I Just Want To Eat! 8/6/18 I Just Want To Eat! 8/6/18

U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park

Last Sunday, I ventured to Rego Park were I was invited to try a kosher Uzbeki and Middle Eastern restaurant: U Yuri Fergana. It means “Yuri from Fergana”, Fergana being the city from Uzbekistan from where Yuri Moshev and his wife Myra are from. Myra is the chef: she has been cooking since she is 15 back there and serves some of her grandmother’s recipes for the pleasure of their patrons. You would ask me probably what makes this place so unique, the city having many Uzbeki restaurants? Well, Yuri and Myra own their own livestock that they raise organically. At least they know where the meat comes from.

Dining room at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

As far as the food is concerned, they do have vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, but the meat is king there. They have soups and salads as well as hummus and babaganouj. Their salad Fergana made with fresh vegetables is good, but the salad with sautéed eggplant is a must have: it was very good, the eggplant being well cooked (have you tried an undercooked eggplant? Horrible!), mixed with some sweet peppers. The best part was when dipping the delicious bread in the sauce that had a nice sweetness.

Fresh vegetable salad at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Bread at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Eggplant saad at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

I then tried their dumplings that came with fries. I admit that I ditched the fries that were a little soggy and focused on these little crunchy pockets filled with a mix of ground lamb and beef. Very flavorful and addictive.

Dumplings at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Next was the plat de resistance (main entree of the meal): the Shish Kebabs. They have a nice selection of meats and oval like liver, heart and kidney, but also regular cuts. You just order by the skewer, allowing you to try few. There was: veal liver, chicken, lamb and beef. The meat was pretty good (they served it with a hot sauce that was perfect with it and was not too hot), each kind being moist and well cooked. However, I wished it had some char and guess that they cook it on a gas grill rather than on charcoal.

Shish kebab at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Shish kebaba at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Hot sauce at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

For dessert, they only had a homemade cookie filled with hazelnut that was good and that I had with green tea.

Green tea at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Pastry at U Yuri Fergana in Rego Park, Queens

Overall the food at U Yuri Fergana was good: they propose an interesting menu that will excite meat lovers like me. This is a good place to know if you are in Rego Park.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

U Yuri Fergana - 94-09 63rd Dr, Rego Park, NY 11374

I Just Want To Eat! 8/3/18 I Just Want To Eat! 8/3/18

Revisit: Burger at Nusr-Et Steakhouse

Back in May, I got an opportunity to dine at Nusr-Et Steakhouse, the restaurant from Chef Nusret Gökçe aka Saltbae, a social media sensation known from the way he cuts meat and even more famous, his signature move when putting salt. I knew he was there thanks to Instagram, and, as I was having lunch with a colleague, I proposed to go there for their lunch special where, for $27 you get a burger with fries, a soda and a slice of baklava. And of course, I got to witness the Chef do his show at the table next to us.

Anyway, know that the lunch special is off the menu and, unless you know, it will not be proposed. Here is what I got:

Soda: Coca Cola. I should mention that they do not serve tap water, so, if you want to drink water, you have to pay for it that is crazy considering that New York water is fine.

Coca Cola at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Burger: they said that the Chef suggests to cook it medium rather than the medium rare I wanted. So I went for medium and found the thick patty well cooked. What is great is that they cut the burger in half after assembling it and grill the sides for few seconds, giving a nice char to it. It is quite big, as, as I mentioned, the patty is thick, and it was quite juicy. However, I was not flabbergasted by it, having much better burgers at The Brindle Room, 5 Napkin Burger or...Shake Shack. Know that, if you do not like to touch food with your hands, they give you black gloves, similar to the ones they use for service.

Burger and fries at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in NYC, NY

Last were the fries that were slightly seasoned: there was a nice quantity of it and I found them quite good, with a slight crunch and cooked all the way through.

One you finish that burger, comes the best part: the baklava. They serve it with goat's milk ice cream that cuts a bit the sweetness of it and brings this dish to a higher level. This was the highlight of the meal.

Baklava at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in NYC, NY

So, what do I think about the lunch deal at Nusr-Et Steakhouse? It is a very good deal, even if the burger will not keep you awake at night. As far as I know, I would have it again, but not for the burger: rather for the baklava that is sublime!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Nusr-Et - 60 W 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 8/1/18 I Just Want To Eat! 8/1/18

Comfort food at Chat'n Chew near Union Square

Chat’n Chew is not unknown to me as I went there many years ago, before they closed, back in 2014, and reopened few months ago where City Crab Shack used to be. I remember that at the time, I was not that impressed by this place that serves comfort food, having wings and Mac & cheese that I thought were subpar (yes, I usually remember what I ate in restaurants, even if years ago, but may not remember your name...). So we decided to check it out after an exhibit organized by the New York Academy of Art, where Jodi had 4 paintings. It was not our first choice to be honest, but the few restaurants we entered in on that Tuesday evening were way too loud, blasting music. The new Chat’n Chew is quite big and I appreciated that there was some light so I could see my food! And in fact, the food was pretty good, comforting as advertised. Here is what we tried:

House made Brooklyn chocolate egg cream (instead of a milkshake as I know how to be reasonable when it comes to food. Right?). It was pretty good although I admit that I am not an egg cream specialist.

Chocolate egg cream at Chat'n Chew in NYC, NY

Sweet and sticky jumbo chicken wings with K-Town BBQ and blood orange kimchi aioli. Besides the fact that these wings were not jumbo, they were really good: slightly crispy and delightfully sweet, the chicken being moist. It was not spicy.

Not so classic grilled three cheese, made with cheddar, Swiss and fontina cheese. Very good, it had tons of cheese on it! Instead of fries, we picked a salad to accompany it (I told you I am reasonable...).

Grilled cheese at Chat'n Chew in NYC, NY

Then, their signature Mac and cheese, made with cheddar. Quite good, it was very creamy and did not taste like processed cheese.

Mac and cheese at Chat'n Chew in NYC, NY

Last was dessert that was ok for me: their Coca Cola cake that is like a devil’s cake with layers. The cake was not that moist and I was wondering in fact if it was fresh, although still edible. And you do not taste the Coca Cola by the way!

Coca Cola cake at Chat'n Chew in NYC, NY

Overall it was good, perfect if you want some comfort food with a twist at a reasonable price. I would go back there, maybe for the burger and the cheesecake that sounds yummy...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Chat’n Chew - 10 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 7/30/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/30/18

Gabriel Kreuther near Bryant Park

Gabriel Kreuther, the eponymous restaurant from Jean-Georges and The Modern Alum Chef is another example of how fine dining continues to thrive in New York. There, Executive Chef Kreuther and his team craft a luxurious menu with the Chef’s Alsatian influence. The prix-fixe menu offers mouth watering dishes where you can choose between 4, 6 or 9 courses. We chose the former that was enough, especially when considering the amuse that were served or the three variety of breads that accompanied the meal, a different kind after each course: house made Kougelhopf (an Alsatian brioche) with whipped fromage blanc, then the whole grain ficelle with cultured butter, and with the main course, the rosemary buckwheat rolls with whipped pork lardo (I ditched the lardo as butter or even nothing was fine with it). I should mention that the last two breads are from Maison Kayser.

Kougelhopf bread at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Whipped fromage blanc at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Rosemary buckwheat rolls at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Each dish looked beautiful and we had a succulent meal, but I admit that I could not not compare this place with The Modern that I discovered recently and where the Chef use to work: for the same price point, I have to say that I prefer The Modern. Still, Gabriel Kreuther is a good place to know if you want to have a nice dinner near Bryant Park. Here is what we had:

I first will mention the cocktails: each page of the menu tells a story related to Bryant Park and each cocktail relates to it. But t is not the only thing worth mentioning: the ice in the cocktails contains flowers, specially made for the drink you are ordering. Jodi got the Beehive cocktail, made with apricot, pineapple, lemon and honey, that has the following backstory:

The Park recently installed two beehives on the Northwest corner across the road from Gabriel Kreuther. They are managed by the New York City Beekeepers Association. You can enjoy urban beekeeping classes and might soon be able to enjoy Bryant Park honey.

On my side, I got The Romantic Hero, made with Rittenhouse Rye, Dolin dry vermouth, hibiscus and Lemon, that had a rose in the center of its ice sphere. Its back story was:

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe was a German author who practiced law, studied the classics, and believed in the energetic, artistic individual. One of his best known works was The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774),a novel whose protagonist is viewed as one of the first literary “romantic heroes” since he committed suicide after being scorned by his married lover.

The Beehive cocktail at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Romantic Hero cocktail at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

The first amuse was papas fritas with a homemade hot sauce and a roasted tomato tart. It was accompanied by a lime and coconut shot that was unfortunately too thick to get to. But the papas fritas was divine and I could have eaten a dozen of it!

Roasted tomato tart at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Papas fritas at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Lime and coconut shot at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

There were not that many vegetarian options on the menu and they gracefully proposed to make a gazpacho for Jodi's appetizer, this cold soup being very good, and quite smooth.

On my side, I went for the hamachi, black truffle and foie gras "mille-feuille": it looked fantastic and was totally different from what I expected. Very creative, the foie gras, rolled in nuts that gave a nice crunch, was paired with a delicious waffle that was a good idea, far from the usual toast. However, I did not smell or taste any truffle...

Foie gras mille-feuille at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

For her second course, Jodi got the sauerkraut tart. Originally, it is a sturgeon and sauerkraut tart with a caviar mousse line, but they made it completely vegetarian, with corn and tomato confit. The presentation was great as it came in a glass cloche in which it was smoked.

Sauerkraut tart at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for another foie gras dish: Seared Sullivan county foie gras with mustard seeds, pickled turnip and pearl onion marmalade. This was sublime and I loved the sweetness of the marmalade as well as the texture that the mustard seeds gave to the foie that was melting in my mouth.

Foie gras at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

For her third course, Jodi got the Castle Valley Mill's polenta, made with poached egg, mushrooms, sunflower seed crumble and a black truffle coulis. It was very good and the smell of black truffle emanating from this dish was divine. In a way, it was like an elevated version of a brunch dish with eggs and polenta!

My third entree was the black Angus beef tenderloin served with roquefort cheese, asparagus, onions and a red wine jus that had beef tongue in it. At first, I thought there was really a tiny piece of roquefort on the plate, but it was in fact hiding behind the asparagus...The meat was quite good, tender and juicy, and the red wine jus superb, but I have to say that the tenderloin at The Modern ruined it for me.

Beef tenderloin at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

It was followed by a pre-dessert to cleanse our palate: lemon foam with peach and a green tea granita.

Lemon foam and green tea granita at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Last was dessert. Ethereal, strawberry and herb for Jodi, a dessert that was composed of a coconut panna cotta, an herb sphere and fresh strawberries.

Dessert (coconut panna cotta) at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

For me, the decadent chocolate caramel, composed of crumble, chocolate mousse and caramel ice cream.

Decadent chocolate caramel at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

The dessert were just ok. I admit that, although creative, they did not meet my expectations.

After such a feast, they brought us some housemate chocolate, probably from the chocolate store next door owned by the Chef. There was a mint chocolate and a salted caramel chocolate that I devoured...And a very good brownie that was quite moist.

Chocolates at Gabriel Kreuther in NYC, NY

Overall, we had a great meal at Gabriel Kreuther, but, for the same price, you can get a dinner at Le Bernardin or The Modern, even more awarded restaurants. Still, Gabriel Kreuther is a good address to know and, if you go, do not miss their cocktails.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Gabriel Kreuther - 41 W 42 Street, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 7/27/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/27/18

Luca Brasi's in Hoboken, NJ

We have known Luca Brasi’s in Hoboken for many years but only ordered there and never went to their restaurant, until our lunch on July 4th. We wanted to try a new location on Washington street that serves sandwiches but it was closed for the holiday. So we looked around and as we wanted sandwiches, we ended up at Luca Brasi’s. This small Italian place takes its name from the fictional character of The Godfather. So, no wonder why they decorated the place with black and white photos of gangsters, fictional or not and, funny enough, they have a Luca Brasi sandwich made with tuna, a nod to the movie where the enforcer is killed and thrown into a body of water, “sleeping with the fishes”.

Dining room at Luca Brasi's in Hoboken, NJ

The place is not that big, but has several seats so it is not just a takeout place. The sandwiches are made a la minutes, but know that you can also get pasta dishes (their meatballs look fantastic by the way). Jodi settled for a whole wheat bagel with muenster cheese, lettuce and tomato.

Bagel sandwich at Luca Brasi's in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I ordered the Fuggeda’boudit sandwich, composed of ham, salami, capicola, house made mozzarella and roasted peppers. It was a quite big sandwich and they put lots of meat in it.
Very good, it was not the best Italian sub I had, M&P Biancamano being much better, including the house made mozzarella, but still. And for the price, you cannot beat it: $23 total before tip with two drinks.

Fuggeda’boudit sandwich at Luca Brasi's in Hoboken, NJ

So, Luca Brasi’s is a good spot to know for some delicious cheap eats. I would definitely go back, probably to try their meatball or eggplant Parmesan sandwich...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Luca Brasi’s - 100 Park Avenue, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 7/25/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/25/18

La Sirena in Chelsea

We often crave Italian food and were looking for a nice place for a Friday night, looking at the list of Michelin star restaurants in the city. That is how we ended up at La Sirena. When reserving the table, I chose the dining room instead of the bar room: it was a bit of a mistake in a way. Yes it was quiet, but I thought that the bar room had more character, the dining room being a bit...boring.

But it was the only negative there, the service being perfect, very hospitable, and the food being good. Not the best Italian I had, but good. Here is what we had:

As a cocktail, I settled for the Pioneer, made with Stranahan’s whiskey, orange curaçao, yellow chartreuse, lemon and ginger beer. Quite refreshing, it was not too strong, so what I call a dangerous drink: you could sip it all afternoon like lemonade!

Pioneer cocktail at La Sirena in NYC, NY

As an appetizer, I picked the octopus that is cut in half and pounded flattening it. It was served with marble potatoes, pistachio, basil and rosemary. I loved it: the octopus was perfectly cooked and nicely charred. I liked the pistachio that gave a little crunch and nuttiness, and the earthy taste given by the basil and rosemary.

Jodi went directly for a pasta entree: the rigatoni alla Norma. It was made with eggplant, tomato and ricotta. Very good, I found it quite comforting.

Rigatoni all Norma at La Sirena in NYC, NY

On my side, I first wanted the quail as I rarely see it on a menu. But, they had an issue with their delivery and switched to the agnolotti cacio e pepe that were just ok: the pasta was good, well cooked, but there was too much pepper.

Agnolotti cacio e pepe at La Sirena in NYC, NY

For dessert, we got the Budino di cioccolato, an Italian chocolate pudding made with Fernet Branca caramel, sweet cream cloud and amaretti. This was a perfect way to finish this meal: it was fantastic, comforting and not overly sweet.

Budino di cioccolato at La Sirena in NYC, NY

With the check, they brought us pistachio cookies as well as fruit jellies that were a nice touch.

Overall the food was good, but I admit that I prefer Babbo if I have to compare Italian restaurants in the same category. Still, La Sirena proposes a nice menu and I would certainly go back to try other dishes. Maybe this time they will have the quail...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

La Sirena - 88 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 7/23/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/23/18

Restaurant Daniel on the Upper East Side

Opened in 1993 and relocated in its current location that was once Le Cirque in 1999, Daniel is the quintessence of what fine dining means: an incredible experience from beginning to end where hospitality has a real meaning. Some might be intimidated by the place and the omnipresent service, but the fact that it is not stuffy and very welcoming gives a different vibe to this culinary institution. There, Executive Chef Jean-François Bruel, Chef de Cuisine Eddy LeRoux and Executive Pastry Chef Ghaya Oliveira crafted sublime menu where you will not find classic dishes:

Chef de Cuisine Eddy Le Roux at Daniel in NYC, NY

Here is what we had:

A glass of champagne: compliment of the Chef, I could not remember what kind it was...

Amuse bouche: black onion-parmesan sablé with olive tapenade, tomato confit and Mornay emulsion.

Then we got a tasting of cucumber: we both had the same, except that mine had seafood in it.

Tasting of cucumber at Daniel in NYC, NY

For me: smoked salmon with cucumber noodles, Nettle oil and dill yogurt.

Smoked salmon and cucumber noodles at Daniel in NYC, NY

For Jodi, also cucumber noodles, with Nettle oil.

In the middle was a cucumber soup that we both got, made with Meyer lemon, pickled cucumber and chive oil.

For me, marinated langoustine, cucumber roll and chili pepper oil at Daniel in NYC, NY

Marinated langoustine in a cucumber roll at Daniel in NYC, NY

For Jodi, an equivalent, but I admit that I forgot with all these yummy descriptions!

Then they brought some salted butter from Brittany and a bread basket that was superb: I mean I could have eaten the entire thing, to the point that at some point, I declined having more bread considering the food we were getting. What I did not know is that they make their own bread in their own commissary, that serves all their restaurants,

Buckwheat and sourdough bread at Daniel in NYC, NY

Then came the first course, compliments of the Chef:

For Jodi, Carotte, a chilled carrot velouté with a chermoula cream, lovage oil and confit ginger. I should mention that Jodi does not like carrots: well, you could not tell as she loved it!

I got the Lapin, a rabbit "porchetta" with chorizo, yellow wax bean and haricot vert salad, a quite comforting dish.

Then I got the Saint-Jacques or ceviche of Maine sea scallops, served with an avocado mousseline, white sturgeon caviar, finger lime wasabi vinaigrette and cilantro. This was exquisite: the scallops literally melted in my mouth and I loved the addition of the avocado mousseline that gave a nice smoothness and fattiness to the dish.

Jodi got the Fenouil, or roasted fennel with sorrel coulis and wild asparagus:

Third course: Broccoli for Jodi, that was grilled broccolinis, old Chatham yogurt, Thai basil chutney and Purslane (a leafy vegetable) salad.

Gambas for me, a Santa Barbara Spot prawn "a la plancha", served with a Country Line melon, day lily, honeysuckle-togorashi infused oil. It was good, the prawn being well cooked, and the melon adding a refreshing element to the dish that had a nice kick, but I found it slightly salty.

The fourth course was, for Jodi, compliment of the Chef, the Choux Fleur, a Vadouvan roasted romanesco cauliflower with a saffron dubarry cream, grape-caper brown butter and California green almonds.

Roasted cauliflower at Daniel in NYC, NY

On my side, it was the foie gras that they flambéed in front of us in Mezcal and served with grits, corn in may forms (including pop corn and corn bread!) and sumac. This was fantastic: foie gras sauté is so decadent and scrumptious. I loved the sweetness the corn gave, counterbalancing the fattiness of the foie. I definitely recommend this dish.

For the fifth course, I decided to have a glass of red wine and picked a 2010 Chateau des Fougeres Clos Montesquieu from France, a full bodied Bordeaux beautifully balanced.

2010 Chateau des Fougeres Clos Montesquieu at Daniel in NYC, NY

It was perfect to accompany the quail (caille) that I had. It was the breast of the quail that was served, roasted, served with Bing and Rainier cherries, Easter egg radish, crispy potato "Bellecour" and a Montmorency sauce. That quail was so moist, it was amazing as it can be tricky to cook (overcooked, it is dry).

Jodi got the Trompette Royale or roasted king trumpet mushrooms, porcini coulis, red pearl onions, turnip and lava beans leaves.

Last was dessert. I should say "were" desserts. We got:

Bolivie, a dark chocolate moelleux, served with infused balsamic vinegar, chocolate gavottes for a bit of crunch and spiced herb ice cream.

Abricot or a cake made with vanilla roasted apricots, ginger Chantilly, chia seed Arlette, creamy chai and oatmeal ice cream.

Fraise or strawberry tart with Elderberry flower gelée, berry vinaigrette and a fennel-yuzu confit sorbet. This was my favorite with the moelleux: not only it was beautiful with the sugar tuile on top, it was very refreshing and had nice flowery notes. I just wished it was bigger, because I could have eaten more!

This came with some petits fours and madeleines that I could not resist eating, although at that point I was so full...

After the meal, they gave us two cannelés, a French pastry that they offer at Epicerie Boulud, as well as the menu as a souvenir. It was great and we were glad we walked a bit after that...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Daniel - 60 East 65th Street., Upper East Side, NY 10065

I Just Want To Eat! 7/20/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/20/18

Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

Instagram is a great way to discover places, but photos can be misleading as a dish can look fantastic but may not taste good, unless the description is more than just what the dish is. Anyway, I may love a dish that others would hate. Still, when I see a mouth watering photo, I often put the restaurant on my list to of places to try. Needless to say that that list is quite long, New York and its area offer so many options! So it is through Instagram that I found Cuba Bakery in Union City, New Jersey. A fellow blogger, Eat in Translation, posted a photo of masa real de coco and, knowing that Jodi loves coconut, I proposed her to go there.

Counter at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

Dining room at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

Cuba Bakery is not just a bakery as they also serve dishes like ropa vieja, empanadas, chicken, etc. But if there are two things we wanted to try were their sandwiches and some desserts. After ordering our meal at the counter, we sat at a table and literally devoured our sandwiches. Jodi ordered a cheese (queso) sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

Queso sandwich at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich (Jamon & queso) that was very good, better for me than the one Jodi got. Their Cuban bread is pressed, melting at the same time the cheese and giving it a slight crunch. And for $4, it is a great deal.

Jamon & queso at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

With my sandwich, I got a batido (shake) made with Mamey, a fruit found in Cuba and Central America.

Batido de Mamey at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

We also brought home that masa real de coco (coconut royal pastry) that I mentioned before ($1):

Masa real de coco at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

The masa real de coco was good (Jodi who loves coconut loved it), but I admit that it was not as good as their tres leches that was sublime!

Tres leches at Cuba Bakery in Union City, NJ

We ended up paying $16 before tip for this fantastic meal that finished with great satisfaction. Cuba Bakery is a great place to know for some cheap Cuban food and it will not be the last time we go 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!

Cuba Bakery - 1219 Summit Ave Ste A, Union City, NJ 07087

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

Dinner at Babbo

We finally made it to Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, the acclaimed Italian restaurant located few steps from Washington Square Park. This place, that opened in 1998 and got the “Best New Restaurant of 1998” award from the James Beard Foundation, is the first restaurant in New York of Chef Mario Batali. But, it is now owned and operated by Joe Bastianich, who used to be Batali’s business partner before the recent allegations of sexual misconduct of the celebrity Chef that, at the time of this post have not been to trial.

As a cocktail, I ordered the Manhattan Nero, their own version of a classic, made with Michter’s US-1 Bourbon and Amaro Averna. Very good, it was quite strong and had a beautiful dark color.

Manhattan Nero cocktail at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

For appetizer, I was not sure what to get between the octopus, the tripe, the lamb tongue or the sardines. I settled for the latter. The sardines were marinated and served with a deliciously sweet caramelized fennel and lobster oil (I did not get much of taste there). If you like fish, I recommend it and know that the sardines were perfectly filleted, so if you do not like this fish because of the multiple bones, you will not be disappointed.

Sardines at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi ordered the Garganelli pasta with “Funghi Trifolati” or mushrooms. The pasta was superb, smothered in brown butter.

Garganelli pasta at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

But the best pasta dish was for me the beef cheek ravioli with crushed squab liver and black truffle. These ravioli were amazing: homemade, the shell was thin, perfectly cooked, with a filling that was very tasty, but not as much as the squab liver that I could have eaten on a piece of bread. As far as the truffle is concerned, I however did not smell or taste it...Still, it was a fantastic dish that I also recommend if you are non-vegetarian. I should mention though that, if you have a seafood allergy, it contains anchovy paste.

Beef cheek ravioli at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

For dessert, we could not resist not having the olive oil cake that was superb, not as good as the one at Maialino, but still delicious.

Olive oil cake at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

At the end of the meal, with the bill, they gave us some Italian cookies that was a nice touch to end a delicious dinner.

Italian cookies at Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in NYC, NY

I am glad we finally got to try Babbo: it is now one of my top Italian restaurants in the City and I will surely 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!

Babbo - 110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 7/16/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/16/18

Stamatis, Greek restaurant in Astoria, Queens

When my friend Benny proposed to go to Astoria to a Greek restaurant, I was excited. He got a recommendation to go to Stamatis, a family owned restaurant located few steps from the train station. We went on a Friday and this place was so packed with patrons coming and going endlessly, to the point that at 9:30pm, they were already out of desserts: that was a bit disappointing as we really wanted to end our meal with something sweet...

Dining room at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

We tried quite a bit of food, but what I only realized when we left is that the food is pre-made and sitting there, like in a hot buffet...And it might explain why it was just ok! Here is what we tried:

Ouzo, a traditional anise flavored liquor:

Small antipasti platter, composed of Tarama (spread made with fish roe), skordalia (garlic spread, lots of garlic), tzatziki (yogurt spread) and eggplant dips. We were expecting pita, but instead they gave us some bread brushed with oil. It is only later that we saw that several tables got pita...Anyway, this is a must have so you can try several dips, my favorite being the eggplant that had feta in it, as well as the tzatziki.

Dip sampler at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Eggplant dip at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Garlic dip at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Saganaki (fried cheese): this was superb and also a must have. I should mention that they do not flambé it. In fact, when I asked, our waiter said with a smirk on his face: "we do not do that here".

Fried variety: as we could not decide between fried eggplant and fried zucchini, we got both in the fried variety that was supposed to have peppers that were missing in action. I was looking forward to this dish but was disappointed as it was quite greasy.

Fried eggplant and zucchini at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Lamb chops: they were just ok, slightly overcooked.

Lamb chops at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Calf Liver: another overcooked dish, so it was a bit dry.

Calf liver at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

Fried sardines: very good, probably the dish I enjoyed the most.

Fried sardines at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

As we ordered three entrees, we could have three sides. There were potatoes, rice and some collard greens. Overall ok.

Collar greens at Stamatis in Astoria, Queens

You probably wonder if Jodi had an entree: she did but I forgot to take a photo...It was the classic Greek salad that seemed to be fresh.

Overall the meal was ok. Definitely we could see that regulars were coming back to that place that, as I mentioned before was packed all along. But, between the food, the service that was not good (we waited for our dishes a while and they were not that nice), and the noise level that made us want to leave, I do not think I would go back there...

Enjoy (...)!

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

Stamatis - 29-09 23rd Avenue, Queens, NY 11105

I Just Want To Eat! 7/13/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/13/18

Café China in Midtown Manhattan

Located Midtown Manhattan, Café China is a discreet restaurant that won a Michelin Star this year. With its 1930s Shanghai decor, this non-pretentious place serves Sichuan dishes. Service there was good, courteous and efficient, but I found the food to be ok, not that amazing to the point that I would die to go back. Is it because we did not order the right dishes? Maybe. I let you judge after you read what we had:

Vietnamese iced coffee: they do not use a coffee machine to make it, but rather let the coffee drip onto a small quantity of condensed milk. It was good, perfect if you like coffee as stronger than a café au lait, but I admit that it does not beat the Malaysian coffee at Laut, that is also made with condensed milk.

Vietnamese iced coffee at Cafe China in NYC, NY

Crystal shrimp dumplings: quite good, the shell being perfectly made.

Crystal shrimp dumplings at Cafe China in NYC, NY

Bang bang chicken: it is a cold dish made with shredded chicken in a sesame sauce with peanuts. It was ok, a bit spicy but not too much.

Bang Bang chicken at Cafe China in NYC, NY

Scallion pancakes: good, slightly greasy as you would expect them to be.

Scallion pancakes at Cafe China in NYC, NY

Stir-fried assorted fresh mushrooms, made with oyster mushrooms and vegetables. I found the dish bland...This was in fact my least favorite.

Stir-fried mushrooms at Cafe China in NYC, NY

Eight Jewel Rice: this was a dessert that is like a Chinese rice pudding, made with sticky rice, raisins and red bean paste in the center. This is apparently typically served in Chinese banquets, the number 8 being a magic number in China, pronounced like the word that means rich or to thrive in business. It was quite good, not too sweet, with a nice texture from the rice.

Eight jewel rice at Cafe China in NYC, NY

So it was fine but not earth shattering. Other dishes like the tea smoke duck or dan dan noodles might have been a better choice. So I am a bit on the fence concerning Café China. I might have to try another time to see if I get why they obtained a Michelin Star as, after this visit, I am not sure...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Café China - 15E 37th street, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 7/12/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/12/18

My trip to France: La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Few minutes from Grenoble is La Corne D'Or a restaurant located in Corenc with stunning views of the city and its surrounding mountains. There, the Borrel family created a relaxed atmosphere in a wonderful setting, where Chef Alexandre Bonnel feeds hungry patrons not only stunned by the views, but also by the creativity of his food. This is not a Michelin starred restaurant, but it surely deserves to be recognized.

Dining room at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Terrace at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

We were there for a double celebration: my Dad's birthday as well as Father's Day. As it was the week end, our only choice was to trust the Chef and get whatever he had in mind that day. For Jodi, being vegetarian was not a problem at all and all of her dishes were as mouth watering as mine, definitely not like side dishes or even an afterthought, but rather succulent creations for the Chef. Here is what we had:

Aperitif: a tradition in France to have a cocktail before meal.

Me: the house made cocktail made with champagne and elderberry (sureau in French).

House cocktail at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Jodi: an orange lemonade that is 100% organic, made in a city close by with water from the Vercors.

Limorange at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Amuse bouche - they were composed of:

Beet tart with elderberry (after our experience at Noma few years ago, we are getting used to eating flowers...).
Fennel purée with artichoke and sesame.
Beef gyoza.

Amuse bouche at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Fennel purée at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Beet tart at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Beef gyoza at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Second amuse bouche: it was maquereau a l'escabeche (mackerel with escabeche sauce), zucchini velouté, peas and fermented celery. Jodi got the same dish but without the fish.

Maquereau a l'escabeche at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Appetizer: cauliflower cooked in different ways. It was like a mousse of cauliflower sitting on a crumble, pickled red onions, soubise sauce (sauce made with onions and butter) and haddock (Jodi did have the same dish but without the fish).

Cauliflower at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

As we did the wine pairing, they served us a white wine from France, Ondine, but I admit that I cannot remember what it tasted like, focusing more on the food...

Ondine, French white wine a La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Entremet (an entremet is a small dish served between courses): cumbawa (Sort of lemon used in Thai cuisine) sorbet, ginger, lemon and lime, sesame crumble with an espelette pepper tuile.

Entremet at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

For the entrée:

Me - Fish course - organic trout from the Vercors (it was poached), trout eggs, carrot purée, carrots and peanuts tuile.

Organic trout at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Jodi - vegetable plate composed of carrots, carrot purée, asparagus. potato and peanut tuile.

Vegetable plate at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

The wine served with it was a Causse Marines Les Greilles, Gaillac 2016:

Causse Marines Les Greilles, Gaillac at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Then, a pre-dessert (interesting concept but let's be honest, it means we had two desserts...Yum!). It was a juniper mousse with lemon confit, lime zest and a buckwheat tuile.

Juniper mousse at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

And for dessert, a strawberry theme with strawberry compote, strawberry soup, sorbet made with mint, tarragon and coriander, and a pistachio tuile as well as crushed pistachios.

Strawberry dessert at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

The dessert wine is called Pet'Nat' that is Pétillant-naturel (natural sparkling), an ancient winemaking style from France. It was a sweet sparkling rosé, perfect with that dessert.

Pet' Nat' wine at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Overall the meal was fantastic: creative, each plate looked beautiful and tasting very good, including the desserts that were a good way to end such a nice experience. Don't you hate when you have a great meal but the dessert is not good at all? Or worse: when there is no dessert? I surely don't. So, if you are near Corenc, LA Corne D'Or is a good address for a Michelin Star like meal.

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 Corne d'Or - 159 Route de Chartreuse, 38700 Corenc, France

I Just Want To Eat! 7/11/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/11/18

Mac and Cheese burger at The Ainsworth in Hoboken, NJ

I love burgers and I am always curious to try something different from a classic cheeseburger. Few years ago, I discovered the Mac and Cheese burger at The Ainsworth in Chelsea, that I still consider the best of its kind so far, not that there are many places proposing a burger smothered with a good mac and cheese. As there is a Ainsworth in Hoboken, Jodi and I decided to go for brunch, early enough to see the end of the soccer World Cup game between France and Argentina (4-3 with a victory for France). The place was not crowded, that was great as I like a quiet environment when I eat and it seems that most of the people were routing for my country of origin. Anyway, back to the burger: I was set to have the Mac and cheese one although they have a few that are interesting like the Breakfast Burger, made with a house made sausage blend patty, cheddar, bacon, sunny side up egg, hollandaise in a brioche bun. And you know what: it was delicious!

The burger was composed of a panko crusted mac & cheese patty in the bottom, a beef patty, some mac & cheese in a sesame bun. The patty was cooked medium-rare, and was quite juicy. It was literally smothered by this awesome mac and cheese they make, that had a superb sharpness, prompting me to think that they are putting parmesan in it. And it is not like they put a little bit of it: there is quite a lot. Another great component is the panko crusted Mac and cheese patty in the bottom that adds a bit of crunch and brings a bit the taste of fried food to the whole thing. I should mention that the burger was served with French fries that were good, but I admit that, considering how filling the burger was, I barely ate them.

Jodi on her side got a healthier choice: the Egg White Omelet, stuffed with roasted cherry tomato, spinach, avocado and mozzarella.

Egg white omelet at The Ainsworth in Hoboken, NJ

Needless to say that when ordering that Mac and cheese burger, you'd better forget about dessert: it is so filling that a good walk is necessary after that...

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 Ainsworth - 310 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 7/9/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/9/18

Whiskey class and dinner at The Flatiron Room

I have been drinking whiskey for some time and wanted to learn more about it. Looking for classes, I stumbled upon The Flatiron Room, a restaurant with live jazz located near...The Flatiron. This place is incredible as they offer more than 1,000 variants of whiskey, from many countries that I did not even know produced whiskey. And they have classes for beginners and experts that take place in their upstairs tasting room. So I went there with a friend of mine, for their beginners class, whiskey 101, that consisted in tasting 6 different whiskeys. I should mention that they say in their description that they serve light appetizers, and it is...very light as there are only few slices of cheese with a small amount of bread.

Whiskey (unknown) at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

Light appetizer at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

For $96, I thought it was a bit pricey, between the appetizers and what you learn there...Maybe the more advanced classes are better. Anyway, it is a good way to get some basics and try some interesting whiskeys.

Whiskey tasting at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

The 6 whiskeys were, in order:
- Elijah Craig Private Barrel, a straight bourbon from Kentucky.
- Pinhook, a straight eye from Kentucky.
- Yamazaki 12 year, a single malt from Japan (my 2 favorite).
- Barr an Uisce Small Batch, a blended Irish whiskey (my 3rd favorite).
- Loch Lomond 18 year, a single malt Scotch.
- Ardbeg 10 year, Islay single malt (my favorite: I loved the smokiness of it).

After the class that lasted approximately 1 hour, we went to have dinner in their downstairs dining room with Jodi. Luckily, we got seated close to the stage, where we enjoyed the performance of two different bands.

Jazz band at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

I did not have a drink because after the tasting I had enough alcohol in my system. So I went straight to the appetizer and it was my favorite: bone marrow. Served with some rustic bread, arugula and onion rings, there were three pieces and it was delicious, fatty and melting in my mouth. However, I did not like their onion rings, not that I cared much about it.

Bone marrow at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

Then, I tried the Chimichurri steak bites, that came with poblano sauce and sweet potato strings. The cut of meat was skirt steak and it was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy.

Chimichurri steak at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

The second meat dish I tried is the braised short ribs, served with polenta in a berry BBQ sauce. This was really good and these short ribs are a must have.

Braised short ribs at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

Jodi on her side simply went for the mushroom flatbread. Good and one of the few vegetarian dishes.

Mushroom flatbread at The Flatiron Room in NYC. NY

We had a good time at The Flatiron Room: the food and entertainment were great. This is the kind of place where you can get a very good dining experience, different from the pure dining, the jazz entertainment being nice and not too loud, allowing you to still have a nice conversation with people at your table.

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 Flatiron Room - 37 W 26th Street, New York, NY 10010

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

Brunch at The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn

Last Sunday, we went with our friends Jen and Gary to see the David Bowie exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum and Jodi was tasked to find a brunch place. Her pick: The Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights, where Chef Saul Bolton of SAUL Restaurant in the Brooklyn Museum, Red Gravy in Brooklyn Heights and Brooklyn Bangers serves an interesting menu in a very relaxed atmosphere. And the food there was phenomenal! In fact, it has been a while I did not have such good brunch and I am talking about brunch in its literal sense, not a meal during brunch time that has nothing to do with what a brunch should be.

Dining room at The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn

I started by ordering one of their creative brunch cocktails: the Dew Drop made with Aperol, grapefruit juice and cava. I loved the bitterness of it.

Dew drop cocktail at The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn

Then, I got the beignets. Fried dough is always comforting and these pillowy beignets, smothered in confectioner's sugar that either end up on your clothes or the tip of your nose were superb.

Not sure it was a good idea before my next dish but I could not resist. Imagine: I then ate their fried chicken and French toast...It was a good twist on a Southern specialty and the French toast was one of the best I ever had! The bread, caramelized outside, was not dry at all inside, besides being quite thick. The chicken was also good, delightfully greasy, not the best I had, but perfect to counterbalance a bit the sugar coma that would unfold later...

Fried chicken and French toast at The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn

Jodi on her side got the breakfast platter, that is composed of eggs any style (she chose scrambled), bacon, a sausage (she or I should say I chose their kielbasa that was very good), hash browns and an English muffin.

Breakfast platter at The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn

We left glad we had a little walk to the Museum after such a meal. The Vanderbilt was a nice discovery and I would definitely go back there, maybe even for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

The Vanderbilt - 570 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238

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

Danish dinner at Michelin Star Agern, in Grand Central Terminal

It might be easier to find somebody in Grand Central Terminal than finding Agern, a Michelin Star restaurant serving seasonal Danish cuisine. If I would not have found a directory in Vanderbilt Hall, I think I would have ended up calling them to ask for directions, Google Maps being useless once you enter in the beautiful train station that is Grand Central.

Dining room at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

Opened kitchen at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

There, Icelandic head chef Gunnar Gíslason crafted a pretty small menu, with only few vegetarian dishes, meat and seafood being the stars. But, definitely, the decor, where wood is omnipresent, matches the theme of the restaurant. We started our meal with some drinks. Jodi went for a non-alcoholic beverage, the Hudson Standard concord grape, that she did not like (it was ok for me).

Hudson standard Concord grape drink at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

On my side, I looked for a cocktail with whiskey and picked the Stockholm on Seneca, made with McKenzie Bourbon, aquavit and spruce bitters. I was thinking that aquavit and bourbon was an interesting mix, like bringing two cultures together and was not disappointed.

Stockholm on Seneca cocktail at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

As we were drinking our cocktails, they brought us some barley and sourdough bread with butter that was superb, the barley adding a bit of nuttiness to the sourdough. This homemade bread was so good, with or without butter, that they brought us a second one...

Barley and sourdough bread at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

At first, Jodi wanted to order their Celeriac Ravioli, served with smoked cream cheese, hazelnuts and hen of the woods. But it was not possible to have them without hazelnuts as they were already made. So, they gracefully proposed one of the dishes from their tasting menu, the green salad with puffed rice, fennel and ricotta. A good salad, the puffed rice adding a little something to what would have been otherwise just a salad...

Green salad at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

On my side, I went for the Grilled East Coast Squid, served with fingerling potatoes and powdered peppers. This was succulent: the squid was perfectly cooked, not rubbery at all.

Grilled squid at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

For her entree, Jodi ordered the Grilled Broccoli with green almonds, crispy onions and miso, a good vegetarian dish, the only one in the entrées section.

Grilled broccoli at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

I decided to try their lamb shank, accompanied by buttermilk, rhubarb and spring onion. The lamb, that was removed from the bone was sublime! I loved the fact that it was not smothered with tons of sauce and spices, letting it shine.

Lamb shank at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

Last was dessert. There were two in fact. The first one was the Lighthouse Keeper Cheese (a Danish cheese made with cow's milk), sitting on coffee honey and crispy rye. I really liked it, the sweetness of the honey pairing well with the cheese that was delicious.

Lighthouse Keeper cheese at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

The second dessert was interesting...It was the Caramelized White Chocolate with strawberries, violets and fennel. The presentation was beautiful, but I admit that I did not like it very much, the flavors being a bit weird and not really what I thought when ordering.

Caramelized white chocolate at Agern, in Grand Central Terminal, NYC

Overall we had a good meal at Agern and the service was on point. However, I am not sure I would go back there, many other Michelin starred or not restaurants being a better choice. I would more recommend Agern if you want to try something different, but know that it is pricey for the quantity of food they serve. Fortunately, they have that delicious bread that fills you up...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Agern - Grand Central Terminal, 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/18 I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/18

Brunch at Juniper Bar near Penn Station

I admit that our initial plan was not to go to Juniper Bar for brunch last Saturday, but, after I saw a photo of their burger on instagram, we switched plan. The photo showed a big piece of brie on top of a patty: so mouth watering that I could not wait. So, on our way, we looked at their website, to make sure there were vegetarian options for Jodi and, on their menu, saw "The burger", an 8 oz Pat LaFrieda short rib blend burger where you could add cheese like American, goat, cheddar, pepper jack, fontina or camembert, or an organic fried egg or even bacon. At that point, I thought that it was a mistake: camembert and brie are two different French cheeses, but brie has cream in it, giving it a higher fat content.

It is only while preparing the post that I realized that the photo I saw was a different burger: their Brunch burger, that was probably on the menu, but that I did not see as my mind was already made up. Too bad that their website is not up to date, but on the other hand, this was a good burger!

Anyway, you may wonder what Jodi ate. Well, we started our meal with their tater tot melt, a sort of grilled cheese sandwich where they put tater tots between a garlic thyme bread, topped with cheddar and munster cheese. This was, especially with the burger, like a heart attack on a plate: the bread was delightfully greasy and there was tons of cheese. It came with chipotle mayo and I thought to myself that they should propose to pair it with a tomato soup.

Tater tot melt at Juniper Bar in NYC, NY

A more healthy choice was the watermelon salad, served with feta, but I confess that I did not even consider it...

Watermelon salad at Juniper Bar in NYC, NY

Last were beverages. For brunch, they propose the traditional mimosa or Bloody Mary, but I was intrigued by their "In my white tea" cocktail, made with chamomile infused gin, chamomile tea, honey and lemon. When asked if I liked it, I said that it was...interesting. Yes, I would probably not reorder it, but found it...interesting, with a nice citrusy taste, like a grog when you are sick...

In my white tea cocktail at Juniper Bar in NYC, NY

Overall, it was good and between the burger and the tater tot melt, I have to say that I would go back for the later. Or maybe for that brunch burger that I missed...

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Juniper Bar - 237 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001

I Just Want To Eat! 6/29/18 I Just Want To Eat! 6/29/18

New restaurant in Hoboken: Tosti

The Uptown part of Hoboken can be challenging for restaurants and when Charrito's Uptown closed, we were wondering how long the space would be vacant and then what type of restaurant would open there. And then came Tosti, a breakfast and brunch place. Nice decor, much brighter than the very dimmer Charrito's, it has a relaxed atmosphere.

Unfortunately, at this point, I am not that convinced, our experience being so so, food and service wise. Here is what we tried:

Hot chocolate: decent but after you try the one at Zafra's, it ruins any other hot cocoa you try...

Smoked salmon toast: made with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, sourdough bread, capers and creme fraîche. First of all, the capers: I love capers but do not like caper berries and they should understand the difference as when the waiter asked me if I was ok with capers, I was thinking about the former. Then, their creme fraîche was really tart, definitely not the taste of a good creme fraîche that is always great with smoked salmon. Last was the salmon that was salty...So, not a good dish for me.

Smoked salmon toast at Tosti in Hoboken, NJ

Biscuits: a must have, although I wish they were a bit hot so the butter would have melted.

Scrambled eggs: good, not dry.

Green salad: just a bit overdressed.

So, I was not that thrilled after we left. I will probably wait few months before giving another shot...

Enjoy (...)!

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

Tosti - 1024 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 6/28/18 I Just Want To Eat! 6/28/18

My trip to France - A day in Lyon, capital of French gastronomy

On one of the days, my sister proposed to go with my mom to Lyon, also known as the capitale of gastronomy in France, where many great chefs either started or made their own career, the most famous of all being Chef Paul Bocuse who unfortunately passed last year. So, not surprising, this icon of the French culinary world has a food hall named after him. This is where we started our visit. It was a week day so not all stalls were opened, but we got to salivate in front of lots of them: cheese, wine, cookies, pastries, chocolate, fish, foie gras and various animal pieces (some only French people would eat) were laid out in front of our hungry eyes.

Cuisine du Sud at Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France

Raw frog legs at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France — Raw frog legs at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France

Frog legs at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France — Frog legs at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France

Frog legs cooked in butter at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France — Frog legs cooked in butter at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France

They were served with a gratin de pommes de terre / potato au gratin that was so good, having lots of cheese in it, that I forgot to photograph...Jodi on her side got a vegetable tatin tart that was quite good, a great option if you are vegetarian.

Vegetable tatin at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France — Vegetable tatin at Cuisine du Sud, Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France

Les Halles Paul Bocuse - 102 cours Lafayette 69003 Lyon, France

Then, we went to the old part of the city and settled at chez Marie, a restaurant with a small outdoor seating.

Dining room at Chez Marie in Lyon, France

Although I had frog legs before, I could not resist getting a second round of garlic with their escargots. I like this dish, not just because of the snails, but also because of the butter, garlic and parsley sauce that is so good you cannot not dip bread in it.

Jodi on her side got a goat cheese salad with honey.

Goat cheese salad at Chez Marie in Lyon, France

For my entree, I went for a specialty from that area: quenelle sauce nantua, that is a pike soufflé with a lobster sauce. This was fantastic: the quenelle was perfectly made, quite light and the sauce was the star definitely, being delicious and tasty, perfect with just the quenelle or with the rice that came with the dish.

Quenelle sauce Nantua at Chez Marie in Lyon, France

Last was dessert. I admit that I was looking forward to getting a praline tart, also a specialty from there, that I ate few hours before (just a small piece), but, unfortunately, it was not good, tasting like jello.

Praline tart at Chez Marie in Lyon, France

Despite that, the rest of the food was quite good, but I am sure the other restaurants in that area are similar. So, next time, I will continue to explore.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Chez Marie - 14 Rue Saint-Jean, 69005 Lyon, France

I Just Want To Eat! 6/27/18 I Just Want To Eat! 6/27/18

My trip to France: Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble

It is not the first time we dined at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile, a restaurant located in the old convent of Sainte-Cécile in Grenoble. This is a nice place that combines both the old from the convent with a modern feel.

Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

Dining room at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

Our meal there was pretty good: Jodi who is vegetarian had a dish made with seasonal vegetables that they prepared without any issue as there was barely any vegetarian choice on the menu.

Seasonal plate at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

On my side, I ordered the tartare de bœuf au couteau, their version of the classic beef tartare, where the meat is, a it should, cut with a knife in even pieces (a bad tartare is made with ground meat). I mixed everything together at the exception of the lettuce, and ate it with the crispy fried potatoes that came with it.

Steak tartare at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

Fried potatoes at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

We also got a dessert. Sorbet for Jodi (mango, lemon):

Sorbets at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

A sablé breton (very buttery cookie from Brittany) with pistachio mousse for me:

Sablé Breton at Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile in Grenoble, France

This was a pretty good meal. Les Jardins de Sainte Cécile offers a nice menu for lunch, in a nice atmosphere and with an impeccable service: definitely an address to know in Grenoble.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Les Jardins de Sainte-Cécile - 18 Rue de l'Alma, 38000 Grenoble, France