I Just Want To Eat! 5/7/18 I Just Want To Eat! 5/7/18

Le Cirque in Delhi, India

It is undeniable that Le Cirque and the Maccioni family are icons in the New York restaurant business and as soon as I knew that they opened a location in Delhi, I had that place in mind. I was recently in the Indian capital and we tried to book a table at this renowned Italian restaurant on a Sunday night. Unfortunately, it was full, a party of 70 hungry Italians having booked the place. Fortunately, thanks to Mauro Maccioni, one of the sons of Sirio Maccioni, the patriarch of the family, who I met a couple of times at Circo (Mauro, not Sirio - maybe one day!), I was able to get a reservation, my friends not believing that it happened.

Chef Matteo Fontana from Le Cirque with me!

There, we met with the Chef, Matteo Fontana, who has been feeding diners since last December after an incursion at Le Cirque Abu Dhabi, serving one of the most memorable menus I had. The restaurant is located on the 10th floor of The Leela Palace, in the Diplomatic Enclave of New Delhi, organized in three different areas overlooking the city: the bar at the entrance, the main dining room with its opened kitchen and a private dining room with only few tables. This is in the latter room that we got seated.

Open kitchen at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Dining room at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Private dining room at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

At Le Cirque, they have an extensive list of wines from around the world and I chose a Chianti, Brolio Barone Ricasoli 2014, an Italian wine with cherry notes.

Chianti, Brolio Barone Ricasoli 2014 at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

They started off by bringing us some delicious focaccia bread that I simply could not stop eating...

Focaccia bread at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Then, was an amuse that has a beautiful presentation: on one side was a very refreshing Italian gazpacho (chilled tomato soup) and on the other side, presented like a macaroon was their Tuscan liver paté, sandwiched in a brioche that was topped with a slice of black truffle. I could have eaten an entire plate of this delicious paté that was perfectly made. In fact, they offer it as an appetizer if you are tempted.

Chicken liver pate at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Italian gazpacho at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Talking about appetizers, I decided to try their Consommé of free range chicken, made with a sous-vide marinated chicken breast, green zucchini pearls and black truffle. Well, that's not your traditional chicken soup for sure: it was delicate and so refined, the truffle adding a bit of decadence and elegance to it.

Consommé of free range chicken at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

The second dish was the ravioli stuffed with barolo braised duck leg, a homemade ravioli filled with a duck leg cooked for 4 hours in the oven. It was served with a pumpkin velouté that added a nice sweetness, rosemary morel mushroom, leek spaghetti and topped with a parsley foam. The ravioli was definitely the star of the dish: perfectly cooked with a nice bite, it had a pyramid shape that held inside a fantastic duck leg.

Ravioli stuffed with duck leg at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

I also got to try one of their specialties: the lobster risotto cooked in lobster bisque: that is one of the best risotto I ever had! There was a nice amount of lobster and the fact that it was cooked in lobster bisque gave even more lobster flavor to the dish. I definitely recommend it.

Lobster risotto at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Then, was the Acacia honey glazed female duck breast: I admit that this was the first time I have seen the gender of the duck I am going to eat on the menu. Chef Matteo explained that the female being smaller than the male, the breast is a bit smaller as well, hence the choice of the female duck for that dish. Pink in the center, the breast was very good, perfect with the duck jus, and with a nicely fatty skin. It was served with some roasted potatoes that were a bit crunchy, like I like them.

Acacia honey glazed duck at  Le Cirque in Delhi, India — Acacia honey glazed duck at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

But in fact I only got few of these potatoes, focussing more on the black truffle fries that were superb, crispy on the outside and cooked all the way through, with that incredible scent from the shaved truffle.

Roasted potatoes at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Truffle fries at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

It was followed by a palate cleanser, that was called "three layers of mango".

"Three layers of mango" at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Last was dessert, compliment of the Chef. It was their dessert sampler that is something I am always looking forward to seeing on the menu, allowing indecisive diners to try multiple desserts. It was composed of the tiramisu, the napoleon, the baked Alaska and the Le Cirque creme brûlée. All of it was very good, my favorite being the baked Alaska that is out of this world.

Dessert sampler at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Baked Alaska at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

Creme brûlée at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

And as if we did not eat enough, they brought us some petits fours that were, from left to right: florentine, fresh fruit tart, green apple chocolate, berry financier and raspberry truffle.

Petits fours at Le Cirque in Delhi, India

This was one of the best dinners I had: the food was succulent and the service on point. I agree when some say that it is like having a Michelin Star treatment and I hope that they will be rewarded with these stars one day as they deserve 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!

Le Cirque - The Leela Palace, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

I Just Want To Eat! 5/4/18 I Just Want To Eat! 5/4/18

Aureole in NYC, NY

It’s been a while since we wanted to try Aureole, located close to Bryant Park. When making the reservation, they asked if we wanted to dine in the casual or formal dining room, where a tasting menu was served. We went for the latter and did not regret it. The food and service at this acclaimed Charlie Palmer’s restaurant were impeccable and they accommodated Jodi with a vegetarian menu that was definitely not an afterthought.

Casual dining room at Aureole in NYC, NY

When you enter, you first go through the casual room I mentioned, called the Liberty Room, with its huge chandelier and the view of their incredible wine cellar on the second floor. The formal dining room in the back is quieter and emptied after 8pm.

I started by ordering a cocktail called Sgt Pepper that I guess was an homage to the Beatles. Refreshing and not strong, it was made with William Peel blended scotch, Cynar (Italian bitter liquor), bell pepper, lemon and grapefruit.

Sgt Pepper cocktail at Aureole in NYC, NY

They then brought us an amuse: pomegranate gelée for Jodi

Cured salmon in a dashi broth with bonito and crispy rice. A good way to start.

It was followed by some house made bread. We both chose some focaccia that was so good, I got a second piece...

We had to pick between the five course and the three course tasting. The five course was fully defined, while we had various choices for the three course. But, when I saw the dishes in the five course menu, I could not resist. The first dish was King Crab + Apple, a crab toast made with kupie, nori dust, paddlefish roe, avocado on a brioche. This was delicious, the crab not overpowered by the sort of mayo it was mixed with. And that brioche was so good, very buttery.

Jodi on her side got a Spring salad that did not look boring at all.

Next was a white asparagus soup with a goat and ricotta ravioli for Jodi

White asparagus soup at Aureole in NYC, NY

And Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras With pear purée, pickled ginger, blackberry on the same brioche I had with the crab. The soup was pretty good, smooth, and the foie gras fantastic, deliciously fatty and literally melting in my mouth. In fact, I enjoy more seared foie gras over the pâté.

The third course was Cavatelli pasta with mussels, garlic, saffron and heirloom tomato.

Cavatelli pasta with mussels at Aureole in NYC, NY

Jodi got a vegetarian version of this course. The pasta was very good, perfectly cooked al dente.

Cavatelli pasta, vegetarian version at Aureole in NYC, NY

The fourth course was, with the foie gras, what I was looking for: Long Island Duck Breast with white asparagus, fava beans, pickled rhubarb and sauce béarnaise. I was expecting to see the sauce on the duck, but it was on the asparagus: I loved it. The asparagus were well cooked, with a nice bite, smothered by a delightfully buttery béarnaise. The duck was cooked medium rare and was nicely fatty, the skin being slightly crispy. If you love duck, I strongly suggest this dish.

Long Island duck breast at Aureole in NYC, NY

Jodi on her side got some seasonal vegetables.

Seasonal vegetables at Aureole in NYC, NY

Last was dessert. We both got the Wild Strawberry on top of a sablé breton, natural jus with fromage blanc ice cream. It was good, but it is not the kind of dessert that blows you away and that you would remember.

Wild strawberries dessert at Aureole in NYC, NY

With the check, they brought us a plate of cookies that was a nice attention, but we were so full...

It was a great meal and I would definitely go back to Auréole. I am in fact curious to go to their casual dining room, the burger I saw passing by looked very appetizing...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Aureole - 135 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 5/2/18 I Just Want To Eat! 5/2/18

Barbes, Moroccan French restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

Hoboken has a new Moroccan and French restaurant that opened uptown on Park. Barbés is not totally unknown to me as it used to be in New York but unfortunately closed. Taking its name from the neighborhood below Montmartre, the restaurant serves more Moroccan dishes than French ones, if not for the duck, served confit as an appetizer or as a magret (duck breast) as an entree, or the steak au poivre. No, definitely I wanted to go there to try the Moroccan dishes, especially Tagines and couscous as there are not that many restaurants serving great ones.

Funny enough, we heard about this place while dining at Ali Baba, a Middle Eastern restaurant on Washington Street, where I was eating...couscous. The two times we went there, we arrived pretty early and luckily got a seat as the place got packed fairly quickly. The first dinner at Barbes I got tempted by a cocktail: The New York Sour, a whisky sour made with dried red wine (that for sure came through).

NY sour cocktail at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

The second time, I tried a glass of Guerrouane, a wine from Morocco that was fine with the meal.

Glass of Guerrouane at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

Here are some of the dishes we tried:

A great appetizer to share is the salade méditerranéenne, composed of hummus, shashouka (made with tomatoes and peppers), as well as zaalouk, an eggplant salad. All of them were delicious on pieces of pita and my favorite was the shashouka, that reminded me of my family cuisine.

Salade Mediterraneenne at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

The couscous aux legumes or vegetable couscous, a vegetarian option, that was served in a tagine, giving a rustic and authentic feel to the dish (in fact, one of the co-owner, Omar, told that that sometimes people just order because of the tagine, not knowing what is inside). The vegetables (carrots, cabbage, zucchini, chickpeas...) were sitting on deliciously made semolina, with also some raisins that added some sweetness.

Tagine at Salade Mediterraneenne at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

Vegetable couscous at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

I have also tried their couscous royale that is my favorite: the base is the same as the vegetable couscous, but they add some merguez (lamb sausage), chicken and lamb. Simply delicious!

Couscous royale at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

Since I love merguez, and I do not see it often on a menu, except in French or Moroccan restaurants, I also tried their merguez brochette, served with a quinoa tabouleh (you can otherwise chose French fries). This was great: the merguez were delicious, delightfully greasy and a bit spicy. I was in heaven.

Merguez brochette at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

Last, dessert: they have chocolate mousse or Pastilla au lait, a dessert made with fried phillo dough, smothered with milk and rose water. Both are very good: the chocolate mousse is very chocolatey and has a nice texture, and the pastilla is fantastic, not overly sweet and crunchy, sublime like anything fried!

Chocolate mousse at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

With it, we ordered a mint tea, but I admit that I found it disappointing as they put rose water instead of green tea, overpowering the mint.

Overall we had a great meal at Barbés: the food was delicious and the service on point. It is great addition to Hoboken and I hope they will be successful, especially considering that the location is not that obvious, a bit off the beaten path.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Barbés- 1300 Park, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 4/30/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/30/18

The Modern next to the MOMA

Located next to the Museum of Modern Art aka MOMA, The Modern is one of the restaurants of acclaimed Chef Danny Meyer from Marta, or more popular...Shake Shack. What a difference between the latter and The Modern, where we had a fantastic meal! We decided to go to the formal dining room that had an exclusive view on the garden inside the museum, a room with a very high ceiling and huge windows that gave lots of light to that beautiful room. It was definitely in contrast with the more casual room that was next to the bar, dimmer and noisier.

Formal dining room at The Modern in the MOMA

I started off by ordering a cocktail: the Wakatake, made with Japanese single malt, shoshu, matcha, lemongrass and lemon. It was an interesting cocktail, with a nice green color given by the matcha that really came through.

The Wakatake cocktail at The Modern next the MOMA

They then brought us bread: whole wheat for Jodi, baguette with caraway seeds for me.

As an amuse, they brought a celery soup that was surprisingly very good and smooth. I admit that I was surprised as I am not a huge fan of celery. With it were small tartlets made with seasonal vegetables. Really good.

The first course was, for me, Gently seared scallops seasoned with yuzu juice and toasted pistachios. The color of the dish was superb and the scallops were perfectly cooked, nicely sautéed.

Seared scallops at The Modern next the MOMA

Jodi got the warm red pear and lettuce hearts dressed in black truffle buttermilk. The most surprising element of the dish was the black truffle buttermilk dressing that was succulent.

Warm red pear and lettuce hearts at The Modern next the MOMA

The second course was, for me, Foie gras poached in a duck broth with pickled mushrooms and celery. The foie gras was really good, deliciously fatty and buttery. They poured on top a nice duck consommé that I inhaled.

Poached foie gras at The Modern next the MOMA

Jodi got some Spring vegetables with apple chips.

Spring vegetables at The Modern next the MOMA

The third course was the best of the evening: Beef crusted in aged Comté cheese - à la royale style with beluga lentils. The tenderloin was a perfectly cooked medium rare and was so tender, it was like butter. It was definitely a good quality piece of meat. I loved the aged comté cheese crust that added a nice saltiness to the dish.

Beef crusted in aged comte at The Modern next the MOMA

For Jodi, it was Acorn squash with root vegetables, lentils and morels.

Acorn squash at The Modern next the MOMA

After this, they gave us a beautiful bite to cleanse our palate: it was a lime sorbet with coconut, nestled in mango.

Lime sorbet with coconut at The Modern next the MOMA

Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the Brioche bread pudding with crème anglaise and golden pineapple. The presentation was interesting and it was like a deconstructed dessert, delicious for sure.

Brioche bread pudding at The Modern next the MOMA

On my side, I went for the Mont Blanc, a dessert made with chestnut, a crispy cashew tuile and a vanilla-chestnut ice cream. This was sublime! Not too sweet and quite delicate.

As we finished, they offered us a petit four made with salted caramel and ganache. Lucky for me, Jodi got full, so I got both...

We left full and amazed by the food we got at The Modern. I should point out the excellent service and beautiful plating of each and every dishes. The attention to each detail made this one of the best fine dining experiences we had in the city. If you want a nice meal and can afford it, I strongly recommend this place: no wonder why they got two Michelin stars!

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 Modern - 9 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/27/18

Brunch at Bowery Road near Union Square

We were looking for a brunch place near Union Square, when we stumbled upon Bowery Road, an American restaurant located in the Hyatt, where Chef Ron Rosselli serves farm-to-table dishes composed with products sourced at the Union Square Green Market close by. I like that the place is quite spacious with very high ceilings and the omnipresence of wood underlying the theme of the restaurant.

Dining room at Bowery Road near Union Square

We started our meal by sharing their crushed avocado, served with a tomato chutney and a corn seed cracker. This is one of the 4 dips or spreads they are proposing, each having a unique bread. The presentation was really nice, colorful with the contrast of the green from the avocado and the red of the tomato chutney. The dish was delicious: there were chunks of avocado that were perfectly ripe and was, with the chutney, like a Middle Eastern version of guacamole. It was delicious on the cracker that was really surprising, quite flavorful and crunchy.

Crushed avocado at Bowery Road near Union Square

Corn seeded cracker at Bowery Road near Union Square

For her main entree, Jodi ordered the USQ Market Grain Bowl, composed of egg (she asked without), faro, quinoa, lentils, haricot verts, avocado, mushrooms and sunflower.

USQ Market Grain Bowl at Bowery Road near Union Square

On my side, I could not resist trying their chicken two-ways, that was a fried thigh, roasted breast, sweet potato, herb yogurt and anaheim chili salsa. The chicken was succulent: each piece, whether fried or roasted, were perfectly cooked and moist. I liked the chili salsa, but admit that the chicken was so good, it did not need anything.

Chicken two-ways at Bowery Road near Union Square

Sweet potato at Bowery Road near Union Square

The food was really good and I love their farm-to-table concept. Bowery Road is the kind of restaurant in hotel that is worth trying and I would definitely go back for dinner 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!

Bowery Road - 132 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/18

Marea near Central Park

Meaning "Tide" in Italian, Marea is the restaurant of Chef Michael White who succeeded to get two restaurants with Michelin Stars: Marea and Ai Fiori. With its two stars, Marea is a fantastic experience, from the food to the service, focusing mainly on seafood, not surprising considering its name. If you are vegetarian, they are couple of dishes, and it is the sort of establishment that will accommodate without any problem to create vegetarian dishes on the fly (well, I am sure they have couple already created just in case).

Here is what we tried at Marea:

For a cocktail, I tried their Cask-strength old Fashioned, made with russell's reserve "altamarea" single barrel bourbon, oleo saccharin and bitters.

Once we ordered, they brought to us a cauliflower croquette with anchovy aioli, a delicious bite that was a great way to start the meal.

Cauliflower croquette at Marea in NYC, NY

Then some bread: we both chose their house made focaccia made with rosemary and garlic. Problem was that it was really good andI tried not to eat it as we knew we would have a great meal coming...

We decided to go for their four course dinner, but I decided to add a fifth dish: the vongole crudo made with razor clams, crustacean aioli, confit endive and lime. They do have a great selection of crudo, from octopus to scallops or fish like bass or trout, but went with razor clams as I rarely see them on a menu. The dish was small for sure, but very good, fresh with a nice acidity.

For her first dish, Jodi picked a dish made with mushroom and white asparagus.

On my side, I chose the Polipo or grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, radish pickled red onions, chilies and tonnato. The octopus was delicious, not rubbery and nicely charred.

Then came the pasta dish. Jodi had the risotto funghi, made with wild mushrooms and parmesan cheese. This was a very good risotto, the rice having some bite to it and it is the kind of dish that mushroom lovers like Jodi would love.

My pasta dish was the Garganelli with black truffle, bang caudal and parmesan cheese. Bagna caudal is a sauce or dip from Piedmont typically made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil and butter. The dish looked very appetizing and was superb: the house made pasta were perfectly cooked al dente, and not only the sauce was amazing, tasting more butter than anchovies, but there was lots of truffle.

Third course (more fourth for me...), was a beautiful faro salad with mushrooms for Jodi

and the scampi or langoustine from New Zealand with a side of salad for me (I had a choice between salad or potatoes and picked the healthy choice considering the feast we were having). This was very good: the langoustine were simply grilled, served with some butter sauce, and I appreciated the fact that the meat could be easily removed from the shell.

We finished the meal with a succulent dessert: the bomboloni or Italian doughnuts, served with a lemon cream and a strawberry compote. These were awesome and I did not need any cream or compote with them as they were good on their own.

The second dessert was the Delizie al Limone, a lemon chiffon cake served with lemon curd and a meyer lemon gelato. It was beautiful, but I admit that I was not as enthusiastic about it, the dessert being just ok for my taste.

Delizie al limone dessert at Marea in NYC, NY

But it was not the end: with the check, they brought some chocolate with hazelnut, a nice touch to end a delicious meal.

We left Marea full, glad that we had a chance to try this place that definitely deserved to be rewarded. Not only the food was good, but the service was also on the spot.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Marea - 240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10021

I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 4/23/18

Marta, another Danny Meyer venture

I did not realize that Marta was part of the Union Square Hospitality Group founded by Danny Meyer, but got a hunch when the waiter told us, after handing us the menu, that it was a non tipping restaurant, a concept that Chef Meyer introduced after noticing the disparities in compensation between the front and back of a house of a restaurant, the law prohibiting tips to be shared by the waiters with the cooks and dishwashers. I think it is a great idea and for sure, we had a very good experience there, noticing that the staff at Marta were really working together.

Located in the Redbury New York Hotel, Marta is a beautiful place: big, with lots of light thanks to the large windows, it is not your typical hotel restaurant. We were there for brunch and I admit that I did not know what to get, their menu being mouth watering. I started with a nice fresh squeezed orange juice.

Fresh squeeze orange juice at Marta in NYC, NY

Then, the first appetizer was the Ricotta, with wildflower honey, hazelnuts and sourdough bread. This ia very refreshing appetizer and if you have never tried this, ricotta and honey go extremely well together.

The second appetizer was the Polpo, or charred octopus served with potato, salsa verde and grilled gem lettuce. I simply loved it: the octopus was perfectly cooked, not rubbery with a nice char. The sales verde was delicious, but the most surprising was the grilled lettuce that was a perfect pairing with the octopus.

For the entrée, we opted for a white pizza with mushrooms called the Funghi pizza, composed of fontina and mozzarella cheese, hen of the woods, yellow chanterelles and thyme (there is normally red onion, but we asked without). The crust was very good, thin and crispy with a nice char. And not only there was a lot of cheese, but also lots of mushrooms. This is a great pizza that will satisfy anybody who loves mushrooms.

The brunch at Marta was delicious and it is definitely on my list for dinner, especially after seeing that they serve a crispy duck confit cooked in their wood fire oven...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Marta - 29 E 29th Street, New York, NY 10016

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