NYC Tastes

Sometimes my subconscious tries to punish me.  I'm not really sure why but I know it happens.  I have a certain base of knowledge, the warning signs are all there, yet I jump in with both feet.  Case in point- my most recent trip to the Theater District. I've been trying to win Book of Mormon lottery tickets for about three months now.  I go once or twice a week 5 minutes before the drawing, put my ticket in and then watch as obnoxious, less deserving people are chosen around me.  Then I walk my sad loser walk home...fun right?  Well I awoke one recent Sunday with a lucky feeling.  I hadn't tried for a weekend performance yet so odds of a win were in my favor (or at least that's what I was telling myself).  I arrived right about 4:45 and was shocked to see the outside empty.  I suddenly realized the weekend performances must start at 8:00. I had an hour an half to kill be...

The second meal of my fabulous birthday week was at Daniel (sorry I took so long to post this).  Mr. T and I had been here once before and truly thought it was one of the best NYC dining experiences we've ever had.  I was a little worried it wouldn't live up to our high expectations again. We ordered a bottle of Sancerre to begin and along came the amuse bouche of the day- Tasting of Parsnip.   I've never been a huge fan of parsnip but leave it to Daniel to make this root veggie fabulous. I especially loved the creamy little bowl of Parsnip Veloute. I have to mention the bread service at Daniel. There is always about four different kinds and each one is wonderful.  This time I had a plump toasty Garlic Parmesan Roll that was absolutely amazing. We ordered the 3 course prix fix and I opted for the special appetizer that day Katafti- Crusted Scallop with Avocado Mousse. I loved the crunchy coating to the...

I've been walking past this institution for years on my way to one of our Brooklyn offices.  The big "Hot Beef" sign was always my landmark that I was headed the right way.  I've heard so many rave reviews, some even stating the best roast beef around, I finally had to stop. I walked inside at lunchtime and found it full with big burly men enjoying sandwiches and beers.  I loved the unchanged, old school look of the place and brusque yet friendly service from the waitress.  I'm not going to lie. I had high hopes for this sandwich. I really wanted to taste the meat so I ordered the Roast Beef sandwich  jus on the side.  I know they usually dip the entire sandwich in the jus but I figured I could do that myself after trying a regular bite. The sandwich looked promising but it took just one bite to know that this was definitely NOT going to be a favorite.  The bun was an ...

Mr. T and I have been on a bit of a kick when it comes to Korean food lately.  Jung Sik, multiple stops at Mad for Chicken and most recently a feast of meat at Madangsui.  They brought out the usual assortment of kimchi  and side dishes to accompany our order. The Hae-Mool- Pa- Jun was first to arrive.  A nice fluffy Scallion Pancake filled with an assortment of seafood. Onto the Mandoo-gui which were incredibly crispy. The bubbly egg souffle was a delight to watch but the main reason for coming, at least MY main reason, really stole the show. It may not look so large in the picture but this was the biggest plate of raw beef  I have ever seen in my life.  The platter was easily the size of my large Polish head. The Yook- Hwe had thick slices of beef, raw egg and sesame oil all tossed together and served ice cold.  I really enjoyed the thickness of the meat but it was almost too cold.  It wasn'...

The new Pod Hotel on 39th Street recently opened their rooftop bar and I have to say it's simply gorgeous. There are big open walls with red arches and columns over looking the city. The ivy on the walls and cozy seating gave it a very romantic feel.   It just so happened to be Happy Hour when I stopped by and the friendly bartender lured me in for a drink.  My Fly by Night had a nice balance of gin and lemon juice with big pieces of sea salt studding the rim. But for a glass half full  at $12 a piece I'm not exactly sure what's so happy about this hour.  I'm a slow drinker and this was gone in record speed.  However I will be returning as April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman are supposed to be opening a Taqueria up top any day now...Sweetbread Tacos anyone? I'm really hoping that's on the menu because that food and these views would be a match mad...

I was trekking around the Essex Street Market Saturday and nearly walked right past this tiny little stall. The fun, bright colored wall pulled me in when I realized this was Dorie Greenspan's cookie place! The thought of trying out a baked good from the multiple James Beard award winner herself had me on cloud nine.  I began with the original Sable. This classic french cookie was just as it should be- buttery, crisp and practically begging for a nice big Cafe au Lait on the side.  Ummm...Can I have this for breakfast every day? It only got better with the World Peace- a blend of two types of bittersweet chocolate with a nice dose of fleur de sel.  One bite and I was pretty certain these cookies could amend some serious world problems. Unfortunately the Espresso Chocolate Chip cookie was a downer.  The texture was dry and flaky almost as if it had been cooked too long.  Luckily I saved a ...

Can you smell the change in the air?  The breeze is cooler, the leaves are starting to turn orange and red... it's a perfect time to tuck into a big bowl of noodles. I'm a fan of ramen but soba noodles deserve some serious respect.  I don't think there's anything better than  dropping a nice, big pile of chewy, nutty noodles into a steaming hot broth. This is food to cure just about anything. Cocoron and Goemon