Happy 2015!

Happy New Year!

Dans L'Inde (Dinner Lab)

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! 

Home Made Hot Chocolate

Time to get cozy with some hot chocolate!

Easy Omelettes

My boyfriend claims these are the best omelettes he's ever had! 

Spicy Broccoli Cucumber Noodles

A long overdue Pyaari date!

Tuome

An impromptu dinner at one of East Village's newest gems, Tuome! 

Cosme

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.

Daniel et Denise, Lyon, France

Lyon is filled with several charming bouchons and bistros that look just like the one above.

Robert et Louise, Paris, France

Our last day in Paris was spent leisurely strolling through Le Marais enroute to buy some Bordier to take home. 

Paul Bocuse, Lyon, France

A culinary adventure to Paul Bocuse, the father of Lyonnaise cooking!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy a long weekend spent with family, friends, beloved pets, and delicious pie! 

Le Bouchon des Filles, Lyon, France

What's in Lyon? Oh, nothing, except that it has been dubbed as the gastronomical epicenter of France. No big deal. 

Little Park

It is rare that I head down to TriBeCa to investigate new or notable restaurants, but Little Park seemed intriguing...

La Poule au Pot, Paris, France

The original plan for Paris had been to make reservations at Chateaubriand or Septime, but I missed the dates to call and make a reservation. This meant we had a "free" night in our Paris dining extravaganza!

Bordier Butter

Allow me to introduce, Bordier butter, my greatest culinary love

L'Astrance

It is safe to say that L'Astrance has been my favorite meal of my informal, condensed, tour of San Pelligrino's best restaurants in the world.

Performa Paradiso 2014 Gala

Performance art and dinner? Count me in!

Franny's Bucatini alla Puttanesca

It's been too long since I've posted a Franny's pasta recipe!

Noma

Only the world's best for my 30th birthday!

Eleven Madison Park Fall Tasting Menu Reveal!

{Chef Daniel Humm}

Nathan had an idea one evening - he decided to find out when Eleven Madison Park would be launching its fall tasting menu. After calling and stopping by a few times, he found out the menu would be revealed on October 7th, just a few days before my 30th birthday! Soon we were all set for a 6pm reservation.

Franny's Fusilli with Pork Sausage Ragu

I am obsessed with the Franny's cook book! I think I have made just about every pasta recipe, maybe even twice. It has been my go-to for casual Friday nights in, and cookbook recipes are even more fun to follow when you are hanging out with friends over a bottle (or two) of wine.

One of my favorite types of pasta sauce is a meaty ragu (duck, pork, lamb, etc), so when I saw this pork sausage ragu I sent it along to Nathan and suggested we try it out. Nathan picked up ingredients at Caputo's Fine Foods (fresh pasta and charcuterie!), a go-to in Carroll Gardens for all things Italian, and Staubitz, a meat purveyor in Cobble Hill. 

Alinea

My best friend's older sister, Arti, and I, planned a foodie trip to Chicago, and the restaurant at the top of both of our lists to visit was none other than Alinea!

Franny's Penne with Zucchini and Mint

                 

I have fond memories of Franny's, so I was excited to learn that the restaurant had released a cookbook! Pasta and pizza for days! 

Sushi Nakazawa, at the Sushi Bar

Third time is a charm! (Actually, all times were a charm!)

Pan Roasted Salmon

I promised another easy to make salmon recipe, but got distracted with summer and not turning my oven on. Now that we are heading into fall, here is another quick recipe that works on fresh reef caught salmon from Lummi Island or farm raised Atlantic salmon. I haven't tried it on frozen salmon before, but if you try that out, let me know how it goes!

Easy Roasted Corn

It's August, and all of nature's summer bounty is filling our farmers markets (and our tummies)!

                       

The Willows Inn

The time the Halarnakar family ate organic flowers for dinner...

Beecher's Flagship and Ricotta Grilled cheese

My sister is quite the inspirational chef. I came home from my best friend sleepover and she mentioned she had made a grilled cheese sandwich. Naturally, I wanted in on the action too! 

Zucchini Pad Thai

Good for yer thighs! (Hardy har, I know you saw what I did there...)

 

WD~50

As soon as I read that WD-50 will be closing its doors on November 30th, I hopped on opentable to see when I could get the next reservation. Sure, Chef Dufresne has Alder in my neighborhood, but there is something unique and innovative about his first restaurant in LES. 

Scallops and Salmon

                       

{The scene at Pike Place Market}

Alma

That is a perfect Malibu beach on a perfect sunny summer day. The photo above has nothing to do with my visit to Alma.

Eleven Madison Park with Baby Sis

What kind of magic did Eleven Madison Park have up its sleeve?

I know there was quite the fanfare for my baby sister turning 21 about a month ago in Baltimore. However, no birthday is complete without a visit to Eleven Madison Park when you come to visit your mayan goddess idol big sister in New York City!

Jean Georges

Well, who hasn't heard of Jean Georges? And, who hasn't read the roughly 8,000,000,000 posts on this very blog about ABC Kitchen? I decided to step it up a notch from my ABCs and trek up to Columbus Circle to check out his eponymous restaurant at the Trump Hotel. Yes, you will likely have to make reservations a month in advance, but we know I am now an old pro at this game.

I was especially excited because as I know that Jean Georges' infamous chocolate molten lava cake would be served, and according to some, he was the brainchild of this dessert (apparently this fact is debatable). I'm not sure if my sister has posted embarrassing photos of me licking the bowl clean while eating chocolate molten lava cake at home, but I am positive this event has happened.

Also of note, Jean Georges is part of the Relais & Chateux chain of restaurants. I'm starting to become a groupie!

Mascarpone Ice Cream with Strawberry Balsamic Compote

How is it already July?

I somehow ended up with a pound of mascarpone in my refrigerator, and was trying to think of ways to eat it. Pasta? No. Some kind of topping for bruschetta? No. Ice cream? Well, we are in the peak of summer, so, ice cream it is!

Chocolate Ice Cream

Yay, today we have my first ice cream for Summer 2014!

Saison

I first read about Saison and chef Joshua Skenes (he trained under Jean Georges!) in Bon Appetit, as it made the top 10 list for best restaurants of 2013. That piqued my interest so I dug around some more, and continuing to see so much praise, I added to my "must hit" list. 

You know the protocol of my trips - I often make reservations at restaurants before I even book my airfare. I had done a little bit of research on where to eat for my San Francisco trip, and I had actually made a reservation to go to SPQR , as I figured there was no way I could get a reservation at Saison. On one lucky night, I was randomly checking Open Table in the off chance that Saison may have a reservation, and by some miracle, I saw a spot for three on Friday night. I've been reading a lot about the restaurant, and I realized that by the time I come back to SF again, it may become so popular it would probably be even more impossible to get a reservation, so I jumped on the chance! 

Cherche Midi

Over the winter, I read a round up of all new restaurants opening this spring, and I was excited when I read that Keith McNally had a new venture in the works. Turns out, this new place, Cherche Midi, opened last week in the old Pulino spot.

Talk about up my alley - this place has rustic-but-cute pink tablecloth and napkins. Ok, already a winner! The red banquettes reminded me of my beloved Balthazar. We walked in around 8:45pm or so on a Monday night and there was no wait for a table, but I don't know how long this phenomenon will last.

San Francisco

My sister and I decided to make a day trip into San Francisco before our dinner at Saison. We took the CalTrain in from San Jose and had a day time eating extravaganza! 

Canlis

I spent some time in Seattle for Mother's day, and I scoured Seattle Eater, Bon Appetite, etc for ideas on where to go for mother's day dinner. I also recruited my trusty foodie friends, Marya and Arti Tai, for any tips. They both provided me with several great options, including Loulay and Bar Sajor, and I finally decided on the Canlis!

Betony

Becca was back in NYC visiting from London, and she had heard about Betony alllll the way over there! I have been here a few times, last summer, when it first opened, and I was pleased to learn that it is/was relatively easily to get a reservation (when compared to, say, Milos, or Quality Italian). Becca and I only had one night to dine together since I was flying out to the west coast, so we Sanjay and a few of us together for a meal. 

Panna Cotta

Mai, Paul, and I were recreating the Balthazar Steak Au Poivre at their home, and I was on dessert duty. We wanted something light and easy to make with the ingredients we already had sitting around. Mai found this panna cotta recipe and we decided to give it a try. So easy! In fact, it makes me wonder what restaurants are doing wrong - I can't really remember when I have been impressed with panna cotta I've had for dessert when dining out. I think this recipe is a good choice for summer dinner parties because of the minimal prep time or fancy ingredients required. Bon appetit! 

Panna Cotta, recipe from David Lebovitz

Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean pod
• 1 packet of powdered gelatin
• 3 tbsp. cold water 

In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream and the sugar over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. If you are using a vanilla bean, scrape the pod into the mixture, along with the bean, and let it infuse for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Remove the pod and rewarm the mixture before continuing with the recipe. 

Lightly oil four ramekins with something like butter or pam. 

In a medium sized bowl, add the water and sprinkle in the gelatin and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Add in the warm heavy cream mixture and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill and solidify. We ate our panna cotta straight out of the ramekin, but to serve, you can run a knife along the outside of the ramekin and flip it onto a plate. Serve by itself or with a berry compote. 

Sushi Nakazawa, Round 2!

Yay, I was fortunate to come back here for a second time! I think I liked it even better than the first time around, and service was yet again fantastic. I prepared for my feast by watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi and watching Chef Nakazawa serve as an apprentice and perfect his tamago for Jiro. Who's ready for more? 

A Trip To Los Angeles and Indio

Back in January, my friends and I went through a frantic scramble to get tickets to Coachella (weekend 1). Shortly after, I decided I was going to make a pit stop in LA for a food adventure enroute to Indio.  I did extensive research on where to eat, as due to scheduling, I only had one meal (dinner) in LA and I couldn't mess that up. Oh, the pressure. I finally decided on Orsa & Winston, a new restaurant opened by Chef Josef Centeno. He also owns Baco Mercat and Bar Ama. Baco Mercat also had a food truck in the VIP section of Coachella! 

Easy Carbonara

Historically speaking, my favorite type of pasta is a gnocchi or pappardelle with a lamb ragu. There was one time at ricotta fest when Gretchen made an unbelievable ricotta carbonara, but since then I hardly paid much attention to the dish. That is, until my sister and I ordered the dish at L'Artusi, and now I am obsessed. After L'Artusi, I went to Lupa, then I also went to Ciccio's, and, most recently, I ordered it for lunch one day from Lamarca. I couldn't get enough! Finally I decided to give it a try and make it at home. It was actually very easy! 

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - March 24th, 2014 edition, Part 3 of 3* 

*I realize that it is now the week of April 28th, oops. Busy month of eating, music festival-ing, and socializing

This is the final installment of the restaurant hit list when my sister was in town. It includes two of my favorites and a new place that I would highly recommend - North River, in East Village.

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - March 24th, 2014 Edition, Part 2 of 3

Sushi Nakazawa

Sisters go to Sushi Nakazawa! This was certainly a labor of love. For those who have tried to reserve a table or a spot at the Sushi Bar, you know what I'm talking about. I fanatically refreshed the open table page a zillion times all day and night when I was in front of my computer. I am pretty sure that even the times I woke up in the middle of the night, I probably opened up the open table app to scan and see if someone had canceled a reservation in the early hours of the morning. I finally was able to secure a reservation for March 7th at 5:15pm. Early, okay, but I could take it. My sister wasn't sure if she could make it to NYC that weekend, so just in case, I kept searching for another reservation for March 20th. Then one day, a 7:45pm reservation for that Friday opened up. I was about to rub my eyes in disbelief, but I realized I didn't have that kind of time, as I'm sure the reservation would disappear as soon as it appeared. I felt a weird feeling of glee and satisfaction as I typed in my credit card information to hold my reservation.  

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - March 24th, 2014 Edition, Part 1 of 3

This week's post will come in three parts, because my sister was in town, we dined out quite a bit. I learned some exciting things this week! I learned I actually do like artichokes, which is very exciting as I feel this opens a whole new spectrum of starters and sides to order from! I am also obsessed with the idea of egg yolks on things from pasta to breakfast pizza. You know who else likes egg yolks? Cooper, my beloved (furry) nephew. No wonder we get along so well!

MAD Mondays

If I spent half the amount of energy into the rest of my life as I do finding things food related, I wonder what my life would be like.

I Forgot It's Wednesday Supper Club

I stumbled upon this supper club via meetup.com, in my quest to find fun dining experiences around the city. I jumped at the opportunity for the first ever Monday night version of the I Forgot It's Wednesday Supper Club since I haven't dined at a supper club experience since I was in Buenos Aires. This supper club, founded by Matt and Jenny, usually hosts parties every Wednesday night, and has also added on a brunch "supper" club as well.

Thanks for having us Matt, Jenny, and King!

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - March 17th, 2014 Edition

I've been slacking! Also, I have been trying really hard to eat healthier, so that means fewer restaurants for the time being. Fear not, my sister will be here this week and we have a huge lineup for next week's post. 

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - March 3rd, 2014 Edition

This week's adventures included mostly newbies, and an oldie.

A Banana Smoothie for Breakfast

Yay, a new breakfast recipe! I always bring breakfast to work (and my lunch, for that matter). Usually I bring in oatmeal with topped with chopped nuts and berries, but I needed some variety. I have mentioned how I started trying out some recipes from the Bon Appetit Food Lover's Cleanse, which is where I found this. I have to admit, the cleanse was a bit hard to follow when you are just cooking for one person. I ended up just picking 1-2 things I wanted for lunch and dinner and made enough to last a few days to get me through the week. This recipe was one of them, and is very quick to throw together.

Yes, a big change from the tasting menus and lamb loins.

What I Ate This Week

What I Ate This Week - February 24th, 2014 Edition

I'm really going to have to start cooking at home soon...but there are so many new places I want to try, I have major FOMO! 

The bottom line is that Piora still has the best sunchokes I've had so far, and order the roast chicken when you go to the NoMad. 

Ferran Adrià: Notes on Creativity

Whaaaat? An exhibit on Ferran Adria? Food and art! Cool! This exhibit showcases chef Ferran Adria's notes, sketches, and processes (?) during the time that he was at El Bulli.

For those who are not familiar with Ferran Adria, he was the chef at the acclaimed El Bulli in Spain from the 1984 to 2011, when the restaurant closed. He became famous for his techniques with molecular gastronomy or deconstructivist cuisine.

I sadly never made it to El Bulli before it closed, but after this exhibit, I'm hoping for a revival. Or, maybe if we are lucky, a pop up restaurant in New York (that's a joke).

What I Ate This Week

And by week, I really mean the past two weeks. 

Dover

One of my favorite things to keep tabs on is restaurant openings around town. With things such as Eater, the NY Mag Power Rankings, and Tables for Two in the New Yorker, it is pretty easy to get a long mental list of "where to eat next". After reading about Dover for a few weeks, I made a reservation for Amitha and I to go check it out.

Out and About in January

Here is a round up of my culinary adventures in January.

Penguins and Sunshine

In other words...my trip to Santiago, Antarctica, and Buenos Aires! I got back a few weeks ago, but have had a lot going on at work and haven't had time to update. In any case, as I flip through the photos, the warm weather sort of takes me out of the current polar vortex in NYC. Yes, it was warmer in Antarctica than it is currently in NYC. 

Out and About in December

December was kind of a blur. I returned from Paris, I was promoted, I ate a lot, one of my oldest and best friends Marya came to visit me in New York, and then it was time to fly home to Seattle for Christmas. Here are some highlights!