tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87317784247069503342024-03-13T00:55:25.708-04:00Hom NomHom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-43395515440905246202015-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:002015-10-16T09:00:01.982-04:00Birthday Weekend Pizza Crawl!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--yN02WnaZ3Y/ViAIGk3E1qI/AAAAAAAANKo/pW4t99DtNjo/s1600/IMG_8697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--yN02WnaZ3Y/ViAIGk3E1qI/AAAAAAAANKo/pW4t99DtNjo/s640/IMG_8697.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
My favorite food in the world is pizza. I could eat pizza probably every day and for every meal. To celebrate my birthday, I decided to drag my sister around New York on a "pizza crawl".<br />
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Stop 1: Motorino Pizza<br />
Verdict: Blech, skip this.<br />
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Stop 2: GG's<br />
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Yes, I have been here <a href="http://homnom.blogspot.com/2015/03/dining-in-new-york-ggs.html">before</a>, but I hadn't tried its famous "Grandma Pie" yet. We were planning on going to Bruno's, but it was raining and thunderstorming. Cooper is scared of thunder, so we decided to order GG's on caviar and stay in so he wouldn't be scared. Yes, we are officially those <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_in_show/">people</a>.<br />
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We ordered the grandma pie and the ebony & ivory pie.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">{Auntie I love pepperoni!}</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">{Netflix & Chill (with pizza)}</div><br />
Verdict: The grandma pie is a square pie on what is basically a focaccia crust. The rest of the pizza was oozing with cheese and appetizing looking pepperoni discs. The sauce/toppings soaked up into the crust nicely, but not in a way that made the pizza soggy. The ebony & ivory pie was good, but, this time, it was eclipsed by my loyalty to pepperoni pizza. I probably won't come back here again, and if I am ordering pizza in, I would pick Luzzo's diavola pizza over GG's.<br />
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Stop 3: Bruno's<br />
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Bruno is new to the east village, and has received a lot of praise recently! I came here the week before and ordered the mushroom and 'nduja pizza, along with the agnolotti. I looooved the 'nduja pizza and the agnolotti, the mushroom pizza was just okay. This week, my sister and I ordered the pepperoni pizza, summer greens pizza, and the cavatappi pasta.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{Does not re-heat well, so eat the whole thing at the restaurant}</div><br />
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Verdict: We came here for the pizza, and we were wowed by the pasta. I would definitely come back here again and stuff my face with more pizza (pepperoni and 'nduja) and pasta (cavatappi)! <br />
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Stop 4: Di Fara's<br />
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Di Fara's is one of the "old school" pizza joints in New York. I had heard of 2-3 hour waits at Di Fara's, so I made sure to get there before they opened to get a place in line. My sister and I arrived about 30 minutes before opening, and they had already started taking orders, so we walked right in with no wait. By the time we left, they were only taking orders at the window and called you when your order was ready. We decided to each get a slice - of course - I got pepperoni on mine.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{Look at those thick discs of pepperoni!}</div><br />
Verdict: The crust was perfect, the pepperoni was perfect, and I would gladly sit on the Q train for 45+ minutes to go back here again! I'm not sure if I would wait 2-3 hours in the cold in line for this, but I would try to get here early to beat the queue.<br />
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Stop 5: Totonno's<br />
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Since we were already at Di Fara's we decided to stop by Totonno's. We had to wait about 25 minutes for a table. The founder, Totonno Pero, originally worked at Lombardi's, and opened his namesake restaurant in 1924.<br />
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Verdict: So the pizza was tasty, but I wouldn't trek all the way out to Coney Island and wait in the cold for it again.<br />
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Stop 6: Posto<br />
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Well, this is kind of cheating. This place is a delivery staple for me when I'm not ordering from Luzzo's. My favorite is the meat lovers with ricotta as an extra topping.<br />
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Verdict: Very good neighborhood pizza, I will come here (and order delivery from here) again!<br />
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Stop 7: Roberta's<br />
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This place a hipster pizza joint, but it is delicious! Everyone who knows me was shocked when I said I hadn't been here before. My sister and I had planned on ending our pizza crawl at Roberta's on the day of my official birthday. My friends surprised me and we ended up having a bunch of different things - far more than two people could have eaten! For pizzas, we had the margherita, cheesus christ, bee sting, and the good girl. I would have taken more pictures but the lighting was bad and I was busy socializing with my friends and trying to eat as much pizza as my stomach allowed.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{Bee sting pizza - pepperoni/spicy stuff with honey drizzled on top}</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">{Cheesus Christ!}</div><br />
Verdict: Unique and finger licking good pies! I will be coming here again, and will likely have to wait 50-80 minutes for a table. Of all the pizzas we had as leftovers, this was my favorite one to finish off at home during the following week.<br />
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Winners:<br />
Bruno's<br />
Di Fara's<br />
Roberta's<br />
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Not Mentioned but my favorite in east village: Luzzo's<br />
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Do you think I'm horribly wrong on my verdicts? Did I miss some key pizza institutions? I'm happy to conduct a second edition of the pizza crawl in case I missed anything the first time!<br />
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<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zwKhGhdCIIJ0.kjVaGhGw9lvg" width="640" height="480"></iframe>Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-25057351023300878492015-04-24T13:29:00.002-04:002015-04-24T13:29:31.592-04:00Soft Scrambled Eggs<div>
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Make this for brunch this weekend!<br />
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My instacart delivery window time was unavailable for the time I needed last night. So, that gave me two options: go back to ABC Kitchen and have the fluke crudo, or, forage through what I have at home. Since I just went to ABC Kitchen earlier this week, I decided to exercise some self control (ha) and cook at home. All I had was peanut butter, kind bars, popcorn, eggs, and tortillas. Well, let's be honest, I ate the peanut butter, kind bar(s), and popcorn for lunch. So, that left me with eggs and tortillas.<br />
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A quick google search of "soft scrambled eggs" led me straight to...Jean Georges. Yes, the man who gave me ABC Kitchen. Funny how that worked! I watched him work his magic in this <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/how-to-make-fluffy-soft-scrambled-eggs-like-jean-georges-vongerichten">link</a> and then clicked through to find the recipe. This is actually a simple recipe, just make sure you have top quality ingredients, I noticed that makes a big difference in taste.<br />
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{Chef JGV starts with a cold square side pan, not a warm skillet!}</div>
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<b>Soft Scrambled Eggs</b>, recipe from <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/the-softest-scramble">Jean Georges / Bon Appetit </a></div>
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Serves 4</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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<li>4 large eggs (I use Carol's Heirloom Brown Eggs) </li>
<li>2 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, divided (I use Beurre de Pamplie)</li>
<li>Cayenne pepper</li>
<li>Kosher salt</li>
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Remember - you don't need to heat your saucepan before cracking your eggs! According to the Maestro, a heated pan creates rubbery eggs. </div>
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Crack your eggs into the room temperature saucepan, and add in a dash of cayenne and kosher salt. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, while scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. Remove from heat after the eggs have thickened and began to form curds, this will take about 3-4 minutes, and it will happen fast! Remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. of butter and whisk until melted. The chilled butter apparently stops the eggs from cooking further. Who knew? </div>
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Serve in bowls, or, you can also serve with my <a href="http://homnom.blogspot.com/2015/03/kale-egg-and-caramelized-onion-wrap.html">kale, egg, and caramelized onion wrap</a>! To be honest, these eggs are so buttery and delicious they deserve to be eaten alone! </div>
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Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-36647927978222075012015-04-06T09:00:00.000-04:002015-04-06T09:00:02.683-04:00Food While Traveling: Puesto, San Diego, CA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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San Diego has numerous draws - blue skies, sandy beaches, not much rain, and incredible Mexican food. While I don't think I've heard much of San Diego being a food destination (like Charleston or Austin), I didn't want to leave without eating tacos galore.<br />
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And, sorry in advance, I didn't take more than one photo at Puesto, and the lighting was horrible. Photos not indicative of food quality.<br />
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When I'm doing research on where to eat, I usually turn to Eater.com. It offers tons of insight and tips on a majority of US cities. I scanned Eater San Diego, and decided to pick some restaurants off its "hot right now" list. Puesto came up, and it fit the bill. I got a reservation for the four of us for a Friday night just a few days before our trip.<br />
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Puesto, run by three San Diego locals, offers Mexican street food made with fresh and organic ingredients and sustainable seafood (that was the draw to my family). I've never actually had street food in Mexico, so I can't vouch for authenticity, but, I can vouch for deliciousness.<br />
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We were seated outside (coming from cold NYC, this was amazing), and ordered cocktails to start. My dad had his first mezcal, my sister had a grapefruit cocktail, and my mom had some sangria.<br />
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We ordered some guacamole to start, just the plain kind. This was just okay, I would recommend ordering the crab guacamole.<br />
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Then we shared a whole slew of tacos, a bowl, and some grilled corn. We ordered the carnitas, the lamb barbacoa, and the chicken verde. We also ordered a whole order of the fish tacos. The fish tacos were just okay, but all the other plates were literally finger licking good. Yes, I was literally licking my fingers.<br />
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Overall: I would recommend this place for dinner or lunch. The environment is family friendly, and service is quick, and the food and cocktails are tasty. The portions are also small enough that you won't blow any healthy eating diet you are trying to stick to!<br />
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<b>Puesto</b> </div>
789 West Harbor Drive<br />
San Diego, CA 92101<br />
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http://www.eatpuesto.com<br />
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There is a second location in La Jolla, I don't think that is a full service menu though. I made reservations on opentable.com.Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-5849192706578169552015-03-27T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-27T09:00:04.922-04:00Kale, Egg, and Caramelized Onion Wrap<div>
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A health-conscious friend of mine mentioned a cafe near my office named Little Beet, and how this place offers healthy meal options and is SPE certified.</div>
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I hadn't heard of the term "SPE certified". It is a third party certification that indicates that a restaurant is committed to nutrition, sustainability, and customer well-being. Food-service establishments are rated on operations (sourcing/sustainability, nutrition and menu balance, and training and transparency), and what is being served (use of nutrient dense ingredients, adheres to portion guidelines, etc). At the moment, this certification is only available in establishments located in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.<br />
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Anyway, my friend mentioned how he usually gets the egg-white and kale wrap. I normally bring in my breakfast and lunch to avoid dangerous temptations (Bagels, Burger Joint, Halal Guys, Menkeu Tei), but I thought that Little Beet could be a healthy option in a pinch. So off I went one morning to try this wrap. Sadly, it was terrible, because the ribs of the kale were left in the wrap, which made it hard to chew...the whole thing fell apart on me. And it was $8. In that case, I would suggest sticking to the starbucks breakfast sandwiches!<br />
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I decided to try to make this myself and bring it in for breakfast. I even added in some caramelized onions, which adds a sweet, "splurge" feeling taste to this wrap. SO easy, and far superior to Little Beet's! Also, so much cheaper. So a win on all accounts.<br />
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<b>Kale, Egg, and Caramelized Onion Wrap, </b>inspired by Little Beet<br />
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Serves 1<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<li>1 whole wheat or brown rice tortilla </li>
<li>1 whole egg (you could do two egg whites instead if you wanted)</li>
<li>1 handful of kale, with the ribs removed </li>
<li>Caramelized onions (see recipe below)</li>
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Steam the kale. I do this by placing a few inches of water in a saucepan, and then place a silicon steamer into the pan, and add the kale. I bring the water to a boil and cover the lid, and let the kale steam for about 4 minutes. </div>
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Heat a small saute pan, and once heated, warm up your tortilla in the pan. Remove and place on a plate. Add some butter or oil to the saute pan and crack your egg into the pan and scramble with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. </div>
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Add the kale and caramelized onions to the saute pan and mix the eggs and kale together. Fold into the tortilla, roll up, and enjoy! </div>
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Since I take this to work, I put the kale, egg, and onions into a tupperware, and when I want to eat it, I heat the tortilla and the egg mix all together in the microwave for 30 seconds. </div>
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<b>Caramelized Onions</b>, recipe from Physique 57 </div>
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Makes 1 cup </div>
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<i>Note that 1 cup is enough caramelized onions for me to use in my wrap for the whole work week, not just one serving size. </i></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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<li>1 teaspoon butter</li>
<li>1 teaspoon olive oil </li>
<li>1 large Vidalia or yellow onion, sliced</li>
<li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste</li>
<li>Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth as needed, about 1/4 cup </li>
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In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and the olive oil. Add the onions, salt, and pepper; cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring often and adding a little bit of broth as necessary to keep the onions from sticking. The onions are done when the color changes to a deep golden brown, and they are wilted and creamy, about 20-30 minutes. </div>
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Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-64083105705394849682015-03-25T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-25T09:00:09.708-04:00Dining in New York: Upland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There has been a lot of buzz around Upland, and I was excited to see what it was all about! </div>
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<a name='more'></a>Upland opened up in the old Manzanillas space in Gramercy in the late fall. Chef Justin Smillie (Il Buco, Gramercy Tavern, Mercer Kitchen) paired up with Stephen Starr to bring some California-inspired Italian cuisine to the 'hood.<br />
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I somehow got a reservation for a Monday at 9pm, just by checking a few days before. I think this was a fluke, it seems like if you want a table that isn't at 5:30pm or 10:30pm, you have to wait a month. </div>
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The space is cozy, and the colors were inspired by the "lush rolling farmlands of California" (where Chef Smillie is from). </div>
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We were seated in a cute banquette, and ordered some red wine by the glass. </div>
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We ordered the octopus, the 'nduja pizza, and the pappardelle to share. The octopus was a major miss - it was overcooked, and overall not very tasty. However, the pasta and pizza did live up to the hype.</div>
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I am obsessed with the 'nduja pizza now. 'Nduja is an Italian sausage spread, I've noticed it has gained increasing popularity on menus. I first saw it at Piora, and now I see it everywhere! It is heavenly. </div>
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Overall: I would come back here again and again until I got sick of the 'nduja pizza. The pasta was also very good, but I was starry-eyed about my new found favorite dish. Upland also had a decent selection of wines by the glass. We were too full for dessert, but I'd be curious to try that out next time too.<br />
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<b>Upland</b><br />
345 Park Avenue (at 26th and Park, entrance is on the 26th street side, not Park Ave side)<br />
New York, New York 10010<br />
(212) 686-1006<br />
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http://www.uplandnyc.com/<br />
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Upland is open for dinner (daily), lunch (weekdays), and brunch (weekends). You can make reservations on opentable,Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-90214834892685280672015-03-23T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-23T09:00:10.237-04:00Dining in New York: Gato<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finally made it to Bobby Flay's newest addition to New York, Gato! </div>
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<a name='more'></a>My sister was visiting and was in the mood for tapas for dinner, and Gato was the first place that came to mind. The menu is split into "bar" and "kitchen" items, and both are served in the main dining room.<br />
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Per usual, we ordered way more than we could possibly eat. We started with a few bar items.<br />
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{Piquillo with tuna, croquetta, and lamb tenderloin}</div>
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{Croqueta}</div>
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Brussels sprouts are always tastiest when sauteed in oodles of fat! I don't actually know what these are sauteed in, but my guess is a whole lot of something buttery. Then they were topped with pomegranate and pistachios. </div>
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It's not really tapas unless you have patatas bravas! </div>
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{Kale and wild mushroom paella}</div>
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{Oven roasted shrimp}</div>
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{Roasted Octopus}</div>
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Overall: My favorite dishes were the octopus, the shrimp (spicy!), brussels sprouts, and the patatas bravas. I'm not a person who usually craves tapas, so Gato wouldn't be a restaurant I would visit every week. I did think it was kind of pricey for being "tapas", but I guess that is the price you pay for a celebrity chef! </div>
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<b>Gato</b></div>
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324 Lafayette Street (b/t Bleecker and Houston)</div>
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New York, NY 10012 </div>
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(212) 334-6400</div>
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http://gatonyc.com/</div>
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Gato is open for dinner Monday - Thursday from 5:30pm - 10:30pm, Friday and Saturday from 5:30pm - 11pm and Sunday from 5pm - 10:30pm. You can make reservations on <a href="http://www.opentable.com/new-york-city-restaurants">opentable</a>. </div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-33480396817531304332015-03-20T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-20T09:00:02.457-04:00Dining in New York: GG's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When my sister comes to visit, I usually take her to cool spots in the west village or soho. So, on her last visit, I promised to take her only to neighborhood spots. Sticking to my word, I took her to GG's for Sunday brunch. </div>
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GG's opened up last fall, and had slowly creeped onto my radar because I saw lots of pictures of pizza on instagram. Pizza, my first love! I was sold to stop in for a visit. </div>
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We shared the baked pasta carbonara, the ebony and ivory pizza, and the spoon bread. </div>
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The ebony & ivory pizza features homemade morcilla (blood sausage - better than it sounds) with ricotta. I have to admit, I as a little skeptical to try the blood sausage, but since my sister liked it, I figured I would try at least a bite. Ebony & ivory, you stole a pizza my heart. </div>
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All pizzas are served with extra ricotta on the side, so I slathered on even more ricotta than was really needed. </div>
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{Spoon bread. Underwhelming}</div>
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Overall: I love that this spot is in my 'hood, affordable, delicious. and most importantly, that Sunday brunch doesn't have a ridiculous wait. I would definitely order the pizza and the carbonara again if I came in for brunch, but I would skip the spoon bread. I definitely want to come back for Grandma's pie, which is the square pepperoni pizza. While I haven't planned a group dinner here myself, I think this spot may also be good for large groups - so have a look at the site (link below) if you want to plan a casual birthday outing! </div>
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<b>GG's</b></div>
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511 East 5th Street (b/t A and B)</div>
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New York, New York 10009</div>
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(212) 687-3641</div>
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http://www.ggsnyc.com</div>
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The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11am-midnight. The restaurant only takes reservations for groups of 6 or more for brunch and limited reservations for groups of 4 or more for lunch and dinner.</div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-6790987958753669772015-03-18T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-18T09:00:04.150-04:00Dining in New York: Balthazar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Balthazar, I've missed you! So much so, that I actually went twice in a week.<br />
<a name='more'></a>We all know I love Balthazar. I hadn't been since the summer, so I decided to make a reservation for last Friday and go with a friend. Then, Arti Tai was in town and we had already made plans to go this past Saturday.<br />
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My friends Mai & Paul got me the Balthazar cookbook for my birthday, but I've yet to make something other than the steak au poivre.<br />
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Both times, we started with the chicken liver and foie gras mousse with toasted bread. This is a must-order! Also, ask your server for more toasted bread. You will need it even if you are just a party of one.<br />
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I've never ordered oysters at Balthazar, and having a special guest from Seattle was a perfect occasion to try! We shared some blue point and well fleet oysters. I really hate to say this, but I think I prefer east coast oysters to west coast oysters.<br />
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And now, here she is! The beautiful steak au poivre! The steak comes with a sauce, I get it on the side so I can pour it on at my discretion. The second time I came, I forgot to ask to get it on the side. Still delicious.<br />
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{That's coq au vin in the back, I heard it was pretty good too!}</div>
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All dressed up and nowhere to go but my stomach! I should have exercised better portion control, I was pretty stuffed after finishing this entire thing.<br />
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Overall: I looooove the chicken liver and foie gras mousse. If you go, you must order that. I really hate to say this, but the steak au poivre wasn't as top notch as it usually is, I'm not sure what happened. I did hear that the duck confit and the coq au vin were both delicious, so I may have to branch out next time! As for dessert, I ordered the warm chocolate cake and the pot du creme. I think the signature dessert at Balthazar is the pot du creme, so if you have to pick one or the other, go with the pot du creme!<br />
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<b>Balthazar</b><br />
80 Spring Street<br />
New York, NY 10012<br />
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(212) 965-1785<br />
http://www.balthazarny.com<br />
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Balthazar is open for breakfast Monday - Friday from 7:30am-11:30am, lunch Monday - Friday from 12pm-5pm, dinner Monday - Sunday from 6pm-midnight, dinner (1am on Friday/Saturday) and brunch on weekends from 9am-4pm. Reservations are accepted on open table or by calling.Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-16430264246676793902015-03-16T09:00:00.000-04:002015-03-16T09:00:07.156-04:00Dining in New York: Traif<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I took January off from the dining scene (as evident from my lack of posts), and I apparently missed a lot.<br />
<a name='more'></a>A few friends (Anoop, Amitha, Sunny) and I were planning a catch up dinner, and Amitha &Anoop mentioned several places that I had never heard of! Semilla? Xixa? Traif? Hadn't heard of these. Geez, didn't realize living under a rock for a month would put me totally out of the loop.<br />
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Anoop made a reservation for a Friday night, and away we went! Traif is a pork-centric restaurant located in Williamsburg. According to my sources, Traif means non-kosher food. How fitting that a pork-centric restaurant is named Traif, ha.<br />
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Diners can order off the a la carte menu or do the (reasonably priced) tasting menu. We opted for the latter, and we asked our waitress to bring out the *best* of the a la carte selections. Our tasting menu was something like $50 or $60, and about 10 or 12 courses.<br />
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The lighting was quite dark and I forgot to take pictures of most of the food, but here are a few snaps:<br />
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{Braised short rib sliders}</div>
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{Escargots and gnocchi}</div>
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{Braised pork cheeks with polenta}</div>
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{Infamous bacon donuts}</div>
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Overall: I enjoyed the food and the price, and I would "trek" out to Williamsburg again to dine here. The only drawback was sitting in the "outside" room and it got kind of cold in there, so I guess I'll just come back in the summer!<br />
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<b>Traif</b></div>
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229 S. 4th Street</div>
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Brooklyn, NY 11211</div>
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http://www.traifny.com</div>
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(347) 844-9578</div>
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Call for reservations. Traif is open for Tuesday to Thursday, and Sunday, from 6pm to 12 am, and Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 1am. </div>
<br />Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-36056857611180406172015-03-04T09:00:00.000-05:002015-03-04T09:00:01.918-05:00Food While Traveling: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, Charleston, SC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Callie's Hot Little Biscuit was my favorite stop on our foodie tour of the city! </div>
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My little sister some how had heard about Callie's (probably on Food Network), and added it to a "must stop". I'm so glad she did! </div>
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CLB is run by Carrie Morey, who opened up this store front in 2014. Her mother had run a successful catering business, including delicious biscuits, and Carrie was inspired to continue the biscuit legend. </div>
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There are seven flavors of biscuits available daily. Clockwise from the top, we have buttermilk, cheese and chive, black pepper bacon, country ham, cinnamon, blackberry, and short cake.<br />
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This is the fried chicken biscuit special. In other words, heaven. I would probably convince someone to fly with me to Charleston for the weekend to eat this biscuit again.<br />
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And here is the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit special. How I wish I could eat this for breakfast every day, instead of my vanilla oatmeal. <br />
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We got a bit over-zealous and ordered six of the biscuits to share. My favorites were the country ham and the cheese and chive biscuits.<br />
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Look at this hot little biscuit, oozing with sri racha mayo! I am licking my lips just looking at this beauty.<br />
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<b>Callie's Hot Little Biscuit </b><br />
476 1/2 King Street<br />
Charleston, SC<br />
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http://www.calliesbiscuits.com/<br />
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843-737-5159<br />
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No reservations are required as this is a cafe. CLB is open Monday - Sunday from 8am - 2pm, and, Friday and Saturday late at night from 10pm-2am. Trust me, you'll want this biscuit at 12:30am as much as you do at 8am.Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-79369387124013764212015-02-23T12:28:00.000-05:002015-02-23T12:28:03.822-05:00Food While Traveling: Husk, Charleston, SC <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In September, I went on a foodie girls weekend in Chicago with Arti Tai. We decided our next foodie girls weekend was going to be Charleston so we could go to Husk.<br />
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<br />Husk was opened by Chef Sean Brock, His philosophy is that "if it doesn't come from the South, it's not coming through the doors". Chef Brock wanted to showcase traditional southern cuisine in a modern light. Since opening, Husk has won numerous accolades and even won Bon Appetite's Top 10 New Restaurants in 2010, and Best Restaurant of the Year in 2011! Of all the restaurants on our Charleston list, I was most excited to eat here! </div>
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We came in for lunch. The restaurant is located in a two story house with a wraparound porch, just off Meeting Street. Lucky for me, the dining room features massive windows which let the sunlight stream in (perfect for iphone photos!).<br />
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Check out the cocktail menu!<br />
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I ordered the Dragoon's Punch and it came with a photo bomb.<br />
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The menu changes daily, and there were so many delicious offerings we asked our waiter for some recommendations.<br />
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We place a large lunch order because we didn't want to miss out on anything! We just about ordered everything off the menu, and I was relieved I had decided to do a Physique 57 workout earlier in the morning. </div>
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We started with crostini with cheddar pimento cheese, some pickle relish, and crispy ham. </div>
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Next we had Chef Brock's infamous pig's ear lettuce wraps with marinated cukes, red onions, and benne seeds<br />
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These bread rolls were also fluffy, warm, buttery, and, in fewer words, amazing. And it was like an endless supply, every time I reached into the bag, there were more! </div>
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See below for some slow smoked tennesse pork ribs with sarsaparilla-black birch BBQ, candied benne seeds, and scallions. These were my favorite of all the appetizers we ordered.<br />
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The shrimp and grits were the best I've had in my short visit to Charleston. </div>
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We also shared the fried chicken sandwich. Now back in New York, all I can think about are fried chicken biscuit sandwiches.<br />
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{Fried chicken sandwich. I love wedge fries!}<br />
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We moved on to my favorite course of the day!</div>
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{Meyer Lemon Chess Pie}<br />
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{Spiked Chocolate Panna Cotta}<br />
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{Sweet Vanilla Doughnut Holes}<br />
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Overall: I would definitely recommend Husk as a must-eat when you are in Charleston. There were a few entrees I would skip next time (the catfish and the pork), and I would probably stick to the small plates over the larger entrees. If I go to Nashville, I will certainly be checking out Husk when I'm there! </div>
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<b>Husk</b></div>
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76 Queen Street</div>
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Charleston, SC </div>
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843-577-2500</div>
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http://www.huskrestaurant.com/</div>
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Husk is open for lunch Monday - Saturday, brunch on Sunday, and dinner Monday - Sunday, and reservations can be made on opentable.com </div>
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Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-80446904029039441272015-01-05T09:00:00.000-05:002015-01-05T09:00:03.657-05:00Food While Traveling: Din Tai Fung Dumpling House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This gem of a dumpling house was unknown to me until this year!</div>
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<a name='more'></a>I'm not sure how I didn't hear about it until now, but I'm glad I did. A few months ago, my foodie friend Arti mentioned this place to me, but since I wasn't planning a visit back to Seattle anytime soon, it didn't stick on my radar. Then, my best friend Avani (also Arti's younger sister) suggested I go since I would be in town during the holidays. I made a mental note of it and figured I would look it up when I got into Seattle. My sister, mom, and I were in University Village running errands, and I was looking at a map of the place and there it was....DIN TAI FUNG! I turned to my family and said 'Oh, Avani said we should go, it's really good!". Et voila, Tuesday night's dinner was solved!<br />
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I headed over to the restaurant to see how long the wait would be for our party. I had read on yelp that sometimes the wait times are 2-3 hours! I got to the restaurant just around 6pm and the wait was about 20-30 minutes. I don't think this wait time is normal, I think this was a Christmas miracle! The hostess took my name and cell phone number, as the restaurant has a technology set up that when your table is ready, you receive a text! She handed me a menu and told me to check in once I received said text. </div>
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In about 24 minutes, it was our turn to experience the delicious savory goodness that are dumplings! </div>
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I was told that Din Tai Fung was *the* place to go for soup dumplings, but unfortunately for us, those dumplings are only served on Saturdays and Sundays (and I have an inkling that is when the wait times are 2-3 hours long!). Well, don't pity us, we still had a great meal. Our first dish was the Pork XiaoLongBao. These weren't quite soup dumplings, but there was a little bit of broth inside, close enough I guess! These were fantastic, I'd recommend ordering them! </div>
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Then came our shrimp and pork potstickers. We gobbled these up in record time.<br />
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And onto the pork buns. These pork buns are delicious (and probably considered traditional), but I still prefer David Chang's pork buns. You can't really compare the two because they are prepared differently, I know, </div>
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Sticky Rice and Pork Shao Mai<br />
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Shrimp and pork wonton with spicy sauce</div>
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Overall: I would absolutely come back here. Basically every dumpling we ordered here hit it out of the ball park. I would skip the fried rice, and the bok choy was also just okay. I'm not usually one to wait for 2-3 hours for food (I still haven't been to Dominique Ansel!), but I would try to come back on a Saturday or Sunday to try the infamous soup dumplings. I would strategize and bring a few Kind bars for my dining party to hold over any hangry related rage while we wait! Din Tai Fung has locations in LA and also around the world - check out the website for more information!<br />
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Din Tai Fung Dumpling House<br />
2621 NE 46th Street<br />
Seattle, WA 98105<br />
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http://www.dintaifungusa.com/<br />
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They do not accept reservations. The University Village location is open Monday - Friday 11am-10pm, and Sat-Sun 10am-10pm.<br />
<br />Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-16827721567044446792014-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-31T09:00:07.987-05:00Happy 2015!<div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
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I will be ringing in my first New Year's Eve in New York. Yes, that's right, my very first! I'm always traveling during this time and have never been in the city to celebrate!<br />
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2014 was filled with countless culinary adventures, and I'm excited for new restaurants, chefs, and recipes to test in my home kitchen for 2015.<br />
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My New Year's Resolution last year was to learn how to make steak and it was successful endeavor. I experimented with different recipes and cuts of meat, and decided that my favorite recipe is steak au poivre, which I first had at Balthazar. I will post this recipe soon!<br />
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During this holiday season, I was miraculously able to maintain a healthy balance between splurgey fun meals and cooking meals at home. I also cut down on my alcohol consumption - so instead of splitting a bottle of wine at dinner, I ordered just one glass, and instead of cocktails at home, I had sparkling water with a lime. Boring? Yes, probably. But I wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to do a morning workout! In the new year, I want to continue to maintain a reasonable balance by learning how to make "can't believe there is no booze in this" non-alcoholic cocktails (preferably without simple syrup!). Stay tuned!Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-54500649666424440922014-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-29T09:00:05.007-05:00Dans L'Inde (Dinner Lab)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Supper clubs have been all the rage recently, offering intrepid diners something different from the usual restaurant dinner. I have heard all kinds of praise for Dinner Lab, read on for more! </div>
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<a name='more'></a><a href="https://dinnerlab.com/aboutus.html">Dinner Lab</a> is a members only dining experience that creates unique experiences for chefs and diners alike. Chefs are usually up and coming or undiscovered chefs with tons of experience and diners are people like you and me. The dinner includes a tasting menu accompanied with wine pairings/cocktails throughout the evening.<br />
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My friend Anoop became a Dinner Lab Member recently, and we finally picked a date that worked to check one out! The theme of the evening was Dans L'Inde, by Chef Palak Patel. I didn't know what to expect other than the food would be some kind of French/Indian fusion. A few days before the event, we were both emailed the menu and I was intrigued. The day before, we received the location of the dinner (somewhere in Williamsburg). Cool! </div>
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I didn't know much about Chef Palak Patel's background prior to arriving, but she has some serious accolades! She competed and won on the Food Network series Chopped and also competed against Bobby Flay and won! </div>
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Upon entering the dining space, I saw rows of tables. Guests can sit at any of the communal tables (no assigned seating!), and it was fun to mingle with other dinner guests. At each seat, there is a sheet of paper and a pencil, and dining guests are asked to provide feedback on each of the dishes. Anoop told me this data is then compiled into a master database and utilized by restaurants. </div>
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After a cocktail (half) hour, we were ushered to our seats. Our first course was a baby squash stuffed with quinoa and spiced chickpeas. It was very good, but one of the questions on the form inquired whether I would order this dish at a restaurant. I probably wouldn't as I would lean more towards a meat based starter. But it was very tasty! </div>
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Our next course was a crab and cashew "crepe", which looked very similar to a dosa. The carrot and ginger puree tied this whole dish together. </div>
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The next course was a coconut oil poached grouper, this was also well executed. </div>
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The fourth course was a spicy, fragrant hearty lamb stew. We asked Chef Patel what spices she used in this dish, and she said she actually used a mix of ancho and pasilla chiles in addition to the usual suspects you would find in Indian cuisine.<br />
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The show stopper was the last course, a poached meringue served with a cardamom creme anglaise. Oh.my.god. The cardamom creme anglaise was unreal, and inspiring for future desserts in my home kitchen. The meringue paired perfectly with the sauce. Anoop raved that this was the best Indian dessert he has ever had! </div>
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Overall: I thought the Dinner Lab experience was positive, and I had a good time. It was fun to mingle with other people at our table who were also into discovering new types of dining experiences and cuisines. The membership is $175 for the year in New York, and guests also pay for each dining experience, usually about $70-$80 (remember, alcohol is included!). I'm on the fence on whether I will join. I had a great time, but I'm evaluating whether I will use the membership when there are so many amazing restaurants still on my list to try! <br />
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Click here to join - https://dinnerlab.com/openuser/memberjoin.php<br />
<br />Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-82610766333090279192014-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-22T09:00:00.880-05:00Home Made Hot Chocolate<div>
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Time to get cozy with some hot chocolate!<br />
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By now, you've probably trimmed your tree and ordered your presents from Amazon and are in the mood to relax and enjoy the holidays. Riiiight.</div>
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Sanjay was having a holiday beverage party, and I wanted to bring something festive. As luck would have it, Smitten Kitchen posted about a decadent hot chocolate that can be made at home (bye Swiss Miss), so I decided this would be my beverage contribution. Once I arrived, I borrowed Sanjay's pot and started mixing away. While I was serving up glasses, Steven had an ingenious idea - to add peppermint schnapps!<br />
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After I had about four cups of this hot chocolate at Sanjay's party, I came home and made more mix to have on hand at the apartment, and now I've been drinking it every leisurely weekend morning I can! </div>
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I am taking French classes, and in a funny small world story, my French teacher also teaches Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven!). My French teacher told me that Emily wrote another book, La Vagabonde, in French, and suggested I read it, so that has been my weekend reading this month.<br />
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Note, if you are still searching for holiday presents, Deb from Smitten Kitchen said that if you put these into a cute mason jar and tie some cute little string around it, you've got your holiday gifts all set! They last about 2 months in an air-tight container. <br />
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<b>Hot Chocolate</b>, recipe from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/12/decadent-hot-chocolate-mix/">Smitten Kitchen/Coooks Illustrated</a><br />
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Makes about 9 cups<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<li>1/2 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 tbsp. cornstarch</li>
<li>3 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped</li>
<li>1/2 cup cocoa powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. fleur de sel or kosher salt (I used fleur de sel)</li>
<li>Peppermint Schnapps (optional!)</li>
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Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until powdery. If you don't have a food processor, Deb suggests grating or chopping the chocolate as finely as possible and then mixing into the rest of the ingredients.<br />
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To prepare your hot chocolate, heat one cup of milk per serving in a saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to steam, and add 3 tbsp. of mix for each serving, and whisk over the heat for another 1-2 minutes. Pour into mugs and top with marshmallows or peppermint schnapps to your liking.<br />
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This is perfect for things like ski trips too - I'm planning on bringing a mixture up next time I go skiing and enjoying with my fellow ski bunny friends!</div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-32903170140586076542014-12-15T12:33:00.001-05:002014-12-15T15:12:40.341-05:00Easy Omelettes<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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My boyfriend claims these are the best omelettes he's ever had! </div>
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Ok, he may be biased...<br />
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Nathan lives in Cobble Hill, a stone's throw away from the best bakery ever (<a href="http://biencuit.com/">Bien Cuit</a>), the best lox ever (<a href="http://www.shelskys.com/">Shelskys</a>), and the best donut truck ever (<a href="http://carpedonutnyc.com/">Carpe Donut</a>). Since the holidays always involve a whirlwind of parties, festive food, and warm sugary beverages, I decided to start cooking breakfast at home on Saturday mornings to provide some balance. </div>
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I usually make breakfast to take to work, sometimes scrambled eggs, sometimes oatmeal, so I wanted to make something a liiiiitle more elevated. I haven't made omelettes in what seems like forever, so I decided to just wing it based on techniques I remembered and also what I remember seeing from various chefs at omelette stations at hotels. </div>
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The key is to whisk the eggs so they are fluffy and aerated, which takes a little bit of manual labor, but is worth the effort. I have heard that some people add milk to the mixture, but I didn't have any, so that will be an experiment for next time!</div>
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{That hot sauce was supposed to be in the shape of a heart}</div>
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An easy start to Saturday morning!</div>
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<b>Easy Omelettes</b></div>
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Serves 2 </div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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<li>2 tsp butter</li>
<li>1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced </li>
<li>1 green onion, diced </li>
<li>2 cups spinach</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>1-2 tbsp cheddar cheese (optional if you want to keep it extra healthy) </li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste </li>
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In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, ensuring that it coats the surface of the pan. Add the green bell peppers and sauté for a few minutes. Add in the scallions and spinach and sauté until the spinach has wilted. Once the spinach has wilted, place vegetable mixture in a small bowl and reheat the skillet over medium heat for the eggs. </div>
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While the vegetables are cooking, crack the eggs into a large bowl. Now comes the hard part - whisk the eggs for 30-60 seconds. Season with some salt and pepper and whisk a little more to incorporate. </div>
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Pour half the mixture into the skillet for the first omelette. After the omelette has cooked for 2-3 minutes add the cheese to one side. Using a silicone spatula, gently lift up around the sides of the omelette. When the omelette looks more cooked (the center wont be as runny), add the vegetables and cook for a few more minutes. Then, with the same spatula, flip the omelette in half. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes on this side and flip to the other side. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Slide into a plate and enjoy! </div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-30068394388799395882014-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-12T09:00:06.665-05:00Spicy Broccoli Cucumber Noodles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A long overdue Pyaari date!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Asmi and I were in the mood for cooking something light and healthy. I first made <a href="http://homnom.blogspot.com/2014/08/zucchini-pad-thai.html">zucchini pad thai noodles</a> over the summer, and was hooked after I learned how easy it is to swap something not super healthy (noodles) for something more fiber filled (zucchini!). I was browsing <a href="http://cleanfooddirtycity.com/">CleanFoodDirtyCity</a> (my go-to for healthy recipe inspiration!) and found a new recipe for cucumber noodles. I was eager to use my new-ish <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zyliss-30700-Julienne-Peeler/dp/B0018ICHH2/ref=sr_1_5?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1418313036&sr=1-5&keywords=zyliss+peeler">Zyliss peeler</a> again, and cucumber noodles seemed just as interesting as zucchini noodles!<br />
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I had most of the ingredients on hand, and the only 'time consuming' step was to peel the cucumbers.<br />
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I made the mistake of de-seeding the jalapenos for this dish. The end result was not as spicy as I had hoped, so make sure you keep your seeds in! </div>
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<b>Spicy Broccoli Cucumber Noodles</b>, recipe from <a href="http://cleanfooddirtycity.com/2014/08/27/spicy-broccoli-cucumber-noodles/">Clean Food Dirty City</a><br />
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Serves 2<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<li>1 large head broccoli </li>
<li>2 cucumbers</li>
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<i>Dressing for the Broccoli</i></div>
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<li>4 cloves garlic, cut in half and grated over a microplane</li>
<li>1 fresh, small jalapeno (keep the seeds!)</li>
<li>2 tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>2 tsp. low-sodium tamari</li>
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<i>Dressing for the Noodles</i></div>
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<li>1/4 cup raw almond butter</li>
<li>2 tbsp. fresh lime juice</li>
<li>2 tbsp. low-sodium tamari</li>
<li>2 tbsp. water</li>
<li>Dash of seasame oil </li>
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silpat or foil. In the meantime, cut the broccoli into long pieces and place into a large bowl. </div>
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I slightly adapted the original recipe on the garlic front. Instead of slicing the garlic, I grated the cloves over a microplane. I don't know what this does, but my fancy chef friend Gretchen did this with garlic for her mouth-watering carbonara, so there must be something magical about this technique! Combine the ingredients for the broccoli dressing in a separate bowl and stir together, then pour over the broccoli. Toss the broccoli by hand until it is well-coated. Place the broccoli onto the baking sheet and place it in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown. </div>
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While the broccoli is roasting, combine the dressing for the noodles in a small bowl. To prepare the noodles, peel the cucumber using a julienne peeler to make the noodles. Hold one end of the cucumber firmly and peel on the same section until you hit the seeds and move to the next section. Place the noodles into a large bowl. </div>
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Remove the broccoli from the oven and let cool slightly. Add half the broccoli to the noodles, and half of the noodle dressing, mixing to coat. Once the mixture is well-coated, add the remainder of the broccoli, noodle dressing, and top with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!</div>
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Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-38847974009347360462014-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:002014-12-08T08:00:02.945-05:00Tuome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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An impromptu dinner at one of East Village's newest gems, Tuome! </div>
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<a name='more'></a>It has been an exciting fall. Tons of restaurants have opened up with much fanfare, including Marta, Cosme, Aldo Sohm, Dirty French, and Tuome to name a few. The problem is that once these restaurants blow up, it is impossible to get a reservation unless you book 30 days in advance. On a random Saturday evening, my sister, Nathan, and me decided to call Tuome and see if there were any openings. They told us they could seat us in an hour, perfect!<br />
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Tuome is the flagship restaurant of Chef Thomas Chen. Chef Chen used to work a corporate job, and eventually began taking classes at culinary school. He then moved on to work at Eleven Madison and Commerce before opening Tuome. </div>
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I thought my iPhone 6 camera could handle all kinds of low light situations, unfortunately, I was wrong. So, apologies, these photos look terrible and don't do the dishes any justice! </div>
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We started with some deviled eggs. I thought these were going to be run of the mill deviled eggs...but no! These babies came out fried! </div>
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{Egg}</div>
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{Oxtail}</div>
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{Pig Out}</div>
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{Scallop}</div>
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We also ordered dessert, but I was too busy eating to take a photo. We ordered beignets with vanilla ice cream and red bean paste. I'm not a fan of red bean paste, but the vanilla ice cream, fried dough, and red bean ingredients paired well together! </div>
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Overall: Yes, I would definitely come back! There wasn't a single "miss" out of the dishes we ordered. And the Pig Out is one of those dishes you bite into and utter "oh my god" as you nod to your dining companions in agreement with how delicious it is! Not to mention, this resturant is the perfect location for me as it is in my zipcode! I am impressed, bravo, Tuome! </div>
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<b>Tuome</b></div>
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536 East 5th Street</div>
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New York, New York 10009</div>
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(646) 833-7811</div>
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http://www.tuomenyc.com/</div>
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Reservations are available online or by calling. </div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-43462626011247516012014-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-05T09:00:05.362-05:00Cosme<div>
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Nathan had the foresight to get us a table at Cosme as soon as he read about it on NY Eater sometime in October. Within weeks of the restaurant opening, reservations were booked through the end of the year.<br />
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Cosme is headed by chef Enrique Olvera, and is located on an unassuming block in Flatiron. Chef Olvera studied at the CIA in New York. He opened his flagship restaurant, Pujol, in Mexico City, in 2000, and has been praised with his revolutionary approach to cuisine ever since.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
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We started out with some cocktails. I ordered the Anti Histamine, with reposado, honey, lmeon, and bee pollen. Yes, bee pollen!<br />
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Cosme is a more elevated than your standard Mexican fare. There are dishes that sound like "normal" Mexican, such as barbacoa, or tostada, but have creative elements that make them slightly more intriguing than what you would find at say, Rosa Mexicana (not hating, I love that place too!). The menu is split by fish, vegetables, and meat, and sharing is recommended.</div>
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When I say "creative elements" I mean for example, a dish such as the Lobster Pibil. I would have never thought I would eat lobster with black beans on a tortilla, I've generally only had lobster with a butter sauce, "American" style. It seemed like Chef Olveras has done a great job combining traditional Mexican ingredients with ingredients readily available around New York.<br />
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{Cobia <i>al pastor</i>}</div>
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{Burrata with weeds}</div>
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{Chilaquiles}</div>
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{Lobster Pibil}</div>
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{Husk Meringue, Corn Mousse}</div>
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Overall: I've been to several new restaurants in the past few weeks, and this was one that I felt lived up to all the hype. What was also nice is that though we ordered a lot, but I wasn't overly full. Innovative cuisine, check. Great cocktails, check. Affordable prices, check! I would love to come back! Another great thing about this place is that there is lighting focused over the center of the table, so you will get tons of instagram-worthy shots!<br />
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<b>Cosme</b><br />
35 E. 21st Street<br />
New York, New York 10010<br />
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<a href="tel:(212)%20913-9659" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">(212) 913-9659</a><br />
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http://www.cosmenyc.com/<br />
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Your best bet for reservations is using opentable online. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday - Sunday, and closed on Mondays.</div>
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Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-46459799983642259332014-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:002014-12-03T09:00:09.862-05:00Daniel et Denise, Lyon, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lyon is filled with several charming bouchons and bistros that look just like the one above.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Our hotel concierge suggested we go to Daniel et Denise, a traditional bouchon, for lunch. The weather was perfect and we leisurely strolled to our destination.<br />
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This bouchon also had a set menu to choose from - a variety of tasting menus, and also an a la carte menu. Because I was feeling gluttonous, I went for the set menu.<br />
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We started with some fried pork cracklings and a creme fraiche type sauce, I just about gobbled this up. </div>
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My first course was a poached egg in a rich wine sauce. The poached eggs cut the richness of the sauce, and the toasted bread was perfect to scoop it all up. Genius, these French people are, aren't they?<br />
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Well this dish below is basically the best thing I've ever eaten in my 30 years of life. Nooo, I'm not being dramatic at allll. This is macaroni au gratin. I am trying to track down a recipe so I can maybe re-create this at home.<br />
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Turns out I'm not a fan of beef cheek. Oh well, don't know till you try!<br />
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And, yet again we are faced with another spectacular dessert. The baked madelines were still warm from the oven, and the chocolate pot du creme was just as chocolatey as the macaroni au gratin was cheesey.<br />
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<b>Restaurant Daniel et Denise</b><br />
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156 Rue de Crequi<br />
69003 Lyon, France<br />
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+33 04 78 60 66 53<br />
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http://www.daniel-et-denise.fr/<br />
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You can make reservations online or by phone. The restaurant is open Monday - Friday for lunch from 12-2pm, and dinner from 7-10pm.<br />
<br />Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-22680894903746618902014-12-01T13:57:00.000-05:002014-12-02T09:10:40.089-05:00Robert et Louise, Paris, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our last day in Paris was spent leisurely strolling through Le Marais enroute to buy some <a href="http://homnom.blogspot.com/2014/11/bordier-butter.html">Bordier</a> to take home. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>Our last meal in Paris would be lunch on Sunday, and we didn't make any firm plans on where to dine. On our quest to find Bordier, we passed Robert et Louise, which had also been on my list for my first night dining solo. Done!<br />
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The restaurant has two levels, a crowded upstairs that is in front of a massive hearth, and a cavernous downstairs with communal seating. We opted for the communal seating, but it wasn't very busy that night so we had a huge table all to ourselves. </div>
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After quickly browsing the menu, we decided on escargot (after all, we couldn't leave Paris without eating some!), cote de boeuf for two, and a bottle of red. </div>
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Nathan had never eaten escargot before, another exciting feast of firsts! We were served our escargot with "escargot forcepts" (I have no idea what they are really called). We quickly learned how to utilize our new tools and scarfed down our molluscs. </div>
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We were very careful to to reserve the melted butter and garlic to dip our bread into. </div>
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And then came our piece de resistance, our cote de boeuf! This was the most delectable cote de boeuf I've ever had! Even better than Balthazar and Piora. Cote de Boeuf is basically bone in rib eye, but I wonder if in the US perhaps restaurants can get away with charging more because of the fancy French sounding name.<br />
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Oh yes, that glob of fat probably went straight to my arteries. You are welcome, future cardiologist. </div>
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After ending our Paris food trip on a splendid note, we dashed through Le Marais to scoop up our Bordier and also maybe a Sandro jacket (what! duty free!).<br />
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Overall: Yes, I would recommend this charming bistro and yes I would go back next time I am in Le Marais! The cote de boeuf was outstanding, as was the bottle of Saint Emillion red Nathan picked out. Yum! </div>
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Update: Oops, I was wrong, Nathan has had escargot before, he just proclaimed that <i>these</i> were the best he has had! </div>
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<b>Robert et Louise</b></div>
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64 Rue de Veille du Temple</div>
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75003 Paris, France </div>
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+33 1 42 78 55 89 </div>
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http://robertetlouise.com/</div>
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Open Tuesday - Sunday for dinner, open Thursday - Sunday for lunch. We didn't need reservations for lunch, but they are recommended for dinner.</div>
<br />Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-33426083990225911402014-11-28T23:04:00.000-05:002014-11-28T23:04:00.129-05:00Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A culinary adventure to Paul Bocuse, the father of Lyonnaise cooking!</div>
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<a name='more'></a>I was doing some research on where to eat in Lyon, and Chef Bocuse's name came up quite often. I didn't need to do much research beyond the fact that he is known for his focus on French "nouvelle cuisine". After reading several rave reviews, we decided to make a dinner reservation at his signature Michelin 3-star restaurant L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges.<br />
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The restaurant is a bit of a car ride outside of central Lyon. It is as opulent and old school as French restaurants can come. There are only male servers, each with a different rank and/or hierarchy. There is a massive open kitchen on the main floor, and we were seated on the second floor. </div>
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Special plates just for Paul Bocuse!<br />
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Well, YOLO, we decided to go for the classic 7 course tasting menu. We were very interested in the chicken cooked in the pig's bladder, as well as Chef Bocuse's infamous truffle soup.<br />
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Our server came by offering us a variety of bread rolls to choose from, I must have had 3 rolls. They served well as a vehicle for my beloved French butter!<br />
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We started with an amuse bouche...<br />
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Our first course was seared foie gras with a passion fruit sauce - incroyable! </div>
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Our next course was the infamous truffle soup. When our server brought it out, I just wanted to stare at it and marvel at its beauty. Look at that glittering, buttery crust! </div>
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Did I get enough photos of the soup?<br />
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As I mentioned above, Paul Bocuse is known for "nouvelle cuisine" which is supposedly lighter than its "cuisine classique" counterparts. Pray tell, how this butter and cream doused filet of sole is by any means considered "light"? </div>
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Lyon and the surrounding areas are home to the famous Beaujolais wine. Our palate cleanser was a light and refreshing Beaujolais sorbet. <br />
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Remember the photo at the beginning of this blog post? That's a pig bladder, with our truffled chicken on the inside, served with morels. Morels are one of my favorite kinds of mushrooms, so this dish was all around amazing. </div>
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At this point, I was starting to explode, even though my elastic band skirt was a size too big on me. I needed to slow down but I found it hard to want to do so. Another server came out with a beautiful tray of cheeses for us to choose from. I picked some tomme, camembert, and other things I don't remember. </div>
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Then another server rolled out another tray. I couldn't believe my eyes!<br />
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At first, I timidly picked one dessert. I think the server could see the LUST in my eyes for everything else on the cart, and encouraged me to pick more.<br />
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Then I ordered this. I have no idea what it is, I know it doesn't look all that appeziting, but it is basically doused in a passion fruit sauce. </div>
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Then I also asked for this chocolate cake. I didn't eat the whole thing!<br />
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Well, I just about had to roll home. </div>
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Overall: This was a super, duper, splurge meal. Alinea has its theatrics, Eleven Madison has its farm to table, L'Astrance is French fusion, and L'Auberge is unique in its own traditional French way. When else does a server come out with a infinite tray of desserts? Where else would I have sole drenched in some kind of creamy, buttery, cheesey goodness? I enjoyed having the opportunity to experience this "nouvelle cuisine" that is not available in the US.<br />
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<b>Paul Bocuse L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges </b><br />
40 Rue de la Plage<br />
69660 Collanges-au-Mont-d'Or, France<br />
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http://www.bocuse.fr<br />
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+33 (0) 4 7242 90 90<br />
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You can call or make reservations online.Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-65784908680499276932014-11-27T17:39:00.000-05:002014-11-27T17:39:11.064-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy a long weekend spent with family, friends, beloved pets, and delicious pie! </div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-89500079553200065022014-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:002014-11-26T09:00:04.662-05:00Le Bouchon des Filles, Lyon, France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What's in Lyon? Oh, nothing, except that it has been dubbed as the gastronomical epicenter of France. No big deal. </div>
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Intrigued by such a city, we made our way down from Paris for two days. Paris is known for its bistros, brasseries, and its haute cuisine, but Lyon is known for its more traditional French fare and is home to such renowned chefs as Paul Bocuse. The city is located in the Rhone-Alps region, and is the third most populated in France. Interestingly enough - the city looks more Roman than Parisienne, as evident by the red stucco facades of most of the buildings. </div>
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Enough about architecture. The places to eat in Lyon were known as bouchon, bouchon lyonnaise, in fact. Bouchons started in the 17th or 18th century, there are a few different stories as to how they began, one is that silk traders would stop in on their way through Lyon, which are very casual restaurants in which servers bring you out all kinds of Lyonnaise food. Lyonnaise food is more meat oriented and generally heavier than other French cuisine (especially what we had been eating at say, L'Astrance). We had our hotel concierge make reservations just a few hours before. We did some research on the train down and found out that Le Bouchon des Filles was highly recommended. </div>
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Shortly after we were seated, our server told us to pick one "main dish" off the menu and the rest of the dishes would just come piling out of the kitchen. Nathan ordered the quenelles, which are a Lyonnaise signature dish, featuring a crepe in a thick orange sauce with crawfish. I ordered a traditional Andouillette sausage, neither of us had tried these dishes before. Oooh, red wine and adventure!</div>
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We ordered an appetizer of foie gras terrine, in addition to the numerous courses that our server brought out for us. I'm not sure if every bite of foie gras just tastes better than expected when you are in France, but, it did.<br />
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By the time my sausage came around, I was pretty stuffed, so I could only have a few bites. This was much softer than sausage I've had in the US, and I don't think I liked it as much as I thought I would have. But I am still looking at this photo longingly as I type up this post.<br />
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We had a cheese course, featuring a very soft cheese (below) and another one that looked similar to cottage cheese (not pictured). </div>
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Molleux au chocolat to finish!<br />
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Overall: I enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and ambiance of our first visit to a traditional bouchon. The food was heavy, but, when in France...Right? I love trying all kinds of new meat, including my sausage, so, overall, a fun experience introducing ourselves to Lyonnaise cooking!<br />
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<b>Le Bouchon des Filles</b><br />
20 Rue Sergent Blandan<br />
69001, Lyon, France<br />
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+33 4 78 30 40 44<br />
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Reservations are recommended, we made ours the day of.Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8731778424706950334.post-22139858999396682892014-11-21T10:30:00.002-05:002014-11-21T10:31:20.791-05:00Little Park<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hu6P1FQocO8/VG9OgTSCUoI/AAAAAAAAMA4/vKCn9g7J24U/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hu6P1FQocO8/VG9OgTSCUoI/AAAAAAAAMA4/vKCn9g7J24U/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><b><br /></b><br />
It is rare that I head down to TriBeCa to investigate new or notable restaurants, but Little Park seemed intriguing...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Nathan was finishing up a course at General Assembly and I thought it would be fun to go a to celebrate the end of his class. While I was thinking about where to go, I was simultaneously scrolling through my Twitter feed. At that exact moment (if this were a made for TV Disney movie, there would be lighting outside as my iPad light up and my hair got frizzy), Grubstreet's tweet popped up in my feed about a "farm-to-table knockout" and that it was Andrew Carmellini's version of ABC Kitchen. I called immediately and easily got a reservation for 2 people for the next week. I excitedly texted Nathan and told him to keep the following Wednesday free for a surprise.<br />
<b><br /></b>You've probably heard of The Dutch, Lafayette, and Bar Primi, which are all also part of Anderw Carmellini's empire. Bar Primi is good, and I love Lafayette (mostly for brunch!), so I figured Little Park had some great potential.<br />
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Nathan tried to guess where I might be taking him, and for some reason believed I was taking him to the new location of Mission Chinese. Nope (okay, also a very probable choice if it had been open). The Monday before our reservation, Little Park was a nominee for the category of "So Hot Right Now" for the 2014 NY Eater <a href="http://ny.eater.com/2014/11/17/7225887/new-york-city-eater-awards-2014-winners">awards</a>. Nathan sent me the link to the article, "I've never heard of Little Park! How have we never heard of Little Park?". I sunk into my chair and smiled mischievously behind the glare of my smart phone. Ha, foiled! I responded "Oh, I have no idea, we should look into getting a reservation!"<br />
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Little Park is in the Smyth Hotel, just off Chambers Street. Just across the lobby is another Carmellini newbie, the Evening Bar, where we started the night out with some exceptional cocktails. </div>
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I was in a winter cocktail mood, and the Boston Marriage was perfect - all I saw was "maple syrup" and "cranberry reduction" and didn't need any further prodding!</div>
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{Boston Marriage}</div>
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{Porcini Nog}</div>
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Little Park has a seasonal menu, and the dishes are meant to be shared. I noticed that the cocktail I had at the Evening Bar was not available at the restaurant, but some drinks did overlap. I ordered the Brown Derby once we were seated at our booth. </div>
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We started off scallops and oysters, I think the scallops were much tastier. Also, they kind of look like Ariel's bikini top, right?<br />
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Off the "Autumn Vegetables" section, we ordered the artichoke stuffed with lamb. I had read about this dish, and I would say it was "good" not "OMGIWANTMOREOFTHIS". I liked the cucumber ribbons on top individually, but I don't know if it meshed well with this dish. The tomato sauce underneath was bursting with flavor, but I guess the dish didn't come together as a whole. </div>
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We also ordered the crispy brussels sprouts. Okay, this dish was very "OMGIWANTMOREOFTHISNOW". The dish was prepared with smoked parsnip and apples, and I am hoping to recreate this for Thanksgiving this year. This was outstanding, and I think I would trek all the way back to TriBeCA just to have it again. </div>
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We ordered the dry-aged duck and kebab and the spiced shellfish ragu. I'm not sure what was going on with the ragu, it wasn't notable in any capacity.<br />
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The dry-aged duck, and especially the kebab, were delicious! The quinoa and other stuff on the bottom were unnecessary, the meat and sauce itself were a great showcase of flavors!<br />
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{Old Alobar}</div>
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We ordered two desserts, the milk chocolate tart, and the cinnamon toast ice cream. So, the tart itself was very tasty, and I loved the chocolate graham cracker crust, but, the pears on top were not meshing together. </div>
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The cinnamon toast ice cream is a must order! Remember cinnamon toast crunch from our childhood days? This is basically that, in a creamier, adult form. Look at this beauty!</div>
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Overall: The cocktails were whimsical, and certain dishes were quite remarkable, while others just didn't come together for me, so quality and taste was hit or miss. This was dubbed as Carmellini's answer to ABC Kitchen, and I don't think it comes close to my beloved ABC Kitchen. I would come back in the spring to try new offerings and see how it has evolved since it is still fairly new and probably working out menu kinks. Ok, I would also come down here tonight or at any given point in time to eat multiple orders of the Crispy Brussels Sprouts and the Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream. </div>
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<b>Little Park</b><br />
85 West Broadway (at Chambers)<br />
New York, New York 10007<br />
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http://www.littlepark.com/<br />
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<a href="tel:(212)%20220-4100" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors="true">(212) 220-4100</a><br />
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Call for reservations. Little Park is open for breakfast Monday - Friday, 7am-11am, and dinner, Monday - Saturday, 5:30pm - 11pm. It may be hard to get a reservation now, as just a few days back, NY Eater named Little Park as one of the finalists for the "So Hot Right Now" category. </div>
Hom Nom!http://www.blogger.com/profile/18001798461707365778noreply@blogger.com0