Meaning “River”, Aragvi refers to a river in Georgia that is popular for kayaking and rafting. It is also a Georgian restaurant located Midtown East, where Chef Mikheil brings authentic recipes to our plates. Of course, when going to Aragvi, you have to try their khachapuri, Georgian cheese bread made famous on instagram, especially the Adjaruli that is an open-faced khachapuri from the Adjara region topped with a cheese blend that will be mixed with butter and egg yolk in a photogenic twirl. But they …

I should start this post by saying that Wolfgang Steakhouse is not the restaurant of Wolfgang Puck who opened Cut by Wolfgang Puck many years ago. No, this place takes its name from its owner, Wolfgang Zwiener who was a former headwaiter at Peter Luger. There is definitely a big step between working the dining room and the kitchen, and they successfully made it, but I admit that not all locations are equal. However, the one in Times Square is great: the food is consistent and their steak superb. The porterhouse, that comes sizzling or the tomahawk cajun style are both

It’s been a while since we went to Fushimi, my first visit being not in Times Square but Brooklyn. So, when they invited us for their first year anniversary, I was quite excited. Located few steps from Port Authority, this place is gorgeous: as you enter, you are right away amazed by their rendition of the Fushimi Inari Taisha, a Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto that is famous for its thousands of red torii gates that create a trail we visited few years back during a memorable trip to Japan. The rest of the…

Few months ago, we decided to go to Memphis with the most memorable moments being the visit of the Lorraine Hotel and National Civil Rights museum, as well as Graceland, the songs from the Elvis Presley being part of my childhood. We stayed at the Caption by Hyatt Beale Street and had no idea that a not so little gem was standing next to the hotel: Amanda Gene’s, a restaurant where Chef Nate Henssler crafted a contemporary menu inspired by global cuisines. That place, that used...

I admit that I had no idea what the Dubai chocolate was until I read an article in the news about the frenzy that has taken over Tik Tok. So, I decided to try it and went to The Nut Factory who was promoting it. At close to $19 a bar, this chocolate bar, made with Belgian chocolate, pistachio and kataifi is pricey, but so good! Kataifi is used in many desserts, my favorite one being kunefe or knafeh...

If you have never been to The Tin Building, you are truly missing an incredible experience. This food market from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is superb, with my favorite spot being their bakery that proposes delicious items, similar to what you would get in France. My favorite is their brioche au sucre that is better eaten there, as the sugar will fall in the bag on the way home, and their...

Shalom Japan in Williamsburg is an interesting find: there, married chefs and owners Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi created a menu that merges their two cultures, Jewish and Japanese, giving a nice twist to both cultures, the most representative dish being their matzoh ball soup ramen that is made of chicken broth, wood ear mushrooms, scallions, nori, soy marinated egg (it is an add on), Mandel for some crunch and matzoh ball (I asked for a second one). This is a ...

Few weeks ago, Amzchef Appliances sent me this slow juicer and asked me to review it,. So, I played a bit with it, making orange juice, pineapple and apple juice, pomegranate and apple juice,...

It is a tall juicer for sure, and, when I unboxed it, my first action was to make sure that it fits under my kitchen cabinets, that was not a problem at all. The size is because...

Years ago, I have tried the lobster pasta at Avra Estiatorio, a fancy Greek restaurant with several locations in New York and since then, I have been drooling just thinking about it. The last time I went there, they were offering the dish for market price at $75 a pound, plus $20 for the pasta that I thought was a bit pushing the envelop as they could have thrown the pasta for free for anyone ordering lobster! Anyway, we went there on a weekend for lunch and I saw it on the menu for $64. So, I decided...

Smashed burgers are becoming a trend. It’s true that because of the way they are cooked, the taste will be a bit more pronounced, especially when the edges are slightly crispy and caramelized. So, after 7th Street Burger (my least favorite) and Dipped’n Smashed (my top burger joint) opened, I thought that would be it. This was until Mashed Burgers opened a couple of weeks ago, replacing Bareburger that suddenly closed. So we had to try it. The decor at Mashed is colorful and you cannot...

Don’t be mistaken by its name: Byrd is not specialized in cooking volatiles many ways, but is a nod to the American polar explorer, Richard Byrd, with their logo being the Arctic Tern. Yes, it is Byrd with a “y”. Located off the beaten path, it is one of those fancy restaurants in Hoboken that are worth a little walk. There, Chefs and owners Ehren and Nadine Ryan serve an array of interesting dishes to share or not, starting with snacks like their bbq'd Matake mushroom skewers smothered in soy caramel glaze...

I don’t know if you have noticed but there are more and more Japanese restaurant that are based on the principle of make your own box rather than just taking some pre-made items. Sushi and Co is one of them, with already three located in the city. The one I visited opened several weeks ago in the heart of Time Square in New York City.

Paris Baguette opened few weeks ago in Hoboken. This South Korean bakery that opened in first location in 1988 proposes a French inspired offering. But I admit that I would probably not go there for a croissant or chocolate croissant that are good but would be better with more butter, preferring more their pain aux raisins or their chocolate twist that is slightly crunchy and buttery, their sugar twist, their Pastéis de Nata that is a Portuguese egg tart, or, more French, the palmier that is one of the best I had, being buttery and nicely caramelized. They also have their own interpretation of the…

A knife is to the Chef what a scalpel is to the surgeon. So, when a representative from Sakuto proposed to send me a Damascus steel knife complimentary for a review, I was quite excited. I admit that I never heard of Sakuto before, probably because I was not looking specifically at kitchen knives before, but learned that it is one of the most famous Japanese brands that originated in Seki, a city well known for its…

Adjacent to The Moma, The Modern is probably the most underrated two Michelin stars restaurant in the City. I do not know why. Anyway, we were looking for a place to celebrate our anniversary when we saw that they offer a unique experience that any food enthusiast would appreciate: a table in the kitchen that gives you an inside look to what happens in the kitchen. I have been to Michelin star kitchens before, from Noma in Denmark to Maison Pic in France, without forgetting Eleven Madison Park, and have…

Replacing City of Saints, Koocheh Coffee, opened few weeks ago in Hoboken. In Persian architecture, a Kucheh or Koocheh is a narrow alley that suits well this small place for sure. At Koocheh coffee, you get classic offerings of a coffee place, but there are few additional choices that are worth trying: chai that you can see more and more on menus, that, even if made from a syrup, is quite good, and their turmeric latte that Koocheh’s owner, Babak Moghaddam, told me…

Italian family style restaurants always remind me when I brought my family who came from France for our wedding to Tony Di Napoli for a welcome dinner. We not only had fun with my family singing what I would just call classic French celebratory songs (I will not give more details but you can guess that there was some good ambiance in the restaurant), but the food was delicious (if you go, get the meatballs). So, I was looking forward to going to Carmine in Times Square. We were 7 people and had to wait just a bit for a table, the big…

We passed in front of Uncle Momo many times and decided to try that place for brunch on a Saturday. The result? We went back several times for lunch and dinner, the food being very good. We mostly tried their Lebanese dishes, some being served with their house made pita that is superb and is a must have (you can order it for $1), perfect with hummus or babaganouj. If you are vegetarian, they do have a falafel platter (these falafel are light and crispy), but my favorite is the Momo’s breakfast that…

With its scallion pancake sandwiches, Win Son Bakery in Brooklyn, has been all over social media, people raving about the Taiwanese American sandwich fusion. So, I decided to try it. We went early right before Memorial Day, thinking that many people would be away. Wrong: the place was packed, we got lucky and found a seat inside. We ordered at the counter and it took a bit of time to get our food, the staff bringing it to you after identifying your order with the number they give you at the cashier that you place on your table. I got the mortadella egg sandwich, mortadella being one of…

Have you ever eaten in a disco, the music being so loud you can’t even hear what other people are saying? That is what I felt when I had dinner at Pink Taco in Times Square. They describe themselves as a “trendy eatery/bar with a rock 'n' roll vibe, serving Mexican fare, including tacos & margaritas”, that is for the most part correct, but the rock n’ roll part is more than a vibe. Good music, but so loud, that you just want to eat quickly and leave (at least that is how I felt). The thing is, the food took forever to come, and…