I wanted to go to Jacob’s Pickles for so long! No, do not think that this is another joint selling a bunch of pickles in barrels. This is a restaurant known for its southern specialties and, of course, its pickles, that you can get In many ways. Fried is always an interesting choice: isn’t anything fried good? Pickles are no exception and the ones we tried were probably…
The big divide in Jodi’s family is not about politics or sports, but about Federici’s aka Fed’s, an Italian restaurant in Freehold that celebrated its 100 years in 2021. Longevity might mean something, but I admit that I am on the side of those who think this all cash joint should be picked as the last resort. The first time I went there was 13 years ago and I still…
We were looking for a place to have dinner, with a last minute reservation, when we ended up at Halifax in the W Hoboken. This place is usually packed, but that day, everyone wanted to eat outside, except us. It’s been a while since we went there and we remembered the Modern vibe of this restaurant that thankfully survived the past months.
The Brass Rail is one of the oldest restaurants in Hoboken, built in the early 1900s, where Frank Sinatra (who is from there) used to hang out. One of the legends attached to this place consists of paranormal activity where people have seen the ghost of a bride and groom who died there. Apparently, on her wedding night, the bride fell down the stairs on the second floor and broke her neck.
So we are back at Hao Noodle: it was not our primary target for a dinner on a Saturday, hoping that they would still be open and that we could get a table. It was fortunately not crowded and they sat us in their main dining room that I always find beautiful, giving the impression that you are eating in a patio.
I love Tamarind, an upscale Indian restaurant located in TriBeCa. And there is one dish I specifically always order there: the crab curry that they serve as an appetizer. I do not really see crab on Indian menus, at the exception of the now unfortunately closed Balucchi’s that had a superb dish, spicy, but so good, that I did not care if my mouth was on fire!
So, on a Saturday evening, as we were walking in the area, we decided to check Tamarind. It was still there, with a nice setup outside that we decided to try,…
Cocktail Wizard has a literal meaning at The Cauldron, a bar with an experience that you would never expect on the busy Stone Street. Even my GPS was not able to put it correctly on the map! That’s maybe a sign that this place is for the ones who know…if you see what I mean…
Upstairs is where a 1h45 minute class takes place, where you will make two cocktails (I believe that only the welcome drink could be ordered without alcohol,…
One of my favorite Greek restaurants in the city is Molyvos, a place that has been there for years and that I was glad to go back to after my restaurant dining hiatus. It did not change besides the fact that the dining room was not as lively as it used to be and the fish station was closed. Still, we had a great dinner with some classic Greek dishes. Here is what we had:
When Le Privé, a French restaurant located in Hell’s Kitchen, cancelled our reservation for our dinner on a Friday evening (not the first time), I was thinking that, anyway, there are plenty of places in New York we could go to for a last minute change of plan. And that is how we ended up in Koi Bryant Park. I love this place, located in The Bryant Park Hotel. Modern, with an impressive ceiling that gives an intimate atmosphere to the dining room, dominated by the sushi counter where you can slightly see the Chefs crafting the dishes.
I was really looking forward to try La Grande Boucherie, a french restaurant located Midtown Manhattan. This place, that replaces Remi, an Italian joint that has been there for years, is huge and impressive! Two floors, a gigantic bar with a selection of alcohol that would make any wine store jealous, a fish station (small compared to the meat selection they have) and a classic decor with a bit of nostalgia.
Last Wednesday, I attended a Chef’s table dinner organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce (IACC), at Levante, an Italian restaurant located in Long Island City that is not unknown to me as we went few times when Jodi had her art studio close by. Located a few blocks from the Court street subway station, it is not a long ride from Manhattan, so I was all for it. The idea behind the series of events organized by the IACC was not to promote a restaurant, but more to showcase Italian products from wine, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to pasta. And the way they did it was by crafting dishes from the various regions of Italy.
Do you remember what your last meal in a restaurant was before the lockdown due to COVID in March 2020? I can still remember Friday March 13th: Jodi met me in the city and we decided to walk around to find a place. Danji was on our way and we were wondering if we could get a seat there. Well, the restaurant was as empty as the city. There were probably only 4 tables occupied, including ours. It was for sure weird considering that this place was always packed. But I admit that I liked it, not just because we got the full attention of the staff, but also because of the noise level that was perfect!
