi went for the mushroom ravioli, made with seasonal mushrooms and shaved Summer truffle. This was the only vegetarian entree. I tried a bit of it and have to say that it was very good, a perfect dish if you love mushrooms.

Mushroom ravioli at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

Last was dessert and we decided to order a classic, the creme brûlée, that was delicious, perfectly set.

Creme brûlée at Gentleman Farmer in The Lower East Side, NYC

We had a great time at Gentleman Farmer: the food was delicious and the prices not outrageous. This is definitely a place to know about and I recommend it. But if you like quiet, I suggest you go at 6pm, when they open for dinner...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Gentleman Farmer - 40 Rivington Street, New York, NY10002

I Just Want To Eat! 4/17/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/17/17

Dinner at Tout Va Bien in Midtown

I recently went back at Tout Va Bien, a French restaurant Midtown with an interesting kind of overdone decor and a nice atmosphere filled with French music. Not the best French restaurant in town, but it serves a pretty decent food with prices that are not outrageous. Tout Va Bien has been feeding the New York crowd since 1948, a longevity that cannot be ignored for sure.

The first time I went there, I went all classic with the snails and the veal kidney, both being sublime. This time, I stuck to classics, but decided, although very tempted by these dishes, to go for different ones. Here is what I had:

First, I should mention the veggie plate that they brought to the table. I thought it was to replace the bread: not at all as a bread basket came right before the dishes were served. I admit that I was disappointed with the bread that was chewy, proof that it was not fresh...I mean, bread is a staple in France and you cannot have some decent one in a French restaurant???

Vegetables plate at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

Then I got foie gras. I admit that there I was a bit confused as I am sure it was supposed to be a crème brûlée foie gras, different from what came. Unfortunately, I could not verify on their website as the menu was not up to date. It was just ok, not as dense as a bloc de foie gras should be.

For the entree, I decided to go for a classic bistro dish: steak frites. The steak, a NY strip was ordered medium rare and came slightly on the medium side. But still, it was good (do not expect a steakhouse quality though).

It came with a salad and delicious fries, and I also ordered a nice Roquefort sauce on the side.

Roquefort sauce at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

For dessert, I could not resist ordering an île flottante (aka œufs à la neige or floating island), a dessert not often proposed on menus. It was decent, the eggs being a bit dense, but the vanilla sauce being delicious.

Ile flottante at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

I should mention the drinks I had with my meal. Well, in fact I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, but, interestingly, at the end f the meal, after dessert, they brought a huge bowl of sangria, attention that I did not notice in other tables...Weird to offer sangria at the end of a meal, no? I just tried a sip before leaving and it was quite good: after all, these are fruit...

Sauvignon blanc at Tout Va Bien in NYC, NY

Overall, it was an ok meal, not something that will stick in my memory if I am thinking about a good French place in New York. It was fine but I think I should have ordered the escargots and the veal kidney that is delicious there.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Tout Va Bien - 311 W 51st Street, New York, NY10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/15/17

Deal alert: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse lunch

Looking for good deals at steakhouses, I heard about the lunch prix-fixe at Ruth's Chris from one of my colleagues and decided to check it out. For a little less than $29, they offer a 2 1/2 course with a pretty interesting selection of dishes. 2 1/2 is an odd number and you will soon understand what the 1/2 is...

Dining room at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

The place was empty when I went with only few tables occupied. Good! That way it was quiet, the noise level at steakhouse (restaurants in general) being sometimes high. They started off by bringing some bread with whipped butter, a simple bread basket far from the mix of bread that lots of these places have.

Bread and butter at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

I then got my appetizer. I opted for the lobster bisque that was quite good, creamy, with few lobster lumps in it (just a few).

Lobster bisque at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

But what I was really looking forward to was the ribeye. First, I love this place because the steaks are cooked in butter and come on a 500 degree plate, sizzling. So, not only you get your nose filled with a fantastic smell, but the sizzling is such a nice music to the ears that you cannot resist looking at the dishes passing by to see what they are. I ordered the steak medium-rare and this 10oz ribeye was perfectly cooked. It was tender, with a slight char on top, juicy and was very flavorful. I admit that it is one of the best steaks I had for such a good price.

With the steaks, you can choose between mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. I was able to try both and liked them.

Mashed potatoes at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Creamed spinach at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Last was the 1/2 course: chocolate bark that I ate with an espresso.

Chocolate bark at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

Double espresso at Ruth's Chris in Manhattan

This was a fantastic lunch: a good deal with great quality meat. I highly recommend 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!

Ruth's Chris- 148 West 51st Street, NY, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/17

China Green Dim Sum in Hell's Kitchen - Closed

Alright, I admit that China Green was not our first choice: we wanted to try Dim Sum Palace in Hell's Kitchen as we keep seeing a large crowd each time we passed in front of it. I was surprised how big the place was, with its dining room in the back. It was not as crowded as the other place, but still, we decided to give it a try.

Dining room at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

They have a fairly large menu and we saw people ordering some casseroles that smelled delicious, coming sizzling at their table. But we were there for dim sum, and there too, they have a large selection. Here is what we tried:

Scallion pancakes: slightly greasy as you would expect for this dish, it was also delightfully crispy.

Scallion pancakes at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Vegetable roll: also nice and crispy, with a tasty filling.

Vegetable roll at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Pork soup dumplings: they were ok. The shell was sticky and I thought they did not have enough soup in it, missing also some of the fattiness I love in the other soup dumplings I have tried.

Soup dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Pork soup dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

Crystal shrimp dumplings: delicious, I definitely recommend them.

Crystal shrimp dumplings at China Green in Hell's Kitchen

The food at China Green was ok. I think places like Kung Fu Kitchen that is few blocks away is much better.

Enjoy (...)!

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

China Green - 368 West 46th Street, New York, NY, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/17

Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village - Closed

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

Hidden in a paved street of Soho, Kelley and Ping is a surprising find in an area crowded with tourists from all over the world. We went there last Friday, after receiving an invitation from the restaurant and I was definitely curious to try their pan-Asian dishes, some of them being inspired by street food. Entering there is like stepping into another world and forgetting that you are in Manhattan. The decor for sure cannot be unnoticed, especially one of the walls of the main dining room, with its large heads that definitely dominate the room, but not in a freaky way.

Dining room at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

In the back, next to the windows, some soldiers that look like the one from Emperor Qin in Xian, China, add even more to the Asian theme.

Decor at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

At lunch, this eatery is a self-service, but at night, it is a full service restaurant with a nice and trendy atmosphere, music playing in the background. Menu wise, the main specialties seem to be Thai, but I was surprised to see Korean dishes (Bulgogi) or Chinese (Kung Pao chicken). We started our meal by ordering some drinks. Thai iced tea for Jodi:

Thai iced tea at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Tamarind Whiskey Sour (made with Whiskey, fresh lemon juice, tamarind and honey) for me. I liked that drink that was sweet and sour, with each ingredient coming through and not being overpowered by too much whiskey.

Tamarind whiskey sour at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

For appetizers, we tried:

Yasai Bento: a bento box composed of vegetable dumplings, crispy tofu, edamame and sticky rice). I thought it was a great idea to propose a sampler and the presentation in a bento box was on point. Everything there was quite good, especially the dumplings and crispy tofu.

Yasai Bento at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Spring Rolls: fried vegetable rolls with a sweet and sour Sauce. the rolls were quite good, slightly greasy as expected (not a bad thing for this type of food), crispy, with the shell being perfect, not too thick.

Spring rolls at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Thai Satay (marinated grilled chicken skewers with peanut sauce): I admit that, although it looked good with the marking of the grill, I found the chicken a bit dry...

Thai satay at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

For the entrees, we shared:

Pad Sew Yew made of fresh rice noodles with chicken, vegetables and dark soy:

Pad See Yew at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

Chu Chee Salmon that is a wok-fired filet of salmon with red curry and kaffir lime leaves:

Chu Chee salmon at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

And a side of Tom Yum fried rice (they give the choice of Jasmine or brown rice and we chose the latter):

Tom Yum fried rice at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

My favorite was definitely the salmon that was perfectly cooked, moist and flakey with a nice caramelized top. I would go back just for this! Good also was the fried rice that I never had before with brown rice, adding a bit of bite to the whole dish.

For dessert, we tried the mochi ice cream:

Mochi ice cream at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

as well as fried banana served with a creamy coconut ice cream.

My favorite for this course was the fried banana that was perfectly made, the banana being ripe and the shell delightfully crispy.

Fried banana at Kelley and Ping in Greenwich Village

We had a nice dinner there and I liked the atmosphere of the place that has been around for more than 20 years. If you decide to go, make sure you order the salmon though! I would...

Kelley and Ping

127 Greene Street, New York, NY10012

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! 4/9/17 I Just Want To Eat! 4/9/17

Up and Coming dish in New York: Cassoulet

I was recently interviewed by the news agency, KeepInNews, who was investigating the popularity of cassoulet, a hearty French dish that is more and more proposed on menus in New York restaurants. The footage (copyright TV5Monde) that you can watch below has been broadcasted on TV5MONDE, a global television channel in French.

Cassoulet is a great dish, a sort of French comfort food that can be a heart attack on a plate. But, it might be a nice way to end, especially if it is the one from La Sirène, a restaurant in Soho not totally unknown to me, having been there already, meeting a few times with Chef and owner Didier Pawlicki who is from the same region cassoulet is coming from.

Chef Didier Pawlicki from La Sirene in NYC, NY

But, interestingly, his does not start with a "C", but with a "K" and is spelled phonetically. The explanation? His "kassulet" does not have a garlic sausage (there is a sausage but no garlic). It is made with cannellini beans, carrots, tomato, garlic duck confit, slab bacon and pork sausage all braised with (here is the heart attack) Noble Duck fat, White Stock and Foie Gras Jus.

The first bite of this dish is divine: you get the crunchiness of the crust and then the richness of the fat. Very flavorful, it is very filling. In fact, I went back a week after the filming and I am glad I did not have any appetizer, although it demanded a lot of will because I was really tempted with ordering their snails that are perfect.

For me, the cassoulet at La Sirene is the best, before the one at Benoit, the restaurant of Alain Ducasse located Midtown. Will Cassoulet become the new ramen as some say? I do not think so, but I am sure we will find this dish in many more restaurants serving bistro menus.

La Sirene - 558 Broome Street, New York, NY10013

Enjoy (I did)!

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I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/17

Gogi Grill, Korean restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

Succeeding to Lucky Burger, The Windmill and Clem's Steaks Unlimited, Gogi Grill is the second Korean restaurant after The Chicken Factory (great Korean fried chicken). Gogi Grill is a casual eatery that I would describe as the Korean Chipotle: fresh ingredients that can be served in a bowl, salad or burrito. You can either create your own or go with one of their five dishes, one of them called the kitchen sink and having all the ingredients. On one side is a counter where you can also order ice cream or crepes, but I admit that I was not in the mood for that that day...

Dining room at Gogi Grill, Korean restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

Ice cream and crepes at Gogi Grill, Korean restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

I decided to go for a bowl, with grilled chicken, shrimp, glass noodles, garlic-butter corn, spicy slaw, cheese and sriracha sour cream. I added a fried egg and topped it with katsu sauce.

Glass noodles at Gogi Grill, Korean restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

Jodi went for the salad, with tofu, glass noodles, garlic-butter corn, cheese, zucchini and squash. She also added the fried egg and topped it with the cucumber dill sauce.

As they closed the bowls with a plastic lid, it kind of screwed up the appearance of the bowls that looked really good before. There was definitely a lot of food and it was very tasty. I might have gone overboard a bit by ordering chicken and shrimp, as this was a lot. But it was quite comforting and a perfect meal for a cold weather. Hopefully Gogi Grill will stop the curse of that location and, considering how good their food is, they will probably...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Gogi Grill

I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/17

Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Steakhouses are pricey, but as we say, when steakhouses do well, the economy is doing well. However you do not need to spend hundreds to have a good steak, maybe not the best you ever had, but a good one. West Side Steakhouse is a good example of that. Located close to Times Square, but on the quiet 10th avenue, often not considered as an area to look for restaurants, West Side Steakhouse serves decent steaks.

Dining room at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

We went on a Friday night and the place was not that crowded, but still. Decor wise, it is not the heavy decor you find in lots of places, with leather banquettes and dark wood. I think the most noticeable thing there is would be the bottles of wine hanging on the walls.

They have a nice cocktail list so I could not resist ordering the Old Fashion, made with Bourbon, Muddled cherry and orange, sugar, Agnastora bitters. I admit that I was a bit disappointed because it tasted a bit diluted.

Old fashion cocktail at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

The bread basket was low key I would say, having only small rolls and butter, but the bread was at least good. I mention this because, often, steakhouses have different kinds of breads (white, pretzel, sticks, etc. ) and I am always looking forward to it, even if I know I should not eat too much of it considering the amount of food coming.

Bread basket at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

For appetizer, I hesitated between the slabs of bacon and the crab cake. But, being health conscious as you can imagine (???), I chose the later. There were two of them, made probably with the claw, not lump meat. Despite that, I liked it and thought that for $13, it was good, not full of breading or any other filler.

Crab cakes at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Next were the steaks. Jodi went for their 12oz filet mignon that was well cooked medium, tender and juicy.

Filet mignon at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

She also ordered the béarnaise sauce that was good. Know that one order suffices for two people.

Bearnaise sauce at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for a bone-in ribeye, cooked medium rare. There again, it was tender and juicy, without tons of fat but delightfully fatty. For $35, this 16oz steak was a good deal.

Bone-in ribeye at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

For sides, we went for the sautéed mushrooms

Sautéed mushrooms at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

And the three cheese mac and cheese.

Mac and cheese at Westside Steakhouse in NYC, NY

The mushrooms were quite good, not too garlicky, but the mac and cheese could have had a thicker cheese sauce. Despite that, I liked it.

Last was dessert and we chose the key lime pie that was quite good and not too sweet as it sometimes is.

It was overall decent, especially for the price points. West Side Steakhouse is for sure not the best Steakhouse in New York but a good alternative if you are craving steaks but do not want to break the bank. Other alternatives are Le Relais de Venise that has this amazing secret sauce and delicious fries. Another one is Chex Jacqueline in Soho that proposes a $15 steak on Wednesdays: you cannot beat that!

Enjoy (I did)!

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West Side Steakhouse

I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/17

Jun-Men Ramen Bar in NYC, NY

If there is one thing that makes me look forward to Winter, it is Ramen: I love that delicious noodle soup, although ramen does not refer to soup at all, but to the hand pulled noodles that are in it. There is of course cold ramen that can be appreciated during the warmer seasons, but I admit that I love the hot ones. So, my next target was Jun-Men in Chelsea. It is not a big place, but it is bigger than some of the restaurants we visited before, having a large table in the center to accommodate large parties.

Dining room at Jun-Men Ramen Bar in NYC, NY

Jodi did not feel like eating ramen, so she ordered two dishes. The first one was the shiitake bun, a vegetarian version of the classic pork bun, made with Shiitake mushroom, fried kale and mayo. This was deliciously meaty and could definitely compete with its non-vegetarian version.

Shiitake buns at Jun-Men Ramen Bar in NYC, NY

The second dish was the Kale greens salad, composed of kale, quinoa, tomato, white cheddar, corn in a roasted garlic miso dressing. It was good, especially the corn that had a nice char.

Kale greens salad at Jun-Men Ramen Bar in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for the Uni mushroom ramen that was a dish without broth, so, a noodle dish to make it simple. It was made with Uni, roasted pancetta, porcini butter, truffle oil, fried shallots, scallion and parmesan cheese. Very creamy, the noodles had a nice bite and the uni was succulent.

Uni mushroom ramen at Jun-Men Ramen Bar in NYC, NY

This was pretty good and I would definitely go back to Jun-Men to try their other ramen, especially their pork bone one, and maybe their pork bun or fried chicken...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Jun-Men Ramen Bar

I Just Want To Eat! 3/17/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/17/17

Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

We were looking for a place to eat before seeing a movie in Times Square and decided to stop by Shokudo, a japanese restaurant that opened few months ago in Hell's Kitchen. The place was not that crowded for a Saturday, but I admit that we might have been a little early...

Dining room at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

We started our meal with some pork gyoza that were good, juicy and tasty, with the only negative being that I like when one side is crispier and a bit more charred.

Pork gyoza at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

Jodi did not feel like eating ramen, so she went for two rolls: the avocado roll and the asparagus tempura roll. The latter was better than what I was expecting and had this nice crunchiness from the tempura.

Asparagus tempura roll and avocado roll at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

Asparagus tempura roll at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

Avocado roll at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

On my side, I ordered the tonkotsu ramen made with pork broth, chashu pork, scallion, bean sprouts, red ginger, garlic oil and egg. It looked beautiful and milky and the first slurp was fine, but then I realized that there was too much garlic, way too much...That was a bit disappointing.

Tonkotsu ramen at Shokudo Sushi and Ramen in Hell's Kitchen

I am not sure what to think about Shokudo: the food was just ok and considering that there are better Japanese restaurants in the area, I am not sure I will go back soon. For ramen, Mentoku is a better place.

Enjoy (...)!

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Shokudo

I Just Want To Eat! 3/15/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/15/17

Chocolate extravaganza at Jacques Torres on the Upper West Side

We were looking for a dessert and checked on google to see what was around when we stumbled upon Jacques Torres on the Upper West Side. Jacques Torres is not unknown to me as I tried his chocolate many times and even went to his chocolate factory downtown many years ago, but I do not recall having tried his hot chocolate. So, it was time to change that and that was like a revelation: his hot chocolate is the best in the city! People rave about City Bakery's hot chocolate, but I admit that I do not like it. This one, at Jacques Torres is something else: it is like melted chocolate, but without being too sweet or too bitter; yes, it is a perfect balance that makes me want to have such a place next door.

Jacques Torres on the Upper West Side, NYC, NY

The location on the Upper West Side is not that big and does not have that many tables, but we were lucky to arrive at the moment two sitting patrons left. We decided to try few things there and I was surprised to hear that the bill was less than $11. Here is what we had:

A classic hot chocolate, small (perfect size for me):

Classic hot chocolate at Jacques Torres on the Upper West Side, NYC, NY

Flourless chocolate cake: so good, it was dense and very chocolatey.

Chocolate cookie: soft and chewy, it had lots of chocolate, but I have to give it to City Bakery for the best chocolate chip cookie.

Chocolate chip cookie at Jacques Torres on the Upper West Side, NYC, NY

Jacques Torres definitely knows how to make chocolate and how to serve it and I can tell you: I'll be back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Jacques Torres

I Just Want To Eat! 3/13/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/13/17

Brunch at Kingside in NYC, NY

It has been a while since I went to Kingside, the restaurant of Executive Chef Mac Murphy. I went there a week after they opened and I still remember their caramel pudding that was to die for (they still have it on their menu).

This time, we were looking for a place for brunch on a Saturday and went there. I was surprised to see that it was not that crowded, thinking that they probably benefit from the clients of the Viceroy Hotel it is part of. But no: there were not that many people. Well, I understood why...The food was subpar, sorry to say it. There are much better places for similar prices in New York. Here is what we had:

To start, I went for a cold pressed juice from Liquiteria. It was the Royal Flush, made with pineapple, apple and ginger, a lot of ginger...I loved it!

Liquiteria Royal Flush Cold pressed juice at Kingside in NYC, NY

Then, Jodi ordered the shaved brussel sprouts salad that was topped with gouda cheese and dressed with an oregano vinaigrette. It had lemon in it, too much of it, so it overpowered unfortunately the whole salad.

Roasted broccoli salad at Kingside in NYC, NY

With it, she got a side of roasted mushrooms that at least was delicious.

Roasted mushrooms at Kingside in NYC, NY

On my side, I ordered their breakfast pizza made with maple bacon, aged cheddar, scallion and a baked egg. I opted for it simply because I was curious to see if they would put their own spin on it. Well, that was a wrong choice: the pizza did not look good and was just doughy, not even crispy. Very disappointing.

We passed on dessert, thinking that we would have a better chance somewhere else. What happened to Kingside? I do not know and I am not sure I would ever go back there. Definitely not for brunch!

Enjoy (...)!

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Kingside

I Just Want To Eat! 3/11/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/11/17

Redemption at Salvation Taco in NYC, NY - Closed

After our meal at Salvation Burger few weeks ago that was a bit disappointing and overpriced, we still decided to try Salvation Taco, another venture from Chef April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman. They describe Salvation Taco as a "taqueria and cantina featuring a menu influenced by international cuisines". International for sure when you see their Indonesian BBQ or Moroccan lamb taco (I was going for this one, but they did not have it the day I went...Bummer!).

Dining room at Salvation Taco in NYC, NY

The decor of Salvation Taco is amazing: you would think that the room you see when you enter is it, but in fact, if you go in the back, you will be surprised by the large cozy dining room that looks like a lounge, with its banquettes and comfortable armchairs, as well as the fireplace in the back that makes you want to grab a book and just sit there. They also have a room with a ping pong table that is probably more used for beer-pong than anything else...

Decor on the wall at Salvation Taco in NYC, NY

Food wise, we were not disappointed this time. Of course, we ended up getting the guacamole and chips that were very good, with the right amount of acidity and salt, as well as chunks of avocado.

Tortilla chips at Salvation Taco in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi went for the mushroom tostada, made with hen of the woods, pickled red onions, tomatillo and cilantro. It was good, the tomatillo adding some more crunch to the already crunchy fried tortilla that was in the bottom, as well as adding some acidity.

Mushroom tostada at Salvation Taco in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for the fish tacos that were served with Mayan mayo and pickled red onions. The presentation itself was beautiful, with very nice colors. And the first bite was fantastic: the beer battered fish was perfectly cooked, flakey and moist, but first you get the crunchiness of the delightfully greasy batter. The Mayan mayo was good, but I found an unequal amount of it in each taco.

Last was dessert and we could not resist ordering the churros that were succulent, not greasy, crunchy, with hints of orange. Dipped in the thick Mexican chocolate, it was heaven.

This was a great meal and my apprehension after trying Salvation Burger was quickly gone: Salvation Taco, although a bit pricey, is a great place, perfect for a nice dining experience. I would definitely go back, but maybe this time for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Salvation Taco

I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/17 I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/17

Underwest Donut at Madison Square Garden

I discovered Underwest Donuts thanks to my friend Malini, The Restaurant Fairy. This place opened in 2014 within the West Side Highway Carwash, hence the carwash donut they sell that I did not try. But we did not go to that location, rather the one they opened last December, outside of Penn Station. There, you will not get a chance to get donuts made a la minute, this place being a tiny outpost. But still, you will get freshly baked donuts.

Donuts at Underwest Donut at Madison Square Garden

I was not sure what to get and hesitated between the halva, the brown butter and the banana milk donut. I went for the latter that was succulent. Made with puréed banana and glazed with a banana milk mixture, and finally topped with a dried banana slice and a cranberry, it really has a banana taste from the cake dough to the glaze.

Banana milk donut at Underwest Donut at Madison Square Garden

Jodi went for the coconut lime one that was also very good, but I thought not as good as the other one.

Coconut lime at Underwest Donut at Madison Square Garden

I definitely liked Underwest Donuts. Their recipes are original and delicious, and I should mention not too sweet. If you like cake donuts, this is for sure a place to try.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Underwest Donuts