NYC Tastes

Hortus is one of the most recent openings in Nomad, helmed by Suhum Jang of Jung Sik and Chef Seungjoon Choi of Blanca.   This Asian infusion spot boasts a long sleek bar downstairs overlooking a beautiful open kitchen and a 2 nd floor dining room for more formal occasions.   The menu is broken down into five different sections; Raw Bar, Cheese & Charcuterie, To Start, To Share and Sides.    We began with the Shrimp Cocktail, four pieces of the freshest, most flavorful shrimp I've ever experienced served with a house made sauce studded with jalapeño, cucumber and avocado.   King Crab dressed with crème fraîche, Asian pear and red sorrel; this was a beautiful bite of cream and citrus. Onto the Starter portion of the menu, Calamari Tempura with Korean Shiso and spicy mayo.  I loved how they prepared both the rings and tentacles in two unique styles. Unfortunately, the Yuzu Tare Angel Wings were a disappointment.  The b...

Missy Robbins brand new Willamsburg spot Misi  is currently the hot topic of conversation on the NYC food scene.  But while critics continue to argue the merits of this newest venture, we've decided to head back to the original Williamsburg debut, the bright and beautiful Lilia for the Sheep's Milk Agnolotto. A meal at this casual Italian gem begins with a few small snacks at the bar, a bowl of chili powder potato chips and peanuts dusted with fresh rosemary. The foccaccia of the day, a warm savory round with grilled onions and Parmesan cheese served with a dollop of whipped ramp butter.  I would officially like to add this butter to everything I eat moving forward, it was so good! Then onto the famous Sheep's Milk Agnolotto; soft pillows of yellow pasta bursting with sweet ricotta cheese in a honey and saffron sauce with dried tomato.  It's like a happy little oasis right inside a bowl.  Lilia will be celebrating its 3rd anniversary in ...

Wow, it seems like September was just yesterday and now Thanksgiving and the holiday season are already upon us!  I started my own personal celebration last week, cozying up to the bar of Otto for their seasonal Pumpkin Coppetta. Two squares of spice cake topped with creamy pumpkin gelato, candied pecans, whipped cream and a decadent maple bourbon caramel sauce that I would like to pour on just about everything.  This is the perfect dessert for any pumpkin lover in your life.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day relaxing with good food and family.  Happy Thanksgiving! Otto Pizzeria One 5th Avenue New York, NY 10003

Our last morning in Paris I woke up early and headed out for some important final vacation food- crispy almond croissants, champagne and orange juice. We had such a lovely little patio I thought it would be delightful to start the day with some delicious pastries and bubbly. And it  was  lovely, until a swarm of bees came and drove us out of our patio space for good.   However that gave us a few hours to hit up some last minute Paris food stops. First escargot at L'Escargot Montorgueil. This restaurant was absolutely gorgeous and the escargot were plump and juicy with a fantastic garlic parsley butter sauce. We added on one more incredible cheese plate. And a final stop Cafe Tournon for a delicious Croque Monsieur.    Then we hopped on a plane and eight hours of The Greatest Showman later (my personal choice) we were back in NYC, exhausted but filled with wonderful memories from a fantastic ...

After our amazing lunch at La Condesa we toured around that area and then up to Montmartre, a large hill in the 18th Arrondisment known for the beautiful Basilica of Sacre-Couer and the most charming streets in all of Paris. The weather was absolutely perfect, so we spent the day just enjoying the sunshine until it was time to meet up with friends at Bar Hemingway in the Ritz Carlton Hotel. This famous bar where Cole Porter, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway spent much of their free time was almost exactly as I imagined it;  small but elegant with leather cushioned seats, tiered silver platters on each table and a list of classic Hemingway cocktails including the Picasso Martini, Serendipity and French 75. Of course being such a small, special place the prices fit the atmosphere with cocktails starting at  30€.   I was a little shocked at first, but once I received a lovely peach rose in my drink it seemed slightly justified :)   After the Hemin...

It's always hard to choose our dining spots in Paris.  There are so many places the decision seems absolutely overwhelming.  However after a ton of research online and fantastic advice from the great people on  Chowhound , I settled on La Condesa and it ended up being one of the best decisions of the entire trip. We were the first ones to arrive for the lunch and although we were incredibly early they welcomed us warmly with a seat at the window overlooking some beautiful flowers and a lively street in the 9th Arrondissement.   La Condesa has no set menu; guests simply choose the 3, 4 or 6 course tasting and everything is left completely up to the Chef.  Since we were planning to spend most of the day eating we decided on the 3 course tasting and kicked things off with some Crémant as the parade of food began. Amuse Bouche~ Crispy Corn Galette with whipped corn mousse Amuse Bouche~ Mushroom Tempura with Sorrel mayonnaise 1st Cours...

Paris mornings mean one thing~ pastry time at two of my favorite spots Poilâne Bakery & Pierre Hermé.  I almost always begin at  Poilâne  for a fresh loaf of sourdough bread and a cinnamon dusted Apple Tart. Then over to Pierre Hermé for a glazed Rose Croissant, Raspberry Tart and my absolute favorite the 2000 Feuilles studded with praline & hazelnut.  These delightful pastries are always fantastic, but enjoying them on our patio under the bright blue sky just made everything that much better. Poilane Bakery 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi 75006 Paris, France Pierre Herme 61 Rue Bonaparte 75006 Paris, France

After our wonderful wine excursions in Bordeaux, we hopped on a train to Paris for the final leg of our European vacation.  Mr. T and I have been to Paris quite few times and the energy is so similar to NYC it always feels a bit like coming home.  We got in late afternoon and leisurely walked around the bustling Saint Germain and Île de la Cité before landing on the quiet island of Île Saint-Louis.  This is the perfect spot to relax at one of the many outdoor cafes with a bottle of wine and a view of the beautiful Seine River. Then we made our way through the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe and over to Harry's New York Bar. This kitchy spot is said to be the birthplace of cocktails such as the French 75, Sidecar and Monkey Gland.  So a round of drinks including all three was absolutely necessary for the sake of history. Harry's is covered in old college pennants and somehow we found ourselves right below our alma mater St. Bonaventure; whi...

Day two of the Bordeaux wine tour was also my birthday and it was absolutely perfect.   We began in Saint-Ėmilion, an amazing medieval town on the Right Bank of Bordeaux with breathtaking views and one of our favorite winery's of the trip Château Guadet.  This small vineyard is one of only two wineries in the heart of Saint-Ėmilion and owned by the famous Petrus wine family.   The vineyard consists of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc grapes, merlot being the prominent grape grown on most Right Bank properties. We started our tour upstairs to learn about the cement vats used to vinify their wine.  Then we took a steep ladder down to the massive cellar, where miles of limestone quarries had been created for storing wine.  This was easily the best part of any wine tour I've experienced.  The cool, dark caves winding beneath the Château were astounding to behold; it was almost an entirely new city underground. We then stopped into...