I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/22 I Just Want To Eat! 4/25/22

Maiella in Long Island City

It’s been a while since we wanted to go back to Maiella, an Italian restaurant we discovered few years ago. So, as we were in Long Island City to see the opening of Peter Drake, the Provost of the New York Academy of Art and an amazing painter, we decided to make a reservation there, on a Saturday evening. Well, we went around 6pm and the place was not that busy and I enjoyed the fact that we could have a quiet dinner, until they started to increase the volume of the music and people started to come, large tables filling up with people ready to celebrate birthdays and other kinds of events.

I started the meal by ordering a cocktail, Il Padrone, made with Bourbon, Amaro, lemon and ginger. This was good, like a palate cleanser with the ginger giving a nice heat in the back of my throat. With it, they brought us some homemade focaccia that was good, brushed with olive oil.

Il Padrone cocktail at Maiella in Long Island City

As an appetizer, we shared the Polpete Melanzane, or eggplant croquettes that were sitting on caponata and drizzled with smoked ricotta. If you like eggplant, this dish is for you. The fried croquette was deliciously crispy, not oily, letting this delightful vegetable be the star of the show.

Polpette Melanzane at Maiella in Long Island City

For her main, Jodi got the Cappelletti ai Funghi that is cappelletti stuffed with mushrooms, served with a sauce made with mushroom and truffle, and grana padano. This dish was amazing: decadent as well as elegant thanks to small bits of truffle, each bite was an explosion of flavor.

Cappelletti ai funghi at Maiella in Long Island City

On my side, I hesitated a bit between few dishes but finally decided to get the Strozzapretti ai Ricci di Mare. This homemade pasta was smothered with sea urchin butter, mixed with Red Busan crab (jumbo lump crab), Calabrese chili and squid ink breadcrumbs. Just reading the description made my mouth water and showcased the creativity of the Chef. The pasta was deliciously cooked al dente, and the chili gave a nice heat to the dish while the breadcrumbs added some crunchiness. Superb!

Strozzapretti ai frutti di mare at Maiella in Long Island City

For dessert, we chose the chocolate budino. They did not have this amazing meringue cake we had the last time that Jodi raved about, but I admit that the budino was amazing! The chocolate custard that was dense and not too sweet was sitting on a sable, topped with chantilly that balanced the robustness of the chocolate, and accompanied by an orange marmalade. Orange and chocolate go very well together and I just wished there was more marmalade on the plate. Still, this was a great dessert.

Chocolate budding at Maiella in Long Island City

So, yes, we were not disappointed by Maiella: this is a great place in Long Island City that I absolutely recommend. And it is not that far if you take the subway: it is worth the trip!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Maiella - 4610 Center Blvd, Queens, NY 11109

I Just Want To Eat! 4/8/22 I Just Want To Eat! 4/8/22

La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

We were looking for a place to eat near Bryant Park when we decided to try the new location of La Pecora Bianca. Although it was a Tuesday, we decided to still reserve a table: I am glad we did as the place was quite packed…and loud! The noise level in restaurants is definitely something I will never get used to, but we really wanted to try their menu.

I started off by ordering a negroni from…

I started off by ordering a negroni from their negroni bar and picked the Winter as made with bourbon.

Whisky Negroni at La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

We then shared the crispy provolone that is fried provolone as you would have mozzarella sticks. Crispy, with lots of cheese, it was not greasy and delicious dipped in a vodka sauce that was a nice substitute for the classic marinara.

Fried provolone at La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

For the entrees, we both tried their homemade pasta that are definitely a must have. Jodi got their bucatini cacio e pepe (nice amount of cheese but a bit too much pepper), while I had their linguine with clams that were succulent.

Bucatini cacio e pepe at La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

Linguine with clams at La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

We finished the meal with an olive oil cake that was superb, and ditched the quince that came with it as it was a bit too syrupey.

Olive oil cake at La Pecora Bianca Bryant Park

Overall, the meal at La Pecora Bianca was great. The only negative was the noise level that made us want to get our dishes quickly and leave…Still, this place never disappoints.

Enjoy (I did)!

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La Pecora Bianca -20 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 4/6/22 I Just Want To Eat! 4/6/22

L’Adresse in Times Square

We discovered L’Adresse a while back and decided to go back for dinner on a Friday as we were looking for a place close to Bryant Park. I remembered that I had a good meal there and was curious to know if they were still good considering that they opened a second location in the City, a sign that I took as a success for their venture.

The place was not that crowded and I really…

The place was not that crowded and I really appreciated the fact that, besides for a table for 10, it was quiet.

Food wise, they have an interesting menu that takes specialties from various countries and cannot be associated to just one. Here is what we had:

To start, we ordered drinks. Jodi got a strawberry lemonade, while I had a Sea Buckhorn whisky sour, made with bourbon, egg white and house made Sea Buckhorn syrup. Good, strong and refreshing.

Strawberry lemonade at L’adresse in Times Square

Sea buckhorn whisky sour at L’adresse in Times Square

For the appetizer, we decided to share the mezze that was a platter composed of beet hummus (I like beet but surely prefers the classic hummus made with chickpeas), tzatziki and spicy feta. It was served with a delicious grilled naan that was topped with za’atar, as well as Fire roasted tomatoes. It was overall delicious, the naan being the star of the show, but I found the quantities quite small for $25!

Mezze platter at L’adresse in Times Square

Continuing on the naan adventure, Jodi got a mushroom naan flatbread that was made with truffle mushroom pate, mushrooms and Asiago. It looked great and tasted delicious, topped generously with cheese.

Mushroom naan flatbread at L’adresse in Times Square

On my side, I settled for the steak frites. Served with truffle fries that were slightly crispy but did not taste truffle at all, the cut was a NY strip that was unfortunately overcooked and that I sent back. The second time was better (I asked for medium rare and it was close), but the steak was not tender. It was juicy and for sure, they put a lot of butter (beurre Maître D) on top compared to the size of the meat!

Steak frites at L’adresse in Times Square

Last was dessert: we got their chocolate envy. It was a chocolate and almond cake filled with layers of gianduja, caramel dark chocolate mousse and feuillantine of a little crunch. This cake was the star of the meal: very chocolatey with nice hints of hazelnut. I loved it.

Chocolate envy at L’adresse in Times Square

So dessert was good, but overall the meal was a bit disappointing and pricey for what it was. Too bad.

Enjoy (…)!

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L’Adresse -1065 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 4/4/22 I Just Want To Eat! 4/4/22

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

We were exploring the Financial District when we stumbled upon Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill at The Lowell, a luxurious apart-hotel. I knew Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken and was always curious to try this venture, having seen plenty of photos on Instagram that seem to showcase delicious food. We went on a Friday evening and, although the place was not that packed when we arrived, it changed as the evening went, the dining room filing up very quickly…

I could not resist ordering a glass of Japanese whisky from their small selection and got a Ichiro Malt that had a beautiful golden color and a subtle fruity taste.

Ichiro Malt Japanese Whisky at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

We them shared the cauliflower tempura that was superb: light, crispy, with the cauliflower cooked all the way through, it was served with a sweet miso sauce. I also wanted to try their salmon tartare that was topped with a quail egg and scallion, with a nice quantity of wasabi that enhanced the taste of the soft salmon.

Cauliflower tempura at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

Salmon tartare at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

For her entree, Jodi had a bit of choice for vegetarian options and opted for their shiitake mushroom roll, their avocado roll and we shared tamago (aka Japanese omelet). On my side, I tried their Kyuri special that is a roll made with eel, crab stick, cucumber and avocado. The rolls were delicious, my favorite being the one with eel as well as the tamago.

Tamago, shiitake roll and avocado roll at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

Kyuri special roll at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

For dessert, they did not have a menu and just two specials. We decided to try their flourless chocolate dessert that was made with white chocolate in the bottom, topped with a fudge-y milk chocolate, that had the consistency of a thick custard and was quite decadent, served with a green tea ice cream that complemented quite well the sweetness of the chocolate.

Flourless chocolate cake at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill in the Financial District

We left full and satisfied by this delicious meal, certain we would come back there as their menu is mouth watering and there were many other dishes that we wish we could try. This is definitely a place I would recommend.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill - 84 William St, New York, NY 10038

I Just Want To Eat! 4/1/22 I Just Want To Eat! 4/1/22

Mezcali in the Financial District

We decided to explore the Financial District when we stumbled upon Mezcali, a Mexican restaurant that opened few months ago. So we decided to book a table for the following Friday. Well, a Friday is always busy and this place was no exception: our table on the ground floor was located close to a table of screaming diners (the four of them sounded like there were hundred people, the alcohol not really helping), as well as a large table of corporate folks going there for a drink before the week end. We were there so there was no turning back, especially as I wanted a particular dish that I will mention later.
I started off by ordering their ancestral old fashioned, made with Abosolo Mexican whisky. I admit that I nether heard of Mexican whisky, so it was interesting to try, but let’s face it: they would put a Maker’s Mark, I would probably not see the difference.

We then went for our go to appetizer: guacamole, that they made mild. Good, with chunks of avocado, they brought it split into two different bowls. I was wondering if it had something to do with people not wanting to dip their chips in the same bowl (or even Covid) that made them do that.

For her main, Jodi got the veggie taco that was made with cauliflower. Good and tasty.

And then on my side was the long awaited dish: a California burrito. I have been looking for this since a trip a few years ago in San Diego. If you never had it, think about a classic burrito where the rice has been replaced by fries. I do not particularly like rice in a burrito. But fries! This burrito was made with Oaxacan marinated steak (tender and juicy), avocado, black beans and cascabel queso. I loved it! It was like having a compressed steak frites where you get the taste of the meat and fries at the same time, the fries being sometimes crunchy, sometimes soft. I highly recommend it.

California burrito at Mezcali in NYC, NY

Dessert was a bit disappointing as I was expecting they would have churros. So we ended up with a taco ice cream that was quite messy and just ok.

Overall, the food was good at Mezcali, but I admit that the noise level made the dinner a bit painful…

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Mezcali - 83 Maiden Ln, New York, NY 10038

I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/30/22

Porterhouse in Columbus Circle

For a celebratory dinner, we decided to go to Porterhouse in Columbus Circle. We had a deal with Jodi: I would get my steak and she would get the dessert that she has been eyeing for some time…

To celebrate, we got two cocktails: the penicillin (Japanese whisky, honey, lemon, ginger and laphroaig 10 years myst) and a margarita…that was not what we originally ordered.

For a celebratory dinner, we decided to go to Porterhouse in Columbus Circle. We had a deal with Jodi: I would get my steak and she would get the dessert that she has been eyeing for some time…

To celebrate, we got two cocktails: the penicillin (Japanese whisky, honey, lemon, ginger and laphroaig 10 years myst) and a margarita…that was not what we originally ordered.

Penicillin cocktail at Porterhouse in NYC, NY

I started off with their jumbo lump crab cake that was served with a horseradish-mustard sauce. Quite good, although not the best, I was expecting bigger pieces of crab in it (well it says jumbo, so…). Still, good.

For her main, Jodi got the burrata salad composed of tomato and basil. Classic and refreshing.

It was small though but we were planning on sharing sides. The first one was the pan roasted mushrooms that was delicious. I often find roasted mushrooms to be a bit boring, but not this one. The second side was their crispy hash brown. Wow, this was fantastic! Definitely crispy, and cooked all the way through.

Pan roasted mushrooms at Porterhouse in NYC, NY

For the steak, after a bit of hesitation, I chose their chili rubbed ribeye. Perfectly cooked medium rare, with a nice crust on the outside, it was tender and juicy, nicely fatty and not at all overpowered by the chili rub that gave a very slight kick and to the contrary enhanced the taste of the meat. Superb!

Chili rubbed ribeye at Porterhouse in NYC, NY

I should mention that I ate it with béarnaise sauce that is my go to sauce with steak. And they made it well.

Bearnaise sauce at Porterhouse in NYC, NY

Last was the long awaited dessert. We shared their coconut cake that is probably the best I ever had. That says a lot because I am not always a fan of coconut cake but this one was fantastic: light, with a delicious cream, it was not too sweet.

So, after reading this, you probably understand that we had an amazing meal. Porterhouse is for sure a place to know for steak.

Enjoy (I really did)!

Porterhouse - 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/28/22

Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

It’s been a while since I wanted to try Cha kee, a Chinese restaurant that opened in September 2021 in the heart of Chinatown. there, Executive chef Akiko Thurnauer (formerly of Mission Chinese, En Japanese Brasserie, Nobu Tribeca), crafted an interesting menu, far from the classic Chinese cuisine you usually find: no vegetarian dumplings or scallion pancakes. In fact, the menu is quite limited if you are vegetarian, so it was a bit of a challenge for Jodi. Not for me.

Dining room at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

I was looking forward to try their Dan Dan noodles that I saw on Instagram one day and was the reason I wanted to go to Cha Kee. I tried these noodles for the first time at Hao Noodle and I am sort of obsessed with them. Made with ground pork and a sesame sauce, it is topped with a poached egg that literally dissolved as you mix everything together, giving a nice coating to the noodles that were perfectly cooked, and added some creaminess to the dish, while the radicchio added a bit of crunch. It was good. However, I was expecting it to be spicy like at Hao Noodle, but it was not at all.

Dan Dan noodles at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

We did share few vegetarian dishes. For appetizers, we had the smashed cucumber with Shio kombu, mama oil and lemon juice, a vegan dish that was just of for me. The best was the Honey walnut cauliflower, that was phenomenal: crispy, creamy, sweet and savory. I definitely recommend this dish!

Smashed cucumber at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

Honey walnut cauliflower at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

For her main, Jodi got the Ume and wood ear mushroom fried rice, made with oyster mushroom, egg and Shiso. Classic, in a way, but a bit elevated, it was quite comforting.

Ume and wood ear mushroom fried rice at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

I should mention that I had a mocktail with my meal (they do not have a liquor license). It was the Garden Spice, composed of seedlip spice, ginger, ginger ale and rosemary. Refreshing, it is a perfect mix if you like ginger.

Garden Spice mocktail at Cha Kee in Chinatown, NYC

We did not have dessert as we were full (and had an ice cream earlier…), but I would definitely go back to check out what they propose as I am sure it is as unique as the other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Cha Kee - 43 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 3/24/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/24/22

Pepolino in TriBeCa

I discovered Pepolino in TriBeCa many years ago. This Italian restaurant has been there for some time, that is no wonder when you tried their food. Comfy, it reminded me some of the delicious dishes we had in Italy, like their pappa Al pomodoro, a soup made with tomato, garlic and bread. A peasant soup that is very comforting.
Another classic is their melanzane e scarmoza that is made with thin slices of eggplant topped with smokey mozzarella. Good, with a nice smokiness, I just wished that the eggplant would have been more cooked since it was bit…

Pappa al pomodoro at Pepolino in TriBeCa

Melanzane e scarrozza at Pepolino in TriBeCa

For an elegant experience, they propose a polenta mousse topped with cheese fondue and black truffle. Decadent, creamy and addictive.

Polenta con fondue at Pepolino in TriBeCa

Of course, going there, you cannot miss the pasta. And I could not resist ordering the linguine nere di mare or homemade squid ink linguine with seafood (shrimp, calamari and mussels) in a spicy tomato sauce. This dish is superb, the pasta and seafood (lots of it) being perfectly cooked, and the sauce, that was not spicy, had a robust flavor.

Linguine nere di mare at Pepolino in TriBeCa

I should mention that, with bread, they served us a tomato mousse that was very good, light and tasty. Different from the classic olive oil and bread.

We did not have dessert there because we had other plans, but I admit that I would have liked to try some of their options. Well, it will be for another time as we will go back for sure since this place truly reminds us some of the restaurants we ate at in Italy.
Enjoy (I did)!
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Pepolino -281 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 3/22/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/22/22

Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

I recently discovered Osteria La Baia, an Italian restaurant that opened a couple of months ago in Midtown Manhattan. I was not sure what to expect, but the few times I went there, I was blown away: great service and delicious food are the two impressions that remain…

It is the kind of place where I see myself going for either a meal or a drink, their cocktail menu being quite large with specialty cocktails like the Il Padrino (The Godfather, made with rye and amaretto), classic cocktails, spritzes and house Negronis (I had the Scrittore that was not made with gin but whisky).

The Godfather cocktail at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Whisky Negroni at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Their menu has classics, but they surely execute them well. The octopus for instance was perfectly cooked, and their burrata creamy, as expected.

They have several pasta dishes and their lobster garganelli « Calabrese », made with Calabrian chili and spicy lobster sauce (not so spicy) was such a treat, but I admit that my favorite was the spaghetti alle vongole, served with Manila clams in a white wine sauce. I simply loved it: the sauce was delicious, not too garlicky, the pasta Al dente and breadcrumbs added a nice crunch.

Lobster Garganelli “Calabrese” at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Spaghetti alle Vongole at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Jodi settled for their wood smoked mushrooms with wood roasted artichoke, eggplant ragu and salsa verde. Interesting vegetarian dish, quite comforting where fortunately the artichoke did not overpower the whole thing.

Smoked mushrooms at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Dessert was also amazing. I am not sure if I prefer the olive oil cake that was a special over the zeppoles (that came with a lemon curd). Both were a great way to end fantastic meals. No, definitely, Osteria La Baia is a great addition to the Midtown restaurant scene. Even better than the closed Remi that was a block away.

Olive oil cake at Osteria La Baia in NYC, NY

Enjoy (I did)!

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Osteria La Baia -129 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019

I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/16/22

The Tyger in NYC, NY

You may think when reading the title of this post that I made a typo in the name of the restaurant, especially when seeing a mural of a tiger in the back of the dining room, but it is not the case. The Y replaced the I, as nod to The Tyger, a poem by the English poet William Blake, published in 1794 as part of his Songs of Experience collection. At The Tyger, Chef Paul Donnelly, crafted a menu with dishes from Southeast Asia, but with his own modern interpretation. We liked it so much that we went twice, two weekends in a row…

Here is what we had:

They have cocktails, hot or cold, but we decided to try their non-alcoholic beverages as we went for lunch. I was looking forward to try their Thai tea but preferred the hot version over the cold, the latter being a bit watered down, with too much ice in it. For refreshing mocktails, they also offer two others that take their names from William Blake’s poems: Joy is my name, made with lychee, lime, sea salt and seltzer, and The Maiden Queen, composed of Thai basil, pink peppercorn, lemon and seltzer. Both were very good and I would not choose one over the other.

The Maiden Queen Mocktail at The Tyger in NYC, NY

Joy is my name mocktail at The Tyger in NYC, NY

Their menu is meant to share, and I should mention that they do have few vegetarian dishes to offer outside of the small plates section: there, they only offer the grilled Togarashi corn, that sit on top of Kewpie mayo (a mayo made solely with yolks, giving custardy and rich characteristics), and drizzled with grana padano cheese, to counter the heat that is slowly building up as you eat it.

Grilled togarashi corn at The Tyger in NYC, NY

They propose the classic Pad See Ew and you may wonder why one would order this classic rice noodle dish there. Well it is served with a crispy tofu that reminded me of the five spice tofu at Hao Noodle: silky, slightly crunchy, this is the type of place that make you realize that tofu is not that bland and rubbery protein you often get in restaurants. But my favorite vegetarian dish is their housemade egg noodles, served with oyster mushrooms and lemon (they ditched the bonito flakes to make it vegetarian). These noodles were succulent, smothered in a buttery sauce that was so addictive and in fact perfect to soothe my mouth that was a bit on fire from the dish I had…

Let me start with that dish before talking about non-vegetarian dishes. I could not not try the Ayutthaya style duck confit curry. Well, I love duck confit and was wondering how they would bring an ancient Thai cuisine with a classic French one. I was imagining the duck confit to be cut in pieces, but the duck leg was served whole, bathed in a curry made with lychee, peanuts (for a nice crunch) and fried scallion. I was surprised that it did not come with any side and so ordered some rolls that were perfect with it, not really wanting to have rice as the curry was thick. The duck was perfectly made, falling off the bone and not salty, and I loved the curry itself that was quite spicy, but the kind that makes you want to go back to it. That dish had many elements: saltiness, sweetness and spiciness. Simply delicious!

Duck confit curry at The Tyger in NYC, NY

Another main I tried was their Nasi Goreng, a fried rice dish I did not have for years now, that I enjoyed in Singapore and Indonesia years ago. At The Tyger, they make it with squid ink fried rice, calamari and a fried egg on top. It was good, but not as spectacular as the duck. I admit that I was expecting more, but there was too much rice and not enough calamari. Otherwise, I loved the crunch that was from what I think is tapioca, and the yolk helped reduce some of the heat that was building up in my mouth…

Let me finish with two fantastic appetizers I had there: the miso butter escargots that was a successful take on another French classic (I just wish they brought some bread to dip in that succulent miso butter) and the Phnom Penh fried chicken (crispy and perfectly cooked, the chicken being moist), served with a lime and white pepper dressing.

Miso butter escargots at The Tyger in NYC, NY

Phnom Penh fried chicken at The Tyger in NYC, NY

These meals were amazing and I cannot wait to go back to The Tyger and try their entire menu. It is a unique place that I surely recommend if you like Asian cuisine with a twist.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

The Tyger - 1 Howard St, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 3/11/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/11/22

The Ashford in Jersey City

We are looking for a place to eat for brunch near Grove St in Jersey City, when I stumbled upon The Ashford, a sports bar. That’s usually not the type of places I would go to, my noise tolerance being a low, but, when I saw that they had a loaded croque madame on their website (it had fried chicken in it), I could not miss it.

The place is quite big, with multiple floors and a rooftop, and of course, large screens all over…

The place is quite big, with multiple floors and a rooftop, and of course, large screens all over.

Dining room at The Ashford in Jersey City

As we were ready to order, we were told that the menu we landed on with their QR code was the website menu (that I saw before) and was not up to date. We had to scan the football menu QR code. No problem, although I did not understand why restaurants do not update their websites. Anyway, I look at the “new” menu and cannot find the croque madame! So I ended up with their hangover burger. The name says it: perfect for hangover, it is made with an 8oz beef patty, American cheese, bacon, fried egg, Taylor ham, tater tots and maple syrup. Well, the latter made the whole thing a bit messy to eat, but it was really good. I loved the different texture and flavors I was getting at each bite. You have the crunchiness of the tater tots, the smokiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the maple syrup and the juiciness of the beef patty, all at once. The only regret was that the egg yolk was not runny to add some creaminess, but on the other hand, it was messy enough. It came with French fries that were crispy but just ok.

Hangover burger at The Ashford in Jersey City

Jodi on her side got the avocado toast that was made with smashed avocado and sourdough bread.

Avocado toast at The Ashford in Jersey City

I should mention that, after the menu thing, they also told us that they did not have any coffee or tea. This was not a one off: they never have it, that is odd, especially for brunch. I guess people prefer booze that they surely have. Interesting as we are not talking about anything extraordinary and to the contrary quite basic for brunch, especially with the cold air outside.

So, overall good, but probably not the kind of place I would go back to.

Enjoy (I still did)!

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

The Ashford - 145 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07302

I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/9/22

Dim Sum at Jing Fong on the Upper West Side

We were craving dim sum and planned to go to Jing Fong in Chinatown when we realized that this place closed, apparently temporarily, the only location still open being on the Upper West Side. Smaller than its sister restaurant, this place was packed and we could only have a seat at the bar, opposite to the counter that had a view on the kitchen. I wonder if it explains why it took them so long to come get our order…

They have a nice selection of dishes, from dim sum to classic Chinese ones perfect for vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners. Here are the dim sum we shared:

Har Gow or shrimp dumplings: my favorite! The shell was thin, slightly sticky and there was a good size piece of shrimp in it.

Shrimp rice noodle roll: another favorite, the rice noodles melting in my mouth.

Shrimp rice noodles rolls at Jing Fong in NYC, NY

Peking duck and asparagus dumpling: quite good, I was afraid that the asparagus would overpower the duck, but it was not the case. I guess they make it with the meat of the Peking duck.

Peking duck and asparagus dumplings at Jing Fong in NYC, NY

Scallion pancakes: our go to appetizer. It was good, slightly greasy, but the edges seemed a bit overcooked.

Scallion pancakes at Jing Fong in NYC, NY

Vegetable Spring rolls: delicious! Crispy, slightly greasy, they came piping hot.

Vegetable Spring Rolls at Jing Fong in NYC, NY

Vegetable dumplings: quite good, I wonder why they only bring 3 of them considering that most dumplings come with 4 pieces…

Vegetable dumplings at Jing Fong in NYC, NY

Overall, the food at Jing Fong is good, with a nice selection of dim sum. This is definitely a place to go to if you do not mind the less than welcoming service. I guess it adds a certain charm to 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!

Jing Fong - 380 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10013

I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/22 I Just Want To Eat! 3/7/22

Domodomo in Jersey City

It’s been a while since we wanted to try Domodomo in Jersey City (although know that they do have a location in New York City). From the outside, the place looks amazing with its dark front and the dining room that can host close to 100 people is spacious with, interestingly, the sushi counter totally blocked from the kitchen view that is quite unusual as people like to sit at the counter to see the Chef preparing sushi and sashimi. They do serve an Omakase at specific hours and then, the eight seats reserved for this dining experience, can see the Chef preparing the sushi, otherwise, outside of this, they also cannot see anything. I admit that the menu is a bit confusing and not at all vegetarian friendly. For instance, unless you order a prix-fixe, they do not offer any vegetarian sushi and their hot dishes only have roasted cauliflower, roasted Brussels sprouts (we asked without Fujikake that is a dry condiment made with dried fish and they seem to have ditched the parmesan as well) or the classic edamame. No tofu? On top of that Jodi’s dishes came 20 minutes after all my dishes were served that showed a poor timing as dining together means together and they never mentioned that dishes were coming as soon as ready, without any particular order. At least the vegetables were good, although I found the broccoli a bit too sweet. But the charred cauliflower with green pea miso spread was delicious.

Roasted brussels sprouts at Domodomo in Jersey City

Roasted cauliflower at Domodomo in Jersey City

On my side, I got a clam miso soup that was made with clam, cuttlefish, shrimp and wakame that is a type of seaweed. Pretty good and a good change from a classic miso.

Clam miso soup at Domodomo in Jersey City

The hot dishes are small, so I decided to order two of them. The first one was the NY strip that was a 6oz dry aged strip on top of sweet soy onion (loved it) and seasonal vegetables. The steak was not as tender as I would have expected and I wish they cooked it medium rare. Still, it was good.

The second hot dish was the grilled octopus, served with Maitake mushroom, yuzu juice and cilantro. The octopus was a bit chewy but had a nice char. The sauce was too sweet and lacking the citrusy taste that I was expecting.

Grilled octopus at Domodomo in Jersey City

With my meal, I had a shot of Japanese whisky, a Kura from Hokkaido, while Jodi had a green tea.

Kura Japanese whisky at Domodomo in Jersey City

Dessert was quite good: we shared a black sesame panna cotta that had a nice nutty taste with nice crispy pearls on top. A must have.

Black sesame panna cotta at Domodomo in Jersey City

Overall our dinner at Domodomo was ok, the order of the dishes screwing up a bit the experience. The food we had was good but not amazing: the sushi are probably better…

Enjoy (…)!

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

Domodomo - 200 Greene St, Jersey City, NJ 07311

I Just Want To Eat! 2/7/22 I Just Want To Eat! 2/7/22

Honest, vegetarian Indian in Jersey City

Newark Avenue in Jersey City has some great Indian restaurants and our lastest discovery was Honest, a vegetarian place that serves street food.

The dining room looks like a cafeteria and I admit that I was not sure if we should order at the counter, but, quickly, a waiter indicated to us that he would take our order at the table…

Newark Avenue in Jersey City has some great Indian restaurants and our lastest discovery was Honest, a vegetarian place that serves street food.

The dining room looks like a cafeteria and I admit that I was not sure if we should order at the counter, but, quickly, a waiter indicated to us that he would take our order at the table.

The menu was a bit overwhelming considering the number of dishes they propose. For instance, they have so many dosa that you hesitate a bit before making your choice. We finally decided to order a masala dosa, quite basic, where the rice and lentil crepe is filled with potato, onion and spices. It came with sambar that is like a lentil stew and a coconut chutney. That crepe was huge! And you may think that there is not much filling in it, but in fact it is enough: I started from the sides and dipped the deliciously crispy crepe in the sambar, and then, when I reached the potato filling, I used the crepe like I would do with bread, eating with my hand by the way, to grab some of it, and then again, dipped it in sambar. This was very good and comforting.

We also tried their samosa that had a flakey shell and were quite spicy. At that point, I was glad that I had a mango lassi or the yogurt from the dahi puri we tried as my mouth was a bit on fire…The dahi puri were superb: these crispy shells were filled with potato and yogurt, drizzled generously with tamarind sauce and topped with crispy noodles. It is a one bite appetizer that is always challenging to put in your mouth but, when you do, you get that explosion of flavors that is incredible.

Of course, we could not not leave without trying their gulab jamun, our favorite dessert. And we were not disappointed.

This was a great discovery. Not pricey, Honest has some great comforting food. I would certainly go back for not just the dosa that I admit was the star of the meal.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Honest -811 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306

I Just Want To Eat! 2/4/22 I Just Want To Eat! 2/4/22

Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

I love Johnny Rockets! This burger joint with its 50’s vibe never gets old. As soon as you enter the restaurant, it is like going back in time, bringing memories of movies and TV Series I saw when I was a kid in France. Especially one of my favorites, the sitcom Happy Days, that I used to watch with my sisters and brother, not missing one episode. Good job for a place that only opened in 1986 in Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles: you would have thought that it started in the 50’s and was…

I love the dining room, the booths overlooking the metal counter with the kitchen behind, and the bar stools and banquettes covered with this thick dark red and white stripe that looks like seats you would find in an old muscle car. Of course, on each table, you cannot not miss the small juke boxes. In the past, you could pick a song that would play in the restaurant, but now, they just play songs, not just from the 50’s, their title and artist displayed on a flat TV screen that is the only sign of modern day you really notice.s

Jukebox at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

Food wise, they have burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheeses, but also salads. Jodi was quite happy that they had the impossible burger, the other vegetarian option for burgers being the Streamliner, a veggie burger made with a Boca burger patty. It was served with lettuce, tomato and pickles and she asked to ditch the chopped onions, relish, mustard and mayo. I admit that the Impossible burger is quite good for a plant based patty, better than the Beyond and easily mistaken for beef.

Impossible original burger at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I went for the Rocket Double, their signature burger composed of two beef patties, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and sliced onion with their special sauce. It is definitely big, but I wish they put more sauce and some more cheddar as there was no slice between the patties. It was great otherwise: the brioche bun that they use is good, and the beef was juicy, with a nice crust on the outside.

Rockets Double at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

With it, we got French fries that were so so, frozen for sure and not cooked enough, as well as onion rings made with sourdough breadcrumbs that were well cooked and deliciously crunchy. My only regret is that they did not have any ranch sauce with it (I dipped them in mayo).

French fries at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

Onion rings at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

Of course, I could not not have a milkshake and went for their cookies and cream milkshake with whipped cream (no cherry). Great milkshake, with some more on the side once I finished the glass.

Cookies and cream milkshake at Johnny Rockets in Hoboken, NJ

So it was great to be at Johnny Rockets: I love the atmosphere and the food there. I’ll definitely be back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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

Johnny Rockets - 134 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 2/2/22 I Just Want To Eat! 2/2/22

EAK Ramen in NYC

We were looking for a place to eat downtown when we stumbled upon EAK Ramen that we passed by multiple times and always wanted to try. I love ramen that has been a never ending trend in the city for many many years now: perfect on a cold day, comforting and delicious. So we decided to try the American outpost that started in Japan.

The place was quite bright with all the holiday decorations and we decided to sit inside, not really enthusiastic about the idea of eating outside with my coat on (I already do not like to eat with my suit jacket on, so imagine a coat!).

I started the meal with a pork bun or Butakaku bao. Good start: the bao itself was fluffy and slightly sticky, filled with pork belly smothered by mayo and surprisingly topped with a boiled egg.

Then came the ramen. Jodi got their Umami mushroom shoyu that is a vegan ramen made with a dashi broth (kombu and shiitake mushrooms), spinach noodles, shoyu tare (soy sauce seasoning, shiitake, maitake, shimeji, baby corn and snap peas. She asked for tofu that came separately, in a small dish. The ramen was disappointing: there was a spinach smell and taste that overpowered the whole thing that is sad because the mushroom broth was quite good. I wish we knew and she could have asked for different noodles, mine being quite good. They were also cheap on the other ingredients: there were barely any corn or snap peas.

Umami mushroom shoyu at EAK Ramen in NYC

On my side, I ordered the zebra shio, a Yokohama style pork and chicken broth that simmers for 18 hours. It was composed of shio tare, spinach, chashu, butter, garlic oil, nori and I asked for an egg that was perfectly cooked, the yolk being runny. The broth was superb, creamy and milky, not too salty. The only thing I did not like was the spinach. There were also not that many toppings in it. The noodles were thick and well cooked, having a nice bite, better than the spinach ones in Jodi’s ramen.

So overall it was ok. For similar prices, I would rather go to Ippudo…

Enjoy (…)!

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

EAK Ramen -469 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 1/31/22 I Just Want To Eat! 1/31/22

Baar Baar in NYC, NY

When Baar Baar opened a couple of years ago, everybody wanted to try this Indian gastropub where Chef Sujan Sarkar proposed a menu composed of a modern interpretation of regional dishes. So it was time for me to try and we decided to try it on a Saturday evening, for an early dinner. Yes, I like early dinners: first, of course, I can roam around the place and take photos, but I also like the quiet. So I did my thing at Baar Baar and was quite happy to be able to because their decor is stunning, cozy with a beautiful mural next to the bar.

The menu is big and it was quite difficult to pick just few dishes as everything looked amazing. Here is what we had:

As a cocktail, i went for their chai negroni instead of their old fashioned that is typically what I would have picked (or at least any whisky cocktail), intrigued by the combination of chai and this bitter drink that was made with gin, masala chai concoction, Campari and sweet vermouth. Nicely bitter, I was expecting more chai flavor but it had a nice hint of cardamom. It came with a homemade bread stick that had nothing special and seems to be more for presentation purpose .

We then share the dahi puri. The small shells were filled with tamarind, avocado, yogurt mousse and raspberry chaat masala. I love that dish: it is a one bite as the filling is quite liquid and I love the explosion of flavor you get when eating it, with a delicious sweetness to it.

Next was the cauliflower 65, made with chili peanut chutney, curd rice mousse and podi masala. This dish from Chennai was a bit spicy, with the outside of the cauliflower being slightly crispy.

The lamb chops with hempseed chutney were superb: well cooked and a bit spicy. I also tried their Goan prawn balchao, served head on, that was delicious but spicy too.

For her main, Jodi got the tandoori mushroom that was served with a upma polenta, topped with parmesan and accompanied by pav, a soft bread roll. We also shared the black dairy dal with some naan that had a nice char. Dal is often something we get in Indian restaurants (dal makhni to be more specific) and this one was very good, creamy as I like it.

Tandoori mushroom at Baar Baar in NYC, NY

Although I was excited by the dinner menu, I was less so by the dessert one and we finally decided to order ice cream, just because we need to end the meal on a sweet note. We tried their toasted coconut as well as the saffron-pistachio: well, we were not disappointed. The ice cream was superb: dense, creamy and tasty. This, with a chai, was the perfect way to end a great meal.

Saffron-pistachio ice cream at Baar Baar in NYC, NY

Toasted coconut ice cream at Baar Baar in NYC, NY

Yes, overall it was delicious (the only negative is that all the plates came at once) and their menu having many small plates is a good way to try many things. Baar Baar delivered and it is not 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!
Baar Baar - 13 E 1st St, New York, NY 10003

I Just Want To Eat! 1/28/22 I Just Want To Eat! 1/28/22

White Mana Diner in Jersey City

We passed in front of White Mana Diner many times, but did not know the history being this tiny diner that sits in the corner of Manhattan Avenue and Tonnele Avenue in Jersey City. This place was built in 1939 by Paramount Diner, a company located in Oakland, NJ for the 1939 World Fair and is the sister restaurant of White Manna in Hackensack. Both diners take their name from the biblical food, manna, but lost an “n” because of a mistake when manufacturing the sign! It is said that this is in this place that the slider was invented. Surely, when you step in, you have the impression it is frozen in time: as soon as you enter, you see the horseshoe shaped counter (the small dining room is closed) that surrounds the front kitchen where burgers are made. They are not the best burger you would have but it is all about the experience: the meat, that they apparently hand roll, is thin compared to the potato bun. They precook it with few pieces of onion and will finish the cooking process as customer order. Still, tasty, but then noticed the big WEB 1/4 lb that might be their quarter pounder. Too late: I already ordered: would be for the next time.

Grill at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

Cheeseburger at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

White Mana burger at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

Jodi got a grilled cheese that was made in the back kitchen and we shared some fries.

Grilled cheese at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

French fries at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

To accompany my 2 cheeseburgers (I ordered a second one when I realized I would still be hungry), I decided to get a vanilla milkshake that was poured from the machine on the right side of the room. Interesting to see that, to make a chocolate milkshake, they simply add chocolate syrup and mix it with the vanilla milkshake.

Vanilla milkshake at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

Milkshake at White Mana Diner in Jersey City

Overall, it was good and cheap ($19.85 for all of this). Not the best burger but I would go back for the experience.

Enjoy (I did)!

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

White Mana Diner - 470 Tonnele Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307

I Just Want To Eat! 1/26/22 I Just Want To Eat! 1/26/22

Afternoon tea at The Crosby Bar in NYC

Their afternoon tea is fairly classic: you get scones, sandwiches and sweets, but instead of just a choice of tea, you can opt for coffee or hot chocolate. Of course, you can also have champagne for an additional fee. Interestingly, as we were eating our way through, the waiter came to our table and asked if we wanted some more! Trust me: I had enough food there!

There is something that I really like about afternoon tea:

I like the elegance, most of the time, depending where you go,
the excitement when you see the three tier tray being placed on your table,
and the relaxing atmosphere, depending on where you go of course and how crowded and loud the place can be.

So, this time we decided to go to The Crosby Bar, located in The Crosby Street Hotel. The place is quite big, with a colorful decor and a noise level that was ideal for enjoying the experience.

We decided to stay with tea, English breakfast for Jodi and peppermint for me. They use loose tea that they steep directly in the boiled water, so the issue is that at some point, it will sit there for too long and become bitter.

English breakfast at The Crosby Bar in NYC

Their afternoon tea was composed of:

Top plate:

Caramelized apple tartelette

Chocolate whoopie pie, candy cane cream

Ricotta almond lemon cake

Eggnog panna cotta, amarena cherry, panettone crumbles

Chef’s selection macaron

Middle plate:

Turkey, cranberry chestnut stuffing, semolina raisin

Smoked salmon, horseradish, watercress, skyr

Cucumber, lemon labneh and za’atar

Truffled egg salad, parsley

Bottom plate:

Scones with clotted cream and preserves

As Jodi is vegetarian, she had her own three tier tray with only vegetarian sandwiches that I thought was a nice touch. The portions were quite generous (as I mentioned you could get seconds if you wanted). The sandwiches were good, but the best part was the scones that were served warm, nicely crunchy on the outside. However, I thought the sweets were less successful, including their whoopie pie that is what people seem to rave about. Still, I would go back 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!

The Crosby Bar - 79 Crosby St, New York, NY 10012

I Just Want To Eat! 1/24/22 I Just Want To Eat! 1/24/22

Vietnamese lunch at Madame Vo in the East Village

It’s been a while since we went to a Vietnamese restaurant and I do not count the few deliveries of Banh Mi we had in the past few months. I think the last time we sat in a Vietnamese restaurant, it was at Cycle in Long Island City. So, a visit to Madame Vo was necessary. I heard about this place few times and stumbled upon it as I was looking for a reservation on Resy. Well, when we arrived at 12pm, a bit in…

It’s been a while since we went to a Vietnamese restaurant and I do not count the few deliveries of Banh Mi we had in the past few months. I think the last time we sat in a Vietnamese restaurant, it was at Cyclo in Long Island City. So, a visit to Madame Vo was necessary. I heard about this place few times and stumbled upon it as I was looking for a reservation on Resy. Well, when we arrived at 12pm, a bit in advance, I thought that it was probably not necessary to reserve a table, being the first to arrive, but, 30 minutes later, we understood: the place was packed!

We started off with ordering some drinks: a mango and peach green tea for Jodi and a Vietnamese coffee for me. If you never had Vietnamese coffee before, know that it is made with condensed milk, giving to this robust coffee a deliciously sweet flavor, richer than a classic cafe au lait.

Vietnamese coffee at Madame Vo in NYC, NY

For the appetizer, Jodi got their Tofu Rang Muoi, a toasted tofu served with avocado sauce that was quite tasty, while on my side, I decided to try their chicken wings. The wings are prepared in a garlic fish sauce that is medium-spicy. Fish sauce probably sounds weird, but in fact, my first chicken wings prepared with fish sauce were memorable: it was at the now closed Pok Pok in Brooklyn. Well, Madame Vo surely makes outstanding wings and, although my mouth was on fire, I kept going at it, the delightfully caramelized wings being so decadent.

Then came the entrees. Jodi went for their stir-fried rice noodles prepared with eggs, tofu, peppers and cilantro (Hu Tieu Chay). The aroma of that dish was superb and really made me want to dig in. It was delicious and comforting, reminding us of pad see eew.

On my side, I could not resist ordering the Tet Noodles, a dish composed of egg noodles stir fried with garlic butter fish sauce and topped with lump crab meat and prawns. All these ingredients, combined with tomato paste, butter and heavy cream resulted in a rich and luxurious entree that I inhaled after carefully mixing the crab with the perfectly cooked noodles.

We were ready for dessert but, unfortunately, they do not have any! This was my sole disappointment, a meal being only complete for me when ending with something sweet. Otherwise, this was amazing. I understand now why this place was crowded! I’ll have to go back there another time to try other dishes…although these noodles…

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!

Madame Vo - 212 E 10th St, New York, NY 10003