Miss Menu

Next Stop: Italy

2012-01-31T11:45:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- Grilled branzino with roasted potatoes and vegetables

- Penne pesto with wild shrimp, asparagus, and tomatoes

Worth the trip for...
- A great variety of fresh pastas and risotto
- A true "hidden gem" experience with only 6 tables and great service
- $10 lunch specials on all pastas and risotto

Skip the trip for...
- What used to be a solely BYOB restaurant - they got their beer & wine license a few months ago. Even with a decent wine list, they surprisingly still allow you to bring a bottle for a $15 corkage fee...not bad!

Radicchio Pasta and Risotto Co.
235 East 53rd Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Vietnam

2012-01-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- Basil chicken with white rice

- Ginger chicken with brown rice

Worth the trip for...
- A much-welcomed change from the standard Midtown deli lunch for just about the same price (entrees were only $7.50)
- Surprisingly cool atmosphere

Skip the trip for...
- The lunch specials that are listed on Menu Pages - they aren't on the menu at the restaurant
- If it bothers you if two different entrees look shockingly similar, but taste very different!

Saigon 48
234 West 48th Street
b/t 8th Avenue & Broadway
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Canada

2012-01-20T11:25:00.000-05:00

Classic New York food couldn't be better epitomized than by the Jewish deli. Everyone knows it's a must-have on any tourist's to-do list, and equally a must-have for any local New Yorker. What everyone may not know is that the Jewish deli epitomizes classic Montreal food as well. Here it's Katz's pastrami; there it's Schwartz's smoked meat.

When Mile End opened last year in Boerum Hill, they set out to give New Yorker's a taste of the true Montreal Jewish deli. Although the interior is a lot more modern than Schwartz's or Katz's (which both haven't been updated in probably 50 years!), the food is as old school as ever...in a good way!

What we ordered:
- Chicken soup with matzah ball

- Chopped liver with onion relish, egg, and pletzel

- Classic poutine topped with cheese curds and gravy, with smoked meat (on the side)

- Smoked meat (from the poutine)

- Cheese bagelach (think giant rugelach made out of flakey bagel dough, filled with a cheese danish kind of filling) served with fruit compote and sour cream

Worth the trip for...
- POUTINE!!!! It's almost impossible to find in NYC (and no, disco fries from the diner are NOT the same thing!)
- Matzah ball soup that rivals my grandma's
- Smoked meat that rivals Katz's pastrami

Skip the trip for...
- Big groups - the whole restaurant seats about 24 people, and you'll probably end up sharing a table with strangers -
- Smoked meat if you want to go before 12 noon - they won't serve it. So plan accordingly!

Mile End
97a Hoyt Street
b/t Atlantic & Pacific Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Spain

2012-01-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

Before heading to Despana, all I was told was that it was a Spanish market/grocery. So, I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in to see that it was so much more. Gourmet Spanish products were stocked on the shelves and in the cases in the front (olive oils, cured meats, cheeses, etc.) and in the back was a tapas bar and cafe. It was so authentic and such a great find.

What we ordered:
- Pisto: simmered zucchini, red and green peppers, tomatoes, onions
- Tortilla Espanola tradicional: eggs, potatoes, onions
- Chorizo bocadillo: Traditional Spanish sandwich with chorizo, slices of manchego cheese, and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Pintxos served on fresh bread: Morcilla (black sausage) in tomato sauce and Serrano ham with manchego cheese

Worth the trip for...
- A truly unique tapas experience in a really well-decorated setting (subway tiles, dark wood, white marble tables, bookcases with books about Spain)
- The high-quality bottles of olive oil they have at every table...perfect for dipping the fresh bread into

Skip the trip for...
- Nothing!

Despana
408 Broome Street
b/t Cleveland Place & Lafayette Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Turkey

2012-01-11T14:15:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- Cacik: thickened yogurt with cucumber, garlic, mint and dill and fresh-baked bread (Turkish version of tzatziki)

- Borek: phylo stuffed with feta cheese and parsley (To me, these are not borekahs, but are cigars. Either way, they were delicious.)

- Greek salad: lettuce mixed with shepherd salad, topped with feta cheese, elephant beans, carrots, red onions, and stuffed grape leaves served with special house dressing

- Iskender kebab: vertically grilled slices of lamb over diced Turkish bread, dressed with tomato sauce and homemade garlic yogurt sauce

Worth the trip for...
- The cacik - very minty and fresh tasting
- A wide variety of meat options, each with a variety of preparations

Skip the trip for...
- If you're low-carb conscious. They are constantly bringing more fresh bread and it's hard to resist!
- A pretty empty restaurant, which makes it really quiet and kind of awkward

Taksim
1030 Second Avenue
b/t 54th & 55th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Greece

2012-01-05T16:12:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- A Greek beer called Mythos - did't know Greece had its own beer!

- Chicken souvlaki - fresh pita filled with char-grilled chicken, sliced tomato, sliced red onion, french fries (yes, IN the pita), and tzatziki sauce
- Chicken souvlaki special - same as the regular, plus feta cheese inside

- Greek fries - hand-cut fries sprinkled with feta cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper

Worth the trip for...
- Being able to try the formerly food truck-only food now in a sit-down restaurant
- Really cute decor - I've never been to the Greek islands, but based on pictures I've seen, this looked spot on: white-washed walls, accents of blue, and brightly-colored flowers
- Those fries - never would have thought feta would go well with fries!

Skip the trip for...
- A giant souvlaki, like the kind you'd find at any diner. This had one small kebab of meat...not very filling

Souvlaki GR
116 Stanton Street
b/t Ludlow & Essex Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Korea

2012-01-04T14:48:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- Kimchi taco - flour tortilla filled with tofu, red onions, salsa, shredded kimchi, and romaine tossed in chili soy vinaigrette, topped with KalBQ's original taco sauce and shredded cheddar and jack cheeses

- Kimchi quesadilla - filled with chicken, cheddar and jack cheeses, and shredded kimchi

- Classic bibim rice bowl - white rice with chicken, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, and sprouts topped with a fried egg, served with a side of kimchi and gochujang hot sauce

- This is what it looked like all mixed up!

Worth the trip for...
- Really great flavor combos, especially in the kimchi taco
- A lot of food for your money - two rice bowls, one taco, and one quesadilla turned into a total of 4 meals!

Skip the trip for...
- 100% authentic Korean food - this is definitely a bit more fusion (cheddar cheese?!)
- It's in the same space as Atomic Wings and is not the most glamorous space

KalBQ
36 Lexington Avenue
b/t 23rd & 24th Streets
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Germany

2012-01-03T12:12:00.001-05:00

The simplest way for me to describe Rolf's German Restaurant is "Christmas on Crack." I think this the perfect example of "A picture speaks a thousand words!"

I have never seen so many ornaments and lights in one restaurant. They have taken over every inch of the walls, ceiling, and light fixtures...enough that I broke an ornament while taking off my scarf. RIP, purple ornament!

It was definitely a fun place to have a holiday dinner with friends, especially ones who share in my love of schnitzel!

What we ordered:
- Potato pancakes with applesauce

- Chicken schnitzel with mashed potatoes and green beans

- Braised chicken leg in pepper-paprika sauce with green beans

- Weiner schnitzel with red cabbage and spatzle

Worth the trip for...
- The kitsch. Yes, it's insanely crowded during the holidays with locals and toursts alike, but there's something fun about the warm glow and sparkle of holiday deocrations.
- The schnitzel. The pieces were on the smaller size by schnitzel standards, but they were very tasty.

Skip the trip for...
- The sides. Frozen green beans and what I imagine to be boxed mashed potatoes didn't cut it.

Rolf's
281 Third Avenue
@ 22nd Street
website
Yelp listing

Next Stop: China

2011-12-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

My trip to Flushing's Chinatown may be the most realistic destination of my entire tour: Very little English spoken, menus only in Cantonese or Mandarin, and foods (aka parts of animals) I never even knew people ate. It was a little overwhelming at first, but it was such a fun way to spend an afternoon!

Lanzhou Handmade Noodle

- Vegetable noodle soup - hand-pulled noodles with bok choy and a fried egg

- Beef noodle soup - hand-pulled noodles with bok choy and beef

- Grilled squid and lamb skewers

Hand-pulling the noodles...what a process!

41-28 Main St
Golden Mall Food Court Basement

Tong Hai Tung Bakery

Baked goods...who knew there was such delicious bread in Chinese cuisine?!

- Pastry with corn and cheese

- Pastry with hot dogs (!)

4112 Main Street
b/t 41st Street & 41st Avenue

Steamed bun stand (No English name)

41st Avenue
b/t Main Street & College Point Blvd

New World Mall food court

- Grilled tofu in chile sauce...on a stick!

Nan Xiang Dumpling House

- Pork and crab xiao long bao (soup dumplings)

38-12 Prince Street
@ 39th Street

Next Stop: Thailand

2011-12-27T16:04:00.002-05:00

What we ordered:

- Chicken Pad See Ew

- Chicken Pad Thai

- Thai Mixed Chicken & Shrimp Dumplings - steamed dumplings with vegetables and potatoes, served with house black bean mushroom dipping sauce

- Corn Spring Rolls - crispy spring rolls stuffed with glass noodles, grilled corn, and minced vegetables, served with plum sake dipping sauce

Worth the trip for...
- The ambiance. Thai restaurants on 9th Avenue are a dime a dozen. But the decor and atmosphere at Room Service set it apart from the rest. Check out that chandelier!

Skip the trip for...
- A slow, relaxed dinner. The entrees came halfway through eating our appetizers. And the check was brought halfway through eating our entrees. What's the rush?!

Room Service
690 9th Avenue
b/t 47th & 48th Streets
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Japan

2011-12-27T11:57:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:

- Vege Yuba Dip Soba - Soba noodles with tofu and watercress dipped in konbu kelp broth
- Stamina Dip Soba - Soba noodles with pork and chicken meatballs in bonito broth

This dip style is the traditional method of eating soba. The noodles are par-cooked, so you dip them in the broth to finish cooking them to your liking. At the end, they poor hot water into the remaining broth and you drink it as an "after-dinner drink." This drink is said to possess a ton of nutrients, which is why Cocoron's motto is "cocoron - where hearty meets healthy." And people claim carbs are bad... :)

- Shuto - pickled Tuna entrails with cream cheese

Worth the trip for...
- Truly authentic soba. It was hard for me to understand why soba was so special in Japanese cuisine. But after having authentic, handmade noodles (and not the kind they sell in every deli around the city), I get it. So delicious.

Skip the trip for...
- A group dinner. The whole place seats 10 people at a time (3 tables of 2, and 6 seats at the bar).

Cocoron
61 Delancey Street
b/t Allen & Eldridge Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Philippines

2011-12-26T19:13:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:

- Sinigang Na Hipon - shrimp with green beans, eggplant, onions, radish, and okra in tamarind broth

- Chicken Adobo - marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic

- Lechon Kawali - pan-fried pork belly with liver sauce

Worth the trip for...
Just about everything. Really cool to try dishes with flavors I've never tasted before.

Skip the trip for...
The bare bones atmosphere. But, if the family wants to be more focused in the kitchen than on the decor, it works for me.

Mama Meena's Family Restaurant
94-20 Jamaica Avenue
@ 95th Street
Woodhaven, Queens
website

Next Stop: Yemen

2011-12-25T20:24:00.001-05:00

What we ordered:
- Complimentary homemade soup

- Agda chicken with sauteed onions and vegetables

- Freshly baked clay over bread

- Lamb segar (minced tender lamb, sautéed onions and tomatoes)and Kilawi(sauteed cubes of lamb kidneys with onions and tomatoes)

Worth the trip for...
- The chicken dish was like warm, flavorful comfort food
- Hard to find clay oven bread like that...cripsy in some spots, chewy in others

Skip the trip for...
- My brother is a daring eater, but said even lamb kidneys were a little too much for him

Bab Al Yemen
413 Bay Ridge Avenue
b/t 4th & 5th Avenues
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
website
Menu Pages listing

Next Stop: Mexico

2011-12-24T18:27:00.000-05:00

New York may be known for a lot of great things, but one of them is certainly not its Mexican food. So, I was excited to learn that the neighborhood of Sunset Park in Brooklyn was predominently Mexican and is known for its inexpensive and delicious food. We spent a good part of the afternoon doing a mini food crawl, and it was so much fun.

Tacos El Bronco
What we ordered:
- Taco pollo and taco al pastor

Truck parked at 43rd Street & 5th avenue

Tacos Xochimilco
Thanks to a tip from my fellow food blogger, NYC Food Guy, we ordered what turned out one of the best sandwiches I've ever had in my life. No exaggeration.

What we ordered:
- Pambazo - similar to a torta, this sandwich is made on bread that has been dipped in warm red guajillo pepper sauce. Then it's filled with potatoes, oaxaca cheese, lettuce, and crema

This photo does not begin to do this sandwich justice. Just trust me, if you ever come across "pambazo" on a menu, ORDER IT!

4501 5th Avenue
@ 45th Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Tacos Matamoros
What we ordered:
- Guacamole with tomatillo salsa and fresh tortilla chips

- Tamale con pollo

- Taco lengua and taco cabeza

4508 5th Avenue
b/t 45th & 46th Streets
Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Worth the trip for...
- PAMBAZO!!! Wish I had brought a few home with me!
- The homemade salsas and sauces from Tacos El Bronco

Skip the trip for...
- Tamale - it needed more flavor
- The guacamole - I think my own version even tastes better!

First Stop: Malaysia

2011-12-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

What we ordered:
- Roti Canai - crispy Indian pancake with curry chicken sauce

- Singapore Fried Mee Hoon - wok fried rice noodles in lea & perrin sauce with schrimp, chicken, egg, and bean sprouts

- Bendi Belacan - sauteed orka with spicy Malaysian shrimp paste sauce

- Beef Rendang over rice

Worth the trip for...
- The roti - freshly baked, light and airy
- The Singapore noodles didn't taste so different from a lo mein, but they were a really good version of that!

Skip the trip for...
- The okra in shrimp paste - shrimp paste has to be the most foul-smelling condiment on earth! I think it's still lingering in my nose!

Taste Good Malaysian Cuisine
42-18 45th Avenue @ Broadway
Elmhurst, Queens
Yelp page

Around the World (Without Leaving the 5 Boroughs!)

2011-12-21T17:17:00.017-05:00

With the next week off of work and no vacation plans, I decided to make the most of my stay-cation and at least let my palate feel like I was off to travel the world.

Follow my latest adventures of trying cuisines from around the world...all without leaving the 5 boroughs of New York City! Metrocard in hand, if I can't fill my passport this holiday season, at least I can fill my stomach. As always, suggestions are welcomed!

COUNTRY/CUISINE
Afghan
African
American
Argentinean
Australian
Austrian
Belgian
Brazilian
British
Burmese
Canadian - Mile End
Chinese - Lanzhou Handmade Noodles, Tong Hai Tung Bakery, Nan Xiang Dumpling House
Cuban
Dutch
Egyptian
Ethiopian
Filipino - Mama Meena's Family Restaurant
French
German - Rolf's German Restaurant
Greek - Souvlaki GR
Haitian
Hungarian
Indian
Indonesian
Irish
Israeli
Italian - Radicchio Pasta & Restaurant Co.
Jamaican
Japanese - Cocoron
Korean - KalBQ
Lebanese
Malaysian - Taste Good
Mexican - Tacos El Bronco, Tacos Xochimilco, Tacos Matamoros
Moroccan
New Zealander
Pakistani
Persian
Peruvian
Polish
Portuguese
Puerto Rican/Dominican
Russian
Scandinavian
Spanish - Despana
Sri Lankan
Swiss
Thai - Room Service
Tibetan
Turkish - Taksim
Ukrainian
Venezuelan
Vietnamese
Yemenite - Bab Al Yemen

A Brunch Masterpiece

2011-11-01T12:29:00.001-04:00

After being tasked with picking a restaurant for brunch with a friend this weekend, I realized that my neighborhood has a lot of great brunch options that I've been overlooking for the last 2 years! I love my go-to diner and Ess-a-bagelas much (if not more) than the next person, but what a shame to have missed out all this time!

So, I discovered the brunch at Matisse, a really cute, French bistro that is bright and airy during the day, and cozy and dimly lit at night. They have a very extensive menu for brunch that runs the gammet from French onion soup to croque monsieur to steak-frites.

But what caught my eye was the brunch prix-fixe. For only $17.50, you get your choice of an alcoholic beverage, an item from the "So Brunch" section, and an item from the "So Sweet" section. For someone who always has trouble deciding between a sweet entree like pancakes or a savory entree like an omelette, this is ideal! A true masterpiece.

What we ordered:
- A bellini and a mimosa to start things off

- Eggs Florentins - an English muffin topped with wilted spinach, poached eggs, and a delicious Hollandaise sauce, served with home fries and mixed greens

- Omelette du jour - with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and lardons, served with home fries and mixed greens

- Crepes with Nutella - needs no description. Nutella sells itself!

Matisse
924 2nd Avenue
@ 49th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

[Red] Farm Fresh, Creative, and Delicious

2011-10-06T12:16:00.000-04:00

When you hear someone mention "Christmas day," one of two things usually come to mind depending on your background: 1) tree, lights, presents, or 2) Chinese food. I certainly fall in that second category, and I'm guessing that Red Farm's owner Ed Schoenfeld would agree. Then again, as a Chinese restaurant aficianado, I wouldn't expect anything different.

Along with Chef Joe Ng, Schoenfeld opened Red Farm in the West Village - and definitely created something wonderful. It looks like an American farmhouse inside, with a large communal table, wood beams and fixtures, and the restaurant sign in glass jars.

But the food that comes out of the kitchen is anything but simple or American.

What we ordered:
Katz's pastrami egg roll
Talk about the ultimate example of Chinese on Christmas!

"Pac Man" shrimp dumplings
The ghosts were delicious pastel shrimp dumplings...eyes et al! And Pac Man was made of sweet potato tempura.

Mushroom & vegetable spring rolls
The trees were made of spring rolls, with fried noodle foliage. And they grew out of a cucumber half.

Three chili chicken
A lot spicy and a little sweet

Soft & crunchy vegetable fried rice
Still not sure what the crunchy bits were, but this was so tasty.

Red Farm
529 Hudson Street
b/t Charles & West 10th Streets
website
Twitter
Menu Pages listing

W is for...

2011-09-27T16:40:00.000-04:00

Wild Ginger

What we ordered:
- Steamed vegetable dumplings

- Spicy green tuna roll and Volcano roll

- Chow fun with chicken and vegetables

It gets an A for:
- Having a variety of food. Sometimes that's a negative (why are they serving Thai food in the same place as Japanese?!), but it's nice when you want a little bit of both!
- One of the better chow fun dishes I've had. Great flavor, nice mix of veggies (broccoli, sprouts, onions mushrooms, zucchini, and green beans), and good portion size.
- Great dumplings - they were SO green! And they tasted even better than they looked.

It gets an F for:
- The server to customer ratio was a little out of wack. They came over at least 6 times to ask if we were ready to order. We were trying to have a relaxing dinner on a Sunday night. Patience, ladies!

226 East 51st Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing

F is for...

2011-09-15T11:34:00.001-04:00

Fusha

In Midtown, there are a lot of very upscale sushi restaurants. And there are a lot of places you'd only order in from, but wouldn't want to dine in. What falls somewhere in the middle is sometimes hard to find. But, Fusha definitely fit the bill.

What we ordered:
- Spicy crunchy tuna roll
- Salmon avocado roll

- Vegetable roll with lettuce, carrot, cucumber, avocado and mushrooms

It gets an A for:
- Great ambience inside
- Nice sidewalk seating perfect for a relaxing dinner on a nice Summer night
- Other types of Asian cuisine available if you're not in a sushi mood

It gets an F for:
- Not much to say negatively about this place!

1065 1st Avenue
@ 58th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

O is for...

2011-09-14T10:43:00.000-04:00

Obao

Even though I've lived in my neighborhood for 2 years now, I have only just started taking advantage of the great and diverse restaurants that are on 53rd b/t 2nd & 3rd. In the last month, I've been thrilled to checked out Social Eatz, Cello Wine Bar, Radicchio Risotto Co., Little Thai Kitchen, and most recently Obao.

What we ordered
- Vegetable spring rolls with tofu, jicama, mushrooms, taro, mint, and soy dipping sauce.

- Marinated chicken with vermicelli noodles, assorted vegetables, herbs, peanuts

- Pad Kee Mao with flat rice noodles, chicken, egg, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, basil in chili basil sauce

It gets an A for:
- It's 212 happy hour specials Thursday - Saturday: $2 Sapporo, $1 shots, and $2 appetizers
- Cool atmosphere and great back garden

It gets an F for:
- Lacking service - Had to keep "interrupting" the servers to place our order, to ask for more water and napkins, and for our check
- One of the walls is covered in fake grass, which is part of the cool atmosphere mentioned above. Except for the fact that bugs were flying in and out of it the entire meal and swarming around us and our food.

222 East 53rd Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenues
website
Twitter
Menu Pages listing

L is for...

2011-09-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

Le Parisien

Anyone who knows me well knows that after spending a semester in Paris during college, j'adore Paris and anything French. My apartment is decorated with tons of French tchotchkes. Nutella and crepes hold a special place in my heart. And I can speak the language...on a good day.

So, until the day comes that I get back to Paris, I jump at any chance to feel a bit Parisian while I'm here in NYC. And on Wednesday, I was definitely able to do that, and within 20 blocks of my apartment!

What we ordered (in French!):
- Filet Of sole with haricots verts, toasted almonds in a butter lemon sauce

- Parisienne PEI mussels in a saffron and mustard cream served with frites

It gets an A for:
- Making you feel like you are actually in a small, Paris neighborhood bistro complete with vintage posters, street signs, black & white tile floor, and tin ceiling
- The most delicious, rich butter lemon sauce on the sole
- The frites - light, crispy, perfectly salted
- A great wine list - I went with the sauvignon blanc
- Being able to order great French food IN French!

It gets an F for:
- I'm having trouble finding something, but if I have to give one, I'd have to say the bread that is brought out to the table. Pretty stale and unimpressive.

163 East 33rd Street
b/t 3rd & Lexington Avenues
website Menu Pages listing

H is for...

2011-09-07T11:45:00.000-04:00

Haru

What we ordered:
- Vegetable dumplings

- King crab dumplings with spicy soy vinaigrette
- Kani salad made with imitation crab, spicy mayo, cucumber, tempura flakes, and roe

- Spicy Titanic Roll with salmon, avocado and caviar wrapped around
spicy tuna and tempura flakes
- Salmon Avocado Roll

- Golden Passion Roll with charred super white tuna wrapped around asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, avocado and carrot, served with yuzu
- Vegetable Tempura Roll

It gets an A for:
- Really creative rolls
- Nice outdoor seating area in front that is really quiet at night
- Delicious yuzu dipping sauce

It gets an F for:
- The view from this great seating area is a construction site (obviously not the restaurant's fault, but a slight negative)

280 Park Avenue
@ 48th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Y is for...

2011-09-01T15:23:00.000-04:00

Yakiniku West

I love group dinners. It's a great way to catch up with a lot of friends...and a great way to try a lot of dishes at the same time. Last night I went with some friends to Yakiniku, a Japanese BBQ restaurant in the East Village. It was great. You take your shoes off at the door, sit on the floor at sunken tables, and cook your own food on a grill at the table. Such a fun night!

What we ordered:
- Chicken breast salad with avocado, cucumber, and sesame sauce

- 3 Bibimbaps (2 veggie and 1 steak)

- Chicken, shrimp, IS Kobe beef, short rib, shitake mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, and corn

- Kimchi

- Miso soup
- Ice cream (mango, vanilla, red bean, and green tea)

It gets an A for:
- A fun, interactive meal...and pretty reasonable too
- A lot of options for meat eaters and vegetarians alike
- Great happy hour specials: $2.50 beers and $9 pitchers til 8pm; $7 US kobe beef (instead of $10)

It gets an F for:
- We were tucked away in a private area, which was great, but the servers forgot about us a bunch

218 East 9th Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenues
Yelp

U is for...

2011-08-31T16:04:00.000-04:00

Ulysses Folk House

Stone Street in the Financial District is such a unique part of NYC. So, I was excited to show it to some friends who were visiting.

We were heading to catch a ferry to Governors Island for the DMB Caravan, and what better way to start an awesome day than with some good food and drinks!

What we ordered:
For Friday lunches, they have two options. 1)You can order from their lunch buffet that features meats, tons of delicious sides, and salads. 2) You can order a hamburger, turkey burger, or veggie burger. At first we were taken aback since we had been craving some of the bar food on their main menu. But, this worked out just fine.

- Turkey burger with cheddar and a side of fries

- Pulled pork sandwich with mac & cheese and fries (from the buffet)
- Mac & cheese, fries, and salad (from the buffet)

It gets an A for:
- Great atmosphere both inside and out. Try to snag a picnic table on Stone Street on a nice day.
- Well-flavored turkey burger. Turkey can make for a very bland, boring burger, but this one was packed with pepper and garlic to spice things up
- The mac & cheese was delish and plentiful

It gets an F for:
- Having such a limited menu for lunch on Fridays. I know it's their deal (and clearly people love it based on the crowd), but was just not expecting it.

58 Stone Street / 95 Pearl Street
website
Menu Pages listing

E is for...

2011-08-18T17:18:00.000-04:00

Eastern District

My friend's former boss decided to quit her corporate job and open up Eastern District with her husband. We checked out this new-ish gourmet shop in Greenpoint, and we were so glad we did. The store has an incredible selection of unique beers, cheeses, and gourmet specialty foods.

Eastern District also has a great selection of sandwiches.

We decided to take advantage of the nice afternoon and have a make-shift picnic. Thanks to the owner's suggestion, we took a ferry from Greenpoint to Williamsburg with sandwiches, chips, and funky beers in tow. Can't complain about that view!

We found a spot in the East River State Park and devoured our sandwiches!

What we ordered:
- Smoked turkey, gouda, and bacon marmalade on ciabatta
- Fresh mozzarella, pesto, and roasted red peppers on ciabatta

It gets an A for:
- Such a great concept, great space, and such friendly owners
- The gouda was so GOOD-a. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) It was hands down THE best I've ever had.
- Bacon marmalade. I don't eat bacon as many of you know. But my friend said it was such an interesting condiment...very sweet, a little salty, and a lot bacon-y.

It gets an F for:
- The mozzarella sandwich lacked some needed punch...maybe the pesto needed to be kicked up a notch? Or the mozzarella needed some more salt? Not exactly sure, but it needed something more.

1053 Manhattan Avenue
Green Point, Brooklyn
website
Twitter

S is for...

2011-08-16T20:11:00.000-04:00

Shake Shack

In a 7 day period, I went to 3 different Shake Shacks. Not sure if I should be proud or embarassed...but I think I'll go with proud. :) For full disclosure though, I only ate at one of them, and split 1 milkshake at the other two. But each visit was equally delicious.

What we ordered...
@ the new Battery Park location:
(Suggestion: walk over to the park along the river to eat. Much nicer setting than the outdoor area of the restaurant itself.)
- 'Shroom burger - Crisp-fried portobello filled with melted muenster
and cheddar cheese, topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce
- Crinkle-cut fries
- ShackBurger - American cheese, lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce

@ Citifield
- Strawberry milkshake delivered to our sweet seats!

@ Saratoga Race Course
- Vanilla milkshake
- ShackBurger - American cheese, lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce

It gets an A for:
- FRIED CHEESE (with a little sliver of mushroom) on a bun. Nuff said.
- ShackSauce
- It earns the right to have "shake" in its name - the shakes are so rich and delicious.

It gets an F for:
- The wait at the normal locations. I realize that's part of its appeal, but is it really worth it an hour of your time or more?!

Multiple locations (NYC, Saratoga Springs, DC)
website
Menu Pages listings
Twitter

V is for...

2011-08-08T22:11:00.001-04:00

Vamos! Tacos & Tequila

What we ordered:
- Homemade guacamole with tortilla chips

- Tacos De Pescado Frito Baja Style - beer battered fried fish topped with coleslaw and chipotle mayo, served with rice, beans, corn on the cob topped with cojita cheese, and plantains

- Burrito De Cordero - lamb burrito with salsa verde, pico de gallo, queso fresco, and sour cream, served with rice and beans

It gets an A for:
- Great flavors - the battered fish, the sauces, the salsas, etc.
- Nice sidewalk seating and cute decor inside

It gets an F for:
- I had to order 3 of the same tacos, and was bummed not to be able to get one of each. There were a few on the menu that caught my eye.
- Maybe I'm getting old, but the music seemed ridiculously loud. And nothing says Mexican like Brittany Spears and Rihanna, right?!

348 1st Avenue
b/t 20th & 21st Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

N is for...

2011-08-04T15:32:00.000-04:00

New Ashiya

My department at work has a delicious, yet dangerous, tradition of going to New Ashiya for group outings instead of a going to a Midtown bar like most groups do.

If you haven't heard of this place, it's a pretty run-down sushi spot with OK sushi frequented for one thing, and one thing only: all-you-can-eat sushi and all-you-can-drink sake and beer. The deal lasts 2 hours and is only $30...a great deal for big eaters/heavy drinkers. Not so much for my less adventurous co-workers who ordered a plate of chicken teriyaki and had 2 beers. But, I digress...

The sake bomb tally hit 9 last night, and I was definitely paying for it this morning! But, without the massive quantity of sushi I ate, I'm pretty sure I would have been in even worse shape.

What we ordered:
- Dinosaur roll: avocado, cucumber, tobiko, tempura flakes w/ broiled white tuna on top
- Chicken tempura roll

- Shrimp tempura roll
- Green River roll: spicy tuna roll, tempura flakes with avocado on top

It gets an A for:
- Quantity - a lot of sushi options and a lot of food.
- The AYCE/AYCD deal.

It gets an F for:
- Quality. To be fair, it's not gross, it's just not top quality. Plus, alcohol kills germs, right?!
- Not the friendliest service. Then again, if I had to put up with 20- and 30-somethings sake-bombing all night long, I'd probably be a little cranky too.

167 First Avenue
b/t 10th & 11th Streets
Menu Pages listing

A is for...

2011-07-27T12:37:00.000-04:00

Atlantic Grill

I have been to a lot (hundreds...maybe thousands?) of great restaurants in my 8 years in NYC. But even with all those great meals, it's still such a treat when you finish a meal, sit back (in a complete food coma), and think, "wow, that was truly a special dining experience." And, that's exactly how I felt after dinner at Atlantic Grill on Monday night.

What we ordered:
- 4 pieces of shrimp cocktail
- Artic char tartare topped with tobiko, pickled daikon, lemongrass aioli and served with taro root chips

- Soup du jour: corn bisque poured table-side over a seared scallop

- Chef's special roll with crab & avocado, topped with hamachi, tobiko, and BBQ eel sauce; 2 pieces of lobster nigiri

- 2 pieces of kampachi nigiri, topped with pickled plums and crispy onions

- Baked atlantic cod with spring beans, oven dried tomatoes, fava beans, and capers

- Hazelnut crusted sea scallops with melted leeks, black trumpet mushrooms, and sugar snap peas in a rhubarb vinaigrette

- Sauteed potato gnocchi with parmegiano reggiano

- Nutella blondie sundae topped with vanilla ice cream, cherry compote, and chcolate hazelnut ganache

It gets an A for:
- Incredible food. Excellent presentation, fantastic flavors, and a lot of creativity.
- Exceptional service. Our server David was charismatic and knowledgable - keeping it friendly and professional at the same time. He even chased us down the sidewalk to give us a package of Atlantic Grill chocolate chip cookies to take home!

It gets an F for:
- Only one scallop in the corn bisque! One is never enough.
- The triangular crust that the blondie was served in was pretty bland.

49 West 64th Street
b/t Central Park West & Broadway
website
Twitter

G is for...

2011-07-25T10:50:00.000-04:00

Giorgio's of Gramercy

Restaurant Week just wrapped up, and I snuck in a meal just in time. I've had mostly good Restaurant Week experiences, but it can definitely hit-or-miss depending on the restaurant. Last night I went to Giorgio's of Gramercy partly because the menu looked good, and partly because I hadn't been to a "G" restaurant yet! It was a really nice meal.

What we ordered:
- Tuna tartare with sesame oil and crispy wontons

- Grilled bronzino (had the tail still attached, but luckily no head!) with grilled summer vegetables and herb pistou

- S'more bread pudding with chocolate-marshmallow topping, caramel sauce, vanilla gelato, and a graham cracker

It gets an A for:
- Huge Restaurant Week portions
- Three words: s'more. bread. pudding. This dessert was heavenly.
- Really nice, calming atmosphere (although it was pretty romantic for dinner with a friend!)

It gets an F for:
- Insanely fast service. A three-course dinner should take longer than 50 minutes!

27 East 21st Street
b/t Park Avenue & Broadway
website
Twitter

T is for...

2011-07-18T18:13:00.001-04:00

Tartine

I've been hearing such great things about Tartine since I moved to NYC, but somehow never made it there until this past weekend. Such a little West Village gem! I need to go back ASAP!

What we ordered:
- Tartine's Croutons - crouton gratinee with herbed goat cheese with roasted red peppers, fresh basil, olive oil & balsamic vinegar

- Grilled polenta gratinee with mozzarella cheese, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, olives, and tomato sauce topped with grilled sausage

- Spicy chicken served with guacamole and french fries

It gets an A for:
- Great sidewalk seating - such good people watching
- BYOB
- Delicious, unique food - really loved the flavors of all three dishes. They weren't necessarily quintessential French dishes, but were all fantastic.

It gets an F for:
- Sausage that apparently tastes like hot dogs

253 West 11th Street
@ West 4th Street
Menu Pages listing

B is for...

2011-07-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

Brasserie 360

What we ordered:
- French onion soup

- Grilled vegetables

- Penne primavera with fresh spinach, zucchini, diced tomato in a white wine sauce

It gets an A for:
- The interior has a pretty authentic French bistro feel
- While there's no sidewalk cafe, the windows open up completely and make for great people watching, especially on a nice night

It gets an F for:
- A horrendous waiter - We asked for the soups to come out first, separately from the rest of the food. Three bites into the soup, and out came the other dishes. We mentioned it to the waiter (when we could finally flag him down), and he pointed out how we only had a few bites left. Meanwhile the food was already cold.
- He brought over the check and said, "I probably shouldn't ask this, but are you guys on a first date?" It wasn't, but if you have to preface a question with "I probably shouldn't ask this," you probably shouldn't!

200 East 60th Street
@ 3rd Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing

Q is for...

2011-07-12T21:07:00.000-04:00

Qi

I was worried that Q was going to be one of trickier letters, but after a friend's suggestion (thanks, JS!), Qi was the perfect pick for lunch.

What we ordered:
- Chive corn dumplings with a chili soy sauce

- Pad see ew with vegetables

- Mixed market greens tofu, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peanut sauce dressing

It gets an A for:
- The lunch special - $7.95 for an appetizer and entree
- The interior - absolutely beautiful space with white marble floors, gorgeous chandeliers, and antique walls

It gets an F for:
- The appetizer and entree coming out at the same time. I know noodle dishes are ready in minutes, but it wasn't crowded, so what's the rush?!
- Funny tasting Diet Coke

675 8th Avenue
b/t 42nd & 43rd Streets
website
Twitter

K is for...

2011-07-11T21:11:00.001-04:00

Korzo Haus

"We apologize to all the other burgers for making them so sad." That is the disclaimer on the bottom of Korzo Haus' website, and even though it makes me smile, it couldn't be more accurate.

All I was told about this restaurant was that it's Eastern European and that they wrap their burgers in Hungarian dough called langos, and deep fry them. That definitely grabbed my attention. I'm still not totally sure if this is an actual cuisine in that region, or if our new buddy the chef just thought it was a brilliant idea. Either way, I was curious!

What we ordered:
- Haus vegi - patty made of walnuts and black-eyed peas with edam cheese, carmelized onions, dill pickle, and dressed mixed greens

- Korzo burger with apple-smoked bacon, allgäuer emmenthaler cheese, house made mustard, and a dill pickle

Both burgers were served with purple slaw, slices of green apple, and a delicious mayo
- A side of red bliss potato wedges
- A side of halusky - fried hand-cut spatzle (almost like small gnocchi)

It gets an A for:
- Ridiculously cool concept - The dough is a little bit sweet, and frying it makes all of the flavors inside the dough really come together
- Perfectly cooked grass-fed beef
- The homemade hot sauce
- Great selection of Eastern European beer

It gets an F for:
- The halusky sounded great in theory, but it was a little chewy and bland
- The beet ketchup - apparently you get a lot more "ketchup" from a beet than you do from a tomato...but I wasn't a fan of the flavor

There was a huge party in the back of the restaurant, so we sat at the counter that looked right into the kitchen. It was a lot of fun being able to chat with the chef and ask 1000 questions about the langos/burger-making process, how he decides what will be on the menu (which changes daily), and what ingredients he includes in his sauces, etc.

178 East 7th Street
b/t Avenues A & B
website
Twitter

M is for...

2011-07-10T20:26:00.000-04:00

Mexicue

Mexicue is one of the many awesome food trucks that have been making their rounds all over Manhattan. They are getting ready to open a brick & mortar location just south of Penn Station.

I was invited to their friends & family soft opening and got to check out the space and the food!

What we ordered:
- Smokey baked beans taco topped with tortilla strips, cojita, and habanero aioli slaw
- Alabama BBQ chicken, taco topped with creamy BBQ sauce, roasted poblanos, romaine, and cojita

- Smoked short ribs taco topped with mole, pickled onion, romaine, and cotija
- Berkshire pulled pork slider pickled red onions, and avocado smash

- Green chile mac & cheese

It gets an A for:
- Creativity - love the combo of Mexican and BBQ flavors
- The space design - modern, industrial space with some rustic Southern flare
- Baked beans IN a taco!!!

It gets an F for:
- Dried out chicken
- No sauces available to add on your own
- Pricey for a very small portion of mac & cheese, which wasn't hot enough

345 7th Avenue
b/t 29th & 30th Streets
website
Twitter
(Truck goes to various locations each week)

D is for...

2011-07-06T20:12:00.001-04:00

Dean's Restaurant & Pizzeria

What we ordered:
- House salad
- Homemade meatballs with sauce
- One old fashioned square pizza with cheese

- One old fashioned square pizza with half mushroom/half pepperoni

It gets an A for:
- The dough - it was basically thin focaccia aka absolutely delicious and great consistency
- The sauce - a little sweet, a little tangy, and full of flavor

It gets an F for:
- A small bug in the salad - eek!
- I didn't dine in, but I was told that it's a VERY family-oriented restaurant

801 2nd Avenue
b/t 42nd & 43rd Streets
website
Menu Pages listing
Twitter

P is for...

2011-07-05T18:31:00.000-04:00

The Place

What we ordered:
- Carnaroli Jersey Corn and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto
with spring onions, orange zest, parmigiano-reggiano and fresh herbs

- Crispy Scottish Salmon Latkes
slivers of pan roasted salmon in a crisp sweet potato shell over a beet, radish and fresh horseradish salad with sour cream and a yellow tomato vinaigrette

- Pan Roasted Polenta Dusted Atlantic Cod
over jersey corn and sugar snap peas with a tarragon and citrus farmhouse butter sauce

It gets an A for:
- The delicious food - all 3 dishes we ordered were fantastic
- The atompshere - stone walls, wood beams, candlelit cozy space
- The variety on the menu - so many unique dishes (salmon latkes?!) and definitely something for everyone

It gets an F for:
- The service - 3 different servers waited on us...all were equally curt and unattentive. I know you're stuck working on a holiday weekend, but would it kill ya to smile?! Happy to ask if me 4 times if I wanted another glass of wine, not so happy when I asked 4 times for another glass of water.

310 West 4th Street
b/t Bank & 12th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

C is for...

2011-07-04T22:36:00.000-04:00

Chick-fil-A

One of my all time favorite things to eat is a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit. Every time I go home to visit my family, we make at least 1 (sometimes up to 3!) visit for breakfast and lunch. I was so excited to find out there was a location near my aunt and uncle's house in Pennsylvania. I had one for breakfast and brought a few back home with me. It may not be in NYC, but the letter C is only deserving of Chick-fil-A! YUM.

It gets an A for:
- Just about everything...nuggets, fries, chicken biscuits, Chick-fil-A sauce, Polynesian sauce, unlimited refills, cute cows

It gets an F for:
- Not having a real location in NYC
- Being closed on Sundays

In Pennsylvania, they are testing sweet potato waffle fries. Strange they aren't testing them in the South where sweet potato is so popular! The manager said the sweet potato fries have outsold the regular fries every day since they were introduced. They were definitely good (and slightly healthier), but I just can't pass up the regular waffle fries.

Not in NYC :(
Small location in NYU, but they don't have breakfast
website
Twitter

R is for...

2011-07-04T11:02:00.000-04:00

Ranchito del Agave

What we ordered:
- Chicken enchiladas with tomatillo salsa verde
- Carnitas and bistec taco topped with cilantro and onions

It gets an A for:
- The lunch special - $6.95 for a choice of 12 different entrees, which come with rice and black beans
- The green enchilada sauce

It gets an F for:
- The set-up - There are 6 small tables in the front, walk thru a hallway by the kitchen, and it opens up to a huge space with ridiculous, bright-colored murals on the walls
- The quality of the meats - sketchy chicken, dried out carnitas (pork), chewy beef
- Rice was the cafeteria kind with little bits of carrots, peas, and green beans in it
- No chips & salsa served. Isn't that a Mexican restaurant staple?!

476 9th Avenue
b/t 36th & 37th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing
Twitter

From A to Z

2011-07-04T10:33:00.025-04:00

A - Atlantic Grill (7.25.11)
B - Brasserie 360 (7.14.11)
C - Chick-fil-A (7.2.11)
D - Dean's Restaurant & Pizzeria (7.5.11)
E - Eastern District (8.7.11)
F - Fusha (8.30.11)
G - Giorgio's of Gramercy (7.24.11)
H - Haru Sushi (9.2.11)
I
J
K - Korzo Haus (7.9.11)
L - Le Parisien (9.7.11)
M - Mexicue(7.8.11)
N - New Ashiya (8.3.11)
O - Obao (9.8.11)
P - The Place (7.3.11)
Q - Qi (7.12.11)
R - Ranchito del Agave (7.1.11)
S - Shake Shack (7.31.11, 8.5.11, 8.6.11)
T - Tartine (7.16.11)
U - Ulysses Folk House (8.26.11)
V - Vamos! Tacos & Tequila (8.5.11)
W - Wild Ginger (9.25.11)
X
Y - Yakiniku West (8.31.11)
Z

From A to Z: Miss Menu's Summer Dining Adventure

2011-06-29T13:03:00.006-04:00

Hot town...summer in the city! Summer is officially in full swing, and I’m loving every minute of it. While I have a ton of long weekends planned, I don’t have one major vacation planned like I have the past few summers. So, I decided now is perfect for putting that time (and money) towards something fun right here in NYC.

So, without further ado, I’m so excited to announce: “From A to Z: Miss Menu’s Summer Dining Adventure.” From today and Labor Day, I am going to go to one restaurant that starts with each letter of the alphabet. After doing a little math, that’s 26 restaurants in about 68 days…a new place every 2 or 3 days. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?!

I know the first bunch will be easy, but I’m sure it’ll get tricky towards the end (especially the Q and X!). According to NYMag.com, there are 2890 restaurants in Manhattan alone. How am I ever going to decide which ones to go to for each letter?? This is where you come in. I would love to get a ton of recommendations from you, my trusty readers. To encourage some serious participation, “From A to Z” is going to feature a fun contest!

The grand prize will be a gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice from the final A-Z list. And there will be two runner up prizes as well.

Here’s how it’ll work. Everyone who participates will receive one entry. You can also receive an additional entry for doing any of the following:

MissMenuNYC.com
- Comment on any “From A to Z” posts with your thoughts
- Email me with your suggestions for any letter

Facebook
- “Like” Miss Menu on Facebook
- “Like” any of the “From A to Z” posts
- Share any of the “From A to Z” posts onto your profile

Twitter
- Follow @MissMenuNYC on Twitter and @reply with the hashtag #FromAtoZ
- Retweet any "From A to Z" tweets with the hashtag #FromAtoZ

Thanks for coming along with me on this summer dining adventure! And now...let the dining begin!

Dumpling Night!

2011-06-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

I definitely enjoy dining out a lot more than cooking, but every once in a while it's definitely fun to cook up a storm. Especially when the food comes out 10x better than what could have been delivered to my apartment door!

My brother and I made dumplings from scratch tonight. It's definitely a lot of work, but they were so delicious and VERY worth the wait.

Ginger, garlic, and scallions

Mushrooms, red peppers, and zucchini

Definitely a steep learning curve assembling them.
Practice makes perfect!

Ready to be fried and steamed

Final products!

Homemade sweet garlic soy sauce and sriracha mayo

Laid-Back Cuban Food, Not Laid-Back Cuban Vibe

2011-06-09T17:04:00.000-04:00

I had dinner plans with SN on Monday night, and we were eager to try a new restaurant, and definitely one out of the Midtown area. After doing a little (too much) research, I came up with a list of 5 options, and we decided on Coppelia, a new 24-hour Cuban diner on W. 14th Street.

Coppelia is part of the same restaurant group as some well-known Latin staples like YerbaBuena and Toloache, so I was pretty confident the meal would be good. In my research, I came across the restaurant’s Yelp page, and read a few of the reviews. Everyone seemed to like the food a lot, but there were a handful of mentions about the service. I figured how bad could it be in a casual diner setting, so I closed the page and headed downtown.

I got there a few minutes early, and when I walked in, I was bombarded by 4 employees greeting me and asking how many my party would be. [Trying to stay open-minded and ignore the Yelp comments.] I said there would be two and asked if we could get a booth. I was seated towards the back, and within seconds water appeared and two servers asked if I wanted to order anything to start. I informed both of them that I’d like to wait for my friend to arrive. Three sips of water later, and the bus boy was back to refill it. The next 10 minutes was spent watching the employees in black t-shirts hovering and circling the small restaurant. I knew I was probably a little biased because of the reviews I read, but this was getting ridiculous. ANOTHER server came over and asked if I wanted to wait for my guest to order. I reiterated yet again that yes, I’d like to wait...and how I would appreciate them chilling out a little. My water was refilled 3 more times, and then I was finally saved my friend’s arrival. I vented for a second, and decided to just ignore it and enjoy the meal!

In a true diner sense, the menu served as the placemat, and was pretty extensive and definitely creative. It had some Cuban staples like empanadas, Cubano sandwiches, and arroz con pollo. And it also had some more offbeat items like tuna melts, mac & cheese with pork belly, and baby back ribs. We decided it’d be fun to share a few items (when isn’t it?!) and narrowed it down to three things.

We ordered the nachos, fish tacos, and arepas. The nachos were topped with Chihuahua cheese, black beans, jalapenos, and chopped beef short ribs (which we asked for on the side). They were incredibly tasty, but seemed like a small portion. I guess I’m used to getting monster plates of nachos when you order them at a bar.

The mini arepas were filled with roasted chicken, guacamole, and chipotle salsa. The outside became a little too hard, so it was difficult to eat, but it was very tasty. We made these deluxe, so they were served with excellent sweet potato fries with two great dipping sauces.

And lastly, the fish tacos were my favorite part of the meal, although I wish it had come more than 2 per order. Crispy flounder pieces were topped with a delicious and messy chipotle coleslaw.

All in all, the food was very good. The atmosphere was definitely Cuban both in vibe and décor…in a good way. I just wish that the service hadn’t detracted from the experience so much. I am all for attentiveness, and appreciate not having to flag down a server to get more water. But, there’s something to be said for dining in peace and enjoying the company. Hopefully the staff’s over-eagerness will wear off just slightly as the restaurant falls into its groove.

Coppelia Restaurant
207 West 14th Street
b/t 7th & 8th Avenues
website
Menupages listing

The Best of the Wurst

2011-06-06T12:24:00.001-04:00

My brother Z (who is possibly a bigger foodie than me!) is in NYC for the summer. So let’s just say that a big chunk of the time we spend together is spent researching and going to new restaurants. My kind of summer!

One of the first spots we hit up was a currywurst and bratwurst place called Wechsler’s Currywurst in the East Village. When Z was first telling me about it, I wasn’t so sold on the idea. When I traveled to Europe last summer, I was reminded that there is pork in just about everything. And they haven’t adopted chicken and turkey versions of these foods the way the US has. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw not one, but two chicken sausage/wurst options on the menu at Wechsler’s.

We went at a very good time when the restaurant only had one of its six tables filled. By time we finished the meal, people were waiting for a spot to park themselves. This hole-in-the-wall makes the most of the small space and is decorated enough to make you feel like you’re in Germany, but not over the top where it feels like a theme restaurant.

After chatting with the guy at the counter for some recommendations, we figured out what to we wanted. I ordered the Chicken Supremo sausage, which was seasoned with oregano, basil, and fennel seeds. The two links were served on the roll that barely covered 1/3 of them! Z ordered the currywurst since it was Wechsler’s namesake and a side order of sauerkraut. And we decided to split an order of pommes frites – curious why they use the French name for fries instead of the German one!

I’ve tried a variety of chicken sausage before (both from the grocery and from restaurants), and I have to say that this was the best I’ve ever had. The herbs used to season it gave it a really great, unique flavor. The roll itself was so good that I asked the guy if the German bakery where they buy them from sold to retail stores. Unfortunately not!

Z wasn’t a huge fan of the flavor of the curry, but said that the wurst itself was really good. He liked the sauerkraut a lot, but could have done without the giant peppercorns that were mixed in and making some bites really intense. And we both loved the fries. They were hand-cut, lightly salted, and fried in peanut oil.

The restaurant has a pretty extensive list of draught and bottled beer, and I can see why it gets so packed as the night goes on. Open until 2am on the weekends, it’s definitely a great late night greasy food destination.

Wechsler's Currywurst
120 1st Avenue
@ 7th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

I Won Big Lou's Rack!

2011-04-06T19:47:00.000-04:00

A lot of people often wonder what the purpose of Twitter really is. I've had a Twitter account for about 2 years now, and it has been such an exciting way to connect with other foodies, restaurants, and chefs. But as an added bonus, in the last few months, I've seen a huge increase in contests and sweepstakes via Twitter. And I was lucky enough to be the winner of a great one!

Wildwood BBQ, part of the BR Guest restaurant/hospitality group, featured a promotion in which one fan who tweeted a message with the hastag of "#winbiglousrack" could win a March Madness feast for them and their friends. My tweet: "@WildwoodBBQ Would love to get some of Big Lou's BBQ goodness delivered to my door! Esp for March Madness. Definite WIN! #winbiglousrack"

And I won! After work recently, the feast was delivered to my door via taxi. As JB, MB, MG, and I unpacked all the food containers, my apartment started to smell incredible.

To start, we had the Wildwood chopped salad, chipotle BBQ wings, and Frank's red hot wings. We also dug into the sides of mac & cheese, coleslaw, and baked beans. MG thought that was the entire feast since it was so much food!

Oh, but there was so much more ahead of us being kept warm in the kitchen! I brought out a rack of Kansas City baby back ribs and a rack of full cut BBQ spare ribs, plus Carolina pulled pork.

And to round out the massive feast was a delicious order of S'mores!

Despite the onset of a serious food coma, this crew was ecstatic to have won Big Lou's racks to celebrate March Madness! Thanks, Wildwood BBQ!

Great to See You Again, General Tso

2011-03-07T16:26:00.002-05:00

My brother ZW, JB, and I went to a Chinese restaurant on X-mas evening, like the rest of the Jewish population in the US. ZW kept hearing great things about Grand Sichuan in the West Village, so we trekked down there in the cold.

There were two sections of the menu…the “American” Chinese food and the Sichuan-Style food. They decided to be really daring and ordered some crazy Sichuan dishes. Some of them were really good, and some were just sort of meh. We left proud that we were adventurous, but also left craving the “American” standards like General Tso’s chicken and dishes doused in garlic sauce.

On his next visit back to NYC, we were craving Chinese food again, and decided to re-do our Grand Sichuan experience at another location near my apartment. We wanted to go with some of the American staples, but also couldn’t pass up sampling a new Sichuan dish.

We started with sharing an order of Sichuan dan dan noodles. This small bowl of noodles in an oily, reddish sauce looked innocent enough, but let me tell you…the Sichuan chilies and spices pack a serious punch. Now, I know I’m not the most daring eater when it comes to different meats and animals. But as we perused the menu, we were in shock at some of the crazy things we saw: spicy aromatic pig blood, grilled turtle, double tasted sword clam, and jellyfish to name a few.

We decided it was smart to stick with what we know. So, we ordered General Tso’s chicken and shrimp with eggplant in garlic sauce. And even though these dishes are pretty run-of-the-mill, I have to say I was very impressed with these versions.

The General Tso’s chicken at Grand Sichuan Eastern was hands down the best one I’ve ever had. The large pieces were made of 100% white meat (none of that sketchy gray “chicken” meat to be found), and the sauce was rich and flavorful.

The other dish didn’t exactly exist on the menu, but they had no problem putting it together for us. The shrimp were cooked really well and seemed very fresh. The eggplant used in Chinese dishes is always so good, and the sauce was garlicky and delicious.

The reviews online say how terrible the service is and how rude the wait staff is. Despite it being prime dinner time on a Friday night, our food was ordered and served with a smile. Even though the interior is bright and consists pretty much of just wood paneling, the service made the atmosphere a little bit warmer.

This is not your standard Chinese take-out spot. Entrees will run you $12-$18, but the quality of the food makes those few extra bucks very worthwhile.

Grand Sichuan Eastern
1049 2nd Avenue
b/t 55th & 56th Streets
Menu Pages listing

Hola Arepa!

2011-02-23T16:14:00.000-05:00

My brother was in town for the weekend, and we debated for almost an hour where we should have lunch last Saturday. After flipping through a handful of top sandwich lists from NYMag, Serious Eats, etc., we finally decided on Caracas Arepa Bar. I’ve walked by this dozens of times on the way to other restaurants in the East Village, and we were excited to finally try it.

We walked into a packed, tiny space with a few tables waiting ahead of us. Luckily, there were 2 open seats at a side bar area that I guess no one else was interested in. After seeing how cramped everyone was at their tables, we both agreed that this worked out very well.

Both the hostess and the server were so nice, and patiently walked us through the menu and provided some great recommendations. We asked the server how the guasacaca (Venezuelan style guacamole) & chips were, and her face spoke volumes. Without totally knocking the guac, she instead recommended we try the tostones mochimeros. Guac can be good, but never really anything so special. So we were happy to get a recommendation from someone who a) knows the menu, and b) is from Venezuela.

The tostones came out and our jaws immediately dropped. These huge slices of fried green plantains were topped with a green “mojito” mayo, a squeeze of lemon, and crumbly white cheese.

The edges were perfectly crispy, and the center was just a little soft, so it was a great combo of textures. The mojito mayo had a nice light flavor that didn’t mask the plantain taste at all. And the cheese was light too, and had a great slightly salty flavor. The bites that had no mayo on it were perfect for dousing in Caracas’s secret hot sauce. The only info we could get from the hostess (and was probably more than she was supposed to say!) was that it had “like 1000 different peppers in it” and was made with passion fruit. Sweet and spicy…and so damn good.

The arepa I ordered was La Mulata. This was made of grilled white cheese with jalapenos, sautéed red peppers, fried sweet plantains, and black beans. . The saltiness of the cheese was the perfect complement to the sweet plantains. It was SO good on its own. But, I, of course, managed to squeeze the hot sauce onto almost every bite, which made it taste even better. It was a total mess to eat, but it was worth every extra napkin I used.

My brother ordered Los Muchachos, which came highly recommended by the server. This arepa came with grilled chorizo, spicy white cheese, jalapenos, and sautéed peppers. He said the chorizo was really flavorful, and hard to go wrong with a chunk of grilled cheese.

Two doors down (with Luke’s Lobster squeezed in between) is Caracas To-Go. They have a few (even smaller) tables, but I think the sit-down restaurant makes for a better atmosphere. Since that was my only arepa experience, I am very eager to go back and try other varieties. They also feature a brunch menu with arepas featuring eggs. Definitely may have to give that a whirl!

Caracas Arepa Bar
93 East 7th Street
b/t 1st Avenue & Avenue A
website
Twitter
Menu Pages listing

Essex Saves the Night

2011-02-14T15:45:00.000-05:00

I’m embarrassed to even think about how long it’s been since my last Miss Menu post (I think it’s about 6 months…gasp!). Hopefully in the meantime, you have enjoyed my frequent tweets and occasional Facebook posts. But, I am determined to make it happen more regularly!

And without further ado…

After a bit of drama at another restaurant (a story I’ll save for another time!), JB and I ended up at Essex last night for dinner. I had been there a few times, but the first two were for brunch and the third was for a pretty weak prix-fixe dinner for NYE a few years ago. I was excited to go back to give it another shot, especially since it wasn’t super busy. And hopefully the chef wouldn’t mass producing and rushing out the food this time.

We were seated in one of the two upper areas, which I was excited about. The space has a great warehouse/loft atmosphere, dim lighting and a great view out onto the street from the second floor.

The server came over and greeted us with a big smile – a huge relief after the debacle at the other restaurant. Turns out that on Sundays, Essex a) has happy hour all day with half-priced drinks and $1 oysters, and b) features their brunch menu until 8pm, which includes 3 brunch cocktails and an entrée for only $20. Looking around, you could definitely tell who had taken advantage of one of these boozy specials!

So many items on the menu caught my eye, but we decided to start with one of the “Essex Famous” potato pancakes and an order of “banitzas.”

The potato pancake was topped with melted goat cheese and served on arugala. While it may not have tasted like one of my grandma’s latkes, the potato pancake was crispy and flavorful…and the goat cheese complimented it very well. The “banitzas” (no clue why it’s in quotes on the menu!) was a twist on spanikopita, made with phyllo triangles filled with spinach and queso blanco. They were really tasty, but a little too greasy.

JB also ordered a half-dozen oysters trying a few east coast and a few west coast ones. I don’t eat them, but according to our server, east coast ones are saltier and smaller and west coast ones are creamier and larger.

For my entrée, I decided to go with the manchego mac & cheese with edamame, haricot vert & citrus salad. When it arrived, I was definitely a little confused. There were 3 pieces of what looked like breakfast sausage on my plate next to the mac, so I told JB they were all his. Then I remembered that brunch was being served all day and I probably got the brunch version.

The server brought out the salad on a separate plate, and informed me that it was actually chicken apple sausage. So this non-pork eater was excited to have a taste of that, even though JB’s reaction to the non-pork sausage was “meh.” The bites of the mac & cheese that had a lot of cheese on it were really good, but the other bites were pretty bland. I was definitely expecting to be more wowed by the manchego – one of my favorite cheeses as of late.

JB ordered the half-pound angus burger Essex style, which was topped with BBQ short rib and gruyere cheese and was served with French fries. He said the burger was really well cooked, and the short rib was a great, flavorful addition. I liked the fries a lot too. Gotta love ones cooked in peanut oil.

This trip back to Essex was definitely a huge improvement over the last one, and I’d love to go back and try some of the other dishes that caught my eye. Good food, good service, and good company made for a great evening.

Essex Restaurant
120 Essex Street
@ Rivington Street
Website
Twitter
Menu Pages listing

This Lunch Box Wasn't Packed by Mom

2010-11-10T09:42:00.001-05:00

A second location of NY Lunch Box location opened a few months ago just blocks from my apartment. So, I was eager to try it since some of the take-out places are hit or miss that far east in Midtown. I picked up dinner on my way home from work around 6:30pm one night. And even though the website said this location closes at 10pm Monday – Thursday, I was told I by the owner that I had to hurry and order because they were closing at 7pm. Since they were about to close, they were also out of a number of dishes, which aren’t ones that should have been pre-made anyway.

So far, I wasn’t too impressed, but I decided to give it a chance and see if the food would redeem NY Lunch Box for its spotty service. I wanted to try a few different types of food to see how they were. The sushi special caught my eye, which includes any two basic rolls for $8.99. I ordered the salmon cucumber and the spicy tuna avocado rolls. In addition to it being a great price, each roll was made of 8 decent-sized pieces and the fish tasted very fresh.

I also ordered the cheese omelette wrap, which came with eggs, cream cheese, tomato, and scallions. This could easily be featured on their breakfast menu, but it was a welcomed change from the standard tuna or grilled veggie wraps that are found on most deli menus. The eggs were cooked well, not too runny and not too dried out. And the scallions brought a nice flavor to the whole thing.

And finally, I ordered the penne vodka, but they had run out of penne. So I was able to order linguine with it instead. While the sauce was far from a true vodka sauce, and more like a creamy marinara, it still tasted good. It was a little runny when I first took off the lid, and the noodles were a little chewy.

As I was waiting for my order to be prepared, I looked around the space. For a deli that just opened within the past year, it had a sort of dated feel.

I have spoken to a few people who have been to NY Lunch Box and rave about their breakfasts and their sushi. So it seems like those are two things they have really mastered. I will definitely stop by for lunch one day to try a few of the other types of food they have available like salads, hot fish entrees, and pizza.

NY Lunch Box
844 2nd Avenue
@ 45th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

An "Uva" For Any Occasion

2010-10-22T11:40:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things about writing Miss Menu is finding a restaurant that’s a keeper any way you look at it. Great food, great ambiance, great service, and great prices all make for an all-around great experience. Uva Wine Bar on the Upper East Side is definitely a keeper. I’ve heard it from dozens of friends over the years who rely on it as a go-to date spot for drinks, some who rave about the classic Italian food, and others who love it for a low-key brunch. I had been there a few years ago for drinks, and loved the atmosphere, but only recently returned to try the food.

On a cold, rainy Sunday night, I headed uptown to Uva to meet up with GF for dinner. I could not believe how packed it was. The main part of the restaurant is rustic and cozy with candlelight, chandeliers, exposed brick walls, and rugged wood tables and floors. Luckily we were able to be seated right away out on the back covered garden area.

Both of us had heard great things about the menu, so we decided it’d be fun to share a bunch of different things. We started with a Bruschetta topped with wild mushrooms, arugula, and parmigiano cheese. These toppings were a great combo of savory and earthy flavors. We also ordered a Chisolini, which is an “Emilian-style” focaccia that was topped with tomato sauce, artichokes, and smoked mozzarella.

For the main course we ordered the Gnocchi di Ricotta, which were homemade ricotta gnocchi in a creamy black truffle and chive sauce. Um…YUM. I’ve expressed my love for all things truffle on here in the past, so it goes without saying that I was a huge fan of this dish that combined that magical ingredient with deliciously delicate gnocchi. Out of this world.
We also had the Cavatelli al Pesto, which were homemade pasta shells in a creamy pesto sauce with shaved ricotta. The pesto was very pungent, but in a good way. Comparing the two dishes, though, I definitely liked the truffle gnocchi a lot more.

To round out a great meal, we ordered the tiramisu, which was pretty straightforward. It was less overwhelmingly coffee-flavored than some tiramisus that I’ve had, so that was good.

The waitress we had was fantastic. She explained each dish in great detail, weighed in on our choices, and offered great wine suggestions (and let us try a few varieties before we committed) to go with our each course of our meal. The garden was great, and would be really gorgeous during the day time and in nice weather. But, I also wanted to experience sitting in the main part of the restaurant, and I did just that on a return visit with MP for brunch.

On a Sunday afternoon, the restaurant was pretty deserted. I couldn’t believe how much quieter Uva was from my last visit there. But, it was also nice to go somewhere for brunch that wasn’t crowded and loud with a really long wait.

When we looked over the menu, we couldn’t believe how reasonable the prices were for all the brunch items. We both ordered the Ortolana omelette, which was only $7.50. It was made with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, broccoli, and fresh tomato. Since I have an aversion to tomatoes, I asked if I could add cheese instead, and asiago cheese was included. The omelettes were made with organic eggs and were served with roasted rosemary potatoes. The eggs were a little overcooked (brown spots on any eggs is a big no-no in the culinary world!), but all of the veggies were delicious. Freshly-baked focaccia was served in the bread basket, and was a nice addition.

After having been to Uva for three different occasions now, I am impressed with how versatile this little restaurant/wine bar is. Uva means “grape” in Italian, and there may be as many purposes for this restaurant as there are varieties of grapes in Italy! I have recommended it a few times to people looking for a good place for dinner with their parents, for a glass of wine on a date, and now for brunch too.

Uva
1486 2nd Avenue
b/t 77th & 78th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Perfect for 'Noi Due' (the Two of Us)...or the Whole Family

2010-08-16T11:44:00.000-04:00

The Italian café Noi Due is on the lower level of an Upper West Side building, so it may be easy to walk right passed it if you’re not paying attention. But once you descend the stairs to the restaurant, it feels nothing like the basement space it’s in. It has a warm atmosphere and manages to feel like both an Italian café and an Italian restaurant.

We were greeted immediately by one of the servers, and were seated in a seat right next to the window. I glanced over the menu and was impressed with how many dozens of options there were. I thought it would be fun to share a few smaller things. We started with the funghi ripieni - stuffed mushrooms with feta cheese, baked in marinara sauce and parmigiano. They were served with a few slices of toasted bread. The marinara sauce was incredible.

It had so much flavor, and complimented the earthiness of the mushrooms and the saltiness of the feta cheese.

Next we had the Mediterranea salad, which had romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta, za’atar, and a lemon vinaigrette.

The salad was was really good, but there was entirely too much dressing.

A lot of the pizzas on the menu looked great, and it was definitely hard to narrow it down. We finally decided on the Melanzane E Formaggi Di Capra pizza, with marinara, goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, eggplant, spinach, and oregano.

The pizza was my favorite part of the meal. It had the fantastic marinara that was served on the mushrooms, but also had a great mix of toppings.

Noi Due means “the two of us” in Italian, and it is a great location for a date, whether it’s a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or a great Italian meal. But it is also a great spot for a group dinner, as long as you get there early enough to beat the crowd. I was there on the early side during the week and by time I left, the entire restaurant had filled up.

Noi Due
143 West 69th Street, basement level
b/t Columbus Avenue & Broadway
website
Menu Pages listing

Talia Should Be Proud

2010-08-02T12:25:00.001-04:00

Talia’s Steakhouse has become not only a staple restaurant for Upper West Siders, but has become very popular as a destination spot for those all around the Tri-State area. The draw is very apparent from the moment you arrive.

The numerous sidewalk tables provide great seating on a nice summer evening. And the interior was dim and comfortable, albeit a bit plain.

My friend JK and I met the owner Ephraim Nagar, a lawyer turned restaurateur, who named the restaurant after his late daughter Talia. He explained how her spirit lives on in through the satisfaction and enjoyment the patrons feel during their experiences there.

We started to look over the menu, and when Ephraim walked by, I asked him what he recommended. He took the menus out of our hands and said he’d take care of ordering so we could sample a lot of the popular/best dishes. First came the Middle-Eastern platter featuring homemade hummus, Israeli salad, eggplant salad, babaganoush, coleslaw, and carrots, and each were very delicious.

Next up was the Thai steak salad with grilled hangar steak marinated in soy sauce and lemongrass, with mixed greens, chili and red peppers, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, and hearts of palm.

The flavor of the salad was very unique and tasty, but JK said the pieces of steak were very fatty and rubbery.

As soon as we were a few bites into the platter and salad, they were cleared away to make room for Moroccan-spiced meatballs.

JK’s family is Moroccan and he assured me that these were so authentic they tasted just like his mother’s. They were moist and exploding with flavor in every bite.

Following the meatballs was a platter of fried appetizers including Moroccan cigars, chicken fingers, small hot dogs, and mini-borekas. These were pretty standard, and while tasty, weren’t worth filling up on.

That plate was quickly cleared to make room for the entrees. The chicken dish had been slow-cooked in a clay pot and was some of most tender, moist chicken I’ve ever eaten. The flavor was so distinctive, and it was served with basmati rice.

Then came the mother of all entrees: a 30oz on-the-bone prime rib for two. This was almost impressive enough to make me want to eat red meat for the first time in 15 years!

JK said it was hands down the highest quality, leanest, most properly-cooked piece of steak he'd ever tasted. It was presented on a carving board, only adding to its appeal.

For dessert, we were served a chocolate soufflé with Tofutti vanilla ice cream and a Tofutti cheesecake. Unfortunately, the soufflé was not cooked nearly enough, and although incredibly rich and chocolately, it had the consistency of raw cake batter.

The “cheesecake” was good, but didn’t taste anything like real cheesecake. I think true Pareve desserts would be better, rather than trying to imitate dairy desserts.

All in all this was a fantastic dining experience. Talia’s has a lot to offer everyone. There is live music played Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. There is a big screen TV showing major sporting events. Children are very welcomed at the restaurant, and a special kids menu is available. And for those who are a bit more budget-conscious, Ephraim has created a very complete Recession-Proof Menu, featuring prix-fixe meals at various price points ($13, $22, $28, and $39).

Talia's Steakhouse

668 Amsterdam Avenue
b/t 92nd & 93rd Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Almost a Total KO

2010-07-08T13:08:00.018-04:00

Restaurant openings and closings happen every day in this city. Some new ones open with much hype and publicity surrounding them, including the latest UWS hot spot, Prime KO. Weeks before the official launch, there were emails/mailers and Facebook fan pages. Now that it has opened, there have been Page Six celebrity sightings and blog postings. So has Prime KO lived up to the hype? Yes and no.

The scene of this Japanese Kosher steakhouse is fairly typical…modern and trendy.

But, there were a few smaller touches that caught my eye, including a Samurai sword as door handle and leather walls and banquettes lining the lower level.

As I glanced over the menu, I was surprised to see Latin-inspired items, expecting more of a straightforward Japanese menu. In order to get a real sense of the dishes, I decided to share a bunch of small plates instead of just one entree.

A complimentary tasting of guacamole was brought out to the table with a very creative presentation.

The avocado was very fresh, but the guacamole was missing some much-needed spice or kick.

We started with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and spicy tuna ceviche tacos, which were served in a hard taco shell with guacamole and salsa.

The fish was incredibly fresh, and the flavoring of the salsa really complimented each variety very well.

Next up was the Prime KO Special Sushi Roll, which was fantastic. This roll included miso black cod and cucumber, topped with tuna and avocado.

Dipping the rolls in soy sauce wasn’t necessary since the rolls were sitting in a delicious sweet sauce on the bottom of the plate.

We also had steamed chicken shumai, which are similar to dumplings, and stuffed with flavorful chicken and vegetables.

This was my least favorite dish. While it tasted good, it wasn’t special enough to differentiate it from the shumai that are available from any sushi take-out.

To round out the appetizers, we ordered grilled chicken yakitori skewers that were covered in a sweet teriyaki sauce.

There was a lot of sauce leftover, and we were looking for other things to dip into it…it was that good!

The service was very efficient, if not too rushed. The appetizers arrived no more than 5 minutes after our order was placed, and the entire meal took under an hour from start to finish. With many large tables, Prime KO is a great location for a big group dinner, but also has a trendy enough atmosphere to be a great date place. It was hard to come by a reservation at 7pm on a Monday, and as long as the hype remains, I don’t see the crowds letting up any time soon!

Prime KO
217 West 85th Street
b/t Amsterdam Avenue & Broadway
website (Coming soon)
Menu Pages listing

Give This Cascabel A Rattle!

2010-05-31T15:56:00.001-04:00

A lot of restaurants receive a lot of hype and buzz when they first open. Some for good reason, and some for no reason. I wasn't sure which of those two categories Cascabel Taqueria would fit in, especially since it was a "themed" restaurant. But after reading some reviews and getting a few recommendations from friends and co-workers, I decided it was finally time to see for myself.

I met my friend LF, who works up there, for a very belated birthday dinner. Once we walked in, we realized that while there was certainly a major theme going on, it was done in a fun, kitschy way...not a cheesy way. There was wrestling everything: murals on the walls, posters, wrestling masks. I felt like I walked into the movie "Nacho Libre!"

I had scoped out the menu before getting there, and was pretty sure what I wanted to order. She had done that as well, and funny enough, we wanted to order the same thing.

We started out with an order of Guacamole Tradicional Con Tostada. Rather than being served with the standard tortilla chips, entire tortillas (aka tostadas) were used.

It was a little messy to break them into bite size, but they were so fresh and salty. The guacamole was made with avocados, tomato, chili de arbol, lime, cilantro, and garlic. The spice factor was customizable, which was nice. We went with medium.

For our main dishes, we both ordered Tacos Vegetal. These two tacos (with double shells) featured oyster mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, poblano, queso fresco, and house made cream. When they were brought out to our table, we both looked at each other thinking the food looked like a hot mess. But buried underneath the layer of lettuce and radishes was a plate full of deliciousness.

We decided attacking the tacos with fork and knife would be the best way to go about it. The mushrooms and potatoes both had a great flavor to them, and were well-complimented by the queso fresco.

And for a special treat since this dinner was technically for my birthday, we ordered a few churros. About the size of munchkin donuts, these churros were light and airy, and coated in a really good cinnamon/sugar mixture.

While there wasn't waiter service, the service there was from the cashier and the bus boys was a little shaky. But for a casual taqueria, the expectations weren't too high.

All in all, Cascabel is definitely a nice addition to the pricier, nicer Mexican options on the Upper East Side with a very bright, lively atmosphere. Cascabel is named for a spicy pepper whose seeds rattle inside. And this Cascabel definitely rattled up the Mexican restaurant scene in this neighborhood!

Cascabel Taqueria
1542 2nd Avenue
b/t 80th & 81st Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

I Sea Great Thai

2010-04-25T21:53:00.001-04:00

Sea Thai's original location is in Williamsburg, and despite being across a bridge or under a river, it became a destination for really great Thai food even for Manhattanites. So, when the restaurant opened a location in the East Village (now closed), and then another in the Meat Packing District, a lot of loyal Sea Thai followers were very excited. For RL's birthday last year, she had a big group dinner at Sea Thai in the Meat Packing. I hadn't been to any of the locations before, so I was excited to try it.

I had actually been to the restaurant in this space a few years ago called Highline, which was also Thai/Asian fusion. The menu had changed when it re-opened as Sea Thai, but the interior remained pretty much the same: stark white and very modern with a lounge/club feel.

So many of the appetizers looked really good that a few of us couldn't narrow down what we wanted to order. MB and I decided to order a few different items and split them. Music to my ears!

We started with the emerald vegetable dumplings with a black plum sauce, triangle curry puffs stuffed with curried chicken and potato,and lettuce wraps with chicken, peanut sauce, and crispy rice noodles. All three were delicious, and a nice combination of flavors and textures. For our entree, we split chicken pad see ew, my all-time fav. And lucky for us, it was a very good version! The broad noodles were coated with a sweet black soy sauce, and mixed with chicken, broccoli, and egg.

Sea is the perfect spot for a birthday dinner, with an extensive menu and cocktail/wine list, a very cool atmosphere, and a great DJ. It has the feel of a Meat Packing restaurant without the pretentious attitude like many of the Asian fusion restaurants in the area. I think it may be time for a trip over to Williamsburg to see where Sea got its start, and see how the newbie stacks up to the original!

Sea Thai
835 Washington Street
@ Little West 12th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

The [Brunch] That Jane Likes

2010-04-22T16:00:00.002-04:00

Brunch on the weekends is something of a cultural icon in NYC. You can find different people who are all equally enjoying their brunch, but interested in such different brunch experiences: those looking to cure their hangovers with Bloody Marys and greasy diner food, those who are a few steps prior to a hangover drinking unlimited mimosas and screwdrivers, and those seeking a bottomless cup of coffee to sip while flipping through The New York Times (don't tell my boss @ WSJ!), just to name a few. For me, the best kind of brunch is one with great food served in a restaurant with wide-open windows/doors on a gorgeous Spring day.

JB was in town for a long weekend with her friend PB, and they invited me to join them for brunch at Jane Restaurant on that Sunday along with PB's sons and friend. I was excited to see them and to go back to Jane since it had been at least 4 years since my last visit.

The two other times I had been there, I ordered the same thing...the Benedict Johnny. So, for this visit I decided I should change it up and try something new. I went with the Farm House Scramble, which included smoked ham (which I did without), gruyere cheese, and caramelized onions. I didn't quite think it through that without the meat in there, it was a little bit boring. The eggs were cooked well though, and the combination of the cheese with the sweet onions was delicious.
I hate to say it, though, but the best part of the meal for me was the french fries. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing! They were crispy, salty, and sprinkled with fresh rosemary giving them a great flavor. I should have stuck with the Benedict Johnny!

PB's sons ordered the vanilla bean french toast made with brioche bread dipped in crème brûlèe batter, topped with Vermont maple syrup. This stuff looked ridiculous! But, I noticed while they were eating it that the batter hadn't soaked all the way through. So, the center of the slices was just dry bread...a big french toast faux pas!
Even with the restaurant being packed at prime time on a Sunday morning, the server was great. She happily answered all of our questions about the menu, and patiently took our orders with lots of substitutions.

Everyone really enjoyed the brunch all around. Good food, great company, and gorgeous weather all made for the kind of brunch that I really like.

Jane
100 West Houston Street
b/t Thompson Street & LaGuardia Place
website
Menu Pages listing

Black Shack Is Goin' Way Back

2010-03-17T14:25:00.004-04:00

A true burger craze has been taking place in New York City for the past few years...and it still appears to be going strong. There are blogs that are written only about burgers. There are gourmet burgers costing upwards of $25 to $50. Yet, somehow, no one is getting sick of them!

When I spotted Black Shack, a new burger place that opened a few months ago near Grand Central, I couldn't imagine what these owners could to do to differentiate themselves from the dozens of other burger joints in NYC. But, after trying it out last week with AM and SN, it's safe to say that they found their niche: a kitschy atmosphere and menu, delicious and inexpensive food, and a friendly staff.

The decor of the restaurant feels a little bit retro, with an old-fashioned menu board and chrome and turquoise touches, and a little bit cozy, with exposed brick, dark wood furniture, and dim lighting.

One of the nice things about Black Shack is that they offer the same toppings (or fixin's as they're called in the South!) for all different levels of meat/non-meat eaters. They are available for regular burgers, chicken, mozzarella sandwiches, and tofu sandwiches.

I decided to order the Western chicken sandwich. We asked how the chicken was cooked, and were told that they poached it rather than grilled or fried. Definitely a different technique...and one that paid off! The chicken was moist, tender and seasoned really nicely. It was then topped with a delicious BBQ sauce, crispy onions, and pickles. This sandwich was a total mess to eat, requiring A LOT of napkins, but well worth it.

The three of us decided to split two orders of fries...one regular and one sweet potato. Both were crispy, piping hot, and gone in minutes!

Black Shack also has another fantastic feature...a fountain soda with unlimited refills! They feature a really funny collection of sodas: 7Up, Dr. Pepper (OK, those two are normal), RC Cola, Diet Rite, Stewart's Root Beer, Bosco Chocolate Soda, and Orange. It added to the kitschy retro vibe and was really fun to try a few out. Milkshakes are also available, and definitely on my "must order" list for my next visit.

The owner/manager came by to see how we liked everything, and he certain got all smiles from us! When chatting with the girl at the register, in addition to learning about the chicken being poached, we found out that while it was pretty empty when we were there for dinner, it is absolutely packed for lunch during the work week. And I can see why. I'd choose a sandwich from Black Shack over a standard deli sandwich any day of the week!

Black Shack
320 Lexington Avenue
b/t 38th & 39th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Bagel That’s Not Quite Boss

2010-02-10T12:31:00.008-05:00

Two things come to mind when I think about the foods that New York City is known for: pizza and bagels. I like to think that in the 6+ years I’ve been living in New York City, and especially since I started Miss Menu, that I’ve developed a pretty decent ability to separate the good bagels from the bad. They should be crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Last Sunday, I went to Bagel Boss across the street from Stuyvesant Town. I was immediately impressed with the variety of bagels, fish, and salads that they had available. After taking entirely too long to decide what I was in the mood for, I ordered tuna salad on an onion bagel. The sandwiches came with a pickle and side item, and rather than the usual potato salad/coleslaw options, I was able to choose from a dozen different salads or sides. I went with something out of the ordinary, what they called a California salad.

Even before my first bite, I was curious about this bagel. The inside looked exactly like bread. It appears that they didn’t boil the bagels long enough before putting them in the oven. Luckily, the tuna was delicious. It was moist without being too heavy on the mayonnaise. The salad was really great too and very flavorful. Pasta was mixed in a light dressing with sun dried tomatoes, red onions, carrots, and green pepper.

I was pleasantly surprised with the size of this sandwich platter and definitely enjoyed the meal all around. The menu also featured so many other items that I was very tempted to try. The burekahs, knishes, rugelach, and even the pizza in the back all looked fantastic, but they’ll all have to be saved for another visit!

Bagel Boss was crowded the entire time I was there, but fortunately, the line moved very quickly and tables were always available. They also do a very large catering business, with baskets and packages available for all sorts of occasions. Are Bagel Boss’s bagels the bagels that make New York City famous for? No. There are definitely better bagels to be had. But, the selection of salads, sides, and baked goods certainly help make up for it.

Bagel Boss
263 First Avenue
b/t 15th & 16th Streets
website

Praying For Another Visit To This "Church"

2010-01-25T11:40:00.007-05:00

It’s not often that I am able to go to a restaurant and order absolutely anything and everything that I want. But, when that opportunity comes along, it is very important to take full advantage! And that is exactly what I did last Friday night. After spending many days and countless emails trying to decide where to go to dinner, CD told us that through one of her clients, we would be able to get a comped meal at Church Lounge in the Tribeca Grand Hotel. Done and done.

We were seated at a lounge table in the middle of the gorgeous space. It was so nice to be able to sit back and relax on the very comfortable couch and chairs, but it did make it a little hard to eat some of the non finger food. The DJ was playing great music and the atmosphere was somehow lively and relaxed at the same time.

After putting in our drink orders right away, we took a look at the menu and started calling out things we wanted to try…and ordered ALL of them! We started with a pizza and grilled skewers. The pizza had fontina cheese, cremini mushrooms, and my favorite ingredient in the world…truffle oil! The crust was paper thin and crispy, and let all the flavors of the toppings stand out without being overwhelmed by too much dough. The grilled skewers were a great assortment of meats and were a fun way to try a lot of different things: habanero shrimp, beef satay, lamb charmoula, and miso Chilean sea bass. All four were very distinct and tasty, and despite featuring flavors from different cuisines, somehow they all complimented each other very well.

Next we ordered one of the appetizer specials of the night, which were scallops wrapped in prosciutto served on top of white asparagus and baby carrots in a celery root puree.

Then we ordered the grilled lamb chops and grand mac & cheese. The lamb chops were served with a tomato jam and cilantro chutney with a side of roasted fingerling potatoes.

The grand mac & cheese truly was grand. It made with cavatappi pasta and black diamond cheddar, then baked to brown the top layer just slightly. I'm not sure how black diamond cheddar differs from regular cheddar, but it definitely made a difference in this dish!

The whole time we kept eying the French fries on the menu, but it seemed weird to order that alone. So, what goes well with French fries? Tuna tartare of course! It was mixed with avocado, jalapeno and citrus soy, served with fresh homemade tortilla chips. The combination of the textures and flavors made this dish absolutely delicious.

And to round out an out-of-control meal, we ordered the hot chocolate cake for dessert, which was topped with pouring cream and served with vanilla ice cream. Any molten chocolate cake or chocolate soufflé is very difficult to bake properly. Bake it too long and you have plain chocolate cake. Don’t bake it enough and you have chocolate batter. But, when it’s baked properly, it is something worthy of savoring every single bite!

Some of the numbers: 3 friends, 6 drinks, 8 dishes, 3 ½ hours. Pretty sure that adds up to one fantastic night! A meal like this doesn’t come around often, but I am praying that it happens again soon!

Church Lounge
2 Sixth Avenue
b/t White & Walker Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Crying Wolf

2010-01-04T09:20:00.005-05:00

Wolf & Lamb Steakhouse & Delicatessen is located in Midtown. I noticed on the sign outside that the restaurant considered itself a steakhouse and delicatessen. I was definitely curious about this combo, as a restaurant usually excels when it has one focus or specialty. But, I decided to reserve judgment until I could take a look at the menu.

The interior had a warm, casual feeling with dim lighting, exposed brick walls, and ornate mirrors. We were seated promptly by a friendly host who also turned out to be our server. As I perused the menu, I mostly saw items that fit on the menu of a steakhouse. Only a few things would be considered delicatessen items, including a sandwich and appetizers that contained pastrami.

We started with chicken tenders that were tossed in a picante chili pepper sauce. The flavor of the sauce was fantastic with just the right amount of kick.

I was in the mood for something a little lighter, so I ordered the fettuccine in cream sauce with grilled chicken and sautéed spinach. I have to say that I was impressed with the cream sauce given that there was no dairy in it. The portion was immense and did not skimp on the chicken. Usually this would be a good thing, but this was possibly the worst grilled chicken I’ve ever eaten at an upscale restaurant. It was processed and chewy, like the kind found at the grocery store pre-packaged in strips.

JK decided on a center-cut rib-eye filet mignon. Each entrée comes with a choice of a side and he chose the rustic French fries. He ordered the steak medium well, but was less than impressed with how it was seasoned (or the lack thereof) and cooked. The outside was overcooked, but the inside was close to medium rare. A steak of this quality should be cooked to the customer’s preference, which was not the case here at all.
To round out a pretty disappointing meal, the seemingly friendly host/server who greeted us was no where to be found throughout the meal and shrugged us off twice when we tried to get his attention, before reluctantly coming over to our table.

Wolf & Lamb seems to be a popular restaurant, as most tables were filled on a cold Tuesday night. The restaurant has a convenient location and a large menu, but I can’t imagine that the food is what keeps bringing people back. With many other great kosher steakhouses and delicatessens in the area, perhaps Wolf & Lamb should focus on trying to be a great steakhouse or a great delicatessen, rather than being mediocre at both.

Wolf & Lamb
10 East 48th Street
b/t 5th & Madison Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing

When Pastrami Met Matzah Ball

2009-12-08T17:08:00.002-05:00

When I think quintessential "New York" food, some obvious things come to mind...pizza, bagels, dirty water dogs, black & white cookies, and pastrami sandwiches, most notably from Katz's Deli. If you put aside, for a second, all the tourists, guide book reviews, photographs with celebrities, and "When Harry Met Sally" references, you know what's left at Katz's? Really solid food.
I have lived here for over 6 years, and somehow never made it to Katz's...something I am not very proud of! When my mom visited early this summer, we decided it was finally time to change that.

After figuring out not only what I wanted to order, but how to order (what a crazy system), I approached an available sandwich-maker/meat-chopper guy. I ordered a bowl of matzah ball soup and a half turkey sandwich with Russian dressing on rye. One of my ideal deli combos!

As the guy was making my sandwich, he put a few small pieces on a plate for me to sample. I turned to my mom and said, "this is the best turkey I've ever had." And I wasn't exaggerating. I've had some decent turkey at Thanksgivings through the years, but none was as flavorful and moist as this. I don't know exactly how they cook it, but they're doing it right. It was piled high on the soft rye, and slathered with homemade Russian dressing.

The matzah ball soup was as good as any grandma could make...the broth was rich and flavorful and the matzah ball was really fluffy.

Miss Menu was a happy camper with this meal!
My mom ordered pastrami on rye with deli mustard, and loved it.

Pickles (sour, new, and tomato) are served with every meal
We asked for all new pickles

A few Miss Menu pointers...

If you order from the counter, be sure to sit in the proper section of tables. We accidentally sat down in the waiter service section and got yelled at.
Be sure to hang on to your ticket during your meal. You need it to pay and get out of the restaurant!
There can be a huge crowd when you first walk in, but the counter lines move pretty quickly.

Lastly, check out Katz's slogan, which has been around since World War II! It just makes me laugh...plain and simple.

"Send a salami to your boy in the Army"

Katz's Delicatessen
205 East Houston Street
@ Ludlow Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Almost as Good as Grandma's

2009-11-19T10:56:00.002-05:00

Restaurants in NYC open, close, and change name or ownership like clockwork. It definitely must be stressful to be a restaurant owner. But, there are some restaurants that are tried and true, and have been around for years...55 years in fact. When I first moved here, I lived in the East Village, and frequented 2nd Avenue Deli a lot when they were in their original location...on 2nd Avenue. I always noticed another restaurant a block away called Veselka, but when in that area and in the mood for a diner/deli, 2nd Avenue always won out.

When my mom was visiting a few weeks ago, we were heading down to that neighborhood to walk around and wanted to find a diner for lunch. I was racking my brain, and then Veselka finally came to mind. I was excited to finally try it, and new my mom would get a kick out of trying something new...Ukrainian food!

Now, Veselka does have many of the diner staples...omelettes, sandwiches and fries, etc. But, what they are really known for are their Ukrainian specialties. My grandma used to make a huge batch of stuffed cabbage every time she and my grandpa would come visit growing up. As a child who could name the number of vegetables I used to eat on one hand, the thought of eating cabbage was always pretty frightening.

Now that I actually eat (and enjoy) vegetables, I figured this was the perfect change to try this whole stuffed cabbage thing again. I took a look over the menu and thought how it'd be fun to sample a lot of smaller Ukrainian dishes. Low and behold, they had the ideal sampler for me -- the deluxe vegetarian combination plate. This combo came with a cup of soup, side salad, meatless stuffed cabbage, kasha, and three pierogies (potato, cheese, and cabbage). The menu even pointed out that the veggie combination plate was "an excellent 'ease yourself into Ukrainian food' dish." Perfect!

The chicken noodle soup was rich, flavorful, and even sprinkled with fresh dill, just like my Grandma's. The cabbage was stuffed with a rice mixture, and topped with a delicious mushroom sauce. I could have used some extra sauce for the kasha, which was pretty dry the way it was. Each of the pierogies were unique and very tasty, but the one stuffed with potato was my favorite.

My mom ordered the deluxe meat combination plate, which came with a cup of soup (she had mushroom barley, which was great), a side salad, one meat stuffed cabbage, two meat and two potato pierogies, and a side of beets. The beets seemed a little random, but at least it added some color to our otherwise beige plates!

Needless to say, we were stuffed after this meal! Ukrainian food is definitely the hearty type that sticks to your ribs. I'm not sure this is the kind of food I could eat every day, but it was definitely a nice change of pace...and a fun dining experience for my mom and I to share during her visit.

Veselka
144 2nd Avenue
@ 9th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

It's Classico Home Cooking

2009-11-13T09:48:00.006-05:00

Café Classico truly is a classic café, with a menu so large and varied that there is bound be something for everyone’s tastes. The restaurant is located in the heart of Midtown on the second floor above The Great American Health Bar, so be sure to take the stairway on the left up to the restaurant unless you're craving yogurt for dinner!

Given its location, Café Classico draws a very large lunch crowd, offering quick service and reasonable prices. During the evening, the dining room is much more subdued. If possible, ask for a table along the windows. It was really enjoyable watching the hustle and bustle of 57th Street from up above in a quiet, comfortable space.

I began to peruse the menu, and there were many items that caught my eye. The options covered a variety of cuisines: Israeli dishes like kabobs and falafel, deli sandwiches with pastrami or corned beef, and Italian dishes such as pastas and chicken.

I started with the Mediterranean combo platter, which featured hummus, babaganoush, pita, Israeli salad, and pickled vegetables. The hummus and babaganoush were both very tasty, but the Israeli salad lacked any seasoning whatsoever – rather disappointing.

I ordered the Chicken Scarpariello for my entrée, which consisted of pan sautéed chicken breast with balsamic and white wine. All portions of the entrees are all very large, and each one is served with three side items: wild rice, spring vegetables, and roasted red potatoes.
The pieces of chicken were extremely tender, and the sauce was very unique and flavorful. The potatoes were roasted nicely giving them a great crispy texture. The vegetables were straightforward, but the rice was cold and bland, unfortunately.

The service at Café Classico was minimal at best, which I found to take away from the upscale image the restaurant was trying to portray. And, while the food was definitely enjoyable, I’d describe it as good home cooking at best -- certainly nothing gourmet or fancy.

And finally, a few additional Miss Menu pointers…

• It is rare to find a nicer, sit-down restaurant that does not accept credit cards, but Café Classico is cash-only.
• Private party space is available, as is catering and free delivery with an option to order online.
• The prices on the lunch menu are much lower than the diner menu, but most of the items are available at either time.
• A full sushi bar (featuring a sushi chef from Japan) was recently added to the restaurant.

Cafe Classico
35 West 57th Street
b/t 5th & 6th Avenues
website
Menu Pages listing

Dumping the Dumpling House

2009-10-25T22:30:00.002-04:00

My brother Z recently moved to DC, and while it's not NYC, I was still so excited for him to be living a lot closer to me. As soon as he got settled, we figured out a weekend for him to come up here. In the week leading up to his visit, we must have talked every night and emailed dozens of times trying to plan the perfect culinary weekend. You see, I may be Miss Menu, but my brother takes the cake on being the ultimate foodie of the family!

We were heading down to Tribeca for a concert, so we thought it'd be fun to check out a restaurant a little further downtown than I normally go. Since dumplings are all the rage right now [there was even a NYC Dumpling Festival yesterday -- bummed I missed it!], I did some research to find a good, cheap dumpling place in Chinatown. Obviously there are so many dozens of options, but one name I kept seeing mentioned was Dumpling House. When I looked at the menu online, my jaw dropped at the prices. Eight dumplings for only $2?! Sold.

We got up to the counter to place our order and were a little overwhelmed by all the options. Since everything was so cheap, we thought it'd be fun to order a lot of different things and get a little taste of each. The bill came to $18, and that included 2 cans of soda and tax. When they finally called our number, we were laughing so hard that our food couldn't fit on one tray. The tourists at the next table next were definitely making fun of us. I may not speak German, but I am fluent in non-verbals like pointing and laughing!

I ordered the vegetable boiled dumplings, a chive & egg Beijing-style bun, and chicken & corn soup. My brother ordered the chive & pork fried dumplings, wonton soup, and a sesame pancake with duck. We also split the cold noodles with smashed sesame sauce and an order of edamame.

Our dumplings were very tasty. The veggie ones had recognizable vegetable inside, as opposed to mushy green concoction found in some. My bro said the pork dumplings were good, and after trying one of mine, thought the fried style was much better. Both the soups and edamame were pretty standard. The bun and pancakes were different and interesting flavors...it's not so often that I eat my Chinese food in sandwich form!

The noodles were rather disappointing. The sesame sauce was very dry and needed a kick. After adding soy sauce and the Sriracha that they had available on each table, we realized something was off. Both of them were watered down! WTF?!?!? Is that really saving Dumpling House that much money by watering everything down?! Then, we were looking around and noticed that only the tables with local Chinatown patrons had the real dumpling sauces on their tables, and everyone else had the watered down options. Gross.

All in all, we left very full, without emptying our wallets. The dumplings were good, but nothing blew me away. And not even having hot sauce or soy sauce at regular strength to give the dishes a much-needed kick really turned me off. I will definitely be picking a different dumpling place to go to next time Z is in town. Any suggestions???

Vanessa's Dumpling House
118 Eldridge Street
b/t Grand & Broome Streets
Menu Pages listing

It's "Spuntino" Time

2009-10-21T23:29:00.001-04:00

I'm ashamed to admit it, but last week I did something that Miss Menu rarely does...I went out to dinner with no specific restaurant (or even cuisine) My friend AM wanted to come check out my new digs and then we'd go grab dinner in my neighborhood. We ventured out, got to 2nd Avenue, and decided to walk a block or two in hopes of something that caught our eye. We came across Spuntino, Pescatore's new wine bar, and after peeking in, we decided to give it a shot. I ate at Pescatore years ago, and while I remember the meal being good, I also remember the restaurant feeling a little stuffy or formal. I think it was a very smart move for the owners of the restaurant to make half of its space on street level into a trendy, more casual spot.

The atmosphere inside Spuntino is great, with exposed brick walls, decorative mirrors, and candle sconces. They created three distinct sections all within one space: a bar area with high top tables, a regular dining section, and a lounge area with antique couches and coffee tables. We were seated at one of the high tables towards the front of the restaurant, which turned out to be very convenient so we had plenty of room for all of our dishes.

So, I looked up the word "spuntino" in Italian, and turns out it means "snack." Checking out the menu, it looked like that name was pretty apropos. There was a long list of antipasti, small plates, salads, flat breads, and panini. The server brought over another list with that day's pasta specials. We decided to order the 3 antipasti combo and went with the mixed grilled vegetables, the artichoke salad, and the roasted corn fregula. The grilled vegetables featured a nice variety of asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, and onions. The artichokes were good, but a little too acidic. But, the big winner of this trio was the corn and fregula. Having to ask what fregula is, it turns out it's a small pasta very similar to Israeli couscous. It was mixed with roasted corn, scallions, tomatoes, coarse salt, and a light vinaigrette. It was such an interesting combination, and definitely a flavor I hadn't ever tasted before.

We also ordered the caprese panini, which had fresh mozzarella, tomato, red pepper, and pesto. The bread was nice and toasty, and the pesto gave the whole sandwich a great flavor...and a few green things in our teeth!

And lastly, we had the Forest Hills flat bread, with wild mushrooms, fontina cheese, and truffle oil. I've mentioned before my extreme love of anything truffle. And when combined with melted fontina cheese, my heart (and stomach) skips a beat! This was by far the best dish we ordered and unbelievably delicious...
...so much so that I took my mom 5 days later and we ordered it as well! We also ordered the antipasti trio, but replaced the grilled veggies and artichokes with eggplant parmesean and asparagus with parmesean crust. The asparagus plate was delicious, but the eggplant was kind of disappointing. It was served cold, and as a result, the cheese and eggplant hardened and lost their flavors.

Even though there are still so many restaurants for me to try in Midtown East, I am very excited to have found an awesome go-to spot so quickly. It was the perfect place to grab a "spuntino," and would also be great for after-work drinks, or even a group dinner.

Spuntino
955 Second Avenue
b/t 50th & 51st
Pescatore's website (Spuntino's is under construction)
Menu Pages listing

Everything But The Kitchen Sink - 2nd NY Wine & Food Fest Edition

2009-10-20T23:08:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Grand Tasting of the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival again this year (Thanks MB)! This three hour event is seriously the ultimate foodie heaven. There were 32 participating restaurants and chefs creating delicious sample-sized dishes, and 76 distributors pouring wine, spirits, and beer.

So excited to meet/see some celebrity chefs and personalities!

"Next Food Network Star" winner Melissa d'Arabian

Marcus Samuelsson

"Iron Chef America" Chairman Marc Dacascos with his "Dancing With The Stars" partner Lacey Schwimmer

Melissa was so excited to meet Lacey and Marc

"Ooooh, prosciutto!"

Diet Coke is a sponsor?! The Edwin McCain lyrics immediately popped in my head: "...and I could not ask for more..." I may or may not have consumed 8 [small] bottles.
And, a few more random pics...

Almost "Parfait" at Le Marais

2009-10-13T19:19:00.000-04:00

Le Marais is the quintessential French bistro in every sense. The restaurant is boisterous and dimly-lit, serving fantastic food and wine with often spotty service. Taking its name and inspiration from the historical Jewish quarter of Paris, Le Marais successfully recreates this atmosphere right here in New York with a kosher twist.

Upon entering, you’ll pass through an authentic butcher shop featuring a variety of kosher meats, which I take to mean that the meat served is very fresh and of good quality. The dining room walls are covered in dark wood paneling with Parisian advertisements, maps, and antique lampposts scattered throughout.

While other menu items like coq au vin, roasted salmon, and merguez with couscous were tempting, my friend JK knew having a steak in a steakhouse was a must! There are a dozen different cuts to choose from, and he ordered the steak au poivre et frites. This black pepper-crusted tournedo was very lean, cooked well, and was so flavorful…what he (and many others) consider one of the best kosher filets in Manhattan.

I ordered the paillard de poulet et frites, and have to say, as boring as grilled chicken paillard may sound, it was a fantastic choice. Usually with chicken like that, I would ask for a sauce for dipping to add more moisture and taste. But, this chicken was beyond moist and full of flavor.

Also, like any true French bistro, serving fantastic French fries is a necessity – and Le Marais’s light and crispy frites did not disappoint. A small green salad also accompanied both the chicken and steak, rounding out an all-together great entrée. With the large portions, the fries, and the salad, it's a good idea to skip appetizers and save room for the main event!

Le Marais features an extensive wine list with many wines from France, as well as Israel, California, Australia, and others. Although I didn’t have any room left for dessert, the menu looked delicious. Many true French staples are available like crème caramel, tarte aux pommes, and profiteroles.

In fine dining establishments like Le Marais, I always feel that the service should be on par with the food. My only complaint about my experience here was the service - impersonal and extremely rushed.

And finally, a few additional Miss Menu pointers…
• The tables are very cramped and the restaurant becomes extremely noisy during peak dining hours. While this is part of its appeal to some, it may not be ideal for those seeking an intimate, quiet meal.
• The steaks are always cooked one notch higher than you request (i.e. if you prefer your steak medium, order it medium rare; well done, order it medium well).
• Make a reservation in advance when possible. In addition to the usual kosher clientele, Le Marais’s location near Times Square often attracts a number of walk-in tourists, and tables can fill up very quickly.

Le Marais
150 West 46th Street
b/t 6th Avenue and Broadway
website
Menu Pages listing

Nothing Thai-ny About the Flavors

2009-09-30T22:49:00.004-04:00

Miss Menu is finally back. It has been entirely too long since I posted on here, but I'd like to think I have pretty legit excuses. I moved apartments a few weeks ago, have been out of town three times, and have been going through the two busiest weeks at work of the entire year. Excuses aside, Summer is over, and it's time to get back into the swing of things!

So, I moved from Murray Hill to Midtown East/Sutton Place area. While neither neighborhood is known as a culinary treasure, I definitely pride myself in seeking out unique, off-the-beaten-path places. I think I had pretty much exhausted my options in Murray Hill, so along with an awesome, new apartment, I am excited to try a ton of new restaurants in my new hood.

My ex-roommate - and now real friend :) - MB came over to see my new place, and we decided to check out a new restaurant as well. We decided that we were in the mood for Thai, and I remembered passing a really cute Thai restaurant on my walk to work. We stopped to check the menu, and decided it would definitely do the trick.

Thai 51 is a tiny, brightly-colored restaurant that holds about 10 tables. But, with large windows and mirrors, the space doesn't feel too cramped. We were greeted warmly by a server, and after we were seated, she walked us through some of the menu and informed us that any entree order comes with a free Thai tea.

Glancing over the menu, it definitely seemed to have a lot more items than many of the Thai restaurants I've been to. They had all the usual dishes, but featured some pretty interesting ones as well. We decided to start with sharing an order of the steamed Jeeb dumplings - filled with shrimp, chicken, mushroom, carrot, and water chestnuts, and served with a spicy black soy sauce. They were very flavorful and freshly-made, but they seemed a little pricey for the portion size ($7 for 4 dumplings).

For my main dish, I went with my Thai staple of Pad See Ew, which are flat rice noodles sauteed in a sweet soy sauce with Chinese broccoli and egg. I chose to ad chicken - something I am realizing more and more often is a mistake. The chicken in this dish is almost always dry and flavorless...definitely a shame since the flavors in general are so great. Next time, I'm going to stick with the vegetables. This Pad See Ew had the normal sweet sauce, but some bites had a little kick to them, which was a little unexpected, but in a good way.

Every time we ordered in Thai at my old apartment, MB always got green curry. This time, she decided to change it up and went with the red curry. This red curry had Thai spices that were blended into a chili paste, along with bamboo shoots, basil, and bell peppers, then simmered in coconut milk. She said it had a perfect amount of heat...enough to give it a great flavor, but not so much that your tongue feels completely on fire!

Although it's too far from my office, Thai 51 has a really impressive lunch special. For $10, you have a choice of 1 appetizer and 1 entree, plus a can of soda. Sure, it's more than the cost of picking up a sandwich from the deli in your building, but I'm pretty sure the food AND the atmosphere at Thai 51 will win out every time. And the service was so quick, you could easily make it there and back in your lunch hour.

Also, I should note that Thai 51 is BYOB, but beware...there is a $5 corking fee, but it's not mentioned on any of the posted "BYOB" signs that are all over the restaurant and menu.

I definitely enjoyed my first meal as a Midtown East-er...and am eager to keep trying new places in the area. If you have any great suggestions, please send them my way!

Thai 51
224 East 51st Street
b/t 2nd & 3rd Ave
website
Menu Pages listing

Take a Chance and Roll Los Dados

2009-08-24T11:42:00.001-04:00

To round out a great run of restaurants during DB's visit, we decided to try a Mexican restaurant neither of us had been to before. Los Dados has been open for a few years in the Meat Packing district, and does a great job of combining the best of both worlds. It has the trendy vibe that is necessary to survive in that neighborhood, and has authentic Mexican home cooking to make people come back for more than just the bar scene. Los Dados's corner location allows it to have ample outdoor seating. A new added bonus starting a few months ago is a view of the Highline!

We were seated outside a few minutes after our reservation time. Without a second thought, we ordered guacamole to start. I also decided to order a glass of sangria, and DB went with a margarita. The chips and salsa came out right away, and I have to say, these were seriously the best tortilla chips I have ever had. They were made out the tortillas that are used in many of the entrees, and while they were crunchy, they somehow held on to a little chewiness...and it was fantastic. The salsa was a little bit sweet, but still packed plenty of heat. And as soon as the guacamole arrived, we went ahead and asked for more chips!
I decided to go with the tacos de pollo for my entree, which consisted of three small chicken tacos with a variety of toppings and sauces. One came with an avocado creme, another with pipian (which I learned was made of pumpkin seeds...very nutty), and the third was a chile mecco sauce. All were very delicious, and with the exception of the avocado, were flavors I hadn't tasted before. The chile mecco was insanely spicy (like lip-numbing spicy), but it tasted great. No pain, no gain though, right?!While side dishes were served a la carte, my entree came with a small side of refried beans, topped with queso fresco and diced tomatoes.

DB ordered the Tacos Al Pastor, which was roasted pork served with a charred jalapeno and pineapple salsa. He said the meat was very tender, and the sweet/heat combo of the salsa was great.

We decided to order a side of corn on the cob, which has lately been one of my favorite things on Mexican restaurant menus. The corn was grilled, and then topped with cayenne pepper and cojita cheese. It was a little tricky to share, but it was definitely enough for us both to get a taste. The cojita cheese was so good that I scooped up the remnants with a tortilla chip at the end!

The prices at Los Dados are a little steep for Mexican food, with both of our tacos coming in at $17 each. But, the vibe of the restaurant and neighborhood (especially its location across from a Highline entrance), as well as the food and drinks, makes for a really fun night out. I learned that Los Dados means "dice" in Spanish, and after rolling the dice that night, we definitely came up a winner!

Los Dados
73 Ganservoort Street
@ Washington Street
website
Menu Pages listing

5 Napkins and 2 Thumbs Up

2009-08-12T23:39:00.000-04:00

DB and I wanted to grab dinner before going to a show at BB King's, but knew we wanted to avoid eating in Times Square like the plague. So, we knew that our best bet was to head over to 9th Avenue. I kept hearing great things about 5 Napkin Burger, and even recommended it to DB's mom when she was visiting a few weeks earlier. So, now it was time to check it out for ourselves.

We were planning on a late dinner, and didn't think we'd need a reservation, but decided to make one for the OpenTable points anyway! When we arrived to the restaurant, it quickly became clear that was a very good move. There was a 45 minute wait at 9:30pm for a party of 2.

We noticed there were two empty tables right near the door and hostess stand, and I kept saying how bummed I'd be if we were seated there. Apparently the managers and hostess knew other customers felt the same way, and did not seat anyone there all night...maybe any night! Luckily, we were seated after only 5 minutes at a table in the middle of the restaurant.

The owners of 5 Napkin Burger created a very cool atmosphere inside. The walls and floors are covered with black and white tile. And, meat hooks and exposed light bulbs dangle from tracks that line the ceiling.

I glanced over the menu, and definitely did a double-take when I saw a few non burger joint items listed like matzah ball soup, sushi maki rolls, and charred salmon. Interesting. I may not eat red meat, but I knew I was definitely going to order a burger of some sort! We started off with the stack of cornmeal crusted onion rings.

DB was a big fan......and so was I!

I decided to order Italian turkey burger, topped with melted mozzarella, spicy tomato sauce, and vinegar peppers. Usually turkey burgers are pretty average, but with these toppings and plenty of seasoning in the ground turkey, this one impressed me with its great flavor. The burgers come with a large side of delicious fries too. Onion rings AND french fries? Check!

DB considered ordering the lamb kofta burger, but ended up getting the cheddar-bacon burger...10oz of fresh ground chuck, with sharp cheddar, bacon, raw onion, lettuce, and tomato. He really liked the burger a lot, and said it was cooked well and full of flavor.

We both really enjoyed our meal and would definitely go back. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. My only complaint would be that apparently tourists have discovered this great restaurant...contributing to the long wait. But, just remember: make a reservation (even as you're walking out the door) and you'll be good to go!

5 Napkin Burger
630 9th Avenue
@ 45th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Grabbing Grub at Grimaldi's

2009-08-04T22:42:00.000-04:00

Whenever I have a visitor in town, there's always one activity that I love doing with them: explore Brooklyn Heights, walk the promenade, eat at Grimaldi's, and then burn off the pizza by walking across the Brooklyn Bridge back into Manhattan. Even though I've done that tour at least 10 times, I still always enjoy it.

Even though DB lived in NYC for a few years, he never made it across the BK Bridge or to Grimaldi's. So, when he came to visit a few weeks ago, we definitely to put that on our to do list. I left work early on a Friday, we hopped on the subway, and headed to Brooklyn.

A few things you should know about Grimaldi's:

It is a total tourist spot, complete with dozens of foreign languages, double-decker buses, and guide books
There will be a line down the block no matter what day of the week you go or what time it is
You'll be squeezed into a table on top of the people next to you
There is a waiter, but there is no service - rush you in, rush you out
The pizza is DAMN good, and worth all of the above

We ordered a plain, large pizza because it's Italian-style with small slices, and because I think it's great even without toppings. Don't get me wrong, toppings on pizza are great, but I think Grimaldi's plain pies are perfect just the way they are!

The pizzas are made in a coal brick-oven that gives them a great smokey flavor and a crisp crust. The tomato sauce is a little sweet and a little tangy, the slices of fresh mozzarella are so much better than shredded, and the basil adds such a great flavor.
We walked over to the water before heading to the bridge path. Always such a great view...and made for a fantastic afternoon and start to his visit!
Grimaldi's Pizzeria
19 Old Fulton Street
b/t Front Street & Water Street
Under the Brooklyn Bridge
website
Menu Pages

Everything But The Kitchen Sink - Israel 09 Edition, Part Shtayim

2009-07-31T09:36:00.000-04:00

After the tour part of my trip ended, I headed to Tel Aviv with CD to visit SB and OY. We went straight from the bus to the club, and, suffice it to say, woke up the next morning in dire need of some good food. We headed to a cafe on the beach, got a table, stuck our feet in the sand, and relaxed as we waited for our food to come. I had shakshuka (an awesome egg dish with tomato sauce), and CD and OY both ordered a Boker Yisraeli (aka Israeli breakfast). Definitely hit the spot!

SB took us to one of his favorite restaurants, Noa Bistro. Chef Nir Zuk created this eclectic restaurant in an alley in the old port city Yafo. He combines local ingredients with a French style. It was an incredible, very unique dining experience.

A variety of goat cheeses with olives, apples, and honey all from a farm in the Galilee

Had to try this authentic dish called chigga. Similar to bulgar, this dish was our favorite of the night. It was nutty, hearty, and very tasty!

CD and I took a day trip up to Haifa, where we toured the gorgeous Bahá’í Gardens.
To add to an already great day, we stumbled upon what would become our favorite falafel of our entire 2 weeks in Israel! The falafel was fresh, the hummus was great, and the toppings were endless and each so flavorful. Ridiculous view + ridiculous falafel = one happy girl!
For CD's last night, the four of us headed to Honey Beach for dinner...a picture-perfect farewell...

Couldn't have timed dinner with the sunset any better!
Possibly the largest schnitzel I have ever seen!

And, possibly the best Israeli salad I've ever had!

As if that wasn't enough for us to share, we got a "toast" as well...Israel's version of a panini or pressed sandwich
SB and I wanted a lowkey night and ended up going to a Cava bar (aka Spanish Champagne, I came to learn) called La Champa. It really felt like we were in Spain, with cheeses and olives in glass cases at the bar, and cured meats and sausages hanging behind the bar. Definitely did not expect to see so much pork in Israel, but it made the place feel very authentic.

It was such an amazing trip, and I was so sad to come home and get back to reality. Thanks for being such great tour guides, SB and OY! Can't wait to get back there ASAP!

Everything But The Kitchen Sink - Israel 09 Edition, Part Echad

2009-07-30T10:28:00.020-04:00

So, apparently the following analogy holds true: Miss Menu postings is to Summer as oil is to water. I can't believe that it's been 2 months since my last post. I am officially a foodie slacker! But, I'm back from another amazing trip to Israel, and I'm hoping that this post will get me back into the swing of things.

Like my trip last summer, I met an incredible group of people, I learned so much, I saw great sights, and I also managed to eat my way through the country! Here's a brief photo recap of some of the culinary highlights of the first leg of my trip...

Falafel/shawarma places are a dime a dozen in Israel - like pizza joints in NYC. Some are just average, but when a great one comes along, it's definitely picture-worthy! Enjoying a falafel laffa with RT and MB at Falafel HaMelech (The King of Falafel, so apropos) in Jerusalem:

The entire trip, everyone kept talking about this bakery called Marzipan. I always envisioned it as a place that sells marzipan as I know it. Boy, was I wrong! This Marzipan is a bakery that specializes in chocolate rugelach. They are constantly cranking out huge baking sheets of this chocolatey, gooey goodness, but also sell fresh challahs, bagels, babkas, and other breads and baked goods.

They sell the rugelach by the kilo, and will even freeze containers for you to take back to the US. EG was nice enough to share a few with CD and me :)

Fresh-baked focaccia at Focaccia Bar in Jerusalem...so simple, yet so delicious. All it had on it was a little olive oil, sea salt, fresh garlic, and basil.

CD, AM, KK, RL, RT, and I spent an afternoon exploring the shuk (market) in Jerusalem and saw some great foodie sites!

Olives...Israel's symbolic, miracle fruit:
Pitaya (aka dragon fruit) is definitely the most unusual fruit I've ever seen. The photos don't do its colors justice!

Shrooms, anyone?

Zatar pita

Crazy selection of nuts and dried fruits

RT picked a fantastic restaurant called Mona for our last dinner out in Jerusalem. A 20-person dinner doesn't always go smoothly, but this one could not have been better! Had to get a Reloaded '08 girls pic...so cute!

RT and MB ordered a whole fish...tastes so good, but looks so gross!

I kept it simple with grilled chicken and veggies, and it was delish.

More of the crew...MR, AM, MB, me, and RT

I am always blown away by how incredible the produce and other foods are from a tiny country smack in the middle of the desert. And, I'm not even talking hummus or falafel...although I had PLENTY of those too! Stay tuned for Part Shtayim with a Tel Aviv/Haifa recap!

For Good Noodles, Go "to the Republic for which It Stands"

2009-06-10T20:30:00.003-04:00

As the expression goes, time flies when you're having fun - especially when a lot of that time is spent eating your way through the Big Apple! Last week marked the 6th anniversary of me moving to NYC - hard to believe it's been that long. Six years ago, MP and I arrived a few weeks after graduation, with no job and no real place to live. We had 10 weeks in the NYU dorms to get our lives figured out. But, before we dove straight into job hunting, we wanted to celebrate our first night in the city.

Since this was pre-Miss Menu, we wandered over to Union Square and looked around for a restaurant, and ended up at Republic. Right then and there, I declared to MP that a tradition should be started of returning to Republic every June 1st to celebrate our anniversary. It seemed really cheesy at the time, but 6 years later, I always look forward to this dinner!
This year, we walked downtown to Republic on an iffy day weather-wise, but hoped to score a table out front. Lucky for us, there were two open when we arrived, and we were seated right away. The tables outside are pretty cramped, but if you've ever dined inside the restaurant, you know there's a good chance that you'll be seated at a table with total strangers. So, I'll take the former option any day!

Although I'm usually not one to order the same dish every time I go to a restaurant, I do so at Republic. Guess it's part of the tradition! As usual, I got #31 - Pad Thai, with rice noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, egg strips, garlic,carrots, scallions...hold the peanuts. The menu has some interesting appetizers and salads, but I love their pad thai, so there was no messin' around.

The flavor was great, with just the right amount of heat. On some occasions, the chicken has been somewhat overcooked and flavorless, but this year, it was moist and flavorful. They always go a little overboard with the bean sprouts, but it adds such a nice crunch to the dish. The portion was huge, but it was hard for me to put the chopsticks down!

MP changed it up this year and went with #21 - Chicken broth noodles, with glass noodles, shredded chicken, watercress, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and shallots. She thought it was a great flavor, but heavy on the salt...and that the watercress was a little too bitter.

If you are looking for super-authentic noodle bowls, Republic is not for you. It's more of a trendy take on a classic. Apparently the restaurant has caught wind of that and hiked its prices since last year. A bowl of pad thai for $13 is no bargain. It was definitely more like $8 when we started going there. But, I guess that's the price you pay for livin' in the big city!

We weren't sure if it was because the waitress was so crazed, or if it's just more relaxed dining al fresco, but we weren't rushed out at all. Usually they will drop the check off before you ask for it and hover waiting for you to get up from your table. But, we were able to enjoy the nice weather and reminisce about all the crazy adventures we've each had and those we've shared in the past 6 years. It's been a wild, fantastic ride, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for me, for us, and for Miss Menu!

Republic
37 Union Square West
b/t 16th & 17th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

You Can Bet on Bettola!

2009-06-02T11:19:00.001-04:00

Last week, MP invited me to join her parents and her for dinner. I was really excited to see them, and also excited to be relieved of restaurant selecting duties! They picked Bettola on the Upper West Side. On a stretch of Amsterdam that is almost solid restaurants, I almost walked into the wrong one...and MP's parents actually did. The tiny lettering on the awnings makes it a little tricky!

Inside is a warm, cozy atmosphere with exposed brick walls and dim lighting. The wood-burning oven is definitely the focal point featured dead center at the back of the small dining space - as is the Italian flag.

We looked over the menu, and oohed and ahhed over a lot of the dishes. I knew I definitely wanted pizza, especially from a wood-burning oven. We were all interested in the same dishes, so we ended up sharing a bunch of things.

We started with two Insalata Di Farro with seasonal greens, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was pretty straightforward, and a nice start to the meal. MP ordered the zuppa del journo, which was a carrot, celery, and onion puree. It was a pretty crazy color of orange, but had a great flavor. And, it was even better with focaccia from the bread basket dipped in it.

We decided to order three pizzas to share, and figured with 4 slices in each, it would be the perfect amount for the four of us! First up was the Regina Margherita, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil. To me, margherita pizzas are the perfect kind of pie...simple, flavorful, and delicious. The tomato sauce was bold and tangy, and there was the perfect amount of cheese. As with all of the pizzas, the crust was crispy without being too dried out.
The second one was the Salute made with whole wheat dough with grilled and roasted vegetables. The variety of veggies was nice...I think I spotted zucchini, eggplant, onions, mushrooms, and red peppers. But, there was entirely too much rosemary...completely overwhelming the entire pizza. It was definitely still edible, but it would have been so much better if they went a little easy on the rosemary.

The third one was the Bianca, with mozzarella, parmigiano, mushrooms, and truffle oil. Between this pizza, and the panini I had recently at 'inoteca, I have officially become obsessed with truffle oil, especially when it is paired with a great melted cheese. This pizza was out of control good. It was at this point that I decided I wish I had the whole thing to myself! But, I was glad I was able to try two others, so I sucked it up and enjoyed my slice and a half! The mushrooms were tasty and the thick layer of the two cheeses were delish, but the star of this pie was obviously the truffle oil.

We went on the earlier side on a Wednesday night, and despite it being pretty empty when we arrived, the restaurant had definitely filled up by time we left. The service was good, although it was very hard to understand the server because her Italian accent was so heavy. How authentic!

There are dozens and dozens of great restaurants on the UWS. Menu Pages has 59 Italian restaurants listed in the neighborhood. But, if you're looking for a simple, relaxed setting for a great, Italian meal, I would definitely bet on Bettola!

Bettola
412 Amsterdam Avenue
b/t 79th & 80th Streets
website
Menu Pages listing

Somethin's Missin' in This Kitchen

2009-05-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

As always, when AS and I have plans for dinner, we start throwing around a few ideas over email that afternoon. Last Thursday, I emailed her with a few ideas of neighborhood places we haven't been to before. The night before on my walk home from 'inoteca, I noticed Turkish Kitchen and thought how I really needed to try this place. So, Turkish Kitchen was my top pick, and she was excited to try it too.

I never really hear people talking about this restaurant, and I think as soon as we walked in, I realized why. The crowd was older...and not just middle-aged, but senior citizens. Not sure how that came to be, but this crowd seemed like repeat customers, which is a good sign in my book.

The server came over to greet us and give us our menus, and seemed less than thrilled that we weren't ordering cocktails. But, we moved on and took a look at the menu. We definitely wanted to share a few things, so we decided to get an appetizer, a salad, and an entree.

First up was the Shepherd salad, which consisted of fresh tomato, cucumber, parsley, green pepper, and onion. It was similar to what I know as an Israeli salad, except the vegetables were in larger pieces rather than being finely chopped. The presentation was beautiful, but the flavor was just a little strange. Not sure if that's the difference between Turkish and Israeli salads, but it seemed to have a little too much acidity...guessing from lemon juice.

We ordered the Cacik (like a tzatziki), made with homemade yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber, garlic, mint, and dill. It was so tasty...really light and refreshing, and had a great flavor with all of those ingredients coming together nicely. It was served with fresh bread that was similar to a very thick, fluffy pita. The bread basket kept refilling without us asking, and we were worried if we'd still have room for dinner!

For the entree, we got the Martarli Tavuk Sis...chargrilled of chicken breast, fresh mushrooms, green peppers on a skewer, served with rice and roasted potatoes. AS and I were joking how sometimes chicken kebabs can be sort of bland, and we asked to keep the cacik on the table in case we wanted to dip the chicken in it. But, we were both pleasantly surprised at how moist and flavorful the chicken was. The mushrooms and green peppers had the perfect grill flavor, without getting too charred the way peppers can sometimes. The rice even had a great taste too it, and the roasted potatoes weren't listed on the menu, but were a welcomed addition (and were dipped in the cacik!).

The food itself was fantastic, but the service wasn't the best. Turkish Kitchen seemed to think it is a much fancier dining establishment than it actually is. Yes, there were white tablecloths, but it was hardly that type of place. The server again gave us a little attitude when we only ordered just those three items, but as AS pointed out to me, two appetizers were the same price as ordering an entree, so it wasn't like we were only spending $20.

When we were ready for the check, it took another server, a bus boy, and finally the maitre d' to get our server's attention. There were so many employees running around, but something seemed to be missing. Service wasn't so bad that I wouldn't return, but in a time when people are cutting back on dining out, I'd be grateful for any and all customers to walk through that restaurant door, regardless of how little or how much they're spending.

Turkish Kitchen
386 Third Avenue
b/t 27th & 28th
website
Menu Pages listing

'inoteca? Check.

2009-05-26T11:34:00.001-04:00

My restaurant "to do" list is never-ending. This is by no means a bad thing, but there just aren't enough meals in a day and days in a week to get to every spot on there. My wallet and waistline would also be less than thrilled if I ate every single meal out just to cross restaurants off my list.

There has been one on there for a few months now...'inoteca. Well, it really was on there as Bar Milano. But, the Denton brothers decided to close Bar Milano, and re-open it as an 'inoteca like their other two locations downtown. When I was put in charge of planning a dinner with some friends, 'inoteca popped in my mind immediately!

AM, LR, CD, and I went last Wednesday night...and despite the host on the phone making it seem like reservations were hard to come by, there were a handful of tables open the entire time we were there. (Just a quick tip - I originally tried to make a reservation through OpenTable, but they had nothing available between 5:45 and 10:15. When that happens, always call the restaurant and double-check.)

When we looked over the menu, we quickly realized that it was all in Italian (how authentic!)...and tried to figure out what was what. We asked our server to help us decipher everything, and she began to answer each of our questions, and also pointed out that on the back of the wine list was a glossary with definitions/descriptions of only some of the menu items. What?! Some of you may disagree with me on this one...but seems like the restaurant could find better ways to have the servers spend their time than translating most of the menu to the customers over and over again, night after night. I personally don't think it would take away from the authenticity or the Italian vibe if they had descriptions next to the less obvious menu items. But alas, we figured it all out and placed our order. We decided to order a lot of different dishes to get a taste of as many dishes as possible.

We started with the insalata di verdure di primavera. This was a small salad made up of fresh, Spring vegetables including ramps (finally got to try them!), peas, asparagus, pearl onions, carrots, and mint. The light dressing complimented the light flavor of all of the vegetables really well. I would definitely recommend avoiding eating a whole leaf of mint, though...not very pleasant.

In addition to the salad, we also started off with five bruschette: fagioli, tapenade, fig marscapone, pepperonata, caponata - also known as cannellini beans, olive spread, fig and marscapone cheese (ok that was straightforward!), stewed red peppers, and marinated eggplant. Each one was absolutely delicious and so full of flavor, but I definitely liked the pepperonata the best.

For the second round, we started with a panini, with fontina, truffle oil, spinach, mushroom. This thing was absolutely outrageous. The fontina was delicious, but what really took this thing over the top was of course the truffle oil. The bread was perfectly crunchy and provided a nice contrast to the cooked spinach and mushroom inside.

Next up was the lasagnette di melanzane, which our server described as a lasgana with thin slices of eggplant instead of noodles. The tomato sauce was so flavorful, and the fresh riccota on top was a nice touch.

To round out the entrees, we had the baked maccheroncini, which we thought was maybe a fancy version of mac & cheese. Wrong! Only thing similar about it was that it was small pasta and that there was cheese in it. But, in this dish, the pasta was served with zucchini, squash, tomatoes, a tomato sauce, and mozzarella. The garlicky flavor was so good and the tomato sauce had a lighter, tangy flavor to it, rather than a classic red sauce.

We couldn't resist trying some of the desserts, so we ordered an affogato and a Nutella panino. The affogato was a glass with two scoops of vanilla ice cream that were "drowned" in espresso at the table. I'm not a big coffee fan, but this was so delicious. The only disappointing part of the entire meal was the Nutella panino...and that is coming from someone who loves all things Nutella. There were two TINY triangles of panini with an even TINIER amount of Nutella spread in between the slices of bread. The two triangles side by side were probably the size of a credit card. After having a big panini during the main course, I expected this dessert portion to be a decent size too. Not so much.

In many recent meals, I've started to notice one thing that is quickly becoming a huge dining pet peeve of mine...the servers and busboys constantly coming by asking to clear your plates even when there are a few bites left, or clearing a tiny piece of the straw wrapper off the table. I just want to eat in peace and not to have to shift around so people can reach around me to grab things. I'm pretty sure that 'inoteca and all other restaurants do not have a shortage of plates and silverware that they need to be cleared and taken back to be washed immediately. And, I'd rather have a straw wrapper on my table than have a server's arm reach around my head to reach for it. Ok, just had to get that off my chest!!!

I guess it's tough to expect everything to be perfect when we ordered seven different dishes and when the waitstaff is still somewhat new. But, despite these small missteps, the meal and overall dining experience were fantastic. I may have finally been able to cross 'inoteca off my "to do" list, but would have no problem adding it back on to try some of the other dishes, or try 'inoteca's other locations.

'inoteca
323 Third Avenue
@ 24th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Everything But The Kitchen Sink - NoLa Edition

2009-05-19T11:08:00.008-04:00

Just got back from a fantastic weekend in New Orleans for my brother's graduation (Magna Cum Laude!) from Tulane University.All of the graduation festivities were great, but a huge highlight of the trip for me was the food! My brother is even more of a foodie than I am. And, after 4 years in New Orleans, he was eager to show my family some of his favorites, and also explore a few food spots he hadn't made it to yet.

Soon after landing, we headed towards a tiny BBQ joint called creatively named...The Joint! Damn good BBQ. And very cool to be able to see the smoker in action!

After graudation, we went to Willie Mae's Restaurant for some fried chicken. Willie Mae and her employees consider this to be the best friend chicken in the country. We begged to differ, but it was still very tasty...and a fun experience.
Graduation dinner was at Upperline Restaurant. The owner has an insane collection of art that decorates every inch of the restaurant and gives it a really awesome ambiance. It's almost equal parts art gallery and restaurant! And, the food was out of this world. I was a more adventurous eater than I've been in probably 15 years on this trip. A few things I had solely because of the "when in Rome..." philosophy: turtle soup, fried oysters, duck, gumbo, shrimp. Glad I tried all of this to get the full NoLa experience, but don't think I'll be eating any of that again any time soon!

And, here are a few food-related odds and ends from the rest of the weekend:

Pralines (yum) cooling in the French Quarter

Crazy assortment of Cajun spices - Voodoo seasoning, anyone?

(click to enlarge)

A lot of cities feature sculptures that are painted by local artists and places throughout the city. Cows in Chicago, apples in New York City, turtles in Charleston. In New Orleans, it's streetcars. And, this one happened to be painted like a shrimp po' boy!

Such a great weekend. As the song goes, I now "know what it means to miss New Orleans!" Congrats, Z...I am so proud of you!!!

Cinema Cafe - Take 2

2009-05-13T21:40:00.000-04:00

There are some restaurants that I really want to like for various reasons, but just can't. Whether they have a great atmosphere, great location, outdoor seating, etc. Cinema Cafe is one of those. It has such potential...it's 2 blocks from my apartment, has great outdoor seating with very amusing people watching (at the prime intersection of Murray Hill), and a menu with a wide variety of food. Problem is, every time I've gone there, I've found the portions to be on the smaller size and very overpriced, and the service to be subpar.

When SS and I decided to meet there for brunch one Sunday morning, a few things went through my mind. 1) I hadn't been there for brunch in years. 2) I hadn't written about Cinema Cafe on Miss Menu. 3) I saw signs in the windows showing recession specials and prix fixe options. 4) It was pouring down rain and it was so close to both of our apartments.

Ok, maybe it was time to give Cinema a "Take 2." Even at the peak brunch hour, we were able to get a table with no wait. Things were looking up! I noticed that the prices were more in line with a normal brunch menu, so that was encouraging too. The brunch menu features an entree, a cocktail, and coffee/tea for $13.95. The same entrees are available on the regular menu for $10.95 and $11.95.

Not really in the mood to drink, I decided to order off the regular menu. I went with the wild mushroom & gruyére omelette, with shiitake, portobello, crimini, and button mushrooms. I am a huge fan of gruyere and pretty much order any dish I see that features this great cheese. The mushroom variety was a nice change from the standard button-only mushrooms. All the brunch items are served with home fries and seven-grain toast. The home fries were delicious...had a nice crunchy texture on the outside, and had onions and red peppers mixed in for a little extra flavor.

SS ordered the brunch menu and started with a screwdriver and coffee. She got the four seasons egg white omelette, with spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, and tomatoes. Pretty straightforward dish, but she enjoyed it a lot.

The service was a little spotty...my water glass remained empty for most of the meal. But, I think they may have been short a server or two. Our server was friendly and very apologetic for running around so much. The ambiance is just so-so. The cinema theme gets sort of lost in the shuffle unless you're there at night, when the large projection screen showing black and white silent films is more apparent. If you have the choice, opt for a table to the right of the bar in the "lounge" area...very comfortable arm chairs!

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by my most recent experience at Cinema Cafe. Guess it helps to go in with lowered expectations, but I will definitely keep it in mind for future meals.

Cinema
505 Third Avenue
@ 34th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

Miss Menu Mentions - SeamlessWebber

2009-05-07T13:14:00.006-04:00

SeamlessWeb is the "simple, fast, and fun way for you to order food online from over 2,000 of the best delivery and takeout restaurants in New York and other major cities across the US and London." I've used the site a handful of times, and must say...it is pretty darn convenient. Not to mention, it's gotta be one of the better business ideas I've come across!

SeamlessWeb has its own food and restaurant blog called Insider's Network. Here's my profile as a SeamlessWebber!

"Every Thursday, a different SeamlessWeb customer tells us all about how he or she uses the site. If you pay close attention here you just might learn something. This week we have Shayna, who is known to her friends as Miss Menu, and would be really happy if she could find a Mexican BBQ joint."

Name: Shayna

Age: 28

Occupation: Marketing Manager

SeamlessWeb User Since: December 2008

Where Do You Use SW? Home and friends' apartments

Favorite Kind of Food: Tie between BBQ and Mexican. Growing up in Atlanta, I was alway surrounded by a lot of great BBQ and Mexican places. So I love trying them in NYC to see how they compare. Some can hold their own, but others seems to be missing a little of that Southern charm!

Least Favorite Kind of Food: Indian. Try as I might, I just can't get into curries. And even when I order a "curry-less" dish like Chicken Tikka Masala, I still don't love it.

Favorite Place(s) to Order From on SW: Baby Bo's Cantina (My favorite dish is the Vegetable Enchiladas Suizas, which comes with beans and rice. The different sauces they use are incredible!), Libretto's Pizzeria (I go for the plain pizza every time. Why ruin perfection by adding toppings?), Ethos Greek Cuisine (My roommate and I have it down to a science. We order Tzatziki with pita to start. Then we share Elliniki, a classic Greek salad, and Kotopoulo Giouvetsi, which is boneless chicken breast baked in a pot with orzo, tomato sauce, and feta cheese.)

Least Favorite Thing About Calling Restaurants? Busy signals.

Closest Previous Brush with Internet Fame? I started a blog called Miss Menu as a way of sharing my great NYC dining experiences with my friends and family. A year and a half later, I still can't believe that people besides my mom and dad are reading it!

Favorite Celebrity Chef? Anthony Bourdain. He really sees an importance in learning about other countries and cultures, mostly through their cuisine. That's what I love about New York City...when you're not able to travel to those far off places, you can easily take a culinary trip around the world without leaving the five boroughs!

Favorite Cartoon Growing Up? The Simpsons. (Ed: Need we say more?)

Plans for Tonight? Going to The Australian with co-workers for Happy Hour, then heading down to the East Village for dinner and drinks with some friends at Mercadito.

Can't Judge A Menu By Its Cover

2009-05-06T20:38:00.000-04:00

It's never safe to judge a sushi/Japanese restaurant by the looks of its delivery menu. Sometimes the sketchiest "restaurants" have really well-designed menus. And sometimes the good restaurants have really crappy menus. So, I was a little skeptical when AS suggested we go to Nomado 33 for dinner one night because I had only seen a cool looking menu slid under my door.

Nomado 33 is located directly across the street from 2nd Ave Deli, which would explain why I couldn't picture its location. I always walk on the south side of 33rd St so I can catch a whiff of the deli goodness that permeates the sidewalk! It also doesn't help that the storefront is very unremarkable. When we got there, we were both pleasantly surprised by the interior though. The space was light and modern, with windows that look out onto a "courtyard." We got there at 6:30, and it was pretty deserted...but by time we were paying the bill an hour later, about half of the tables had been filled.

Nomado 33 calls itself a sushi fushion restaurant since they incorporate food into the rolls that are anything but traditional. I glanced over the menu and a few of these caught my eye...mango, banana tempura, rolls with names like "Pizza" and "Snow White."

I started with a miso soup. It was pretty standard. I decided to order a couple rolls...the vegetable tempura roll and the bec roll. The vegetable tempura was so good. The tempura wasn't too greasy and the veggies still had a nice crunch to them. The bec roll was one of the fusion rolls, and was fantastic. It had spicy tuna, avocado, jalapeno, crunch with a soy wrap. It had all the right components...heat, texture and great fresh fish.

AS ordered the chicken teriyaki. It came with the choice of a salad or miso soup, and she opted for the miso soup as well. When the dish came out, we were both laughing at the amount of chicken that was on the plate. It was easily enough for 2, maybe 3 people. Even with me trying a few bites, there was still so much left over. The sauce had a great flavor, and the steamed broccoli that came with it was a nice addition to the side of brown rice.

Nomado 33 is a welcomed addition to the neighborhood in my book. I'm definitely looking forward to a return visit. And, I will now be adding its fancy menu to my menu box!

Nomado 33
165 East 33rd Street
b/t 3rd & Lexington Avenue
website
Menu Pages listing

Chef Marcela's "Fresh Mexico" Tasting Event

2009-05-01T11:24:00.009-04:00

I was fortunate to be invited to a fantastic foodie event last night. It was a tasting and pairing to celebrate the release of Chef Marcela Valladolid's first cookbook Fresh Mexico: 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor.
Growing up in Tiajuana, Mexico, attending school in San Diego, and then cooking school in Paris, Chef Marcela takes classic Mexican cooking from her childhood and adds her own twist, successfully creating simple, fresh Mexican dishes that incorporate ingredients from different cultures and cuisines.

The event was held in the penthouse suite at the Hudson Hotel. It was a gorgeous setting with great city views from the terrace.

We were greeted with Marcela's Fresh Mex Margarita, a light and refreshing cocktail. Chef Marcela spoke about the five tastings of recipes straight from the pages of her book. The owner of L.A. Cetto Vineyards also discussed the fantastic Mexican wines that he selected to pair with each course.

Rosemary-skewered shrimp

Butternut squash and chipotle soup

Easy chicken mole

Also served was a rack of lamb with ancho crust. And, to round out a delicious tasting, Marcela's mom's strawberry tartlets were brought out.

Check out Chef Marcela's website for more information about her cookbook Fresh Mexico and her show "Relatos con Sabor," which airs on Discovery en Espanol.