Everything But the Kitchen Sink - I Miss Paris Style!

Well, I have returned from the land of wine, cheese, more wine, and more cheese, and I think it's safe to say that I ate my way through Paris (and Corsica)! My brother did a phenomenal job of picking restaurants for us to dine at and buying great food for us to eat on our picnics. I couldn’t have been happier that a) the decision-making was out of my hands for a change, and b) that we didn’t waste any time roaming around from restaurant to restaurant reading menus trying to decide where to eat. As I mentioned in my first post, I always ran into that problem when I lived in Paris 6 years ago, and it was because of this that I learned the fine art of restaurant researching. I guess I have that experience to thank for the creation of Miss Menu, though!

So, I’m not going to go into detail about each of the restaurants we went to since this is Miss Menu NYC, and not Miss Menu Paris. But, for those of you who have been to Paris, are planning on going in the future, or just love the city like I do, then I figure you may appreciate a quick “best of/favorite” list.

Best falafel (IN. THE. WORLD.) – L’As Du Fallafel
I have had some really great falafel in New York and all over Israel, but this one is the best one I’ve ever had…and plenty of bigtime food critics couldn’t agree more. The name translates to "The Ace of Falafel," and they aren't joking. The falafel itself was absolutely perfect, but what made this sandwich really stand out were the toppings: grilled eggplant, seasoned cucumbers, pickled cabbage, and a really flavorful, spicy (but not too spicy) harisa.



Best salade de chevre chaud – Page 35
This salad appears on every single café/bistro/brasserie menu, but the one at Page 35 really blew me away. This one had a unique dressing (most French salads have the same generic, bland dressing) and goat cheese that was served warm on the most delicious, garlicky round toast/croutons.


Best soufflé – Le Cigale Recamier
Even though the word is clearly French, I never really thought of soufflés as being a French dish. My brother took me to this soufflé restaurant where there were 10 savory and 6 sweet soufflés on the menu (along with regular appetizers and entrees as well). I ordered a cheese soufflé for my entrée, and we shared a chocolate soufflé. Both were absolute perfection. Making soufflé is a true art form because not preparing and cooking it precisely can cause the entire thing to collapse.


Really good (but hard to pick a best!) Nutella crepe – crepes stand at Place Odéon
You have to look for a crepes stand where they are making the crepe itself to order and in front of you. Some busy crepes stands in touristy areas have a stack of already-made crepes so all they have to do is put it back on the griddle and add the toppings. This crepe was prepared fresh and the guy added ample Nutella…mmm. Sure, they have Nutella crepes in NYC. They appear at every single street fair, but you should know that the Nutella made in the US doesn’t even compare to the Nutella made in Europe. Different oils, different amounts of chocolate and hazelnut…all of these things make Nutella from Europe so much better. And that, my friends, is why I had to bring a jar home with me!


Best beer - Pietra from Corsica
I'm by no means an expert beer connoisseur, but I always love finding a beer that I really enjoy the taste of. Having had plenty of wine over the past week, I decided to order a local beer while we were sitting at a cafe on the marina in Calvi. It was really good, and came in a really cool glass too! I have no clue if they sell Pietra in the states, but I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for it now.


Best soupe a l'ognion (French onion soup) - Cafe on Rue de Buci
This dish is one of the things I lived off of my first time in Paris, and even though they have it at every French restaurant in NYC, it was great to have an authentic bowl of it while I was there. There's always usually a good amount of gruyere or emmenthal cheese melted on the top, but this bowl literally had the equivalent of an entire package of cheese on it. Good to the last drop.

Favorite new cheese - Cantal
I have close to zero knowledge about cheeses or cheese-making, but I will tell you that this one was delicious. We bought it at an outdoor market for only 1€50 each (along with 4 others), and we ended up having it at three of our wine & cheese "pique-niques" in different parks around Paris. A piece along with a fresh baguette and a bottle of wine made for the perfect lunch or snack.


So that's my post-France wrap-up. It was an incredible trip, but it's good to be back. Don't get me wrong, I love Paris so much, but there was a lot I missed about NYC too. Au revoir, Paris...je t'aime! Good to be back, New York!

Everything But the Kitchen Sink - Paris Style!

To my loyal readers - So sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been way too preoccupied with preparing for my big trip to France!! Can you blame me?! It's been 6 years since I was there as a student, and now I'll be visiting my brother who is spending the semester there. Six days in Paris and five in Corsica = my personal heaven.

I'm very curious to see how I'll view Paris dining now that I have thoroughly fallen in love the NYC restaurant scene And even more so now that my palate has expanded since I was there last.

I am off to the land of some of my food favorites: fries, crepes (especially the egg & cheese kind I mentioned in my Midtown Lunch'er profile!), cheese, wine, and onion soup. I'll definitely be skipping the frog legs and escargot though! I'd love to one day have a Miss Menu Paris, but until then, I'll be sure to update you once I return on some of the great meals I'll have had.

Au revoir et bon appetit!

Everything but the Kitchen Sink - Sinigual

In my 5 years in NYC, I have been less than thrilled with the burrito/Mexican options here. There's a great debate over which is better...Chipotle, Blockheads, Qdoba, Burritoville to name a few. They're all edible, but none of them really do it for me.

A new sign in a storefront caught my eye on my walk home from work tonight. Looks like Sinigual, a restaurant with "contemporary Mexican cuisine," is opening soon in Midtown East. I was excited for the prospect of a new Mexican food option, especially one not far from my apartment.



Much to my dismay, after doing a little research when I got home, I learned that Sinigual is a chain that is under the same ownership as Chevy's. If any of you have been to the Chevy's in Times Square, I need not say more. If you haven't been, take Miss Menu's word for it...DON'T GO! (Quick side story should explain why: I went to Chevy's with some friends a few years ago, and one friend ordered a quesadilla with sour cream on the side. Our food comes, and the waiter sets our meals on the table and hands my friend a side of sour cream. So, she asks where her quesadilla is thinking maybe it was following right behind. And, the waiter says - and I quote - "Oh, no, you just ordered sour cream." Really? Because that's a normal thing to order?!?! Long story short, they got into an argument, the manager came over embarrassed as hell, and ended up comping our entire meal. Again, DON'T GO!)

The photos and descriptions of the dishes on the website look promising though, so I will reserve judgment until I am able to try Sinigual for myself. Has anyone heard anything more about this spot? I'll definitely give you an update once it opens and I check it out.

Sinigual
150 East 42nd Street
Actual location is 3rd Avenue b/t 41st & 42nd Streets
website

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Burger & Fry Edition

~ The busiest (and arguably best) burger spot in the city is opening a second location on the UWS. Shake Shack fans rejoice! But still expect a long line. *Grub Street*

~ I always wondered if those who keep kosher ever feel like their missing out on cheeseburgers. Jackie Mason says no, even if it's soy cheese. *Serious Eats*

~ With a little help from her friends fat, calories, and cholesterol, Paula Dean has made it big as a Food Network star. This recipe, though, may be taking it a teeny, tiny bit too far. *A Hamburger Today*

~ Tonic, one of my least favorite spots in Murray Hill, was slapped with a $35,000 fine because their bouncers were being just a little too selective. They still have fantastic shoestring fries though. *Newsday*

Evertyhing but the Kitchen Sink

~ Miss Menu's advice of the day: Don't eat 5 cupcakes at once. Stick with 1. OK fine...2. *Curious Foodie*

~ Try foods from around the world without leaving our own exotic island of Manhattan. *NYTimes*

~ Brunch may be all the rage in NYC, but only two spots made the "Best Breakfast" list, including a great pick Barney Greengrass. *Grub Street via Details*

~These PB&J variations certainly have the crusts cut off...and then some. *Chowhound*

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

~My business school professors always warned us that TNSTAAFL...(There's no such thing as a free lunch). While this is up for debate, there does seem to be such a thing as free wine. *Bottomless Dish*

~Martha Stewart continues on her path towards world cooking domination...starting off with a big "BAM!" *Grub Street*

~Chef Robert Irvine's Food Network show is called "Dinner: Impossible." A more appropriate title might be "Truth: Impossible." *Gawker*

~Think you get a pretty good sugar buzz from your Snickers or Jelly Bellies now? Wait until heavily-caffeinated versions of these candies and others hit the candy aisle. *WSJ*

Everything but the Kitchen Sink - Valentine's Day Edition

~ If you can't get a reservation for dinner on Valentine's Day, check out the casual New York spots that Esquire lists as having some of its favorite sandwiches. *Esquire via Grub Street*

~ All the calories in those sugary cocktails are no longer out-of-sight, out-of-mind...The New York Health Department is now requiring those sweet creations you'll be sipping on Thursday to be included in restaurants' mandatory calorie reporting. *Gothamist*

~ Fancy, lace lingerie for your sweetie...good. A bikini made out candy...even better. *Serious Eats*

~ If you don't get your fill of chocolate on Valentine's Day, the chef at Dessert Studio in the Flatiron area is having a fantastic dessert tasting on the 19th. *4-Foodies*

Happy Valentine's Day!
xoxo,
Miss Menu

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

~ Col-Pop...the latest technology to sweep our ever-expanding fast food nation. *Serious Eats*

~ Welcome to the foodie blogosphere, New York Times! *Bitten*

~ New York's government knows better than to go down this path: Mississippi legislators are trying to make it illegal for restaurants to serve obese patrons. *Gothamist Food*

~ An extensive list of the most fashionable restaurants of New York's Fashion Week. How chic! *Grub Street*

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

I am ashamed to admit this, but I haven't gone out to eat in more days than you can count on one hand...a rarity for me. This tragedy did, however, inspire me to start a new feature on Miss Menu. Every week or so I'll round up great articles from other foodie blogs that have caught my eye. They cover a little bit of everything, that is, everything but the kitchen sink.

~ Even though I normally don't write about my daily lunch purchases at delis, I too was confused by the name(s) of this Chinese take-out place when picking up lunch today. *Food in Mouth*

~ As a WSJer myself, it's always fun to see how quickly internal news travels. This time, it's the WSJ reporters moving uptown...and into the News Corp building. ML will be their new best friend! And lucky me, I'll get access to the News Corp cafe. *Midtown Lunch*

~ Some great restaurant and bar ideas for Superbowl Sunday...a nice alternative to the chicken wing/nacho-filled apartment party. *Gothamist*

~ If you need a breather from the city's crazy restaurant scene, this "serious eater" reviews NYC's best grocery store to help you pull off your own culinary adventure. *Ed Levine's New York Eats*