Khe-Yo in Tribeca, NYC, NY

I never had Laotian food before and admit that I was thrilled to try Khe-Yo when I heard that acclaimed Chef Marc Forgione was associated to the restaurant. Yes, Khe-Yo is the result of the association of a terrific triumvirate, the main character being Chef Soulayphet Schwader whose family escaped from Laos in 1975, after the communists came into power. Years later, not being able to find good Laotian food in the city, he and his partner Nick Bradley joined Chef Marc Forgione and opened few months ago a Laotian inspired restaurant in the thriving TriBeCa area. Of course, as I never tried Laotian food before, I cannot comment on the authenticity, but, anyway, they never presented their restaurant as authentic Laotian; more Laotian inspired, bringing to the table Southeast Asian cuisine, with for instance some flavors resembling Thai cuisine or some dishes Korean ones as you will see below. 

We went there on a Friday night, after an open studio night at the New York Academy of Art. Fortunately we had a reservation, because this place was packed from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. 

I am not sure if they had staff issues, but the service not what I would have expected and, honestly, we just wanted to leave at some point. Not that the food was not good (it was delicious), but the noise level was very, very high, making it difficult to hear each other. So my advice: no romantic dinner or date there, except if you want to make sure you do not hear what the other person says... 

There, no bread and butter, but rather sticky rice with a crushed eggplant sauce that was very smooth and a bit smokey, and with a Thai chili sauce fairly hot called "the bang bang" sauce, in a way reflecting the sound my foot made banging on the floor expressing how spicy this was. 

Although they say on the menu that "sticky rice tastes better when eaten with your hands", I ate it with the sole utensil present on tables: a spoon. Yes, because some of the dishes are made to be eaten with your hands; for others, they will bring you what you need, such as chopsticks. But, to make sure you have clean hands before dinner, like a good little boy or girl, they bring you a wet towel as soon as you order. 

Brunch at Distilled in Tribeca, NYC, New York

I noticed Distilled, located in the upscale Tribeca, when walking to the New York Academy of Art where Jodi is taking painting classes. Yes, I noticed it for one thing: the country fried duck and waffle in their brunch menu. I love fried chicken and waffles, so why not doing a pairing with any type of bird?

This is a fairly big place, the high ceilings contributing in giving this impression. On the right of the entrance is the bar.

On the left is the main dining room.

With a smaller section in the back, overlooking the kitchen.

So, we sat at out table and ordered our beverages.

Jodi ordered her tea and I wanted to have an espresso. Unfortunately, they do not have any espresso machine, that is surprising for a place like this. So, I ended up with some American coffee served in a mug:

At the same time they brought our beverages, they brought some delicious spicy popcorn that was made with various condiments such as pepper, chili flakes and cumin.

Jodi decided to order two sides as she could not find anything she wanted on the menu.

Lunch at Tamarind, Indian cuisine, in Tribeca, NYC, New York

Continuing our discovery of restaurant through Restaurant Week offers, I picked Tamarind, an Indian restaurant located in Tribeca. I saw that they offer an Executive Lunch for $25, so there was little risk for us to go there for Restaurant Week.

Sadly, the scaffoldings on the art deco building this place is located in are masking the restaurant, but, as soon as you enter, you cannot miss the fantastic decor and the space. 

Seating 175 people and setup on two levels bathed in natural sunlight, it has a classy and modern feel.

So we sat at a table close to the kitchen that opened into the dining room.

Before we ordered our food, they brought us some rice with mint sauce as an amuse-bouche.

This was a nice way to start, the dish being flavorful, with a bit of spiciness.

Breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien in Tribeca, NYC

Few weeks ago, Jodi wanted to attend the open house at The New York Academy of Art in Tribeca. As it was at 12pm, we needed to find a place close that opened early enough so we would have time to have a meal. I proposed to go to Le Pain Quotidien as it is one of my favorite places and I know that it is open early. That is how we ended up at Le Pain Quotidien on Chambers Street.

The decor there is no surprise as all the restaurants of this franchise are the same: artisanal look with wood all other, from the floor to the tables and shelves, as well as the large communal table in the middle.

We decided to share few items. First was the Belgian waffle:

It was served with some jam and fresh cream. It was good, but not the best waffle I ever had, being more like a cake, on the heavier side and with no need for the jam that was a bit too sweet.

Then, we shared the assiette de fromages:

It was composed of:

Aged Gruyère:

Local Camembert and Fourme d’Ambert (left):

Aged Vermont goat cheese:

There was also a fig compote and some of their artisanal breads made with raisins:

If you like cheese, this is a perfect spot for it: good price and good quality cheese, served with an assortment of organic breads:

We also ate the bread with some butter or better, some hazelnut chocolate spread that is similar to Nutella, but even better: you taste more the hazelnut and it is much less sweet.

With the meal, I got my double espresso (nice quantity):

And Jodi some tea:

Le Pain Quotidien is a great spot for breakfast or brunch, serving some delicious food in a rustic atmosphere. Their menu proposes a wide variety of dishes that would satisfy any palate, not just focussing on breakfast items. It is definitely a good franchise to remember.

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Press Dinner at Thalassa in Tribeca - NYC, New York

If you follow this blog, you will probably think that this is deja vu! No, you are not mistaken: I went to Thalassa already for a press dinner and the review was just ok as there were some mishaps. So, their PR proposed that I come back as they acknowledged that there were some issues that night I went. I accepted of course as, after I wrote my review and posted it, I checked other bloggers' reviews and they seem ecstatic about that place. After all, everybody can have a bad day and I wonder if, knowing that you will serve people who will write about your food, can add a bit of pressure to the kitchen.

As a reminder, when you will read this revisiting post, please remember that the restaurant knew who we were and served us a complementary tasting menu of their choice.

So what makes Thalassa different from other Greek restaurants in the city? It is definitely the fish selection. Anyway, doesn't Thalassa mean "The Sea"?

They have this great fish display where you can see the fish selection and you can order fish by the pound.

In fact, the Chef, Raphael Abrahante, told us that he tries to only buy wild fish as opposed to farm raised. Of course, the price will be different from the market to the plate.

So, here I was at Thalassa, still remembering the place: modern with a spectacular decor designed by a French architect, Jean-Pierre Heim. The bar still looked fantastic with the blue lights and I decided this time to order a ouzo mojito, as we were waiting for other guests to arrive.

The cocktail was pretty good, combining perfectly the anise flavor of the ouzo and the mint. They definitely score some points on the cocktails as I still remember the delicious Greek Pear Martini I had last time.

Once everybody was there, we sat at the table and started our dinner. It seemed very familiar: olive oil, olives, eggplant with roasted red pepper and crostini.

Then, started our culinary adventure that I thought would not stop...

The Cod Fritter:

It was a perfect bite: tasty and not greasy, this is the type of dish I would for sure eat at Happy Hour.