Favorable Flavors

Delve into the ever present zest of garlic in this next tasting, as it only becomes more pronounced with each sip of the italian red. If Il Mulino doesn't capture you with this parmesan concave, you'll get there with the Raviolo doused in cream Champagne sauce and black truffles. Walk home with a happy palate. 

What's in a name? That which we call..

A glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo makes for quite a metaphorical night. Makes sense that this appreciated wine from Southern Italy is featured at a place with a name that can hold it's own. Besides Ciano sharing the same nome as the Italian Minister, the taste of this deep purple glass engulfs you in the same flavor aroma the brick wall restaurant intends: soft flavors, strong color, gentle tannins. No doubt, this Flatiron tavern charm has Shea Gallante's time at Cru to thank. You don't have to be a vintner to leave craving this tantalizing sweet young blend of chassis. 

L'amore L'artusi

The way L'artusi lists each item on the menu is a perfect indication of what your taste buds will experience. Whether Thompson is sending out crudo or one of his hand crafted rustic pastas, you taste each ingredient put into the dish. Your mouth appreciates the ingredient first as its own and then for how well it works with the others. My choice- the Mezzaluna: Sweet corn, Aleppo, Parmesan. You do not need anymore than the five pieces placed in front of you, but you will find yourself swallowing very slowly to retain the buttery creation that you might not expect from blending a sweet, a peppery, and a savory ingredient. 

Flavored "Butter" with a Snail on Top

     Bone Marrow may be an ingredient as rich in fat and protein as the Waygu beef Forgione presents, but requires far less energy to digest before the night that lay ahead.
     If roasted marrow flavor isn't deep enough for you, the Michelin star chef intensifies your bite with escargo sur le dessus [snail on top]. 
     The fact that this gelatinous delicacy contributes to red blood cell formation is simply an ironic compliment to the Keefer Ranch Pinot your sommelier will recommend. 

Pepolino's Tuscan Dish

The grilled baby octopus is elegantly salted and boldly crisp. Complimented by sweet garlic Fettunta.. and topped with chewy calamari..the entire dish has a heavy, but appropriate drizzle of olive oil.

London Serves Seared Tuna

Sitting on a bed of fresh avocado with no additional seasoning needed, the warm filets slid onto the fork like butter

The "Hole" Scoop on a Doughnut Carousel

Abe & Arthur's ring of warm sugar dusted doughnut holes deserves a high rating for both taste and presentation. Once the dessert is brought to the table, the diner is presented with options of just how to indulge..
 1. dunk into bittersweet dark chocolate or
 2. drizzle and/or inject with caramel and/or berry sauce. 
Recommended for two-but not impossible for one to enjoy the sweet flavors of fried dough and its accompaniments. 

Pizza Bianca con vongole

The traditional Italian dish Linguine con Vongole has been redesigned-on a pie! Mario Batali embraces 5th ave and 8th street with the taste of baby clams doused in garlic and piled high on a fresh mozzarella pizza.

From the Sea, By the Pound

Avra Estiatorio takes great pride in allowing their diners to hand select their choice of freshly caught whole fish. Pick at your own risk- since the price is by the pound, make sure your eyes are not bigger than your stomach at that moment. The waiter then carries your selection over to the chef who delicately tends to your dinner over the grill, lightly dressing it with only the simplest flavors of butter, lemon and oregano. Although each filet is deboned, the plate comes complete with the head and tail. The genuine mediterranean experience was far from disappointing when the sweet but mild aroma of the white Lithrini or the "Greek Pride" took over the table within twenty five minutes of ordering (ends up being perfect timing to spread out the tastings of the homemade hummus and grilled calamari filled with goat cheese)  

Coppa di Cioccolata Bianco

Cupping Room Cafe serves their cheesecake in a delicately molded bittersweet chocolate mug, topped with a layer of light chocolate mouse, white chocolate shavings and dribbles of syrup for accent. As if that's not enough flavor, when you break the shell of the cup, don't miss the paper thin layer of raspberry sitting all the way on the bottom. 

Dark and Bold Superior Cattle

Following Japanese tradition, Kobe Beef is set ablaze on a hot rock to sear the outside and keep the meat beyond rare. The proper term for the crunchy "chips" which lay on top is Elephant Garlic. The slices turn to an almost sweet flavor after engulfed in the fire. There presentation to this dish does not take away from the taste-assuming you are prepared for undercooked meat.

Joaquin Baca on W4th

Wilfie & Nell has nearby Murray's CheeseShop and Blue Ribbon Bakery to thank for the success of the Crunchy Grilled Cheese. With an option of Cheddar, Talegio or Gruyere, the thick pullman bread is browned and served hot, not warm. The tapas portion is adequate if accompanied, but you may be tempted to order another round of the grilled cheese instead of another item on the Irish menu. 

Extra Virgin Lobster Rav

Joey Fortunato is consistent with his Mediterranean seafood at Extra Virgin off W 4th. Assuming you can handle the crowded noise level, the chef proves the selections to be even better when they come out than how they sound on the menu. The limited selection of wine is meant to pair well with just about any of the dishes, including the chardonnay mussels. Despite the "new scene" atmosphere, the taste of the lobster ravioli with warm asparagus and basil did the trick. What sounds like a rich dish is light enough to be an appetizer, even though its listed as an entree. The pasta is delicate enough to not overpower any other taste, but still carries a distinct flavor. Capturing the theme of the restaurant, the taste of olive oil can be found all over the menu, and if not, a dish of it sits on the table at all times. And to fill up the table with some signature sides, its no surprise the hipster Greenwich Village spot features truffle mac n cheese tart and truffle whipped potatoes.

Bitesize Chipwich

Cioccolata!

Each dish at  Osteria Morini comes out on an old authentic Italian style plate. Recognized for his handmade pasta recipes like truffled mascarpone ravioli, Michael White doesn't see too many plates with food left on them returning to the kitchen. The Romagna inspired menus range from duck liver tortellini at dinner to pancetta and gorgonzola scone at brunch. As enjoyable as each dish is, the dessert is not to be looked over at this new Soho staple. Although its common for a menu to incorporate changes with the seasons, it would be rare to find a time of year that doesn't offer a rich bittersweet chocolate option. There is something to be said where each portion is perfectly formed for the diner and not simply served as a cut out piece of the pie. This particular hard tart-like shell surrounds layers of thick creamy chocolate-sized perfectly to be able to also enjoy the sea salt and caramel topping all in one bite. As for presentation, the sweet white ice cream sitting on a garnish of coffee crunch gives the color contrast needed.

Outer Crunch Inner Fluff

Executive Chef Eric Hara embraces brunch at the Oak Room-Plaza with these massive french toast "bites". In all fairness, Hara places the item under Entrees, perhaps as a warning of what's to come. Either break open a square and spoon in one of the sauces or pick one up, dip, and bite. To each his own, but be sure to include a dollop of the vanilla creme -the portion is so generous, it arrives on separate plating. Despite the fried aspect, this course steals the thunder of fare to choose from. 

Sweet Ending

No brunch at Bagatelle is complete without exploding hot chocolate cake and pistachio ice cream rolled in cookie crumbs to go along with the vueve clicquot :)

The Finest in Japanese Pastries

Tanuki Tavern's pastry chef wraps soft chewy rice dough around sweet scoops of ice cream to prepare Mochi at the Gansevoort Meatpacking. The individual delicatessens are dusted with powdered sugar and plated on top of tangy dessert sauce before the waiter hurries them out. The trick is serving the dish at the right temperature- not quite frozen, but firm enough to bite into without shocking your teeth. The Japanese Izakaya style menu offers three flattened golf ball sized Mochi in any combination of green tea, red bean, and vanilla flavor. 

Gorgonzola Dressed with Truffle Oil

After starting off with complimentary sheeps milk ricotta covered in umbrian olive oil with a kick, the order is placed for an entree with a not-so-subtle type of cheese. "Pizza" at Trattoria Cinque arrives as more of a table sized flatbread. The paper thin crispy item allows the average diner to devour the majority of such without over indulging, despite the size. If you don't love gorgonzola, don't attempt these sharp and buttery flavors, but if you are willing to try authentic Italian pane, this is it. Don't be drawn away by the thin pear placed on each section-although it gives a sweetness to the pie, you'll hardly notice the transparent slices if you weren't into them. Don't order to share because you'll want the leftovers-but save space to taste the "five endings"-its part of Chef Mirco Grassini's theme to present the five best of italian cuisine at his rustic Greenwich Street home away from home. 

Chevre Chaud is French Goat Cheese Served Warm

The Odeon once again proves consistence and reliability when it comes to tasting trendy modern dining. Their informal scene doesn't take away from the quality of the food; a rarity for Tribeca. The American/French Bistro atmosphere ranges from Steak tartare to hot doughnuts prepared to order. After long consideration, the fourth item down on the menu won out late Sunday afternoon. Soft Warm Goat Cheese on a crunchy slice of baguette to accompany a Medley of Purples and Greens, Toasted Pignoli Nuts, and a Light Herb Vinaigrette.  Creamy, Salty, Tangy, Distinct.  Delicately piled high, this goes way beyond basic frisee. Well worth the $12.00, unbelievable whether at brunch or as a late night craving.

All dramatics aside, Chef Mike Sabin gives a whole new meaning to Myles Chefetz's steakhouse fusion with just one item on the menu: Chocolate Peanut Butter Smores. 

If your thinking this Ocean Avenue restaurant which ranks #14 on the list of top highest grossing independent restaurants in the U.S. should be remembered for more than a couple bites of sugar and sweets, you have yet to taste the creation. (First battle is to get a reservation-if your trying for a Saturday evening, they are booked until April right now-so settle for a weekday. Less crowds usually mean better service anyway). Assuming you are already enjoying the sleek atmosphere, don't over indulge in the regular menu so much that it hinders your appreciation for what is to come. The ratio of fluff to velvet peanut butter to thick ganache is brilliant. Don't try to split this dish with a fellow diner or think about the amount of butter and cream going into the recipe-treat yourself to this taste. 

DB's petite assiette

Daniel Boulud does it like no other when it comes to the most delicate french taste. Representing his Miami restaurant DB Bistro Moderne at the SoBe Food and Wine festival, Boulud served a taste of la petite plaque d'oeuf de caille: little plate of quail egg. The chef baked a tiny quail egg inside his version of each croque monsieur- a crunchy, buttery crust surrounded the soft and airy inside. As if the mastermind behind this creation wasn't already adored, he managed to pose for a picture in the midst of hand plating every bite size portion for his loyal eaters!

White Truffle Aioli

If there was one item to pick from the Smyth Hotel's version of french dining, it wouldn't be Ed Cotton's creamy duck liver mousse. Rather, the top selection is the first item under the garnitures- found at the very bottom of the menu: Herbed French Fries. If the choice didn't jump out at you, attribute it to being uninformed of the divine decanter of white truffle aioli served next to theses tall crispy fried spuds. Who knew fries covered in sea salt and herbs could get any better by dipping them into a blended mixture of egg yolk, garlic, white pepper, and truffle oil. Each ingredient is distinct enough to carry its own weight without being drowned out by another-it's a lot going on in your mouth for one bite. Plein Sud presents the phenomenon as a "garnish" but the plate satisfies the palate better than most of the "viandes" and "poissons"offered for triple the price. You'll never go back to ketchup after this. 

Baked and Fried

Drizzled olive oil turns the asparagus tips crispy in a 400 degree oven while a tablet of butter forms the shell during the slow frying process of the egg.  Sale, pepe, il parmigiano. Completa. Delizioso.

Doughnut Plant Heaven

If a meyer lemon flavored doughnut doesn't entice you, does a valrhona chocolate or tres leches do the trick? The Doughnut Plant separates the treats into categories of yeast, cake, or jam filling-works out well for those that don't like a gushing center to overpower their delicate doughnut. Go early to experience these glazed sensations because this bakery's hours are contingent upon when the last one is sold! 

Pile of Purple Onions

Quite a combo..


Olive oil poached tuna- moist
Celery crescents-crisp
Arugula-nutty
Sea Salt-crunchy
Balsamic soaked onions-sweet and sour

Warm Ricotta Zeppole with Sugar On Top

Is there anything more appropriate to finishing a meal next to the wood burning stove in Colicchio's open kitchen than sugared ricotta zeppoles?
While face to face with the chefs, the waiter lifts each plate up and over your head from behind so as not to disturb the scene. The sous chef nearly burns his hand each time while retrieving the cast iron from the flames. Each dish-including the taleggio, sopresseta, shrooms, and soffritto- is perfectly executed when fired out at an incredible pace. Since dessert deserves to receive the same intricate detail, the pastry chef tucks each hand rolled ball of fried goodness into the crisp white linen and serves it beside malted milk ice cream and cookie bits.

The Mac or The Cheese?

Everyone has their preference of the kind of noodle and the kind of cheese that should be used in the standard macaroni and cheese dish. Oversized shells allow for cheese to hide in the openings and ooze in your mouth with each bite. Whereas, the small elbows don't absorb any of the cheese and are more for those who prefer a thin coating of cheese. Either way, when your looking for the best mac n'cheese out there, stop going to all the traditional pasta houses. The most amazing results are waiting to be found at the steak houses. Aside from S'MAC, the east village dive completely devoted to mac n'cheese-they cover the basics, the unexpected and even the gluten free and vegan mac n'cheese-not bad! But if your preference is quality rather than a serious plethora of cheese and noodles, you won't be disappointed walking into one of the better meat restaurants-even if you are a vegetarian. Dylan Prime incorporates truffle oil into their version of the sharp white cheese bowl-it's really hard to beat that. Half the fun of the mac n' cheese is guessing the different types of cheese the chef adds in-which could vary depending on what's left in the kitchen that night. The trend seems to be the better the restaurant, the finer the ingredients, but some would rather a simplified version because less can be more when it comes to this staple dish. All in all, it comes down to each his own when choosing what qualities are essential here. Chefs realize it has become a serious decision among diners: baked, crispy, crusty v.  soft, thick, gooey?? Of course if you can't decide, you can always go with the sampler above.

Baby Halibut..To Share

Although a dish served for two, this is actually a baby fish. The secret to the mild flavor and the thin, flaky texture is to cook the flatfish before fully grown. Halibut can grow up to 8 feet long-it probably wouldn't be the delicate display Marc Forgione's diners are used to, but i'd like to see if the chef could pull serving one of that size. Since the bones are so fragile, they become completely edible after a deep fry. The waiter explains them as crunchy potato sticks, but that's debatable. The newest addition to the Iron Chef completes the presentation by filling the plate with toasted hazelnuts and red pepper flakes. Not surprising he continues to rack up the Michelin Stars.

Lychee Obsession in Tribeca

As if Tribeca hasn't set enough trends lately, the friendly borough seems to be the place to go when looking for lychee on a menu. If you can't imagine what a lychee is, you are not alone. In my opinion, its not the most attractive food out there, but nonetheless, the tropical fruit has become all the rage. The native Chinese roots explain why Mai House incorporates lychee into their curry tofu (even though I'm not sure those three flavors entice me all that much-you can be the judge of that). However, to appropriately recognize Tribeca as going lychee crazy, its necessary to point out the unlimited lychee martinis Bread offers with every weekend brunch! This tiny italian hole in the wall is a favorite of Mario Batali-probably because the free selection of warm scones and muffins that arrive in front of your face even before you finish placing your order. If you aren't convinced of the lychee madness in Tribeca yet, head over to Tamarind and finish the elegant Indian experience with lychee rice pudding! Amazing. This one ranks the highest. As much as I enjoy the flavor of a good old lychee, I don't enjoy the sight of it and by Tamarind incorporating it in the dessert, I get the best of both worlds. There may be a slight bias that out of the three mentioned, my favorite is the dessert. But don't take my word for it, there's plenty of opportunities to find your own love for lychees-and you'll be getting an added bonus of vitamin C while your at it. You won't have to look hard to locate one as long as your dining in Tribeca.

Detox with Lemons

It shouldn't come as a surprise that lemons can be ideal for detoxification as they originated from Asia-where the popular culture for keeping good health is herbal natural medicine. But besides reducing a fever and giving you clear skin, the lemon has one of the strongest tastes in the culinary world. Just about every ethnicity uses it. Try some of the common and not so common ways to taste lemon...
Thai lemongrass soup
Japanese honey lemon slices
Meyer lemon tart
Italian lemon butter chicken (or pasta)
French lemon souffle
Vanilla lemon basil french toast
Mexican garlic lemon fish
Indian lemon rice

Caramelized Onions With a Side of Onion Rings

So often diners don't know the pure taste of a true onion because of how much it is used throughout the cooking process. By the time the dish is actually served, rarely is the focal point the onion flavor. But as long as your not on a first date, this sweet and savory combo ranks pretty high on the list of things to try at Tribeca Grill. There's no secret ingredients here, just two different methods to serving one basic food item. The french onion soup comes out with the cheese still bubbling-literally! And not the standard predictable swiss or gruyere cheese you'd expect. Perhaps my taste buds weren't up to par, but I'd be willing to bet the chef layered Muenster on top of my boiling brown onion broth. Either way, the choice of cheese certainly jazzed things up for that petite ceramic bowl. Equally exciting and only inches away sat the crusted onion rings piled six tiers high. If you are imaging a perfectly shaped pyramid-your wrong- the ring sizes were completely mixed, making it look so much more chic. After a bite into the crunchy shell, the smooth flavor of the onion hits.  I know your thinking this is onion overload, but again, your wrong! The dishes are on totally different levels. The soup has a bold combination of being sweet and tangy. And the rings are so much more mild, but by no means any less worthy of your time. So don't be afraid of entering into this onion oasis.

Spaghetti Squash: Carb or Vegi?

Before cooked, the appearance is an oversized yellow oval egg shaped vegetable. That's a mouthful in itself.  But when it comes out of the oven, oddly enough, there is something entirely unexpected. The insides look, feel, and taste like discolored spaghetti. Maybe that isn't the most appealing description, but you won't get very far judging a book by its cover. So stop judging and take a fork to scrape out strands of this "vegetable spaghetti" until you have a plate of "pasta" in front of you. The traditional spaghetti, meatballs and tomato sauce is hard to beat, but try tossing these strands with feta, basil and olive oil for a healthier portion of your daily carbs. A serving of tasty pasta tends to incorporate a minimum of 500 carbs in your diet, whereas a bowl of this herbed spaghetti would be hard to get past 200! Makes you think twice now doesn't it. So before writing off this substitute for your most loved italian dish, give the sweeter ingredient a fair chance. The flavor is so subtle you can mix almost any flavor combination with it to fit your foodie needs-try pesto, mozzarella, pecorino, roasted peppers, you name it. And just think, the more you save on dinner, the more room you have for dessert :)

What is a crispy tofu noodle anyway?

Isn't tofu supposed to be soft..? So what is your reaction when its sitting in front of you and its fried? If you were ever in doubt there was a lighter food than tofu out there, Viet Restaurant has proved you wrong. The individual fluffy white strands melt like textured pieces of air on your tongue. Place them carefully in your mouth one by one or grab a handful and go for it! Spice your crispy noodle up a notch by dipping in your favorite sauce before indulging, but don't be surprised if you become an instant fan of tofu.
Don't be proud, upload your new favorite dish originating from those awesome Asian Buddhists. 


FYI: Props to Owner of Viet, Lan Tran Cao- you can even buy vietnamese art work at the gallery next to her restaurant.. http://www.viet-cafe.com/press.html

Medium Vanilla Chai Please

Want to take a break from coffee but still need a little caffeine? Make a switch and order the chai latte. It's true, tea has almost as much caffeine as coffee, but since its brewed differently, the effects are less harsh. Chai wakes you up at a more normal pace so you don't find yourself tapping your fingernails and clenching your teeth after two cups. 
Take a tall Starbucks vanilla latte that has about 150 milligrams of caffeine and replace it with a Starbucks tazo chai latte that only has about 100 milligrams of caffeine. The calories are pretty much the same whether you order the coffee or the chai and if you like the taste of one, you're going to like the taste of the other- they are that similar.  
Of course if you want to indulge, you can always grab a bowl of Starbucks, Haagen Dazs or Ben & Jerrys coffee ice cream to get your fix, which has no more than 80 milligrams of caffeine :)
Happy Tasting!

Is Dessert at lunch different than at dinner?

Sunday is a good day. Brunch with my best and my roomie. Although a common trend in the restaurant business is to offer a different menu depending on the time of the day, the Odeon takes it to a whole new level with a separate dessert menu just for the midday diners. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't much room on our table after ordering a light brunch-complete with eggs benedict, crunchy fries, goat cheese salad, berry french toast and sweet potato soup with duck meatballs!

Who ordered what?

But... if we sat there long enough to digest, there were some tempting top choices. 

1. Warm Doughnuts with raspberry and maple dipping sauce. 

2. Brioche Pudding with Grand Marnier.

3. Hot chocolate pudding cake with hazelnut ice cream. 

There is only one rule of preference I have when picking desserts. I like my dish hot. If it doesn't come warm, its going to have to be that much better to satisfy.

Which would you pick? And remember its only lunch time!

Red Velvet or Vanilla?

Who has the best red velvet?

This guy comes all the way from California-perfect ratio of mini cake to cream cheese frosting

Tell me what you love to taste!?!

Lemon is tart. Pecorino is tangy. Arugula is peppery. Carpaccio is.....bold?