Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/15/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/15/19

Brunch at Motel Morris in Chelsea

We passed many times in front of Motel Morris in Chelsea, a place that only has such name because of the nostalgia of the 1960s from the owners. Yes, it is just a restaurant and not attached at all to a hotel. But an interesting restaurant for the atmosphere it carries: retro from its decor and popular from its crowd.

Menu wise, for brunch, it proposes an elevated all American menu with classics like burgers and eggs. And, reminiscent of diners, floats but spiked with alcohol, like the bourbon cherry coke float that is an interesting fusion of a vanilla milkshake and an old fashioned. But don’t be fooled: there is indeed bourbon in it and if you do not taste it at first because you did not mix the whole thing enough, you feel some warmth in the back of your throat that will remind you you are not just getting your daily dose of calcium.

They have lots of dishes to share and the ricotta fritters, served on ricotta and rhubarb compote are the perfect way to start or even finish your meal. However, for $14, I would have expected a bigger serving and cannot fathom anybody ordering this as a main dish. Nevertheless, these fritters were delicious: fluffy, with the outside slightly crunchy, I liked the addition of the rhubarb compote that paired well with the ricotta and added some sweetness.

Ricotta fritters at Motel Morris in Chelsea

I mentioned the burger before that is probably good, but I was in the mood for a fried chicken sandwich. The one at Motel Morris is served with celery root cabbage that is unfortunately a bit overpowering. Still, the chicken was good, crispy, tasty and cooked all the way through without being dry. It as served with some greens, probably to give the impression it is a healthy dish…

Fried chicken sandwich at Motel Morris in Chelsea

Jodi chose a salad and went for the hacienda salad that she asked without jalapeños. It was a fairly big salad composed of tomato, lettuce, avocado, black beans, cotilla cheese and a coriander ranch dressing.

Hacienda salad at Motel Morris in Chelsea

We did not have dessert as we had the fritters and were planning to go somewhere else, but overall, we had a good brunch there that makes me want to go for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Motel Morris - 132 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/13/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/13/19

Brunch at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

As we were in Long Island City, we decided to find a brunch place and ended up at Café Henri few steps from the subway station. We went for an 11:30am brunch and I could not believe how crowded this place was! Luckily, we got a table fairly quickly. I love the decor there, with his big chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the core color of the walls that gave an old feel to a place that definitely feels like your neighborhood joint, like stepping in a restaurant in Paris without the price of the flight.

Dining room at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

We started by ordering some beverages: a hot cocoa (not worth trying as not chocolatey enough) and a cafe Francais that is.a stretched espresso (or cafe allonge).

Hot chocolate at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Cafe français at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Menu wise, I appreciated the fact that they served their regular menu on top of their breakfast menu and ordered the escargots that were delicious, especially the butter sauce that is so good when you dip some bread in it.

Escargots at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Dipping bread in the butter sauce at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Next where crepes: I went for the complete that is with ham, cheese and egg. It was good and had lots of cheese but I just wished they let the yolk runny.

Crepe complete at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Jodi made her own that is a great option on the menu and picked three ingredients: Swiss, goat and mushrooms. Delicious.

For dessert, we went for the butter and sugar crepe that had a bit too much butter and not enough sugar. Still, it was good.

Butter and sugar crepe at Cafe Henri in Long Island City

Overall, our brunch at Cafe Henri was good and I definitely want to go back there for dinner.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Cafe Henri - 10-10 50th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11101

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/11/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/11/19

Brunch at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

As we had to be on the Upper West Side, we checked out a brunch place and stumbled upon The Ribbon, a pretty big restaurant on 72nd and Amsterdam. Yes big place with the bar room when you enter that I bet is crowded and noisy in the evening, and a large dining room in the back, with a view of the kitchen.

Bar area at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

Juke box at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

Dining room at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

Before going there, I already knew what I would get there: yes, we always check the menu before going to a restaurant! I wanted to try their fried chicken sandwich that was composed, besides fried chicken, of lettuce, tomato and their house sauce. The first bite was delicious: the fried chicken was moist and crispy. In fact I could have just eaten that chicken without anything else.

Fried chicken sandwich at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

Jodi opted for the crispy tofu that was an interesting dish to propose on an all American menu. It was smothered in a black pepper glaze that was very good and that, contrary to Jodi, I did not find spicy (it depends on your sensitivity to spice food).

Crispy tofu at The Ribbon on the Upper West Side

So overall we had a great meal at The Ribbon: I would certainly go back for brunch or dinner there to explore a bit more their menu (their Ribbon dip looks amazing).

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Ribbon - 20 W 72nd Street, New York, NY 10023

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/8/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/8/19

Chi Dumplings and noodles at The Plaza Food Court

After going to The Plazza Food Court and trying No 7 Sub, we decided to go back and get a taste of Chi Dumplings and Noodles, a casual Chinese restaurant located in the back. But we did not go for ramen or noodles: no, we decided to share a bunch of dishes. As the name has dumplings in it, we ordered their vegetable dumplings and their shrimp dumplings. I do not know why but when I see green dumplings I always have an apprehension that it will have too much spinach in it. And it did. At least the shrimp dumplings were decent.

Veggie dumplings at Chi Dumplings and noodles at The Plaza Food Court

Shrimp dumplings at Chi Dumplings and noodles at The Plaza Food Court

Next we’re the vegetables spring rolls that unfortunately had too much shell all around, the filling getting lost.

Vegetable Spring rolls at Chi Dumplings and noodles at The Plaza Food Court

Last we’re the pork buns that were good but missing hoisin sauce. Fortunately they have a bottle that I grabbed quickly, making the dish more flavorful.

Pork buns at Chi Dumplings and noodles at The Plaza Food Court

So as you can guess, I am not a big fan of Chi Dumplings and Noodles. Maybe their ramen is better: I’ll have to check that out.

Enjoy (...)!

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Chi Dumplings and noodles - 1 W 59th Street, New York, NY 10019

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/6/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/6/19

No 7 Sub at The Plaza Food Court

The Plaza is a beautiful hotel and lots of people are missing out on the food court that is in the basement and features various places like Lady M, Billy’s Bakery, Luke’s Lobster or No 7 Sub that we tried recently. Their menu offers only few vegetarian options like the broccoli classic that Jodi tried: made with…roasted broccoli…as well as lychee muchim (that I think is pickled lychee), feta, fried shallots and mayonnaise. I admit that when she proposed me to try, I hesitated, not being a huge fan of broccoli, but was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it tasted good when all mixed together, the feta giving a nice saltiness to the sandwich. On my side, I hesitated between the Dr Melfi made with salami, mozzarella and fried zucchini, and the Perfect Chicken Sandwich, made with fried chicken, Muchim pickles and mayonnaise. I went for the latter and added some BBQ chips that you can add to any sandwich. This was a fantastic sandwich: similar to the Broccoli one, the bread was fresh and soft; the fried chicken was perfectly cooked, crispy, moist and cooked all the way through. I loved the acidity the pickles were adding and the crunchiness and saltiness added by the chips. I definitely recommend it.

Broccoli classic sandwich at No 7 Sub at The Plaza Food Court

Perfect fried chicken sandwich at No 7 Sub at The Plaza Food Court

No 7 Sub is a good find: although a bit pricey for what it is (you pay for the location), they have great creative sandwiches.

Enjoy (I did)!

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No 7 Sub - 1 West 58 Street, New York, NY, NY 10019

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/4/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/4/19

Enzo Bruni Pizza Gourmet in The Gansevoort Market

On a recent trip to The Gansevoort Market, we decided to try some pizza sold by the slice from Enzo Bruni, replacing Luzzo’s that used to be there for years. The pizza definitely looked good and they propose a nice selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pies. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the burrata one that had lots of this creamy cheese: the crust was good, puffed up and charred on the sides and thin in the center, like a Neapolitan pizza should be. The one with pancetta that I tried was good but a bit too salty; It had a square crust that was crispy. For a more decadent slice, you can also try the tartufata, made with mushrooms and black olives, and a hint of truffle oil.

Burrata pizza at Enzo Bruni Pizza Gourmet in The Gansevoort Market

Pancetta pizza at Enzo Bruni Pizza Gourmet in The Gansevoort Market

Margarita pizza at Enzo Bruni Pizza Gourmet in The Gansevoort Market

Pizza tartufata at Enzo Bruni Pizza Gourmet in The Gansevoort Market

If you are in the area, Enzo Bruni is a good stop. In fact, lots of tours are stopping there but I still prefer Luzzo’s…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Enzo Bruni - 353 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/1/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 11/1/19

Burger Inc in The Gansevoort Market

We like sometimes to go to The Gansevoort Market to see what they have to offer and there are often new choices there, the proximity of Chelsea Market close by probably making business more difficult. So, as we were there with Jodi’s cousin Rebecca, I could not resist trying Burger Inc as I saw few months before that they propose a burger with bone marrow, The Don. So I went for it and did not regret it: the bone marrow gave a nice fattiness to the sandwich that had a tasty charred beef patty that was juicy.

The Don burger at Burger Inc in The Gansevoort Market

French fries at Burger Inc in The Gansevoort Market

This was a true find and I would for sure go back to Burger Inc to try other menu options like their fried chicken sandwich that looks very good…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Burger Inc - 353 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 10/30/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 10/30/19

Tuk Tuk, Thai food in LIC

I sometimes crave Thai food: comforting, flavorful and not always spicy, Thai cuisine offers a nice selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. So, as we were in Long Island City, we decided to try Tuk Tuk, a local restaurant that takes its name from the three wheeled taxi that you see in many Asian countries.

Tuk Tuk serves classics as well as street food that I have never seen on a menu. Vegetarian dishes are very flavorful there and I had no problem sharing with Jodi the vegetable Spring rolls (crunchy and not too greasy with not too much shell), the vegetable dumplings or “green dumplings” that were succulent (thin shell and flavorful filling made with peas and corn to name few ingredients, and bathed in a chili oil) or the surprising pan-fried Chinese chive cakes with spicy soy dipping sauce.

Green dumplings at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

Pan-fried Chinese chive cakes at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

Spring rolls at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

For the entrees, they offer lots of dishes with tofu like the pad see ew that was delightfully sweet, or the magic mushrooms, made with stir-fried shiitake, eryngii and white mushrooms in a garlic pepper brown sauce. I liked it but admit that I see that dish more as either an appetizer or something to share rather than a full entree that you would eat with rice.

Pad see ew at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

Magic mushrooms at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

For non-vegetarians, they have the classic curries like the chicken massaman that I really liked, the sauce being amazing: not spicy, it was tasty with the onions, potato, peppers and cashew nuts that were bathed in it. But more interestingly is their street “Explore” section that includes a bunch of street food dishes like the Kaw-Moo-Dang, made with roast pork and crispy pork belly served over rice with a five-spice peanut gravy, boiled egg, cucumber and scallion. I admit that I was not sure if I had to mix the egg with the pork and rice, so I tried various combinations. This was delicious, the pork being crunchy and the sauce very good, but I admit I would have liked more of it.

Chicken massaman at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

Kaw Moo Dang at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

Of course, each time we went, I ordered a Thai iced tea that is my go to drink when I eat in a Thai restaurant.

Thai iced tea at Tuk Tuk in Long Island City

I like Tuk Tuk: this low key restaurant with a courteous staff stands out from the classic Thai restaurants. I would definitely go back there!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Tuk Tuk - 4906 Vernon Boulevard, Queens, NY, NY 11101

Jean-Philippe Gerbi 10/28/19 Jean-Philippe Gerbi 10/28/19

Le District, French market

Italians have Eataly and the French have Le District, a market that opened in 2015, located near The World Trade Center that offers classic French delicacies such as bread or cheese. I admit that, I heard about it in the past but waited until we went to L’Appart few months ago before deciding to explore this place, regretting that I did not go earlier. Depending from where you enter, you can end up in the supermarket that had lots of French products, most of them overpriced unfortunately, or on the food court side, starting with crepes that are not good, Bar Suzette in Chelsea Market being a better option.

Lemon meringue tart at Le District in NYC, NY

Eclair au chocolat at Le District in NYC, NY

As you move towards the back, you pass the boulangerie where they sell various classics: croissants, pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) as well as a brioche with chocolate chips (lots of them) or a bunch of choices with Nutella such as the brioche that was filled with lots of it.

Brioche with chocolate chips at Le District in NYC, NY

Brioche with Nutella at Le District in NYC, NY

The bread, that is served in the various restaurants (L’Appart or Beaubourg) is superb, with or without butter and they even have a ficelle (thinner and smaller version of a baguette) that I tried in a succulent fig and Comte cheese sandwich. This is a good Segway to talk about their cheese: they have a great selection with cheeses like Brillat Savarin, a triple cream cow cheese or the livarot, another cow’s cheese that has a pungent flavor. For sure, this beats any cheese plate offered in restaurants that I often consider a rip off as expensive and too classic.

Brillat Savarin at Le District in NYC, NY

Cheese and meat at Le District in NYC, NY

With the cheese, you can get some meat products like their homemade pate de champagne that is very good and comforting or some jambon cru (prosciutto).

Pate de campagne at Le District in NYC, NY

They also have a butcher that provides meat for their steak frites (my photos got corrupted so I cannot show this dish to you!) or even mergez, these delicious lamb sausages that are hard to find except in French or Middle Eastern restaurants. And of course, they have wine, white, red or rose, you name it.

Le District is a great place: good food and the

Le District is a great place to indulge in French classics but know that it can be crowded, especially in the evening. I cannot wait to go back there to try their cheese fondue and sandwiches.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Le District - 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281

I Just Want To Eat! 10/25/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/25/19

Pasta Lovers in Times Square

Some may say that I am a bit stubborn, continuing to dine in Times Square hoping to find the Holy Grail of food. There are some nice places I enjoy there like Junior’s or Tony di Napoli, so who knows? Well, for sure, for Italian food, Pasta Lovers is not at the same level as Tony di Napoli I mentioned before. The food is decent but you are not going to drool just thinking about it. We went there on a Friday evening and the restaurant was surprisingly not that full. I started with a Spritz the was definitely not the best I ever had and wondered how you can screw up that drink!

At least, when we tried the appetizer, fried mozzarella triangles, we got a good surprise: it was very good, crispy and not greasy, the cheese delightfully gooey.

Fried mozzarella at Pasta Lovers in Times Square

For my entree, I went for the linguine with clams, one of my favorite Italian dishes. I was a bit disappointed when I saw the plate coming as there were only a couple of shells, giving me the impression that the clams were mostly from a can. The clams were in fact a bit tough, overcooked and fortunately the white wine sauce was good and the pasta well cooked otherwise, this would have been a disaster.

Linguine with clams at Pasta Lovers in Times Square

Jodi on her side got the eggplant parmesan that looked terrible but was good.

Eggplant parmesan at Pasta Lovers in Times Square

Fortunately, we ended up with their tiramisu for dessert: it was very good and is a must have…if you end up at Pasta Lovers.

Tiramisu at Pasta Lovers in Times Square

For sure, I would pass on that place…

Enjoy (…)!

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Pasta Lovers - 142 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10020

I Just Want To Eat! 10/23/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/23/19

Saar Indian Bistro

I was really excited when we got to go to Saar Indian Bistro Midtown Manhattan: this place is one of the many restaurants of Chef Hemant Mathur who I met few times in the various places he opened in the city, some of them unfortunately closing such as Haldi. This Michelin starred Chef knows how to give a modern twist to Indian cuisine and eating his food is always a festival of flavors. We started our meal with some snacks and a mango lassi that is my go to drink when eating Indian food: nicely sweet, it is a good way to cool your mouth when on fire…

Mango lassi at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

The first appetizer was the paneer fingers made with chickpea flour and served with a pickle aioli. You need to like chickpea as the batter had that taste and if you do, you will love it: crispy and not greasy, quite comforting.

Paneer fingers at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

The second one was the cauliflower latkes that was topped with a cranberry chutney. This was like an homage to jewish deli with their potato latkes, and I love the twist Chef Mother gave to this dish, adding Indian flavor to it.

Cauliflower latkes at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

For the entrees, Jodi settled for some sides: dal makhni (delightfully creamy) and saag paneer made with spinach and Indian cheese. I admit that the latter is not my favorite dish, as I am not a big fan of spinach, but the dal was fantastic, perfect with some butter nan.

Butter naan at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

Dal Makhni at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

Saag paneer at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

I also tried their Saar lamb kebab that was succulent: if you love lamb and do not mind spices, I highly recommend it.

Lamb kebab at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

Last was dessert. They definitely have interesting options and although I was disappointed not to see my favorite Indian dessert, the gulab jamun, I was thrilled to try their shahi tukra or Emperor’s morsel, a crispy brioche smothered by a reduced milk cream and almonds. Very good and not too sweet, it had something comforting.

Shahi tukra at Saar Indian Bistro in NYC, NY

After such a meal, we were glad to have a little walk and were delighted to have dined at Saar Indian Bistro: Chef Mathur never disappoints for sure!

Enjoy (I really did)!

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Saar Indian Bistro - 241 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 10/21/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/21/19

Dinner at Craft

When I think that Craft, one of the restaurants of celebrity Chef Tom Colicchio, has been opened since 2001 and I only tried it in 2019! I was sad to see Colicchio and Sons and Craftbar closing in fact, two restaurants that showed the difference between hospitality and good service and it is only after talking to one of my friends who loves Craft that we ended up there for dinner on a Friday. For once, we ended up in a place where we could enjoy a nice conversation without screaming to the top of our lungs.

I should mention that they offer a delicious potato bread that is light like a brioche and so good that I would eat just that with or without butter.

The bread was followed by a shot of gazpacho, compliment of the Chef:

Serving seasonal dishes with ingredients bought locally, including in the nearby green market, the menu offers both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes with a special section for mushrooms that jodi could not resist, ordering the chanterelles as an appetizer, a good choice for an earthy start.

On my side, choosing an appetizer was challenging as there were lots of mouth watering choices: oysters, octopus, foie gras or quail. I went for the latter that was grilled and topped with aged balsamic. This was perfectly cooked that is always tricky as a quail can quickly become dry if overcooked.

I continued with another bird for my entree: Crescent Pekin duck served two ways, a roasted breast and a confit leg. Both were sublime, perfectly cooked: the breast was medium-rare, with a fatty skin that was very slightly crispy and the confit was not too salty, literally falling off the bone.

Crescent Peking duck at Craft in NYC, NY

It did not come with any side so we went for the aligot, a potato purée with ten times the amount of cheese and butter you would normally put in a classic French purée.

For her entree, Jodi opted for the fusilli with burrata, Goldbar squash and basil squash blossom. Superb! This is the kind of comforting dish that is perfect with this weather.

With our meal, we got some drinks: The bee sting cocktail, made with Pendleton Whisky, fresh ginger, cardamom-honey and Regan's orange bitters.

Jodi got a non-alcoholic beverage called the Phoenician made with pomegranate juice, lemon, mint and Club soda.

The meal finished with fireworks, enjoying their donuts that were some of the best I had in a restaurant: fluffy and light, we finished all of them despite being full…This is a must have!

Overall, we had a great meal at Craft: although pricey, it was a amazing. I would definitely go back.

Enjoy (I really did)!

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

Craft - 43 E 19th Street, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 10/18/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/18/19

House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

I love BBQ and had House of Que in Weehawken on my radar for a while. It is a bit far but a nice walk on the river front or, if you live in New York, the ferry ride from Manhattan to Port Imperial can be a convenient and nice way of discovering this area. House of Que is big, with lots of light and two bars to serve a horde of thirsty patrons, the second bar being in a it, surrounded by oversized TVs. You certainly don’t go to House of Que for a romantic dinner and lunch might be better if like me you like to eat without noise canceling headphones.

Food wise we were not disappointed: at House of Que, Chef Michael Rodriguez serves a large menu with true Texas style BBQ. Their motto? We only smoke the good stuff! My only regret is that they only propose a small sampler or more choice of two meats and two sides during the week as the minimum weight to order is a quarter pound and if you are the only one non-vegetarian, it can be a lot of food. Still, they have plenty of good options, even for vegetarians, like the fried pickle spears that are always a crowd pleaser or their corn bread that is quite good, with or without butter. Yes, sides can be a good way to pick vegetarian dishes and it is fine as long as they are well done like the Mac and cheese that was creamy, but small (it was the medium size).

Fried pickles at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

Corn bread at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

Mac and cheese at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

For meat eaters, I suggest the chicken wings that I chose with chipotle BBQ sauce: slightly crispy on the outside and with a nice sweetness.

Chicken wings at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

I was close to ordering their burger that I tried in their Hoboken location previously and finally settled for the Sloppy Texan, a brioche bun that combines smoked brisket and ground beef braised in chili seasonings, pickled onions, American cheese and pickles (lots of them). The name of the dish definitely says it all as it is very sloppy to eat, but quite good and comforting. The chili has a bold and comforting flavor and the pickles added a bit of crunch and acidity to it that is perfect.

Sloppy texan at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

Last was dessert. I decided to go for the pecan pie that is deliciously buttery, although this time, the crust was a bit overcooked.

Pecan pie at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

You may wonder if I drank anything: they do have an extensive drink menu, from cocktails to beer, but I just went for a root beer, that I love with pizza and BBQ...

Root beer at House of Que in Weehawken, NJ

So, House of Que never disappoints: I love this place that proposes an extensive menu, a bit overwhelming when you want to try a bit of everything, but surely comforting. It will not be the last time I’ll be there!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

House of Que - 500 Ave at Port Imperial, Weehawken, NJ 07086

I Just Want To Eat! 10/16/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/16/19

Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

This is my second time at Pizzeria Sirenetta, a busy pizza place with an outdoor area on the Upper West Side. We went last year but I never blogged about it although I took photos of the delicious food we had for brunch. So, one Saturday, as we were in the area, we decided to have dinner and sat on their terrace. As it was before 7pm that we ordered, we benefited from their happy hour (5pm to 7pm Saturday and Sunday) and started by ordering some drinks. Of course, a …

Spritz at Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

Blood orange soda at Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

It was followed by an appetizer: the risotto coquettes or arancini, that were superb as full of cheese and nicely crunchy. I could have had another serving of it.

Arancini at Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

For the pizza, we just went for the one with tomato, basil and buffalo mozzarella. I admit that I was a bit disappointed by the number of choices proposed as you would think that a pizzeria would have more than 5 different kinds. Nevertheless, it was very good: the tomato sauce had a robust flavor and the crust was succulent, puffed up on the sides and nicely charred.

Pizza at Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

We finished the meal with their olive oil cake that was good, although slightly overcooked and not as moist as what I tried in other places.

Olive oil cake at Pizzeria Sirenetta on the Upper West Side

Despite that, I would definitely go back to Pizzeria Sirenetta, especially when their terrace is opened as, although crowded, it has a nice and relaxed atmosphere.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Pizzeria Sirenetta - 568 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024

I Just Want To Eat! 10/14/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/14/19

Tacos at Oxido

I love tacos and recently discovered Oxido, near Times Square: this place opened last January and in an outpost of their first location that opened in Chelsea in 2015 where Chef Jesse Perez gives a modern twist on Mexican classics. Tacos, burritos and bowls are proposed there and you would think that you are at Chipotle the way your order is made, at the counter, from left to right, picking whatever ingredients you would like to create your dish, some free and other with a surcharge, often modest. But the comparison stops there. The taste is much better. And if you are vegetarian, they have a superb red Chile mushroom preparation that we tried in their quesadilla (twice in fact): with its robust and not really spicy flavor, this earthy dish is very comforting. The quesadilla that is deliciously crunchy and of a good size, takes a bit of time to cook. So order it first.

Chile mushroom quesadilla at Oxido in Times Square

They also have a “dirty bowl” that is like nachos: the corn chips go in the bottom and then you can cover them with whatever you want, from chicken, pork or beef, to cheese sauce ($1.25 supplement but a must have) or cheese (or both like I did), beans, corn, pico de Gallo, etc. You will end up with a colorful bowl, not so healthy, but delicious and filling.

The tacos are also a must have. I tried most of them: grass-fed grilled garlic steak (tender and juicy), braised pork carnitas called the toasty and the Chile lime pork carnitas. All were delicious, especially the steak one that I always find tough and dry but not at Oxido.

Grilled garlic steak at Oxido in Times Square

With it, we have guacamole and chips, their guacamole being pretty good and well seasoned.

My only regret: no dessert. I wish they had churros...That would end a nice casual meal. Definitely Oxido is better than Taco Dumbo few blocks away whose only advantage is the full bar but does not have food as good as that. So for sure I will go back to Oxido!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Oxido -1450 Broadway, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 10/11/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/11/19

Morandi in Chelsea

I often talk about Morandi, one of my favorite Italian restaurant in the city. Although not truly Italian like Pastis or Balthazar are not truly French but still a good rendition by Keith McNally. Scene-y, crowded and loud. We recently where in Chelsea and decided to go there for an early dinner. I started the meal with a house cocktail: the Lo Scosseze, made with Adberg whisky, Drambouie liquor and black walnut. Apparently not that many people order it because they do not like peaty whisky. Well, on my side I loved it.

Lo Scosseze cocktail at Morandi in Chelsea

Jodi asked if they could do a mocktail and they made one with raspberry that was unfortunately too tart.

Raspberry cocktail at Morandi in Chelsea

As an appetizer, we shared the focaccia zucchine e bufala that was a flatbread made with focaccia topped with pesto, sautéed zucchini and buffalo mozzarella. This was delicious to the point that I would make my own at home. The zucchini were slightly crunchy, the mozzarella creamy and I appreciated the fact that they did not put too much pesto.

Focaccia zucchine e bufala at Morandi in Chelsea

Then we both got pasta: Pici al limone (hand rolled spaghetti with lemon and Parmesan) for Jodi and linguine alle vongole for me. Both were good: the pici al limone are always surprising as the lemon is not overpowering and works well with the Parmesan cheese. The vongole is also one of my favorite dishes: nice amount of clam, enough white wine sauce and pasta cooked al dente.

Linguine alle vongole at Morandi in Chelsea

Of course we could not leave without dessert and settle for the ricotta fritters that had pignoli inside. Good and comforting.

So again, Morandi does not disappoint and it is not the last time I will go there although I would continue to go early enough to avoid the noisy crowd.

Enjoy (i did)!

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Morandi-211 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10014

I Just Want To Eat! 10/9/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/9/19

Hao Noodles in Chelsea

We were walking on 14th street when we passed by in front of Hao Noodle, an outpost of Hao Noodle and Tea by Madam Zhu’s Kitchen that we discovered previously. We decided to go there for lunch on a Saturday, craving Chinese food and were so delighted by the food there that we came back the following week for dinner..

Both times we got sat in the main dining room that is, during the day, bright thanks to an opening in the ceiling and gives an amazing feel to the well decorated place. If it was not for the four people sitting behind me, who did not understand that they did not need to yell to be heard by the person next to them, it would have been perfect.

Hao means “great” in Chinese and I admit that it is the way I felt upon eating there, although a walk after that was necessary. Here is what we tried:

Vegetable spring rolls that were very hot as just made. They were delicious: crispy on the outside with not too much shell, and delightfully greasy.

Vegetable spring rolls at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Eight spices crispy tofu: this is one of their most popular dishes. The soft tofu is encased in a fantastic shell that is crispy, not greasy and flavorful, giving this dish an incredible taste.

Eight spices crispy tofu at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Pork and shrimp soup buns. These 3 steamed dumplings were so good: the filling was fatty and tasty. I like the fact that they serve only 3 as usually it is 6 or 8 and if you are the only one eating them, it is too much (if you want other dishes I mean).

Pork and shrimp soup buns at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Boiled octopus in chili and sour sauce: this was extremely spicy and my mouth was on fire, but so good that I kept going at it! And the octopus was well cooked, not rubbery at all.

Boiled octopus in chili and sour sauce at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Next were the noodles. The first time we went, Jodi ordered the scallion oil and mushroom noodles while I got the Dan Dan noodles. The scallion oil and mushroom noodles were amazing especially the mushrooms that were sort of caramelized and gave some earthiness to the dish. And the noodles, perfectly cooked al dente were sublime, bathed in an incredible oily sauce.

Scallion oil and mushroom noodles at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

If you like spicy food and are not a vegetarian, I recommend the Dan Dan noodles. This Sichuan dish is made with Sichuan pepper, minced pork and scallions. When I asked how spicy it was, the waiter said that between 1 and 10, it would be a 6...for him. Well, it was spicy and after you mix the noodles with the generous amount of sauce and pork under, you get quite a bit of heat. But it is so good that you get back to it, even if your mouth starts to be on fire as the heat is building up.

Dan dan noodles at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

To lower the spiciness of the dish, a great drink is their homemade lychee iced tea that was very refreshing and that I preferred over the house made citrus black tea or sparkling apple juice.

Citrus black tea at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Sparkling apple juice at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

When we came back, I decided to try the version with dry shrimp of Jodi’s dish: the scallion oil and dry shrimp noodle. When the dish came, a fishy smell came out of it that kind of put me off. And then the taste was not that great, fishy again, the shrimp being a bit tough and the dish lacking the earthiness the mushrooms gave.

Scallion oil and dry shrimp noodle at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

That day however, we had the fried noodles with egg and vegetables, a vegetarian dish that was amazing: delightfully greasy and very tasty, it is a dish I would get again (well, Jodi would get and I would gladly share…).

Of course we could not not try dessert and we went for one of their signature desserts: fried egg rice cakes and the black sesame rice balls with dried orange peel in red bean soup. Both are a bit like mochi as made with rice. The fried egg rice cakes were soft and chewy, with the best part was being the sides that were slightly caramelized. The black sesame rice balls were also quite original: these very soft balls had sesame in it that gave a nice nuttiness. And the red bean soup was scrumptious and comforting, although I would have loved it to be sweeter.

Fried egg rice cakes at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

Black sesame rice balls at Hao Noodles in Chelsea

This was a great meal and I cannot wait to go back to Hao Noodle. This is a great place for good Chinese food.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Hao Noodle - 343 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014

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

Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cheesecakes

Founded in Fukuoka, Japan by Tetsushi Mizokami, Uncle Testsu’s cheesecake opened in New York a couple of months ago. I noticed it after seeing a line in front of a small bakery with an open kitchen where somebody was making what I learn later was madeleines. I admit that I never had or even knew that there was such thing as a Japanese cheesecake, a treat totally different from the heavier version we know (and yes, Junior’s is still the best for me). No, Japanese cheesecakes are fluffier and eggy: a bite literally melts in your mouth. They say at Uncle Tetsu that it “combines the richness of American cheesecakes with the lightness of French soufflés” that is the right description. The round cheesecake stamped with a hairless chef with glasses is small, good for 4 people. Know that you can only get one per person.

Counter at Uncle Tetsu cheesecake in NYC. NY

cheesecake at Uncle Tetsu cheesecake in NYC. NY

They use it to make rusk or what they sometimes call biscotti: twice baked cookies made from their cheesecake. They are tough to get as you will often see a sign saying “no rusk” at the counter, especially late afternoon, but, when you get them, they are superb: crunchy and buttery, very addictive.

Rusk at Uncle Tetsu cheesecake in NYC. NY

I mentioned the honey madeleines that do not really look like madeleines, more a combination of a muffin and a madeleine. They are good, but when eating them you are not as amazed as when you try the cheesecake and rusk.

Honey madeleines at Uncle Tetsu cheesecake in NYC. NY

Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake is a must have and it is not the last time you will see me at that store that I would not be surprised will have sister location soon.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake - 135 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 10/4/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/4/19

Tapas at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

It’s been a while since we wanted to go to Socarrat Paella Bar but I admit that I was a bit put off by the fact that they only serve paella for a minimum of two people. Between Jodi being vegetarian and me not wanting to try a non-vegetarian paella, it did not work. So we finally decided to go for their tapas, me, salivating each time I was seeing a large paella pan passing by, imagining I could dip my fork in it without people knowing.

We went to the location in Chelsea that was busy at the beginning and then emptied out. Well, especially considering that the food took forever to come (20 minutes for a cheese plate seems an awful lot of time). Adding that we had to ask for bread because they totally forgot, you can add few more minutes before we started our meal. The cheese was just put on the table without any explanation as to what it was, but I could only recognize manchego.

Cheese plate at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

The wait was too bad because I wanted to eat a little something with the glass of sherry (Gobernador) I ordered.

Sherry at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

Next was the patatas bravas, these crispy pieces of potato served with aioli and a spicy tomato sauce. I love this dish that is simple but comforting.

Patatas bravas at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

As is the tortilla espanola that is a must have when dining in a Spanish restaurant. It was served with pan con tomate or a tomato toast that was a good addition. This Spanish omelet was good but slightly overcooked for my taste. The one at Boqueria is way better, but still, this was good.

Tortilla española at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

Another vegetarian dish was the Champinones Asados or Roasted seasonal mushrooms, mahon cheese and extra virgin olive oil.

Champinones asados at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

I also tried their calamari a la plancha that looked beautiful and was perfectly cooked, not rubbery at all. The only problem is that it was really oily...

Calamari at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

Last was dessert. We could not resist ordering their churros and ended up with small miserable pieces that were too chewy and not good. Adding to that the tiny amount of condensed milk, we were really disappointed.

Churros at Socarrat Paella Bar in Chelsea

So yes, disappointed is a good word to describe how we felt about Socarrat in Chelsea. The food was not at the level of Boqueria or Tia Pol. Not sure I would go back for paella there but maybe going to another location I will have more chance.

Enjoy (...)!

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Socarrat - 259 West 19th Street, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 10/2/19 I Just Want To Eat! 10/2/19

Jersey Mike's Subs in Hoboken, NJ

When I heard Jersey Mike’s opened where Fran’s Deli used to be, I was really excited to ty it, loving subs that I discovered in this country. Not that we do not have sandwiches in France, but subs are slightly different, especially the soft bread that is a big part of it.

This casual place with only few seats can be crazy but I admit that most of the time, the wait is not too long, unless they forgot your order that happened to me once, the staff being apologetic instead of having a “whatever you are in Jersey Mike’s” attitude. Menu wise, this is more for meat eaters as they only offer one vegetarian option, the veggie made with lettuce, tomato, provolone, Swiss and peppers (you can add pickles if you wish). So, they do not have any vegan option, unless you just get that sandwich without the cheese.

Veggie sub at Jersey Mike's Subs in Hoboken, NJ

The veggie sandwich is good, but I admit that my focus was more on the meat options, cold or hot. Cold like the Original italian, made with provolone, salami, ham, prosciutto and cappacuolo: nice combination and they put lots of meat that you see them slice generously as they prepare your order.

Original Italian at Jersey Mike's Subs in Hoboken, NJ

This was my favorite with their cheesesteak that might not be as good as what you find in Philly, but still awesome: I could have eaten their larger size. The meat was tasty and not tough, juicy and there was lots of cheese in it.

Cheesesteak at Jersey Mike's Subs in Hoboken, NJ

Less good was the Buffalo chicken sandwich that was a total mess and, although smothered in lots of hot sauce, was lacking blue cheese that was not spread uniformly and the chicken was a bit overcooked. I would pass next time on that one.

Buffalo chicken at Jersey Mike's Subs in Hoboken, NJ

Despite that, I like Jersey Mike’s: it is not worth a trip to Hoboken but still, if you are in the area and crave a sub, this is a good option.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Jersey Mike's Subs - 202 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 07030