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

Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

I was recently invited at Garam Masala, an Indian restaurant located in Ridgewood, Queens. Its owner, Saiful Islam, who previously managed Tandoori Masala in Bushwick and Mahal Kita in Williamsburg wanted to open his own place, catering to a crowd hungry for Indian flavors, but as he says, flavorful does not mean spicy and he and his team ensures diners get the right level of heat.

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

“I am from a South Asian country called Bangladesh,” he says. “My culture embraces a richness of values, family life, and food. I have had experience in managing as well as engaging in a partnership in running a restaurant and my desire was to operate one of my very own. I am strongly motivated to serve others and I feel there is no better place for success than right here in NYC.”

Dining room Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

The menu offers a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The must have vegetarian dishes are definitely the Manchurian cauliflower, an Indo-Chinese appetizer made of a crispy cauliflower smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce, or the samosa, these crispy turnover usually served with tamarind and mint sauce.

Manchurian cauliflower at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Samosa at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

You can also opt for some vegetarian sides like the dal makhni if you like lentils or the chana masala, a dish made with chickpeas slow cooked in a sauce made of onion, tomatoes, coriander, garlic, chilies and ginger. Both dishes were not spicy at all and quite comforting, perfect with some of the plain or cheese naan we tried.

Dal Makhni at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Chana Masala at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Plain naan at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Basmati Rice at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Cheese naan at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

For non-vegetarian dishes, there is the classic Chicken Tikka Masala that has this incredible sauce that is so flavorful and creamy, perfect with naan. I also loved the barrah kebab that is lamb marinated in yogurt, tumeric, cumin and mustard seeds. That marinade was so good, I loved it and they surely know how to cook the lamb that was not dry.

Chicken Tikka Masala at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Barrah kebab at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

For dessert, we tried classics: gulab jamun that is my favorite as well as rasmalai, made with cottage cheese, sitting in a delicious almond and milk sauce.

Gulab Jamun at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Rasmalai at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Of course, I must mention the beverages that go from sweet or mango lassi as well as Chai, served either hot or cold.

MAngo and sweet lassi at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Chai at Garam Masala in Ridgewood, Queens

Garam Masala is delicious and we had so many wonderful dishes. This is the kind of place I would want in my neighborhood. Know that the portions you see in the photos are for tasting as we had quite a feast there. Your turn!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Garam Masala - 1819 Palmetto St, Ridgewood, NY 11385

I Just Want To Eat! 8/16/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/16/19

Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream in NYC, NY

I discovered Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream few years ago, while watching a TV show, Unique Sweets, that unfortunately does not run anymore. It was in 2015 and the flagship parlor on the Lower East Side was like going to heaven. But a crowded heaven unfortunately and I admit that I have a limit to my patience when it comes to food, especially in hot weather...So we were excited when we saw that Nicholas Morgenstern decided to open a second, larger location on West Houston. Although also packed, it is usually fine to go there and have some of the incredible flavors they are proposing: burnt honey vanilla (great in a milk shake, it has a bit of a butterscotch taste), macadamia praline banana (superb - especially if you love banana and the added crunchiness of the nuts) burnt sage, raw milk, Vietnamese coffee are just a few of the choices you get and I admit that the menu is a bit overwhelming, with just few classic flavors like vanilla (pick between Madagascar or French) or coconut. I should mention that some, tagged with an “A” have alcohol in it like the hazelnut ribs (rum).

Mascarpone with salted hazelnuts at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream in NYC, NY

Hazelnut risbo at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream in NYC, NY

Coconut on a cone at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream in NYC, NY

Burnt honey Vanilla milkshake at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream in NYC, NY

The milkshakes could seem pricey ($12) but they put three large scoop of ice cream in it. Otherwise, you can get your scoop(s) in a cone that can be challenging as these scoops are large and so not that easy to stick on the little cone, or if like me you always end up with ice cream on your shoes, you can opt for a cup.

Morgenstern’s is the kind of place that has an old fashioned ice cream parlor feel but gets you excited by creations not seen before. If I could, I would go every week end...I definitely recommend it!

Enjoy (I did)

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Morgenstern’s-88 W Houston Street, NYC, NY 10012

I Just Want To Eat! 8/14/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/14/19

800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

When we went to 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen, it was it because Chef and founder Anthony Carron partnered with two NBA players, Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem. No, actually we just found it on Opentable.com and thought it would be a good idea to try this place, the concept (cooking food on an open flame) being quite interesting, especially after our dinner at The Marshal in Hell’s Kitchen last year where they really embrace this way of cooking.

Open kitchen at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

Wood fired oven at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

The place is big, with the open kitchen in the back where you can see the team cooking a bunch of dishes, from pizza (the margarita is good, with a nice char and lots of cheese), to rotisserie chicken, that I was really looking forward to trying. I ordered half a chicken that took forever to come to our table and found slightly overcooked..and dry. Too bad because the skin was deliciously charred. The chicken was served with rotisserie basted potatoes that looked good but would have been better fully cooked. So disappointing.

Margarita pizza at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

Rotisserie chicken at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

Potatoes at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

Our appetizer was the roasted cauliflower served on top of roasted golden beet tahini. This was ok, the cauliflower needing more char.

Roasted cauliflower at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

But I liked my cocktail, the Smoky Liber-Tea, made with an apple and cinnamon infused bourbon, iced tea, smoked maple syrup and lemon. Not strong, I found it refreshing.

Smoky Liber-Tea cocktail at 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen in NYC, NY

We skipped dessert simply because each dish took forever to come and we did not want to get stuck there for three days! It was overall disappointing.

Enjoy ()!

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800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen -1 East 33rd Street, New York, NY, 10016

I Just Want To Eat! 8/12/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/12/19

Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

When Shaka Bowl opened a little over a year ago, I did not know what to think: Poké seems a bit of a trend that may not last as long as ramen. For me, I may crave ramen that I find comforting in the winter time (no hot soup in the summer please), but never craved Poké, even if I love raw fish. Go figure. So it took us time before going to Shaka Bowl, and I admit that it is the tacos they offer that persuaded us to go on a Sunday. And we did not go just once.

The menu is interesting: it is not just poké. They also offer açaí bowls, oatmeal (the maple banana one is very good, with lots of toppings), avocado toast and guacamole (I would pass on these as the guacamole is simply not good) and their tacos that are succulent. My favorite is the lava rock shrimp tacos that is composed of battered shrimp drenched in sweet chili and spicy Shaka sauce, topped with cabbage, mango and pickled onions. When the three tacos came, I was surprised by the amount of filling in each corn tortilla and feared that it would be more cabbage than anything else: I was wrong! There were lots of shrimp that were amazing: well cooked, crispy and slightly spicy, the mango adding a bit of sweetness and cooling effect for those who think it is spicy (no, slightly).

Avocado toast at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

Lava rock tacos at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

This is a must have, even better than the buffalo shrimp tacos where battered shrimp are smothered with buffalo sauce, topped with cabbage, strawberries (for some sweetness), jalapeño and blue cheese sauce. Quite good, a bit spicier than the previous one I talked about.

Buffalo shrimp tacos at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

There are only two issues with the two kinds of tacos above: they are messy to eat because they put lots of ingredients (nice problem to have in fact), and they come with three: I wish I could order one of each like the other tacos that they offer, that can be made with kalhua pulled pork (one of the best pulled pork taco I had), shrimp, steak, tuna or chicken (my least favorite, the chicken being a bit bland). These tacos are served with pineapple, cabbage, pickled onions and their spicy Shaka sauce.

Pulled pork taco at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

Chicken taco at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

Shrimp taco at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

Jodi also tried one of their poké bowl but, instead of raw fish, she chose tofu. It was good, with lots of fresh produce, but definitely over dressed.

Tofu poke bowl at Shaka Bowl in Hoboken, NJ

So, overall, Shaka Bowl is pretty good and I would just go for the tacos, especially the pork or lava shrimp tacos. It might not one of be the healthier options on their menu, but it is fine by me!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Shaka Bowl - 110 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 8/9/19 I Just Want To Eat! 8/9/19

Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

We were in Williamsburg for a street art exhibit called Beyond The Streets and so, decided to find a place after seeing the amazing work from the artists. Looking for a place, we stumbled upon Patisserie Tomoko. It was interesting to find such place there, a bit of the beaten path, serving French and American dessert with a Japanese touch, creation of Chef Tomoko who I admit has an impressive resume, having worked at Le Bernardin, Bouley and The Russian Tea Room.

Counter at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Open kicthen at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

This is not that big and, instead of sitting at a table, you would sit around a horseshoe counter, watching the Chef and her staff making delicious treats. We hesitated between getting their dessert course that is a small tasting menu or picking few items. We went for the latter, hesitating a bit because of the mouth watering choices in front of our eyes. Chocolate banana tart? Mille crepe? No, we finally tried their donut with yuzu glaze, a nice Japanese twist to a classic American cake, although I admit that I was not as fond as I thought of that combination.

Yuzu glazed donut at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The chestnut cake was amazing, even better than the Mont-Blanc at Lady M that is a bit too sweet. The cream was light, topping a fantastic almond base.

Chestnut tart at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

And of course, we got their cream puff, a classic in Japanese deliciousness that I discovered at Beard Papa on the Upper West Side few years ago (well, if I discard the French choux a la creme).

Cream puff at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

With our treats, we got a mocha chai latte and an iced Americano that was a bit small for the price, the metal cup being filled with lots of ice cubes…

Mocha chai at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Iced Americano at Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

So it was a nice discovery and I would definitely go back to Patisserie Tomoko if I am in Williamsburg, maybe after indulging a bit at Smorgasburg. Hopefully we will see an outpost at some point in New York City.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Patisserie Tomoko - 568 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, NY11211

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)!

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

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