NYC Tastes

It's been a long time since I've been excited about a place in NOHO but guess what, I'm SUPER excited about Fish Cheeks.  This cute seafood-focused Thai spot on Bond has one of the best happy hours in the city and a great menu of spicy, delicious eats.  From 12:00-3:45 and again from 5:00-7:00 each day, Fish Cheeks offers $5 beer, $8 wine and delicious $10 cocktails like the tropical Blank Slate made with Cana Brava Rum, Coco lopez, grapefruit and mint.  They also serve $1.00 Oysters topped with fried shallots and nam jim seafood which make these way more delicious than any $1.00 oyster special in the city (trust me).  Of course the regular items on the menu are incredible as well.  I highly suggest the crispy Fried Chicken Wings with chili, lime and mint and the wonderful Shrimp Sao Nahm layered with pineapple, ginger, chili and fried garlic in a creamy coconut dressing.  In addition to the great food and drink, Fish Cheeks gives...

I love Sunday mornings at Patisserie Chanson.  This beautiful French bakery makes my favorite baked goods in the city, from their flaky Raspberry Croissants and Black Sesame Kougins to the creamy Eclairs and Chocolate Mille Feuilles. My current obsession is their seasonal Yuzu Bomboloni.  It's impossibly fluffy and light on the outside, rolled in sugar, then stuffed with a bright, citrusy yuzu cream that's so refreshing, I actually feel transported to a beautiful yuzu tree filled island.   Of course I'm actually just sitting across from Eataly, two blocks from my tiny apartment, but it's good to have island daydreams once in a while.  Patisserie Chanson 20 West 23rd Street New York, NY 10010

This past Memorial Day Mr. T and I opted out of travel for a glorious "staycation" in the city.  Since most people head to the beach, we were left with quiet streets and a multitude of open reservations to great spots like Oxomoco; the gorgeous, sun soaked Mexican spot in Greenpoint that received a Michelin star last year.  I don't understand every aspect of the Michelin award process, but I have to assume the Spring Pea Tlayuda had something to do with that honor.   This beautiful round of masa was stretched thin, layered with creamy quesillo, salsa cruda, mint, serrano and scallion.  It was slightly spicy yet refreshing; like biting into a the perfect garden vegetable pizza. For a classic Mexican egg dish order the Chilaqulies Rojos, a crunchy mound of tortillas and egg dressed with warm red salsa, queso fresco and crema (pictured here without cilantro). For something a bit more intense, I would suggest the Hamburguesa Pambazo; a rich patty of dr...

Summer weekends call for festive, fruity tiki drinks and King Thai has some of the best. This tiny Miami themed spot in Crown Heights not only whips up amazing cocktails like the Pina Banana with with rum, pineapple and banana milk or the Monk's Respite with gin, coconut and honey, but also offers a fantastic selection of wine and beer which includes a rotating selection of Hill Farmstead . Of course all these great beverages are best paired with their big, crispy beef and cheese empanadas.  But for those that don't love empanadas (who are you strange people) King Thai also allows guests to bring in their own food to nosh on.  Is there anything not to love about this spot?  King Thai Bar 1095 Bergen Street Brooklyn, NY 11216

It's New Brew Friday and Memorial Day weekend vibes are hitting in hard here at NYC Tastes.  It seemed like the work week was never going to end, but it's finally here and we're celebrating with a new collaboration IPA Shook Ones. This Double IPA was brewed by Equilibrium and Other Half with a trio of hop goodness using Mosaic, Citra and Amarillo.  It pours a bright hazy yellow with aromas of pineapple and lemon on the nose with a fruity, citrus candied orange flavor.  It's the perfect local beverage for cracking open this long weekend.  Cheers! Equilibrium Brewing 22 Henry Street Middletown, NY 10940

This past weekend downtown Manhattan turned into one big pink party with La Nuit de Rosé, the world's first festival dedicated to rosé wine. The celebration kicked off on Pier 40 as guests boarded the Hornblower Infinity Yacht on a pink runway; just a small preview of what was about to happen inside. Pink, white and gold balloons covered the ceiling of the #todaywerose corner where Mionetto  Prosecco,  Gloria Ferrer  Brut Rose and  Gratien & Meyer  crémant were pouring bright and bubbly all afternoon. The wine tasting spread out across three floors of the boat, showcasing rosé from 200 wineries around the world. Ultimate Provence  was pouring magnums and jeroboams of their spicy Provence rosé made from a blend of cinsault, syrah and grenache. California winery JNSQ (Je ne sais quoi) won the award for the most beautiful bottle design. Followed by the elegant Chateau Roubine  La Vie En Ros é whose lovey white...

Fast casual restaurants have taken over this city the past few years, and while I personally think most are best suited for a generic lunch, there's one spot that works well for any meal, Mexicue.  This laid back Mexican/BBQ spot began as a food truck back in 2010; roaming the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn serving up delicious tacos filled with pickled cabbage, cotija cheese and all kinds of smoked meat. Then in 2014 they set up shop at three locations across the city, expanding their menu from tacos and sliders to bowls, burritos and all sorts of fantastic cocktails. Today the menu at Mexicue continues to evolve with items like Cornbread French Toast at brunch, bourbon fueled Mexican Mules during happy hour and their delicious Impossible Tacos, that taste exactly like the ground meat tacos Mom used to make but completely vegetarian.  Of course the old favorites are still around as well, like those spicy brisket tacos topped with thick lime crema....