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

Chicago: Mindy's Hot Chocolate

We were looking for a breakfast place when we stumbled upon Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in the Revival food hall: this small place serves a bunch of mouth watering goodies besides bagels and we liked it so much that we went twice, our experience at Le Pain Quotidien being quite disappointing over the week end (yes, this place is closed Saturday and Sunday, so we had to find a backup…).

Breakfast there is great (I am not sure what they serve for lunch and anyway that food hall has plenty of other joints like a BBQ place I wish I had time to visit). The coffee, prepared next to Mindy’s was good, a bit bitter but nice, and we tried several things there, the best being the biscuit that was delightfully flakey and buttery, although I admit that I added a bit of butter on it (there is never enough, no?). Then, they propose doughnuts: that day, there was a slated caramel one and a cinnamon sugar donut. We went for the latter that was really good, not doughy at all and quite light (to my standards…). However, we were disappointed by by the coffee cake that had cream cheese and a chocolate streusel: it had a weird taste, a bit off, maybe from too much bitterness from the chocolate. We also tried their chocolate croissant that was flakey, but way too buttery (alright, before, I wrote not enough and now, too much: yes, way too much, literally dripping).

Coffee cake with chocolate streusel at Mindy's Hot Chocolate in Chicago, IL

Cinnamon sugar donut at Mindy's Hot Chocolate in Chicago, IL

Biscuit at Mindy's Hot Chocolate in Chicago, IL

Chocolate croissant at Mindy's Hot Chocolate in Chicago, IL

Overall, it was good, especially the biscuits that I wish we could have had both times. I would definitely go back to Mindy’s Hot Chocolate and maybe also try their hot cocoa that is apparently good, hopefully not as bitter as the coffee cake…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Mindy’s Hot Chocolate - 125 S Clark St, Willowbrook, Chicago

I Just Want To Eat! 6/5/19 I Just Want To Eat! 6/5/19

Chicago: Firecakes donuts

On our first day in Chicago, we looked up donuts places and stumbled upon Firecakes Donuts, a shop with a few locations in the Windy City. It is with excitement that we went to their Hubbard street location in the River North neighborhood and I was surprised to see a very small place with no seating area. This is the kind of joint where you truly get overwhelmed by the many tempting choices in front of you, knowing that you will probably go only once as a visitor. So we decided to try three donuts and not just two: there were a sprinkles donut, a buttermilk old fashioned and a honey glazed donut.

Sprinkles donuts at Firecakes Donuts in Chicago, IL

Honey glazed donuts at Firecakes Donuts in Chicago, IL

Buttermilk old fashioned donuts at Firecakes Donuts in Chicago, IL

Overall it was good and I wished we had more time to try other donuts like the churro one. However, I would not put them at the same level as The Doughnut Plant or The Donut Project in NYC or The Donut Bar in San Diego. Still, it is worth trying.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Firecakes Donuts - 68 West Hubbard Street, IL 60654

I Just Want To Eat! 6/4/19 I Just Want To Eat! 6/4/19

Chicago: Goddess and The Baker

With a name like Goddess and The Baker, you can expect incredible food and so we decided to try this place for breakfast and then went back later on for a treat in the afternoon. The place is not that big and seems to be quite popular to the point that it can be challenging to get a table, especially if the tables outside are not an option because of the rain (and it rained a lot as we were visiting the Windy City).

Dining room at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Buzzer at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Breakfast was quite good, Jodi having a tea and me, a double espresso, accompanied by a delicious coffee cake that had a nice crumbled top with a nice amount of cinnamon. The almond croissant though was just ok, the almond paste not being as good as what I am used too, more like a paste than frangipane. We went back for a treat and tried their chocolate chip cookie that was slightly warm and had lots of chocolate, as well as the brownie that was just ok for me.

Breakfast at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Tea at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Coffee cake at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Chocolate chip cookie at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Espresso at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Almond croissant at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Brownie at Goddess and The Baker in Chicago, IL

Goddess and The Baker is a nice place, with lots of things to try. I like the relaxed vibe and would probably go back to try other sweets.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Goddess and The Baker - 33 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL 60602

I Just Want To Eat! 6/3/19 I Just Want To Eat! 6/3/19

Chicago: Sepia, a Michelin star restaurant

With its one Michelin Star earned since 2011, Sepia has been feeding Chicago diners a seasonal menu working with producers who use sustainable practices. This West loop restaurant is a true gem for sure and we were glad we could get a table on a crowded Saturday. With a near perfect service, although overwhelmed as the evening went and the dining room filled out, we had a great time and ate delicious food as you will see below.

They then brought some multi-grain bread that has a nicely crunchy outside. I admit that the bread was so good it did not last long...

The amuse bouche was a succulent date and sorgum ball topped with a lemon puree:

Date and sorgum amuse at Sepia in Chicago, IL

As an appetizer, I decided to try their beef tartare, served with celery root, grapes, green peppercorn hollandaise sauce and a toasted brioche. The tartare, perfectly cut with a knife (I mention it because you can still find places that serve ground meat!), was well seasoned and the mustard seeds gave a nice texture to it. Simply delicious.

We also shared the tempura asparagus that was topped with gochujang and pumpkin seeds. This was amazing: crispy and not greasy, it was not spicy at all.

Tempura asparagus at Sepia in Chicago, IL

For her entree, Jodi had the masa cavatelli (pasta), topped with morels, English peas, in a sauce that had mint and black garlic. This was superb and very comforting. The pasta was perfectly made and cooked, soft and not al dente.

On my side, I opted for the duck breast that came with sauerkraut, baby beets and a beer mustard. I loved it: the duck was well cooked, slightly rare (or pink in the center), with its delightfully fatty skin that I just wished was crispy. Still, I recommend it.

Of course we could not go without dessert and decided to order two. The first one was the lemon donuts accompanied with a grapefruit curd and a lemon ice cream. The only disappointment in that dessert was the fact that there were not that many donuts. Otherwise, it was fantastic! The donuts came hot, smothered in sugar, perfect alone or with the grapefruit curd that gave a nice acidity to the dish.

The second dessert that the pear upside down cake, served with creme fraîche and Concord grape sorbet. That was definitely on top of our list because I love pear and unfortunately, it is not often that I see desserts with this magnificent fruit. And I did not regret it: this was a nice take on the classic pineapple upside down, the pear being perfectly cooked, soft and packed in flavor, covering a pear infused cake that was buttery. Divine! I admit that I focused on the cake and did not really care about the sorbet that was good but not a favorite of mine.

Pear upside down at Sepia in Chicago, IL

At the end, with the bill, they offered us some cookies, homemade and remembered that Jodi is vegetarian. So, no marshmallow for her, rather a blackberry pate de fruit, and we both got a tart chocolate macaron.

This was a great meal and it is not surprising that Sepia got a coveted Michelin star: great place, great service and great food. What more to ask?

Enjoy (I did)!

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Sepia - 123 North Jefferson Street, IL 60661

I Just Want To Eat! 5/31/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/31/19

Chicago: Fat Rice

You may find that Fat Rice is too off the beaten path to go there but not going would be a serious mistake. Surely, when you think about Chicago, especially when you are a tourist, you are more inclined to try the deep dish pizza that the city has to offer and I admit that if we would have not seen the season finale of Top Chef in Macau (the finale was in Macau, not us unfortunately, although I visited this place many years ago) last March, we would not have gone there. The guest chef was James Beard Award-winning chef Abe Conlon who serves Asian cuisine in his restaurant, Fat Rice, with several Macanese dishes. Opened in 2012 with Adrienne Lo who is the manager, Fat Rice offers an interesting and creative menu with striking flavors for a succulent meal. Although I admit that dessert was not that great, the place being short of egg tarts that I am sure are sublime. And if you wonder, the fat rice or arroz gordo is their signature dish, served with curried chicken, char siu (pork), linguiça (sausage), wood-roasted beef and chilli prawns. Unfortunately, they prepare it for the table (It serves 2 to 3 people) and Jodi being vegetarian, this would have been a waste. I asked if It was possible to get it for one as I assumed that, being an asian version of paella, they probably make a large quantity anyway, but they declined. Bummer! Besides this, we had a great dinner, enjoying the following dishes:

Outdoor seating at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

I’ll start with the drinks. Jodi had a non-alcoholic beverage called California Dreamin’, made with mint tea, strawberry and lime (quite refreshing), while I got the John Was The Teeth, made with High West Double rye, calvados, benedictine, yellow chartreuse and a scotch rinse.

California Dreamin cocktail at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

John Was The Teeth cocktail at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

As an appetizer, we shared the são jorge cheese, a dish from The Azores, that was served with pineapple jam (great pairing of sweet and savory), arugula and some housemade chips that were amazing.

São jorge cheese at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

I also tried the chili prawn that is a dish from Macau where giant prawns from Madagascar (I mean, these were of a good size, not like the tiny prawns you often get in restaurants), were served head on (rare as sometimes people consider prawns or fish served with their head creepy), bathed in a delicious white wine and butter sauce that was not that spicy, with fermented black beans. I picked 4 instead of 6 pieces but it was so good that I regretted not getting more…And by the way, you eat them with your fingers, sucking on the juice in the head and they give you wet towels to wash your hands.

For her entree, Jodi chose the daily fried rice that was that day, made with maitake mushroom, egg, ramp and asparagus. I loved it: it had a nice crunch and was quite hearty.

Daily fried rice at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

On my side, I chose a dish from Macau that was offered in limited quantity. It was called O Diabo. Served in a clay pot, it had most of the ingredients of the fat rice dish but without rice: char siu pork, wood roasted beef, chicken, as well as pickles, curry, spicy mustard, egg, and vegetables like peppers and cauliflower.

Additionaly, I could have added their O Diabo house made sauce, that is made with ghost pepper: I could have but did not do it as I already tried one time a habanero sauce and my mouth was on fire; so, as the ghost pepper is 2 to 3 times hotter on the Scoville Heat Units scale, I passed. So this dish was good, with a little kick and nice flavors, especially considering that each spoon was different, having sometimes pork, or beef, or chicken, often a combination of 2 or 3 meats. Delicious, but I was still regretting the fact that I could not get their fat rice!

O Diabo sauce at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

For dessert, we got a mocha chocolate chip cookie that was a bit dry and wanted to try the “Bacon from Heaven” or toucinho do ceú, a traditional custard cake made with almond, honey and cinnamon. I love anything made with almond and was curious to taste it because of the presence of bacon, but, unfortunately, the cinnamon overpowered it and I did not like it.

Mocha chocolate chip cookie at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

“Bacon from Heaven” at Fat Rice in Chicago, IL

So overall the food was good, Fat Rice proposing unusual flavors and creative dishes, with few vegetarian ones, but a majority of meat and seafood specialties. I would definitely go back, their menu being quite mouth watering and hope that one day they will propose their fat rice for one person…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Fat Rice - 2957 W Diversey Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647

I Just Want To Eat! 5/30/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/30/19

Chicago: The Dearborn

We were supposed to meet our friend Alison for a brunch on Sunday in Chicago and Jodi booked a table at The Dearborn, a restaurant serving an interesting brunch: it is not everyday that you see a place serving bone marrow and soft scrambled eggs! It did not take me long to want to try this dish, intrigued by this unusual pairing and its description: Parmesan gratin, crusty bread, cheese eggs, fresh herb salad and chipotle sauce. First, let me get the chipotle sauce and the salad out of the way, the latter probably forgotten in the kitchen (i also forgot it was supposed to be there), and the former sitting on the side of the plate, with no clear reason for being there. The bone marrow was topped with the Parmesan gratin that counterbalanced well with its crunchiness and saltiness, the fattiness and texture of the bone marrow that was divine. Then the scrambled eggs were perfect: soft and moist like I like them. They surely know how to make them.

Scrambled eggs and bone marrow at The Dearborn in Chicago, IL

As a drink, while Jodi and Alison were having tea and coffee, I tried one of their juices and settled for the Spring Awakening, a mix of cucumber, celery, tarragon and lime. Refreshing, the first two ingredients were definitely predominant.

Spring awakening soda at The Dearborn in Chicago, IL

For her entree, Jodi went for the meze plate, composed of homemade grape leaves, eggplant dip, white beans hummus, tzatziki, tabouleh and fatoush salad, accompanied by grilled pita. Quite good.

Meze plate at The Dearborn in Chicago, IL

While Alison went for the chorizo and goat cheese strata, made with a housemade brioche, housemade chorizo, mushrooms, fontina mornay sauce and a fried egg:

Chorizo and goat cheese strata at The Dearborn in Chicago, IL

Looking around I saw some mouth watering dishes coming through like the Midwest fried chicken, but did not regret my choice for sure. I liked The Dearborn: their brunch menu is quite appetizing, not that classic, served in a nice atmosphere and with a very courteous service. I would certainly go back the next time we visit Chicago.

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Dearborn- 145 N Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60602

I Just Want To Eat! 5/29/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/29/19

Chicago: Giordano's, deep dish pizza

For our last evening in Chicago, we decided to go for an early dinner as we wanted to watch the finale of Game of Thrones at 8pm, worries that otherwise we would have this last episode spoiled by social media and news outlets, rightfully so. Our choice was Giordano’s, near Millenium Park that boasts lots of pictures of people lifting slices of their deep dish pizza with long, very long strings of cheese attached to it. When we arrived, we thought that we would have to wait a long time, people waiting outside, but, they just announced 15 to 20 minutes of wait time that was quite surprising and reasonable.

House salad at Giordano’s in Chicago, Il

Seeing all these pies passing by and our neighboring tables getting them opened even more our appetite. Then came our own, a 6 inches pie with extra cheese. We both looked at it with disappointment: it did not have much tomato sauce and looked dry. I desperately tried to shoot a cheese pull that was sad, and the first bite confirmed our first impression: it was dry all the way through, from the very thin layer of tomato sauce to the dough. Too bad because we were really looking forward to it and continued to look at the tables around us with envy.

Deep dish pizza at Giordano’s in Chicago, Il

I was disappointed with our meal at Giordano’s. It was definitely not at the level of Gino’s East when it comes to a delicious deep dish pizza. It was surely because of the size of our pie that was the smallest (we did not want to waste), a size that I do not think they should offer, unless they execute it better. Sad!y….

Enjoy (I did not)!

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Giordano’s-130 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601

I Just Want To Eat! 5/28/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/28/19

Chicago: Gino's East, best deep dish pizza!

After our disappointing lunch at Pizzeria Uno, I admit that we were a bit anxious to find a good deep dish pizza in Chicago. Not that we thought it was impossible, but, being there few days, we really wanted to go to a good place that would erase our past experience. And we did. After a walk to the Navy Pier, we looked up pizza places and ended up at Gino’s East, a homegrown chain that serves an amazing pizza. I know that the term chain gives a negative image of the place, but, in this case, it should not. They have places in quite few cities, except unfortunately New York, but who knows, maybe one day! I would surely love to see them in the Big Apple, their pizza being superb: the crust has this golden color and texture that I could have sworn was because of corn meal, but no, it is due to the olive oil they put in it. It comes with a deliciously sweet tomato sauce, that tops a large amount of cheese (we asked for extra cheese and some blue). The pizza cooks for 45 minutes and comes very hot in a cast iron dish. After the first bite, you do not care that you might burn your mouth eating it: it is so good and flavorful. You get the crunchiness and crumbliness of the crust with the sweetness of the tomato sauce and suddenly the flavor of the cheese, especially the blue that pairs well with the tangy tomato sauce. Sublime!

Deep dish pizza at Gino's East in Chicago, Il

Dining room at Gino's East in Chicago, Il

As it takes some time for the pizza to cook, our waiter suggested to order a salad that was welcome after a long walk. We chose the house salad, composed of romaine, arugula, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes and croutons (we asked for no red onions).

House salad at Gino's East in Chicago, Il

Overall, we had a great time at Gino’s East: the service was really good and the pizza fantastic. Know that if you are not lucky to have them in your neighborhood, they ship pizza in the US. I have never tried it but after such feast, I may...

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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Gino’s East - 162 E Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611

I Just Want To Eat! 5/27/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/27/19

Chicago: Pizzeria Uno, creator of the deep dish pizza

When searching for the best deep dish pizza in Chicago, I saw some recommendations for Pizzeria Uno and, at first, ditched it, because I thought it was a chain. But then, i read that this is this place that created the deep dish pizza back in 1943. At that time, the owner of the restaurant, Ike Sewell, decided to create a hearty meal by combining, on a pizza, large quantities of ingredients, like vegetables, meats and cheese. That is what you get when you order the Numero Uno, made with extra cheese, sausage, pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms and onions. For a less complicated version or if you are vegetarian, you can make your own, as Jodi did, adding mushrooms to a classic tomato and cheese deep dish pizza. I found the pizza ok: the sauce tasting like straight from a can, and the numero Uno having so many things on that crust that was not the best we had (it was a bit dry), and was lost a bit. I preferred Jodi’s pizza, simpler for sure.

Vegetarian deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago, Il

Numero uno pizza at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago, Il

Know that the pizza takes 45 minutes to cook and we should have ordered a salad while waiting. In fact, it would have been good if our waiter told us: I just remembered from a prior experience, a deep dish taking much longer than a thin crust pizza that cooks in minutes.

I was not impressed, especially after having tasted the deep dish at Pi Pizza in DC, a pizza that President Obama said was the best he had, or Emmett’s in NYC. But I would soon discover a better option with Gino’s East. Stay tuned!

Enjoy (...)!

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Pizzeria Uno - 29 E Ohio Street, Chicago, IL 60611

I Just Want To Eat! 5/24/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/24/19

German brunch at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

Located on the Upper East Side, Heidelberg is one of the last German restaurants in Yorkville, reminiscent of the German neighborhood this area used to be. Next to Schaller and Weber, the old school German market, it has kept, some opening in 1936, its rustic and comforting atmosphere, serving a fairly large menu where pork is the star. But no worries: if you are vegetarian, they offer several options like the popular giant pretzel, that I wished was served with a cheese sauce rather than just mustard or the potato pancakes, these crispy thick patties made of grated potato, onion and garlic that are fried, traditionally served with apple sauce. Perfect to share.

Dining room at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

Pretzel at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

Potato pancakes at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

For carnivores, if you prefer sausages over schnitzel, check out the sausage platter: made with bratwurst, bauernwurst and weisswurst (the white one in the middle, made with veal and pork back bacon - I admit this was my least favorite, the others being tastier); it is served with potato salad, red cabbage and sauerkraut. Nice sampler, it is quite filling, especially after the pretzel, but gives a nice taste of typical German sausages that I guess they are getting at Schaller and Weber.

Sausage sampler at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

Of course, going there, you cannot ignore their large selection of beer that they serve in 3 sizes, small, medium and large (no flight). Preferring dark ales, i went for the Hofbrau Dunkel that has caramel notes and a malty finish.

Hofbrau dunkel at Heidelberg on the Upper East Side

It’s been a while we wanting to try this place and I am glad we did, not just for the food, but also for the history this place and neighborhood has. I would probably go back whenever I feel like eating German cuisine, unless I go to the few beer gardens in the city that propose a similar fare.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Heidelberg - 1648 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10028

I Just Want To Eat! 5/22/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/22/19

Chinese food and steaks at Brooklyn Chop House

There are places like that that mark your memory because of their originality. Brooklyn Chop House is one of them. The name surely indicates a meaty meal made of steaks and burgers, but it also surprisingly offers Chinese dishes. Not so surprising when you know that the person who runs the place, Stratis Morfogen, was one of the people behind Jade Sixty, a restaurant on the upper East Side with the same concept that had to close due to a water main break (too bad because I did not get a chance to visit it!). I tried the ribeye at Brooklyn Chop House and was blown away: their meat, aged 50 to 60 days is tasty, tender and juicy. And they surely know how to cook it!

The Chinese fare is also very interesting, with quite few vegetarian options like the classic scallion pancakes or the vegetable crispy rice that is also available with items like soft shell crab or lobster (they put a nice amount of it). I love the way they present it, in a metal jar, original. Perfect to share are also the shrimp nine season that is sweet and spicy (but not so spicy), the deliciously crunchy crispy chicken wonton or the reuben dumplings that are kind of a nod to the Jewish delis. All of these were really good and comforting, the fried rice being a nice side for a steak.

Fried rice at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Veggie fried rice at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Crispy chicken wonton at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Veggie fried rice at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC

Lobster fried rice at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Reuben dumplings at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

They also have salads like the wedge salad that Jodi ordered without any bacon, but I found it overpriced and would pass on it. This is the only disappointing dish we had there.

Wedge salad at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Cocktails are also nice, with classics with a twist like the Brooklyn Old Fashioned, made with Redemption Aged Bourbon, Earl Grey syrup and bitters, or the homemade mule, a mix of Smooth Ambler Contradiction ginger bourbon, mint, lemon and ginger beer.

Old fashioned at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Mule cocktail at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

And of course dessert! For cheesecake lovers, they offer one that is accompanied with a peanut butter fudge, an apple crumb and a chocolate swirl. Good, but I admit not as good as Junior’s that remains my favorite. For a more Chinese choice, they have these crispy apple wontons was come really hot and are addictive.

Cheesecake at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Crispy apple wontons at Brooklyn Chop House in NYC, NY

Brooklyn Chop House is definitely a place I recommend, for steaks or Chinese cuisine: the food there, although a bit pricey is very good and I would certainly go back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brooklyn Chop House - 150 Nassau Street, New York, NY

I Just Want To Eat! 5/20/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/20/19

The Mill in LIC

I often tell people that I love so much coffee that it is probably this dark juice that is flowing through my veins. I have been drinking coffee since I was a teenager: I love the smell of the freshly ground beans and the strong taste an espresso has, but not the bitterness that is sometimes in the bottom of a cup. So it was with excitement that we went to The Mill few times as we were in Long Island City. This quaint joint with its rustic feel serves artisanal coffee, sweets and sandwiches in a relaxed atmosphere. They have good espresso and macchiato, but if you are not into coffee, you can opt for a tea. In term of sweets, …

The Mill is a cool place, perfect for a good beverage or to satisfy a sweet craving in an area where there are not that many options. So if you are in LIC, near Court Street, stop by!

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Mill - 44-61 11th street, Long Island City, NY 11101

I Just Want To Eat! 5/17/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/17/19

Spot dessert Bar in the East Village

When I think about creative desserts, I immediately think about Spot Dessert Bar in the East Village. This place is amazing and proposes truly original desserts crafted by Iron Chef of Thailand, Chef Ian Kittichai, like the matcha lava, a warm dark chocolate cake filled with matcha ganache and served with matcha green tea ice cream, or the Golden toast, a warm crispy honey buttered toast served with strawberries, and condensed milk ice cream (this is so buttery!). We recently went back after Jodi saw their coconut monkey bread on Instagram. This dessert is a monkey bread covered in fall spices, thai tea drizzle served with coconut milk ice cream. It comes sizzling hot and they will pour the Thai tea on top of the coconut milk ice cream. This was quite good, but not as good as…

Coconut monkey bread at Spot dessert Bar in the East Village

Milky puff at Spot dessert Bar in the East Village

Thai iced tea at Spot dessert Bar in the East Village

Spot Dessert Bar remains one of my top spots for original desserts in the city. But know that it can be crowded. But it is worth the wait!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Spot Dessert Bar - 13 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 5/15/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/15/19

Dessert at Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side

Its been a while since we went to Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side, but, as we were having lunch with our friends Jen and Gary at Heidelberg, next door to it, we decided to stop by for dessert. And what a treat! This tiny place has so many delicious desserts that it was hard to choose and I went from thinking about ordering the banana cream pie, then the pecan pie and finally settled for their NY cheesecake that was very good, not as good as Junior’s (less dense also), but worth trying, with its fantastic Graham cracker crust in the bottom. Jodi went for the coconut cream cupcake instead of the coconut cream pie: I am not a huge fan like her of coconut, but found it delicious, the cream being tasty, not just on top, but also inside the moist cupcake.

Coconut cream cupcake at Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side

NY Cheesecake at Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side

We definitely did not regret going to this place that I for sure recommend.

Enjoy (I surely did)!

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Two Little Red Hens - 1652 2nd Avenue, NY 10028

I Just Want To Eat! 5/13/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/13/19

Jacques Torres in Dumbo

Each time I pass in in front of Jacques Torres, I cannot resist it! For me, it has the best hot chocolate, better than Max Brenner or even City Bakery that is considered by many the best in town (their chocolate chip cookie is though). It is literally like melted chocolate, not bitter but quite rich. So, recently, we were walking around in Dumbo when we saw Jacques Torres has a location there and ended up having their hot cocoa and a delicious chocolate chip cookie that had lots of chocolate and was buttery.

Hot chocolate at Jacques Torres in Dumbo

If you like chocolate, Jacques Torres is a must have. They even sell the chocolate powder so you can make their hot cocoa at home. But beware that it is very addictive…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Jacques Torres - 66 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

I Just Want To Eat! 5/10/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/10/19

Brunch at Maison Kayser

There will soon be as many Maison Kayser than there are Starbucks in the City! It is as if they were opening one in each corner of New York. Not that I am complaining, this place being delicious, serving fantastic bread (they won the title of Best Baguette in NYC recently), succulent pastries and viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants, etc), as well as some pretty decent food. So we decided to go on a Sunday for lunch, before celebrated my birthday for dinner. So yes, we limited a bit what we ate as we knew we would have a feast (well, mainly me considering we were going to a steakhouse), but, as you will see, we had quite a few items…Here is what we had:

For beverages, besides coffee (incl. espresso that they serve with a mini-financier), they propose a nice selection of juices, like grapefruit or, for the more adventurous, apple and cucumber, the later giving a nice green color as well as some freshness.

Double espresso at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

Grapefruit juice at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

Apple cucumber juice at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

For the main dishes, they have plenty to offer: from their viennoiseries and bread mentioned above, to the salads and tartness, with few classics like the salade Nicoise (a provencal dish) or the well known croque monsieur. We decided to go for eggs, Jodi choosing the asparagus scrambled eggs (asperges oeufs brouilles) that were scrambled eggs with truffled green asparagus (I wish my mom put truffle oil when making asparagus when I was a kid…) and gruyere cheese on sourdough. It was pretty good, the eggs being perfectly made (understand: not dry), but the sourdough bread was a bit tough to cut with the knife (knife problem? Maybe).

Asperges oeufs brouilles at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

On my side, I tried their oeuf cocotte Parisienne that is a poached egg with mushrooms, ham, béchamel sauce and a toast with gruyere. I was surprised at first because it was small (in fact, oeuf in French means egg and it was without an “s” so I could have guessed there was only one…). But it was quite rich and I just wished the egg was runny (it was overcooked). I loved it: it was cheesy, creamy, with a nice smokiness from the bacon. I definitely recommend this.

Oeuf cocotte Parisienne at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

Last was dessert: you cannot miss dessert in a place like that! Jodi tried their chocolate financier that was more like a chocolate cake and missed the texture of a financier as I know it. On my side, I got the raspberry tart, thinking that I needed my portion of fruit for the day…

Chocolate financier at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

Raspberry tart at Maison Kayser in NYC, NY

Overall, we had a great meal at Maison Kayser: it is a good place to know if you’d like a classic brunch or want to eat some French delicacies.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Maison Kayser - 400 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 5/8/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/8/19

Interesting treats at Supermoon Bakehouse

I just realized that I completely forgot to post about our visit last September at Supermoon Bakehouse in the Lower East Side: yes, It has been a while, but still, it is worth mentioning this place that sets itself apart from other bakeries by proposing creative baked goods like the cruffin, a croissant and muffin or the banoffee croissant, a banana and toffee croissant, names that seem to be inherited from the cronut invented few years ago by Chef Dominique Ansel. Still, Supermoon Bakehouse is trying to stay original, without copying what others are doing. At the time we went, they had a chocolate chip cookie croissant that was made with a milk chocolate creme patissiere, topped with meringue and chocolate chip cookie. The second thing we tasted was their chocolate hazelnut donut that was delicious. In fact, they make very good croissants and donuts that is a good first step as this is their base for original treats.

Treats selection at Supermoon Bakehouse in NYC, NY

Kitchen at Supermoon Bakehouse in NYC, NY

Chocolate chip cookie croissant at Supermoon Bakehouse in NYC, NY

Chocolate hazelnut donut at Supermoon Bakehouse in NYC, NY

I should mention that they do not only offer sweet options, but also savory ones like the croquet monsieur twice baked croissant or the reuben croissant. Reviewing the photos from our past visit, I am thinking that we should go back there…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Supermoon Bakehouse - 120 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10002

I Just Want To Eat! 5/6/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/6/19

Charlie Palmer Steak

For our birthdays, Jodi and I are always picking where we want to have dinner and not surprisingly, I always choose a steakhouse…So this year, it was Charlie Palmer Steak in the Archer Hotel. I was looking forward to it as I heard so many great things about that place. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. The steak was just ok: I ordered a ribeye, my favorite cut, medium rare; it was cooked medium and when I mentioned it to the waiter, he first denied it but upon my insistence, apologized and sent it back. The bone-in ribeye is a $65 dish, so, it should be cooked well, especially in a steakhouse and if not, I think it is normal to send it back. It spoiled a bit the dinner as the sides were already there, and I ate them separately, before they got cold but also because Jodi was also served and I did not want her to wait longer. Finally my steak came back properly cooked and they gracefully comp’d my drink (a glass of Talisker 10 y/o Scotch), realizing I was right…But still, the ribeye, dry-aged for 30 days, although juicy, was not as tender and tasty as I expected. Too bad. I also paired it with a lobster tail that was quite small for the price but fortunately well cooked. At least the sides were delicious: we chose the Mac and cheese that was really creamy as well as the crunchy hash brown. For appetizer, I went for the East Coast oysters, served with a Champagne mignonette and lemon: no complaint there as they tasted fresh. On her side, Jodi got a Bibb salad without bacon (for sure, vegetarian dishes are more limited in a steakhouse…).

Talisker Scotch at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Bibb salad at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Oysters at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Bone-in ribeye at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Lobster at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Mac and cheese at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Hash brown at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Last was dessert: we went for the key lime pie that was quite good, deliciously tart with a great Graham cracker crust and at least a nice way of ending the meal.

Key lime pie at Charlie Palmer Steak in NYC, NY

Still, I was a bit disappointed although I had a good birthday with Jodi. I was expecting more from Charlie Palmer Steak and would not recommend it.

Enjoy (…)!

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Charlie Palmer Steak - 47 West 38th Street, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 5/3/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/3/19

Italian dinner at Da Andrea

I often crave Italian cuisine and, as we were passing by Da Andrea, we decided to stop there for dinner. A light dinner as I like to call them: no appetizer, only entree and dessert…And the entree was superb: I went for the Tagliolini neri alle vongole, a homemade squid ink tagliolini with clams, cherry tomatoes in a garlic white wine. I loved it: the pasta was really good and the sauce delicious, so good that I dipped some focaccia bread in it…And yes, I always put cheese on my pasta, even if it has seafood in it: this seemed to have shocked the waiter who did not want to give me any cheese before, until I insisted.

Polenta and mushroom at Da Andrea in NYC, NY

Tagliolini neri alle vongole at Da Andrea in NYC, NY

Dessert was a must have: their homemade tiramisu that was creamy. They also gave us some cookies with a lemon curd, a nice touch.

Da Andrea was a great find: I would definitely go back to try other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Da Andrea - 35 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 5/1/19 I Just Want To Eat! 5/1/19

Proper West near Bryant Park

Holidays are the best time to go to noisy places and we were glad to end up at Proper West on Good Friday: it was literally empty! This place is pretty big with large TVs on the walls of the main dining room and I cannot imagine what it is when full. Anyway, this allowed us to enjoy a quiet dinner (there was just some music in the background), sharing various dishes vegetarian and non-vegetarian typical from a bar. Here is what we had:

For a cocktail, I got the PW Old Fashioned, made with Bulleit rye, orange bitters, angostura bitters muddled brown sugar cube and orange zest. They also gave us some potato chips with it.

PW Old Fashioned at Proper West in NYC, NY

Truffle Mac and cheese: quite good, very creamy.

Truffle Mac and cheese at Proper West in NYC, NY

Wings: they propose different sauces, like Korean bbq, classic buffalo, sweet chili, zip zip, or a featured sauce. They unfortunately did not provide a sampler or at least offer more than one sauce, so I ended up with the former. It was nicely sweet and the chicken was moist.

Korean BBQ wings at Proper West in NYC, NY

Tempura cauliflower: there were two types. One was smothered in a tangy plum and the other by a Nashville hot sauce accompanied by celery and carrots. Both were good and tasty, crispy, with one side sweet and the other quite hot, very good with the blue cheese sauce of the wings.

Plum sauce tempura cauliflower at Proper West in NYC, NY

Nashville hot sauce tempura cauliflower at Proper West in NYC, NY

Grilled cheese dippers with a tomato soup: it was unfortunately soggy. Too bad because I was really looking forward to it.

Grilled cheese dippers at Proper West in NYC, NY

Gilled cheese dippers at Proper West in NYC, NY

For dessert, we chose the Oreo n’ Cream cake, made with a chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream and Oreo cookie crumbs. It was good, more creamy than chocolaty with a nice crunch from the Oreo cookies.

Oreo n’cream cake at Proper West in NYC, NY

Overall Proper West was good, perfect If you like bar food and share dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Proper West - 54 W 39th Street, New York, NY 10018