Kuma Inn

Kuma Inn is a rather non-descript Phillipino fusion restaurant on the outskirts of Chinatown.  I walked right passed it the first time because it is not on the street level.  There are stairs behind an unmarked open door that lead to the restaurant on the second floor.

The hostess that "greets" you (I say greet in quotes because she is surly and unwelcoming) would not seat me until my whole party arrived, which would make sense except for the fact that the restaurant was empty (there was one pair dining in the corner when I first arrived).  I had requested a 7:30 reservation but was told I could only have a 6:45 reservation.  I find this odd because when we left after 8pm, there was still over a handful of empty tables.  While I was waiting for my husband, two women without reservations were actually turned away.

Conversely, the servers were lovely.  What they lacked in English proficiency they made up for in smiles and attentiveness.

Most of the dishes are served tapas style and are meant to be shared.  Despite working within the confines of a tiny kitchen, the items arrive at your table rather quickly.  The menu is very pork centric.  When I asked the server to have chicken instead of pork in the stir fried noodles, she said no, that they did not have chicken (despite the fact that there is supposedly chicken in their paella type dish).  I let it go.

The best thing about Kuma Inn is their BYO policy.  You are charged $5 corkage per bottle of wine and $1 corkage per bottle of beer.

The food was very hit or miss, some of our dishes were down right bad, some were average, and then we found a few superstars.  So between their BYO policy and standout dishes, Kuma Inn is worth a casual night out.  To help out you guys, I will give a short list of What Not To Eat as well to help you avoid some of my pitfalls.

What to Eat:

Start with the Grilled Baby Octopus with pickled bamboo shoots.  I've never had pickled bamboo shoots before so this was a nice surprise.  I enjoyed the slight crunch of the bamboo shoot and the tart taste from the pickling.  The grilled octopus was lightly marinated in Phillipino spices and grilled to perfection.  For a tapas size, this was actually a pretty good portion.







For an entree, we went with their specials.  The first was the Grilled Whole Dorado.  This flaky, white fish was the best dish of the night.  The fish is marinated in a blend of Phillipino spices and served whole at your table.  The dorado was light yet satisfying.







The final success of the night was the Skirt Steak special.  The steak was prepared medium rare and didn't even require a steak knife to cut into.  The tender meat had been marinated in a thick onion sauce and covered in sweet onions.







What Not To Eat:

Avoid the Coconut Rice and the Stir Fried Noodles.  I have even included a picture of the coconut rice so you understand why not to order it.  It looks like the chef just dumped a cup of coconut milk on top of steamed rice.  This is not how coconut rice should be prepared and/or served.  The taste and consistency was all wrong






The Stir Fried Noodles had the right consistency but the taste was terrible.  I was unable to identify what horrible sauce the noodles were tossed in and put them aside entirely after a few unappetizing bites.


Looking for a NYC BYO? Found one for you,

Your foodie friend

Novita

Novita is a small, hidden neighborhood restaurant in Gramercy.  It is located off of Park Avenue and largely underground but now that it is summer, a handful of tables sprinkle the sidewalk.  The dining room at Novita is probably not ideal for someone suffering from claustrophobia.  The restaurant has low ceilings and packs patrons in a bit more than is ideal.  Because the ceilings are low and the restaurant is usually crowded, you may have to shout to your dining buddy across the table (at least before 9:30 pm).

Novita is perfect for a night that you aren't in the mood for gamble food.  Gamble food, as the name implies, is a meal at a new restaurant or a new dish at an old restaurant that may or may not be tasty.  With Novita, there is no gamble food.  The menu changes slightly based on the season and there are usually a handful of specials.  Every dish I have ordered from Novita over the years has been delicious.  I always leave satiated and satisfied.

And while Novita is on the pricey side, you are pretty much guaranteed an outstanding meal and a warm dining experience. 

My husband, sensing it had been a rough week, took me to Novita recently to unwind for good wine, great food, and fantastic company.  Pretty much the perfect way to end a (stressful) week.
 
What to Eat:

Start with the Crab Cake.  The medium sized crab cake is placed on a bed of greens and surrounded by chunks of mango.  The fresh, sweet mango is a nice contrast to the savory crab cake.  The crab cake at Novita does is not over stuffed with breading or red pepper (common errors).  I was so famished from a long day that I forgot to snap a shot before I devoured it, sorry guys!

Summer means a lot of things to me, but food wise, it means outdoor seating and fresh seafood.  So for your entree, go with the Tagliolini All Aragosta.  The long, thin home made pasta noodles are drenched in a surprisingly light tomato and cream sauce.  The sauce is usually prepared with asparagus but I requested artichokes instead and the server made the change without having to check with the kitchen.  Novita doesn't skimp on its succulent lobster as you can see from the picture. 







Not in the mood for gamble food?  Check out Novita,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: If you go at 9pm or later, you will have no problem getting a table.  Most nights it starts to empty out at 9:30 so by the time you receive your entree, Novita is significantly quieter.

Foragers Chelsea

Foragers Chelsea is the amalgamation of inventive food that has embraced the farm to table movement.  The seasonal menu highlights just about every locally grown seasonal vegetable and protein you could fathom.

Foragers started in Dumbo as a high quality/high end grocery.  The owners ran a farm in upstate New York but lived in Dumbo and saw the need for a local grocer.  By taking fruit, vegetables and herbs from its farm and purchasing meat from a nearby farm, the owners of Foragers Dumbo stocked their shelves with fresh local product.  Due to the popularity of Foragers Dumbo, the owners decided to bring the concept to Chelsea.

The Chelsea outpost also features a grocery with sensational nectarines and other locally grown fruits and vegetables.  It also includes a wine shop but we were so consumed by the food and the market we forgot to sneak a peak.  The highlight of the Foragers franchise is the Chelsea restaurant, run by executive chef Jason Greenberg.  Jason pulls ingredients from the grocery to prepare Asian fusion inspired dishes.

Foragers Chelsea's Asian fusion menu is a great meal for a group of people (of any size) because you can sample a large portion of the menu by sharing plates.  The presentation of each dish is a medley of colors and locally grown vegetables.

The Foragers Chelsea dining room strikes a balance of warm and trendy, so the restaurant works for a date or a night out with friends.  The wine menu features wine bottles from all over the globe and at various price points.  There is also an Asian inspired cocktail list.

What to Eat:

Because there were so many incredible starters, I will group them together.

Start with the Chicken Wings and the Short Ribs.  The seven spiced wings have a little kick, while the tender meat on the short ribs literally fall off of the bone.  And if you can handle the sweet heat, try the Panko Crusted Peppers.  One out of nine will knock your socks off so beware.  Tip, stay away from the seeds at the stem and dip the peppers in the cool meyer lemon creme fraishe sauce.

The Lettuce Herb Noodles are a must.  I hate lettuce but apparently if you put lettuce in noodle form, lettuce is delicious.  Or at least the lettuce noodles at Foragers Chelsea are delicious.  The noodles are prepared by taking vegetables in stock that day (e.g. escarole, argula) and blending them together with mint to make home made pasta noodles.  The noodles are tossed in a light coconut and oyster sauce and mixed with crispy shallots, fresh herbs and alfalfa sprouts.  Unfortunately readers, the lettuce noodles in this picture are mostly buried under the herbs and sprouts so you're going to have to take my word on this one.






For an entree, go with the Butcher's Steak.  Foragers buys its meat from a farm in upstate New York and butcher's the meat on the premises.  The result is a tender, high quality meat (it was so good we nearly devoured it before taking pictures).  The steak is generously coated in a maple and soy glaze so each bite literally melts in your mouth.











If you are not a carnivore, check out the Tea Smoked Black Cod.  The cod is cold smoked, which results in a slightly smokey taste, as opposed to hot smoked, which would have created a very smokey taste.  I loved the buttery cold smoked cod, which was placed on a bed of an edamame type salad.  And the gorgeous crimson sliced tomato on the side are topped with bacon (picture didn't come out, sorry guys!).

Foragers does not have a dessert menu yet but they do offer fantastic gelato and sorbet, which is my favorite way to end a meal on a warm summer's night. 

Looking for a night out at the next hot restaurant in NYC?  Check out Foragers Chelsea,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  If you don't have time to stay for dinner, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery to take home. It makes for the perfect lazy after work dinner.  While at the grocery, you can pick up items like Burrata and vine rip tomatoes to make a cool side salad.

Uva

The Upper East Side is one of those neighborhoods I rarely find myself in.  So when my aunt requested a reservation near her office on Upper East Side, I struggled until I remember a recommendation (Uva) from a friend that lives local.

Uva features a garden dining area in the back but due to torrential downpours, it was understandably unavailable.  There are also several tables on the sidewalk for additional outdoor seating options.  

While it took a long time to figure out who our server was and receive attention from her, after our server made initial contact with us, she was attentive throughout our meal.  

Uva offers wine flights until 7pm which is a fun wine option (alas, the days of getting out of work before 7pm, sigh).  There are various varietal and regional red, white and champagne options.  Uva also boasts an impressive wine bottle menu, which is heavily focused on Italian wines but also featured wine from different regions.  The wine menu offered terrific wine options at every price range.

The dining menu at Uva is large and the ambiance lively.  The outdoor seating provides a more romantic vibe.  On Thursday night, there wasn't an empty table in the dining room.  We enjoyed most of the dishes we ordered so I plan on returning if I find myself on the Upper East Side again.  I would like to try a few dishes I didn't order, like the Burrata Barese and the Chicken stuffed with tomatoes, artichokes and cheese.  Some of the dishes we had fell short of expectations, like the Meatball appetizer.  So be choosy.  But at this price point, Uva can afford to have a few misses (just don't order them readers, that's why I have a "What to Eat" section ;)).

What to Eat:

The Bruschette with Ricotta and Truffle Honey is a MUST.  The creamy ricotta with a hint of truffle oil was coated in a sweet honey.The toasted bread was crusty without being burnt.  I think this is going to be my new go to appetizer or hor d'oeuvres when hosting dinner.

The Pappardelle al Ragu di Vitello was also very good.  The pappardelle noodles, my personal favorite, were cooked the way I like them, just a smidge longer than al dente.  This dish is perfect if you are hungry because Uva provides a generous portion, of its hearty veal ragu sauce.

The surprise of the night was the Chocolate Salami.  I made our server describe it twice because it sounded a bit strange yet appetizing.  The Chocolate Salami is a log of chocolate that has a cookie dough consistency with pieces of vanilla cookies in the chocolate.  The log is lightly coated with powdered sugar and served with a side of sweet whip cream.  It was delicious!

Looking for a charming Italian wine bar/restaurant? Snag a table in Uva's garden,

Your foodie friend

Fishtail (for dinner)

In need of dinner near Bloomingdales, I decided to return to Fishtail.  As you may recall, when I tried Fishtail's brunch recently, the restaurant suffered from a service issue BUT the manager stepped in and did an excellent job turning a long wait into a lovely brunch.  In light of the way the manager handled the situation, I thought I would go back to Fishtail to see if the service could live up to Fishtail's excellent food.

I was pleased that we did not experience any service hiccups during our dinner.  All of our dishes were home runs.  I think at a restaurant like Fishtail, you can't go wrong.

What to Eat:

I had to start with the Pretzel Crabcake.  This appetizer is a must.  I was blown away by it when I first tried it at brunch a few months back sand was excited to devour it again.  For those that missed my brunch post, the pretzel crusted crab cake is placed above a sweet sesame oil sauce to give the appetizer a savory and sweet mix.

And because the Lobster Scramble was such a hit at brunch, I went for the Lobster Risotto for dinner.  This night time lobster dish was equally succulent.  The risotto was buttery and filled with a generous portion of fresh lobster.  

As a side, I opted for the sauteed carrots and peas.The bowl of colorful veggies was doused in olive oil and topped with a something resembling a steak seasoning.  This side is perfect for sharing.

The mousse was not what I was expecting but still tasty.  The fluffy, milk chocolate mousse was accompanied by toasted pistachios and a scoop of ice cream.  This dessert is small so don't plan on sharing it unless all you and your dining partner want is "a bite" of chocolate.

Looking to unwind after the Bloomingdales sales rush?  Check out Fishtail,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  Sunday nights feature lobster inspired prix fixe menu for $35.  

Allison Eighteen

I wanted to like Allison Eighteen.  I loved the story behind the restaurant.  A chef making her comeback with a new restaurant.  A few of our friends went for dinner at Allison Eighteen recently and said it was great so we decided to check it out.  Don't waste your pay check readers.

On a Thursday night at 7:30, the restaurant was only a little more than half full.  We were probably one of the only tables under 40 (the average age was closer to 65).  The bar and dining room areas are well decorated but there is something sterile about Allison Eighteen. 

The service was average at best.  One of the appetizers most likely was never ordered because it showed up almost ten minutes after every one else's appetizers.  After one of our courses, we sat with dirty plates for ten minutes despite the fact that our server walked by our table and saw we were long finished.  Because the restaurant was not very busy, there really was no excuse for these kind of mistakes.

The cuisine at Allison Eighteen is nouveau American.  The food was tasty but nothing amazing.  I think NYC boasts much better restaurants in this food genre.  And at this price point, the food and service should be better than tasty and average, respectively.  The food and service should have been great and near perfect.  Allison Eighteen fell short of my expectations so I won't be back.  But if you find yourself there...

What to Eat:

Start with the Fettuccine with tomatoes, garlic, basil and parmesan.  I liked that it was offered in appetizer and entree portions. While this was delicious and perfect for an appetizer, I think as an entree it would have been unsatisfying without a protein in it (e.g. shrimp, scallops, etc).

None of the entrees were anything special so maybe stick to the Fettuccine and wine at Allison Eighteen.

Too harsh?  I hate giving bad reviews,

Your foodie friend

Crispo

There are so many things to love about Crispo. 

Attentive service: check

Delicious food: check

Italian Garden for outdoor seating: check

Crispo offers a lively atmosphere and oozes with Italian charm, making it a terrific restaurant for dinner with friends or a date night.  The servers and busboys stop by your table frequently throughout your meal to ensure your dining needs are satisfied.  I've been dining at Crispo for years now and have never left disappointed.

Crispo's menu features dozens of choices.  They are known for their Spaghetti and Meatballs but all of the pasta dishes are fantastic.  And don't neglect the specials. Occasionally a creamy burrata appetizer will pop up or a sensational branzino will be featured.

What to Eat:

Start with the Mozzarella Risotto Balls.  I recommend cutting into one first and making sure it isn't scorching hot (they usually are).  The cheesy risotto balls are incredibly savory and go well with the marinara sauce served on the side.  If you like Marinara sauce as much as I do, plan on asking for an extra cup of it.

Tonight was all about the duck dishes for us.  And when you visit, you should consider doing the same.  Order the Fettuccine and Duck Bolognese if you are very hungry.  This large portion of pasta features homemade fettuccine noodles and is very satisfying for a ravenous diner (aka me).  It was a bit salty for me but I eat my food with little to no salt so I have a hunch it is just right for the average diner.

If you are looking for something lighter, try the Duck Breast with Fig in a Port Reduction.  The duck is tender and the port reduction sauce is heavenly.  I would pour their port reduction sauce on just about anything if they would bottle it up and sell it to me. Make sure to include a slice of the figs and caramelized shallots in every bite.  The dish is also accompanied with fried pureed cauliflower balls but they are seriously upstaged by everything else on this plate.

Taking advantage of outdoor dining season? I sure am,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Pass on the Sangria if you want a drink with a kick.  It tends to be on the weak side.  Instead opt for Crispo's large Italian focused wine list.

Saxon + Parole

My outdoor dining series continues with a new hot spot, Saxon + Parole. After several failed attempts to make it to Saxon, I succeeded with my good foodie friend last night.  Saxon is a winner year round because the decor and ambiance on the inside is fabulous but it also offers over a dozen of tables outside when the weather's nice.

The restaurant is named after two 19th Century racehorses and so the decor highlights a few equestrian accessories, such as the stack of horse blankets.  Saxon is broken up into various rooms, giving the restaurant a somewhat homey feel. Music streams throughout Saxon, with a playlist that is eclectic, jumping from Elton John to Bluesy songs.

Saxon is known for its fancy cocktails so I ignored the wine menu and opted for the Spritzer that our server recommended.  The fruity alcoholic punch was a fantastic alternative to sangria on a warm, breezy night.  They offer this by the pitcher, which is a great choice.

Saxon's summer menu is light and fitting for the warm weather to come. Saxon succeeds were the Beagle failed in my opinion.  The food at Saxon is inventive without being strange and questionably appetizing.

While I enjoyed our entire experience (company included ;)), the menu is a bit pricey for the portions provided.  For example, the two medium scallops we received cost $15.  And the small portion of hanger steak was almost $30.  Like I said before, I enjoyed our meal and experience at Saxon but the price is something to be conscientious of if you are on a budget.

What to Eat:

Start with the Grilled Scallops.  These lightly grilled scallops are coated in a sweet golden raisin relish.  I could have ordered a bowl of Saxon's savory garlic cauliflower puree.

A bunch of the sides sounded appetizing to us so we ordered a few of them as our appetizers.  Order the Green Bean Salad as a starter, which is a great alternative to a leafy green salad.  The salad was packed with marcona almonds and feta cheese.  The green beans are tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette to give the salad a tangy taste.  After the Green Beans salad, we devoured our hanger steak (not pictured). The tender steak was well seasoned and accompanied with an incredible au jus sauce. 

Because the dishes are not large, you should have room for dessert.  We opted for the Chocolate Souffle and the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts.  The Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts came with a chocolate sauce and vanilla cream for dipping but the vanilla cream stole the show.  The creamy texture was a perfect coating for the airy, sugar coated donuts.  I did not care for the chocolate sauce, it tasted a bit off.

The Chocolate Souffle more than made up for the disappointing chocolate sauce that came with the doughnuts.  Unfortunately for Saxon, I had the luck of dining at La Grenoulle last week, which features the best chocolate souffle in NYC.  So while Saxon's souffle was a distant second, it was still delicious.  The inside should have been a bit more moist but the flavor was dead on with rich chocolate.

Need more outdoor dining suggestions? I'll keep them coming all summer long,

Your foodie friend