Restaurant Review: 12 Chairs

Looking to get a little more Israel in our lives, some lady friends and I went to 12 Chairs, a Middle Eastern cafe in Soho. It was empty when we got in around 7pm on a weeknight, but totally full by the time we left, around 8ish. The service definitely could have been better, but the vibe in this place is very casual and it is run by Israelis...so that should explain that.

We ordered Labaneh, which is a yogurt cheese dip with za'atar and olive oil served with pita. It was good, standard Labaneh, homemade, and a nice starter.

I don't see a lot of shakshuka on menus, so I tend to go that route if it is available. And, this would be the place to do it, right? Shakshuka, for those that don't know, is eggs poached in a spicy Moroccan tomato sauce served with bread for dipping. They also served it with Israeli salad. I had asked for my eggs to be over easy, but they came out more than medium and did not run at all, which is the best part. So, while the sauce was pretty good and authentic tasting, I was disappointed about the eggs and not overly impressed.

Left: Shakshuka
Right top: Labaneh
Right bottom: Israeli salad

My friends got the Goat Cheese Salad and the Greek Omelette. I didn't have either of them, but they both seemed content.

Goat cheese salad

Greek omelette

While this was not a mind blowing experience, I would go back to try other menu items, especially to try brunch. It is an easy, quick, casual, and very reasonable spot to grab food in Soho.

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.