Photo Hungry!

Ramen has for sure taken over this city.  New ramen shops seem to magically appear out of thin air.  With ramen, we've seen it all: traditional pork or chicken (Ippudo, Totto), tonkotsu (from pork bones) (Hakata Tonton), straight or curly noodles, hot or cold and even brothless, shoyu (soy) or shio (salt) broth (both at Sanshiro), to the less conventional, like miso or curry ramen, veggie ramen (Chuko is the best, close second is Dassara's mushroom ramen), chicken dinner ramen (Talde) or lamb or matzo ball soup ramen (Dassara).  But even in a ramen saturated city, we've found a ramen first.  A 7-course ramen omakase dinner. 

That's right... an entire tasting menu dedicated to, and serving course after course of, delicious ramen!  By day, Yuji Ramen is a small ramen counter specializing in satisfying bowls of mazeman (brothless ramen) a la carte to Soho lunch diners; by night, Yuji Ramen ramps it up and presents a lucky 6 diners per night the only ramen omakase dinner in the city.  And this ain't just any ol' ramen.  Chef Yuji Haraguchi is churning out some of the most inventive, imaginative and down-right crazy ramen in this city.  He reinterprets, and challenges you to rethink, ramen entirely. 

The 6 omakase diners perch at the narrow counter, a nice place to overlook all of the large fragrant pots of broth calmly bubbling in the background, and the couple of young ramen chefs busily fluttering about, assembling pretty little bowls of noodles.  Standard for a ramen shop, no?  No.   Because Yuji Ramen is on the mezzanine level of the Bowery WHOLE FOODS!  So strange.... but so right....

The meal started like the daytime service (ATO makes it a point to go whenever he can) - with pickles.  A welcome start, but the pickles were lacking in pickling.  I like more bite to my pickles. 

The parade of ramen commences.  The portions are perfectly sized for a tasting menu and the pacing is right.  Yuji himself, who is surprisingly young, very thin (especially considering his livelihood is based on simple carbs) and super smiley and approachable explains the ingredients and his intention with each dish.  A very casual atmosphere for a seriously creative high-end dining experience. 

The first course is a staple of the Yuji menu: cured salmon is served with camembert and cream cheese, garnished with nori and fresh herbs.  This is ATO's "go to" on the regular menu.  At once so original, yet familiar, tried and true.  The smoky salmon and the creamy rich cheese, when mixed together, is balanced and phenomenal. 

Next up, a cold ramen: squid ink ramen in the shape of orecchiette, with ikura (salmon roe), daikon, yuzu and lime.  A refreshing dish with a nice pop of saltiness from the ikura to offset the mild sweetness of the yuzu and the slight bitterness of the daikon.  ATO's only knock was that he wanted to really taste the squid ink in that pasta. 

Barley tea.  Love this stuff.  ATO and I always have a batch brewing in our fridge in the summer.  The version here was far superior than the tea we sip at home.  By the way, as of now, Yuji does not have a liquor license.  Only big downside.

Who says ramen is limited to the form of a long thin noodle?  How about a raviolo?  This one was filled with a saucy uni and white miso mixture, and garnished with orange, orange zest, nori and a premium chunk of fresh uni.  Intense, yo.  You have got to be down with that funk and brine of the ocean taste to enjoy this dish, but if you are, it's a real treat.

For our next course, the ramen came in the form of a cracker.  To be used as a vehicle for some light and delicate bluefish belly, mixed with quail egg, shiso, nori and scallions.  The fish was ridiculously fresh and tender.   

It was at this point that the Jamba Juice peeps came over and offered us free samples of their newest smoothie flavor (we politely declined but our neighbors actually took them up on their offer mid-tasting).  Strange consequence of being located in the Whole Foods food court, I guess.  I laughed out loud.  Yuji took it well, with a goofy grin, a shrug of the shoulders and a slightly embarrassed look in his eyes. 

Now, the interactive course.  Meaty cherry stone clams, slivers of radish, thick slices of bacon, Asian pear and ponzu were floating in a gelatinous dashi broth.  The whole thing jiggled like jello when you shook the bowl.  It was cold. 

But once you poured the mixture onto a steaming hot bowl of noodles, it melted.  It liquefied into an aromatic, savory broth.  The noodles had a pleasant bounce and firmness.  Everything turned luke-warm (which, admittedly, is not my favorite temperature for ramen, but was definitely intentional, as Yuji explained) and made for a very interesting bowl of noodles.   The ponzu broth was heavy on vinegar and not too sweet, making this dish really stand out for ATO.  

At the end of the meal, Yuji asked each guest what their favorite dish was.  I named this one.  Monkish liver in nori ramen, topped with fresh grated wasabi.  Truth be told: I didn't finish my serving (ATO was rewarded with an extra raviolo).  But I wasn't lying to Yuji.  Monkfish liver is, as Yuji described, the "foie gras of the sea."  I love myself a good foie gras torchon, and the dense lush consistency of this monkfish liver was spot on.  So over-the-top decadent.  But, it was definitely a product of the deep blue sea.  The finish of this bite was prominently fishy.  Not fishy in that "not so fresh" way, but fishy in that intrinsic quality of fish offal way.  So while respectfully appreciative of the fine care and skill that was applied to this dish, I knew that ATO would enjoy the oceanic qualities more than I would.  And FYI, fresh wasabi is completely amazing.  

Finally, the knock-out round.  Yuji's excitement to present this dish was palpable.  French presses were set on the counter.  They were carefully filled with torched mussel shells, all hot and crackly and on the verge of disintegration.  Next, large flaky pieces of bonito were added.  Finally, a steaming redolent broth was poured in.  Yuji noted that since his menu is based on seasonal ingredients, and since we were coming in at the end of November, our particular broth was heavy on turkey.  Then we stewed in anticipation as the ingredients stewed in the French press.   

Finally, after a couple of very long minutes, we were welcome to push down our French presses.  As we did, all of those shells were crushed to bits and pieces, and the resulting deeply complex broth was ours to pour over our separate bowls of delectable smoked mussels and ramen.  Sensational.

To end this fabulous meal, a little shiso mint cake with white chocolate panna cotta. 

How does Yuji make some of the best, and certainly the most creative, ramen in the city?  When asked where he eats ramen on his free time, he answered "I don't eat ramen."  It turns out, Yuji himself DISLIKES ramen.  In fact, the whole point of this place is to redefine ramen, to change it into something that, for him, is actually good. Well, he succeeded.  It's no wonder that no other ramen will do for him now. 

Can't wait for your ramen enlightenment?  Be patient and persistent and call often.  As Yuji told us, matter-of-factly with no hint of ego, the waitlist is only about 3,000 people per month.  Good luck!

It doesn't push boundaries.  It isn't in the trendiest of locations (by any stretch).  It's actually quite pricey.  But since word got out about their tasty fancy fowls, Rotisserie Georgette has been non-stop packed.  Because in NY, if it's good, no one is fazed about paying a hefty $72 for a chicken for two (including us!).

Admittedly, this place isn't just good, it's really good, in that old-fashioned, home-cooked meal kind of way.  Comfort food, yet refined.  If I were to host my perfect dinner party, this is exactly the meal that I'd want to wow my guests with.  (In an alternate universe where I could actually cook, that is.)   

Above is the Salade G - my favorite type of "salad", a.k.a. a fatty fake salad that appeases the mind and conscience in name but actually clogs the heart and enlarges the gut with calories galore.  Endives are topped with frisee, Asian pear, candied walnuts, lardons and blue cheese and tossed with mustard vinaigrette.  Mmmmm, the lardons were outstanding, the blue cheese funky and creamy, and the salad crisp, fresh and not a bit overdressed.  Very happy.      

We had to order the famed poule de luxe for 2 as our main.  Buttery and earthy wild mushroom stuffing is thinly spread beneath the crackly skin of a whole tender roasted chicken, which is then topped with seared foie gras and jus.  An excellent savory and herbaceous mushroom sauce is served on the side (below), to be poured over your poultry to your liking (we liked, and used it all).

I thought for sure the foie gras would be overkill, an easy means to forge an elevated image and to justify the price.  I was wrong; the foie gras had real purpose on this dish.  Not only did it add an expected richness, but it enhanced each bite with an unanticipated and wonderful gamey, musty and slightly metallic quality.  Like dry-aged meat.  And offal.  YEEEEEEESSSSS.  We loved.       

With four varieties of potatoes to choose from, we were a bit overwhelmed.  We settled on the "stuffed and crisped" preparation. An expertly baked Idaho potato (nice outer shell, but not a bit dry) is filled with smooth, moist (yes, I hate that word, but that's what they were!) Parmesan mashed potatoes.  Just the right amount of sear to top it off.

And even the cauliflower was delicious!  Served with Jerusalem artichokes and golden raisins.  A satisfying balance of salty and sweet.  The cauliflower was cooked to the perfect consistency - delicate and supple, but not obliterated to mush.  

Oh, happy belly. 

Salumeria Rosi has been one of our go-to cured meat outposts for years.  Their selection is varied and their quality is top notch - we've used them to cater almost every party we've ever hosted, and often pop over for a tasty afternoon snack.  It was curious that it took us so long to dine at their busy in-house restaurant, but as soon as we moved to the Upper West Side, we dragged RP and RL.  We started with a meat board, of course; it is, after all, their specialty.  It never disappoints.   

Which is more than I can say about the cheese plate.  I take my cheeses seriously, and these were just so dull.  The pairings also looked so cheerless on that plate (I don't blame them).  A complete throw-away.

The first of our two salads, the Pontormo, was quite controversial.  It is their "signature salad" of market greens tossed with soft-scrambled egg, guanciale and pancetta.  I thought it was tasty and homey (I don't know if this is a Chinese thing generally, but my mom used to make something similar).  RP and ATO did not appreciate the warm/cold omelete/salad mix, and found it totally weird and off-putting.

The market greens, on the other hand, are straight-forward and meet expectations.  Fresh.  Slightly tart and citrusy from the lemon vinaigrette.  The shaved Parmesan added a nice salty bite.

The entree and pasta courses, while rustic and authentic, all suffered from a portion issue.  They were all about 50% too small.  It's like your Italian grandmother made you all of this delicious home-cooked food, but thinks you're too fat to marry off so has decided to enforce a strict diet on you.  (By the way, the prices suggest normal-sized portions).  Above, the meatballs.  A portion comes with just two smallish ones.  So sad.      

The veggie risotto: also super yummy and full of plump fresh veggies; unfortunately also portioned for a 5-year old child (the picture is deceiving, the plate was small).  

I just wanted to burst into tears upon first glance of my pork and beef lasagna.  Instantly I knew: this was going to taste so freakin' good, but I would not be satisfied with a serving the size of a 3 by 3 inch post-it notepad.  I ate in very small bites, very, very slowly.   

As soon as the entrees arrived, we ordered a size of the Brussels sprouts; we just knew we would need more food.  And it's always good to get more veggies, even if covered in oil and meat (actually it's better that way ;-)). 

When the dessert menu was presented, there was no hesitation.  D*amn straight we were getting dessert, we were all still hungry.  The chocolate mousse was nice and rich, but erred on the side of mundane. 

The banana bread pudding with vanilla sauce.  Just a freakin' banana muffin!  I died a little inside.  Bread pudding may be my favorite dessert of all time, so I felt deceived by the cold, wet and dense little pastry on my plate that purported to be such a promising treat by name.   

The most provocative dessert on the menu: the semifreddo with parmigiano reggiano parfait, prosciutto di parma brittle and seasonal fruit. While its flavors didn't match its avant garde title, it was definitely good.  And at least it was the right portion.

If you're looking for a convivial first date spot where you can nibble on small tasty bites (and maybe each other afterwards), this might be in your wheelhouse.  But if you're married and just looking for the pleasures of gorging on a hearty Italian meal and rolling out with a full happy belly, then move on.  Come by in the afternoon for a snack at the take-out counter instead.  

ALERT: New brunch spot!  Maysville might have gotten off to a slow start - it might not have debuted with a splash - but people are catching on that this joint is a solid brunch option with a cool, laid-back pace.  The type of place that provides Vitamin D lacking New Yorkers with a nice sunny place to sit, sip a few delicious whiskey-based brunch cocktails, have some well-executed, no frills fare and stay a while.  Which is what SG, JG, ATO and I did on this relaxing Sunday afternoon. 

Brunch in New York is not brunch without some cocktails, and these were a nice twist on some classics.  The smoked chipotle Bloody Mary was made with bourbon, adding a nice smoky depth to my favorite hangover cure.  

The whiskey milk fizz was another cool play on a familiar horchata flavor profile.  

While we waited for our food, hot cranberry muffins arrived.  When given the choice, I always go salty over sweet for brunch, so this was a pleasant sweet and tart little start to the meal.  

The shrimp toast which we all shared was my favorite dish of the day.  Lightly cooked, tender shrimp piled high with blistered corn, ginger aioli and radish on buttery toasted bread.  Tough to share, but worth the effort.  We were all surprised by how good this bright but delicate dish was (especially JG, who made an exception for his no-shrimp rule after all of our effusive reactions!).    

For our mains, ATO and SG followed the recommendations of the masses and ordered the pulled pork sandwich.  The pork was relatively lean and well-seasoned and the cole slaw added an enjoyable freshness and crunch.  But ATO (unsurprisingly) ached for the presence of fries, in lieu of sweet potato chips.    

JG ordered the crispy grits with smoked ham, blistered sweet peppers and sauce mornay.  While the mornay was decadent, it didn't overpower the dish, which certainly satisfied our companion.  The small size of the dish didn't feel stingy; it was a saving grace, to keep the diner from rolling out bloated with a stomach ache. 

I am a sucker for a good quiche.  It's actually one of the few things I can make, but I still can't resist ordering it at restaurants all the time.  This one was amazing - soft, fluffy, almost custardy egg filled the crust with plump squash, spring onions and a creamy goat cheese.  With the cool fresh salad, this really hit the spot.  Yuuuuuuuummmy. 

And we wouldn't be us with at least one extra side dish in there.  ATO finally did get his fried starch, in the form of crispy delicious breakfast potatoes.  And now we're all happy.  

Tip - when you go, make a late reservation like we did, you'll have the whole place to yourself and unhurried service, so plan to stay awhile!

One constant embarrassment for ATO and I as we dine around the city: we don't know sh*t about wine.  Not only that, we just don't have the palates for it.  Call us lucky: it's actually quite a blessing not to be able to distinguish the $10 bottle versus the $50 bottle (we can usually go cheap!), but it makes ordering wine at a nice restaurant and trying to sound like a well-seasoned diner a bit of a challenge.  Typical conversation:

Waiter/sommelier: "What were you thinking in terms of wine?" 

Me: "Um, white, or.... er, maybe red?  I don't know, what do you think?"

Waiter/sommelier: "Well are you looking for something more [blah] or something more [blah].  [Blah blah citrusy blah blah full bodied blah dry blah tannins blah.]" (I don't follow).

Me: "Ummmm, I'll just have whatever you think is better with whatever I just ordered."

So when we heard that Tørst, a craft beer drinker's heaven, was to open a mini hidden restaurant, Luksus, serving a tasting menu paired with, not with wine, but (wait for it).... BEER ONLY, we knew we had to check it out.  Cos while I don't know sh*t about beer either, ATO has in fact become quite obsessed in recent years.  He travels the city far and wide looking for exotic or small batch brews, can actually distinguish small nuances in flavor and has become a bit of a beer snoot.  A beer tasting dinner... we might actually be able to hold our own for once in the beverage category!   

To reach Luksus, you are ushered in through a discrete door in the back of the bar that leads to a small simple room with a tiny open kitchen, some bar seating and a few tables.  Promptly after being seated, a line-up of snacks is presented.  The first: perfectly fried cippolini onions and tomato relish.  If only I could chomp on these every Sunday while watching football.  Hot and crisp but not at all greasy, the tang of the tomato was the perfect pairing with these sweet, flavor-packed onions.   

The next snack was lighter: poached rock shrimp topped with rye, dipped in sour cream.  For some reason, rye now always reminds me of the corned duck and rye appetizer at WD-50.  Very tasty. 

I was a bit thrown off by the 3rd snack: a cold lobster "slaw" served with dense, kind of mealy, seaweed biscuits and hazelnut mayo.  While each ingredient was good on its own, the combination was.... interesting.  I am ambivalent as to whether I mean that in a good or bad way.  

Our final snack: chicken oyster on a bed of eggplant puree, to be wrapped and eaten in a disk of cabbage.  We know from Yakitori Totto just how delicious chicken oysters - that small dark round bit of meat on the back of a chicken's thighs - can be.  This one was good, but didn't elicit the mouth-watering response that Totto's does.  Snacks paired with "It's alive!  Rhubarb" (yes, that's the name of a beer) from Mikkeller. 

Of course, some artisanal bread and butter. Places like this always seem to have good bread and butter.

And now, the real courses come.  Chef Daniel Burns (who, like every other hot new chef opening a restaurant in the city, paid his dues at Noma) serves a Scandinavian/Nordic style tasting menu.  The cuisine is generally light, subtle, fresh and clean.  The food at Luksus actually bears a strong resemble to the chef himself.  Sight unseen, there is no doubt that this meal was not birthed from the hands of a showy, gluttonous, fanciful or indulgent chef with a big personality.  It is in fact quite apparent from each dish that the creator of this food must be a lean, quiet but confident, refined yet sleeves rolled-up hairy-armed man who is one with the earth and with nature.  (No, I don't have a crush on him.)  To confirm my very accurate description (if I do say so myself), he is pictured to the right, above.  And now you also get to see just how small that kitchen really is, making this meal all the more fascinating.

We started with cured hamachi in whey broth with a seaweed emulsion, cucumber and dill.  To me, this dish epitomizes new Nordic cuisine.  Not so much my thang (I don't, after all, enjoy raw fish), but ATO was pleased.  Paired with Gose, from Westbrook.

The next course was all veggies: thin slivers of turnip, maitake mushrooms and radish resembled petals floating in a puddle of squash broth.  Beautiful dish.  After my first spoonful of broth I was like "um, why'd you serve me turnip/squash flavored water?" but it grew on me with each bite.  I could appreciate the depth and complexity in that "turnip/squash flavored water", but at the end of the day, the flavors didn't win me over.  ATO, however, was charmed immediately.  He loved the understated sophistication of this dish, the deference it showed to the delicate earthy tones of these lightly cooked vegetables.  Paired with Luciernaga, from Jolly Pumpkin.

Our savory courses ended on a seared duck breast and heart, paired with a bewitching salted plum sauce and excellently roasted beets.  The duck was cooked perfectly, but the star of the show was the wonderful harmony of salty and sweet demonstrated in the salted plum.  Mmmm.  Paired with Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien, from BFM.

A tart little peach sorbet with black currant cordial to cleanse the palate and transition to dessert. 

Which was my favorite course of the night.... (although I still got those fried onions on my mind.)  Parsnip mouse covered in cocoa crumbs, served with a parsnip malt ice cream and apple puree.  This dish had it going on, both in terms of texture and taste.  And bonus points for being so inventive.  I mean, c'mon, parsnip, malt and apple?  It's like a Chopped challenge gone oh, so right.  Paired with Cidre Bouche de Normandie, from Etienne Dupont.

To end the night, a sweet little treat: a chocolate shell covered a thyme cookie and butternut squash meringue.  Lovely.

And by the way, ATO gave them a gold star for their beer offerings and specific pairings; you'd really be hard-pressed to find this quality of beer anywhere else in the city.    

Bottom line: if you're a beer fanatic and you enjoy the new wave of modern Nordic cuisine (think Acme, Isa, Frej, Aska and the like), this place is a must-go.  If you are neither a big beer drinker or a huge fan of the modern foraged food trend, like me... it's still a worthwhile, fun and tasty experience!

Being first always makes you feel special.  When ATO snagged a reservation for the first non-soft opening night at M. Wells Steakhouse, we felt like VIPs.  So, on a dreary Thursday evening, we trekked out to Long Island City to celebrate MT1's birthday in style.  The dining room was peculiarly not so busy for the opening night of one of the "it" restaurants of the season, but we ignored that and kept our expectations high.  Unfortunately, we should have seen the writing on the walls (or the empty seats around us).  

The original M. Wells and M. Wells Dinette consistently serve bright, impactful flavors with a decadent twist.  A great combination of concept forward dishes and good (and buttery!) execution.  M. Wells Steakhouse fails where its predecessors succeeded.

To start, the bread course.  I always say that you can tell a restaurant by its bread and butter, and this was no exception.  A nice butter, but the pretzel bread was lukewarm, a bit hard and dense and saltless (salt and pretzels go together like pb&j, highlighting the lack thereof).  A middling start.  

Next up, the appetizers.  We had to order the foie gras terrine.  Our Californian compadres needed to get their fill.  Fill it did; it was a surprisingly large and weighty chunk.  But its density and coldness were off-putting and the congealed fat visibly oozing down the sides was completely unattractive.  

The geoduck "a la peacock" with radish and pickled peppers.  Pickled tartness complimented a mild fishy hue.  Pleasant. 

Scallop...pot pie?  Fine, it had a fancy French name: "Coquilles Saint Fereol".  But I took one bite and was immediately brought back to a rest stop on I-95, shoveling down some Crocker Barrel chicken pot pie..... er, but with a slightly fishy tang.  I like myself a good pot pie so was pretty content, but not really impressed.

The entrees came at just the right time.  For an opening night, the pacing was good.

For my entree, I actually ordered the appetizer lobster roll, which was decently sized for an appetizer portion.  A healthy amount of lobster is included, but the bread that housed said lobster was too dry and dense.  All in all, it fell flat. 

The highly anticipated bone-in burger arrived next.  First question: what is the point of putting a bone in a burger?  Follow-up question: how do you eat a burger with a bone?  Both valid and reasonable questions.  Answers: (1) no discernible reason; the bone that was shoved into this big patty of ground beef didn't enhance the flavors in any way, but I guess it did make us order the burger to see what the fuss was all about (we felt let down); and (2) messily dislodge the completely useless bone out of the burger and put it to the side.  Maybe it was a social experiment meant to entertain the chef and staff: "What your method of eating your bone-in burger says about you."  And, after finally prepping the burger so that it was easily consumable, it was just a burger.  The charred, salty crust was nice (albeit a tad too salty) but the patty itself was rather uninspired.

MT2 went with the server's recommendation and tried the Truite Au Bleu (trout) right out of the fish tank, Chinese-restaurant style (whole fish on the plate).  The preparation imparted an interesting blueish greenish hue to the fish, which was poached with cabbage, served with potatoes and topped with fresh hollandaise.  The fish, while tender, lacked significant flavor or freshness, and was outshined by the cabbage (you never want to be outshined by cabbage!).  The little bones throughout made it hard to eat.   

Next, the lamb chops.  A smaller portion than other entrees, but one of the better choices.  The lamb was a relatively straightforward presentation with an enticing fatty, salty richness.  We've read that they've changed this item on the menu recently, and what is offered is now a "lamb chop tagine" that includes more ingredients and flair.  The price concurrently increased from the $36 we paid to $45 (a hefty price tag!).

Being the gluttons we are, we obviously order numerous sides to our mains. 

Above is the bone marrow with escargot, borrowed from the original M. Well's kitchen and finally meeting the standard of said kitchen.  Over-the-top rich; big bold flavors. 

Foie gras gnocchi.  Too big to eat in one bite, but cutting into pieces made the dish unbalanced -- either you ate all potato or all foie, neither of which was spectacular. 

Poutine.  I love the Canadians for this delectable treasure.  This high end poutine is tasty and probably my favorite savory dish of the night; addictively salty and fried.  But maybe more appropriate for a 3am drunk snack than a $10 sharable side for a nice restaurant. 

Last, the cauliflower "risotto."  The infusion of strange orange notes created what we all identified as a slightly (fine, kinda in your face) rancid quality.  I'm not sure where this was going, but it was not going in our mouths.  We left it about 2/3 untouched.

While disappointed with the meal, we tried to salvage the experience with some sweets from the famed traveling dessert cart. 

Lucky for us, it worked.  The desserts were hands down the best part of the meal.  The classic NY cheesecake is above.  So luscious and creamy and all around fantastic.   

The cinnamon bun cake, which looked a little dry, was surprisingly amazing.  Perfectly proportioned between the thick gooey cinnamon goodness and the moist challah bread like consistency of the cake, not too sweet, and had that perfect smell of Cinnabon in the mall.  This is what you always wished Cinnabon would actually taste like.  Get it a la mode for sure.  

Unfortunately, the deliciousness of the desserts may have come too late the save the rest of the meal.  Our recommendation: this place is not destination-worthy.  Go back to PS1 to the Dinette instead.   

When it comes to small bites and tapas with a large group, you're only as good as your weakest link.  So when, at a dinner with some friends of friends at Takashi, the largest guy of the group started slouching in his chair, rubbing his belly and making comments about how he felt like he was going to explode, ATO and I knew it was all over.  Everyone had had their fill.... except for us.  We simply weren't close enough to this group (we just met most of them that night!) to reveal our true disgusting selves.  We paid the check, said our goodbyes, and went on our separate ways.

Some people headed home, others went out for some drinks, we dragged MT1 and MT2 straight to The Spotted Pig for second dinner. 

The Spotted Pig is always crowded, and at 11pm on a Saturday night, this night was no exception.  But, for once we weren't starving (I mean, we had just come from a huge dinner at Takashi), so we happily perched near the bar and took down some tasty cocktails while waiting for a table.  Within half an hour, we were ordering some shared "snacks" to fill our greedy stomachs.  

We started with an order of the deviled eggs.  While nothing mind-blowing, their deviled eggs are always fresh, flavorful and whipped to the perfect smoothness.  A great little bar snack. 

Next came the chicken liver toast.  I love April Bloomfield's chicken liver.  It's rustic farmhouse style.  Coarse in texture, super savory and good.  Brings me back to a house-made version I had in a small village winery in France (VB, thinking of you!).   

We lightened things up with a seasonal salad of sunchokes, pine nuts and cheese.  Man, I love sunchokes, and these were expertly executed.  Tender but firm.  Exuded appealing earthy notes.  The creaminess of the cheese and the crunch of the pine nuts was a pleasant contrast. 

Finally, my favorite burger in the city.  I haven't had this burger in years.  How did it come to that?  I have no idea.  But it lived up to my memory of it.  The meat was high quality and tasty, a perfect medium rare.  The bun nicely toasted.  And the cheese......oooooooh the cheese.  That salty tangy, funky blue cheese.  It wraps and hugs this burger with so much love and warmth.  It brings that specialness to an otherwise good, but not fantastic, burger.  And it comes with a winning little sidekick: super stringy shoestring fries, mixed with fresh herbs.  YUM.   

Second dinner: success.  April Bloomfield sure has late-night dining down.

Until 2 weeks ago, I lived in Hell's Kitchen (for 7 years).  The food scene improved each year, and it's now actually one of my favorite neighborhoods for food in Manhattan.  So here's my ode to my old hood, showcasing the best of take-out! 

My blog posts usually feature "occasion" restaurants - places I've hit up once or twice, but not my "regulars".  This post focuses on the joints (and specific dishes) that I've probably consumed upwards of 20, 30, 40 times.  These are my go-to take-out orders, my weekly rotations on Seamless; this is the food that I survive on... the food that I am (because, after all, you are what you eat).  These meals are tried and true and have passed the test of consistency time and time again.  Oh geez, I'm faklempt...... I'm going to miss these meals so much!

The Breakfast Burrito (Georgio's Country Grill) 

Served all day.  Turkey bacon makes it satisfying, without being sinful.  Throw in a "Banana Health Shake" for good measure (it's rich and creamy and tastes like ice cream).  Sub fries for breakfast potatoes for a change of pace, or fruit, if being good (although the fruit cup is mostly filled with melon - bleh).

Best Mexican Food and Our Favorite Burrito (Toloache)

I've blogged Toloache before.  It's totally delicious.  But the biggest secret - the best item - is only offered to-go!  The burrito.  Just as big, and the same price, as a Chipotle burrito... but 100% better.  This is the one food item that I will miss the most because, well, I can't just stop by the restaurant and order it.  If you live in Hell's Kitchen and will allow me to borrow your address for take-out, I'll love you forever!

For A Quick Slice (Uncle Mario's)

The grandma pizza here is seriously addictive.  Hot, crisp, and with a tangy tomato sauce that will knock your socks off (and anyone you're talking to, because it's got a powerful garlic zing).  Definitely worth the low price tag and quick wait.  For a truly authentic and higher-end delicious pizza though, Don Antonio's delivers too (review: http://photo-hungry.com/post/19379257399/don-antonio)! 

Cheese Fries!  (Lucky's Famous Burgers)

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite food of all time is cheese fries.  It combines the two best things in life: fried potatoes and chhheeeeeeessssse.  And the best kind of cheese for fries?  Artificial, processed whizzy cheese!  Lucky's totally hits the spot.  Many people find this totally disgusting, but I think it's grand, especially for (1) when you're drunk and (2) when you're depressed and just want to wallow in it.  I always order a turkey burger (in fact, I've never had their beef burger) on a whole wheat bun cos, well, you gotta be somewhat healthy, right?  And yes, this time I got a side of cheese fries AND onion rings (which are made with real onions).  So what? 

My Favorite Turkey Sandwich (Lunch Box)

I've blogged this one before, but must do it again because it's so d*mn good.  I'll keep it short and simple this time: go get one! 

Drool-Worthy Thai Noodles (Chai Home Kitchen)

In a neighborhood flooded with Thai restaurants, Chai is my favorite.  Their pad see ew (above) is da bomb - as the Black Eyed Peas say, "I just can't get enough".  The pad thai and other noodles are amazing as well.  And the northern style Chiang Mai noodles in a thick, spicy complex broth?  I'm in heaven.  (The version at Pam Real Thai is a close second).  Get the party started with the "steamed Thai dim sum" (below) and some basil eggplant for some veggies.   

Other honorable mentions: Pita Grill for a good salad or grilled eggplant sandwich (their fries are surprisingly good too); Basera is the best Indian place on the block, but might make you want to die afterwards; Chinese food is pretty weak in the area, but Mee Noodle House is a safe bet; for sushi, we always order Sushi of Gari (yes, it is ridiculous to Seamless Michelin star sushi, but sometimes you gotta live a little... or a lot); for bagels, although admittedly not the best in the world (or the city), Pick-A-Bagel, f.k.a. Bagel Stix - always fresh (turnover there is great) and they got whole wheat everything - what what?  Pile on the veggie cream cheese like a Philly cream cheese commercial (it's like 2 inches thick) and layer it with avocados and tomatoes for the ultimate wake-up meal; and for any kind of baked goods you can imagine, Sullivan Street Bakery is the best (their flatbreads make a fantastic mid-day snack).  Sigh.  Nostalgic already....

A full fledged fish market that also sells some quick seafood bites.  A perfect last treat in San Diego before rushing off to the airport for our dreaded red-eye back to NY. 

Everything was fresh, delicious, and pretty dang cheap.  Above is the clam chowder.  Filling and satisfying, chock full of clams, but not too heavy or creamy.  All for $2.95.  That's cheaper than a small serving of pinkberry, yo!

Mmmmm, dungeness crab cocktail.  My motto: always indulge in dungeness crab while in CA, cos we east coasters are stuck with our Maryland blue crab (not worse, just different).   

Nice and flaky tender grilled white halibut, served in a torta roll with lettuce, tomato and green and red onions.  Awesome. 

Must.  Have.  More.  Dungeness.  Before.  Leaving.  This time, in the form of an entree salad, served on a bed of spring mix, romaine, red and white cabbage, tomatoes, green and red onions, lemon and gigantic slices of avocado.  For $10.95!  What a steal.

Bellies full of yummy local seafood, we could make peace with our departure and slept wonderfully on our red-eye :-). 

We woke up Sunday morning in San Diego, groggy, tired, and totally starving after DW and VL's amazing wedding the night before.  It was time for hangover food.  Luckily, we had prepared the night before.  During cocktail hour, we had befriended some San Diego locals, and told them our one big food request while in San Diego: delicious, grimy Mexican food.  This resulted in a 30 minute discussion on cheap tacos, a half dozen names being thrown around and furious iphone note-taking by me. 

From our worthy list of recommendations, we picked a hole-in-the-wall no frills joint a mere 15 minutes from the Mexican border, Tacos El Gordo.  This place originated in Tijuana, but due to its success a branch was opened on our side of the border as well.  Lucky us. 

You approach the counter, stand in the line for the particular type of taco that you want (which resulted in us standing in several lines, since we wanted to try several different types of tacos), add your radishes and limes at the open toppings bar, grab a drink, pay at the register and find your own seat.   

Then stare down in happiness and smile at all the wonderful food you're about to inhale.

They've got all sorts of lip-smackingly good little tacos!  Each type of taco comes with its own set of garnishes, so you don't have to worry about what to pair it with.  Above, the tacos de lengua (tongue), one of our favorites! 

There were two varieties of tacos de adobada, one in spicy beef (above) and one in spicy pork (below).  Both were super flavorful, although the spicy beef tacos seemed to be the more popular order.  They were both carved off a large spinning piece of meat and tasted like they'd been freshly plucked from a halal truck.  

Below, the carne asada, the only tacos that came with guacamole!  One of the more straight-forward tacos, but tasty nonetheless. 

We also took down some tacos de tripa (tripe) and tacos de suadero (brisket).  Good, but not as good as the tongue and adobada varieties, which, not coincidentally, had the longest lines.

Topped it all off with some grilled-up onions and spicy peppers (beware of the seeds).  Chomp!

Definitely hit that street style cheap*ss Mexican food craving.  Yum!

Adam Platt recently opined that the Asian Fusion rage has been replaced with the Asian Hipster rage (I'm talking about food, not human reproduction!).  True story.  Some of the city's most sought-after tables reside in dark little divey joints serving some semblance of Asian cuisine (think Mission Chinese, Red Farm, Pok Pok, Talde, Biang! and the numerous untraditional ramen houses popping up every day (Dassara, Chuko, Yuji)).  From what I can tell, the biggest difference between Asian Fusion and Asian Hipster is the cost and the atmosphere.  Asian fusion = expensive, big production, fancy schmancy, see and be seen vibe, lychee martinis.  Asian hipster = cheap, no reservations, long lines, small spaces, bad Asian beer.  I definitely prefer the latter.     

So when our foodie friends, SG and JG, came to town, we decided to check out the latest Asian hipster spot that was making a stir, Uncle Boons.  Uncle Boons serves Thai food ("Thai style drinking food", as their website states, to be more specific), from two former Per Se chefs, Matt Danzer and Ann Redding, who both have some background with that cuisine.  Uncle Boon is the name of Ms. Redding's actual uncle, and the restaurant is littered with eclectic Thai decor from her family's houses in Thailand.

The apps were strong.  Above is the betel leaf wrap with ginger, lime, toasted coconut, dried shrimp, chilies and peanuts.  A very crunchy and full-bodied snack.  Awesome start.     

We moved on to a salad of sweetbreads with crispy noodles, peanuts, dried shrimp, sawtooth herbs and tamarind sauce.  The sweetbreads were perfectly fried - hot and crisp on the outside and tender and soft on the inside - and all of the flavors came together beautifully.

ATO couldn't resist and ordered some charcoal grilled blowfish tails.  Nicely charred, but not too much other taste. 

A creamy and smooth dip of salted black crab, ground pork and coconut cream came next, served with chilled seasonal vegetables for dipping.  I liked this better in concept than in reality.  The dip was both too fishy and bland for my taste.  ATO definitely liked it better though.

For some fire, we ordered the spicy roasted chicken and banana blossom salad with crushed cashews, crispy shallots and coconut milk dressing.  Nice textural contrast in each bite, and a pleasant tongue-numbing heat.  Not particularly noteworthy though.

For entrees, we went curry crazy.  This is where things got a bit inconsistent.  Above is the red curry with rock shrimp, wild ginger custard, holy basil and kaffir lime.  It was way too thick.  A total turn-off.  My stomach started doing twists and turns after a couple of bites.  It felt like I was eating a curry-flavored heavy cream. 

The green curry with rice noodles and hen of the wood mushrooms, herbs, pickled mustard greens, steamed egg and fried shallots was an improvement, but also a disappointment.  Green curry is my favorite type of curry, and this version just didn't pack the punch that I've come to expect from a good green curry.

The massaman curry with boneless beef ribs, potatoes, red onions, peanuts and green peppercorn was better yet.  More complex and vigorous in flavor, and the stewed beef ribs, which just fell apart, were a great conduit for sopping up more curry. 

Finally, the best curry of the night, the Northern style golden curry with homemade egg noodles, chicken legs, pickled mustard greens and coconut milk.  It's khao soi!  But a far tastier version than my typical seamless order from Chai Thai or Pam Real Thai.  This is the only curry I'd really recommend coming here for.

My suggestion: come for some snacks, for some slushy beers (did I mention they serve a slushy-cold Chang?  Refreshing!) and for a cool atmosphere.  But if you're craving a full-on authentic Thai meal, hop a train to Queens and check out Ayada (http://photo-hungry.com/post/50322523157/ayada) instead.

We took a brisk and beautiful half-day hike near Bear Mountain and rewarded ourselves with an early dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  It was a magnificent day: perfect weather, amazing company and an unforgettable meal.  This day happened 5 months ago (Memorial Day weekend!).  I never blogged about it because, well, it was just too good.  I couldn't face the challenge of putting it all in words.  Really, I knew I couldn't do this meal any justice.  But in the end, five months later, I've decided that I just have to share my crazy enthusiasm for this place.  I've felt like a cheater keeping it to myself for so long!  And since, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, I've decided to take you all on a purely photographic tour of our splendid day.     

But first, a few words (he he):

(1) Actually go.  The Blue Hill in the city is not a good substitute.  This is so much better.  

(2) Definitely do the farm tour, or at least wander around the farm on your own, before your meal.  It's an incredible farm.  Like a Pleasantville version of a farm.  Everything is orderly and tidy, the plants are bright and healthy and all the animals seem to be having the time of their lives.  It's definitely part of the experience and not to be missed.

(3) Go in a bountiful season.  The first time we ate here it was late February, and dining here in late May was definitely better, largely due to the seasonal produce available.

(4) Go even if you are a vegetarian.  Actually, go because you are a vegetarian (if you are).  The veggies here are definitely the star of the show; they are the best part of the meal!  A veggie meal here is not a rip-off by any means; in fact, for me, it was a revelation of just how good a vegetable can be.

(5) Do one of the larger tasting menus: variety is the spice of life, and there are just so many darn good things to try here!  You're not making this trip all the time, so definitely go all out.

(6) Sit back, relax and enjoy.  This was definitely one of the top five meals of my life, and so different than a typical "fine dining" experience in NYC.  It felt like a vacation.  It was perfect from beginning to end.  I hope that you all have the same experience that I did!          

Walking around the farm on our gorgeous May afternoon.

The greenhouse full of yummy veggies and herbs.

Baby chicks!  So cute, I couldn't stop staring.

The pigs, not even all that stinky!

Geese, just happily roaming.

Baby lamb, grazing on fresh green grass.

The cocktails are spectacular, so definitely order one.  Above was the sour plum cocktail.

A fully flavorful and expertly spiced horchata. 

The amuses came plate by plate, but very quickly, and soon our table was filled to the brim with a fantastic spread of one-bite treasures.  The presentation, though a bit overwhelming, was nothing short of breath-taking.  I seriously have never been so blown away by a series of amuses.  Above is the corn crackers with kale and purslane.

Beet blinis with horseradish and a thin slice of lardo to top it all off. 

From the garden, the most fresh and tasty crudités you can imagine.

Rhubarb slices garnished with celery flowers.

Sprouts served with a sticky and citrusy spread of lemon, pepper and honey.

Fiddlehead ferns topped with a mustard blossom, on a bed of goat cheese spread on farro crackers.  One of my favorite starters.

A soft steamed egg and pancetta tart.

Birchwood whoopie pies.  So fun!

Sugar beets served with a parsnip yogurt and some crunchy granola.

Asparagus wrapped in pancetta and sesame.

Asparagus burger.  WTF.  So meaty.  So divine.  Probably my favorite starter.

Lettuce soup with a dollop of cheese.

Finally, the "real" courses begin!  Above is the celtuce with pine nuts and green garlic.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my favorite thing that they always have!  Brioche bread served with a swiss chard and kale pesto and housemade ricotta.  Insane.

Close-up of my bread, topped with all that goodness.

Mmmmmm, the crab and curry pasta.  It was almost too pretty to eat!

I LOVE their bread and butter (even at the Blue Hill in NYC).  From left to right: fresh butter, lard, beet salt and carrot salt. 

The housemade bread. 

A farm fresh egg, served runny, with asparagus and stracciatella.  I took a bite and looked over at EW.  Tears were running down her cheeks.  It was THAT good.  It's like the opening scene of "UP" - it makes me want to cry just thinking about it!  (Well, except this is for sure a happy, ecstatic cry, and that's more of a sad, heart-wrenching cry).

Next up, goose egg pasta with a shaved cured immature egg.  Yes, you heard me: shaved cured immature egg.  Cos that's the type of stuff that they serve you here.  Totally ridiculous!  Which brings me to another point: come if you're vegetarian, but not if you're vegan.  Because the eggs here are to die for. 

Above, the super savory chicken poussin heart and liver served with parsnip purée.

Finally, the juicy Berkshire pig with gem lettuce and fluffy whipped potatoes.

A little palate cleanser of lemon verbena ice, basil and yogurt sorbet.

For our main dessert, a delicious concoction of corn, almonds and buttermilk, served two ways. 

Finally, a crazy display of petite fours.  Plums, apples and chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.  

  Heavenly.  Everything tasted even better than they looked.  Definitely make this your next special occassion meal (hurry, before winter comes!).

Salted Caramel, Espresso, Grand Cru, Strawberry and Earl Grey macarons!

In a city where everyone seems to constantly be on a diet, these are surprisingly delicious.  No Ladurée, but definitely tasty enough to gobble down the whole box in one sitting.  I mean, cos they won't taste as good the next day, right?   

Sometimes two beautiful people result in an unattractive child.  And sometimes mixing elements of a croissant and a doughnut make a pretty bad cronut.  It's hard to pinpoint what went wrong, but it's clear to all that something has, in fact, gone wrong. 

Which brings me to the newest creation from Crumbs Bake Shop: the Crumbnut, a ripoff of the frenzy-causing Cronut from Dominique Ansel Bakery (http://photo-hungry.com/post/58428637308/dominique-ansel-bakery-the-cronut). 

Like its muse, a Crumbnut is a mix between a croissant and a doughnut.  It comes plain, sprinkled with sugar or filled with Bavarian cream (which is its first misstep, because the real Cronut is filled with cream AND rolled in sugar AND topped with icing).  It is square.  And it tastes like a stale Boston kreme from Dunkin' Donuts, minus the yummy chocolate icing.  There was little sign of its croissant lineage, except that it was greasier than a normal doughnut.  Oh yeah, and it has a stupid name.  So there!

Looks like my least favorite cupcake shop in this cupcake saturated city just gave me one more reason not to visit.  Hold the calories for another cause (I bought two and actually threw one away)!

Thai food is amazing, but you can't eat it every day.  On those days when I'm sick of the hundreds of Thai spots in my neighborhood, and I'm craving something simple but a little different, I hit up Gazala Place for some yummy Druze cuisine.  It's like a fun mix of Syrian, Lebanese, and Israeli flavors. 

Above, some of the best babaganoush I've had in this city.  So creamy - almost a peanut buttery taste - smoky and smooth.  Comes with the house-made, thin and airy pita to dip. 

For entrees, above is the Moshakal, a combo meat platter of lamb, chicken and kafta, nicely spiced up and flame broiled with those tasty grill marks.  Yum.  Served with rice and a tangy, fresh salad.

My favorite entree, the lamb hummus.  Super flavorful, chopped-up pieces of lamb and pine nuts, served on a huge fluffy bed of hummus.  Also served with rice and salad.  (Also works very well wrapped in the pita). 

A very satisfying neighborhood-y meal that's quick and won't clog your heart.  There's a location in our soon-to-be hood, the Upper West Side, as well!  YES. 

We rented a zip car for the day to check out ABC Home Outlet's biggest sale of the year (got a chair and 4 stools - woot woot!).  It turns out we should have just taken the 6 train.  The car was expensive, and due to a mix-up at the garage, took quite a while for us to get.  So, making the best of money spent and time wasted, we were going to use our car for more than one destination in the Bronx!  ATO scoped out the food blogs, and we excitedly set out to Taqueria Tlaxcalli in Parkchester for a 5pm meal (before our 9pm 6-course dinner (we're such fatties)). 

Taqueria Tlaxcalli pays homage to the tacos and comfort food of Mexico City.  And d*mn is it good.  It was recently described in the NYTimes in the Salvation Taco review (it is sooooo much better than Salvation Taco, which we did NOT like).  It's delicious, it's fresh, it's authentic, and it's cheap.  A perfect quadfecta.

Above, the most amazing "lemonade" (really, it was more like limeade) I've had in recent memory, totally capturing all four elements of the quadfecta described above.  Not too sweet, so very refreshing.

The chips are hot and crunchy, the salsa cool and tangy.  The avocado is bright, creamy yet chunky and carries just the right amount of sting from spice and onions.

Condiments!  Did I mention I have a total soft spot for condiments?  So many to choose from.  Pile them on! 

The tacos.  Above are the goat, al pastor and lengua (tongue).  Topped high with onions, shredded iceberg, juicy tomatoes and huge white piles of Mexican cheese.  The meat was all super flavorful; the tongue was especially tender, the goat had a pleasant gaminess and the al pastor was so nicely charred and chewy.  ATO kept exclaiming, between bites, "this is how good Mexican food should taste"!  It brought him back to his good eats in LA.

I had been craving some good crisp tacos for quite some time.  These totally hit the spot.  Above were the Mexican sausage, chicken and steak.  The chicken was my favorite.  The crema, splattered like an abstract painting over the dish, made each bite so indulgent and tasty.  Mmmm.  

At the end, some old-school Mexican chewing gum with the check!  Loved.

Definitely worth the stop-over when in the Bronx, this place is a destination in and of itself.  Make the trip!