NYC Tastes

Day Two of StarChefs kicked off with the amazing Somm Slam, easily one of the best events of the congress where top sommeliers battle it out in a head to head wine and food pairing challenge.  The competition inside the circle was fierce but outside things were heating up as well at Eat@ICC featuring the theme All in The Family.  Chef Jose Mendin of the  Pubbelly Group  cooked up a comforting Mofongo Ramen studded with fried chicken and sofrito with a rich Kikkoman soy-cured egg... ...while local Chef Christopher Rendall of Flinders Lane created a homey coconut curry broth with thai basil, laksa and chunks of Glacier 51 Toothfish.  Italian family comfort was found in Nona's Meatballs from Tony Ferrari and Jonathan Sutton at the Hillside Supper Club ... ...while Chef Kwame Williams of Vital Dining went back to his Jamaican roots with a crispy Cod Cake served with ackee, stewed peppers and cassava dumplings. One of my favorite bites of the day were the Braised Pheasan

StarChefs kicked off it's 12th Annual Congress Sunday at the Brooklyn Expo Center with a star studded line up of chef's slinging some incredible eats.  My first bite of the day was from local boy Chef Jeff McInnis of  Root & Bone in the East Village with a decadent Pork Belly Biscuit drizzled with Nespresso Whiskey Maple Syrup. The theme for the Congress this year was "Cook Your Culture" encouraging chefs to cook using the flavors and techniques that define them as individuals.  This could be seen in every facet of the conference from the giant Roasted Skull Island Prawns with Calabrian chiles... ...to the toothsome udon noodles and fried garlic in the Pork Belly Ramen from Chef Jeffrey Hansell of  Ox lot 9  in New Orleans.  These Chefs were all cooking straight from the heart. American Food Carts was the theme for Sunday's Eat@ICC and what's more American than the hot dog. Chef Greg Laketek brought the Chicago heat with

I love fall for all sorts of reasons- the crisp cool October air, the changing leaves and all the amazing food events in New York City.  It's such a great time to be a food lover in the city.  Here are my top three picks for this great season: Sunday October 22nd- Tuesday October 24th StarChefs International Chef's Congress-  Some of the worlds best chefs and industry icons descend upon the Brooklyn Expo Center this weekend to showcase the techniques, knowledge and flavors that define them through the theme "Cook Your Culture."  Chef José Andrés will kick off the event with An Ode to the Immigrant Cook while presentations by Pierre Herme, Wylie Dufresne and Michael Ruhlman are just a few of the great culinary masters on the star studded lineup.  We're especially excited about the first ever Wing Battle taking center stage on Tuesday afternoon.  Full Congress passes or individual day tickets are still available on the StarChefs website.  StarChefs International

I have a favorite new spot in the city and it's so good I want to keep it all to myself. But that would be a shame because everyone should really check out the incredible food and drinks at ROKC- Ramen, Oysters, Kitchen and Cocktails. This tiny little spot tucked away on the ground floor in Hamilton Heights looks unassuming from the outside.  But don't let those looks fool you; inside the bartenders are whipping up some of the best cocktails in the city like the incredible Thai Tea.  Made with cachaca, condensed milk and absinthe this is every bit as creamy and refreshing as the original Thai Iced Tea with a cute little quail egg on the side filled with an extra shot of liquor. The Pineapple cocktail doesn't look like much from this picture but it was literally on fire upon arrival with red and blue flames shooting up from the tropical blend of vanilla, lime and pineapple on top. This place has a cocktail for just about any palate and th

There's nothing better than having a big feast at a restaurant in Chinatown.  There's the Lazy Susan that sits in the middle, spinning around all of the plates; the BYOB policy that always means lots of wine and of course all the wonderful food everyone gets to share. My most recent visit was to Sing Kee Seafood on Bowery for mounds of Cantonese Style Lobster with ginger scallion sauce, sauteed garlic pea shoots and crispy chicken with ginger.   Since we were celebrating a birthday an order of classic Longevity Noodles with ginger and mushrooms was a must order, but the real highlight of the meal were the insanely delicious Peking Pork Chops with sweet and sour sauce. The only thing better than the food is the final bill which is always such a bargain in Chinatown.  This is feasting at its finest. Sing Kee Seafood 42 Bowery between Canal and Bayard Street New York, NY 10013

Being an insane cheese lover I honestly have no idea why it took me so long to check out the restaurant Raclette. This tiny East Village spot specializes in la raclette which is basically a big round of Swiss Cheese melted over a raclette grill, then poured over potatoes, mushrooms and charcuterie.  There's really no reason to try and describe how delicious this is; I think the pictures speak for themselves.  Click on the video below to see all the super cheese goodness in action. Raclette 511 East 12th Street at Avenue A New York, NY 10009

My favorite new spot in the city for Thai food is newcomer Thai Villa in the Flatiron District.  The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous; big golden leaves hang from the ceiling over wooden alcoves with soft golden lights illuminating the main dining room. Thai Villa is excellent at any time but I like to go at lunch where every entree comes with a free salad and appetizer.  On my last visit I started with the Steamed Pork & Shrimp Dumplings with the Chicken Cashew Nut entree. I loved the spice level of this dish; the hot chili jam and roasted peppers balanced by the jicama and scallions. My friend ordered the Fried Chive Pancake appetizer which was actually more like a chive dumpling served with a sweet brown sauce and the Eggplant Basil lunch with long hot peppers and Thai basil leaves. The food is always incredible and for just $12.00 a person this is a seriously filling and affordable way meal for just about any budget. Thai Villa 5 Ea