The Seed, a vegan event (August 9th and 10th 2014) in New York, NY

Yeah, I know: you are probably wondering what the heck I was doing at The Seed, a two day event currently going on in the city. The goal is to have people who embrace a vegan diet, vegan curious and vegan skeptic to meet and discover what being vegan means, either via listening to over 30 speakers or trying some food. 

So, I got invited to that event, and went, decided to explore some of the food presented there. People often think that vegan food is tasteless and boring and, coming from a country where butter is widely used in cuisine, I was in that mindset few years ago, until I tried some vegetarian restaurants that served vegan dishes, like the regretted Table Verte that had this fantastic chocolate tart, completely vegan and gluten-free, made with rice flour and avocado instead of butter. Or Café Blossom on Carmine where I was invited recently. I will be honest: this event did not convert me, but convinced me more that, if some food was served to people without mentioning that it was vegan, they would love it, like these delicious bean and rice chips (my favorite was the ranch one) or the Love Beans chocolate spread.

If you are interested in going, you can get a 50% discount if you enter the code seed50 when ordering your entrance ticket on the ticketing site.

Here is some of the things we saw and tried:

Ortaggi - dairy free and organic frozen snacks made with vegetables, herbs and fruit juice.

Red pepper and peach:

Avocado and cucumber:

Whole Foods - Basil, Kale and walnut crostini:

Arty - Artichoke water:

Nipponista event at Maison O in Soho, NYC, New York

Last Wednesday, I was invited to Nipponista, an event organized by Tabélog US, the largest Japanese restaurant review website and hosted by Isetan, the largest department store in Japan at Maison O in Soho. The purpose is to showcase Japanese fashion, art, food, lifestyle and craftsmanship. 

The dinner, prepared for the occasion by Chef Tadashi Ono, the former executive chef of Matsuri (above) was paired with Mizubasho sake presented by Mr Shoichi Nagai (below), the chairman of Nagai Sake Inc. who made each sake presentation interesting.

He greeted us with a glass of Mizubasho Sparkling Sake:

I never had sparkling sake before and did not even know it existed! 

The evening continued with a presentation by Kanso groceries of dashi and an explanation about umami,  the fifth taste sensation after sweet, sour, bitter and salty. To show us how dashi enhances flavors, they made us taste some miso with water (left) and some miso with dashi (right).

We could definitely taste the difference, the first one being tasteless and the second one being flavorful. They proceeded to explain to us how to make it, using dried bonito:

and Hana-Kombu (kelp):

You let both elements infuse like you would make tea, et voila! 

Then, we had some amuse bouche. The first one was Dashikarikori-kan with black truffle:

Tabélog US event at Jukai, Japanese restaurant Midtown East, NYC, New York

Last week, I went to an event hosted by Tabélog US, the largest Japanese restaurant review website, to celebrate their new design. 

Courtesy of Tabélog

The statistics are new and can give you an idea of the different cuisines the user on Tabélog US experiments. 

 

The event took place at Jukai, a Japanese restaurant located Midtown East. The name of the restaurant comes from the deep forrest in the bottom of Mt Fuji.

Clearly, to find that place, you need the address as it is below street level, like an hidden gem. As this was an event, I cannot describe its atmosphere or service, although the latter was perfect considering the place was full of bloggers trying to take pictures as dishes from Chef and owner Hirofumi Watanabe were served. Know that the dishes you will see below were prepared specifically for this event.

Present at the event were Takehiro Miyajima, CEO of Tabélog Inc. as well as Taku Niida, Assistant Sales Manager New York Branch of Asahi Beer USA, Inc., who sponsored the event.

The beer presented was the Asahi super dry beer that I drank with my meal.

The first plate served to us was an assortment of dishes beautifully put together:

Going from the left to the right, there was:

Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series Event at Pouring Ribbons in NYC, New York

We were recently invited to the Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series at Pouring Ribbons in Alphabet City. This event was a way for Häagen-Dazs® to showcase "art inspired by a journey in Italy and gelato". I admit that we were there more for gelato than art as, after a trip to Italy few years ago, we got crazy about gelato! Imagine that when we went there, we had gelato everyday: coconut for Jodi, Hazelnut or vanilla for me! 

So I was curious to see what Häagen-Dazs® would present! And I was not disappointed! I think the biggest discovery of the evening was that gelato can be used as an ingredient for drinks or pastries! Yes, you read well: drinks and pastries! I know, ice cream cake is popular here, but not in France: we have frozen cakes but it is more for convenience than taste, at the exception of the omelette Norvegienne or baked Alaska. 

So let's start with the drinks! Besides regular drinks you would find anywhere, mixologist and co-owner of Pouring Ribbons Troy Sidle proposed some alcoholic drinks of his creation with gelato. We tried the Bello Rosmarino, made with vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice, raspberries, rosemary and a scoop of limoncello gelato from Häagen-Dazs®.

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. Based on the information given, this is how Troy Sidle got inspired:

"At the Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, Troy Sidle was struck by the pairing of rosemary and raspberries, never thinking they would go well together. After tasting the unique combination in Bologna, he was inspired to add in the refreshing flavor of Häagen-Dazs® Limoncello Gelato to create a delicious cocktail that can be made at home during the hot summer months".

I never had gelato in a cocktail and was pleasantly surprised. It was very good and the ice cream did not seem out of context. In fact, it was dangerous because so good, it was like drinking milk! 

Then, one side of the bar was full of desserts made by Christina Tosi, owner and celebrity Pastry Chef of Momofuku Milk Bar! What was there was not only appealing to the eyes (and the stomach), but very good and creative.

The best of all was the Häagen-Dazs® Dark Chocolate Chip Gelato Cake!

I can tell you that all the guests were gravitating around this cake! The description of Christina Tosi's inspiration was:

"I am a huge fan of ice cream cakes. Fudgie the Whale has nothing on this one! One of my favorite things to snack on while strolling (between gelato shops) in Florence is dried fruits, especially apricots.

Italian bakeries are always full of the most beautiful acetate-lined shiny chocolate cakes, and I just knew I wanted to create one on my terms, combining my American sensibility of an ice cream cake with Häagen-Dazs® Dark chocolate Chip Gelato and my favorite in-between-gelato shop snack."

By the way, writing this post, I discovered that Fudgie the Whale is a type of ice cream cake produced and sold by Carvel in its franchise stores!

Anyway, I got my hand on a slice of that cake!

Look at that slice and tell me you would not want a bite, or two!!! That was light and heavenly good. The pairing of the apricot jam with the chocolate was a killer!

The other desserts were made without Gelato. We got:

Annual Food and Wine Tasting Benefit, Plate by Plate, at The New York Public Library - October 5th 2012

Plate by Plate is organized by Project by Project, a non profit organization of social entrepreneurs that serve Asian American non-profits in need by raising public awareness, volunteerism, and money, that is celebrating its 15 years of existence. Each year, they organize the Plate by Plate Annual Food and Wine fundraising in different cities, such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

Concerning the food, here are some participants: 

• Spot Dessert Bar - see review here.
• Blue Smoke
• Bell, Book and Candle
• Ilili restaurant
• The French Culinary Institute
• Yerba Buena
• etc...

If you follow cooking shows, you will also recognize some special guests: Chef Kerry Hefferman (Top Chef Masters runner up) or Chef Justin Antiorio (Hell's Kitchen runner up).

So if you want to enjoy for a good cause:

Date:       Friday, October 5th, 2012

Time:      8:00pm – 11:00pm

Venue:    Astor Hall @ The New York Public Library

Address: Fifth Avenue @ 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018

Tickets on sale on their website: www.platebyplate.org/ny

Madison Square Eats, Fall 2012 Edition! September 21st to October 19th 2012!

The Madison Square Park conservancy is hosting again this year the Madison Square Park Eats from 11am to 9pm from September 21st to October 19th. It will be a festival of food with several vendors like:

• Arancini Bros. 
• Asiadog
• Baby Got Back Ribs
• Bar Suzette
• Broken English
• Calexico
• Charlito’s Cocina
• Flourish Baking Company
• Graffiti│Mehtaphor
• Hong Kong Street Cart
• ilili
• Kitty Lee Thomas Sweets
• Kulinary Kraft
• La Sonrisa Empanadas
• Macaron Parlour
• Mayhem & Stout
• Melt Bakery
• Mexicue 
• Mighty Balls
• Mimi & Coco NY
• Momofuku Milk Bar
• Nunu Chocolates
• Red Hook Lobster Pound
• Roberta’s
• Sigmund’s
• Stuffed Artisan Cannolis
• The Cannibal
• Wafels & Dinges
• Wooly’s Ice

They will serve food daily in the Worth Square area just west of Madison Square Park (24th and 5th Avenue).

Enjoy (I will)!

Delicious food at The Food Truck Festival in South Street Seaport - NYC, New York

Yesterday, Jodi and I went to The Food Truck Festival in South Street Seaport. This festival takes place couple of times a year, always at the same place, and features close to 30 food trucks from all over the city!

We decided to go in the morning, at around 11:30am as last year we went later and it was packed! This year, we picked the correct time! Not that many people, so limited wait! Our plan was to go to different trucks and try one of their dish on the menu.

We started with Chinese Mirch.

Hudson Restaurant Week - July 23rd to August 3rd 2012

From July 23rd to August 3rd, enjoy the Hudson Restaurant Week, featuring the following restaurants:

3 Forty Grill   
Amanda's Restaurant
Bistro La Source
Boca Grande
Box
Brass Rail
Casa Dante
Chart House Restaurant
Cityside Bistro
Clinton Social
La Conguita
Dino & Harry's
Edwards Steakhouse
Elysian Cafe
Goodfellas Bayonne

Hamilton Inn

Hoboken Bar & Grill

Komegashi

Komegashi Too
Las Olas Sushi 

Liberty House
Madison, The
Maritime Parc
Merchant, The
Michael Anthony's
O'Connell's
Oddfellows Rest
Ohara's Downtown 

Pilsener Haus & Biergarten

Pointe, The

Porto Leggero

Porto Lounge

Satis Bistro
Skylark on the Hudson  
Sky Thai
Sushi Lounge
Trinity
VB3 
West Five Supper Club
Wicked Wolf Tavern
Zylo
These restaurants will propose prix-fixe menus that will go, for lunch from $13 to $18 and for dinner, from $25 to $35. As usual, reservations are recommended (opentable is a good way to reserve!).

More information at Hudson Restaurant Week.

Enjoy (I will)!

St Ann's Festival in Hoboken - July 20 to July 26 2012

The St Ann's Festival will take place in Hoboken, New Jersey from July 20 to July 26 2012.

During the Festival, you can try some homemade Italian specialties! Of course, there are the mandatory Zeppole (I love them, but when freshly made!), coal oven pizza, sausages...

Weekday: 6pm to 11pm

Saturday and Sunday: 1pm to 11pm

Enjoy (I will)!

New York City Restaurant Week - July 16th to August 10th 2012

Celebrating its 20th year, here come New York Restaurant Week!

Imagine that after the French Restaurant Week that will celebrate Bastille Day from July 8th to July 15th, right after, you get the regular Restaurant Week! Isn't this awesome? As usual, reservations can be made on Opentable.com. 

As usual, you will be able to eat some delicious food (hopefully!) with a 3 course meal for $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner. Now, be careful about this because sometimes there are some traps! Let me tell you about some disappointing  experiences:

• Beacon: awful service and overpriced as the most delicious items required to pay a surcharge. I also picked the wine pairing and the quantity of wine was ridiculous. We ended up with a bill that was far more than what we expected! On top of this, the food was of poor quality: I think a lot of restaurants sacrifice quality when they should serve their best food so diners would come back!
• Steak Frites: the meat was not good at all! I noticed in several restaurants that when they propose a prix fix or participate to Restaurant Week events, they downgrade the quality of the meat. Last year, I put a steakhouse I love to the test: Dino & Harry (read the post: Restaurant Week - A Steakhouse put to the test!).

The only restaurant where I had a great experience was Fig & Olives! So beware! 

There are over 320 participants this year, including Spice Market, Dos Caminos, Nobu, Tao, One If By Land, Two If By Sea, Blue Water Grill.

Enjoy (I will)!

Restaurant Week - Hudson County

Enjoy Restaurant week in Hudson County from July 25th to August 5th!

The list of participating restaurants can be found at www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com

It is a good opportunity to try Amanda's and Dino & Harry's in Hoboken!

Enjoy (I will)!