Restaurant Review: Lamberts

Meal #2 in Austin had to be BBQ, of course. My hotel is conveniently located 1.5 blocks away from a highly recommended BBQ spot, Lamberts. I walked in and noticed immediately that the bar was full, but to my luck there was another bar upstairs! I snagged the one open seat up there and perused the menu. I received a bar menu and a regular menu. I knew I wanted brisket, so I was between the Oak Smoked Natural Black Angus Brisket served with house pickled escabeche from the regular menu, and the BBQ combo option from the bar menu, including 1 protein + 2 sides. I asked the bartender what she thought and she basically said it was a matter of if I wanted more protein or more sides. I figured I'd go with more sides, so I could try more things, and unbeknownst to me everything on the bar menu was 50% off for happy hour. Go me. So, for $7.58 I got 3 slices of brisket, a side of collard greens, and a side of jicama slaw. I also ordered a beer and asked for a side of cornbread and magically both were gratis (the beer was because the bartender forgot to immediately bring it over and felt bad).

So, the brisket was delicious, as expected. It has blackened edges that is made from the brown sugar and coffee rub, and it is so well seasoned but not overwhelming. The brisket could probably have been a bit more tender, but that may just be my Jewish-style brisket expectations. Also, about 1/3 of each piece was fat, so I was a bit disappointed in how much of the portion I could not (or did not want to) eat. The collard greens were pretty good. They were made with some kind of pork product, naturally, and cooked long and well. The jicama slaw was made with red cabbage, carrots, and ugh, cilantro. I didn't realize when I ordered! I managed to pick the big pieces out, making it tolerable. Aside from the cilantro, the slaw was great. Light, crisp, and had a nice vinegar dressing. It was a great compliment to the rest of the meal. The cornbread was served as mini muffins, which was cute. You could see the bits of corn and jalapeno in it, which shows the homemade-ness. Pretty good, but I think I've had better.

Overall, not bad. I have to say though, I was expecting to be blown away by my first true Texas BBQ experience, but I guess I will have to keep searching (or just go to BrisketTown in BK).

Restaurant Review: Mulberry

I am in Austin, TX for a quick work trip (sans car). Girl has got to eat, so I did some quick research to see what was in walking distance from my hotel, the W Austin, located downtown. I found Mulberry on top of a few "best brunch in Austin" lists, so I decided to check it out. I think it is important to note that I was dining lonesies, so I appreciate a bar type seating area, which Mulberry had. This not only minimized the awkwardness, but also provided for extremely quick and attentive service, which is always appreciated. They did have a nice set up outside, but oh my lord it was close to 100 degrees. Only true Texans would choose to eat outside in that kind of heat. Anyways, the food. I ordered the Poached Eggs with spicy calabrese salami on toast and hollandaise on the side. I also opted for a $3 mimosa, which by quick glance seemed to be the fan favorite.

The mimosa was perfect - fresh squeezed OJ and heavy on the champagne. Can't really ask for more than that. And $3!? Yes please. The eggs were pretty good. Honestly, this dish was nothing new. Just good eggs, with good salami, and good toast. I probably should have ordered a side or something, because I definitely wasn't full, but I got all thrown off by not having anyone to share with me so I didn't really think about it when initially ordering.

Moral of the story is that I was satisfied, but not full, soooo... I went to get some fro yo down the street afterwards! Problem solved.

Restaurant Review: Forcella

I went to Forcella on Park Ave (at 27th st) with 2 of my dearest friends. I have to say that we a really great experience. The restaurant has a nice, updated ambiance, and they had the entire front entrance open, letting fresh air come in. We sat downstairs, and I noticed there was an upstairs section too, but I am not sure how big it is. We had very attentive waiters and everyone was extremely friendly. Very pleased with the service.

So, we decided to order a few things and split it: Insalata di Spinaci e Fragole, the Salame Piccante Classic Pizza, and the Decumani Signature Pizza.

The salad came out first. On top of a bed of baby spinach was fresh strawberries, poppy seeds, and  toasted almonds. We asked for the strawberry dressing on the side, but it actually came dressed. The only "slip" of the night. However, it was dressed well so I have no complaints. I thought it was a tasty, refreshing summer salad and a great starter.

Then our pizzas came out at the same time. The Salame Piccante was made with tomato sauce, homemade mozz, spicy salami, parm, and fresh basil. I thought it was very good with fresh ingredients and a good crust. The Decumani was made with Bufala mozz, truffle oil, arugula, and shaved pecorino. This one was cheesy with just the right amount of truffle, and then topped with arugula for some fresh added crunch. They were both thin crust and personal size, so I'm glad we ordered two.

We declined dessert, but then the waitress came back with Angioletti Alla Nutella on the house! Pretty random, but hey I'll take it. This dish was fried strips of pizza dough with Nutella drizzled on top, powdered sugar, and a few strawberries as garnish. We all enjoyed this sweet surprise.

The entire dinner only cost $20 per person, so it was very reasonable. And, my friend just pointed out that it is on Savored.com (saves you up to 30% on the entire bill), so I will be using that to book a res when I return!

Restaurant Review: Go Burger

In looking for a quick bite close to home, Jeremy and I decided to finally try Go Burger, on 2nd Ave near 76th St. This is ESquared Hospitality Group's (all of the BLT restaurants) "casual" burger spot. We got to sit outside, which was a huge plus. Except, you have to remember that this is right on 2nd Ave and it can get a bit noisy. Also, we sort of were forgotten about out there, as it took longer than it should have for our waitress come back to check on us and give us the bill at the end. Nonetheless, it was nice.

We were starving and decided to start with the Spinach & Artichoke Dip served with tortilla chips. Pretty standard spin dip if you ask me, nothing amazing but just fine. Then we each ordered a burger. Jeremy got The SMASHED Burger, which is a hand-smashed burger with onions, and topped with American cheese. He reports that everything was delicious and cooked just how he asked, medium rare. I ordered the Miso Hungry burger, topped with tempura red onion rings, soy mushrooms, jack cheese, and miso Russian dressing. It was an interesting combination that I enjoyed. I asked for it to be cooked medium, and it was probably more medium rare, but I was ok with it. The tempura onions on top were a nice textural addition and gave the burger some crunch, and were also tasty! The soy mushrooms were interesting. Not bad, but I could probably do without them next time. The bun was great. It had a nice outer crust and then soft on the inside. We also ordered a side of waffle fries which were crispy and delicious. I LOVE fries, and these were definitely approved by me.

Just a note for those that may try this place, the Custom Built Burgers section is a rip off. They start the plain burger with a bun and lettuce at $9, and then all add-ons are $1-$2 each. The pre-made burger selections average $9-$10, so it really doesn't make much sense not to just pick one of those (and even make a few substitutions). I guess if you really have a specific combination in mind, go for it!

All in all, not our healthiest meal option, but everything was great and we will definitely be back for a good, quick, neighborhood burger.

Restaurant Review: Red Egg

So I feel the need to preface this review by revealing my drunk state while dining at Red Egg. I would say I was tipsy, because one should be after 2 beers, but when you combine those 2 beers with no food and well, me, then you get a drunk me. So Jeremy and I roll in and I have to say it was crickets. There were other people dining at the time, but the way the tables are set up makes it feel empty. So noise level was super low which is great, but overall ambiance was eh. Anyway, we sat down and ordered up a storm (I should mention here that we had a voucher for 10 items from the dim sum menu + a bottle of wine).

We ordered: Steamed Pork & Shrimp Shumai, Steamed Shrimp Stuffed Tofu, Steamed Fish Balls, Steamed Roast Pork Buns, Pork Dumplings, Red Egg's Shrimp Dumplings, Crispy Seafood Dumplings, Grilled Beef Skewers, Crispy Shrimp Rolls, and Garlic Spare Ribs. If you are thinking, wow that is a shit ton of food, then you, sir, are correct.

So, we are at this two seater table that is not by any means large, and the food just keeps acomin'. I can't say the service was not on point, but I mean, if you see that we literally cannot fit a single additional dumpling on the table at the moment, perhaps you should hold up on the rest of our order. I literally had to tell them to hold off on a few dishes because it was overwhelming! So, the food was alright. Because I was drunk (don't forget about the mediocre-at-best bottle of red!), I couldn't possibly remember the details of each dish. I barely knew what I was even eating because it all happened so fast!

A few standouts: we did NOT like the Garlic Spare Ribs. Chewy, fatty and fried. It just was not appetizing. All of the dumplings were good, but again I couldn't really tell them apart. I do recall enjoying the Steamed Pork Buns, but who wouldn't? Also, the Steamed Shrimp Stuffed Tofu was a super interesting texture- kind of creamy/custardy. That sounds gross, but I didn't hate it! 

Here are some photos from the adventure, though I cannot identify much:

Overall, I give it an "eh." It accomplished the current goal of "get food in my belly," but I know there are a zillion other Chinese places in NYC to check out, and I will be doing just that.

Restaurant Review: Koi

Koi is a high end Japanese restaurant located in the Bryant Park Hotel, across from Bryant Park (though there are other locations). I have actually been here two other times in the past 4 years, but my friends wanted to go and I have had good experiences, so why not? The restaurant has a nice ambiance, very trendy and sophisticated. We sat in a semi-circle booth, so it was good for a larger group, as we were a party of 7. We were all pretty much splitting everything, so we ordered up a storm!

Koi Crispy Rice, topped with spicy tuna tartare and jalapeno, is by far their most popular starter. We were able to add additional pieces to the order to ensure there was enough for everyone, which was great. Yummy spicy tuna sits on top of dense rice molded into a sushi-style block. Somehow they make the rice crispy and delicious. I don't know what they do, but I know that I love it and will always order this (if I ever make it back).

Photo credit: Lauren Mandel

We ordered a side of Roasted Shishito Peppers, which were fine. Slightly blackened and soft, but did not really add much to the meal for me.

We were told by a previous patron that the Spicy Rock Shrimp Tempura Hand Roll was the best thing on the menu, so we ordered one and each took a bite. It was quite delicious, with lightly battered shrimp and something creamy that I definitely did not hate.

The Spicy Seared Albacore was served with crispy red onions and ponzu sauce. I had a taste of this, and it was good. Not too memorable, but I did like how the crispy red onions gave the soft albacore some texture.

I loved the Edamame Dumplings served with lobster and mushrooms in a mirin broth. The dumplings were soft and perfectly cooked, with a creamy edamame texture inside. The lobster was great, as lobster with anything is usually great. The mirin broth made the mushrooms sort of tangy in a super tasty way. I would definitely order this again.

Photo credit: Lauren Mandel

The Kobe Style Potstickers were lightly browned, not greasy, and served with a ponzu dipping sauce. I found this dish very tasty, but I have to say that texturally it was a little odd. The kobe beef was a little more dense than the average potsticker filling, so the beef separated from the wonton once you cut it or took a bite. Again, still tasted good, but just noticed the difference from most other potstickers I have had.

Next up is the Grilled Tiger Prawns, served with pearl onions, sweet potatoes and a kumquat glaze. These were fine. Shrimp is my favorite protein, so naturally I enjoyed them, but I would not say there was anything special about the way the prawns were prepared. However, the side "stuff" of pearl onions and sweet potatoes was very good (the plate was cleaned by the end).

Photo credit: Lauren Mandel

The Steamed Chilean Sea Bass, with ginger and shiitake mushrooms, was excellently prepared. The fish was sliced thinly and practically melted in your mouth. Sea bass is one of my favorites types of fish, and this did not disappoint. The sauce and mushrooms accompanied the fish well and created a well balanced dish.

Photo credit: Lauren Mandel

One of the top dishes was the Spiced Braised Short Ribs with a plum wine reduction and wasabi cauliflower purée. The short ribs were tender and flavorful, and each piece sat on top of a creamy cauliflower puree. The presentation was also lovely. This was one of the more "hearty" dishes we ordered, therefore the most fulfilling.

Photo credit: Alicia Dreher

Overall, I had a great meal. It's also better to go with a large group and order many dishes to try. The service was fine and most dishes were above average. Since it ain't cheap, I will not be going frequently, but would highly recommend it for a date, group, or even work related dining experience.

Restaurant Review: Rosa Mexicano

Tonight I dined at Rosa Mexicano for the first time, at the 18th St location. The space is very nice, and quite large. We sat in the back section that is under a large glass ceiling, allowing for natural light. It makes the space feel open and inviting. I noticed that while there were a lot of tables with many people at them, it was actually not too loud. I also noticed they have several large round tables available, which is always great for large groups. Everyone loves a good round table!

So for the food. We started with their famous guac, naturally. They roll over this big cart containing avocados and dishes of onions, tomatoes, cilantro (gross, and I forgot to tell them to leave it out), limes, etc. They mush it all together in front of you with a mortar and pestle. This guac was delicious! Even after I tried to pick out the cilantro. It really was one of the best I've had - super fresh, smooth, and tasty. For my entree, I ordered the Pescado/Baja Fish Tacos, but since it came with fried fish, I asked to substitute for the Pescado Pibil/Grilled Fish “Skillet Style.” It was marinated in achiote, orange and garlic and nicely cooked, with caramelized edges, and served right in the mini skillet. They topped the fish with habanero-lime marinated onions that were crunchy and a bit tangy, but paired well. To make my taco, they provided small soft tortillas, the creamiest blended black bean mixture, sweet corn, and rice. I wrapped up a few of these and was stuffed!

I usually enjoy a good fish taco, and this time was no exception. We had good service, good food, and good atmosphere. I would definitely go back, especially with a bigger group.