I Just Want To Eat! 8/7/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/7/19

Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

Seafood or steak restaurant? When you go to Ocean Prime, you might be a bit confused. This place is not unknown to me as I went there few times, often for lunch or a drink, their bar being quite busy in the evening. This time, it was Jodi who wanted to go as she wanted to try a dessert I have been talking about for quite some time. So here we are on a Friday evening. As we did not have any reservation, they put us on one of the side tables in the mezzanine, overlooking the dining room: it was a bit dark, but I was quite happy as the noise level was much lower than on the main floor.

Food wise, we had a great meal, sharing few items, vegetarian, like the goat cheese ravioli that are proposed as an appetizer but would make a perfect entree. These ravioli are simply superb: well done and soft, they have lots of goat cheese.

Goat cheese ravioli at Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

We also shared the smoked Gouda tater tots that were quite interesting: larger than regular tater tots, you could definitely taste the smoked Gouda.

Smoked good tater tots at Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

We also got the truffle Mac and cheese that was deliciously creamy.

Truffle Mac and cheese at Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

The last two were sides that accompanied my steak, a ribeye ordered medium-rare. The meat was quite delicious, tender, juicy, with a nice char.

I should mention the cocktail I got with my meal: the Rye on the Hudson, the 2018 National Bartender contest winner, a creation from Ocean Prime New York. It was made with Hudson Rye “Private barrel selection”, Cherry heering, dry Olorosso sherry and bitters. Succulent to say the least.

Rye on the Hudson cocktail at Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

Last was the dessert that did not make us regret to go there: the warm butter cake that is their signature dessert. Served hot with vanilla ice cream, it was very addictive, like an olive oil cake but with tons of butter. If you go to Ocean Prime, it is a must have.

Warm butter cake at Ocean Prime in NYC, NY

Enjoy (I did)!

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Ocean Prime - 123 West 52nd Street, NY 10019

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

Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

We were walking around in Williamsburg, looking for a brunch place before going to a street art show called Beyond The Streets that was amazing by the way, when we saw Shelter Pizza, a restaurant recognizable from the outside by its vibrant American flag. We hesitated between going there or the nearby Smorgasburg, and decided to give it a try. Entering there is like stepping in another world: this big place is like a lodge in the middle of nowhere: Native American artifacts, animal fur on seats...Warm and cozy, with fireplaces that we surely did not need that day.

Bar area at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Open kitchen at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Dining room at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg

Decor at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The food at Shelter Pizza is quite interesting: they serve Argentinian-Italian dishes. On the Argentinian side, we tried their empanadas that were sold by the piece. The first one was the onion and cheese, made with slow cooked onions, scallions, fontina and gruyere: delicious, with lots of cheese. The second one was the Humita, made with Sweet corn, scallions, nutmeg and bechamel sauce. This was an interesting one: sweet and savory, creamy and cheesy, you could definitely taste the nutmeg. I should mention that these empanada were cooked in their wood fire oven.

Emapanada at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Humita empanada at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Onion and cheese empanada at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

On the Italian side, we went for their mushroom and egg pizza, a classic brunch pizza in a way, made with portobello mushrooms, two eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan and truffle oil. Good, with lots of cheese, I only regretted that the egg was not more spread out considering how thin the crust was, giving me the impression I was just eating a baked egg rather than a pizza. But still, quite a good pizza.

Mushroom and egg pizza at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

As a beverage, I got their orange juice that I doubt was freshly squeezed as they claim…or was watered down, tasting like a bottled one.

Orange juice at Shelter Pizza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Shelter Pizza was a good find, especially the empanada that were delicious. I would go back there and I am curious to try their dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Shelter Pizza - 80 North 7th Street, Williamsburg, NY 11249

I Just Want To Eat! 8/2/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/2/19

Greek food at Fournos Theophilos

There are places that are just confusing: I would have passed in front of Fournos Theophilos, I am not sure I would have stepped in when looking for a dinner place, if not just out of curiosity. Not that it looks dirty or anything, but just because the fast casual feel of this Greek joint hides a restaurant upstairs that we simply found on Opentable. For sure you are not going to Fournos Theophilos for the atmosphere, but I admit that the food was good, maybe not the level of Uncle Nick’s or Greek Town in Hoboken, but still, good. Here is what we had:

We started with the assortment of spreads that were:

Tzatziki (Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic and olive oil).
Spicy feta (homemade spread with feta cheese and pepper).
Fava (yellow split pea spread, from Santorini Greece).

We ate them with some pita as well as some grilled bread drizzled with olive oil. It was good but the spicy feta and fava were a slightly soupy (I guess they make them in a blender). Still, it was good.

Spreads at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

Spicy feta at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

Tzatziki at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

Grilled bread at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

Jodi ordered the Greek salad, made with tomato, cucumbers, peppers, onion, feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil, whole wheat rusk and red wine vinegar.

Greek salad at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

On my side, I chose the Arni, a dish made of roasted leg of lamb, braised tomato lime sauce, chickpeas smothered by a yogurt lemon sauce. It was a big portion for sure. The meat was delicious, well cooked, with a robust taste expected from lamb and the yogurt lemon sauce was superb,, smooth and unexpected in a way, as I am more used to tomato sauce with lamb (lamb youvetsi).

We finished the meal with dessert: kataifi and baklava, both being delicious and perfectly made, soaked in honey syrup.

Baklava and kataifi at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

Kataifi at Fournos Theophilos in NYC, NY

The meal at Fournos Theophilos was good, although I do think there are much better places to enjoy Greek food in Astoria or at Uncle Nick’s in Hell’s Kitchen. Still, this is an interesting find.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Fournos Theophilos - 45 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 7/31/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/31/19

Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

Named after Nice (Nizza in Italian), a city in the French Riviera, Nizza is an Italian restaurant located in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s been a while we talked about going there for dinner, Jodi having gone there few times with her friends and me just trying the brunch few years back. That day, the place was crowded and loud, especially before 7:30pm, as filled with lots of theater goers, but also the table of four behind us loud enough to have been heard all the way on Mars. Fortunately they quickly left and we were able to have a nice dinner, more quiet. The space is a bit cramped but nice, with an impressive bar that proposed that day a frozen Spritz, a take on the popular Italian drink. Quite good but too frozen so I had to let it sit for a bit.

Frozen Spritz at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

The food was quite delicious, with classic pasta and pizza that they cook in their brick oven. I first ordered the linguine alle vongole, these pasta with clams in a white wine sauce that I adore, but as soon as I tasted it, something was off and they took it back without any problem, bringing me the menu so I could pick another dish. I then went for the chicken Milanese, a thin chicken cutlet that is lightly breaded and pan fried, accompanied by a tomato and mozzarella salad. Originally, I was a bit disappointed because I was set to get pasta, but I finally did not regret it, this dish being very good: the chicken, crispy on the outside, was perfectly cooked and not dry. It was great with the salad that had few melted pieces of mozzarella, the chicken melting it.

Linguine alle vongole at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

Chicken Milanese at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

We also shared the eggplant rollatini that were cooked in the brick oven. Quite comforting, the sauce was bold and the eggplant filled with lots of ricotta.

Eggplant rollatini at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

For her main, Jodi ordered the cypress salad: simple, but good.

Caprese salad at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen

And I should mention the focaccia with ricotta and olive oil that they served at the beginning of the meal, that was very good (I would have eaten a whole focaccia).

Last was dessert: we could not not try their tiramisu that was delicious: light and creamy.

Overall, we had a great meal at Nizza, the food was delicious and reasonably priced for this area. I would again mention the service that was impeccable and made us feel welcome and taken care of. I definitely recommend this place if you want Italian cuisine in that area.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Nizza -630 9th Avenue, Midtown West, NY10036

I Just Want To Eat! 7/29/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/29/19

Inakaya in Times Square

There are few restaurants in Times Square that are little gem and Inakaya is surely one of them and there is one thing I always recommend that is to eat at the counter. There, you not only observe what is going on in the kitchen, watching the staff grilling meat, seafood or vegetables, you get the little show which is how they bring some of the dishes to your table, by simply putting them on a long paddle and handing over the dish to you from afar.

But it is not just the show: the food there is superb, with a nice selection for vegetarians and non-vegetarians, dishes that will come as they are ready.

Here is what we had:

As a special, they had a sakepirinha, their take on Brazil’s national cocktail, the caipirinha but instead of cachaça, they use sake.

Grilled mushrooms in foil: these are three different kinds of mushroom cooked with soy sauce in a foil that you just need to rip open. Simple, but delicious, especially if you love mushrooms.

Grilled mushrooms in foil at Inakaya in Times Square

Vegetable tempura: always a crowd pleaser, they were crunchy and not greasy, with veggies like broccoli, eggplant, mushroom or asparagus. I just wished there was more.

Vegetable tempura at Inakaya in Times Square

Roasted duck slices served with mustard and Japanese dashi. These thin slices were really good, with or without the mustard. Maybe slightly less cooked would have been even better, but even like that, it was succulent.

Grilled squid with soy sauce: this was a fantastic dish, not just because of the beautiful presentation. No, they surely know how to cook squid, this one not being rubbery at all.

Grilled squid at Inakaya in Times Square

Roasted rice balls with plum sauce: a good dish if it was not for the sauce that was too tangy.

Roasted rice balls at Inakaya in Times Square

Dessert was the taiyaki ice cream, a fish shaped waffle stuffed with red bean paste accompanied by vanilla ice cream. The waffle, homemade, was served a bit hot, melting the ice cream. It was very good, with different textures between the waffle, red bean paste and melting ice cream. A must have!

Taiyaki ice cream at Inakaya in Times Square

So overall we had a great meal at Inakaya and I admit that I was surprised not to see that many people in the dining room for a Friday evening. Maybe the Times Square effect or the location on the side of 40th. But definitely, I recommend this place that has great food, good service and a nice atmosphere.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Inakaya -620 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 7/26/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/26/19

Barbes, Moroccan-French restaurant in Hoboken, NJ

So we are back at Barbés, the Moroccan-French restaurant located uptown Hoboken. But this time, I wanted to try their French dishes, the past times having indulged in their couscous and tagines that are very good. After this visit, I remain convinced that this is the spot for moroccan cuisine, less for French. Take the confit de canard for instance: good, not salty, but the skin was charred. For sure, a crispy skin is a must have with a duck confit, but they pushed it a bit far. The steak au poivre, a nice piece of sirloin smothered in a nice peppercorn sauce was also decent, but I had to send it back twice as they did not cook it as ordered: medium-rare: the first one came medium, the second, that they then refired, rare. And what bothered me a bit was that the manager tried to argue that the meat was perfectly cooked. Where are we? In Paris?

Steak au poivre at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

No, Moroccan dishes are much better like the Mediterranean salad, made with Zaalouk (an eggplant salad), shashouka and hummus.

Mediterranean salad at Barbes in Hoboken, NJ

They do serve cocktails but it took a while for my drink to come...I got the Road to Sahara that is their old fashioned. Well done.

We did not have dessert as a bit frustrated with the service and the issue with the steak. Anyway, they did not really ask us if we wanted any and just brought us the bill! So we paid and left, quite disappointed this time since our previous visits were enjoyable. Hopefully the next time we will go will be better...

Enjoy ()!

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Barbés - 1300 Park, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 7/24/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/24/19

Brunch at Mexicue in Chelsea

We were looking for a brunch place in Chelsea when we saw Mexicue, a Mexican BBQ place that started as a food truck many years ago and spawn into a popular restaurant with three locations in the city. I love this place but admit that dinner can be a bit overcrowded and noisy. But this was our first time in their spacious Chelsea location and I was glad it was on out path: the food there is really good and you may not elect to choose from their brunch menu that is limited and does not offer some of the succulent dishes they offer on their regular menu. For instance, I love the fact that they offer tacos by the piece, allowing you to try several of them and making your own combination. Lots of restaurants do not do it this way unfortunately and you end up with three of similar. And there, you cannot miss the concept of the restaurant as BBQ is the theme. For sure the crispy fish, served with corn salsa, creamy chipotle, pickled pepper and watermelon radish is what you would expect, a fish taco being a must have, but the Nashville hot chicken with slaw, corn salsa and creamy chipotle, or brisket with salsa verde represent what this restaurant is all about. I admit that after the Taco Truck closed in Hoboken, I was desperately looking for an amazing fish taco and I found it at Mexicue: crispy, the fish was perfectly cooked, flakey and moist, and the taco itself was full of flavor. My second favorite was the Nashville Hot Chicken that was not that hot at first, but you could feel the heat building up.

Nashville hot chicken taco at Mexicue in Chelsea

Fortunately and contrary to lots of BBQ restaurants that mainly offer sides for vegetarians, they have some good options there. Of course, you have the classic guacamole or the corn bread, homemade, that is grilled (great char and crispness) and served with chipotle butter.

Or the quesarrito minis that are flour tortillas with melted cheese, crispy tortilla crisps and brown rice that are grilled. The avocado, beans and cheese, made with black bean spread, slaw, corn salsa, guacamole and creamy chipotle was very good, not boring and flavorful.

Avocado, beans and cheese quesarrito at Mexicue in Chelsea

Needless to say that they offer a bunch of cocktails, but I just went for a fresh squeezed orange juice...

So overall we have a nice meal at Mexicue. I love this place that offers delicious food, bringing together two succulent cuisines that perfectly work in combination. Their menu is mouth watering and would satisfy many dinners. I definitely recommend it!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Mexicue - 160 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 7/22/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/22/19

Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

So I am back at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell’s Kitchen. I love this place that serves great dishes, not just fried chicken and has this beer on tap that you pour yourself (at least you try, quickly understanding it is not that easy and all in the angle of the glass).

Hitejinro Hite drags beer at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

Their fried chicken is delicious: crispy thanks to the double frying process and moist, perfectly cooked all the way through and smothered in a nice sauce that you pick between soy and garlic or sweet and spicy (not so spicy) that I had, or the more classic and less Korean Buffalo (hot or mild).

Fried chicken at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

If you are more into sandwiches and do not like the stickiness of the wings (they should at least give a wet towel), you can get their KCC burger that is made with fried chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, onion and aioli. There again, you get the crispness of the chicken that is superb.

KCC burger at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

But if you do not like chicken, there are other options, like the kimchi pancake that is quite comforting and not spicy at all, or more surprisingly the beef bulgogi empanadas that were little pockets of heaven: the marinated beef was very flavorful and the shell slightly crispy and deliciously flakey.

Kimchi pancake at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

Bulgogi beef empanada at Korean Crispy Chicken in Hell's Kitchen

So overall, if you are looking for fried chicken few steps from Times Square, Korean Crispy Chicken is a great place. I would go back again for sure!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Korean Crispy Chicken -528 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 7/19/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/19/19

Brunch at Cecconi's in Dumbo

We had Cecconi’s in Dumbo on our radar for a while. Each time we went to that area, we saw this place full with sometimes a line at the door. Little we knew that this Italian restaurant had locations in many places like West Hollywood, Miami, Istanbul, Barcelona, Berlin and London. I did not imagine before eating there that it was so huge, but the best is their waterfront seating that offers stunning views of Manhattan and the Manhattan bridge.

We were there for brunch on a Saturday. I started the meal with a fresh squeezed orange juice that was very good, not watered down.

As an appetizer, we shared the crostini with whipped ricotta and truffle honey. I love the combination of ricotta and honey that complement each other well. As they saw we were close not to have anymore crostini, they graciously brought some additional ones.

Crostini with whipped ricotta at Cecconi's in Dumbo

For her entree, Jodi ordered the butter lettuce with sprouts, avocado and tomato. Know that you can add things like burrata or chicken to it.

Butter lettuce salad at Cecconi's in Dumbo

On my side, it was the tuna tartare that was prepared table side. Well, close enough to our table that I could see them adding the ingredients to the chopped ahi tuna and avocado. They added quite a few that I cannot all remember, but there was mint, chili and lemon. It was delicious, tasted fresh, with a nice acidity.

I accompanied the tartare with hash browns that were more like tater tots. Very good, crunchy and addictive.

So overall we had a great brunch at Cecconi’s: the food was good, the atmosphere relaxed, the service on point and the view fantastic. I definitely would love to go for dinner there, their menu being mouth watering.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cecconi’s -55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

I Just Want To Eat! 7/17/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/17/19

Brunch at Minnie's

Located on the Lower East Side, I admit that Minnie’s was not our first choice for brunch, but the place we wanted to try was packed, so we walked around and found this place that had a nice atmosphere, quite relaxed, bright, with a decor that probably shocks prude customers (check out the pillows in the photo below).

The food there is American but the Chef ventures in Mediterranean and Middle Easter ingredients, using Haloumi, tzatziki or harissa in comforting dishes. Their heirloom and haloumi salad, served with heirloom tomato, two poached eggs, avocado, arugula and grilled sourdough is a nice representation of that cuisine, well executed, the star being the cheese that is nicely charred.And at least, they know how to make poached eggs! Even better is the LES Croque Madame that is made with Katz’s pastrami, gruyere, béchamel squeezed between two slices of sourdough and topped with a fried egg. Very comforting and filling, I just wished that the bread was sliced a bit thinner. But for sure, it is one of the best croque-madame interpretation I had, appreciating the nod to the succulent pastrami of one of the Lower East side’s most popular restaurant that is Katz’s Delicatessen.

Heirloom and haloumi at Minnie’s in the Lower East Side

LES Croque Madame at Minnie’s in the Lower East Side

The brunch was good and their dinner looks even better, with a limited number of dishes on the menu, enough to satisfy a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian palate. That is the kind of place I would probably go back too.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Minnie’s - 29 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002

I Just Want To Eat! 7/15/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/15/19

Fried pizza at Don Antonio

Our last stop on Jodi’s birthday was Don Antonio, a pizza joint located midtown from the owner of Kesté Pizza & Vino, Roberto Caporuscio, that serves fried pizza. Yes, you read it well: fried pizza. But do not imagine something gross: this is a bit crispy and delicious, while being very slightly greasy. Not that all their pizza is like that, but usually, when we go there or talk about this place, this is what we get:

We tried two fried pizza. The first one was their signature, the Montanara, that is a lightly fried pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, smoked buffalo mozzarella and basil.

Montanara pizza at Don Antonio in NYC, NY

The second was the Quattro formaggi, a white pie made with buffalo mozzarella, gran cru pecorino, caciocavallo ragusano, parmigiano reggiano, crescenza BelGioioso, basil and olive oil. Between the two pizzas, this was my favorite: like the other one, the sides were nicely puffed up and charred, crispy, with a thin center, and it had lots of cheese.

Quattro formaggi pizza at Don Antonio in NYC, NY

With it, we got some Italian soda.

So it was a great meal and Jodi as happy that we could get a table for her birthday, but with all the food we had that day, we skipped dessert…The pizza at Don Antonio is very good and definitely a treat. The fact that it is fried is however more obvious with their calzone that we got the last time we went there. It is for sure a good spot for a succulent meal in Midtown.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Don Antonio - 309 West 50th Street 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 7/12/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/12/19

Sweets at Billy's Bakery in TriBeCa

After our lunch at Joe’s Ginger, Jodi wanted cake for her birthday. So, after checking few places like Harbs and Baked, we ended up at Billy’s Bakery in TriBeCa. I love this place: when you enter, you get that fantastic smell that makes you want to try everything they are making in the back kitchen.

Dining room at Billy's Bakery in TriBeCa

Hesitating between the beautiful cupcakes they have and a slice of cake, Jodi finally went for the latter and chose the crowd pleaser with vanilla frosting that was a moist cake with chocolate in the center.

Crowd pleaser cake at Billy's Bakery in TriBeCa

On my side, I did not hesitate and picked the banana cream pie that is amazing: creamy with lots of slices of banana, a good way to get your daily serving of fruit.

Banana cream pie at Billy's Bakery in TriBeCa

If you do not know Billy’s Bakery, check it out: they have great cupcakes and cakes. I definitely recommend it.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Billy’s Bakery - 75 Franklin Street, New York 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 7/10/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/10/19

Joe's Ginger in Chinatown

For her birthday, Jodi had two requests: pizza and Chinese food at Joe’s Ginger, the sister restaurant of Joe’s Shanghai, few doors away. Not that it has been a while since she went there as it is her go to restaurant when she craves Chinese cuisine, her last visit being in April when her friend Pam came to visit: she simply likes it and enjoys the vegetarian dishes they offer, with their classic scallion pancakes that are always a treat: hot, crispy and slightly greasy, they are very comforting.

Scallion pancakes at Joe's Ginger in Chinatown

Another dish she loves is the pan fried noodles that you can have crispy: not always easy to eat, you have to wait just a bit for some of the noodles to get softer, the center being smothered with a very tasty thick sauce and lots of veggies (my favorite is with chicken, but it was her birthday…).

Vegetables pan fried noodles at Joe's Ginger in Chinatown

I admit that I could not resist a getting a BBQ Peking Duck Spring roll that was delicious, the shell being not too thick and the roll having a nice quantity of duck. It is a small roll though and I wished I had more...

BBQ Peking duck Spring roll at Joe's Ginger in Chinatown

Joe’s Ginger never disappoints: this cash only joint is rarely crowded, not like Joe’s Shanghai, victim of its success, being in plenty of tourist guides for their crab and pork soup dumplings that are delicious. Know that the exact same dumplings are served at Joe’s Ginger! So skip the line and enjoy (I did)!

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Joe’s Ginger - 25 Pell Street, New York, NY 10038

I Just Want To Eat! 7/8/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/8/19

Dinner at Habanero Blues

Habanero Blues is back! After changing the concept to American Hall, a beer hall serving classic American dishes, the Reisenbach brothers decided to bring back the Mexican cuisine in this huge and amazing space, keeping the arcade room in the colorful downstairs area. I admit that I was looking forward to having dinner there, some of the items served there being delicious and not often offered on menus, like the Esquites en Vaso, a Mexico City street style corn made with chipotle aioli, cotija cheese and cayenne pepper. Unfortunately, it was not anymore offered, but we could enjoy their classic guacamole that is quite good: well seasoned with chunks of avocado as I like it (who likes a soupy guacamole?).

A great vegetarian appetizer is their Baja Cali Cauliflower that is lightly breaded cauliflower fried until golden and served with a chipotle remoulade that has a slight kick. Eating this, I just wished it was the way my mom made cauliflower when I was a kid!

Baja Cali cauliflower at Habanero Blues in NYC, NY

They have a nice selection of tacos (with homemade tortilla), and I just wished they offered a sampler to try several of them. For meat eaters, the Al Pastor is a must have: made with rotisserie pork marinated in adobo, and served with chipotle, the meat was tasty and not dry at all. If you do not like pork and still want meat, you can opt for the short rib tacos that are served with pickled onion, cilantro and guacamole, although I have to say that it lacked a bit of flavor. Needless to say that they also have tacos with chicken, fish or shrimp.

Al pastor tacos at Habanero Blues in NYC, NY

Short rib tacos at Habanero Blues in NYC, NY

Rice and beans at Habanero Blues in NYC, NY

If you are vegetarian, they do have few options like the taco with fried avocado (avocado frito), that I was surprised Jodi did not order. No, instead, she went for the taco salad that was good but a bit boring.

I should mention that with the meal I had a margarita, classic, a must have at Habanero Blues.

And of course dessert: another must have are the churros that they surely know how to make. The dulce de leche and chocolate dipping sauce are nice with it, the former being my favorite, but even without sauce, you quickly regret when the bag they serve the churros in is empty.

So we had a good time at Habanero Blues. It is a nice place for Mexican food Midtown if you are in the area, much quieter than Mexicue!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Habanero Blues - 29 West 36th Street, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 7/5/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/5/19

Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yards

Since it opened, Hudson Yards has been the focus of many articles and Instagram posts, whether about the views, The Vessel or the restaurants. Often crowded, the mall there has many places to eat, from reasonable to expensive. On the latter, Estiatorio Milos sits on an upper floor (you have to climb some beautiful stairs from the bar to the dining room), with stunning views worth seeing at sun down.

Stairs at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Dining room at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

I know this Greek place specializes in seafood from its sister restaurant midtown where I went few times for dinner and lunch. Yes, good and pricey and, if like me you like fresh fish that you can pick from their station and is sold by the pound, you might be surprised by the bill, wondering how two little fishes could have cost $48! Ok, it is not that I went with the cheapest: I ordered the barbouni aka red mullet or rouget, an expensive delicacy from the Mediterranean sea that they prepared fried. But 2 for $48, I was surprised, also noting that the side that came with it was small and...not good, overpowered by lemon. At least I enjoyed that fish: well cooked, it brought to my mind memories from when my mother used to cook them when I was a kid.

Fish station at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Lavraki at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Langoustines at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Barbouni at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Rascasse at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Barbourni at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

From their fish station, I also got a big scallop, that I asked them to grill and they again did a good job.

Scallop at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Of course, you may think that a seafood restaurant was not a good choice for Jodi. Well, they do have few vegetarian dishes like the Milos special, these lightly fried zucchini and eggplant chips served with tzatziki that we shared. This is a must have and lots of people ordered them. They were delicious, crunchy on the outside, cooked all the way through, not greasy and with a nice amount of tzatziki. It also came with Kefalograviera cheese in phyllo, that was delicious (I wished there was more of it).

Milos special at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

She also got the grilled mushrooms that were composed of king trumpet, shiitake, Oyster, hen of the woods and blue foot. It was good overall, especially if you love mushrooms as there was a nice variety of it.

Grilled mushrooms at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

With it, she got the fingerling potatoes, steamed with mint, dill, cilantro and covered with olive oil. It was good but I admit I prefer fried potatoes even if not what the Mediterranean diet would probably suggest.

Potatoes at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

With the meal, I got my favorite Greek drink: ouzo.

Last was dessert: we got their baklava that was quite good, not dry for sure and crispy (as oppose to soggy).

Baklava at Estiatorio Milos in Hudson Yard

Overall, we had a nice meal at Estiatorio Milos, but I admit that it was overpriced and the service was not that great: there are plenty of staff and you are wondering who is taking care of your table. I definitely prefer the location Midtown that is better organized and suggest not ordering from the fish station so there is no surprise with the bill…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Estiatorio Milos - 20 Hudson Yards, 500 West 33rd Street Fl 5, New York, NY

I Just Want To Eat! 7/3/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/3/19

Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

We recently went to Legacy Records, a place located in a new condo in Hudson Yards. I admit that I was looking for a place at the newly opened Hudson Yards area and did not check the address until the day of our brunch, discovering, fortunately beforehand, that it was not where I thought it was. No, located in the Henry Hall Hotel, Legacy Records is for sure off the beaten path and I would have never discovered it if it was not thanks to Opentable. I was excited to go, thinking that the decor would relate to an old record label but it was not the case, bringing a bit of a disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, the decor there is beautiful and elegant, quite huge in fact, with an impressive horseshoe bar.

Dining room at Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

Food wise, the brunch menu offers a bunch of interesting dishes inspired for the majority by Italian cooking. For instance, they propose a Tuscan fried chicken made with rosemary and fennel powder. This was delicious: the chicken was perfectly cooked, moist, crispy on the outside, with succulent hints of rosemary.

Tuscan fried chicken at Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

The charcoal grilled avocado is a good alternative to the classic avocado toast, more like a deconstructed version of it, with rye served on the side. It was beautifully presented and quite good, but it was small: only half avocado was given that makes this dish pricey for $15.

Charcoal grilled avocado at Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

Quantities are small and I was glad that we got their bread (the miche), with cultured butter. This bread was so good we finished it fairly quickly.

Bread and butter at Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

They also have a bunch of juices and at least their fresh squeezed orange juice is a good one, not one diluted in water.

Fresh squeezed orange juice at Legacy Records in Hudson Yards

Overall it was good, but pricey, especially considering the portion sizes. Brunch is not something I would recommend there and I may decide to go back for dinner to see what they offer.

Enjoy (I still did)!

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Legacy Records -517 W 38th St Midtown East, New York City

I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/19

Event: Mueloliva presents "Venta del Barón" olive oil

We often hear about the Mediterranean diet and its benefits on health, and one of the many common denominators of all the countries mentioned is olive oil. Olive oil is considered a healthy fat that has a vital role in your nutrition and health by helping in the following ways:

Absorb vitamins A, D, E and K,
Increase satiety,
Reduce the glycemic impact of a meal or snack so blood sugar level does not spike and then makes you crash when it falls.

So I was curious when I received an invite to an event organized for Mueloliva, a Spanish company founded in 1942 by Mateo Muela Velasco, an award-winning olive oil company located in the Subbética region of Córdoba. Most recently, they received first prize for the fourth year in a row for “Venta del Barón” as the premier extra virgin olive oil worldwide at the Mario Solinas Quality Award Competition presented byThe International Olive Council (IOC) in 2019. “Venta del Barón” is among the eight best EVOO in the world!

Venta del Barón is made using picual and hojiblanca olives. After pressing them, the oil is decanted for 15 days and poured blown-glass bottles that you would probably hesitate to open, looking so beautiful.

The event was at The Sousa House, where Chef Kristopher Edelen (also known as Chef KPE) from HOTPANnyc, crafted a delicious meal that we sampled for the short time we were there. There was:

Jamon Iberico:

Green tomato Gazpacho with olive oil whip:

Gazpacho made with "Venta del Barón" olive oil

Sliders with Beef, Manchego and a chipotle glaze:

Sliders made with "Venta del Barón" olive oil

Pintxos (Blackened chicken with olive oil aioli):

Tomatoes with olive oil:

What was also surprising is the signature cocktail they proposed: green apple cotton candy cava cocktail, with its beautiful green color and the amazing way the cotton candy dissolved in it.

It was a nice evening and I am glad I got to be part of it. Thanks to the organizers, Bienvenuti PR and Mueloliva for making it a great event.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/19 I Just Want To Eat! 7/1/19

Junzi Kitchen, casual Chinese

I noticed Junzi Kitchen a few weeks ago, as they opened their doors few steps from Bryant Park. This fast casual place serves noodles and bings, these Northern Chinese thin crepes (also called Chun Bing) that I tried for the first time at Mr Bing in Urban Space Vanderbilt. I was excited to try it, although feeling the pressure in this type of restaurants to give my order quickly, people waiting behind me. Not that it was crowded though, but I thought it might have been because they opened recently in a location that is probably not ideal.

So, we ordered at the counter and they prepared our food like they do at Chipotle: They go from left to right to put already prepared food items in the bowl or in the crepe depending of what you order. The crepe is in fact already pre-cooked and cooked in an appliance similar to a quesadilla maker (I have one that I admit I am not using much: crazy what you put on your wedding registry...).

They have few vegetarian choices made with either tofu or mushrooms. So, Jodi went with the rice noodles and chose the Furu tofu, that was a griddled tofu with Furu sesame sauce (Furu is a brand), Buddha’s palm, cucumber and scallion. It was ok and would have been probably better with more vegetables and additional sauce.

Furu tofu noodles at Junzi Kitchen in NYC, NY

On my side, I went for a bing with chicken (they also have beef or pork). It was the roasted sesame chicken bing with similar ingredients that Jodi had in her dish except tofu: Buddha’s palm, cucumber and scallion in a roasted sesame sauce. Similar to Jodi, it was ok and could have had more flavor. I also found the chicken to be overcooked.

Chicken bing at Junzi Kitchen in NYC, NY

So overall, I was not impressed by Junzi Kitchen. Not that I was expecting fine dining but more something close to Chipotle: tasty and comforting. I am not sure that would be my go to place for a quick bite for sure.

Enjoy ()!

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

Junzi Kitchen - 135 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 6/28/19 I Just Want To Eat! 6/28/19

Peking duck at DaDong

I had DaDong, a fancy Chinese restaurant few steps from Bryant Park on my list for a while and was convinced to go there after hearing a conversation in the street from three friends of Asian descent claiming this was the best Chinese restaurant in the city. Famous in China for sure, where chef Dong Zhenxiang opened more than 15 locations devoted to Peking Duck, a dish that duck lovers should appreciate: it is made of thin slices of duck served with a crispy and fatty skin. I could eat that every day, but it is not that often that restaurant serve half a duck and getting a whole one would only work if going with friends, Jodi being vegetarian...So I was glad to see that DaDong offered half Peking Duck and did not hesitate to order it even if I found the price a bit high. As I did not order the whole bird, they did not offer me the same show other tables who did got, that was to observe the Chef slice thinly the duck. That’s fine, at least I got to try it mainly with the very thin crepes they brought, making a wrap with black bean sauce and scallion. The meat was good, fatty and crispy as expected, but unfortunately a bit dry, prompting me to put lots of sauce. It was good, but I was expecting to be blown away as I read this place was the best for Peking Duck in China. Still, if I were to go back to DaDong, I would get this dish.

Thin crepe for Peking duck at DaDong in NYC, NY

We also tried other dishes as described below:

We first started our meal by ordering drinks. Jodi got a non alcoholic one called Lychee Meringue, made with lychee purée, coconut water, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Smooth and refreshing, well balanced. On my side, I ordered the Just Peachy, composed of Old Camp Peach Pecan Bourbon, vanilla syrup and lemon juice. Fruity and not strong, you could forget that there is alcohol in it...

Lychee meringue cocktail at DaDong in NYC, NY

Just Peachy cocktail at DaDong in NYC, NY

They brought us some fried noodles that were good, although I would have loved some duck sauce with it.

They have quite few vegetarian dishes and Jodi wanted first to try their vegetables buns that are steamed dumplings. I am always unsure when I tried vegetable dumplings, but these were very good, even if they did not serve them some sauce. They were very tasty and the shell was nicely made.

Next was the Chinese broccoli and morel mushrooms served with garlic and a yellow wine sauce. Good but I wish there were more morel mushrooms.

Broccoli and morels at DaDong in NYC, NY

The last vegetarian dish we tried was the DaDong braised eggplant that were just ok. I love eggplant but was not that thrilled about the dish, wondering how they made it.

A truly interesting dish was the squid ink soup with tofu threads and truffle. I love squid and squid ink, especially in pasta or rice, and it was the first time I saw a squid ink soup on a menu. I was so excited that I almost forgot to take a photo of it! I did after the first spoonful of it that was divine: it was thick, smooth and decadent, the truffle giving an earthy taste to it. I was just scared while eating it that my white shirt would not survive.

Last was dessert. We hesitated a bit as they have quite unusual desserts but finally settled for the crispy chocolate rice pudding. It was like rice pudding arancini, crispy on the outside and filled with the chocolate rice pudding on the inside. I found it ok, the passion fruit and mandarin overpowering it a bit.

Crispy chocolate rice pudding at DaDong in NYC, NY

So overall I was a bit disappointed with DaDong: I thought we would have one of those memorable culinary experiences that truly define a restaurant’s fame. It was not the case. The food was good but not worth the price and I found the service spotty, surprising for this type of restaurants. I’ll pass or wait some time before going back to see if it changes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

DaDong- 3 Bryant Park, New York City, NY

I Just Want To Eat! 6/26/19 I Just Want To Eat! 6/26/19

Woodpecker by David Burke

We passed in front of Woodpecker by David Burke so many times that we decided to try it last Friday. For sure, the location is a bit forgettable, on 30th between Broadway and 5th, a bit off the beaten path and that might be why it was not that crowded when we went. Too bad because I found the food quite good and very interesting, not classic, with only few options for vegetarians though. This place has a nice atmosphere and although I found the service a bit spotty, surprisingly considering it was not that crowded, I would come back. Here is what we tried:

As a cocktail, I decided to try their signature one as it has whisky: it is the Woodpecker, their own version of a whisky sour, made with Breckinridge bourbon, amaretto, fresh cranberry juice, lemon and apricot. Nice, refreshing and well balanced.

Whisky sour at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Jodi opted for a mocktail, that was a honey mint iced tea. I am not always a big fan of iced tea but this one was delicious, not too sweet with nice hints of mint.

Honey mint iced tea at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

With the drinks, they brought us some homemade cheese sticks dipped in olive oil and we decided to share their bread and whipped ricotta. Both were quite good; in fact I should even say that their bread, that came hot, was fantastic: crispy on the outside, it did not even need the ricotta and I could have eaten more if we did not have some food coming.

Cheese sticks at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Whipped ricotta at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Bread and whipped ricotta at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Bread at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

For her entree, Jodi went for one of their specials: mixed mushrooms and truffle ravioli with a creamy pecorino and truffle sauce. As I mentioned before, they do not offer that many vegetarian dishes so it was nice to see that they would offer one as a special. And a delicious one indeed.

Mixed mushrooms ravioli at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

On my side, I ordered the hay smoked lamb chops served with a tomato merguez couscous. The lamb chops were good although they could have been cooked slightly more. I loved the Mediterranean flair of the dish, with the delicious couscous that had few pieces of merguez, a lamb sausage that you can find in classic couscous or tagine dishes, and was very flavorful, with hints of mint and lemon. Superb!

Lamb at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Last was dessert: it was the apple tart served with vanilla ice cream topped with an apple crisp. This was like a tarte tatin. It was ok: the apple was good, but the crust was soggy, missing crispiness and that butter taste that make this dessert delicious.

Apple tart at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Vanilla ice cream at Woodpecker by David Burke in NYC, NY

Overall, we had a great meal at Woodpecker by David Burke. The food was quite good and original. I would certainly go back there.

Enjoy (I dd)!

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

Woodpecker by David Burke - 30 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001