Restaurant Review: L'Artusi

I am going to go ahead and call L'Artusi one my new favorite restaurants. Jeremy and I actually had plans with another couple at a different restaurant because L'Artusi didn't have a reservation available, and I forgot that I had asked to be put on the wait list. So, at 4:30 that day I received a surprisingly delightful call that informed me of a reservation that opened up. The 4 of us happily switched our plans, and thankfully so, because we had a really wonderful meal!

We started with a bottle of wine recommended by our waitress, but I honestly have no idea what it was. Then we ordered up several apps and side dishes to accompany our entrees. The meal included:

A cheese plate with caciocavallo di bufala and taleggio that came with some fruit and crackers. It was high quality cheese on a pretty little plate.

Dayboat scallops crudo - raw thinly sliced scallops with sea salt, olive oil, lemon, and espelette. They were fresh, refreshing, and sliced to just the right thickness.

One of the specials, short ribs with polenta - this was divine. Short ribs were melt in your mouth, and oh so savory. Honestly, this is the best short rib dish I have ever had (and I have dabbled quite a bit in short rib). I would probably call and see when this was available again so I can go back that day to get it.

Fettuccine with rabbit, cacciatore, and parmesan - the pasta was homemade and perfectly cooked with a slightly spicy tomato based sauce that was well seasoned overall. The rabbit tasted braised and really made the dish stand out.

Side of brussels sprouts with black pepper and pecorino, which were devoured instantly. They were your typical delicious brussels cooked to perfection, crispy, and complimented with the right amount of cheese. We considering ordering 2 servings and decided against it, however we would have inhaled the second plate if it were to have arrived.

Side of caramelized parsnips with honey and almonds - I found this to have a good flavor combination, but it was a little too sticky and dense (maybe over cooked?) for me. It was getting stuck in my teeth. However, my tablemates really enjoyed them.

My fellow diners ordered the roasted beets salad and orecchiette with sausage, salumi, and pecorino. I did not taste these dishes so therefore cannot really comment, but I will tell you that there was nothing but praise for everything.

Highly recommended for date night, or even a small group. I noticed they have a nice private dining area upstairs for a small private party. Cool atmosphere and great service - I can't wait to go back!

Restaurant Review: Bohemian

Bohemian opened in NYC in 2009 (second to the first location in Japan), so it is definitely not new, however they have maintained their exclusivity as a "secret" restaurant with an unlisted number for 4 years so why not give it a try. Getting a reservation is quit difficult, so we settled on a 9pm Monday night dinner with another couple. When we arrived I realized I had actually been there once before a few years ago with a friend, so I knew how to actually find the place by entering the unmarked door and walking through a corridor all the way to the back. After ringing the doorbell, they let you in to what I would describe as a large living room with a bar and an inset garden display. It is quite small, seating maybe 20 people, and all of the seats are large loungey arm chairs with coffee tables and other non-traditional restaurant tables. They have chill music playing, but it is very quiet and the place feels intimate.

There is an option for a reasonable $55 tasting menu, however I was with 4 people and since they serve everything family style, we figured we could try everything we wanted by ordering a la carte. We went with:

Mac & Cheese - kind of random on this Japanese menu, but good nonetheless.

Washu-beef tartar - delicious and not scary raw, just really high quality raw.

Uni croquette - croquettes of mushroom cream topped with fresh sea urchin. This had quite the umami flavor and was very rich, creamy, and divine. You must order this.

Washu-gyu beef sliders - again, high quality beef and a pretty substantial slider. Bigger than a slider and I wasn't sure if we ordered enough so this definitely rounded out our menu selection

Pan roasted branzini - brought to the table whole, head on, and in a cast iron pan accompanied by anchovies, kalamata olives, onions, fingerling potatoes, whole bulbs of garlic and rosemary sprigs. The waiter filleted it for us at the table, but there were of course lots of little bones you had to watch out for. Aside from that, this fish was amazing. Crispy skin and flaky tender fish inside that had a simple flavor, because light seasoning was all it needed. A must order.

Foie gras soba noodles - the noodles were served in a tasty broth and we had to weirdly ladle out our servings. Besides the difficulty of splitting up the dish, the broth was so flavorful and the foie gras was really rich. It was a interesting combo with the soba noodles, but it all blended so well. If you like foie gras, you want to try this.

Oh, and we also drank up a storm trying out much of their cocktail menu, which had many unique choices and all were made with fresh ingredients.

Lastly, I need to tell you about the bathroom here. I know what you are thinking - ew, isn't this a food blog? - however this toilet is state of the art and I have never seen anything like it. I forget the brand but it's a high tech Japanese toilet that has a panel on the wall with all different "cleansing" options among other features. The lid was automatic too. Totally crazy, but kind of weird because while this place is very intimate, it is still a public toilet. Anyway, it makes for an interesting conversation piece after the first person in the group goes.

Overall I had a really nice experience here. The service was great and the staff is super friendly and you can tell everything is made with great care. The atmosphere is very relaxed and quiet and it is a great place to go and actually catch up with your friends while enjoying an authentic Japanese meal at an "exclusive" NYC restaurant.

Restaurant Review: Shelter Pizza

After a Sunday afternoon concert at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, my friend and I were hungry and wanted to grab a bite somewhere. I am not familiar with the neighborhood so we just walked a few blocks and looked at some menus on Wythe Ave. We saw a giant American flag painted on a building with a neon sign that read "PIZZA EMPANADAS BAR." Clearly this was a draw. 

We opened the enormous, heavy, industrial door to Shelter Pizza and entered some sort of hunting cabin situation, and I had to double check that we walked into the right place. Nothing about pizza and empanadas connects to hunting cabin decor, but alright, I was in Williamsburg so these things are expected.

We took a seat and looked around at the moose head hanging above the bar, the snow shoes and canoes on the walls, and the animal hides covering the bar stools. Still confused, we reviewed the menu which had a number of interesting choices. We settled on a pizza and 2 empanadas, which was the perfect amount of food.

The pizza had a crispy, thin crust and was topped with prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan. It was a bit salty, but probably due to the meat and cheese. It was cut into 4 large slices, and I would have preferred 8 smaller slices to make it easier to eat, but that is my only complaint. Otherwise, I really enjoyed how the ingredients were actually added after the dough was baked. This made everything taste fresh.

The "empanadas" were more like quiche or savory tarts or something. One was filled with pulled pork and topped with a red cabbage slaw. The pork was delicious, tender, and tasted like it was cooked for hours. It was a southern BBQ dish with a Spanish twist, I think? The second one was spinach and cheese and it filled a dough cup. We cut it in half to split, and the cheese sort of oozed out everywhere. It was fine, but not memorable and definitely not an empanada. I would be interested to try some of the other options to see how they differ.

If I was ever back in the neighborhood, I would come back to try some of the other pizzas or menu items that caught my eye (like the pickles of course). Definitely a cool spot to keep in mind if you are going to Brooklyn Bowl.

Restaurant Review: Swine

Checked out a new place, Swine, with Jeremy in the West Village the other night - well not new, but new to us. We had a nice meal, nothing crazy, but an overall good experience. For starters, they have happy hour until 7:30 with BOGO beers and house wines, so we each took advantage of that.

Our table was on the main level right next to the bar, which actually wasn't really a problem. It wasn't too loud, at least for most of the meal. Around 8:30 it started to fill up, but we were already on our way out. Anyway, we ordered two appys and 2 entrees and that was the perfect amount.

First we had the Daily Pickle Plate and that day it was red beets, white beets, and cauliflower - just a few of my favorite pickled veggies. They gave us a solid portion and I really enjoyed this obviously housemade dish.

Pickled red beets, cauliflower, and white beets

The second appy was the Maine Diver Scallops with a cherry-brandy glaze. It came with 2 medium sized scallops on a bed of lentils, carrots, and leeks. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the lentil/carrot/leek combo provided a nice textural contrast. It was interesting because scallops are usually a lighter dish but the lentils, carrots, and leeks made it a hearty one. Not the best scallop dish I have ever had, but we still enjoyed it.

Maine Diver Scallops

For my entree, I got the Balsamic Braised Short Ribs served with white grits, watercress, and radish. The meat was so tender and flavorful. I thought the grits were really smart because it mixed with the juices from the short ribs and created a creamy deliciousness that was different from your typical mashed potato (which would have been too heavy). The watercress was necessary to add some green to the plate and some crunch, but the radish I could have done without. I don't hate radish, I just can't think of anything that would be better with it, so I usually find it unnecessary.

Balsamic Braised Short Rib

Jeremy got the Swine Chop for his entree. This was pork porter-house, topped with sweet corn and herbs. The chop was a very nice size, possibly a tad bit over cooked, but very flavorful. The sweet corn was a nice addition to bring in some freshness, sweetness and texture.

Swine Chop

The service was good and everyone was friendly. I would call this a cool neighborhood spot, if you live in the neighborhood. Probably would only return if convenient, but I would still recommend it to anyone in the area for a quick bite.

Restaurant Review: Cleo Los Angeles

While in LA for work, I was taken out to a great spot in Hollywood, Cleo. Known for its Mediterranean tapas, Cleo is a trendy restaurant great for sharing. We ordered much of the menu. Between 6 people we shared:

Babaganoush dip
Brussels Sprouts with capers, parsley, almonds, red wine vinaigrette
Mushrooms with dates, hazelnuts, and puffed wild rice
Grilled Hanger Steak with grilled peewee potatoes
Chicken and Duck Bastilla with almonds, saffron, egg, chicken, and cinnamon
Grilled Octopus with celery, crushed potatoes, and lemon vinaigrette
Grilled Tuna with olive tapenade, zaatar, tahini, and calabrian chili
Scallops with lebaneh, dill, orange, and Moraccan dry cured olives
Artichoke Flatbread with crushed potato, wilted arugula, and aged mozzarella
Eggplant Lebaneh with feta, fresno chili, and zaatar

There was probably a few other things that I missed, but the table was full of fun, yummy dishes that we all got to try. The dishes were a solid portion size, and it was perfect to let everyone have a taste or two of everything - and there was more than enough food. Each dish had great flavor, everything was cooked well, and they had a nice presentation. The restaurant has a cool atmosphere with a significant bar area and several different types of tables to accommodate parties of varying sizes. We even spotted a LA Kings player with Erin Andrews - so LA.

I would definitely recommend this place to any of my LA readers, or anyone visiting.

See and be seen, and eat good food.

Restaurant Review: Heidi's House

Jeremy and I have walked past this cute little place, Heidi's House, many times. It is located on 78th St, between 1st and 2nd and seats about 20 people max, and half of that is at the bar. They let you call ahead to be on the waiting list for a certain time, but won't call it a reservation. It is always crowded in there and it's so small that there literally is no place to stand without being in the way. You have to wait outside. Good thing we were on the wait list for 8pm and were able to be seated right then.

The menu is very limited with 2 staple items (a burger and mac n cheese), and then the rest of it changes daily. They do have a pretty extensive beer and wine menu though and a page of "snacks." We decided to start with the Bruschetta which is made with baguette from Orwasher's (the bakery next door) covered in melted organic mozzarella and topped with heirloom tomatoes, basil, and capers. Not your traditional bruschetta at all, and I was surprised by the way the mozz was used, but it was a good starter. The bread was awesome too!

Bruschetta

The pasta of the day, pappardelle with lamb ragout, caught both Jeremy's and my attention, but he let me have it. And thank god because I totally won with my meal. The pasta was homemade and coated with a savory gravy that was made from the lamb juicey goodness. The lamb ragout was cooked until incredibly tender. The dish was a bit salty - not over seasoned but just naturally high in sodium. I had like 4 glasses of water with it in addition to my white wine, Orvieto. Aside from that, it tasted genuinely homemade and just was simply tasty.

Pappardelle with Lamb Ragout

Jeremy ended up going with the hamburger made with grass fed beef served on an English muffin with lettuce, tomato and onion and served with homemade fries. He also ordered a side of roasted vegetables that included brussel sprouts, white beets, cauliflower, and broccoli. The burger was fine, nothing crazy, and the fries were absolutely horrible. I never thought I would ever have seriously terrible fries, but this was it. They were mushy, undercooked, mealy, cold, and really just inedible. I was super surprised considering they were homemade and everything there is made to order in small quantities. Good thing he ordered the roasted vegetables as a side. You could tell the dish was made with fresh veggies and they were simply roasted with some seasonings, but not overdone. He also had a couple Samuel Smiths, organic beer. It was pretty good.

Hamburger with Homemade Fries

Roasted Vegetables

I sort of felt misled that because this place is all homey and cozy and uses locally sourced ingredients, the food would be excellent. However, we were underwhelmed. Also, where was Heidi? This is the kind of place that Heidi actually exists and runs that kitchen every day. Bummer. For $100, an annoyingly tight space, and a lackluster meal, we will not be returning to this supposed neighbor favorite.

Restaurant Review: Alder

Eh. I have to say that Alder was a bit of a let down. I must caveat that I was not feeling 100% the day I went with Jeremy, but we agree on the so-so-ness of Alder. First of all, I was a bit confused by the atmosphere of the place. The decor was pretty bare and there was just nothing memorable about it. It was dimly lit, so my pictures are exceptionally poor this time, sorry. Also, our waitress was kind of awkward, but she was fine service-wise. Now the food...

We ordered 5 dishes to share, starting with the Pickled Beets. They were served with coconut ricotta and Thai basil crystals. The beets were not very pickley, which is good actually, because it went well with the creamy, not-too-sweet, coconut ricotta. The Thai basil was super interesting because it was somehow crystallized and reminded me of colored sugar (like the kind you use to decorate cupcakes). It provided a nice textural contrast and overall I thought this was a good starter.

Pickled Beets

Next was the Chicken Liver Toast. Unfortunately for this dish, we just had an amazing iteration of Chicken Liver with Toast at Charlie Bird, so this version fell flat. It was served on top of cornbread with grapefruit marmalade around it and a piece of crispy chicken skin on top. Since chicken liver is creamy, it seemed weird to put it on top of cornbread as it is a soft vehicle and it all kind of mushed together. It didn't help that the liver was under seasoned. However, the grapefruit marmalade gave a nice tang, and the chicken skin on top was super crispy and savory.

Chicken Liver Toast

The next course was the Fried Squash Blossoms. Two flaky cornucopias were served on a slate board filled with blended smoked shrimp, summer squash, celtuce, and some fresh dill. This was probably the best dish of the night. The outside was crispy and the inside was creamy and flavorful. There was a nice sauce drizzled on top too.

For our entrees, we split the Rye Pasta and the Beef Tongue. The concept of the Rye Pasta was cool - rye flavored pasta with shaved pastrami in it (like the classic kosher deli sandwich), however I probably would have preferred the actual sandwich. The pasta was dry and it needed some kind of sauce. I personally thought a nice mustard-based sauce would go well, but what do I know.

The Beef Tongue was served thinly sliced with smoked yucca, pickled cippolini, and chimichurri dashi. This was pretty good. The tongue was tasty and the dashi broth was nice. Nothing to run back for. I can't even remember any other thoughts I had about it.

Rye Pasta

Beef Tongue

Needless to say I will not be returning or recommending this spot. It was pretty expensive, about $150 for this meal (including 2 beers), and there are plenty of other restaurants that have food good enough to command this rate.

Restaurant Review: Charlie Bird

Last night Jeremy and I decided to have date night and check out a new spot that we've been hearing about over and over, Charlie Bird. A bit pretentious at first glance, especially when they gave away our table after we were 10 minutes late. Let me ask, who isn't 10 minutes late to a reservation? Anyway, we waited just about another 10 minutes and they "figured something out" for us. It's a trendy spot in the West Village; a decent size with a happening bar. Our waiter was quite friendly and attentive, so A+ for service.

More importantly, the food was excellent. We both thoroughly enjoyed every part of our meal.

We each kicked it off with a cocktail. Me with the "Two One Two," a mix of tequila, Aperol, and grapefruit, and Jeremy with the "Old Pal," a mix of rye, vermouth, and Campari. Both were very nice.

Left: Old Pal
Right: Two One Two

We started our meal with two small plates - Grilled Octopus and Tuscan Chicken Liver. We told them we were sharing everything and it all came pre-separated, which I greatly appreciated. This way, I can eat at my leisure and there is no swatting of the fork when Jeremy goes for my portion.

The Grilled Octopus was served with speckled beans and green garlic. It was grilled to perfection with a nice, crisp exterior and it was juicy and tender inside. It had great garlic flavor too, without being overpowering.

Grilled Octopus

The Tuscan Chicken Liver was served in a bowl with toast on the side. I normally don't mind chicken liver, but Jeremy loves it. This liver, however, was actually delicious. It was not irony, as I normally expect, and it was creamy and seasoned very well, which I guess is "Tuscan" style. We had to ask for more toast to ensure we scraped the bowl clean.

Tuscan Chicken Liver

Our next course was the Duck Egg Spaghetti, split into two portions all tied up with uni on top, spring onions and lemon. The uni, or sea urchin, was a small portion but packed a powerful punch. A bit fishy as expected, but did not overpower the entire dish. The lemon provided a nice acidic balance and a fresh taste. Not 100% sure if the pasta was homemade, but it tasted like it!

Duck Egg Spaghetti

Last was the Grilled Black Bass. This was also portioned out for us, and the fish was served atop of a shitload of tomatoes. There were chunks and slices of heirloom tomatoes, and little tiny tomatoes cooked in someway that made them shrivel up still attached to the vine. All of this sat in a broth made with Lambrusco, a type of wine. The bass was cooked perfectly, and I personally loved the acidity the tomatoes brought. However, Jeremy thought it was a bit much. I am more of a tomato lover than he is.

Grilled Black Bass

Overall, we had a very nice experience. Great spot for date night, or even a double date. A little pricey, I will warn you, but worth it. I would definitely return!

Restaurant Review: Umami Burger

Tonight I checked out the new CA transplant, Umami Burger. Of course, they do not take reservations. We were a party of 3 and did not have to wait too long at 7pm on a Wednesday night (though one member of the party was there 15 min earlier to get our name on the list). After 7pm, there was a significant line forming. Anyway, we got hooked up with a sweet booth in the back and enjoyed our meal.

We decided to start with two orders of fries, one regular thin fries and one sweet potato. The regular fries were crispy and savory, and the sweet potato fries were very sweet. They were actually served with brown sugar on top which was interesting. I only wished they were served with some special dipping sauce too.

Now for the burgers. I went splitsies and tried half of the Classic Burger with shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, a Parmesan crisp, and Umami ketchup. The other half was of the Truffle Burger with house-made truffle cheese and truffle glaze. Both were really delicious. We got them medium rare and they came juicy, savory, flavorful, and just awesome. The Parmesan crisp on the Classic was a nice added touch. The Truffle Burger had cheese literally oozing out of it, but it was gooey and truffley and mmm so good. Also, the buns were nice and soft and had a cool "U" burned into the top. Nice branding opportunity.

Truffle Burger

"Umami" means savory, and all of our food was just that. I had heard so much excitement around this new, amazing burger spot, and it did not disappoint. I have had a lot of great burgers, and this is near the top of the list. I suggest you try!

Restaurant Review: The Meatball Shop

Tonight Jeremy and I gave the new UES location of The Meatball Shop a try. We have been to the West Village location and had a great experience, so naturally we were excited when we heard their biggest location yet would be opening just 3 short blocks away. Why not cap off a great Labor Day Weekend with a ball-rific dinner?

We had great service - did not have to wait at all, which was a big plus, and our food came very quickly. Everyone was super friendly. It's a fun place, and I especially like the laminated menus that allow you to use markers to check off what you want.

As for the food, we had 2 different orders of "naked balls," which is four meatballs served with your choice of sauce and a stick of focaccia bread. We got spicy pork balls with mushroom gravy sauce and chicken balls with pesto sauce. The balls are a nice size, not too dense, and very delicious. Even the chicken ball had tons of flavor. My favorite part was the pesto sauce. While it was a little oily, it had toasted pine nuts in it, so that was a nice touch.

For sides, we got the two daily specials - sweet corn and cherry tomato risotto and roasted squash with chili lemon butter. I was a little disappointed with both. I expected the risotto to be super creamy, but it wasn't. I mean it was fine, just not what I expected. And I really did not like the squash. The chili lemon butter gave it a weird kick, and I am pretty sure there were a few other spices like paprika or cumin that did not mix well and gave it an odd flavor.

From Top to Bottom:
Spicy Pork Balls with Mushroom Gravy Sauce
Sweet Corn and Cherry Tomato Risotto
Roasted Squash with Chili Lemon Butter
Chicken Balls with Pesto Sauce

For dessert, I had to try one of their famous ice cream sandwiches. Glad I did! They give you the option to mix and match the 2 cookies and the ice cream, so I went with snickerdoodle and honey vanilla cookies (daily special) and the brown sugar ice cream (daily special) in the middle. The snickerdoodle cookie was actually a bit hard, but the honey vanilla was super chewy and buttery-delicious. The brown sugar ice cream was sweet and it all came together well.

Ice Cream Sandwich

Will definitely be returning, especially to try some more of their daily specials, which vary by location. A cute, fun, casual, cheap spot! What more can you ask for?

Restaurant Review: Mission Chinese

Finally made it to Mission Chinese! Such a hole in the wall, which we all know means it's the best. This small, sort of dingy looking spot in the Lower East Side lived up to all of the hype (at least in my book). We had to wait about 45-60 minutes for a table at 6:30 on a Tuesday, but this was for a party of 5. We expected a wait, so this was fine and we just got a drink around the corner. They called us when our table was ready, which is so great for a restaurant to offer, so you don't have to stand around. When our time came, we were led down a narrow hallway to the back of the restaurant which had under 20 tables and a few seats at the bar. We were a little overwhelmed with the wide variety of options on the menu, but I was excited about some of the unusual offerings. The waiter was super helpful in finalizing our meal when we gave him our proposed rundown. And here it goes...

I think I have established I love pickled vegetables, so I suggested Tartine's Spicy Carrot Pickles. The carrots were sour and spicy and had a great crunch. A nice start to the meal and a good way to get some veggie representation on the table.

Tartine's Spicy Carrot Pickles

Next was Steamed Eggplant in Chili Bean Sauce. This was a fine dish, nothing crazy. The eggplant was soft and mushy and covered in the chili bean sauce which gave it a kick. Nice for just a taste.

Then came the Crispy Pig Ears with Old Bay seasoning and country ham powder. These were AWESOME. Everyone at the table looked at me a little funny when I suggested it, but we went with it, and thank god. The waiter assured me these weren't TOO Old Bay-y, because I am not the biggest fan of the seasoning, but can tolerate it. For those that are not familiar, Old Bay is found a lot in the Mid-Atlantic region and served with fresh crab or on french fries (among other things). Anyway, these pig ears were fried to perfection, super crispy, seasoned well and totally addicting. I had to remind myself to leave some for the others.

Next were the Griddled Lamb Meatballs with seven spice, toasted nori, Worcestershire sauce and served with potatoes. It came with 4 meatballs (we actually thought there were more, but potatoes were mistaken for balls) that were moist, savory, and complimented by the nori (type of seaweed). A nice appetizer.

Then came the Thrice Cooked Bacon. This is apparently a popular dish, and I can see why. A total indulgence, but great to share. The bacon was served with Shanghainese rice cakes, tofu skin, bitter melon, and chili oil. This was SPICY. They warn you on the menu, and they did not lie. You can push away some of the chili flakes to ease the fire, but it most definitely has a kick. As we were all trying our first bites, we forgot what the round white things were. They had this kind of weird soft chewy texture that lead your mind in a few different directions. We were all chewing thinking "well, this could definitely be something weird but I am trying to be open-minded...." but then the waiter reminded us that they were rice cakes. This revelation completely changed our mind set and made the texture totally acceptable and even good! Funny how that works. The bacon was unreal, but I probably don't even need to tell you that.

Top Left - Crispy Pig Ears
Top Right - Griddled Lamb Meatballs
Bottom - Thrice Cooked Bacon

The next round of food started with the Egg Egg Noodles. These egg noodles came with a soft hen egg, ginger, scallion, and black vinegar. You crack open the egg and release the goodness, and mix it all up. This was a mild noodle dish, which was needed as many of our other dishes were spicy. I love a good runny egg all over my food, so that was plus, and this was just plain tasty. And yes that is cilantro you see below, but don't worry, I was able to dig around it. 

Egg Egg Noodles

Then out came the Broccoli Beef Brisket with smoked oyster sauce. This was super tender brisket, a little fatty, and the smoked oyster sauce provided so much salty/smokey flavor (however they probably could have laid off a little on the sauce). The broccoli on top I think may have actually been broccolini, but either way it was very green, crisp, and crunchy. Great textural contrast.

Broccoli Beef Brisket (photo credit: Alicia Dreher)

Overall, this place rocked. So casual, fun, cheap (surprisingly so), and DELICIOUS. I will absolutely be back and I have already picked out everything else I want to try....

Restaurant Review: Sen NYC

I went to Sen NYC with two of my besties to celebrate a special birthday (aren't they all special?). We had some decent food, however, the service was bad and I would consider this place overpriced.

Service:
To start, the waiter brought us edamame though we did not order it. He told us to keep it anyway which was nice, but then forgot to take it off the bill. So we had to remind him of that. That was when we finally got the bill. The waiter went very MIA after we got our food. I think it took about 30 minutes for him to come back after he cleared dessert to ask if we wanted the check. The only upside to that was I had a wonderful time catching up with my girls.

Food:
We ordered several dishes and split between the 3 of us. We started with edamame (as forementioned, on the house), which was actually really good. Probably the most flavorful and well cooked edamame I have had, and salted just right.

Edamame

Next was the Tuna Tartare, with takuan pickle, shallot, cured quail egg, crispy wonton, and spicy yuzo dressing. This was delicious too, but such a small portion. Not what I was expecting for $16. However, it had a nice textural balance and the quail egg made such a difference in flavor.

Tuna Tartare (sorry for the poor quality photo)

Then came 2 rolls, the Hot Tuna (tuna with three spiced chili sauce) and another specialty roll that is slipping my mind. They were both good rolls, but clearly not too memorable! I always think that all sushi is good, because if it's bad, then it's BAD. So I mean, yea it was good sushi with nice fresh ingredients.

Also, we got the Cahan Rice Pot. This included garlic fried rice, a slow cooked egg that you could break open and mix in, shaved green onion, and sesame seeds. This was a great dish that complimented our other dishes well. This was a bit more substantial and I always like egg mixed in, so that was a plus. I would definitely order this again.

Last was the Harami Garlic Skewer. This came with 3 skewers of wagyu skirt steak and crisped garlic chips on top. The steak was very tasty but a little chewy. However, that is basically the definition of skirt steak, so in other words it was exactly what you might expect. There was a nice garlic flavor and the chips were in fact crispy.

Sushi Rolls, Cahan Rice Pot, and Harami Garlic Skewer

Last was the green tea ice cream (no photo). A favorite flavor of mine, and this did not disappoint. We split one scoop and that's all we needed. It was rich, creamy, and tasted authentic and homemade.

Overall, I probably would not return. There are so many other places for Japanese food and Sen NYC did not offer anything above and beyond, including service.

Restaurant Review: Red Farm

I was meeting a friend in the West Village around 8:00 on Friday night, so I decided to take this opportunity to get a table at RedFarm with Jeremy. Typically there is always a huge crowd lingering outside of the restaurant waiting anxiously for a table, however I got there around 6:45 and was seated immediately. By 7 pm, every table was filled. I didn't realize that there is a downstairs seating area that has a separate entrance, but that is where we were taken. The place has rustic decor with some small tables, but mainly a large communal table in the center of the room. Service was good, and we received our food quickly.

We both started with a beer, me with the Sixpoint Sweet Action, and Jeremy with the Peak Organic IPA. Both were good and nice compliment to the food we ordered. Speaking of food...

We chose 4 dishes to split: Shu Mai Shooters, Katz's Pastrami Egg Roll, Pac Man Shrimp Dumplings, and Wide Rice Noodles with BBQ'd Roast Duck.

The Shu Mai Shooters were presented nicely with 4 double shot glasses containing carrot and ginger bisque with a scallop and squid dumpling sitting on top. The shu mai was delicious and did not have an overpowering fishy taste. It was also just the right amount of salty. The carrot and ginger bisque was VERY gingery. I think I am just sensitive to ginger, because Jeremy was sucking these down. I did like this dish overall because it was actually two things that complimented each other well.

Shu Mai Shooters

Katz's Pastrami Egg Roll was as amazing as it sounds. It was the pastrami of all pastrami stuffed inside an egg roll and deep fried, and served with honey mustard. It was served warm and super crispy on the outside, yet not at all greasy. This dish is just the best idea ever. You must order it.

Katz's Pastrami Egg Roll

The Pac Man Shrimp Dumplings must be their top seller by far. Every single party at the communal table ordered this, and the same waitress brought them all out with her memorized shpeel describing the dish. She was Ms. Pac Man. Anyways, this dish was totally adorable. There was a piece of fried sweet potato shaped like Pac Man directed towards 4 dumpling "ghosts." Each dumpling was made with shrimp, but each one was different in that one also had bamboo, one also had lobster, and I forget the other two. But they were all good. A dumpling is a dumpling you know? Some are better than others, and these count as the better ones. But it's hard for me to tell you why. The fried sweet potato was awesome because anything fried pretty much is. And it was sitting in a dollop of mushed avocado which provided a nice flavor and textural compliment. This was a good dish overall, but I think it is more about how fun and creative the idea behind it is than the actual food.

Pac Man Shrimp Dumplings

Against the recommendation of our waitress, our "entree" was the Wide Rice Noodles with BBQ'd Roast Duck. She suggested we get something from the entree section as the noodles are made to compliment the entree dishes, but honestly this all was plenty of food for us. We both really liked this one. The roast duck was laid on top in slices, with super savory and crispy skin and juicy, tender meat underneath. There was a layer of fat, which normally I hate, but this was really very delicious duck. The noodles were in a brown sauce and had probably an entire red onion with it. This would be my only complaint, the abundance of red onion. While it was cooked onion, it was still a bit overpowering. I think the noodle to red onion ratio was 1:1.

Wide Rice Noodles with BBQ'd Roast Duck

We opted out of dessert because we had to run, but overall we had a nice experience. While the restaurant has a nice ambiance, and has a fun, playful menu that is very delicious, it is a bit pricey for what it is. While way less glamorous, it is hard to pay $100 knowing you can go to Prosperity Dumpling and for just $2.50, receive 10 super tasty, authentic dumplings. Just sayin.

Restaurant Review: Manzanilla

After tasting some of Dani Garcia's delicious food at Celebrate Flatiron Chefs! two weeks ago, I was excited to try it out with three of my girlfriends. The space is quite large, so it did not feel busy though it was not as if it was dead. We sat in a booth next to the window looking out at 26th street, and the bar separated our table from the main dining room. This was great because the volume was low and we were able to converse with no problem. Service was fine. Nothing to rave about, but nothing to complain about either. The waitress was nice and answered all of our questions and made a few recommendations. After making a few difficult choices (everything on the menu looks great), we decided on 4 tapas dishes, the paella, and a side. The paella takes about 40 minutes, so it worked out well to start with the tapas and have the paella as our main course.

First out was the famous Montaditos de Rabo de Toro, which is the steamed brioche buns with pulled oxtail, mushrooms, and kale. I tried these at Celebrate Flatiron Chefs! and the ones there were about triple the size as at the restaurant, but equally delicious. The waitress suggested we get two orders because one came with two buns and there were four of us, so we did. This was probably the favorite of the table. The bun is so soft and slightly sweet and the oxtail is tender and savory. This time, since they were smaller versions (like sliders), the oxtail aioli on top was just the right amount.

Montaditos de Rabo de Toro

At about the same time, the Pulpo Con Pipirrana came out. This is octopus salad with cherry tomatoes, apples, oranges, red pepper vinaigrette, and smoke pimenton oil. I love a good octopus salad, and this was just that. I loved how each piece was piled with fruit and tomato and the vinaigrette and smoke pimenton oil were drizzled on. I really appreciated the smokey flavor from the pimenton oil, which is made from paprika. I think it balanced the dish without being overwhelming. This was just a light, fresh, colorful dish and I would definitely order it again.

Pulpo Con Pipirrana

Also at the same time came the Croquetas de Sepia, which is squid ink and cuttlefish croquettes with citrus aioli. These were little fried balls with squid ink stained rice inside and had a little chunk of cuttlefish in the middle. These were extremely rich, but also very salty. It was pretty heavy, even for being small, because of the crispy fried exterior. The aioli was fine, but not memorable. I liked these, but I am not sure I would order them again. Also, we all got black tongues immediately after eating it, very cute.

Croquetas de Sepia

Inside of Croquetas de Sepia

The next tapas dish to come out was the Berenjenas Y Broccolini Frito. This was another table favorite, with roasted eggplant, crispy broccolini, honey, and herb yogurt dressing. It came with two strips of incredibly soft eggplant that was sweet, almost caramelized tasting. The broccolini was roasted until very crispy and brittle and savory. It reminded me of baking kale in the oven, but way better. The two textures balanced each other very well. My only complaint is that I wish there was more eggplant.

Berenjenas Y Broccolini Frito

Now for the main event, Paella de Bogavante. This paella came out in a huge pan with crispy, golden brown rice sticking to the bottom (but not so much that we couldn't scoop it out), and a huge grilled lobster laying across it. There was crispy broccolini, like from the eggplant dish, on top which was great. I could eat an entire plate of that broccolini. So we knew that the paella was also supposed to have cuttlefish and shrimp in it, but we really had to dig to find it. They were chopped up into very small pieces and mixed in with the rice. I guess we were expecting paella with the seafood all still in their shells, or at least whole, so this was different. Once I dug out the rest of the seafood I was a happy camper. This was a really great dish to share.

Paella de Bogavante

The waitress had suggested we get a side of veggies to go with the paella so we went with Calabacines de Verano Salteados. This is sauteed summer squash with crispy onions, cumin, and mint. I liked the mint with this, it really added something refreshing. I also like the crispy onions as a textural component. This dish was otherwise nothing special.

Calabacines de Verano Salteados

Overall, we had a delightful meal. There was nothing that we didn't like, but I would say that the brioche buns and the eggplant dishes were my personal favorite. Will definitely be returning!

Review: Celebrate Flatiron Chefs!

I got VERY lucky to have snagged a last minute ticket to Madison Square Park's annual summertime food and drink tasting event, Celebrate Flatiron Chefs! This grand foodie event features dishes from top restaurants in Flatiron. I braved the 95 degree heat and tried a little bit of almost everything. And here it goes...

The first table I approached was A Voce Madison where Chef Kevin Garcia offered up Etruscan farro salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs in a red wine vinaigrette and smoked duck breast with cherries and pistachios. I actually got the run down from the chef himself, which was cool (and unusual at these types of events). The farro salad was good as a side dish and fresh tasting, but not overwhelmingly amazing that I needed to finish it. The smoked duck breast was tasty and I liked the combo of cherries and pistachios, but it was hard to eat without putting it down and cutting it up (and there were no knives provided at this table). I think at this kind of event, it's important to consider how the food is being consumed, like most people only have one hand free and it's often hard to find a table to post up at.

Next up was La Mar Cebicheria. Executive Chef Victoriano Lopez was offering Cebiche Classico and Quinoa Causa. The Cebiche Classico was made of sashimi grade Long Island fluke in a classic leche de tigre with red onion, habenero, Pervuvian corn and yams. The Quinoa Causa was made of peruvian Quinoa salad over yellow potato causa, avocado, cherry tomatoes, aji amarillo dressing, basil, and balsamic reduction. The fluke was very tasty, fresh, and marinated well, however the fish was served as large chunks which is kind of weird for this kind of dish. The quinoa was fine, but not too memorable.

The next table was The Hurricane Steak and Sushi that had a cool smoking jug of a cocktail called Dark & Stormy made with ginger beer, Gosling's, and kalamansi. This was probably my favorite drink of the night. The chef, Craig Koketsu, also offered a chili lobster roll which was quite enjoyable and plentiful. I don't think I've ever had a lobster roll I didn't like, and this was no exception. I have to admit I was surprised to have liked this table as much as I did considering my one time experience dining there about a year ago was just eh. I know they are known for their cocktails, so it was not surprising that showed this off.

SD26 was next with Matteo Bergamini, the Executive Chef, serving Pappa col Pomodoro and roasted rosemary scented porchetta served with country bread. The Pappa col Pomodoro is a super chunky tomato and basil soup with Tuscan bread chunks in it. This was very good with fresh tomatoes, and not served too hot which was important considering the heat. The porchetta was fine. Really nothing special, except it was served with a scrumptious piece of crispy skin that I only let myself take one bite of (serious self control, thank you very much).

Hello friend.

Hanjan was next, which I was excited for since this place has been on my list for a bit. Hooni Kim, the Chef, served soft tofu with perilla vinaigrette and salmon sashimi with spicy chojang salad. I really did not care for the tofu. It was way too soft and texturally it just was not working for me. However the sashimi was awesome and they provided a nice sized portion. Super fresh and paired well with the salad. I am still intrigued to try more at the restaurant, but definitely not of the tofu.

So, obviously I was excited to see what NoMad had to offer, considering the unbelievable meal I had there about a year ago, and they did not let me down. Their roasted corn salad with smoked tomato and basil topped with corn foam was unreal. I know what you're thinking, corn was the best thing you ate all night? Yes, yes it was. It was just so crispy and savory and the foam provided a nice textural balance. I probably could have had five of these, but I held off since I was only on the sixth station. However I did scrape the bottom of the cup for every last kernel. YUM.

The next station was from Maialino. Their team included Executive Chef Nicholas Anderer, Pastry Chef Rachel Binder, and Chef de Cuisine Jason Pfeifer. They served up housemade bresaola with parmasean, arugula, and mustard vinaigrette and then olive oil cupcakes with marscapone and fresh blackberries. I was underwhelmed by the bresaola, it was basically a rolled up piece of cured meat. Not saying I hate that, but compared to the other offerings, I think they could have stepped it up. However, the cupcakes were full sized, moist, not too sweet, and well balanced. I actually ended up splitting one with the random guy I met at the high tables that were placed around the area, and we both agreed they were very good.

Blue Smoke was up next. Executive Chef Kenny Callaghan presented pork belly "PB&J" which was braised heritage pork belly with jalapeno jelly and peanut sauce. I loved this. I thought it was a cute concept and the flavors came together really well. The jelly was slightly sweet, but with a kick from the jalapeno. The pork was tender and delicious. They also served mini chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, but I did not try them.

The next table was my Portland favorite, Stumptown Coffee Roasters! While I should have been downing the many boozy cocktail options, I decided to break for a fantastic iced coffee. Love this place.

Next is another table I couldn't wait to check out - Eleven Madison Park. You might remember that I recently had an extravagant meal here, and was excited to see that the Pastry Chef, Angela Pinkerton, was actually there serving up sassafras floats with roasted banana ice cream. I said hello (not knowing who she was) and mentioned that I just dined at EMP and she asked if I liked the ice cream when I was there. I said, in fact I LOVED the ice cream and described why. The way she was smiling and nodding tipped me off and I realized it was her. Pretty cool to be able to express to her directly that I was a fan. Anyways, the float was awesome, of course, and super refreshing on this extremely hot day. Two thumbs up and my favorite dessert of the night (unfortunately my photo does not do it justice).

I checked out the Junoon table next, which had their team of Executive Chef Vikas Khanna, Culinary Creative Director Aliya LeeKong, and Chef de Cuisine Adin Langille. They served up watermelon shooters made with kaffir lime, ginger, and green chili basil seeds as well as octopus chaat made with confit octopus, kachumber salad and tamarind chutney. I did not try the watermelon shooter, but the octopus was awesome. Perfectly cooked and great flavor from the confit. One of the top dishes I tried.

I stopped by a tequila table on my way to the other side of the park to try a special cocktail that was made with grapefruit and had a smokey flavor. Very nice.

I noticed this other side of the park was not nearly filled with the caliber of restaurants that I had just visited, however I clearly had to check it all out. It is important to note that I am pretty full at this point and had to be really selective with what I was going for.

First I saw Hill Country Chicken. Executive Chef Elizabeth Karmel and Executive Pitmaster Charles Grund Jr. were serving Hill Country chicken classic drumettes with pimento cheese grits and mini sour cream coffee cake. I had to pass on the drumettes since they were so fried and heavy. The coffee cakes were individually wrapped, so I grabbed one for a later time.

Right next door was Hill Country Barbecue (with the same team), offering post-oak smoked brisket and cool as a cucumber salad. Now I have had the Hill Country brisket before and thoroughly enjoyed it, however this brisket was dry and very flavorful. The cucumbers were also just plain and not exciting. I took one bite and moved on.

Manzanilla is a place I have been wanting to try, and they had Chef Dani Garcia serving up steamed up brioche buns with pulled oxtail, mushroom, and kale. They were topped with an oxtail mayo made from oxtail reduction. He also presented a creamy Spanish vanilla rice pudding. The brioche bun was super soft, kind of like a steamed pork bun, and the pulled oxtail was good. The oxtail mayo was very interesting, however the blob on top was too much and sort of took over the whole thing. The rice pudding was super creamy and really delicious. I am intrigued and still would like to try this spot at another time.

I have been to the Boqueria in Soho, so I figured they would have something good to try. Executive Chef Marc Vidal served grilled baby squid with romensco sauce, fava beans, mint, and frisee. Separately, there was watermelon gazpacho with mint. I liked the squid, as I normally love a good grilled squid, and the gazpacho was wonderful too. Refreshing and even had a slight kick.

Ilili Restaurant brought out a large team with Executive Chef Philippe Masoud, Pastry Chef Matthew O'Haver, Chef de Cuisine Brandon Hicks, and Chef de Cuisine John Shim. They turned out lamb belly with octopus and salsa verde on country bread. They also had a Lebanese cookie with mulberry fluff topped with pistachio fudge. The lamb belly was served on this huge piece of bread and was so difficult to eat. Since I was nearing bursting status, I gave up and tried the cookie instead. Loved this. Such an interesting blend of flavors with the tarty mulberry fluff and the sweet thick pistachio fudge. I could only manage two bites though since I still had a few more stations to hit up.

I have actually never heard of The Cannibal, but Executive Chef Francis Derby put put two nice plates together of lamb and aged goat cheese sausage with snap peas and a pate with special mustard. The pate was fine, but nothing to write home about. The lamb sausage, however, was super tasty. It was pretty greasy so I only took a bite, but the snap peas created a nice balance.

Towards the end of my loop was L&W Oyster Co. with Chef Jason Weiner and Chef de Cuisine David Belknap. I tried their Montauk pearl oysters with cucumber-sake granita. Very good and refreshing.

My stomach was pretty much at max capacity at this point so I decided this was a good time to call it quits. If you're thinking "holy crap this girl can eat," well that's not untrue, but know that I mostly tasted everything I described rather than devouring the entire dish. Anyways, overall, it was a great experience. So many fantastic restaurants were represented (many I have been to, but some I will now keep in mind for future visits) along with their Executive Chefs which was really cool. Major themes of the night - watermelon, gazpacho, cucumber, and quinoa! Thank god most stations were smart about providing only refreshing food and drink since the heat was a major issue. Also, they had some nice musical entertainment.

A pleasant evening all around and I'm so happy I was able to partake in this event!