MP Taverna-Astoria

Astoria, I've missed you (food blog readers, missed you too, sorry I've been MIA)!  Astoria's Greek community always makes for a fun night out.  It's only a 30 minute subway ride on the Q or N train from midtown so there's no need to take a cab.

After a few Manhattan hits, the Greek restaurateur, Michael Psilakis, decided to branch out to Astoria with MP Taverna (there are other MP Taverna locations on the Island now as well).  It seems like a somewhat risky venture in that now he is among dozens of other already popular Greek establishments.  But Psilakis pulls it off, with a menu that includes both Greek staples and Greek inspired food adventures.  The food  is truly the star of MP Taverna.  Management will need to fine tune the rest.

Our server was over the top in welcoming us.  What he lacked in competence he made up with in warmth and gusto.  We arrived ravenous (surprised?) and asked for pita bread as soon as he greeted us.  Our server informed us that the restaurant servers pita with dinner but at our request, he would bring us pita right away.  Twenty minutes went by so we asked again, and then again 20 minutes later.  Pita, slightly heated and sliced into triangles, shouldn't take over 45 minutes to arrive at your table.

The wine menu is Greek heavy, but thankfully includes other options from the rest of the Mediterranean and California.  One of the coolest things about MP Taverna is that every bottle was available by the glass or half bottle.  Brilliant!  I wish more restaurants did this.

We opted for the 2010 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon because I was enamored with the '09 I had a few months back.  It was pretty disappointing when we noticed after the server poured the bottle into our wine glasses that despite the menu clearly stating the bottle was from 2010, the bottle was actually a 2011.  The wine was too young and the restaurant didn't have decanters (the server didn't even know what a decanter was!).  The bottle was ok, but far from the great bottle we had expected and paid for.

If you are looking for a slightly more intimate dinner, ask to be seated upstairs.  Otherwise, the dining area behind the bar is lively, playing a mix of music aimed at a mid 20's to mid 40's crowd.  This is a great place for a double date, especially if you have friends that will order family style.  The menu (including the specials) is large and narrowing down what to eat was a good problem to have.  The food is well portioned and thus easy to share.  With so many tempting choices, you'd be sad to go it alone.

While everything we had was good, there were definitely a few standouts.

What to Order:

To start, opt for the Bulgar Salad with dates, almonds, pomegranates, pistachio, red onion and olives.  This dish is served cold, tossed in a light dressing, and is packed with color, texture and flavor.  I would have preferred if the dates were chopped (they are too big to be bite sized) but other than that, this salad is an interesting alternative to the standard Greek salad (which is also on the menu).










If the Lamb Risotto is on MP Taverna's list of "Specials", you must order it.  This was hands down the best dish of the night.  MP Taverna's Lamb Risotto should be a permanent fixture on the nightly menu.  The shallow bowl of risotto was mixed with braised lamb shank, Parmesan cheese, a blend of parsley, dill, and chives, shallots, and garlic.  Despite the few service hiccups, the Lamb Risotto at MP Taverna is reason enough to return.  As you can tell from this shot, it was so good, we could barely leave it alone long enough to take a picture.









If you are looking for something light yet satisfying, order the Grilled Branzino.  The portion size, which included a side of your choice, was impressively large (and also attacked upon arrival, which explains the sad state of affair of the fish on the skillet).  The freshly caught fish was dressed with olive oil and oregano, highlighting the quality of the fish.  This dish is a nice balance to the heavier lamb dishes.

Looking for a food adventure minutes outside the city?  Once MP Taverna works out a few service kinks, I know I'll be back,

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Lafayette (Brunch)

Ok Carmenelli, we are officially through.  No more disappointing brunches or dinners.  No more terrible service.  The only highlights of my brunch at Lafayette were the company and the outdoor seating, neither of which are remotely related to your cooking and service, the essence of your restaurants.

Carmenelli, you have a Patisserie located on the premises of Lafayette so your croissants should be exceptional and fresh.  But my chocolate croissant had a hard, log of chocolate in it.  While the dough was light and flaky, there is no way you can pawn that underwhelming treat off as a freshly made croissant.

Both of our mains were terribly overcooked.  The Brussels style (aka Belgium) Waffle with Nutella was charred in some places.  And the whipped cream on top was flavorless, so the waffle needed much more nutella then was lightly drizzled on the charred waffle.  Also, the Smoked Salmon in the Benedict was thoroughly cooked so it was like eating a cooked piece of salmon (not even cooked to medium rare), not a savory breakfast dish.

The service was worse at brunch than at dinner.  We repeatedly had to ask the server to serve us (e.g. take our order, deliver maple syrup for the waffles, bring us the bill, etc...).  It took asking twice and twenty minutes to bring out the maple syrup, by which time the waffles were cold, which certainly didn't improve its already lackluster taste.

What to Eat:

If you are stuck eating at Lafayette for brunch, the only item that was delicious was the Eggs Lafayette, Lafayette's take on deviled eggs.  The hard boiled egg halves were piled high with a puree of smoked sablefish, and then topped with trout caviar.  I would order at least one of these per person.

Anyone else cross Carmenelli's restaurants off their list?  I know I won't be back,

Your foodie friend

Lafayette

With all the new French restaurants opening up, I decided to have an impromptu French food week.  Lafayette now occupies the ominous Chinatown Brasserie space.  There's always something strange about walking into a restaurant in it's new incarnation, especially when it is so different from its predecessor.

Lafayette tries really hard to be the new "it" French brasserie, cheesy "french" waitress costumes and all.  While the decor works, the costumes certainly don't.  The one huge plus to Lafayette is the abundance of outdoor seating.  Despite it's location across from a parking lot, it is actually quiet a charming set up.

The menu focuses on seasonal ingredients, which is great for snow pea and radish fans (are there any radish fans???, there was certainly a lot of radish featured on the menu).  The wine menu is French centric and overpriced.  Not to say that there aren't great selections, we were happy with the Sancerre we ordered, but the prices are pretty close to gouging.  I don't think you should have to spend $80 to get a good bottle of wine wine, after all this isn't Per Se.

The service was awkward throughout the meal.  Our server constantly tried to get us to order our meal, which was ridiculous and unnecessary, we were there on the early side and the dining room was largely empty.  Once we finally caved to her hounding, she asked if we wanted our dishes coursed, we we did.  Despite her offer and our acceptance, everything arrived at the same time.

The dessert menu was lame, lacking traditional French favorites like souffles and tartins.  We ended up going elsewhere for dessert.  

Despite having a patisserie on the premises, Andrew Carmenelli does nothing with the bread basket tossed on your table.  Overall, I felt that most of the dishes we ordered were average.  The scallops were small and overcooked, with the best thing on the plate being the snow peas.  Strangely, we noticed the table across from us got up in the middle of their entrees and left after barely touching their food.  Perhaps we weren't the only diners underwhelmed with Lafayette.  At Lafayette's price point, Carmenelli needs to up his game.

What to Eat:

Start with the Octopus, the large, thick tendril is placed over thinly sliced, sauteed onions and peppers.  The plate is also garnished with pureed eggplant and drizzled olive oil.  Octopus is plentiful these days so you may think why bother, but I appreciated the rusticness of this dish.  And the freshness of the octopus was top notch.

Another fabulous starter is the Snap Peas with Pureed Ricotta and Salsa Verte (oh ya, and radishes on top, easily pushed to the side).  This was a winner because it was simple, different, and delicious.  This appetizer is perfect for a sweltering, summer day.  The pureed ricotta hidden under the snap peas were an excellent contrast to the light, chilled salsa verte dressing.

The Short Rib Ravioli special was hands down the best dish of the night.  The delicate home made ravioli noodles where packed with a tender, braised short rib.  The dish was finished off with an aged balsamic vinegar and Parmesan topping.  This dish was so good it made me sad I had to share it.  

Carmenelli, you get one last shot for brunch at Lafayette before I write you off entirely, who wants in?

Your foodie friend

Avoid at all costs: Maine Crab a la Nage.  We sent this gelatinous, foul tasting dish back it was so bad.  This should be removed from the menu, I can't see how anyone could enjoy a luke warm gelatin with tiny slivers of crab in it.

Taverna

NYC's oppressive heat waves always make me crave Greek food.  Taverna, located in Gramercy, recently replaced the longstanding Lyric diner.  As someone that actively avoids diners, I was pretty stoked with the neighborhood upgrade.

Taverna has dozens of tables for sidewalk seating (for when the weather is below 90+ degrees).  Fair warning readers, the service was far from great.  After being ignored for 10 minutes, we had to call over our waitress to take our order.  We then had to flag her down to check on our food (I'm pretty sure it shouldn't take 30 minutes to prepare a Greek salad).  And this was when the restaurant was at least half empty.  

But the food was well worth tolerating the negligent service, as you can probably tell from the bright colors of the fresh ingredients in the Greek salad.  Every dish we ordered was a hit.  The menu was packed with so many enticing options I could easily go back every night this week and order something new.

What To Eat:

Even though it is meant to be a side, I decided to start with the Fasolakia, which is green beans stewed in a tomato sauce.  Taverna's green beans were the best green beans I've ever had at any Greek restaurant anywhere, including Greek restaurants in Greece.  The green beans were cooked to perfection, and tossed in a thick tomato sauce, with diced carrots (the diced carrots were a welcomed addition that I've never seen before in Fasolakia).  

For an entree, we devoured the Youvetsi Thalassinon, which is also known as Greek paella.  This savory orzo dish is practically overflowing with fresh scallops, shrimp, octopus, and mussels. The light orzo noodles are tossed in a buttery, feta tomato sauce.  This is a great choice if you are struggling to decide which seafood dish to go with (because Taverna offers quite a few).

Looking to take advantage of the break in the heat this weekend? Pull up a chair at on of Taverna's sidewalk tables,

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Amali

I know I've been neglecting my beloved food blog.  Partly because I am swamped with work and dance but also because I haven't been inspired to write.  I am tired of saying "good food, bad service" or "average food, bad service".  Why is it so hard to find good service AND good food in NYC?

But alas, after eating at Amali, a charming Mediterranean restaurant near Bloomingdale's, I am once again inspired to pound the letters on my keyboard.  Amali's menu doesn't focus on just one country but instead incorporates Greek, Italian and other Mediterranean countries to create a diverse and delicious offering.

The restaurant is somewhat reminiscent of it's Greek sister restaurant Periyali, which I also enjoyed (reviewed here: http://forthefoodieinallofus.blogspot.com/2013/03/periyali.html).  The white walls are contrasted with red upholstery, hinting at the eclectic Mediterranean cuisine that will follow.  Also like Periyali, a medium sized bar area lines the front of the restaurant.

From the moment we were seated, we were promptly and warmly greeted by our server.  We had warned him we were in a rush and he made sure to bring out the food so quickly we had time to spare.  He had an impressive in depth knowledge of the menu and it's exotic ingredients.  You could tell from the moment you met our server that he took pride in providing impeccable service.

After discussing the menu with our server, Amali delivered a bowl of dense, thickly sliced seven grain bread with seasoned olive oil.  The hearty yet soft bread was a welcomed surprise/departure from pita typically served at Greek restaurants or Italian/focaccia bread served at Italian restaurants.

Amali boasts a large wine menu, with white and red options from all over the globe.  Because we were ordering a few seafood items (and it was over 90 degrees out), we went with a crisp bottle of Sancerre, which went perfectly with all of our food choices.  Amali allows you to bring "unique" bottles for a corkage fee.  Sadly, I forgot to ask what that meant but my inclination is that the restaurant allows corkage for bottles not featured on the menu, which if that's the case, I'm a fan (on my to do list to call back and inquire...seeing that I will be back).

What to Eat:

We started with one of the specials, the Heirloom Tomato Over Whipped Ricotta with Basil Leaves.  I hope this is a special that appears all summer because it certainly is worth repeating.  The large, colorful tomato slices where placed on top of a bed of airy, ricotta cheese.  The texture of the ricotta cheese was so light it was hard to believe it was ricotta.  The sweet tomatoes were then topped with different varietals of basil leaves.  We needed extra bread to ensure we did not leave a speck of the delectable cheese behind.

Another appetizer must is the Spanish Octopus a la Plancha, with olives, potatoes, celery and oregano.  You can see from the picture, it looks like the appetizer is lined up, inviting you to aggressively dive in to each bite.  The plump octopus tenderils were moist, which is not a term I would usually use to describe octopus, but they were.  The octopus was topped with a mixture of greens, olives, small diced potatoes, and slices of raw celery.  This was a fantastic light dish on a hot summer night.

Somehow, my picture of the Line Caught Local Dorade did not turn out.  Nevertheless, the dish was perfection.  The whole fish is grilled and then presented at the table so that the server could confirm that I would like the fish filleted.  Amali takes great pride in the quality and accuracy of its seafood.  The dorade was no exception.  I wish this simple, yet flavorful fish, was offered at more restaurants.

The fish does not come with sides, which was a bit strange for a Mediterranean restaurant.  Luckily, the Oven Roasted Broccoli 

with Pine Nuts and Salmoriglio appetizer seemed like a suitable choice for a side.  Salmoriglio is a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.  The broccoli was packed with so much flavor that despite not having cream, my husband was willing to eat it.

Looking to escape the Bloomingdale's chaos?  Amali will provide you with an inviting and enticing reprieve from your shopping madness,

Your foodie friend

Wong

Wong is yet another West Village super hyped restaurant that I had impatiently waited to try.  Plans were cancelled, the restaurant was closed for a paint job, etc...Finally, we had the chance to check it out with our good foodie friend from Cali.

Did it live up to the hype?  A few dishes did (see below).  But I was underwhelmed with the Lobster Egg Foo Young, rated as one of the best dishes of 2012.  It came out as a hodgepodge of ingredients that competed against each other, and left me wondering what was so extraordinary about it.

Wong didn't/doesn't have air conditioning, which was more than a bit stifling in the summer heat.  The service was friendly at first but wholly inattentive throughout our meal.  We sat with our finished dinner plates for at least a half an hour and then had to beg for a check.  Also, I was a bit underwhelmed by the sparse wine menu.  Luckily, there is a wine store around the corner so you can pick up something you want to drink and just pay the corkage fee.

What to Eat:

Start with the Duck Buns and don't agree to share these!  The duck buns are listed under a small plates so if you want this for an entree, maybe order 3 servings for 2 people.  I promise that you will NEED more than 1 duck bun per person.  The duck buns are practically overflowing with black bean marinated, delicately shredded duck breast, and then topped with Chinese celery.  Wong's doughy buns (it's hard not to chuckle reading that) are worth abandoning a carb free lifestyle.  Just writing this makes me want to go back and order more.  We tried at least half of the menu at Wong, and if it wasn't for the Duck Buns, I certainly wouldn't return.

The other standout at Wong is the Crispy Cauliflower, a spicy side dish. The pan fried cauliflower is tossed in a hot peanut sauce and is a generous serving for a side dish.

Craving duck?  Wong will satisfy that hankering (even if it doesn't satisfy others),

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:

Wong offers a Duckavore Dinner for 4 people, which consists of several different duck preparations (e.g. Duck Bun, Duck Noodles, Duck Meatballs, etc...).  It is pricey, at $65/person, but after snarfing down the Duck Bun, I would consider trying this feast.  In order to secure the Duckavore Dinner, you must give Wong 48 hours notice.

Riverpark (brunch)

While Riverpark might be tricky to locate, it is certainly worth the hunt.  My best advise is to tell the cab driver to drop you off at the corner of 29th and 1st (if you are not traveling by foot/subway...once you are there, you can make the cabbie drive you up the ramp or proceed by foot).  If you hit the water, you went to far.  You will see a newly built glass building adjacent to the water.  To enter it, you must use the revolving doors at the top of the ramp, all of the other entrances are locked.

It sounds like a lot of work for a meal but I promise you will be rewarded for your efforts.  If you managed to avoid getting lost, you will notice the Riverpark garden, which grows fresh herbs for the restaurant.  The dark, modern dining room is enclosed by tall glass windows.  The tables in the back of the restaurant face the East River.  Weather permitting, I prefer to sit outside, along the water.  There are communal tables in the sun and individual tables in the shade.  They even have heat lamps (when it's 70 degrees out) for wimps like me :)

The service at Riverpark, like most Tom Colicchio restaurants, runs like a well oiled machine.  The hostesses are attentive and organized, efficiently doling out the choice outdoor tables.  Once seated, your water is promptly filled and you are warmly greeted by the server.  Throughout the meal our server would check in to make sure we were satisfied with our selections and the maitre di stopped by towards to end to ensure we enjoyed our experience.

The brunch menu features traditional brunch cocktails, like Mimosas and Bloody Mary's, and an impressive wine by the glass selection.  There are small pours for lightweights.

We decided to kick off brunch with the freshly baked Cinnamon Rolls, which were warm, doughy and excellent.  I'm a big icing fan so I would recommend asking for extra if you are like me and suffer from a vicious sweet tooth.

What to Eat:

Riverpark does an excellent Grilled Bread & Avocado starter.  A thick layer of ripe avocado is spread over toasted country bread, and then topped with freshly cracked pepper and sea salt. This dish largely relies on the quality of the avocado and finding ripe avocados in NYC isn't easy.  But Tom C delivers.  The Californian in me loves nothing more than a simple avocado toast on a warm spring day (or any day for that matter).

Fara wins best pick at brunch hands down.  The French Toast at Riverpark is a must.  The quality of the ingredients in this dish is even more impressive than the already impressive avocado toast.  A large dollop of home made whipped cream and sweet red currants top the three slices of thick, doughy brioche.  The french toast was so sweet and tasty it didn't even need maple syrup.  It is just the right size if you made sure to share starters and/or sides with your dining companion(s).

Looking for a classy brunch with a view?  Riverpark is perfect for this (and any) season,

Your foodie friend

Poco

Poco is a cute little restaurant in the East Village that is known for it's bottomless boozy brunches.  In need of a bite before a birthday party in the East Village, I thought I would try Poco for dinner.  One would think a restaurant that does a tasty brunch could serve a competent dinner.  Wrong, totally and utterly wrong.

Poco has a handful of tables that run along the length of the restaurant, which was exactly what I was in the market for on the first 80 degree day of spring.  Sadly, that was just about the last thing I enjoyed about this experience.

I ordered a Margarita.  Pretty standard drink, especially at a Pan Latin restaurant.  It was terrible.  I couldn't put my finger on it.  It's not that it was too weak or too sour, it just tasted bad.  Perhaps Poco used bad ingredients???

And then it got worse.  As you can see from this picture, the octopus was scaley and had holes in it (wtf?).  Perhaps the seafood was so far past fresh the kitchen overcooked it in an attempt to avoid killing its patrons.  No one should order this dish, ever.  It was down right offensive.  After picking around the octopus, so I could munch on the tomatoes and green beans to calm the growl in my stomach, I finally gave up.

But the dish sat there, for at least a half an hour.  No one noticed that the octopus was untouched, asked why, etc...My next tapas dish arrived and due to the starvation setting in, I snarfed it down.  Once that plate was empty, the waitress asked if she could take both plates away, somehow missing the fact that the main ingredient in the octopus tapas remained untouched.  I told her that she needed to take it away and take it off my bill because it was terrible and should not be served, to anyone, ever.

What to Eat:

If you end up meeting someone for a happy hour drink, stick to the beer.  For food, I would recommend the Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp sauteed in olive oil and garlic).  This is a dish for garlic lovers.  The fresh, plump shrimp were generously coated in a garlicky olive oil and placed over slices of toasted french bread.  This tapas comes with four shrimp so it would work as an appetizer for one person.  Since I wasn't sick from my meal, Poco's seafood problem doesn't appear to be universal.

Enough Pan-Latin postings? Poco certainly put a halt to my Pan-Latin food kick,

Your foodie friend

Yuca Bar

Since Mitch's cousins are regulars at Yuca Bar on the lower east side, I needed to know why.   Armed with my favorite foodies, we attempted to order half of the extremely large, tapas centric menu family style  The server, however, had the audacity to tell me that we were ordering too much.  If I did, then I would take it home or leave it behind.  And more importantly, the server clearly underestimated how much food I could eat.

Yuca Bar is a typical square box dining room in the Lower East Side. The low ceilings made it necessary to shout across the table, which, as long as you have good hearing, you eventually acclimate (although I felt badly for the servers who will undoubtedly go deaf sometime in the near future).   The better option is the sidewalk seating now that it is FINALLY spring.   Yuca Bar's drink menu had all of the standard Latin themed drinks, mojitos, margaritas, sangria, but the machine making frozen drinks was broken so we couldn't try their revered Yuca Sunrise, a blend of Sangria and Frozen Margarita.   I loved my strong margarita  BUT it was tiny.

Every dish was tasty (and devoured) but a few dishes stood out more than others.  The only disappointment of the night were the desserts.  We ordered three, partly because we were still hungry and partly because the dessert menu listed some of my favorites (chocolate souffle, bread pudding, churros).  The souffle, which was a lava cake, was overcooked, the bread pudding had a strange coconut flavor that was not listed on the menu and the churros weren't doughy enough.  Luckily, the neighborhood surrounding Yuca Bar is filled with bakeries and other fabulous dessert options (e.g. Chickalicious, Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, etc...) so if your sweet tooth is as vicious as mine, you will have no problem finding something worth savoring near by.

What to Eat:

I don't like ribs.  Not sure why, but I never have.  If Yuca Bar's Espresso Baby Back Ribs (Espresso BBQ Costillitas) doesn't turn you into a ribs fan, nothing will.  The meat falls right off the bone.  And the slightly sweet espresso sauce doesn't have much coffee flavor so this shouldn't scare off people like me who don't like coffee.  This appetizer comes with four hearty ribs so it can easily be shared with a group of four.

Another table favorite was the Shrimp Skewers with a Mango and Papaya salad and Coconut Rice (Antucuchos de Camaron).  The chipotle marinated shrimp had only a tiny kick to it which was the right amount for me.  The plump shrimp were grilled to perfection, as you can see from the tiny char marks on the skewers.  The rice served on the side brought back tasty memories of our Columbia vacation. I'd kill for this recipe! 

We only ordered one entree (because the server told us we had already ordered more than enough food), the Brazilian Tomato & Coconut Broth with Shrimp and Octopus (Moqueca da Bahia).   You probably can't go wrong ordering at Yuca Bar but we definitely struck food gold on this choice.  This seafood stew was filled with slices of octopus, medium sized shrimp, and long slices of hearts of palm.  The coconut broth gave the tomato sauce a rich, slightly creamy texture.

Looking for another stop on your Cinco de Mayo Sunday Funday? Yuca Bar will keep the party going,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  Yuca Bar offers incredible deals during the week, including: half price tapas until 8pm on Tuesday and half price happy hour drinks on weekday nights until 8pm.

Perla

I had been dying to try Perla.  DYING!  Needless to say, my expectations were high.  We went somewhat last minute and were happy to snag two seats at the bar.  Luckily, the bar area serves the full menu.

While the food may be rustic Italian, there is nothing rustic Italian about the decor and ambiance.  Beautiful 20 and 30 somethings can be seen bobbing their head to solid old school hip hop and R&B tunes. Shiny red leather banquettes line the walls while a communal table runs down the middle of the dining room.

I love Focaccia bread so I was pretty pumped when it arrived.  Dry focaccia, however, is just down right bad.  I figured the amuse bouche ricotta crostini would make up for it but there was barely any ricotta and way too much honey and pepper.  The balance of flavors was all off so it just tasted like peppered honey.



Flavors that tasted off seemed to be the theme of the night.  The Agnoletti we ordered was clearly freshly made but the flavors tasted wrong.  Was the cheese bad?  Or did they use the wrong type of cheese?  Tough to say.  And yet this dish was still better than the Gnocci, which was clearly not homemade and a huge disappointment.  With the exception of the champagne and my company, Perla was not off to a good start.

What to Eat:

The only truly appetizing dish of the night was the Duck Breast, which was placed on a bed of cabbage, and then glazed with a plum balsamic and topped with golden raisins.  The tender slices of duck breast literally melted in my mouth.  The cabbage was lacking -- the duck would have benefited from a more satisfying puree of any sort (celery root, cauliflower, potato, etc...).

I can't fathom why this place is so hyped.  Sure, I enjoyed my champagne and duck but there were way to many miss hits to even consider venturing back.

Looking for top pasta in NYC? Perla can't hack it,

Your foodie friend

Emily's Chocolate

No, Emily's Chocolate isn't a restaurant.  This post is a shout out to one of my new favorite chocolate companies, Emily's.  Emily's is located in Washington (not D.C.) but ships everywhere (thankfully, now that I've depleted my stock, I need to order more).  I love chocolate but not all chocolate is created equal (Emily's website features this saying, one of my favorites, on its the website).  Emily's is such high quality chocolate that after eating it, you'll never look at a Hershey's bar the same way.

Not only does Emily's offer mouth watering morsels, the packaging for each product is classy yet fun so it makes for a perfect gift.  Emily's has all of the classics, like chocolate covered almonds and chocolate covered raisins.  It also boasts a few inventive options, like chocolate covered blueberries.  For those that cannot eat chocolate (or those that say they "don't like chocolate", which is my mind is blasphemy), Emily's offers tasty nut and dried fruit assortments.


What to Order:

The Milk Chocolate Covered Graham Cracker-the thick layer of rich, milk chocolate coating the honey flavored graham cracker  makes your inner child (devil on your shoulder) want to shove the whole treat in your mouth at once.  The slightly more mature angel on your shoulder reminds you to take small bites so that you can savor the dessert.  At least this is one struggle you'll enjoy and can't lose.





If I could only pick one (which thankfully I don't have to do, ever) chocolate product from Emily's, it would be the Dark Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookie.  Each cookie is individually wrapped, presumably to dissuade you from eating the entire tub in one sitting.  Apparently, the Emily's team hasn't met me.  Back to the cookie, the thick layer of mint is sandwiched in between two moist chocolate cookies and then generously coated in a decadent layer of chocolate ganache.  These are so outrageous, I'll never look at a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie again (fine, never say never but if I had a choice, it wouldn't be close, Emily's wins hands down).

Looking for a great gift to ship anytime of year (or even better, chocolaty treats for yourself)?  Here's Emily's Chocolates website: http://www.emilyschocolates.com/

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  They make a peanut butter version of the sandwich cookie for peanut butter lovers.

Proof-Washington DC

In honor of spring and Cherry Blossom season, this post is from my recent visit to Washington D.C.

I LOVE DC.  I would move there in a heartbeat.  I would trade the lit up Capital building for the NYC skyline any day.  Sadly, a life in DC is not in my cards.  Instead, I get to enjoy visiting.  The DC food scene has heated up the last five years (finally).  On our recent visit, good friends spoiled us with a night out at Proof, located near the Verizon Center in Chinatown. 

Proof has a fair amount of outdoor seating, which will make this an excellent dinner choice for the next few months.  The menu also features an extensive charcuterie menu so Proof is also a great idea for after work (or before the game, or just because ;)) wine, meats and cheeses.

Our server provided us with clever magnified lights which were necessary to read the menu in the dimly lit dining room.  The modern decor (from what I could see of it) incorporated wine bottles for walling off sections of the restaurant.  Needless to say, I was sold from the moment I saw the wine bottle walls.

Proof offers an extensive wine list but I had a hankering for the Hall Cab we tried to order at Arlington Club a few weeks ago so we decided to bring a bottle with us.  Like most restaurants in DC, Proof only charges a $25 corkage fee.  It seems like the restaurants in NYC that charge a $25 corkage fee are few and far between.

The service was attentive throughout the meal.  Actually, the service during our entire weekend in DC was attentive and warm.  I've been frustrated with the sub-par service in NYC lately and it was refreshing to be waited on by people that actually cared about their job (and did not insult you repeatedly during your meal).

Proof ran out of the entree I picked for the night, the only minor disappointment on an otherwise perfect night. Every dish we had was outstanding, and I'm hoping next year to return when the weather is nice enough to take advantage of their outdoor seating.

What to Eat:

Start with the Whipped Pipe's Dream Goat Cheese with Clover Honey. This is a perfect appetizer to share for the table.  I was not expecting a deconstructed flat bread but it tasted fabulous all the same.  The goat cheese was topped by rosemary, thyme, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  While the goat cheese may look like an unappetizing blob in this picture, I guarantee that you will savor every bite.

The other standout appetizer of the night was the Warm Duck Confit with Scallion Hush Puppies.  The picture does not do this appetizer justice.  Not even close.  The appetizer is topped with pickled mushrooms and a salsa verde, which I quickly brushed to the side because I wanted to get to why I ordered this.  I enjoyed the contrast of the crispy skin with the tender duck meat.  The duck confit was only bested by scallion hush puppies, a lightly fried corn bread and scallion mixture.  I guess Proof does this as an appetizer because it may be too heavy as an entree.  But I could have handled an entree size (my stomach that is, arteries, maybe not so much).

For dessert, order the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream.  I usually order a sticky toffee pudding cake when I see it on a menu because it is my favorite non-chocolate dessert.  I was a bit skeptical when the dessert arrived because it had a strange looking wafer on top but looks are deceiving. Proof has hands down the best Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake I've ever had.   The moist cake, mixed with slices of almonds, laid on a bed off melted toffee.  Mitch usually only has a bite or two of whatever dessert I order and leaves the rest for me to devour.  But Proof's sticky toffee pudding cake was so good, he ate half (upsetting the delicate balance in our relationship that is controlled by my unrelenting sweet tooth), the nerve ;)

Looking for a good foodie destination near NYC (and maybe some sightseeing)?  Proof should be your first dining stop in DC,

Your foodie friend

Arlington Club

Steakhouses in NYC have become somewhat of a dime a dozen .  But there are a few that stand out in my mind (stay tuned for a review on my favorite steak house).  Our good friends on the Upper East Side love to sink their teeth in to a prime piece of meat so with the new Arlington Club steak house opening, we thought it was the perfect double date.


Arlington Club is perfect for a man looking to pick up a 45-55 year old women with a frightening amount of plastic surgery, giving the phrase "meat market" a whole new meaning.  Oh, and the food is pretty damn good too.  Despite our 8pm reservation, we had to wait 30 minutes for our table.  If the small bar area wasn't jam packed with cat women pushing our group closer and closer to the door, I wouldn't have minded the wait.

The entire space is stunning, with high ceilings, gold trim, and back lighting that gives the dining room a warm glow.  Arlington Club literally buzzed with energy.

Once we were seated, we were greeted with a bowl of freshly baked popovers, coated in a melted medley of cheese and a side of sour pickles.

The service at Arlington Club was negligent throughout the night, with the exception of the sommelier.  We ordered the Hall '09 Cab but Arlington Club ran out of it so the sommelier came over to apologize and recommend the 2009 CJ Melka.  He promised it was comparable in price and flavor and that if we didn't love it, the restaurant would take it back.  The wine was a perfect match and I am grateful for the fantastic recommendation (I proceeded to go home and order a case :)).  The sommelier came back to check on us to ensure we enjoyed his selection.

The rest of the wait staff, however, could not be bothered with us.  Requests for fresh pepper for a caesar salad were ignored, one steak was under cooked and took over 20 minutes to return to the table, and despite ordering our own appetizers, entrees and a few desserts, the server did not once ask if we were enjoying our meal/dishes.  The only consolation is that the service wasn't down right insulting like some of the restaurants I've visited recently.

What to Eat:

Share the House Fries.  It comes with a house dipping sauce but I don't recall what it was (or if it was anything besides ketchup, I blame the CJ Melka).  These slightly spiced fries were not crispy (my kind of fry) so if you are into crispy fries, you may want to request that they are prepared accordingly.  Whatever spice Arlington Club coated these fries in made them addictive.  The sides (and just about everything we ordered) are large portions so you only need one for every two people.






For an entree, go with the Skirt Steak.  The filet was good but no better than any other filet in town.  The skirt steak, however, was so flavorful I forgot to use the red wine shallot sauce I ordered on the side.  The perfectly cooked meat arrived with a slightly caramelized slice of onion, which I should have requested more of (this would make a great side dish for the table to share).









Save room for dessert, although not an easy task at Arlington Club.  Go with the Warm Sticky Date Pudding.  The server recommended the chocolate raspberry layer cake, which like the filet, was good, but nothing to write a blog about.  The sticky date pudding, however, was outrageous.  The warm sticky date pudding with melted toffee was moist, sweet and gone in a few minutes.  I requested the milk-popcorn ice cream instead of the ginger toffee which was also a hit.

Trendy restaurants on the Upper East Side? Who Knew,

Your foodie friend


Insider tip:  If you are a Caesar salad person, this appetizer is a must.  I don't like Caesar salad but the rest of the diners at the table agreed that it was impressive both in taste and size (it was easily big enough for two people).

The Dutch (brunch)

I'm a morning person, an early morning person.  I love NYC before dawn, when the streets are dark and empty and you feel like the whole city is yours and yours alone.  The other thing I love about morning is breakfast food.  There is nothing more comforting than a table filled with your favorite childhood eats, like donuts, eggs and muffins.  So on a cold winter morning, I decided to warm up at the Dutch for brunch.  While the service was a bit chilly, the comfort food did the trick.

The Dutch isn't a new kid on the block anymore but the staff sure act like they are too cool for school (or to serve you, the irony).  But the Dutch's cute bistro feel makes up for the "you are lucky to have me as your server" attitude.

While the Dutch is well known for it's dinner, it only offers its fried chicken at lunch or brunch so the brunch time menu is worth a separate visit.  Try to get there before noon and you'll enjoy a less crowded experience and a leisurely pace.  The front room is a scene while the backroom is a bit quieter.

What to Eat:

Start with the Pastry Basket (which you can see is served on a wood cutting board).  All three freshly baked items are served warm.  The banana muffin was my favorite but the glazed donut was a close second.  The banana muffin brings back childhood memories of eating banana bread hot out of the oven.  And the crumble on top was perfection.  The glazed donut is dangerously delicious (and I'm sure cholesterol free ;)).  It's good they only put one in the "basket".  The cheesy scone was not my person taste (I prefer sweet pastries) but it was moist and well executed.

You'd be missing out if you went to the Dutch for brunch or lunch and didn't order their Fried Chicken.  The intensely seasoned fried chicken skin is crispy (but not greasy) while the chicken meat is moist and piping hot.  The dish comes with a side of freshly baked, lightly glazed honey butter biscuits.

For an egg dish, the Soft Scrambled Eggs with smoked salmon and trout roe make you want to rethink how you make eggs at home.  The eggs are slow cooked  to give them a creamy texture. I plan on making them this weekend at home ;).

Need a last minute brunch spot?  Just go before noon,

Your foodie friend

El Toro Blanco

Let's start off with the good at El Toro Blanco.  Almost everything we ordered.  Now to the bad.  Surly/barely competent wait staff and sour margaritas.  You can tell from the Guacamole that this place serves legit Mexican food.  Which says a lot coming from Southern California girl.  El Toro's guaca reviles my guac and is probably the best in town.  It definitely had a kick to it so if you need something milder, speak up when you order (it is freshly prepared but not prepared table side).

Back to the service.  Margaritas that were supposed to have no salt arrived salted.  Traditional margaritas on the rocks, probably the least complicated thing we ordered, were awful and tasted like sour mix.  When I informed our waiter that the margaritas tasted like sour mix, he proceeded to lecture us that the restaurant puts 2 (whole) ounces of tequila in the margarita and then told us he was concerned that we would be too drunk (mind you this was our first drink of the night) if the restaurant fixed them as per our request (so they would essentially taste correct).  Apparently, he didn't want to stick to bad service and preferred to move on to down right insulting.

Luckily, the great company at the table and the impressive food helped us laugh about the horrendous wait staff and enjoy our night.  Sadly, I think bad service is endemic to the West Village.   

What to Eat:

Go with a small group and order family style.  With all of the impressive appetizers, I would recommend ordering more apps and less entrees at El Toro Blanco.  I wouldn't recommend going with a group larger than 4-6 because it's very loud so there's no chance you will hear the person sitting more than two seats away from you.  We started off with the Short Rib Empanadas, which consisted of three empanadas, stuffed with tender, braised pulled short ribs and a hint of oaxaca cheese.  The empanadas come with an ancho bbq sauce but you probably won't need it because the small empanadas are moist and packed with flavor.

Another big hit was the Octopus Tacos.  The two soft corn tortillas were filled with marinated octopus slices, avocado, and a citrus slaw.  I would recommend ordering enough for everyone to have their own taco because the octopus tacos are too good to have anything less than one taco to yourself.  Octopus appears on menus all over NYC now but I would have never thought to pair tacos and octopus.  The pairing totally worked and if I ever end up at El Toro again, this will be the first thing I order.

 I also enjoyed the Shrimp Tacos, although after devouring the octopus tacos, the shrimp tacos felt a little less exciting.  Every bit as tasty, just something you've seen before.  El Toro Blanco does a great job presenting the tray of tacos, putting lime slices on each side of the taco to help keep them propped up.  

Eventually we made it to the entrees.  The standout for the night was the Carne Tampiquena, a slow cooked, juicy skirt steak.  Ignore the lame cheese enchilada El Toro Blanco tosses on the plate, it's just as lackluster as Toloache's.  

The Elote de Calle was the best side of the night.  The corn, sliced off the cob, is seasoned with red chile powder and crumbled cheese.  Every time I pass a NYC street fair corn vendor, it will remind me of the infinitely better tasting (and easier to consume) version at El Toro.  Thankfully, El Toro serves a large bowl of the delectable corn.

For dessert, we opted for an order of Churros for the table.  While the churros were tasty, the ducle de leche dipping sauce stole the show.  If El Torro would bottle it up and sell it, I'd buy a case.

Looking for a hot spot to escape this never ending NYC winter? I know it's technically spring, it just doesn't feel like it,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Do not order the shrimp empanada.  It was fishy and in retrospect I should have sent it back.  It was the only bad dish we had all night.

Sarabeth's

While Sarabeth's has become synonymous with brunch, perhaps the best thing about Sarabeth's is dinner.  Don't get me wrong, I love their brunch (stay tuned for my brunch post), but their dinner menu is the true show stopper.  Also, because most people don't know Sarabeth's serves dinner, dinner time is a much more tranquil experience than the chaotic, overcrowded brunch scene.

Sarabeth's dinner menu is huge so there is definitely something for everyone.  I have to go back to try two of the dishes that initially attracted me to the menu (the Halibut and Scallops).

Sarabeth's kicked off the night with a bread basket featuring some of my favorites, like focaccia and walnut raisin rolls.  Good luck not ruining your meal on the freshly baked bread.

And the wine menu is one of the best in the city.  Sarabeth's offers more top quality, reasonably priced wines than any restaurant I've seen lately.  There were excellent choices by the glass (we served the Heller Cabernet Sauvignon at our wedding), half bottle and full bottle.  With the huge, open bar area in the front and a tasty bar menu, Sarabeth's is actually a pretty good happy hour option.

What to Eat:


Get an order of Pretzel Bread for the table (even if there is only two of you :)).  This is actually listed as a bar snack but is available on the regular menu.  Regardless of where you are sitting, the pretzel bread is worth ordering.  The three long, doughy pretzel baguettes arrive warm at your table with a side of grain mustard.  Turns out the pretzel bread is great for dipping in the guacamole as well.

Another great appetizer that is meant to be shared is the Jumbo Lump Crab Guacamole.  The guacamole was solid but the fresh, large chunks of jumbo lump crab, piled a few inches high, makes this appetizer a stand out.  I would have never thought to add jumbo lump crab to guacamole but I'm glad Sarabeth's did.  Sarabeth's prides itself on serving the guacamole with homemade potato chips.  I'm not much of a chips person so I asked my server for a substitute.  The birthday girl keenly noticed steak tartar on the menu so we asked for toast slices and our server kindly obliged.

A MUST: The Adult Grilled Cheese with Creamy Tomato Soup (I took this from a bad angle, sorry readers). Sarbeth's melts a mixture of gruyere and cheddar cheeses on its delicious pretzel bread.  Don't be shy about dipping your sandwich in the soup.  You are missing out if you eat them separately because the creamy tomato soup is the most decadent condiment I've ever had.

Thought Sarabeth's was only a brunch spot?  Think again, the dinner was even better,

Your foodie friend





Insider tip:  Skip dessert, we tried several and they ranged from bad (the vanilla raspberry bread pudding is served somewhere between cold and luke warm) to average (some of the cookies on the cookie plate were tasty).  For a restaurant known for their baked goods, it was disappointing to end the night on lackluster desserts.  The good news is that you will probably be too full from all of the delicious apps and entrees to even consider dessert.