Lunch at Ajisen Ramen in Chelsea, NYC, New York

We went to Ajisen Ramen on a Saturday with Jodi, Jessica and Alex. We never went to that place and were excited to try it as we love ramen and there are so many places in NYC where to eat this delicious noodle dish.

The logo is funny and cartoony and, contrary to most of the ramen places we have been to, there is no sitting at the counter, watching the cook do its magic. I discovered, while writing this post, that Ajisen ramen is a chain, created in Japan.

The waiter gave us the menu and I was pleased to see photos as I always find that, if well taken, they can  speak better than words. Although words are still necessary to describe each dish and, believe it or not, there was none! I tried to get some answers from the waiter but he was unable to explain what the dishes had. 

So, Jodi and Jessica went for the corn ramen 

and I went for the Ajisen ramen as it was the name of the restaurant.

Japonica, Japanese restaurant in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

It has been a while since we wanted to try Japonica, located near Union Square, in Greenwich Village. Each time we passed by, the restaurant seemed packed, with sometimes a line outside. At that point, one may think that there must be a reason for it! 

So here we are, thinking that we would have to wait; it was not the case and they sat us immediately. What we could not miss about the decor were the trees all around that gave a nice touch.  The staff was very nice, polite and efficient. They first brought us a hot towel and then proceeded to take our order. 

We started of with appetizers. First were the vegetable gyoza. 

They were proposed steamed or fried; we picked fried to have a nice crunch to it. They came very hot! Inside, we could definitely taste edamame. Unfortunately, they were underseasoned. Fortunately though, we poured some soy sauce and its saltiness helped overcome it. 

Then, we ordered the shrimp shumai:

They were big, with a nice shrimp on top of each and the filling being made of pork. Unfortunately, I did not like them: watery, they were also tasteless if not for the shrimp!

For the entrees, Jodi ordered avocado rolls:

I have tried again the Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern in NYC, New York

If you recall, last year, I went to Minetta Tavern to try their Black Label Burger that is supposed to be the best of the best in NYC! This pricey burger ($26) is made of prime dry age meats: strip or ribeye, skirt steak and brisket, all coming from the Creekstone Farms (black angus beef raised and grazed in the US and USDA approved). Just reading this could make me salivate, unfortunately, I did not like it! The main reason is that I ordered it medium and it was very pink. However, the highlights of that previous meal were the fries (spectacular) and the coconut cake from Balthazar (they have the same owner). I think there is a psychological limit as to how much people would pay for a burger and $26 passed it, so it clearly gives people high expectations. 

I therefore decided to try again and we went with our friends Diana and Peter for this revisit. This time, the waiter clearly indicated how raw the meat would be if ordered medium, so I asked for medium-well.

And it was definitely how I should have asked the first time! Clearly, this burger is beautiful: thick and shiny, with its caramelized onions on top. The brioche bread was also very good, fresh and not dry, that is important because it is the first thing you will taste when you bite on the burger.

Lobster roll at The Claw New York in NYC!

I recently went to The Claw New York with my friend Benny, to their location in Hell's Kitchen. Their motto is "Bringing the Hamptons to NYC". I was wondering if I had to dress up for the event!!!

The place was not what I imagined: I thought I would order at the counter and then sit to eat. It was not the case: it was table service.

We decided to start with the crab beignets:

They were disappointing to say the least! The dough was not as soft as beignets, it was dry and salty. Clearly not recommended!

Then we each got the lobster roll:

Beard Papa's cream puffs in NYC, New York

Yes, I confess: when writing my blog post about Dinosaur BBQ, I omitted a small detail...It concerns the fact that we were planning to walk up to the restaurant and, coincidently, we passed by Beard Papa's...I am sure that when Jodi will read the word "coincidently", she will roll her eyes...I am discovered! Yes, I had a plan! Look, walking to Dinosaur BBQ requires so energy and Beard Papa's had what I needed! If you do not know what Beard Papa's is, it is a French-style bakery franchise that originated in Japan in 1999 and specializes in delicious cream puffs or choux à la crème! You cannot not notice the logo that is a bearded...papa...who looks like a sailor!

I still remember the first time I tried Beard Papa, few years ago. We were walking in the street on the Upper West Side when a delicious smell came through our noses. Outside of the store, they were giving samples of these cute choux packed with deliciousness! After we tried it, we had to get several of them! From all the flavors they propose, the vanilla custard remains my favorite! Even the chocolate one does not measure up for me. 

So, here we are again! The staff greeted us in Japanese and freshly stuffed the Chou with the vanilla custard. 

I think it is great that they fill them a la minute, because otherwise, the shell would lose its slight crunch. You should have seen my big smile when they handed me over the yellow bag...

Trece Mexican Restaurant in NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap eateries near Union Square, we ended up at Trece Mexican Cuisine and Tequila Bar. We did not really know what to expect, but were for sure excited to have Mexican food! The place was big and colorful. They sat us at a table next to the bar and the big TVs overlooking the dining room. Well, for sure the staff was more interested in the TV novella than the customers!!! 

We started with a dish we always order in Mexican restaurants: guacamole!

The guacamole is made to order that is always great and better than having a restaurant serve some guacamole that was made few days ago or just bought somewhere!

It was good, with big chunks of avocado, was not too salty (I hate that!), but was missing a bit of acidity.

Then I got the fish tacos:

Nanoosh Mediterranean Cuisine in Greenwich Village, NYC, New York

Still looking for cheap places near Union Square, we ended up at Nanoosh, a restaurant serving Mediterranean food. The place was packed so we imagined that there was a reason for it. The dining room was pretty big with high ceilings adding to the impression of volume. They sat us at the communal wooden table. 

The menu is supposed to be on the healthy side, featuring salads (Greek, greens, tabbouleh, quinoa...), hummus plates (with falafel, chicken, beef...), wraps or for an even healthier version, bowls, that are in a way or to simplify this post, a different version of the salads or hummus plates they propose. 

We decided to go for hummus plates. The hummus can be plain (original) or made with roasted red peppers. It is made daily with fresh organic chickpeas. 

Jodi decided to go for the falafel hummus plate. 

And I ordered the chicken hummus plate.

11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park in NYC, New York!

Today was a good day for my stomach: the 11th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party at Madison Square Park took place over the week end, featuring some of the best pitmasters in the country, from Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Alabama...This event takes place every year, one week end of June, in support of the Madison Square Park Conservancy. 

The festival was all about food, but there was also a beer garden, some BBQ demonstrations and some music.

It was for sure packed and more and more people showed as the day went by, trying to benefit from the food that cost $9 a plate. Surely, walking around, you could not miss the delicious smell originating from the different BBQ pits, each pitmaster having his own design, some of them looking industrially made:

and others looking more...homemade!

As I mentioned few times on this blog, what we call BBQ in France is grilling and I can assure you that each time I have visitors, I bring them to a BBQ joint and they really love it! So, imagine me in this festival: I was like a kid in a candy shop! Especially looking all these stands prepare their food!

Like Whole Hog at Skylight Inn:

Sausages at Jim'N Nick's:

Baby Back Ribs at Memphis BBQ Company:

Hibachi at Ayame in Hoboken, New Jersey

Ayame ("Iris" in Japanese) is the only Hibachi place in Hoboken. If you do not know what Hibachi is, it is a grill where food will be cooked during a cooking show that surely requires some skills!

I sometimes wonder if people go to Hibachi places for the food or for the show! I go for both!!! First time I tried it was in Seoul, Korea. It was in the hotel I was staying in and I still remember the filet mignon and the grilled veggies, notably the mushrooms and onions that were fantastic. The Chef put a bit of a show, but it was not as much as what I saw later. 

So, here we are at Ayame, excited at the idea of what is to come. Jodi orders the vegetable and tofu Hibachi and I ordered a combo of two where I picked shrimp and chicken (they also have scallops, filet mignon, lobster...). The Chef comes with his little cart full of ingredients and greets us. He then starts by whipping out the hot surface and the show can begin. The video below will speak more than any words I could write!

This was spectacular! What you do not see on the video is that he proposed me some sake. I thought that he would give me some in a shot glass, but instead, he squeezed a bottle to let the sake flow come to my mouth! 

Jodi's vegetable and tofu looked like this:

Taboonette, pocket food in NYC, New York

The owners of Taboon, a Mediterranean restaurant located in Hell's Kitchen, decided to open another location in Greenwich Village; a sister location named Taboonette. The concept is pocket food: putting food into a pita or wrap, like a little pocket. 

I was pretty excited as I love Mediterranean food and the simplicity of pita sandwiches. I was also looking for cheap eats in this area (the highest price on their menu is $12).

The place is nice with a simple decor; the light wood gives a zen atmosphere to it.

I also loved the lamps and the old fashion bulb where you can see the filament. For sure it is nicer than those energy efficient bulbs! If they could make them look like that, that would be awesome!

We started off with some hummus with pita chips:

Isaan Thai Food at Zabb City in NYC, New York

We really found this Thai place, Called Zabb City, by coincidence as it is located in a street, in the East Village, where the only attraction would be Momofuku Milk Bar! It does not look like your typical Thai restaurant: with such a decor, I would easily see a Wine Bar there (would a Thai Wine Bar make any sense? Could be a trend!). Their menu offers Isaan dishes. I know: me too, I have no idea what it means...Isaan is  is the northeastern region of Thailand.Well, their menu proposes the usual dishes you would find in Thai cuisine, but I was desperately looking for the Chef's specials to see if they served frog legs...Yes, I mainly find these delicacies in Thai restaurants! Unfortunately they did not have it!

Of course, I got my usual Thai Iced Tea:

I love that drink: so refreshing with its kind of indescribable taste. When you think that you pay $3 for it, that is the price you would pay for a regular tea in a restaurant! $3 for hot water: no (except if the tea is not a basic one); for a Thai Iced Tea: definitely!

We started of the meal with spring rolls:

They were served with duck sauce and red chili flakes (it was not really spicy). The rolls were good, although I would have preferred less dough.

Jodi got the glass noodles or Pad Woonsen:

Italian Dinner at Casa Nonna in Hell's Kitchen NYC, New York

I recently went to Casa Nonna, literally Grandma's house, located in Hell's Kitchen, for a dinner with Erika and Kenta from Tabélog, a new online space for restaurant lovers that has more than 40 millions users in Japan and is launching a site in the US!  For sure, I would have never found that place if not meeting people, as it is in the middle of a block, on 38th street. Not that many passersby!!!

I was surprised because the restaurant is big with different areas: the bar, two dining rooms of a good size and a counter next to the kitchen. 

Interestingly, there is a small area on the right of the entrance that is a Go Burger! We sat in the dining room in the back; the first impression I had, besides the volume of the room, was that it looked more like a steakhouse than an Italian restaurant, thanks to the dark wood and leather banquettes. 

The tables were heavy and made with the wood from wine boxes. 

The menu was definitely Italian, but not your basic / classic dishes. No spaghetti with meatballs, but rather veal meatballs as an appetizer. No eggplant Parmesan or linguini a la Vongole as I am used to! But I am not going to complain, considering that I am a big fan of that type of cuisine and their menu had interesting dishes! 

We started of with appetizers. Polipo - baby octopus, peanut potatoes, pearl onions drizzled with a Meyer lemon vinaigrette:

I was excited to have baby octopus because I love it! Unfortunately, it was not that great! I think after I had better octopus at Officina Laina or Thalassa,

Little Fox Cafe in Chinatown, NYC, New York

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that I was contacted directly by the restaurant or a PR and that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

I got invited to review the Little Fox Cafe, located near Chinatown. I was very excited to go there because, looking for their menu on the internet, I discovered that they have an artist, Mike Breach, making portraits on latte and there are some incredible photos on their facebook pages (the Jean Simmons portrait is awesome)! Unfortunately, Mike Breach is only present on Wednesdays and it is not possible for me to go there on those days. Interestingly, few weeks ago, my sister Corinne told me that she heard on the French TV about a cafe in New York making portraits in latte, but she could not remember the name! That was probably this place that was also featured on Good Morning America.

I was also excited because I love coffee: I drink coffee and I bleed coffee and a place that has a sign like the one above is on the right track!

The place is small but I truly appreciated that there were not too many tables as a lot of cafes are trying to maximize the space to the point where it becomes uncomfortable!

It definitely had a rustic feel with its 18th Century Church pews and shelves from the recently demolished Kenmare hotel. Apparently, the name comes from one of the original owner who comes from England (they have lots of foxes there) and looking at the decoration, I would think there is a British touch to it!

We are greeted by WC:

We talked a bit and I learnt that he is an artist who travels the world to do murals. In fact, the Little Fox Cafe has a room downstairs that they are planning to open to display Art and organize parties at some point. Because Little Fox Cafe is like Jekyl and Hyde: cafe during the day and bar at night! You can get a hint looking at the beer on tap they serve! But know that beer is not the only beverage they serve on tap: there is also iced coffee that was perfect on this hot day!

I also tried their espresso that I found good but a bit too bitter:

But I think my favorite was the latte! Latte is made with espresso and steamed milk. This one is probably one of the best I ever had: it was so creamy! And the best of all is that WC was able to draw little characters on it as shown below:

Looking for Pizza on Bleeker: Keste Pizza and Vino, John's Pizzeria and Pizza Roma in NYC, New York

I never really noticed how many pizza places there are on Bleeker, until I went to review John's Pizzeria (an institution here in New York!), Keste Pizza and Vino and Pizza Roma! This post is about our trip to these pizza joints (not the same day...)!

Keste Pizza and Vino:

The great thing with the blog is that now, when people eat in great places, they will send me some information or give me a business card from the place, suggesting me to go. That is how I heard about Keste Pizza & Vino: one of my co-workers, Richard, recommended it. As I went down to my long list of places to try and was in the mood for pizza, I proposed Jodi to go there.

It was a Saturday and the place was not that busy. I liked the decor and the atmosphere that gave a certain authenticity to the place. Their menu was mouth watering and, as we do most of the time, we already checked it before coming and knew exactly what we would order! In fact, each time we go to a pizza place we look for two items: the homemade burrata and the four cheese pizza! And Keste had both of them!!!

So we started off with the homemade burrata.

It was a big portion and was served with half a tomato, a slice of bread and some prosciutto. It was really good, although the mozzarella shell could have been a bit thinner. It also missed a bit of olive oil and the dish could have been elevated with some balsamic vinegar that would have enhanced the delicate taste of the cream.

Then came the four cheese pizza!

It looked very appetizing with its burnt edges. The cheeses were mozzarella, grand cru (I guess pecorino), caciocavallo and parmigiano reggiano. They also put on top some fresh basil leaves and some olive oil.

Lunch at Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem NYC, New York

For my birthday, Jodi and I went to Dinosaur BBQ IN Harlem. It has been a while I wanted to go back. The last time was 6 years ago for our friend Gary's Birthday. The place opened few months before and, as a Syracuse University Alumni, he was thrilled to bring a bunch of friends to celebrate. I remember that I had a fantastic ribeye!

Another time, visiting Syracuse University, we went to their first location. This time , no ribeye, but BBQ chicken.

So, here we are on our way there. Before arriving at the restaurant, we passed the famous Cotton Club! I confess that I did not think it was still there!

We got our table fairly quickly, thanks to the reservation we made. No reservation was definitely synonym of  a long wait. Interestingly, the crowd was a mix of families, couples, friends and bikers.

Entering the restaurant, our noses immediately smelled BBQ! For sure, that makes you hungry!

We started off with the appetizer sampler for two.

It was composed of chicken wings, shrimp, fried green tomatoes and eggs mayonnaise.

I truly appreciated the fact that they offered a sampler so we could try several appetizers. The chicken wings were my favorite: the skin was smothered with an heavenly delicious BBQ sauce. Know that they were not spicy.

The shrimp were good but had nothing special. They were served shelled, but it was not an issue as BBQ means dirty hands!!!