Last year, I went to Jacob’s Pickles on the Upper West Side and I am still drooling just thinking about the meal I had there: delicious, comforting, with large portions, their fried chicken and even their grits being some of the best I ever tried.

So we decided to try their sister restaurant: Maison Pickle, also on the Upper West Side. This is the kind of place where you need a reservation, people being crazy about their menu. And I admit that we could not stop looking at these huge plates leaving the kitchen. There were two things that were popular: the pull apart bread and the French dip….

I discovered Brooklyn Chop House few years ago, thanks to my friend Benny who proposed to go there for dinner. I used to tell people to go there as the food was always delicious, with an extensive menu that had not just cuts of meat, but also Chinese dishes. Interesting combination, the “Chop” of the name referring not only to the meat but also to the chopsticks, a nod from Stratis Morfogen to Philippe Chow with whom he had few ventures. So, we got invited to try their gigantic new restaurant in the heart of Times Square, where…

I discovered Industry Kitchen last Winter, as we were looking for a place in the Financial District. We first went for lunch and then, I could not wait to go back for dinner, everything in that place being great: from the food to the atmosphere. Pretty big, they have installed a bunch of small cabins outside for people who did not want to dine in their large dining room because of Covid, each cabin being equipped with a heater as the temperatures were definitely not for dining out. We ate in their dining room…

Tacoria is a casual Mexican restaurant that opened on Washington street, where Frankie and Ava used to be. As you enter, you cannot not miss the decor that would make you think that this place has been there for a while with the graffiti and run down walls. You are right away attracted to the colorful mural of Frank Sinatra’s mugshot, as well as the neon lights, on the ceiling and main wall (Te Amo Hermosa - I love you Beautiful).

I discovered Queen of Sheba, an Ethiopian restaurant located few blocks from the heart of Times Square, several years ago and was really looking forward to go back there. There, Chef Philipos Mengistu, who worked at his parents restaurant in Addis Abeba in the early 1970's, crafted a menu inspired from family recipes with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The best way to discover the food is by trying their samplers: it is what we did!

I admit that my knowledge of Indo-Chinese cuisine has always been limited to very few dishes like Mandchurian cauliflower that is one of my favorites. So I was curious to see what Szechaun Mirchi in Jersey City was proposing. According to Wikipedia:…

I had Gran Morsi on my list of places to try for quite some time and, as Jodi went to an open studio at The New York Academy of Art, we decided to meet for dinner there. The place was nice, although a bit dark, making it challenging to see the menu, and we got to sit at a table in a corner, the kind that I always love, allowing us to sit next to each other and watch the dining room (people…

I am not sure what is the star of the show at Handcraft Burgers and Brew, the sister restaurant of Croton Reservoir that is next door. The burgers are amazing, not made with frozen patties, juicy, with a nice char. Although, I would go with the double patty so there is a good proportion with their amazing brioche bread. But the brews are also quite interesting as they…

I discovered Don’s Bogam few years ago, thanks to Jodi’s cousin, Jessica. This Korean BBQ place is great: good food, great drinks and courteous staff, a trifecta that makes for a perfect evening.

Eating at a Korean BBQ, there is always the excitement of getting the banchan, these small plates they bring at the beginning of the meal, with kimchi being usually the only sure thing you would get. And unless you ask, it is sometimes difficult to recognize what the dishes they are bringing are, or how…

It’s been a while since we have been to Bryant Park Grill and so, we decided to go for dinner on a Friday evening. The weather was nice but not enough for us to sit outside, so we ended up in the dining room, enjoying the noise level that I would love to see more often in restaurants.

When going to Gallagher ‘s, I always remember the first few times I went there: disappointing. But then, after they changed ownership and renovated the restaurant that clearly needed a new decor, I went back and was blown away. Not only did the place get a fantastic makeover, the food there has always been outstanding. Here…

I heard about the afternoon tea at Prince Tea House, so we decided to try as we were on a quest to try all the afternoon teas in the city. Interesting place for sure with a chic decor that is perfectly suited to the theme of this place.

We discovered Turkish Cuisine in Hell’s Kitchen few years ago and have been raving about their cotton candy dessert for some time. So, it was time to go back. Ok, the name is not that original, but at least you know what that this is a Turkish restaurant! We went on a Friday evening and the place was packed! I admit that I did not recall the decor that was full of little dolls and…

When people ask me what the best ramen place in NYC is, my answer is simple: Ippudo. I have been to this place for so many years and not once have I been disappointed.

It is a great experience. First, as you enter the restaurant, you are welcomed in Japanese (that always makes me think about an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm), and you are…

I really do not remember how many times we tried to go to Battello, an Italian restaurant located in Jersey City, with breathtaking views of the New York skyline. Well, weekends are more for private parties so we decided to go on a Monday a couple of months ago. Definitely ideal as there were not that many people, they sat us in the covered patio where we could admire the view while enjoying a delicious meal.

I cannot believe that it has been 2 years since we went to Basta Pasta, the US outpost of an Italian restaurant that opened in Japan in 1985, that I discovered few years ago and remains one of my preferred Italian restaurants in the city. Always packed, the menu there is amazing with so many mouth watering dishes that you are not sure what to get and just want to order the entire menu.

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.

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…

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…

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…