GabandGobble

Snapple Big Apple BBQ Party!

2009-06-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

New York restaurants are known for lots of things, but great bbq isn't one of them. That's why I jumped at the chance to attend the Big Apple BBQ party at Madison Square Park yesterday, where pitmasters from all over the nation brought their talents to a city notably lacking in them.

Upon arrival at 11 a.m. sharp, we got right down to business--headed straight for the following pitmasters: Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q for his famed pulled pork shoulder, Ed Mitchell of The Pit for his whole hog cooking spectacle, Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar & Grill for his baby back ribs, and Michael Rodriguez of The Salt Lick BBQ for his beef brisket and sausage.

A few representative pictures of the stands:

We first passed by Mike Mills' stand on our journey, and the line wasn't too bad, so we split up, joining the queue for ribs while I made my way down to The Salt Lick BBQ, whose line was considerably longer. The wait wasn't bad at all, approximately 15-20 minutes before we got our plates. It was a little sad, the Blue Smoke stand was completely ignored, and the workers really had to hustle for business, even going up to people in line for The Salt Lick BBQ and literally bringing them plates and change before walking all the way back to their registers. After our tag-team efforts, we had 6 plates of delicious bbq to try amongst the three of us.

Check out pictures of the brisket and scrumptious sausage!

The picnic tables were already in use, so we decided to just stand and eat our bbq alongside an awning of an office building. I have to say, the beef brisket was really dry and didn't have much taste. Maybe I had to douse it in extra sauce to get it to taste good, but really, shouldn't the beef speak for itself? The sausage, on the other hand, was simply delicious--thick and meaty, not too salty, what a satisfying savory snack!

Next up were the ribs...and again, I was a little underwhelmed! Maybe I like sweeter, juicier ribs, but the marinade was more on the salty, vinegary side. It tasted better on top, where there was more sauce, but again, shouldn't the meat taste good on its own? The baked beans were really good, a little surprising the side was the star of a bbq show...

We were getting a little full at this point, but we only hit up two of the four pitmasters on our list, so after digesting for a few minutes, we made our way down 26th St. Soon we saw the massive line for Chris Lilly, the longest one in the whole festival, and patiently made our way down to get our pork shoulder. Although the line was long, it was a lot of fun watching other pitmasters tending to their bbq and really hacking the tender pork meat with meat cleavers:

A picture of the huddled masses waiting for pork shoulder:

The holy grail!

I really didn't have high expectations for the shoulder, since the other two previous plates were a bit of a disappointment. But this pork shoulder was actually really good. On its own, the meat was extremely tender and flavorful, and the little bits of char gave it a smokey and crispy kick and texture, and the bbq sauce lent the perfect amount of sweetness. If you missed this year's event, definitely plan on visiting Chris Lilly's stand for next year! I wish I had filled up on two plates of this shoulder rather than on the brisket and ribs.

We were too full to get a plate of Ed Mitchell's wonderful pork. It was quite a spectacle, seeing his staff get to work on a huge pig. 4 of them were literally digging through the body of the pig, tossing out bones, fat and other parts to leave only pure, edible meat. I got a kick out of seeing them lift off the thick, crispy cooked skin in whole, which they served out samples of to the public. I really wanted to try it, my heart was saying yes, but my body was saying no!

We strolled through the actual park, where vendors and sponsors had set up stands to give free samples of their products. Edy's was giving away samples of its slow churned ice cream; the cookies and cream I had was a sweet end to all the fatty, smokey goodness that I had devoured today. And random celebrity sighting--OxiClean was a sponsor, and Billy Mays, the product spokesperson, was there for pictures!!

All in all, totally worth your while if you come early knowing exactly what you want (which is pork shoulder and whole hog, nothing else!). A perfect block party that brought the city together for an afternoon of bbq deliciousness!

Perry St--Fun on the Westside

2008-08-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

Imagine if Patrick Bateman, the serial killer of American Psycho, opened a restaurant in New York. What would it look like? It would probably be very modern and very minimalist to accommodate his OCD-like obsessions of daily rituals and behaviors. It would have to be decked out with a central bar with elaborate flasks of expensive brandy and gin to showcase his impeccable tastes and penchant for entertaining. And it would have to be very zen-like in atmosphere so that he can meditate before going to for the next kill.

So what I'm trying to say is that Perry St. feels like a restaurant that Patrick Bateman would run and operate. It's very beautiful to look at but not exactly warm and inviting. You appreciate how everything is perfectly coordinated, but you're a little afraid to mess things up and self-consciously feel the eyes of the rigid staff burning a hole in your back. It's a little bit of an uneasy experience.

I went to Perry St. for Restaurant Week and also for my sister's bday dinner. Each time, the staff was very polite and a little aloof. Unless you sit at one of the booths, the tables are a little cramped for parties bigger than two, so you start making a concerted effort to avoid knocking things down and making all the plates fit. The two senior citizen couples sitting next to us complained about the table size to the hostess, so it wasn't just my imagination.

The appetizers are a little hit or miss. The crispy calamari was crunchy and delicious, and the creamy yuzu dipping sauce (yuzu is apparently a japanese citrus fruit, I had no idea such a fruit existed) was perfect. The sauteed shrimp was also excellent, the texture of the herbs and the sauce was a great combination. The sashimi was just ok and a bit meager in portion size.

During Restaurant Week they served a chicken, which was probably one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. It was similar to the Red Cat's style, where the skin was perfectly crisp, almost as if the outer layer had been fried, while the interior was very moist and tender. Too bad they didn't have it during the birthday dinner, I had to settle for the steamed red snapper with a balsamic sauce and mashed potatoes. Don't get me wrong, the red snapper was very good, but the chicken was more soulful and more memorable. My sister and my dad had ordered the beef tenderloin served in a liquid gruyere sauce and a side of spinach. I had read great things about this beef but according to them, it was just whatever, they'd choose BLT Prime over this dish any time. BLT's prices were comparable, the portions were bigger at BLT, and the steaks were tastier, so I can definitely see their point.

Again, the desserts are a hit or miss. Anything chocolate related is amazing, but the cherries jubilee dessert I had was disgusting, it was this mess of maraschino cherries and white chocolate. You're better off grabbing a cupcake or soft serve somewhere else.

(Photos courtesy of nymag.com)

Perry St.
176 Perry St. (West Side Highway)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: High End Asian Fusion
Prices: $19-$36 for entrees, $11-$18 for appetizers, $9-$10 for desserts
Summary: Fusion Asian in a very sophisticated but aloof atmosphere; too bad the food isn't a little tastier to lend the place some soul.

Out of Towner: San Francisco

2008-08-29T04:46:00.000-07:00

When it comes to other cities' foods, New Yorkers can get a little snobby. We're always saying obnoxious things like, "Oh, it's not as good as New York," and finishing the meal in distaste and contempt.

And yes, I tend to compare everything to New York and am guilty of this food bias as well. But cities like San Francisco definitely give New York a run for its money for tasty, fresh food (after all, the greenmarket movement is HUGE in SF and probably originated here), so this blog is dedicated to some of the memorable meals I've had there.

Papalote on 24th Street
3409 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 970 8815

Papalote is located in the Mission, which is basically San Francisco's equivalent of the Lower East Side. You'll see hipsters with facial hair and hats hanging out instead of working in the middle of the day (must be nice!). The place is colorful and kitschy, there are random dragons hanging from the ceiling. I had a great, inexpensive fish taco there, which was served with crunchy nachos--wish it were nearby so that I can try the other menu items!

Out the Door
1 Ferry Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 861 8032

I had heard great things about Slanted Door, a Vietnamese/Asian Fusion restaurant located in the Ferry Plaza in SF. The Ferry Plaza is great; it's this gigantic, clean and sparkling indoor marketplace with lots of great restaurants and food/gourmet shops. I read that it's hard to get a table and it's usually occupied with high-powered business types during the day, so I opted for the cheaper, take-out version Out the Door. I ordered this crispy, juicy duck with an amazing side of salad and fresh fruit. New York's Vietnamese food is pretty bad, so maybe there was a low bar to clear, but Out the Door's fare was a home run. There's nothing like it in New York, you just have the oily (but yummy and very frequented) Saigon Grill and some bland pho/bun places randomly dotting Chinatown and Seamless Web. I'd welcome Out the Door to my front door any day!

Colibri
438 Geary St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 440 2737

Everyone raves that California's Mexican food is so much better than anywhere else. I grew up in Southern California, but I never went for the authentic taco trucks, I was a big fan of those chicken mayonnaise tacos from Del Taco and of course, that awesome Grade Z meat nonsense from Taco Bell. My family always ate out at chains like El Torito and Mazatlan but never those hole-in-the-wall treasures that you're supposed to go to. Since I got my taco fix at Papalote, I needed to end the Mexican food day with some guac. I am obsessed with guacamole, I'm a big fan of Dos Caminos, so I had really high expectations for Colibri's, supposedly a restaurant that serves the best guacamole in SF (according to yelp and chowhound). Eh, it was ok. I definitely like the guac at Dos Caminos better, maybe it's the lemon juice and salt ratio that they use that gives it that memorable flavor, or maybe I'm not used to the fresh, unadulterated avocados of California and my taste buds are messed up? But Colibri was just ok. I ordered a random fish dish because I felt bad about just ordering guac. But really, the fish was an afterthought, I came for the guac and it sorta let me down. But that was the only disappointing food experience in San Francisco, everything else was so fresh and so clean clean.

BLT Prime Time

2008-08-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a steak person. Whenever I go to a Del Frisco's, Strip House or Wolfgang's, I always seem to order either a sirloin steak or filet mignon, cooked medium, usually with a nice char around the meat for the sirloin, and it all seems to taste the same. Granted, it's tasty and I totally appreciate that, but it's not like that piece of steak is the most fabulous, amazing thing I've ever had in my life. For the price I'm paying for that steak ($40+ at least!), you would think that you deserved a little piece of heaven on a plate, but I just never felt that way about the steaks I've had. In fact, I might even say that I found the sides more memorable--have you ever had the incredible and decadent crisp goose fat potatoes at Strip House? Now talk about heaven on a plate!!

But I think I now know why I've had a lukewarm reception to steak. I just haven't had the right cut. And now I know what my meat soulmate is--hanger steak. Yes, that humble, a bit stringy meat that resembles fajita meat. It's definitely cheaper than all the other strip steak, prime ribs, rib eye and other cuts on the menu at any restaurant. I'm not sure why, it's much more flavorful than the lean but bland filet mignon, but not too rich and fatty-tasting like the rib eye. And it's very tender too, the knife cuts right through it and if you melt some butter over it and eat it pure without any sauce, it's literally the most fantastic thing ever. I hope the restaurants never catch on that there might be more hanger steak fanatics out there, I'm definitely a convert and would be heartbroken if the best bang-for-your buck steak item suddenly doubles in price when management discovers this pricing inefficiency.

I've been to BLT Prime several times to satiate out-of-town guests who want to experience the extravagance of the NY steakhouse experience. Where else can you walk into a restaurant and see meats aged for 2-3 weeks on display in a glass room?? (Vegetarians should avert their eyes).

I've tried the filet, strip, rib eye and hanger, and the hanger knocked all of them out of the park. Of course, if you want more of the masculine, meaty steak experience, where the steaks are a little dryer than the hanger and get more of their flavor from marbled, juicy fats and delicious sauces, then the strip and rib eye are definitely for you. If you're watching your figure, I guess the filet is a great choice, but it's not a very soulful or memorable piece you're going to be chewing on.

I would say the sides here are very good, but they aren't decadently good in the way that Strip House's goosefat potatoes are. The leek hash browns had a nice golden crust on the outside, just how like a good hash brown should! I tried the baked potato skins, which were slathered in cheddar and bacon and was a little too salty and rich for my tastes. The seasonal creamed corn and truffles weren't my thing either, I think I like the lowest common denominator creamed corn that resembles the buttery stuff out of a can, so I probably couldn't appreciate Toroundel's delicate and more subtle creamed corn, but oh well, that's how I feel about it. The creamed spinach was also pretty good, but again, Strip House and even Wolfgang's was probably a teeny better.

Dessert is pretty awesome for a steak house. BLT Prime offers more than just the proverbial chocolate cake and ice cream. The strawberry sundae is a superb concoction of ice cream and delicious nuggets of short cake in a tall cup. We also had the seasonal specials of delicious huckleberry crumble and panna cotta and peach melba and ice cream, both of which made good use of glorious, seasonal fruits and creamy, lucious complements.

What didn't I like about BLT Prime? For starters, the staff can get a little aggressive in pushing all these other menu items on you so that you'll rack up a higher bill. They're pretty obvious about it, maybe it was just coincidence that several waiters used this approach, but it was slightly annoying. And food comes out really fast, and the waiters pounce on you to clean up your plates quickly too, even on a slow day where the table turnover isn't especially high. And the clientele isn't too diverse, it's made up of business types mostly, along with couples and some families. But with such glorious hanger steaks and crisp, warm popovers up its sleeve, BLT Prime can get by with these kinks in its otherwise magnificent steak machine.

(Pictures courtesy of nytimes.com, flickr.com, and nyjournal.squarespace.com)

BLT Prime
111 E. 22nd St. (Park Avenue and Lexington)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***** for the hanger steak, ***1/2 for other steaks and sides
Style: High End Casual American
Prices: $26 for the fabulous hanger steak, $40+ for other cuts; sides are $8-$9; desserts are $10; appetizers range from $10-$27
Summary: BLT serves steaks in their prime, especially if it's a hanger steak! Their steaks are a cut above the rest.

The Greatness of Gramercy Tavern

2008-02-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt that NYC is a fabulous culinary wonderland. There are so many restaurants competing for demanding, discriminating palates, that there are plenty of opportunities for memorable dishes and dining experiences.

But I think I finally found "The One," as in my Favorite Restaurant in the city. And it's hard, because so many serve awesome food. But Gramercy Tavern is just so good that it stood out as The One that is the best. Usually most NYC restaurant are pretty solid, they might slip up in an appetizer or dessert, but Gramercy Tavern was firing on all cylinders. Every single dish was just so good. They've perfected the art of comforting yet complex American style cooking like no other!

In addition to the food, the service was great. The staff wasn't all snobby and full of attitude, they were very warm and friendly, very much service with a smile oriented like the good old American way. I would say the crowd was a little older, probably the youngest people were in their late 20s, but it wasn't like a business power dinner crowd or anything like that. People were dressed nicely but casually and the vibe was very comfortable.

You have the option of either choosing a tasting menu, a vegetarian tasting menu, or ordering a la carte an appetizer, entree and dessert. We went for the a la carte option and ordered the the smoke trout and handmade pappardelle for appetizers and the rack of pork & braised belly and striped bass for entrees. Wow, the smoked trout blew my mind, the fish had this great subtle smoked flavor yet still managed to have a great fillet-like texture (as opposed to a gelatinous form that something like smoked salmon sometimes assumes). I could seriously have this for lunch or dinner everyday. The pappardelle was amazing as well, the pasta was nice and chewy without being too al dente, and the delicious ragu just melted all over the noodles. I loved the striped bass as well, the fish was warm and the outside was light and crisp, yet the meat inside was flavorful without being too salty or spiced up and the delicious flakey chunks were heavenly. The pork was sinfully succulent--not a bad word to say about anything here!

And of course, the dessert was amazing!! The warm chocolate bread pudding with cacao nib ice cream was out of this world. It was just the most perfect chocolate dessert ever--just warm, oozing with delicious ribbons of chocolate, a dish that conjures up those memories of childhood enjoying the simple pleasures of pudding. The Grand Marnier marscapone cheesecake was delicious as well, the hint of citrus flavors was fabulous with the delicious rich creaminess. And to top it all off--they gave us a complimentary third dessert of the delicious apple tarte tartin with sour ice cream, just because we were curious about it and couldn't decide!! Wow, how could you not pick this restaurant as the best restaurant in NYC?? Just excellent on all levels. You'd be stupid not to have dinner here, fight for your reservation now. Fantastic. The best food coma of my quarter life existence.

(Pictures courtesy of www.nymag.com)

Gramercy Tavern
42 E. 20th St. (Park Avenue South and Broadway)
Rating (out of 5 stars):*****
Style: High End Casual American
Prices: $82 for a la carte, $110 for tasting menu ($88 for vegetarian)
Summary: Perfection in fine American style food--the buck stops here.

A Little Bit of East Village in the Upper East Side

2008-01-25T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ever since Saigon Grill indefinitely shut down its Upper East Side operations, I've always complained about how the UES lacks great value Asian food. There's always Wu Liang Ye and Ooki Sushi, but it's nothing like the East Village, where you have so many options for comfort Asian food all around you.

But it's like God answered my prayers, because literally, mere seconds away from my apartment, opens up this Japanese restaurant called Naruto Ramen. An authentic Japanese place, too, along the likes of Rai Rai Ken and Setagaya, not like that Teriyaki Boy or those other commercial sushi places on 2nd Ave.

The space is small but warm. You sit down on stools along the bar while the chefs cook their food right in front of you. The ramen is so satisfying on a cold winter day...you have the option of the Naruto Ramen, the Miso Ramen and the Curry Ramen. I usually get the Naruto, because I think the soup is soy based, and I like my broth to be light, whereas the miso tastes a little heavier and spicier, and I'm sure the curry is the worst so I steer clear of it. The noodles are the right fresh chewy consistency, I wish they would just give some more! They also sorta skimp on the pork, nobody's as generous as Momofuku, but it's ok, you can supplement your meal with some very tasty gyoza, chicken teriyaki, fried rice or karage (fried chicken). They are all very solid and hit the spot. When my sister visits me on her breaks, she eats here almost every day, has tried all these items and hasn't stopped since!

I'm so happy that I don't have to take the 4/5 all the way to Astor Pl and wait so long when I have random fresh ramen cravings (which is pretty often!!) It's like I never have to step foot in the East Village ever again--although I don't think Naruto has pork buns on their menu, yum...

Naruto Ramen
596 3rd Ave. (between 89th and 90th)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Fast Japanese
Prices: $10
Summary: A little bit of the East Village ramen joint in the Upper East Side--nothing beats that!!

Good Italian Pickins at Po

2008-01-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

For the past month, since it's been so cold outside, I've been on a home cooking kick. I obtained a free cookbook titled "Rocco's Real-Life Recipes", authored by celebu-chef Rocco DiSpirito of "The Restaurant" fame, tried a few of his recipes and found them to be really simple and tasty! I especially loved his salmon with miso marmalade recipe, who knew that pairing two unlikely ingredients would create something magical??

But I missed eating out in those cute, snug little restaurants in the Village, so I finally decided to brave the cold and try out Po, an Italian restaurant on Cornelia St., right across the street from another fav of mine Pearl Oyster House. I arrived there at 10:30 p.m., and in most cases, it's not that difficult to get a table at 10:30, but no, not at Po. We were told we'd have to wait at least 30 minutes for a table. This is one of the most frustrating and depressing things about living in the city, how competitive it is to get a seat at a somewhat decent place. Even going near midnight doesn't guarantee anything, isn't there something wrong with that?? There were, however, two seats at the bar that were free, so we decided to just take what we could get. (By the way, if you ever want to have a great bar meal experience, go to Sakagura on 43rd and 2nd/3rd Ave., and try their pork belly!!)

While seated, the server brought out two slices of bread topped with a white bean bruschetta. This reminded me of the chickpea bruschetta served at Babbo, so I wondered if there was some sort of connection here, whether this was a Batali restaurant of some sort. Sure enough, he used to be one of the original partners of the restaurant, so I wasn't totally off the mark.

We ordered the linguine vongole (pasta with clams, pancetta, chili and white wine, absolutely delicious) and orecchiette (sweet sausage ragu and broccoli rabe, the sweet sausage ragu tastes like really good Bacos but with the consistency of a salami), both were very solid and I'd order them again. That's definitely a similarity between Po and Babbo--the pasta dishes are great.

We also ordered the polpetta di carne (basically fancy meatballs in cheese and tomato based sauce) as an appetizer, but they were only slightly better than Subway meatballs. Let me tell you, if you want amazing meatballs, try the duck meatballs at A Voce, everything else pales in comparison. I think even Rocco's mother's meatballs were better (which I've had the pleasure of trying at a Safe Horizon benefit). For dessert, we ordered the apple tart, which I believe was the special of the day. It was decent but not memorable.

I liked the atmosphere at Po--again, like Babbo, it was very homey, like you were in someone's nice dining room, but the noise level was a little loud and they played random music like Fergie and Gwen Stefani, which was weird. I definitely liked the pasta and would come back to try some other dishes. I wouldn't say it's the best mind-blowing Italian restaurant I've been to (there are so many great places in NY that serve up similar style dishes), it reminds me of a lot of other good places and definitely meets expectations--you would be guaranteed a solid meal here if you went here.

(Picture courtesy of porestaurant.com)

31 Cornelia St.
212-645-2189 (Bleecker)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Italian
Prices: $10-$18 for pasta dishes, $18+ for meat dishes
Summary: Comforting, familiar Italian dishes in a small, homey but loud atmosphere.

Tapas Heaven at Tia Pol

2007-10-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like there aren't that many restaurants in New York City that serve authentic Spanish tapas, or maybe the ones that do exist don't get much press or aren't that spectacular. Whenever I talk to friends about where they went to eat, tapas is usually never on the agenda. I'm not sure why that is, but I do know that for me personally, the thought of making a dinner out of small plates of chorizos, omelettes and cured ham isn't all that appealing. But the delicious, authentic tapas I tried at Tia Pol (in the heart of Chelsea of all places!) changed my mind on this Spanish tradition completely.

Tia Pol's headquarters is, like a lot of specialized NY restaurants, very small and cozy. The lighting is dim but not in a sleepy, romantic way, more in a lively, lounge-like way, which I liked. So you can come with a date or friends, but keep the party small, because seating is tight. Once when I came here at 6:30 (the restaurant opened at 6) we had to wait an hour for a table, and that was just for a party of two. This time we decided to just take a seat at the bar, which honestly was like seating at a table since everyone was in such close quarters anyways. I would say the crowd here is 30+...people were dressed dressy casual, low key but still presentable. I'm not sure why there wasn't a more diverse group of diners, the prices are reasonable, you don't need to beg for a table and the atmosphere is nice...who knows.

Since we were ordering small plates, we chose five plates to share. From the regular menu, we ordered the patatas bravas (home fries covered in a spicy mayo sauce), txipirones en su tinta (squid in an ink sauce) and esparragos navarros con caviar mujol (white asparagus in a mayo and caviar sauce). From that day's specials, we tried the pinxto de berenjena, which was an eggplant salad topped with marcona almonds and coriander served on grilled bread, and the trucha a la navarra, a whole brook trout served with serrano ham in a crispy garlic vinaigrette seasoning. The picture's a little dark, which is a shame, because the presentation is wonderful.

I wasn't too crazy about the white asparagus, I don't think vegetables should ever taste like they're heavy and bad for you, and with that mayo sauce, I felt like I was just downing chunks of cold fatty stalks. But the presentation was beautiful, the white asparagus was laid out elegantly, and the black caviar was a great contrast, almost like piano keys, very modern and artsy in my book. The squid was ok, I've had better squid elsewhere, like at the Modern and Bouley's Upstairs, for instance, but my boyfriend loved it.

Now let me get to the things you have to try. The spicy home fries were AMAZING. The potatoes were perfectly fried, just crispy and hot all around, and the spicy sauce kicked up the flavor of an otherwise drab, dependable staple. The trout was also fabulous, the fish was presented on a platter, split down its middle so that its fillets were spread like butterfly wings, what an amazing way to plate the food! I don't think the ham on the fish was necessary, so I mostly ate the fish on its own, and the fleshy white meat and oil were perfect together. I was also blown away by the eggplant dish; it was really simple in terms of preparation, but the blend of seasonings was just perfect.

I was really impressed by how Tia Pol elevated familiar food and ingredients to something extremely tasty yet interesting and memorable at the same time. I almost don't want to tell people about Tia Pol because now it'll be even harder to get a seat, but they did open up a sister restaurant nearby called El Quinto Pino on 24th and 9th, so now more people can get their fill of this fabulous tapas meal!

(Picture courtesy of foodcandy.com)

Tia Pol
205 10th Ave.
212-675-8805
(22nd and 23rd)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***

Style: Spanish Tapas
Prices: $5-$18
Summary: The only place in town for memorable Spanish tapas at reasonable prices in a small but lively, lounge-y atmosphere.

Viva Mexicana La Palapa!

2007-10-14T07:02:00.001-07:00

I am absolutely obsessed with guacamole. I don't know how this obsession started over the course of my life, because I used to not even notice guac on the menu when I was growing up and thought avocados were gross, but suddenly in my 20s I've craved it all the time and just can't get enough!

A friend told me that La Palapa served THE BEST guacamole in the city that he's ever tried, so of course, I made my way there for dinner one day. It was about a 15 minute wait for a table, so we decided to hang out at the bar and order a pitcher of sangria to kill some time. Ok, the sangria here is not that great, the color of the drink is this weird shade of Barney purple and it almost tasted like the fruits in the drink were washed in an old smelly washcloth, definitely don't recommend this at all. I only hoped that this wasn't some bad indication of what was to come for the rest of the meal.

I really liked the interior of the restaurant. La palapa means an open-sided, thatched roof dwelling in Spanish, supposedly, and the space was created in this fashion, except without the thatched roof. There were Mexican decorations everywhere, with cats and Incan/Aztec-inspired objects placed in counters and walls. And there are lots of tables and another room out in the back, it's not one of those cramped East Village establishments with 10 tables uncomfortably close to one another. I would say the crowd here is around 30 years and up. There weren't that many people on dates, it was mostly big groups seated around us dressed casually. I remember reading in the Times about how some guy proposed to his girlfriend here, but I don't see why, as the only romantic aspect of this restaurant is the dim lighting, it's really more of a pre-going out dinner place.

Of course, we ordered the guacamole y totopos (totopos means a flat, round corn product, and, sure enough, the waiter brought over soft corn tortillas on the side), and for entrees we tried camarones a la diabla (a spicy shrimp dish served with rice and refried beans) and the arrachera al tequila con jalapenos torreados (a skirt steak dish also servied with rice and beans).

Ok ok, so what about the guac? And the answer is--Dos Caminos guac is better. The guac at La Palapa is still good, but I tasted too much cilantro in it or something, and it's not as smooth as the one at Dos Caminos, a little bit chunky for my taste. However, it did come with three different types of complementary salsa...I forget how each one was made, but one was a darker salsa that tasted like it was made from mole or black beans, the second was I think a mild tomatillo-chile, and the third was a very spicy green salsa dip. I put some guac on a chip and dipped it into the third spicy salsa, and that definitely put my mouth on fire, but in a good way!

The entrees were EXCELLENT, I wasn't expecting much because all I know about the restaurant is the quality of its guac, but my spicy shrimp dish was fantastic, and the skirt steak was so tender, juicy and delicious! The shrimp looked so appetizing, plump and pink and marinated in this rich brown chile sauce, served alongside fluffy rice and cheese-sprinkled beans. Going into it, my mouth was watering, and after I was done, I still wanted more! So glad I didn't go for a traditional taco plate or something along those lines, because I almost went for the fish tacos.

We didn't try dessert, although the offerings of dreamy tres leches cake and crepes sounded amazing, but I was so stuffed from the guac and shrimp, I couldn't fit anything more in my stomach. I'm still so happy from the shrimp I ordered, the entrees here surprised me and exceeded my expectations. The guac and sangria, not so much. Viva La Palapa for its fabulous Mexican dinner dishes!

(Pictures courtesy of NY Magazine and lapalapa.com).

La Palapa
77 St. Mark's Pl., New York, NY 10003
212-777-2537
(St. Mark's Pl. and 1st/2nd Ave.)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***

Style: Mexican
Prices: Appetizers $8-$11, Entrees $15-$20
Summary: When you're sick and tired of Dos Caminos and Rosa Mexicana, but you and a group of friends are still looking to dig into some tasty, authentic-style, moderately priced Mexican dishes in the East Village, come to La Palapa as a better alternative (except for the guac).

Rah Rah Rai Rai Ken!

2007-10-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

So on Friday, the summery weather in NY totally bypassed the crisp cool temperatures of fall and dove headfirst into brisk chilly winter cold. Of course, what better way to beat the cold than to feast on some warm, hearty ramen noodles??

The ramen noodles at Rai Rai Ken in the East Village came highly recommended by friends and coworkers, so I decided to give them a go on this cold night. Much to my chagrin, a line had formed outside the restaurant, but luckily I only had to wait around shivering for 15 minutes. And, once inside, I could see why the turnaround was so quick. The venue, a small and cozy space in which diners were seated on stools around a bar/counter-top table, lent itself to fast food dining rather than a drawn-out meal.

I ordered the pork gyoza dumplings and the house special shio ramen for dinner. The house special ramen, made from a light seafood-based broth, with spinach, bamboo shoots, pork, boiled egg and scallions thrown into the mix, definitely was hearty and filling. But hmm...I've tried the ramen at Momofuku Noodle Bar and Setagaya, both served in a similar way to Rai Rai Ken's, and I have to say I liked the ramen at these two places better. Maybe I should've gone for the soy-sauce based shoyu ramen or the miso-based ramen instead? I thought the seafood broth wasn't that flavorful, and it didn't really complement the fatty juicy goodness of the pork pieces, which, mind you, only consisted of one medium slice!! I like it when my ramen comes with huge pork belly chunks like Momofuku and Setagaya, that one slice was pretty weak. I mean, it wasn't bad ramen and it was above average, but nothing mind blowing.

And the gyoza? It was definitely perfectly cooked to a golden brown crisp, but I couldn't really taste the pork in there. I felt like I was eating a vegetable gyoza--the pork was seriously lacking at this place in all areas!! I feel like that old lady in the Wendy's commercial--where's the beef, Rai Rai Ken??

By skimping on the meat, maybe that's how Rai Rai Ken can afford to price the dishes at a phenomenal value. I mean, dinner for two was $21, usually that's how much it is for one person!! That is a total bargain in NYC, you definitely can't beat that! Which also explains why there were a lot of NYU-looking students and scruffy hipsterish people in line. I noticed that not many Japanese people were eating here, and that always worries me when the native people aren't eating at the ethnic joint. Setagaya is just as cheap and tastes even better, so there's almost no point in coming back here. I guess if the line at Setagaya or Momofuku is too long, then this is a good backup option. It gets the job done in terms of filling you up with something above average in taste, but nothing beyond that.

Rai Rai Ken
214 E. 10th St., New York, NY 10003
212-477-7030
(10th and 2nd Ave.)

Rating (out of 5 stars):**1/2
Style: Japanese
Prices: $2-$8 (What a steal!! But CASH ONLY)
Summary: When you're craving ramen on a cold day, but don't want to spend Momofuku prices and the line at Setagaya is too long.

Work Fuel: Japanese Hi-Chews

2007-10-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

They say that snacking in between meals is a bad thing, that all the calories add up and show up on your waistline, but sometimes you just can't help it. Especially when you spend most of your days at work and your coworkers always bring in tempting treats that you just can't resist, and when you can't figure out why a stupid function in Excel isn't working, you can concentrate better by munching on some mind fuel.

I'd like to devote this post to a favorite new work-time candy of mine called Hi-chew, which is a chewy fruity snack sold by a Japanese firm called Morinaga & Co. It reminds me of a Starburst in terms of the taffy-like consistency and fruity flavors, but it tastes so much better. You know how sometimes when you stuff yourself with candy you feel really sick afterwards? Hi-chews don't leave you with that bad taste in your mouth. I don't know what it is, maybe the sugar or ingredients Morinaga uses is better quality or something, but it tastes more wholesome and substantial than a Starburst or Tootsie Roll (relatively speaking!).

Morinaga produces Hi-chews in all sorts of flavors, including Banana, Plum, Grape, Lemon, Muscat, Strawberry and Apple. I haven't tried them all, but I LOVE Grape and Green Apple. Plum was kinda disgusting, it almost felt like I was chewing on a flower candy, and I don't know about you, but flowers were made for decorating, not eating!

So where can you get these snacks? Any Asian grocery store in the city will carry them, as do those random delis like Cafe Duke or Pranzo. Even the convenience store at my work carries them, that's how in demand they are! But if you can't seem to find them, you can buy them at http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/.

Also, this is just me sidetracking, but I remember back in high school my favorite snack ever was a candy sold by the French Club called Eiffel Bon Bons. It came in Raspberry, Strawberry, Apple, Cherry and Watermelon. The only downside I ever saw to graduating high school was never being able to buy Bon Bons ever again, because they don't sell these things in the stores!! Like, only the French Clubs in Orange County carried them, it was so weird! But I was surfing the web, and guess what?? You can buy them in bulk at http://www.foreign-candy.com/! In fact, I'm sure that's where all the French Clubs bought them from, I just didn't catch on to it until, I don't know, 6 years later...kinda sad but some people are slow. Sigh...the memories of those fruit taffy nuggets!

Kunjip - Korean Comfort Food

2007-10-07T20:45:00.001-07:00

You would think that Ktown, that stretch of Manhattan between 32nd/33rd Sts. and 5th Ave., would host amazing, delicious Korean food at every corner. But sadly, this isn't the case. Most of the food is overpriced and average at best, especially Gumgangsan, you know, "that restaurant with the piano" near the Holiday Inn. But Kunjip is one restaurant that stands out in this sea of mediocrity. Kunjip, literally translated as "Big House" in English, may not be big in size, but in terms of quality and taste it towers above the rest!

Unfortunately, it seems to be a favorite of everyone else in the city. There is ALWAYS a line outside the door, although it does move fast. If you come in a small party of two or three, it should be about a 15-20 minute wait before you get seated at peak times. And it is open 24 hours, so I guess going at some odd hour after a night at a noraebang (karaoke bar) will land you a table faster. But most of the fast turnaround is due to the extremely brusque service at Kunjip. You don't come here to get pampered and linger for awhile; you get your Korean food fix and then get the hell out. Waiters are not friendly, their only purpose is to bring and take away your food as quickly as possible, not to fetch your water with a smile. Don't take it personally--I've found that service in Korean restaurants tends to suck everywhere. Go to a more chi-chi, Americanized place like Woo Lae Oak if you want to feel "special", otherwise, tough it out here, you'll be glad you did!

Every dish I've had here is just solid and sooo satisfying. When we went on Sunday, we ordered the jap che appetizer, which is basically a fabulous vermicelli-noodle looking dish stir fried with delicious beef and vegetables. Make sure to order the small size, because you'll also be served an array of other side dishes called banchan, a normal phenomenon at Korean restaurants. Banchan can consist of small plates of kimchi (pickled cabbage), seasoned bean sprouts, poached eggs (my fav!!), fish cakes, seaweed and much much more!

We also had the soon doo boo chigae, which is a very hearty and spicy tofu stew that just hits the spot, especially on a cold day. Dipping a spoonful of rice into the broth and scooping up all the aromas and flavors of the surrounding chunks of seafood, tofu and soup is just the most satisfying and amazing experience ever!

And, of course, the Korean bbq!! Korean bbq is red meat marinated in the most delicious sauce, almost like teriyaki but BETTER. I've seen my mother make it, and she creates this amazing concoction of soy sauce, sesame oil, grated Asian pear and sugar--it's slightly sweet and light, not overpowering the natural delicious juices of the meat itself at all like how some overly tangy or heavy American-style bbq sauces can do. I usually order the bulgoki, which consists of thinly sliced bbq beef sirloin pieces, but this time we opted for the yetnalshik bulgoki, which uses the same beef but simmers it in a light broth and noodles--fantastic!! Of course, I've also tried the gal bi gui, another variation of the bbq that uses short ribs, and that is fabulous as well, but the most expensive on the menu. Basically, you can't go wrong with a bbq dish here!

The meal tends to be very hearty and heavy, so Kunjip finishes off the meal with a refreshing ginger drink to balance things out. Afterwards, you'll feel so happy and full, and you'll wish that you actually lived at this place they call the "Big House". Except it's their house, not yours, and you're one guest of hundreds so they'll kick you out. But all the better, because you'll just want to run back for more--you'll be a guest at Kunjip for life!

Kunjip
9W 32nd St., New York, NY 10001
212-216-9487
(32nd and 5th Ave.)

Rating (out of 5 stars):****
Style: Korean
Prices: $7-$40
Summary: When you're craving homestyle Korean in a casual setting, this is the place to go!

Babbo with a side of Val Kilmer

2007-10-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

For my birthday last year my sister took me to Babbo, and, maybe because we both had really unreasonably high expectations for the place, we were underwhelmed by the food. But I also thought maybe by ordering a la carte we chose the wrong dishes so I shouldn't be too hasty in writing off the restaurant and a second visit was necessary to form a more informed opinion.

So I made a reservation for a Saturday dinner, which, no joke, was the most painful experience ever. Since Mario Batali is crazy famous, getting a table here is ridiculously hard, so if you're a normal person with no connections, you have to call exactly a month in advance of your reservation date, right at 10:30 a.m. when the reservation line opens, in order to secure a spot. Of course, I called at 10:30, and, what do you know, the lines were busy...I literally called 5 times each subsequent hour, and it was STILL BUSY, UGH. And then finally, at around 10:30 p.m. at NIGHT, a real person answers the phone and tells me that either 5:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. was available. Prime dining times, I know, but beggars can't be choosers! So I took the 11:00 p.m. time slot.

When we got to Babbo, it was still bustling and busy, even at 11:00 p.m. The atmosphere was a bit frenetic because, first of all, Lenny Kravitz was playing in the background, and all these servers were running around in a small space, nearly bumping into patrons at each turn of a corner. I have to admit that they were very expert at not tripping, falling or dropping things in this lively environment. I would say the crowd that night was a little older, and almost every woman there was wearing a dress. (I was in shorts and ballet flats, since we raced down here from the Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem concert in Staten Island). Some people were on dates, others were just in groups, and some people looked like out of towners who were in the city for a nice dinner at the renowned restaurant. Obviously Babbo has the luxury of being a dining destination for any occasion!

We were seated upstairs, and what do you know, we were seated at a table right next to Val Kilmer!! You know, the guy from "Batman Forever" and other well-known classics such as "At First Sight" and "The Island of Dr. Moreau". It made me feel better knowing that even celebrities like Val Kilmer couldn't get a prime table at Babbo, but, then again, Val Kilmer was sort of out of shape and it's not like his career's really hot right now, so maybe he's not the best example to use. But still, it was a pretty awesome sighting nonetheless. I liked the upstairs seating area, the glass ceiling and lights provided a nice nighttime view and the interior felt like a comfortable summer home.

So what about the food? We decided to order the $75 traditional tasting menu, so that way we could try a little bit of everything and not miss the highlights. We started out with a chickpea bruschetta in an olive sauce, which was a starter for everyone, not just for the tasting menu patrons; it was a nice light and lively way to start off the meal.

The first course was the Babbo Culatello with Ramps and Pecorino. I have to tell you, I have never ever heard of culatello, ramps or pecorino until I came to Babbo, and I still don't really know what they are. Basically, it looked like 3-4 very thinly sliced pieces of cured ham, with a mound of pickled, leafy green vegetables on top. It was ok--I liked how it was light, but it's not something I'd order again. The following picture is similar to what we had that night, but without the figs:

The second course was the Pappardelle with Porcini and Thyme, which was really delicious. It's basically a pasta dish that consists of really wide, long rectangular noodles (think extra-large fettucini), probably cooked in olive oil, topped with some fabulous porcini mushrooms and parmesan cheese. It was a very simple dish, but the poricini wrapped up in this long pasta pieces was just magic. This was my favorite part of the meal by far--I wanted some more after I was done! The following picture is also very similar to what we had, but the mushrooms were darker and were less all over the place than the white truffles that are being shown:

The third course was the Duck Tortelli with "Sugo Finto". I was really looking forward to this dish, because they described it as duck confit pasta topped in a fabulous tomato-based sauce; I was expecting like little juicy nuggets of succulent duck in ravioli or something. But they chopped up the meat really finely and it almost felt like I was eating ravioli with ground beef inside, so I was let down a little by how it turned out.

The fourth course was the Venison Loin with Acorn Squash Caponata with Mint Pesto. I think interesting red meats like lamb or venison always go well with a mint-based sauce, so it was very tasty, the heavier and gamier taste of the meat nicely off-set by minty lightness...also really liked the texture pairing with the acorn squash and lentil-type vegetables. But it's not like I was dying to order this again. It looked really pretty though!

The fifth course was the Coach Farm's Finest with Fennel Honey, which consisted of a triangular slice of goat cheese surrounded by honey and fennel seeds and accompanying sliced bread. Initially a server bungled the order and just gave us the cheese, which was just really rich and salty, and I thought it was nothing special...but then another server rushed over and apologized, saying the other server was new and forgot to drizzle the honey around the cheese. Now that made more sense, why would they just slap on a slice of cheese for a tasting menu dish?? I have to say, the cheese on its own was too rich and too much, but with the sweetness of the honey and crunch of the fennel, it was fantastic!

Next came THREE courses of dessert--we had the "Delizia di Susina" plum cake, the chocolate "tartufino" and the Venetian Apple Cake Olive Oil Gelato. I LOVED the Delizia di Susina, plum cake is so delicious, it almost tastes like apple pie but in cake form and much better. (If you go to Craft, they have a fabulous plum cake as well.) The chocolate tartufino was also really excellent, it tasted like a huge, delicious hazlenut truffle, and the apple cake (tasted almost like a dreamy apple donut) and olive oil gelato (tastes like lemon, not olive oil!) was also a very good pairing. So I have to say, the desserts were AWESOME, but the Delizia di Susina plum cake totally blew me away.

All in all, I would have to say I LOVED the Pappardelle with Porcini and Thyme and the Delizia di Susina, liked the other desserts, the goat cheese and venison, and the rest I was lukewarm about. Hmm, but I'm not sure if this sort of uneven outcome was worth all the hassle of getting the reservation and bumping into a few celebrities here and there. I really didn't like feeling like I had to work so hard to be deemed worthy to dine at Babbo, so I think my next visit won't happen for a really long time. I did the whole celebrity chef Mario Batali thing, got it out of the way, and that's that.

(Pictures of Babbo courtesy of www.babbony.com).

Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011
212-777-0303 (good luck trying to get through!!)
(Waverly Pl and MacDougal)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Italian
Prices: $75 for traditional tasting menu, $11-$23 for first and second courses, $24-$70 for entrees
Summary: To show off that you went to an exclusive NYC restaurant, Babbo will impress--the celebrity sightings, the expertly prepared exotic Italian food and ingredients and the difficulty of getting a coveted table all come with the package. But frankly, it's a little overrated.

Digging the Grub at DuMont

2007-10-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

I feel like a lot of people living in Manhattan (typically recent college grads who didn't grow up here) sort of have this provincial mindset that trekking out to the other boroughs is too time-consuming and not worth the trouble. And, yes, I know, I am totally guilty of that as well, and I think even commuting from midtown west to the upper east side is this huge ordeal.

But really, Brooklyn and Queens aren't all that far. If you just take the L train from Union Square, in about four stops you'll find yourself at Lorimer St., which drops you off right in front of a Williamsburg restaurant called DuMont. DuMont is this awesome restaurant with a great, chill vibe that serves simple and scrumptious American classics like burgers and mac 'n cheese. The interior of the restaurant is very unassuming and no-frills, so this place is perfect for those times when you just want to relax and grab a bite to eat somewhere without dressing up and all that other fuss.

When the weather's nice, which it was when I went, you can eat in the lovely garden area out back. It almost feels like you're at a lodge in the Catskills somewhere; it sort of reminded me of Freeman's in the LES, except not as expensive.

The crowd is made up of a lot of Williamsburg hipsters, so if you're not into the whole alternative, American Apparel-wearing crowd, then you'll feel out of place here. I personally like venturing into Williamsburg; it's refreshing not to be surrounded by very slick, polished people wearing Theory and Ferragamo.

Popular dishes to order include the DuMont burger and the Dumac & Cheese...but I had already eaten this 1,000 calorie Fat Burger and fries in Jersey this past week, so I totally wanted the burger but knew it was a bad idea and declined. I opted for the skate instead, which I thought was just a normal fish but later learned that it was like a stingray looking thing!, and ordered the crab cake as an appetizer. My boyfriend ordered the skirt steak and the potato leek soup. The two hipster girls next to us shared a burger and fries and it looked sooo delicious; so funny that they ordered something healthy like their salad to make themselves feel better about the burger.

The skate was really really delicious--who knew a stingray-like fish could be so good?? I mean, was I even eating meat or like fish cartilage?? Whatever it was, it was this thin, golden, crispy ridged filet wrapped around a fabulous mound of perfect, creamy mashed potatoes like a glorious peel. My boyfriend's skirt steak was also tender and fabulous; it was served with a side of spinach, perfectly cooked medium rare. I wasn't really a big fan of the crab cakes; there was all this avocado and cilantro that got in the way of the cake, I usually just like crab cakes in a more pure form served with cream sauce. I think my boyfriend's soup was ok but nothing as fabulous as the skate and skirt steak!

If I can manage to avoid weekend staffings and find time to trek to Brooklyn again, I would definitely pay DuMont a second visit. And why wouldn't you, when there's so much to do in the surrounding area! On that day, I went to the Artists and Fleas Indoor Market on 129 N. 6th St. (betwn Bedford and Berry) and bought gold hoop earrings that many people complimented, browsed through some vintage clothes at Amarcord (223 Bedford Ave.) and looked at cool faux bois decor at Pema (225 Bedford Ave.)

We also checked out Fujiya & Miyagi, Project Jenny, Project Jan (very funny rap/rock duo, puts Britney to shame!) and Dirty on Purpose at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, an awesome music venue with a great basement bar at 66 North St. You can have it all--food and fun without the attitude, so stop acting like Brooklyn is miles away and just get on the train already!!

(Pictures of DuMont courtesy of dumontrestaurant.com).

DuMont
432 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11206
718-486-7717
(Union Ave. and Metropolitan Ave., right off the L stop at Lorimer)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: American
Prices: $7-$24
Summary: Go here for if you're in the mood for reliable yet refined American food in a low-key, chill hipster restaurant setting.

Useful links:

http://dumontrestaurant.com/

http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com/

Bare Fruit - Best Low Cal Snack Ever!

2007-10-03T21:21:00.000-07:00

OMG--they've actually done it, they've actually come up with a healthy snack that's low in calories AND tastes good!! My coworker, who, like me, is a serial snacker, alerted me to the news of a brand new snack option in the vending machines. "This new dried fruit snack called Bare Fruit, the whole bag only has like 30 calories! Isn't that amazing??" she cried. "And it tastes so good! I can eat like 4 of these and still have consumed less calories than eating Sun Chips!"

It really was a joyous event, since, while snacking, I always tell myself, "Now, now, just eat a quarter of this box of cereal," and really, I end up eating a quarter, then a half, and then, what do you know, the whole box is gone! And then I feel so guilty and stupid, like, "why did I just eat the whole thing!!", and then give up altogether and go, "since I messed up today, might as well go all the way!", and the whole day becomes an out of control day of eating everything in sight.

But with the organic, bake dried Bare Fruit, I won't feel bad at all--one medium sized bag of the Cinnamon Apple chips had ~180 calories!! It would take me three of them to feel the guilt! I really really love the Cinnamon Apple Chips and the Granny Apple Chips, and to a lesser extent, the Mango and Pineapple...not a huge fan of the Cherries, Banana and Pears. I've been trying to find them at other stores in NYC, but so far have only located them in my office vending machine and, of all places, Gristedes on 89th and Lexington. I wonder if Whole Foods or Trader Joe's carries them? Must find out and stock up!! (All the people at work have discovered this low calorie treasure, it's always gone by the end of the day--grab it before your boss does!!)

(Pictures courtesy of www.pinecreekpack.com)

J'Adore Jean-Georges!

2007-10-02T16:09:00.001-07:00

My boyfriend decided to take me to a surprise dinner for my birthday, and what do you know, the place turned out to be Jean Georges, oo-lala! I was extremely excited about dining at one of the most venerable restaurants of all of NYC, but at the same time a little intimidated, since little old me was going to eat at a respected Michelin-star establishment, and they would totally find out how I barely know the difference between Chablis and Chardonnay, or what an amuse bouche was (which they did serve!), and laugh at any other dining faux pas I was sure to commit.

We entered the restaurant and they were running a little late, so they whisked us away to the bar area. I nibbled on the complimentary bar food snacks that were on the counter, and let me tell you, I never had bar snacks quite like this! Rather than your regular nuts and pretzels, Jean Georges' snacks transcend the ordinary. I'm not exaggerating--I had these amazing wasabi peas and cinnamon almonds that I couldn't stop eating. These treats were definitely harbingers of the great meal that was to come.

Because we had some time to kill, I started scanning the room and seeing what types of people came to eat at a place like Jean Georges. You had your typical older, refined looking WASPy people, as well as the rich guy/model types, but surprisingly enough, there was a very mixed crowd of diners that day. My favorite part was seeing this pretty girl eating by herself, and she caught the eye of the group of men sitting nearby, who then proceeded to invite her over to join them and voila! She was alone no longer! So let this be a note to you--not only does Jean Georges have fabulous food, but it may just be the perfect spot to meet your future soulmate!

And then there was this couple that I noticed because they were so uniquely dressed. The guy was pale and bald, and his date was this woman wearing a strange gothic, corset-type dress. They looked like they could fit in at the Renaissance Faire or a Halloween party, a high-class one, of course. But I suppose great food is one of those universal, democratic pastimes that any person, whether glam or goth, likes to enjoy, so it shouldn't be a surprise that so many different types of people were there. And of course, that throws regular Jane schmoes like me into the mix, so it's fantastic!

At Jean Georges, you either get to order three items from a prix-fixe menu plus a dessert of your choice, or you can opt for the tasting course (no a la cartes here). I chose for my three items the sea scallops with caramelized cauliflower, the corn ravioli and the caramelized beef tenderloin, while my boyfriend also ordered the sea scallops, the butternut squash soup and the Maine lobster.

Everything was pretty fabulous--(I guess those Michelin stars were well deserved!) I absolutely loved the sea scallops and the butternut squash soup, the latter arriving in this ridiculous, lavish ceremony in which the server placed an empty bowl in front of my boyfriend and then proceeded to scoop the actual soup into the bowl from a separate silver serving bowl, how awesome is that?? The corn ravioli was great too, and the beef was extremely flavorful, although not tender enough for my taste but what do I know, it's Jean Georges!

Dessert in itself is a multi-course event. It comes in themes, and I ordered the fabulous chocolate theme which came with an amazing cake while my boyfriend had something berry based. And oh no, it doesn't stop there, they also serve you some chocolates, macaroons and gourmet marshmallows on the side! So really, you're getting like four desserts instead of one, and for someone like me with a sweet tooth that's pretty awesome!

Too bad I don't have pictures, since the visual beauty of the dishes were part of the experience of being at Jean Georges, but here are links to some sites that have some great pictures. Enjoy the spectacle and run to the actual restaurant to taste the real thing, vite! Bon appetit, mes amis!!

http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2006/03/how_i_gained_si.html
http://thewanderingeater.wordpress.com/2007/09/07/eating-lunch-like-royalty-at-jean-georges/

Jean-Georges
1 Central Park West, New York, NY 10023
212-299-3900
(Central Park West and 60th/61st Sts)

Rating (out of 5 stars):*****
Style: French
Prices: $28-$95
Summary: Go here if you're looking to splurge on a fine French dining experience you won't ever forget!

(Pictures courtesy of NY Magazine and http://www.theworlds50best.com/)

Typhoon Lounge - Swept Away

2007-09-29T22:06:00.001-07:00

There are some nights when you don't want to deal with the hassles of eating out at another trendy chi-chi restaurant in NYC, and you just want a quick dinner at a dependable, no-frills restaurant with grub that hits the spot. Typhoon Lounge in the East Village fits the bill perfectly--the turnaround for a table is very quick, tasty, satisfying food is served very soon after, and in no time is your appetite satiated!

The options at Typhoon Lounge tends to be on the heartier, heavier side, so it's perfect for those days when you plan on drinking a lot of beers and need something in your system to absorb all the alcohol. If you're watching your figure, you probably shouldn't head over here, since there's no way you can resist the temptations of all types of fried meat and carb-heavy offerings. But if you do succumb to the pressures, as I always do, you'll find some reassurance in knowing that those calories were well spent on something tasty.The multiple times I've been to Typhoon, I always order the saikoro steak, which basically consists of cubed steak and diced potatoes stir-fried with some yakisoba noodles, simmering in the sweet juicy goodness of the meat's natural fatty juices and soy sauce. It's served with a jalapeno dipping sauce, but I find that swirling the meat cubes in its own rich sauce is all the flavor you need. The taste is reminiscent of a Korean galbi (beef short-ribs) dish that my mom makes, so if you're a fan of galbi, you'll like this. The saikoro steak will usually be the anchor dish that we always order, and then we'll grab 3-4 other sides dishes and a rice/noodle dish to finish things off. Most of the portions here are tapas-style, so dinner is a fun event where you can nibble on a variety of options rather than limiting yourself to one or two things. I was a big fan of the fried calamari, which comes with a great sweet, dipping sauce, as well as the shrimp and pork gyozas (broiled dumplings) and spicy chicken wings. The octopus balls on the other hand really creeped me out with its weird texture and appearance; it almost felt like you were staring at a quivering jelly-fish type organ.

If you're feeling especially hungry, order the okonomiyaki or Japanese-style pancake, which really is not so much a pancake as it is a savory casserole molded into a circular shape. At first glance, it looks like a crazy mess of noodles, seafood and meat topped with a gravy-type tonkatsu sauce and fish flakes, but despite the mumbo-jumbo of ingredients it is actually very tasty.

There are so many offerings on the menu, I've probably only covered 1/16th of the menu in this entry, it's impossible to try out most of them at one sitting. Which makes multiple visits here entirely necessary, and you won't be bored since you'll keep ordering different things even on your fifth time there. So come here for dinner soon and be blown away by a storm of options at Typhoon Lounge!

Typhoon Lounge
79 St. Marks Pl., New York, NY 10003
212-979-2680
(St. Marks Pl. and 1st Ave.)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: Japanese
Prices: $6-$12 (great value)
Summary: Go here if you're looking to grab something fast, filling and cheap in a bustling, casual environment, a perfect prelude to a late night out.

2007-09-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Little Owl - What a Hoot!

The Little Owl is everything you would expect from a cute and cozy West Village neighborhood restaurant. Everything about it reeks of cute—the name Little Owl, for starters, the small size of the restaurant (only 10 tables) and the locale at which it roosts (buried within the quirky nooks and crannies of Bedford and Grove). Which probably explains why the dining clientele is made up mostly of parties of cute girls in their 20s and 30s all dolled up in their fabulous Intermix clothes, as well as girlfriends dragging their reluctant, oversize boyfriends into this tiny, romantic dining getaway.

For an appetizer, my friend and I shared the soft shell crab risotto. The staff went out of their way to split the dish for us and plate each of our portions prettily; I just love little details like that that show how much the staff cares about making your stay there pleasant, it definitely makes you want to come back. The soft shell crab was the right level of light crispness and the asparagus gave the smoothness of the risotto some good texture. But honestly, there was something about the crab and the risotto pairing that lacked cohesion, they probably would’ve worked better as separate yet superb dishes. Everyone around us raved about the gravy meatball sliders, so it’s probably worth trying them if you pay a visit.

As for the entrée, I chose the crispy chicken with asparagus home fries, marinated in sherry and dijon. I know, I know, chicken is the safest and most boring item you could ever order from a restaurant, but you know what, this is The Little Owl, their specialty is in preparing simple, comfortable and tasty dishes, not elaborate, exotic ones. And guess what? Scoff all you want, but the chicken, in all its perfect simplicity and uncomplicated splendor, was really fabulous. My friend ordered the pork chop with parmesan butter beans and wild dandelion. The flavor of the pork chop was almost as if the meat were lightly marinated in some sort of licorice or sassafras type sauce. I didn’t like this flavor combination at all, although my friend enjoyed it very much. I guess if eating black Twizzlers with meat sounds like a good idea to you, then by all means order this dish.

All in all, I would definitely come back here. It’s hard getting a reservation since there are such few tables and things get booked pretty quickly for the weekend, but they do reserve around three tables for walk-ins. If your party is small enough, and you arrive at around 6:30 or earlier, you won’t have to wait an unreasonable amount of time for a table. Again, if you’re looking for a light, fun and stylish atmosphere where you can actually talk to and hear the people you’re dining with, then I would highly highly recommend this place. Girls will love the cutesy charm of this place, so if you want to impress a second date, this should do the trick. But if you’re looking for something rowdier, somewhere to do sake bombing or pig out on comfort foods, then you’ll feel a tad awkward here at this delicate, frou frou place. Otherwise, come visit The Little Owl’s nest in the West Village, and you’ll be sure to come back hooting for more!

The Little Owl
90 Bedford St., New York, NY 10014
212-741-4695
(Bedford and Grove)

Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: American
Prices: Appetizers $9-$15, Entrees $20-$25
Summary: Go here if you're looking to grab a moderately priced, tasty American-style dinner with a few friends in a comfortably chic setting.

(Pictures courtesy of the NY Times and NY Magazine).