NYC Weekly Blog Post - 4.18.2012

Hey Kids,

Man life gets away from you in NYC!  I've been buying too many bridesmaids dresses for summer weddings and it has eaten away my foodie budget so you are getting multiple weeks worth together this time but I have added in some of my new favorite lunch spots in Midtown for those of you who eat up there!  This post will run the gamut from ice cream shops to Middle Eastern food.

CHELSEA

Artichoke Pizza
Yup this finally happened late night.  All I have to say is PASS.  It's a trendy NYC thing so I had to at least post about it but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I'm even dirtying my blog talking about it.  

Crispo
So I can't even remember who this got on the list.  My roommate and I went to Sleep No More and needed a place near the hotel.  This place was incredible.  It was small, intimate and buzzing with people.  I highly recommend getting a reservation in advance!

Photo Credit: www.immaculateinfatuation.com

We ordered a bunch of appetizers but I will definitely be back because the pastas surrounding us looked amazing.  Here's what we had.

The caramelized brussel sprouts with toasted almonds were perfectly cooked in maple sauce that made it just sweet enough without being overkill.  Some of the best brussel sprouts in Manhattan and I eat them everywhere.

 

The next dish were artichoke hearts with some type of cheese.  Regardless this was my least favorite thing we ordered so who cares honestly.  The artichokes were too raw and the cheese didn't have any flavor.  Lastly the yellow aioli sauce didn't taste like much.

The next dish was a platter of prosciutto, soppressata, parmigiano, provolone and caponata.  The prosciutto was great, the cheeses were fine and the soppressata wasn't very flavorful for some reason which was weird?

The burrata with diced tomato was delicious.  I feel like it is such a simple dish and yet so easy to mess up.  This was delicious and I definitely combined it with some of the prosciutto to take it to another level!

Lastly we had an fennel/endive salad with blood orange and olives with a spicy citrus vinaigrette dressing that was light, tasty and had a little kick to it.  I really enjoyed it and I hate salad.

Tippler
Located underneath Chelsea Market this is one hidden gem of a bar.  They make crazy cocktails that taste delicious and have an awesome beer and wine selection.  And to top it all off they have a couple menu items to snack on including salted soft pretzels with an assortment of artisanal mustards which is delicious (not too salty and very soft) and these "crostini" that are toasted and spread with mashed up deviled eggs and crispy prosciutto.  The "crostini" was SO good although I wish it came with more prosciutto!

An advanced warning on this place; it gets pretty crowded late night so if you want to snag seats for you and your friends you best get there early for happy hour!


MIDTOWN

Pret a Manger
I promised I'd let you know which places I've been hitting up for lunch in Midtown.  Pret a Manger (there are a bunch of them) carry sandwiches, salads, soups and more but I went with the Pret Cobb and Greens Salad with grilled chicken, blue cheese, cranberries, walnuts, apples, cherry tomatoes and mesclun greens with balsamic vinaigrette.  It was absolutely delicious for being a "packaged" salad.  They also had fizzy lemonade in a bottle which is a favorite of mine!

The Smith
You have to go here because my friend works here and the food is really good.  The atmosphere is bright, cheery and in nice weather they open up the side of the restaurant so you can sit in the sun and people-watch.  A great lazy Sunday option.  Lastly, make sure you look in the peephole in the women's bathroom - there is old school porn playing.  Hilarious and super random.
 

We had the burrata with roasted tomato, basil, and sourdough panzanella which was incredible.  The tomatoes were perfectly ripe!


The artichoke flatbread with ricotta, olive and roasted sweet onion was also good although not the
most amazing I've ever had.


The mac n cheese also was good although not the best ever.  Very cheesy.


The steak salad with arugula, endive, red onion, goat cheese, tomato, and balsamic dressing was delicious.  It tasted very fresh, it came with a lot of steak which was appreciated since this place is pricey and the dressing didn't overwhelm the salad as is often the case.  It was also a huge portion so I took it home and it was still delicious the next day (another rarity for a salad).

Last but not least, the Smith specializes in an array of ice cream sundaes.  I went with the rocket ice cream sundae with espresso ice cream, ground espresso beans, espresso syrup, and chocolate sauce which was very good but the surprise winner was the sundae my friend ordered which was blueberry sorbet ice cream sundae with lemon custard, and fresh blueberries.  That one was a refreshing homerun!


 

WichCraft

This is another Midtown lunch time favorite.  I've had both the free range roasted chicken with braised kale, pickled vegetables and spicy aioli on ciabatta and the slow-roasted Berkshire pork with Dijon mustard and bread and butter pickles on ciabatta.  I'd say the pork sandwich is my favorite as all the flavors are well-balanced.  The chicken one comes with a little too much mustard which is overpowering but it's still a great sandwich.  And the bread is super fresh!

Photo Credit: WichCraft Website (Pork sandwich)

 

Chicken Sandwich

LITTLE ITALY

Randolphs Beer

This new hotspot was one my friends were dying to try to we went late night for a ladies date.  It's dark and woody.  My only issue is the seating is all by reservation so there isn't a lot of room to stand if you are a big group unless you can snag the standing-room table near the front of the bar.  The beer list was epic though - I highly recommend the Six Point toasted lager.  I'd probably hit this place up for a first date or a catch-up with one friend since there isn't a lot of room.

NOLITA

Sweet and Vicious

I can't remember if I've already blogged on this one yet or not.  To put it simply it is one of my favorite places to end up at the end of the night when all you want to do is sit outside on the patio and drink tequilas.

Photo Credit: Sweet and Vicious Website

FLATIRON

Wined Up
My first time being here and it's a nice option if you are near Broadway and 20th Street.  It's a good first date place since it is intimate but not too much so.  I would say it is pretty expensive considering it's a wine bar and the food is only okay.  I had the prosciutto di parma flatbread with arugula, red onion and olive oil.  I probably wouldn't go back unless I was in the area again.

EAST VILLAGE

13th Step
So I came here before I moved to New York with some friends and found myself in the midst of a heated beer pong battle which I of course won (with little help from my teammate I might add).  So for Sunday Funday we found ourselves in the East Village and felt like being fratty so we headed back.  It was FOUR DOLLAR pitchers???  Amazing!  We had a great time and yet again ended up in another beer pong battle which I again won.  Very fun.  Will definitely be back again.

 Photo Credit: 13th Step Website

Sunburnt Cow
In one of my previous blogs I mentioned that I'd been to Bondi Road which is owned by the same group as the Sunburnt Cow.  I went to Bondi for my Sunday birthday brunch because Sunburnt Cow was already booked but I've been DYING to go here.  Turns out it's like a bar made for me - hot Australian waiters, mimosas made with sake, and a crazy fun atmosphere for brunch.  Huge fan.  Only fail is that it is cash only.

Photo Credit: Google Images

LOWER EAST SIDE

Bar Chevere (formerly Peri Wine Bar)

Such is the state of New York that places come and go over night.  I had Peri Wine Bar on my list of good places to go and had every intention of going there this last Wednesday night for drinks.  I passed the address three times before I realized it'd been replaced by Bar Chevere.  I was meeting a friend so we decided hey let's try it out!  

We ordered the meatball casserole and an appetizer which was really the equivalent of cheesesticks.  The meatball casserole was really just meatballs in sauce so not sure where the "casserole" part comes in but they were pretty good.  I don't really like cheesesticks. All-in-all we had a great time and the owner is really nice and the atmosphere is great (small, brick walls, not pretentious) but I probably don't need to go back.

 

Gallery Bar
This is one of the wackiest bars I've been to in Manhattan.  I was a huge fan of the decor but not really the people.  It felt a little to snobby/trendy for me.  I call this the "bad hipster vibe" as opposed to like the Manhattan Inn in Brooklyn which has a "good hipster vibe."  Regardless the art here is awesome.  It was literally porn - cool.  Probably wouldn't go back unless I was with a large group of people I liked but it could be a great place for a hipster birthday.  The picture below is from a wedding site - not sure that I'd have my wedding here but to each his own.

 Photo Credit: IntimateWeddings.com

 

Masala Wala
Okay I will admit that all the food here looks identical so I posted pictures but couldn't begin to tell you what some of them are.  It wouldn't matter because the staff is very helpful and pretty much tells you what to order.  And they did a great job since all the things I had were delicious.  It was a nice departure from Italian food for once! I don't know that I need to go back but it was a nice experience nonetheless.


Below is the Mumbai Samosa stuffed with potatoes, peas and chicken.

Zoe
Hello new favorite brunch place (sorry Alias).  I get VERY excited by dishes that involve biscuits and this place has a fried chicken biscuit with orange rosemary marmalade that made my head explode.  It was a huge portion and I COULD NOT stop eating it.  Literally one of the best things I have ever tasted.  Their Bloody Mary was also very spicy and delicious as was the applewood smoked bacon side.  On the other hand the service is TERRIBLE.  But to be honest the food is so good I didn't even care and would definitely go back.  Just a warning though to those of you who can't stand MIA waitresses.

 

 Photo Credit: Zoe F. on Yelp.com

WEST VILLAGE

Bell Book and Candle
This place came highly recommended by a friend so I went there for brunch this past weekend.  I had the BBC burrito with scrambled eggs with chorizo, drunken beans, jack cheese and salsa verde wrapped in a tortilla.  It was okay.  And then my stomach hurt really bad for the next few hours.  However, the atmosphere was AWESOME.  There was a little live band playing the banjo, the restaurant is very homey and it has a half open kitchen which makes for some entertainment.  I would probably give it another chance since I think I may have just ordered wrong?

 

 Photo Credit: BBC Website

Empellon Taqueria
Okay my parents are coming in two weeks and I've had WD-50 reservations on the books for that weekend for over two months.  So since I have to patiently wait to go there I decided to compromise with myself and go to Empellon which is owned by the same people.

The restaurant is very fun (again highly recommend reservations) and a great place to catch up with a friend. 

Photo Credit: Empellon Taqueria Website

You must order one of the queso fundido!  We went with the red and green chorizo with melted chihuahua cheese and warm tortillas.  It was so good.  I preferred the red side because I'm a huge fan of cinnamon but I'll let you make your own decision.

 

The meatballs with Tinga Poblana were also good but I didn't really think they needed to be nestled in the fried bread.  I just took them out and ate them plain.

The skirt steak tacos with Mojo de Ajo (toasted garlic, orange juice and cumin) was good but maybe a little too sweet for me.

The chicken tacos with black kale and salsa verde (tomatillo, cilantro and serrano) were AMAZING.  The flavors of all the stuff inside was delicious as was the salsa verde.  I was licking my fingers!! 

 

For dessert we went with the passion fruit tart with meringue, Mezcal and mint which I wasn't a huge fan of....

GROM
So I was told by a true Roman Italian that this was the best gelato in all of New York.  I felt that was a bold claim and needed to be tested.  So I went and ordered the two scoop dish - Bacio with Venezuelan "Ocumare" chocolate and Caramello al Sale with caramel and Himalayan pink salt.

First off, Italians definitely know their gelato because this stuff was spectacular.  It was so creamy you could've spread it on bread with a knife.  The Bacio was good but the Caramello was amazing.  I will definitely be back to this place.  BELLA!

Dallas - Sun, Steak and Sauce

So I've been to Dallas about three times in the last year to visit friends and continue to be stunned by the amazing food I have each and every time. While I have to say on past visits I have been neglectful with taking photos and chronicling what I eat (I know bad me) I have attempted to redeem myself by highlighting my favorite places that I find myself continuing to return to.

Breadwinners
Breadwinners is best known for brunch and dessert. This was one of the spots I hit up for brunch back in October. If memory serves me I ordered the veggie scramble and then removed half the vegetables and added meat. I had a hangover. I get to be fussy once in awhile. I still remember the perfectly toasted toast, the slightly soft piping hot eggs and the crispy potatoes. The vegies were fresh and also crisped making it a delicious brunch meal. Also if it's a nice day make sure to sit outside (oh and there is parking in back).

Photo Credit: Breadwinners Facebook Page

Perry's Steakhouse
Many have told the story of the famous Perry's Porkchop. And it is famous for a damn good reason. The beef is hand-selected for the restaurant and is cured and then roasted, smoked and caramelized (is your mouth watering yet?) to that it drips off the bone onto your plate. I'm making myself salivate just writing this review. Your dish is served with three pieces of meat carved at the table - four bone ribs, a leaner center cut filet and the softest part called the "eyelash." Add a side of mac n' cheese if you can manage. I could barely finish half of it!

I guarantee you won't have room for dessert so order the Dessert Trio to go along with an order of chocolate-covered strawberries if you feel so inclined (I did). The trio comes with vanilla bean creme brulee, Grand Marnier chocolate truffle and praline cheesecake.

The atmosphere is very chic, almost a little too much for me but I was too focused on my plate to care if I was underdressed. Definitely a martini business lunch or engagement dinner kind of place.

Photo Credit: Perry's Website

Photo Credit: Shaggybevo.com

The Mansion at Turtle Creek
The Mansion restaurant ranks as one of my all time favorite restaurants in life ever. The atmosphere is elegant yet homey, the staff is formal yet friendly, and the food is gorgeous yet delicious. I could gush for hours but I'll stick to the basics. There are three main rooms - the main dining area (picture one), the outdoor patio (picture two) and the lounge (picture three). If it's nice grab dinner on the patio and after dinner head into the lounge for more drinks and live music. It's like living in Mad Men I kid you not.

Photo Credits: Mansion Website

I've eaten most of the menu but I thought I'd treat you guys to a detailed description of the latest chef tasting menu with wine pairings. The chef, Bruno Davaillon, is up for the James Beard award this year and if this menu has any bearing on him winning I'd say he is a shoo-in.

We started the dinner with an amuse bouche of fish with fruit (sorry I didn't catch exactly what it was) which was soft and flavorful.

The next dish was gougere with black pudding and lardo paired with a glass of Cava La Dama, Naveran, Penedes, Spain 2010. The gougere was fine (I didn't think there was much taste to it) but the wine was spectacular. I love Spanish Cava.


Next was a smoked consomme with pulled leg, fava, poached quail egg and ossetra caviar paired with a glass of Amontillado Los Arcos, Emilio Lustau, Jerez. Amontillado is a dark, sweet sherry that was perfectly matched with the savory, slightly salty consomme. The caviar was a tasty final touch and the temperature of the soup was ideal - not too hot, not too cold. It also came with a fair amount of meat which was nice.

The next dish was braised shoulder with vadouvan, green tomato chutney, yogurt and mint and a glass of Pinot Gris reserve, Gustave Lorentz, Alsace 2009. This was by far my favorite dish and one of the most memorable of my life. I wish it was a bigger portion! The mixture of the vadouvan with the meat was SO flavorful and tempered just enough by the yogurt.


Next was the slow roasted rack & loin with wild white asparagus, ramp puree and rhubard relish with a glass of Barbera, Palmina, Santa Barbara 2009. This is a wine favorite of mine but the meat was also delicious. I was still reeling from the last dish which may have overshadowed this one slightly. The asparagus side was slightly too mushy for me but otherwise another win.

The next dish was a mystery dish! I looked back at the menu and it seems that brought us out an extra (we know the manager pretty well - go us). It was some sort of meat with a sweet sauce and slices of green apple. Also delicious.


Last but not least - dessert. The whiskey molasses parfait with bacon nougatine and black sesame caramel was paired with Anejo Rum Anniversario, Pampero. The rum was too overpowering for me so I passed after a sip or two which was fine because the parfait took my full attention. They had me at bacon nougatine I'm afraid. My only wish as usual is that there was more ice cream!


Overall yet another incredible meal at this restaurant. Bruno I'm rooting for you!


Smoke
So this restaurant is a little fuzzy for me in terms of remembering all the things I ordered but I do remember the appetizers! We had the trio of smoked sausage which includes pork andouille, all spiced rabbit and beef paprika with fennel seed. If I remember correctly I think I liked the pork the best because it was a little spicy and the rabbit was good as well. We also got an order of the mac n cheese which was incredible and the mescal and key lime meringue pie for dessert. The dessert was okay - I'm not a huge fan or meringue but I love key lime so I gave it a try. Also pretty positive I had some sort of meat dish like the pulled pork burger or the lamb chop since that's why we went. All I remember is the atmosphere is laidback but nice and the food was delicious so I wanted to include it.

Photo Credit: DailyCandy.com Website

Saint Ann's
Another favorite on the Dallas list, this restaurant/bar probably best fits the appeal of a twentysomething. I highly recommend just going with appetizers here because they are famous and delicious.

Photo Credit: Saint Ann's Website

Must-haves include the marinated chicken and jalapenos wrapped with bacon and served with ranch dressing and the dates stuffed with chorizo also wrapped in bacon and piquillo. The first is almost a little too spicy and the second a little too sweet so I order both and alternate. Highly recommended!

The pork tacos with guacamole, lime, and cilantro are also delicious as is the pasta which changes every so often. This time it was pappardelle with tomato, meat sauce and parmesan. The pasta was cooked perfectly but it could've used a little more sauce. As usual I was stuffed by the time we left!



Fearings at the Ritz
Another one that is from a past trip but I remember enjoying my meal here so I included it. Dean Fearing is also a pretty famous chef (probably why his restaurant is part of the Ritz - just a guess). They have a gorgeous patio to eat or drink on and the food was delicious even if the plates themselves weren't memorable. Whatever I had for dessert here was excellent. I would say that if I had to choose I'd pick the Mansion over Fearings ten times out ten just because it feels more boutique and the dishes are more interesting. However, I encourage you to try both and tell me which one you prefer!

Photo Credit: Ritz Carlton Website

Del Frisco's Grille
This was the one newbie to the group on this last trip and boy did it measure up! There's also a Del Frisco's in New York I just learned so I will definitely be visiting the sister restaurant. This place was pretty "sceney" as well which I actually don't mind especially since the service was impeccable. Our waiter even let me make my own dessert and then didn't charge me for it. What a champ!

Photo Credit: Del Frisco's Facebook Page

Yet again we just ordered a bunch of appetizers because we all know appetizers are more interesting anyway right?


First up were the pimento cheese fitters with chipotle ranch sauce. They were nicely crisped on the outside but the cheese was a little too bright orange Velveeta for me. I'm also not a huge fan of fried cheese things like cheesesticks, etc, so maybe it was just me.


The next one was the cheesesteak eggrolls with sweet & spicy chili sauce and honey mustard. Um HELLO you are tasty! I almost fought my friend for his half of the dish. Seriously was about to get the nails out. Hands down best "bar food" dish I've ever had. I'm still licking my fingers. I love Texan food oh god yes I do.


Next up were the lollipop buffalo-style chicken wings with avocado ranch dressing. The waiter said they weren't spicy at all as wings tend to be and I believed him. Turns out they were fairly spicy although not inedible. Goes to show that when you ask a Texan if something is spicy be warned that their palate is not the same as yours! As you can see from the picture they were aptly named "lollipops" too which I thought was fun.


Of course we ordered a round of mac n cheese in order to maintain the streak we clearly have going. And lastly we washed it all down with a carafe of white sangria made with pinot grigio, white peach puree, peach schnapps and fresh strawberries and blueberries. First off, I usually hate sangria because it is too alcoholic-tasting or too sweet. This stuff was PERFECT. I would've guzzled more if I didn't need to make my plane.

This place literally transformed me into high-level vacation mode. I will be back.


The Common Table
Another Dallas favorite of mine, this place has two appetizers that I love and a whole bible worth of craft beers to try. You could spend all day hanging out on the deck enjoy a multitude of different flavors. There's also live music (hello it's Texas) most of the time as well so it's a great summer hangout to waste away a Sunday in the shade.

Photo Credit: The Common Table Website

First up on the list of top appetizers are the pulled pork spring rolls with ponzu sauce and sweet chili garlic. Perfectly crisp on the outside and perfectly flavored on the inside. And the sauce adds an extra slightly spicy layer to a crunchy good time.


Second on the list are the tuna nachos with sesame soy ahi tuna, wasabi, pickled ginger on crispy wonton. The serving is a little small for my appetite but the wasabi added an extra kick that slows me down a little. The wontons are crunchy and the tuna is nice and soft.



Medieval Times
Yup it's on here simply because it is soo entertaining and I still maintain the food is pretty good - especially the whole chicken you eat with your hands! However, just to be jackasses we ordered "mead" not thinking that was a real thing. Next thing we know we have a bottle of mead which if you didn't know is 100% fermented honey and tastes AWFUL. It's like really really sweet cough syrup. GROSS. Still to the finger-licking good food and regular beer. It's also a ton of fun to adopt an Old English accent for the duration of your visit. Totally touristy and still makes the list!


Crust
Last but not least I was SUPER surprised by this restaurant which can only be found in the Delta Terminal at La Guardia airport in New York. I was hungry and a waitress was wandering the terminal seats and offered me a menu. It was pretty expensive so I went with the $4 piece of toast with ricotta and herbs. She brought me two relatively large crostinis heaped with ricotta. It was DELICIOUS. Kind of blew my socks off to be honest. I even looked to see if this was a real restaurant anywhere else and apparently it only exists at the airport. Open one in Manhattan stat!


Dallas Arboretum
For my last two entries I wanted to remind myself and you that this is afterall at TRAVEL blog so I wanted to recommend a couple other fun activities I got around to doing while in Dallas. The first is the Dallas Arboretum which has outdoor concerts throughout the summer even as late as October. The bands aren't terribly great from what I witnessed but you can bring food and booze and have a grand ole time outside with friends. Highly recommended as a cheap fun activity!


Katy Trail
The Katy Trail is a nice little trail that runs along the river with multiple entrances depending on where you want to start. It's peaceful and pretty and a nice respite from the downtown area without having to travel too far. Also it's concrete so you can walk, run or bike. A free, fun alternative to day drinking!

Photo Credit: Activerain.com

Overall I can't say I would ever want to live in Dallas but it is a very fun place to visit and to gorge yourself on incredible food. Give it a try and let me know what you think. If you hate it, rent a car because Austin is only three hours away!