Sprinkles Cupcakes in New York, NY

If you are a fan of the TV show Cupcake Wars, you have probably heard about Sprinkles Cupcakes: one of Judges, Candace Nelson, is with her husband Charles, the owner. 

It all started in 2005 with the first store that opened in Beverly Hills: they got sold out the first day in three hours and then sold more than 2,000 cupcakes the first week, starting a success story that continues today, with more than 10 locations in the US and projects to open in London and Tokyo.  

Sprinkles Cupcakes is also known for the first cupcake ATM in the world, introduced in 2012, where cupcakes are available 24/7. We did not try the ATM and went straight to the store. It was a week day, the week ends being crazy there.

An allusion to the stars on Hollywood Boulevard

As soon as you enter the place, your senses are overwhelmed by an incredible baking smell that make you want to live there. It is a colorful place for sure...

What I like about such a place is that they propose cupcakes in two sizes: regular or small, the latter being perfect for a tasting. But, know that not all cupcakes are available in the small size. So, here is what we tried:

Jodi, of course, got the coconut cupcake:

Joe's Shanghai in New York, NY

It has been years since I went to Joe's Shanghai, having tried their midtown (food just ok and poor service) and their Chinatown location. But, after trying the soup dim sum at Red Farm, I wanted to go back and see how these restaurants measure up against each other.

We went on a week day and showed up a bit before the opening as, each time we passed by, there was a long line, this restaurant being recommended in a lot of guides. Surprisingly, there was barely anybody, so we got a table right away. 

The restaurant filled up slowly, but was not as crowded as expected. 

Few minutes after we sat, the waiter came with some tea and asked us if we wanted the dim sum so they could fire them up in the kitchen. We answered affirmatively and proceeded to look at the menu to pick the other dishes we wanted to try. 

I could not of course resist ordering the fried quail, a dish that you can buy to go in few locations in Chinatown (or at Whole Foods, uncooked).

There were succulent: a tad crispy, but still moist, that is not that simple as it is easy to overcook them. 

Then, we shared the fried spring roll.

Paname, French restaurant in New York, NY

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!  

Paname, that means Paris in slang, is a French restaurant located Midtown East, opened a year ago by Chef Bernard Ros, a veteran of the New York food scene, known not only for his cuisine, but also his mentorship in the industry, helping people get jobs or training them, solely for the love of food. The adventure started in 1967, when Chef Ros came to Montreal for the World's Fair. He then decided to go visit New York...and never went back to France, working in many restaurants, before opening Meli Melo and then Paname.

Chef Bernard Ros with the "Marilyn Monroe's legs"

I spoke at length with him during my dinner at Paname and truly felt that he was more interested in making his customers pleased with the experience at the restaurant, serving them classic bistro dishes, reinvented, at low prices, creating a loyal clientele, instead of one time diners. 

Chef Ros goes everyday to the market to pick ingredients, putting an emphasis on the quality of the meat and seafood he will serve. If you go to Paname, you will definitely see him (he is there 7/7) going from table to table, to ensure everything is fine. 

Menu wise, you will find classics, but as I mentioned before, reinvented. For instance, there are escargots (snails), but not cooked the usual way, with garlic and butter. Also, everything is homemade, including the desserts, that can be a challenge for a Chef, but not for Bernard Ros, as you will see in this post.

We started our meal with an amuse bouche that was made with gorgonzola and a tomato coulis, a perfect combination. 

Then, I tried few appetizers:

Tomato and mozzarella:

Per Se in New York, NY

We dreamt about going to Per Se for a while and decided, for our wedding anniversary, to go there instead of traveling. It was worth it. Acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller and his crew, led by Chef de Cuisine Eli Kaimeh are like magicians. They not only make disappear your appetite and a large sum of money from your bank account, they also erase any memory or reference to any good meal you had before going to Per Se. Yes, after dining at Per Se, any good restaurant will be like going to MacDonald's after tasting the burger at Minetta Tavern. This team shows so much technique and artistry that we were blown away.

Before I talk about the food, let me tell you a bit about this restaurant. Located on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center, the American Chef Thomas Keller opened Per Se in 2004. It soon received the accolades of critics and easily gained three Michelin stars, reaching the top of the New York dining scene and being constantly mentioned in best restaurants ranking, including world best. 

Arriving at the restaurant, my heart was beating faster from the excitement to finally go there. We sat few minutes in their anti chamber of heaven, looking at the blue doors that are a reference to Thomas Keller's flagship The French Laundry in California (the dining room has 62 seats like The French Laundry - another reference?).

Then, it was time to start this culinary adventure. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and got seated at a table overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park, the latter reminding me that I would probably need the gym later on...

To make sure everything was at its place, they brought Jodi a little stool for her bag...

I started by ordering a glass of wine picked from their impressive list displayed on an IPad. 

I went for a glass of Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py, 2012:

We made our choice from the menu. Per Se proposes two prix fixe for $310 service included: the vegetarian menu (Jodi's pick) and the Chef's Tasting, each of them having 9 courses. For each course, you have two choices, some of them including an up charge, as prepared with luxurious items such as foie gras, caviar or truffles. Know that the menu will change on a daily basis, although some of the dishes, search as the first course I got seems to be a recurring choice.

So, let's see what we got!

Amuse-Bouche:

For Jodi, it was a cone with Belgian endives, grapefruit and cream cheese:

For me, a cone with marinated salmon and cream cheese:

Le Bernardin in New York, NY

Before stating that you definitely do not like fish, go to Le Bernardin, the three Michelin starred restaurant of Chef Eric Ripert and Maguy Coze, located in Midtown Manhattan. This place, opened in 1986 is the pinnacle of seafood in America and kept a solid reputation all these years. There is no doubt Chef Ripert is talented, crafting an elegant and tasteful menu that even the most skeptical will rave about, but, behind the scenes is one man, an incredible fish butcher by the name of Justo Thomas, who takes care of more than 1,000 pounds of fish per day, requiring three people to replace him when he is on vacation! Thanks to his craftsmanship, you will not find one bone or fish part that you cannot eat, filleting fishes to perfection and ensuring you have the best quality on your plate, making the whole experience there unforgettable (I just drooled by the way just thinking about it).

We went there for our wedding anniversary, for a first celebration (yes, we had two!). I do not really remember the decor, three years ago, when we went for dinner, right before their renovations, adding a lounge to the restaurant, where I believe you can just walk in and have a more casual experience than in the dining room (Gentlemen, jacket is required). The decor is classy, modern and warm, with a beautiful painting in the back from Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner representing the sea, dominating the entire dining room.

As we were still deciding what to pick from the menu, they brought us an amuse bouche.

It was composed of:

Goat cheese and beet in phyllo:

Oyster from Washington State with sea beans:

Carrot and ginger soup with a tuile:

That was a great way to start, my preference going to the soup because I thought that it had complex flavors. Even Jodi, who does not like carrot loved it.

Then, they brought us some bread and butter.

Empellon Taqueria in New York, NY

As we were craving Mexican food, we decided to go to Empellon Taqueria, located in the West village; a place whose staff has definitely a sense of humor...

Big place with beautiful mural on the wall.

That day, they were hosting a birthday party and I did not had time to have a look at the menu crafted for the event, but noted that this could be a good place for a group meal. 

To start, we went for the guacamole and chips.

Larb Ubol, Thai restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, New York

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own! 

There are so many Thai restaurants in New York, that I was a bit skeptical when I received an invitation from Kao Srisuphasiri, one of the owners of Larb Ubol, a Thai restaurant located in the bottom part of Hell's Kitchen. Even there, that restaurant is surrounded by other ones serving Thai food. I soon understood why Larb Ubol is original. 

Well, like many Thai places, you do not go there for the decor and they admit that they prefer putting the money on the food as this is the reason why customers come back. Entering in the restaurant, you immediately notice the big empty space at the entrance: at this point, they are not really sure what to put there, whether a plant, fountain or tables. For the moment, it is nice because it does not feel too crowded. 

The decor is very simplistic: banquettes and chair backs are covered with Thailand’s traditional checkered pha khao ma cloth used to fashion everything from sarongs to hammocks. On the ceiling and walls, some small umbrellas coming from Thailand:

So, it was clear that we were there for the food, and we made sure we tried several dishes prepared by Chef Ratchanee Sumpatboon, who worked for 20 years in New York City, in well known restaurants, such as Zabb Elee. Her menu is Isan cuisine, from the North East of Thailand, characterized by its heat, chili peppers being prominent, as well as sticky rice, used as we would bread.

Looking at the menu, I immediately noticed the absence of the massaman or penang curry I am used to seeing in Thai restaurants, the only well known dishes being Pad See ew or Pad Thai. I guess that is where Larb Ubol is different. So, it was time to check it out!

To start our feast, we ordered a Thai beer (Singha):

Taste of Asia 2014: Huaiyang cuisine cook off!

I was recently invited by the Epoch Times to attend the final cook off of Taste Of Asia, a collaborative project between the Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Television part of a celebration of Asian Restaurant Month. During that month, several famous Asian restaurants in New York such as Junoon, Kittichai or Prime & Beyond, offer a prix-fixe menu or special deals. 

So you understand what the invited part means, let me explain: this is a free event, open to everybody, where you can attend some of the workshops to learn, for example, how to make Chinese and Korean hand-pulled noodles, mochi or dumplings (in fact there was even a dumpling eating contest).

You will also find many booths proposing Asian cuisine, such as Nyonya, a Malaysian restaurant.

I have tried their chicken curry with pickled vegetables and it was fantastic, a bit spicy, but so good, the pickles adding a refreshing part to the dish.

Nyonya
199 Grand St
New York, NY 10013

No, the most important part of the invitation was the possibility to try some of the dishes that the Chefs were cooking during the cook off. So it all started when our hosts presented the Chefs:

Brunch at Sounds Of Brazil SOB's in NY, New York

Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

I do not know how many times I passed by SOB's, but I truthfully thought it was just another club that entertained many for more than 25 years. Until I received an invite to come and try it. This venue that can accommodate up to 450 people is huge and composed of different sections:

The bar area:

With its table football that was there especially for the World Cup.

Its large dining area with a stage where they play music for patrons who either want to eat, drink or dance.

In fact, during our brunch, there was band playing some Brazilian songs.

I admit that when they arrived on stage, I was thinking that it will probably be loud and annoying as I like to enjoy my meal in a atmosphere where I can talk to my wife without screaming. It was perfect, being more in the background; the acoustic was fantastic and the band was very good.

They brought us the brunch menu that, for $31, includes unlimited sangria (red or white), an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. I was more inclined to try a caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail made with  cachaça, sugar and lime.

I truly appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and well balanced, with a nice quantity of lime in it.

At the same time, they brought us a bread basket: