I Just Want To Eat! 4/20/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/20/18

The Persian Room in Phoenix, Az

I was recently in Phoenix for a conference and, as my uber arrived at the hotel, I noticed a Persian restaurant called the Persian Room. I admit that I could not resist going there for lunch, as I love Persian cuisine, New York City having quite few good choices, such as Persepolis or Pars Grill House and Bar. But definitely, The Persian Room has a more elegant decor and I could not believe how big this place was. The service there was on the spot and the food sublime. Here is what I had:

They started off by bringing some bread with butter, herbs and an onion. The bread on its own was very good: it was a homemade pita that was nicely charred and crisp.

With my meal, I decided to try their homemade yogurt drink (Yogurt, soda water, salt and mint) that I really liked.

Homemade yogurt drink at The Persian Room in Phoenix, Az

Considering the size of the dishes (and the amount of pita I managed to eat), I skipped the appetizer and went straight to the main course that was the kubideh, this Iranian kebab made with ground meat. As I could not decide between beef or lamb, the waiter proposed to have both. I loved it! Both kinds of meat were superb, juicy and tasty, my preference going to the lamb (the kebab with a stick) because of the stronger flavor. The plate was huge, with lots of basmati rice and a grilled tomato.

Kubideh at The Persian Room in Phoenix, Az

I managed to get dessert though...And it was the zulbia aka jalebi that is made by deep-frying maida flour batter in pretzel or circular shapes, and then soaked in sugar syrup, as well as Bamieh, that is a starch-based dough, which is fried before being dipped in syrup. They were just ok and I have had better.

Zulbia and bamieh at The Persian Room in Phoenix, Az

Overall the meal was very good and I am glad I spotted Persian Room. If you are in North Scottsdale, this is for sure a place to know.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Persian Room - 17040 North Scottsdale Road, North Scottsdale, Phoenix, AZ 85255

I Just Want To Eat! 4/18/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/18/18

Raoul's Restaurant Francais in Soho

A year and a half ago, I got invited at Raoul's, a French restaurant located in Soho, for an event called Death In The Afternoon, reminiscent of the prohibition era. After that event, I promised myself I would go back and try their signature dish: the steak au poivre, so popular that I read that the cast of SNL used to go there just for that dish. And it is true that, while dining there, I saw a lot of these steak frites going around.

We went on a Friday and the restaurant was packed. Few people tried to go without a reservation (we had one), some, probably regulars, succeeded pretty quickly after speaking with the staff, while we were still waiting for our table...We finally got seated in the dining room that was a bit dark: sorry: I like to see what I am eating!

I started off by ordering an old fashioned, made with Michter's Bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar and a marasca cherry.

Old Fashioned at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

For appetizer, I could not resist trying their pan seared foie gras, served with Maitake mushrooms and apple. This was superb: the foie gras had a nice saltiness to counterbalance its fattiness and buttery texture. I thought that it was interesting that they served it with Maitake mushrooms, although, with the apple, it gave a bit of bite to the dish.

Jodi simply went for the market greens salad, that had pieces of feta in it.

Market salad at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

She also went for a vegetarian dish for her entree: the roasted cauliflower, with oyster mushrooms, kale and polenta. It was quite good and did not look like a dish put there as a second thought in case a vegetarian diner comes to the restaurant.

Roasted cauliflower at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

Of course, for me it was the steak frites with its famous sauce au poivre. This big piece of filet is smothered by a peppercorn sauce that is divine and one of the best I had. Unfortunately, the steak was medium when I asked for medium rare, and was not as tender as I expected. It was served with a salad and hand cut fries, skin on, that were delicious, a bit crispy.

Steak au poivre at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

Last was dessert and Jodi was really happy to read her favorite ingredient in a dessert: coconut! So we ordered the banana coconut bread pudding that was superb, with more banana than coconut taste. It was soft, not dry and not too sweet, a perfect way to finish our meal.

Banana coconut pudding at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

Banana coconut pudding at Banana coconut pudding at Raoul's in Soho, NYC, NY

Even if I was a bit disappointed with the steak, I thought it was a good meal. I might give it another try, hopping that this time, I will have a better cut and a perfect temperature for what is supposed to be the best steak au poivre in the 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!

Raoul's - 180 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

I Just Want To Eat! 4/16/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/16/18

Fantastic meal at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

The first time we made plans to go to Annabel was when we wanted to see a horror movie with the same name, but then had to cancel. So, I had that place in mind, not knowing that this was a great find to be honest. We went twice to Annabel: for brunch and dinner, both times having a great experience food wise: the menu crafted by Chef Manuel Conrado is simply succulent. Here are some of the things we tried there:

For brunch, instead of a mimosa or bellini, I opted for their fresh squeezed orange juice, that was ok, a bit watered down.

Fresh squeeze orange juice at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

We were not sure what to get with the pizza we wanted to try, having a choice between salads or eggs. We finally decided to try their puffy bread served with a black olive tapenade and a spicy Calabrian chili oil. That looked fantastic, the bread being indeed puffy and with a nice char, perfect with the oil or delicious tapenade that came with it.

Puffy bread at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

Puffy bread with tapenade at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

For the pizza, that time, we decided to get their mushroom medley with caramelized onions, taleggio and truffle oil (I know that Anthony Bourdain would be outraged to know they are using truffle oil...). When the pizza came, it looked amazing: with lots of cheese and mushrooms, the truffle oil gave a very appetizing smell. And it was delicious: the crust was crispy, nicely charred in their wood fire oven.

Mushroom medley pizza at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

When we went back for dinner, it is the four cheese pizza that we decided to order and we were once again not disappointed. In fact, it was an even better one as it had a nice amount of burrata on it. Know that they do not cook the burrata with the pizza, but add it at the end, so, don;t be surprised if it is cold versus the rest of the pizza being hot. If you are a cheese lover, you will probably find, like me, that this pizza is divine as they put a lot of cheese on it: besides burrata, they put taleggio, mozzarella and parmigiana regiano.

Four cheese pizza at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

I also could not resist trying their grilled Spanish octopus, served with cannellini beans, tomatoes, broccoli rabe, mixed olives, red onions, green peppers in a (not so) spicy smoked paprika sauce. The octopus was perfectly made, nicely charred and not rubbery. I just wish there was more.

Grilled octopus at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

An interesting appetizer was their mushroom risotto au gratin truffles, gruyere and aged cheddar, that was again with lots of cheese and mushrooms. It was an appetizer portion, but quite filling.

Mushroom risotto au gratin at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

With my meal, for dinner, I went for a cocktail called the Lions Tail, made with Berkshire Bourbon, St Elizabeth all spice dram that is an all spice flavored liqueur from Jamaica, and angostura bitters. That was very good, and definitely had a nice bitterness.

Lions tail cocktail at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

Last was dessert. We hesitated between the chocolate mousse and the chocolate ganache cake. We finally picked the latter that was good, sitting on a bed of strawberry preserves.

Chocolate ganache cake at Annabel in Hell's Kitchen

Annabel is a very good find in Hell's Kitchen: the food is delicious and it has this atmosphere of a neighborhood restaurant I would want close to home. If you are looking for a good pizza in Hell's Kitchen, it is, with B Side, one of my favorites.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Annabel - 809 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/13/18

Burger at Blue Dog Café

We found Blue Dog Café thanks to Opentable, because, based on where it is and how hidden their door is, I am not sure I would have gone to that place soon...Yes, it is hidden, but, considering the number of people there where we arrived, they did not seem to have any difficulty to get patrons. Except that it seems that people came there before a show, because after 7:30pm, this place was empty, with only Jodi, I and the staff left. Weird!

A bit dark, the decor is interesting: like stepping back in time, in the early 19s, with a black and white movie projected on one of the walls, adding a sense of nostalgia to the dining room.

They have a nice cocktail menu, with interesting names like Purple Rain, He Had It Coming or Rosie The Riveter. I tried the latter that was made with duck fat washed scotch, dry vermouth, green peppercorn syrup and rose water.

Rosie The Riveter cocktail at Blue dog cafe in NYC, NY

The creative names did not stop there, as the Cheesus burger I ate can attest...It was simply a cheese burger, made with a Pat LaFrieda beef patty, and cheddar. The burger was good, although more on the medium side than medium rare that was my request. I also thought that, given the name, there would be more cheese on it. Still, it was juicy and tasty.

Cheesus Christ burger at Blue dog cafe in NYC, NY

Jodi opted for the house made vegan burger, served with shiitake bacon, brussel sprouts, and pepper mustard. It was a good veggie burger, with a nice texture.

Vegan burger at Blue dog cafe in NYC, NY

Both burgers were served with fries and we both asked for the truffle fries that were available for a supplement of $2. The fries were quite good, prepared skin on, not too greasy and very slightly crispy.

We could not resist ordering a dessert, especially when we saw that they have churros...On top of that, they were served with dulce de leche and Nutella!

Our dinner at Blue Dog Café was good: it is not the best burger I had in New York, but still, I would go back to try some other dishes. Maybe for brunch as it seems that they are known for 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!

Blue Dog - 308 W 50th Street, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/11/18

The Clocktower, and its one Michelin Star

I was looking at restaurants with Michelin stars in New York, when I noticed The Clocktower, a restaurant located in the New York Edition Hotel, in front of Madison Square Park. I admit that you really need to know that the restaurant is on the first floor, as when you enter into the hotel, you cannot see it right away. But, when you are in the main dining room, you are amazed by the beautiful decor, with its crown molding, paintings, and of course the big fireplace in the back.

Dining room at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

Food wise, we were there for a treat, and know that, if you are vegetarian, you need to ask for the vegetarian menu, that is quite small, but with interesting dishes. I am not sure why they did not simply include these dishes on the main menu: not the best way to make vegetarians feel welcome! They started off by bringing us their homemade sourdough bread with buttermilk butter: the bread was fantastic, but so hot that I burnt my fingers trying to pull it apart.

I could not resist ordering their Cold Fashioned, their interpretation of an old fashioned, made with coffee infused Rittenhouse Rye, Foro Amaro liqueur, Fernet Branca (bitter amaro liqueur), orange bitters, demerara syrup and orange oil. It was quite good, with a nice citrusy flavor and a slight bitterness.

Cold Fashioned at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

For my appetizer, I decided to try their beef tartare instead of the foie gras, as It has been a while since I had a good beef tartare and I was thinking that, in such place, it must be fantastic. It was made with dry aged Creekstone beef, pickled wild mushrooms, soy nuts and some penny bun biscuits that had the shape of mushrooms. The presentation was nice, but I was expecting a quail egg on it, a raw egg being a sort of signature on such dish. It was quite good though, a nice interpretation on a classic dish.

Beef tartare at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi settled for the chestnut gnocchi, served with a lentil puree, tarragon butter and hen of the woods mushrooms. It was a small dish, more an appetizer than an entree, with a beautiful presentation. The gnocchi were light and soft, and you could not really tell that it was made with chestnuts, that was perfect for Jodi who does not like chestnuts.

Chestnut gnocchi at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

On my side, I ordered the Long Island Duck Breast, that was served with an orange consommé, this time I guess, the interpretation of duck a l'orange. This was succulent: the duck was very good, the skin being slightly crispy and delightfully fatty.

Duck breast at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

Last was dessert and we chose their signature: the After Eight, made of chocolate mousse, mint marshmallow and Branca Menta ice cream. This was sublime: very chocolatey, it had a marshmallow in the center and every bite had a hint of mint. The presentation was also superb, like a piece of art on a plate.

After Eight dessert at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

With the bill, they even brought us some raspberry cookies that were good, a nice touch to end a meal.

Raspberry cookies at The Clocktower in NYC, NY

This was a great dinner: no wonder why The Clocktower ended up getting a Michelin star! This is well deserved.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

The Clocktower - 5 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010

I Just Want To Eat! 4/9/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/9/18

Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

I am a big fan of Chef Carlos Darquea, the co-owner of Chimichurri Grill who, with its two restaurants, one on the East side and one in the heart of Hell's Kitchen, serves fantastic Argentinian cuisine. So I was delighted to go back there, when Chef Carlos invited me to sample his Gaucho ribeye for two, ribeye being my favorite cut of meat. And what a feast! Here is what I tried:

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

They have a great wine list, mostly Argentinian, as well as very interesting cocktails. The first one I tried was La Recoleta that is a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, made with Los Haroldos, an extra brut Argentinian sparkling wine and Saint Germain elderflower blossoms liqueur.

La Recoleta cocktail at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

The second one was more creative and with an interesting saltiness: El Gibson, made with Nolet's Silver gin, Carpano dry Vermouth, served chilled with house made pickled onions.

El Gibson cocktail at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

I could not resist ordering the Trio de Chorizo Caseros, composed of pork sausage, blood sausage and red spanish chorizo, the later being my favorite. This is a must have that I order each time I go there with friends, and, if you love sausages, you will not be disappointed.

Trio de Chorizo Caseros at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

The second appetizer was Calamarares a la parrilla or grilled spicy calamari served with baby field greens in a citrus vinaigrette drizzled with a balsamic reduction. This was great: the calamari was perfectly cooked, not rubbery with a nice char and I loved the balsamic reduction that gave a nice acidity to the dish.

Calamarares a la parrilla at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

But the plat de resistance was the long awaited ribeye and seeing Chef Carlos showing that beautiful 32 day wet aged piece of meat, I could hear angels singing next to me!

Gaucho ribeye at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

This 26 to 28oz ribeye is comes from Uruguay. It is cut and then sealed air tight in its juice, for 28 days trip by boat and 4 days in customs, amounting to 32 days of wet aging, giving the meat some extra juiciness. The meat was very good: juicy, with nice grill marks, tender and quite flavorful, it was simply brushed with olive oil and a mix of oregano, paprika and parsley.

As sides, there were the sublime French fries, slightly crispy and cooked all the way though, seasoned with garlic and parsley, and the asparagus with citrus vinaigrette (alright, I admit that I ate more fries than asparagus...).

French Fries at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

Asparagus with citrus vinaigrette at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

With the steak, I had a glass of Malbec de Angeles 2014:

Malbec de Angeles 2014 at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

Last was dessert and it was a new one that I tried there, their panqueque de manzana and torre de arroz con leche being superb. This time, it was Bunuelos de Bananas or ripe bananas deep fried in batter served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and served with honey. This is probably the best fried banana dessert I had in a long time! Not heavy, the bananas were perfectly ripe and it was dipped in honey.

Bunuelos de bananas at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

With dessert, they offered a sweet wine, a Susana Balbo Late Harvest Malbec 2016 from Argentina. This was delightfully sweet and perfect with the fried bananas.

Susana Balbo wine at Chimichurri Grill West in Hell's Kitchen

What a meal! In the past 6 months, I went several times to Chimichurri Grill and I have never been disappointed. The food is consistently delicious and it is always a pleasure to see Chef Carlos who has a true passion for his cuisine. bet it will not be the last time I will dine there and I definitely recommend this place.

Enjoy (I really did)!

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

Chimichurri Grill West - 609 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 4/6/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/6/18

Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers...near Times Square

Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers in NYC, NY

Yes, the name is misleading: Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers is not in Union Square, but near Times Square. I admit that you really need to know this place is there and it goes in direct competition with Shake Shack that is a couple of blocks away. Well, I do not think that the owner opened to be in direct competition with Shake Shack so to speak, but the stakes are high in that neighborhood and while Shake Shack was full when we passed in front of it, Union Square Burger was totally empty. There was a good reason for that: we arrived 10 minutes before noon and discovered that, although the door was opened and the music blasting, they were not open (only the closing time was written on the door). After several minutes trying to get the attention from somebody (remember, the music was loud), they told us that they only opened at 12pm, information that upset a customer who left saying "It is always the same thing with these guys". They were not ready for sure and it affected a bit the service, with other customer starting to be upset with on top of that the need to open the door although it was cold that day, because their exhaust did not seem to work and the restaurant started to get filled with smoke. For sure, we smelled like burgers the entire afternoon (or as we say in French, on sentait le graillon / we smelled like grease!). Fortunately the food was excellent. I could not resist ordering the Rossini burger or foie gras burger that is served in limited quantity on a daily basis (max. 30) and was surprised that it was only $13.75. The burger was small, made with a beef patty cooked medium-rare, a piece of pan seared foie gras, white truffle oil, roasted almonds, balsamic sauce and burger sauce. The first bite was divine! First, the beef patty was juicy and quite tasty; it is made with a mix of American Kobe beef and black angus beef. Then, the foie gras added a nice fattiness, while the almonds gave a bit of a crunch.

Foie gras burger at Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers in NYC, NY

Jodi ordered their mushroom veggie burger that was also very good...for a veggie burger. It was made with grilled mushrooms (portobello, shiitake and button), white cheddar, oregano, white truffle oil and burger sauce. In this one, you could taste and smell the white truffle oil, not in mine...

Mushroom veggie burger at Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers in NYC, NY

With the burgers, we ordered the cheese fries made with Belgian Bintje potatoes. The fries came as we almost were done with our burgers and they were sitting there as they were heating a large can of cheese. It was good, but next time, I will only get the fries that were a bit crunchy like I like them.

Cheese fries at Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers in NYC, NY

Despite the issue with the kitchen, I liked the burgers at Union Square Burger: they are not big, although some choices on the menu propose a double patty option that is probably recommended, but very satisfying and they propose combinations that are very unique. I will definitely go back there and this time try one of their milkshakes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Union Square Burger by Cozy Myers - 729 8th Ave, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 4/4/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/4/18

Azalea near Times Square

I passed so many times in front of Azalea that we finally decided to try that place and you know what? Although most of their patrons are theater goers and tourists (full before 7pm and start emptying at 7:30pm, so that's how I guessed that), it serves pretty good Italian cuisine, at the prices of Times Square (not cheap, but not outrageous prices). This is a big place with a nice amount of light thanks to the very large windows of the main dining room. In fact, I suggest you try to sit there, the little room in the back being quite dark, unless you want some privacy...

I started the meal with a Spritz made with aperol that was a good start.

Spritz at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY

For appetizer, we decided to share their Sformatino Di Pere, that is a warm pear and gorgonzola soufflé served with a parmesan cheese fondue. This was so good: it is the first time I see such a dish and it was an interesting combination, the pear adding some sweetness to an all cheese dish. If you go to Azalea, I definitely recommend this.

Warm pear and gorgonzola soufflé at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY — Warm pear and gorgonzola soufflé at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi ordered an appetizer: the Melanzana Alla Parmigiana or fried eggplant with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce, that was also quite good and well made (I hate when eggplant is undercooked). We were surprised that they did not have eggplant parmesan as an entree, and this was a good alternative, but only if you have a small appetite like my wife.

Melanzana alla parmigiana at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY

On my side, I first wanted to try their linguine alle vongole, but finally got the Spaghetti All' Amatriciana (spaghetti with pancetta, onion, fresh tomato sauce and pecorino cheese), so Jodi could try. This was superb: the pasta was well cooked, smothered by a delicious sauce with a robust flavor that had a generous amount of pancetta in it.

Spaghetti all amatriciana at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY

Last was dessert and of course, we went for the tiramisu that was very good, delightfully creamy.

Tiramisu at Azalea in the Theater District, NYC, NY

Azalea is a fairly good Italian place in the Theater District: a good address if you are 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!

Azalea - 224 W 51st Street, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/2/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/2/18

Sevan, Armenian restaurant in Bayside, Queens

We rarely go to Queens, but could not say no to my friend Malini, The Restaurant Fairy, who was organizing a meal with a bunch of bloggers at Sevan, an Armenian restaurant located in Bayside. There, we met with Arthur Matevosyan who has been running this family restaurant since 2004, keeping in mind the advice of his father, a restauranteur in Armenia, gave him. The food there was delicious, the kebab being my favorite, especially the lamb chops that came in a very spectacular way to the table. Here are the various dishes we tried:

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

Basturma, thin slices of sirloin cured with Middle Eastern spices:

Basturma at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

Sujuk, a spicy dry sausage:

Feta cheese:

Yalanchi or grape leaves:

Grape leaves at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

Mediterranean salad:

Carrot Salad made with shredded carrots, garlic and walnuts:

Carrot salad at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

Armenian salad, composed of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and spices:

Armenian salad at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

With the salads, we got some homemade bread:

And some Armenian wine that was quite sweet...

Armenian wine at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

Armenian cheese pies:

The best part of the meal was to come: kebab. The first ones were grilled steak and chicken, served with some crispy potatoes and grilled vegetables, on a piece of thin bread called lavash that should not be ignored as it is soaked in the delicious jus of the meat. The beef was marinated for several days, juicy and tender, as was the chicken that was still moist, with both meat having a nice char.

Grilled steak and chicken kebab at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

The second kebab was the lule kebab, that is ground beef cooked on a skewer with spices. This reminded me a bit of the kubideh in Persian cuisine. It was superb: flavorful and juicy with again the lavash bread full of the juice of the meat.

Lule kebab at Sevan in Bayside, Queens, NY

But in term of presentation, the most spectacular was the lamb chops as you can see in the video below.

Considering that I love lamb, I was in heaven! The lamb chops were delicious, nicely charred and I could have had that entire dish for myself!

Last was dessert: baklava. And it was succulent: buttery, not too sweet and perfectly soaked in honey.

This was a great meal and my only regret is that this restaurant is far from our place. Otherwise I would be there often...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Sevan - 21607 Horace Harding Expy, Bayside Hills, NY 11364

I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/18

Vintry, Wine and Whiskey Bar in the Financial District

A couple of weeks ago, we went close to South Street Seaport to an art exhibit called Art on Paper. After that , we wanted to have dinner in the Financial District, remembering our experience with our friends at Adrienne's Pizza Bar, when we noticed a bunch of restaurants we wanted to try. For sure the atmosphere of Stone street was different this time as there were no tables outside and besides a couple of drunk people going from one bar to another, it was very quiet. We were looking for a place when we stumbled upon Vintry, a Wine and Whisky bar, that seemed welcoming.

Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Bar at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Dining room at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

It is not a big place and you can either sit at the bar or on one of their communal tables, if you do not mind being seated next to strangers...Lucky for us, we did not have to for our entire meal. Wine and Whisky are the stars at Vintry, and I decided to go for the later, not resisting to get an old fashioned called the Mo'fashioned, made with Jameson Black Barrel, to celebrate Irish whisky month and St Patrick's Day. It also had Montenegro amaro, Angostura bitters, wildflower honey and orange oil. This beautiful drink was sublime, slightly sweet and citrusy.

Mo'Fashioned cocktail at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

We started our meal by sharing their fingerling papas bravas served with smoky aioli and sea salt. It was deliciously greasy and the potatoes were very slightly crispy, skin on and cooked all the way though. I generously dipped them in the succulent aioli, but admit that they were good even without it and I was tasting a hint of thyme.

Fingerling potatoes at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

We then had their fresh burrata, served with eggplant caponata and an aged balsamic vinegar sauce. The burrata was very good, creamy inside, pairing perfectly with the eggplant.

Burrata at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

The second dish was the duck confit, served with french lentils, mushrooms and a red wine reduction. This was superb: the duck was perfectly made, not too salty and I loved that they accompanied it with lentils that made this dish very comforting (I just missed the skin that, if crispy, is the best part). I definitely recommend this dish! And you may think that it is small, but only the plate is.

Duck confit at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Last was dessert. We opted for the chocolate mousse, served with blackberries and creme fraiche. This is one of the best chocolate mousse I had in a long time: perfect texture and very chocolatey. I liked the fact that they added blackberries as they paired well with the chocolate, but found the creme fraiche a bit tart. I you go there, do not miss this!

Chocolate mousse at Vintry, Wine and Whisky Bar in the Financial District

Our meal at Vintry was fantastic and I love the concept. I wish it was not that far for us, but you know what? It is worth the trip!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Vintry Wine and Whiskey Bar - 57 Stone Street, New York 10004

I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/18

Mexican brunch at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen

On a Saturday, we were supposed to have lunch at Mi Nidito, a Mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. After booking a table on Openable.com, I received a text from the owner who told me that they were not open for lunch and proposed to go to Mamasita, its sister restaurant located on 10th avenue, a couple of blocks away, that serves the exact same menu. We were craving Mexican food, so we accepted. Mamasita is a casual place that offers an impressive number of margaritas. But, it was not something I was looking for for lunch, having things to do in the afternoon...We started off our meal with guacamole. It was good, fresh and not spicy, as requested.

Guacamole at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Guacamole and salsa at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For her entrée, Jodi went for the enchilada vegetable Suiza, a vegetarian dish, where the enchilada is stuffed with vegetables rolled in a two soft corn tortillas topped with green tomatillo salsa, melted cheese and served with sour cream. It was good, not bland, with a nice amount of cheese.

Enchilada Suiza at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

I ordered the Alaskan King Crab Enchiladas, made with Alaskan king crab sautéed with onions, garlic and a white creamy sauce rolled in two corn tortillas topped with green tomatillo sauce melted cheese and sour cream served with rice, beans & salad. I loved it! There was definitely lots of crab in it, chunks of it, not overpowered by the rest of the ingredients at all. If you like crab, I recommend it.

King crab enchiladas at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Both dishes looked similar and were served with rice and beans.

We were already full and asked for the check. At that point, they offered us a piece of tres leches. And it was delicious!

Tres leches cake at Mamasita in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

It was a good meal and this made me want to go back for dinner at Mamasita or Mi Nidito. This time, I will try one of their margaritas...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Mamasita Mexican Bar and Grill - 818 10th Avenue, New York, NY10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/26/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/26/18

Method, Japanese gastropub in Hell's Kitchen

We were walking on 10th on a Saturday, going uptown to a Mexican restaurant we wanted to try for lunch, when we stumbled upon Method, a Japanese restaurant I never noticed before, although it has been opened for a year and we passed in front of it so many times. So, we decided to go back that day for dinner, after some time spent in the City. We showed up at 5:30pm, when they opened, and were surprised when they asked us if we had a reservation as we were the first to arrive and the restaurant was empty. Well, it was empty for maybe 30 minutes and the totally packed. After trying their food, I understood why: it was simply magnificent!

Dining room at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Open kitchen at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

With its kitchen in the back, this place has a comforting feel, serving a menu that is far from the classic Japanese cuisine you find few blocks away. If you are looking for sushi and sashimi, this is not your place. But if you want to try something different, I highly recommend it. They do have a good selection of sake, but I noticed that they offer a matcha beer, that is a Asahi Super Dry beer with some matcha powder. It looked beautiful, with its green color and, taste wise, I thought it was pretty good, with a nice balance between the matcha and the beer.

Matcha beer at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Then we started with a bunch of dishes, Method proposing small dishes. The first one was the house-cured bacon with poached egg. I love bacon and with this dish, I was in heaven: I took a piece of bacon with my chopsticks and dipped it in the yolk, that counteracted the smokiness of the meat, adding some decadence to this dish.

House cured bacon and poached egg at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The second dish was Agedashi, a lightly deep fried eggplant with some Namafu, a wheat starch, on top, all of this sitting in a dashi broth. This was delicious and the eggplant were perfectly cooked, having this smokey taste that I love so much.

Agedashi at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The third dish was a special: Tonyu Yudofu, that was warm tofu in soy milk, served with seaweed, scallion, daikon radish and a ponzu sauce. If you only had tofu from the supermarket or that restaurants buy, you have to try this: the tofu was so silky, literally melting in my mouth. I loved adding a bit of the condiments with it, and it was superb with the ponzu sauce that added a delightful acidity to the dish. One of the best part was the tofu skin that formed after few seconds.

Tofu at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The fourth dish was shishito peppers and mushroom tempura. This was quite good, the tempura being not greasy at all, but I wish there were more mushrooms as it was mostly shishito peppers...

Shishito peppers and mushrooms tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The fifth dish was the Brussels Sprout tempura, even better than the previous dish. It is so funny to think that when I was a kid, I hated Brussels Sprouts! Sorry Mom!

Brussels sprouts tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Brussels sprout tempura at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The sixth dish was very surprising, like a take on chicken and waffle, except that the chicken was a chicken liver pate that was very tasty and was dense with a bold flavor, and the waffle was made of mochi, giving a light and crispy texture to it. I simply loved it, both elements being delicious.

Chicken liver and mochi waffle at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Chicken liver at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The last dish before dessert was the roasted duck that was sublime: deliciously fatty and crispy, the skin was the best part, but don't get me wrong: the meat was very good, perfectly cooked medium (although I prefer it pink), juicy. I simply dipped it in the sansho pepper salt that came with it. I should mention the naga negi or Japanese long onion that was nice.

Roasted duck at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Last was dessert. Here also, it was quite creative. We decided to go with the Soba-Cha or roasted buckwheat creme brûlée. The look and color was exactly the one of the creme brûlée, but it is when you take the first bite that you get the taste of the buckwheat. Surprising and delicious. I definitely recommend this dessert.

Roasted buckwheat creme brûlée at Method in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

We left so glad that we found this little gem. Method is the kind of restaurant that will blow you away, making you think differently about Japanese cuisine. I highly recommend this place.

Enjoy (I really did)!

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

Method Japanese Kitchen and Bar - 746 10TH AVE, NEWYORK, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/23/18

Tacuba, mexican restaurant in Hell's Kitchen

We passed in front of Tacuba so many times that we thought we should finally try it. And we did twice within a week, one time for brunch and the other one for dinner, brunch having a much quieter atmosphere. So you can imagine that it was a good experience...

Tacuba is a big place, with, tucked in in the back, a large dining room that is quite dark in the evening, not my favorite setting as I like to see the food I am eating. It was so dark that I had to use the candle on the table to read the menu (I know that I am getting older, but this was definitely the low light that forced me to do this). They gave us a corner table, that I like, but it was too small for all the food we ordered, but we made it happen. We started both times with their guacamole that was quite good and fresh. We asked for mild and got it as requested. It came with a roasted tomato salsa that was delicious that I also used on tacos.

Guacamole and salsa at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Tortilla chips at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Guacamole at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Roasted tomato salsa at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For brunch, we tried two of their appetizers, as we wanted to try dessert and had other plans anyway. Jodi tried their Quesadilla de flor that is made with Burrata, manchego, zucchini flower, kale pesto and chile de arbor.

Quesadilla de flor at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

On my side, I tried the Quesadilla De Costilla, composed of Beef short rib, Mexican cheeses, bone marrow, salsa verde, avocado, pickled red onions. My choice was driven by the fact that there is bone marrow on it and I was not disappointed, although the marrow was not as present as I expected. Still, it was delicious. In fact both of these quesadillas were great: the tortilla was slightly crispy, and it was like a Mexican pizza, but elevated with nice and fresh ingredients.

Quesadilla de Costilla at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

For dinner, I should start with the Chef's Margarita, that is Chef Julian Medina's creation made with double barrel Reposado tequila, Agavero tequila liqueur, orange and lime juice.

Chef's Margarita at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

After having some guacamole, we got our entrées. Jodi chose veggie tacos called Calabacita Con Jamaica, composed by zucchini, corn, queso fresco, cherry tomatoes crispy hibiscus flowers and chipotle salsa.

Calabacita con Jamaica tacos at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

On my side, picked the Pulpo y Chorizo tacos, a sort of surf and turf combination made with octopus, chorizo, melted Mexican cheese, chipotle salsa and pickled habanero-red onions.

Pulpo y chorizo tacos at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

These tacos were delicious, with lots of filling in it. The veggie tacos were not bland at all, but my favorite was definitely the pulp y chorizo one that was superb: there could have been a bit more octopus in it, but besides that, it was really good, the combination of the two proteins working well together. It had a slight spiciness, was juicy and slightly salty thanks to the chorizo. There were 3 tacos in each plate, made with soft tortillas, and I just wish they proposed a sampler as they have many on the menu that look very good. They even have one with chapulin that are grasshoppers!

For dessert, we could not resist ordering their churros when we went for brunch. They were a bit pale (they probably could have cooked a slightly longer), but these sticks of fried dough were very good, crispy, even better when dipped in dulce de leche (I did not care much about the chocolate sauce that came with it).

Churros at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

The other dessert we tried at Tacuba was their Chocolate crunch cake, that is a chocolate cake, caveat (sort of dulce de leche) and chocolate pop rocks. This was a very good dessert, very chocolatey.

Chocolate crunch cake at Tacuba in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, NY

Overall, our two meals at Tacuba were really good: this is for sure a place to know and I would probably go back to try these grasshoppers...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Tacuba Mexican Cantina - 802 Ninth Ave, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/21/18

Italian dinner at Bond 45 in Times Square

I am sure some of you may wonder what I was doing dining in Times Square considering that lots of restaurants there only care about foot traffic and less about returning customers, catering to a crowd made of tourists and theater goers who do not know that Hell's Kitchen even exists. And after that sad experience few weeks ago at Da Marino, one would think that I would not try again. Well, I did as I had nice surprise in the past and was thinking that maybe this one would be added to my list of unknown gems in that area. The food was overall good and prices reasonable, but the service really needs some improvement:

They brought focaccia but we had to ask for olive oil.
They forgot to bring utensils when we got our pasta dish.
They forgot to ask if we wanted cheese on the pasta and we had to ask.
The dessert took more than 15 minutes to come and I had to ask twice, the second time simply asking for the check to get our order, already made, within seconds, after observing one of the waiters (not ours), dancing instead of taking care of customers.

But the food was good and it is too bad that the service spoiled the experience. It started well with a cocktail called Almost a Toddy, made with Rye Whiskey, amaro, apple cider, maple syrup, lemon and cinnamon. I loved the sweetness of it and the hint of cinnamon.

Almost a Toddy cocktail at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Then, we decided to try some antipasti, impressed by the station located at the entrance of the restaurant.

Antipasti station at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

For $21, we chose 3: eggplant caponata, eggplant parmesan and cauliflower Milanese. The eggplant parmesan was fantastic and one of the best I had; so was the cauliflower Milanese that was a surprising dish that I never seen before and loved. It was not greasy and delightfully crispy.

Antipasti platter at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Eggplant parmesan at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Eggplant caponata at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Cauliflower Milanese at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

After that, they brought us the fettuccine bolognese made with three meat ragu. I appreciated the fact that they split the pasta dish into two portions as we told them that we would share our entrées. This was delicious, the fettuccine being smothered by a comforting sauce with robust flavors.

Fettuccine bolognese at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

The second entrée was the fresh black truffle pizza. It was a decent pizza, with lots of fresh truffle on it, making it decadent, but I admit that I thought the thin crust was just ok: it would have been a Neapolitan pizza, they would kill it! Yes, it was like buying some flatbread at the supermarket and putting some cheese on top. Fortunately, they had the fresh truffles on top...

Black truffle pizza at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

Last was the dessert. Yes, the one arriving more than 15 minutes to our table after we ordered it! It was the tiramisu. Fortunately, it was a very good one: very creamy as I love them.

Tiramisu at Bond 45 in Times Square, NYC, NY

So, without the issue with the service, Bond 45 serves a quite good Italian menu. I would certainly go back for the antipasti, the pasta and why not, trying their chocolate mousse. Hopefully, I will not have to wait forever that time...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Bond 45 - 154 W 45th Street, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/19/18

Fantastic dinner at Jams, Midtown West

Located few steps from Central Park in the 1 Hotel Central Park, Jams, the restaurant of Celebrity Chef Jonathan Waxman is a little gem. I am always a bit apprehensive when going to a restaurant attached to a hotel, but at Jams, I was blown away. With its open kitchen in the back where the magic happens, the beautiful decor with its exposed brick and reclaimed oak, as well as the large windows, Jams serves an interesting menu made of seasonal dishes, some made to share.

Dining room at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

I started the meal by ordering a cocktail called "penicillin", composed of Copper Dog whisky, lemon, ginger and lagavulin rinse (its is a Scotch). I loved it: not strong, it had a beautiful color and a nice taste, both acidic and spicy.

Penicillin cocktail at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

Then came our appetizer: we chose the chickpea fritters that are in fact falafel. They were sitting on a delicious beet hummus with shaved cauliflower salad, yogurt and a housemate flatbread similar to pita, that was soft. This was very good, the most interesting part being the beet hummus that had such a nice purple color and tasted really good. Jodi does not like beets, but loved it. I just wished there were more of the fritters that were superb, not dry and not greasy.

Chickpea fritters at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

House made flatbread at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

For her entrée, Jodi ordered the bucatini with tricolor cauliflower, roasted garlic, broccoli rabe-toasted seed pesto. The pasta, homemade, was superb, well cooked, smothered in a very garlicky pesto that was quite good.

Bucatini with pesto at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

On my side, I could not resist getting the roasted Pekin duck breast, served with seared cabbage, pea tendrils and cherry mostarda, a combination of sweetened cherries and spicy mustard seed that is found throughout Italy. The duck was sublime! I mean, you need to like duck cooked rare, but if you do, you will love it: the skin was slightly crispy and deliciously fatty; I also love duck with an element of sweetness and the cherry mustard was perfect.

Last was dessert and we hesitated a bit. There have a baked Alaska, as well as a brown-butter warm rhubarb tart, but we decided to try their chocolate bread pudding that is one of the best I had, like a chocolate molten cake that is perfectly cooked, the center oozing from the cake. It was served with a toasted marshmallow ice cream that was terrific, and pecan praline.

Chocolate bread pudding at Jams, Midtown West, NYC, NY

This was so good that we will certainly go back to Jams. Know that the menu on their website does not seem to be up to date, but I am sure you will find a dish you will love. This is a great address to know!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Jams - 1414 6TH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY, 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/18

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar near Union Square

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar is not unknown to me as we knew their location in TriBeCa that was definitely more spectacular than this new one near Union Square. This restaurant serves Chinese cuisine, Yunan inspired, with a bunch of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. I started the meal by ordering a cocktail and chose the Toki Old Fashioned, made with Suntory Whiskey Toki, a splash of grapefruit and bitters. It was very good, delightfully tart.

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Toki Old Fashioned cocktail at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Then came the appetizers (we shared a bunch):

The crispy scallion pancakes: deliciously crispy and slightly greasy as expected, they were served with honey (first time I got that).

Scallion pancakes at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

The chicken wings that were good, although I admit that I like when the skin is crispy. The chicken was perfectly cooked, moist, and it was not spicy. I just wished they gave some wipes as my hands were sticky after eating that, prompting a trip to the bathroom.

Chicken wings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Shrimp dumplings: served very hot, they were superb! The shell was not too thick and slightly sticky and the filling tasted like...shrimp, meaning that it did not have too much filler in it. If you like crystal shrimp dumplings, go for it.

Shrimp dumpling at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Shrimp dumplings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Veggie dumplings: good, they were quite tasty and I liked the shell that was soft.

Veggie dumplings at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

The last dish was the one I did not really like. It was the three mushrooms musketeers stir-fry. Quite promising, it was bland.

Mushroom stir-fry at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Mushrooms stir-fry at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

Of course, we wanted dessert and luckily, they had a couple. We decided to try their "phoenix" buns that had a sweet egg yolk custard in it. This was fantastic! I loved the sweetness of it that pops when you reach the yolk, in contrast to the bun that is less tasty.

Buns with sweet egg yolk custard at Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar in NYC, NY

We had a great meal at Lotus Blue Dongtian: the food there is delicious and prices are reasonable for the area. 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!

Lotus Blue Dongtian Kitchen and Bar - 15 Union Square W, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 3/14/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/14/18

Dinner at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

After we went to Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken for brunch few weeks ago, we were really looking forward to trying their dinner menu. We had a reservation at 7pm with Opentable.com, but were told that seating would be between 7pm and 8pm and that we could sit at the bar. We arrived 15 minutes earlier (it was a Friday) and got indeed seated at the bar, although I noticed some empty tables behind us. And guess what: 10 minutes after and a cocktail down my throat, we sat to one of these same tables. I could not not think that it was a way to make people order drinks...Anyway, we were really wise to go early as, at 7:30pm, the place was packed, with tons of people waiting in the bar area and no table available. For sure this place does not need advertising! Ambience wise, it is between a bar and a neighborhood restaurant, the noise level being pretty high, the 60s music played via Spotify being quite loud. But that was the only negative, the service being good and the food outstanding.

At the bar, I sipped their Stone's Throw From Manhattan composed of coal filtered bourbon, smoked cherries, sweet vermouth and a burned lemon. This was pretty good, quite strong.

Stone's Throw From Manhattan at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ — *Stone's Throw From Manhattan at* Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

For appetizer, we decided to share their spaghetti squash carbonara, with pancetta and a crispy poached egg. This was a very interesting twist on the classic Italian carbonara, a lighter version that was very good, with lots of cheese and a delicious poached egg.

Spaghetti squash carbonara at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Then, for my entrée, I surprisingly ordered their hanger steak. I say surprisingly because I usually do not order steak if I am not eating in a Steakhouse, let alone hanger steak, my favorite cut being the ribeye. Unfortunately, they only serve it for two (a table close by got it and it looked succulent). The steak came with a sauce that I picked from few interesting choices: mine was a compound butter made with some bread crumbles (it is called bread & butter). Quite good, but I wish it was served warmer so the butter would start to melt. Anyway, I got the trick: I put the butter on the skillet on which the steak came and it slowly melted. The star was definitely the steak that was perfectly cooked medium-rare, tender and juicy. I did not regret my choice and recommend it.

Hanger steak at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Bread & butter sauce at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Know that it does not come with a side. So, we shared their Greek fries that were French fries with feta, an interesting combination.

Greek fries at Hanger steak at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Jodi on her side went for the Lasagna edges, burnt butter mushrooms, hard herbs and cheese toast. This was also a very interesting dish, quite creative, that had lots of cheese and mushrooms, but I admit that I was expecting something a bit different, like a lasagna prepared the same way Parm prepares its baked ziti, with the edges fried in a pan.

Lasagna edges with cheese toast at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Cheese toast at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

Last was dessert. Most of them cost more than $20, but you quickly understand why: it is family style, enough for 4 persons. At first, we wanted to try the cookies and milk, but there is peanut butter that Jodi does not like and unfortunately the dough is prepared in advanced and cooked to order. What they told us is that we can call them ahead and try their dough without the peanut butter, a nice idea for sure. So we decided to share their dirty chocolate cake that was amazing, with each table next to us asking what this was, mesmerized by the beautiful presentation, but most importantly by the amount of frosting on it! Yes, there was an equal amount of frosting compared to the moist cake and, this created a quite light but very chocolatey dessert. Of course, the two of us could not finish so we brought it home and had it the next day. Well, even the next day this cake is sublime: the frosting is hard (it was soft at the restaurant) and the cake was still moist. This is definitely a dessert I recommend.

Dirty chocolate cake at Antique Bar & Bakery in Hoboken, NJ

We left and were glad to walk a bit after a great dinner. Antique Bar & Bakery is a little gem. Too bad that the word is already out though and I would love to see a second location where hopefully reservations can be honored on time...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Antique Bar and Bakery - 122 Willow Ave, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 3/12/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/12/18

Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Located in Princeton University’s new Arts and Transit neighborhood and across from The McCarter Theatre Center for the Performing Arts, Cargot Brasserie is a French inspired restaurant that opened in July 2017. We got invited there last week for lunch, an occasion to go to Princeton not just for that, but also to visit one of our friends, Livia.

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

You may think the name is French, but it is made up as they explain on their website:

"The name Cargot honors the fact that the building was used as the cargo hold for the train station, while playfully referencing the iconic French dish (escargot) in a made-up word. The 100-year old stone building was restored and expanded in 2017 as part of the University’s Arts and Transit Neighborhood".

Surely, the place is beautiful: they kept the structure of the old building and transformed the interior, mixing old and new perfectly, and it is quite bright benefitting from the large windows.

Dining room at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Food wise, looking at their menu, they have adapted French classic dishes, offering a somewhat different menu for lunch and dinner (escargot for dinner only unfortunately...for me!), with a wide range to appeal to a broader audience, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. This is what we tried:

I first started by ordering a cocktail: a Vieux Carré made with rye, vermouth, benedictine and bitters. Well made, this announced a good start!

Vieux Carré cocktail at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

For appetizers, we had the watercress and radicchio salad that had blue cheese, walnuts and pear.

Watercress and radicchio salad at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

But the best was the mushroom tatin, that was a puff pasty, with caramelized onions and mushrooms, topped by raclette cheese and frisée salad. I loved it: original, it was delightfully sweet, and had lots of cheese on top.

Mushroom latin at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

For her entrée, Jodi chose the Croque Monseigneur, that is their take on the classic croque Monsieur. It is made with brie, avocado and tomato. This was really good: crunchy with lots of cheese inside.

Croque Monseigneur at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

But the best entrée was for me the duck confit that was served with a stew called la garbure (made with cabbage and other vegetables), pancetta and brussels sprouts. That duck was so good! The skin was slightly crispy and deliciously fatty, with the meat being not too salty.

Duck confit at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

Last was dessert. We opted for their apple tart, served with a creme fraiche ice cream.

Apple tart at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

And the chocolate tart, made with a dark and milk chocolate ganache, and served with a pistachio ice cream.

Chocolate tart at Cargot Brasserie in Princeton, NJ

The chocolate tart was sublime: very chocolatey, dense, it is the perfect dessert if you are a chocolate lover. The apple tart was good, but not as good as that dessert.

We finished the day with a necessary walk after such a feast, glad that we could try Cargot Brasserie. If you are in the Princeton area, it is a very good address to know.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Cargot Brasserie - 98 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540

I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/18

La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The last place we tried at Urbanspace Vanderbilt was La Palapa, a mexican restaurant that is not unknown to us as we went few times to their East Village location (great French toast for brunch!). Perfect for a quick bite, it was not the best tacos though...Here is what I tried:

Guacamole and chips: good but this is a tiny portion that they give! There is a larger portion but it is not worth the $15 they ask for. Otherwise, the guacamole, not made to order, was good.

Guacamole and chips at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Then I tried two tacos:

Tacos at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The first one was the Chicken Tinga, that is a chile chipotle barbecued chicken, and the second was the CHORIZO, that was made of with a homemade chile guajillo sausage. The later was much better than the former, tasty, deliciously salty. I just was disappointed by the chicken that was a bit bland.

Chicken tinga taco at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

Chorizo taco at La Palapa at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

So yes, I was a bit disappointed as I remember great meals at their restaurant. I personally would go to their place in the East Village and skip the location at Urbanspace Vanderbilt. In fact, I realized that I never posted about La Palapa. So, I am going to have to go back...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

La Palapa - Urbanspace Vanderbilt - 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169

I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/18 I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/18

Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

No need to go to Brooklyn anymore to have a delicious taste of Roberta's: their outpost at Urbanspace Vanderbilt is superb! Yes, the pizzas are small and a bit pricey, but they are worth it. These small neapolitan pizzas serve one person, allowing people to share a bunch. I love the crust that is crispy on the outside and deliciously charred and they offer a nice selection that can satisfy vegetarian and non-vegetarian patrons. For instance, we tried:

The The Margherita, made with tomato, mozzarella, basil:

Margherita pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The Speckenwolf, made with mozzarella, speck, crimini mushroom, onion, oregano
and black pepper:

The Speckenwolf pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

The Cheeses Christ, composed of mozzarella, taleggio, parmesan, black pepper and cream:

Cheeses Christ pizza at Roberta's Pizza at Urbanspace Vanderbilt

This was fantastic and I am glad they opened this location in the city. I definitely recommend it if you like pizza, but know that Urbanspace Vanderbilt can be quite busy on Thursdays and Fridays evening, but you can grab and go, eating at the food hall of Grand Central or walk to Bryant Park if the weather permits...

Enjoy (I did)!

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Roberta's Pizza - Urbanspace Vanderbilt, 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169