Barbounia has been around for years, but, each time I was planning to go, I changed plans. Not sure why, because this place, that serves Mediterranean cuisine proposes some fantastic food. It was so good that, after going for brunch, we decided to go back for dinner. Here is what we had:
Let’s start with the brunch. To start we got their fire-roasted…
7th Street Burger is a burger joint that reminds me a bit of Corner Bistro with its minimalist menu that is composed of 4 options: cheeseburger, single or double, or Impossible burger, also single or double, except that Corner Bistro has more to offer when it comes to drinks. Still, this place that started in the East Village back in 2021 and has now more than 10 locations, decided to open one in the Mile Square City, just a few blocks from Shake Shack, that is quite courageous.
We were recently in Berkeley Highs to see my niece, Rayna, perform in a school show, and so decided to grab lunch with the family. That is how we discovered Winberie’s in nearby Summit. This all American restaurant proposes a large menu that I admit made me hesitate a bit, but I finally settled for the chicken and waffles, a southern dish that I adore for its interesting combination of sweet and savory, crispy and soft. The chicken was really good: crispy, it was moist and most importantly, cooked all the way through. It sat on a waffle that was soft and chewy, with a slight crisp.
I love Blu On The Hudson and it has become my favorite brunch spot. Located on the waterfront in Weehawken, Blu On The Hudson serves an exciting menu. Let’s start with their cocktails that are very creative, I think the one that blew me away was their breakfast martini that is made with whisky: not only did it taste good, but the presentation with the focaccia and orange marmalade stuck on the side gave a certain dimension to it. I also tried:
Tony Boloney’s is not your typical pizza and sub place: their menu is probably what your cardiologist would NOT recommend. Known for its taco pizza that I did not get a chance to try, it is the right place for food decadence. Want a lobster roll? Theirs, the Lobsta Trap, is made with steamed lobster, aioli and bayou butter. Nothing too unusual you would say. Well, they lay the lobster on a bed of fresh and smoked mozzarella (lots of it)! This is not for the faint of the heart and you better get a bunch of napkins because it is very messy to eat, but so good. I thought that with all these ingredients the lobster would be overshadowed, but it was not the case. With the perfectly cooked lobster, each bite was a festival of flavor and worked well together, making it one of my favorite lobster rolls.
Left Bank Burger Bar is, as its name indicates, a burger joint in Jersey City, few steps from the Grove Street path station that serves some incredible burgers. We were there few times and have never been disappointed, the burgers being delicious and creative. The only negative would be the fact that they do not serve milk shakes, that I love with a good burger, but that’s…
I have known Aba Turkish Restaurant for years and have never been disappointed with this place. The food there is tasty and comforting with a large menu offering vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, the former being as inviting as the others. After a great dinner in June, I wanted to go back there, but it was closed because of a fire in the kitchen. They will hopefully reopen quickly! At least, here is a glimpse of what we had:…
We were walking in Hell’s Kitchen, looking for a place for brunch, when we stumbled upon this small restaurant, tucked between two busy places. The menu being enticing, we decided to try it. This is how we discovered 9th Avenue Blue Seafood Bar and Eatery. Opened at the end of 2016, this place serves a wide array of Mediterranean dishes: pizza, pasta, seafood, etc. With the option to order from their brunch menu that had classics like waffles or eggs Benedict elevated with lobster, or regular menu.
It’s been a while since we went to Khe-Yo, the restaurant of Chef Marc Forgione located in Tribeca. The first and last time we went there, we had great food, but the music was so loud that we just wanted to eat quickly and leave. So, we decided to go back for lunch, as I was off during a weekday and sat outside, enjoying the nice weather…and the quiet.
Dim Sum Palace is not unknown to me, having dined at this place multiple times, trying some of their small fried or steamed dishes. It is always exciting to go there, marking with a pen on their menu your selection, sometimes probably going overboard as you want to try plenty of things, similar to what would happen in a tapas restaurant.
Have you ever been to a restaurant and, after seeing their menu, wish that you could order all of it? Or if one single ingredient could be changed, you would order that dish? It happened to me multiple times. But that problem is resolved at Il Gradino, “the step” in English, an Italian restaurant located on the Upper East Side that opened in May 2022. There, owner Diego Argudo, a veteran of the restaurant industry, decided to implement the concept of piacere (pleasure, enjoyment in Italian) that is interpreted that as “preparing the dishes your way”. Diego explained to me that…
Short for l’appartment, L’Appart is a hidden restaurant located in The District, a French marketplace located few steps from the World Trade Center. We discovered this place few years ago and could not wait to go back for our anniversary. With 28 seats and an open kitchen overlooking the spacious dining room, this place proposes a unique experience where the term hospitality meets its true meaning: from the moment you enter to the moment you dine, you not only feel welcome, you also feel special.
Chef David Burke is not unknown to me as I ate in many of his restaurants in the city and saw him few times on TV in shows like Top Chef. So, when I was invited to try David Burke Tavern, I was really excited because I knew this would full of surprises. As we arrived, we went to the upstairs dining room and sat next to a penguin, not a real one of course: a stuffed animal. You might have heard that, during Covid, to ensure that patrons would respect social distancing, Chef Burke bought…
This post is a bit overdue and describes our experience as we were walking around New York and noticed Le Fournil, a French bakery that I could not resist trying. The experience started well, with a wonderful and appetizing smell filling our nose as we entered the place. We decided to get three of their baked goods: a chocolate croissant (pain au chocolat), a raisin…
It’s been a while since I have been to Lokal in Jersey City. Not that the food is not good, but there is so much to explore in Hoboken, Jersey City and New York that time passed before going back there. So, when I got an invite to try their new menu, I was thinking that it would be a good opportunity for a revisit. I did not regret it: the food at Lokal is not just exciting, it is overall good in a relaxed atmosphere, not too noisy (well, it will also depend on the neighboring tables of course), with a breathtaking view of the city.
We ended up at Auntie Guan’s Kitchen as we were looking for a place close to the Path train, and passed in front of this place that makes dumplings, quite a few times. Classic menu with spring rolls that were good, crispy, although the ratio shell to filling was in favor of the former, and the Dan Dan noodles not as good as what I had at Hao Noodle or…
A few months ago, Charritos decided to redefined themselves as a Taqueria, changing totally their menu, keeping only their guacamole that used to be one of the best. Used to because the one they serve today, with a generous amount of salsa and tortilla chips is not as good, a bit soupy, as if their used a blender to make it, with not enough chunks of avocado in it.
I discovered Rubirosa many years ago but never posted about it. I cannot remember why. I also do not know why it took us that long to go back, this place being fantastic. Most of the people go for their pizza that is superb, with its crispy thin crust. What is great is that, if you hesitate a bit, you can pick two different pizza flavors, each going in half a pie. The classic, that is simply made with tomato and mozzarella is good, but the best for me is the Tie Dye that is made with vodka sauce, tomato, pesto and mozzarella.
We wanted to try Whipped Urban Dessert Lab, a vegan ice cream shop located on the Lower East Side and did not expect to see a long line in front of it. We waited a bit and then weere able to enter the shop that was not that big, making our way to the front where we could order on a screen, a system I always prefer when not sure what to get…
For few years now, for my birthday, we have been going to Porterhouse in Columbus Circle for dinner. I have never been disappointed by this place, always going for the same steak: the chili rubbed boneless ribeye. Always perfectly cooked medium rare, very tender, juicy, the chili rub enhancing the flavor of my favorite cut.