Abe & Arthur's

As is typical of trendy restaurants, despite the fact that they will give up your table if you are more than 15 minutes late, they have no problem making you wait for over 15 minutes.  And despite noticing handfuls of empty tables once were were seated, we waited about 20 minutes for our table in Abe & Arthur's bar area.  Luckily, the bar area at Abe & Arthur's is comfortable, with plenty of high stools at the bar and low lying benches nearby.  Even though it was 8:30 pm on a Friday night, we had no problem getting the bartender's attention and plenty of room to enjoy our drinks.

Once you are seated, instead of receiving a bread basket, Abe & Arthur's delivers warm pop overs to your table, a fun take on a standard bread offering (sorry no picture, they were hastily devoured).  The wine menu featured wines from all over the world and varietals for everyone but nothing so outstanding to write about.  Abe & Arthur's corkage charge is reasonable so I would recommend bringing your favorite red to go with the steak.

While I noticed dozens of staff buzzing around the restaurant during our meal, our server was awful.   We waited awhile to be greeted and had to ask for water and bread.  Also, shortly after we finished our apps, my husband ordered another cocktail from our server while we waited for our steak to arrive (I declined another glass of wine b/c mine was still about half full).   After ten minutes, the server came by with drink menus, asking us if we wanted more drinks (Mitch had ordered one and was still waiting for it) and if we wanted dessert (we were still waiting for our steak).  The whole service seemed hap hazard and uncoordinated.  While I was inclined to ask to speak to the manager, I kept quiet (a result of the wine lethargy).

Rewinding back briefly to earlier in the night, I arrived with a Hanukkah present in my hand which the coat check women mistook for a birthday present.  As a result, she repeatedly wished me happy birthday but it was so loud I only caught on the third time.

At the end of our meal, we ordered one dessert but received 3.  I had absolutely no clue why.  The staff did not know I write a food blog, it wasn't my birthday despite the coat check women's repeated wishes (and the desserts did not have a birthday candle in it like others delivered to tables around us) and no one apologized for the abysmal service.  When we asked why we received the extra desserts, the server told us the manager sent them over.  My only guess is that the server alerted the manager that the meal had gone poorly and the manager tried to send over extra desserts to make mends (smart man, I have a wicked sweet tooth).

What to Eat:

To start, order the Shrimp Scampi.  The three large shrimp are grilled, and then thrown in a buttery sauce with charred cherry tomatoes and crusty french bread. The bread arrives partially soaked in the thick buttery sauce.  I made a crostini out of the ingredients but you an happily enjoy the app however works best for you.

For your entree, go with the Porterhouse for Two if both/several diners at the table are meat eaters.  I enjoyed every bite of the juicy steak. The two of us are big eaters but we couldn't finish the enormous steak.   Abe & Arthur's offers various side sauces (for a charge) for the steak like au poivre, bearnaise, etc...but truthfully, the steak doesn't need it.  The steak was so flavorful I preferred enjoying it on its own.

For a side,  go with the Truffled Herb Parmesan Fries if you are into crispy fries and love the taste of truffle.  Abe & Arthur's douses the fries in truffle oil and then coats the fries in parmesan cheese so the fries don't taste like your average fries.  Side note: pass on the Mac N Cheese side, it's too bland.  Abe & Arthur's Mac N Cheese reminded me of Kraft's version out of a box with bread crumbs sprinkled on top.

For dessert, order the French Toast Bread Pudding.  The warm, doughy bread pudding is drizzled in maple syrup and then topped with a large scoop of butter pecan ice cream.. The consistency was perfection and the entire dessert made you feel like you were enjoying a beloved breakfast treat for dessert.

With respect to the extra desserts we received, the Baked Alaska, while aesthetically interesting, tasted underwhelming, especially next to the bread pudding.

The pumpkin cobbler, on the other hand, a special, was outstanding for pumpkin lovers.  The cobbler arrived in a jar and was topped with a cream cheese like ice cream.  The flavors truly captured the holiday spirit.  Because it was a seasonal special, you may not find it but don't despair, the French Toast Bread Pudding should be on the menu all winter.

In the mood for a steakhouse minus the suits?  Abe and Arthur's is a hit when it comes to trendy and top notch steak but a miss with the service,

Your foodie friend

The NoMad

The owners of Eleven Madison Park opened the NoMad to serve food to the masses, the trendy (deep pocketed) masses, that is.  Despite opening it's doors about one year ago, you will need to book your reservation 30 days out or will be left with the 5:30pm or 10:30 pm options (forget about walking in without one).

The bar area at the back of the NoMad was packed with suits and models.  You will have to cleverly navigate the area to score a beverage and then hope desperately to find a small patch of real estate to enjoy your drink.  There's a quieter area to the left of the bar referred to as "the Library" for drinks but you will have to wait patiently (a bit shorter than a life time) for a few seats.

The extensive wine menu at the NoMad features wines from all over the globe but offers few affordable options.  The cocktail menu, while still pricey, offers inventive concoctions that are a better bet.

Similar to Eleven Madison Park, the service at the NoMad was perfect.  Our server was attentive, available and constantly confirming our approval. Also similar was their grand presentation of the food, describing each dish as it arrived.  While I appreciated the more casual ambiance at the NoMad and enjoyed most of my food, if I have to be 100% honest, the meal is a bit overpriced.  I suppose there is a price to be paid for trendy but I wouldn't rush back without an expense account.

What to Eat:

Start with the Cauliflower appetizer, which is a combination of roasted cauliflower with grapes, marcona almonds and a white cheddar cheese.  Typically I order a side vegetable with my entree if my entree does not come with a vegetable, but the entree portions at the NoMad are large enough that starting with a veggie is a great idea.  The salty marcona almonds contrast the sweet grapes.  In my head the cheddar was melted on the cauliflower but I was pleasantly surprised to see it cubed and tossed in with the other ingredients.








For an entree, go with the Chicken for Two.  The kitchen gallantly presents the stuffed bird at your table before carving it in the kitchen.  Tucked under the skin of the white meat is a mixture of brioche, black truffle and foie gras.  The white meat is plated  separately from the dark meat and included brussel sprouts and lentils.  The dark meat is served in a separate terrine that is  overflowing with a decadent wine gravy sauce.  I usually shy away from ordering chicken at restaurants but the NoMad's chicken lived up to its reputation as the best chicken in NYC.  The chicken breast was so juicy and moist that it literally melted in your mouth.



For dessert, order the chocolate caramel hazelnut tart.  The dessert is accompanied by a scoop of chocolate sorbet.  To my surprise, Mitch said, "we should have ordered five of these!"  Usually, Mitch is content with a bite of dessert (allowing me to devour the rest) but the small tart disappeared in minutes.  I was unable to identify the hazelnut flavor in the melted chocolatey caramel center but it did not diminish the dessert in my eyes.  The sorbet was placed on a bed of crumble and the plate drizzled with a rich dark chocolate sauce.








Looking to impressive a client or a date?  The NoMad largely lives up to the hype,

Your foodie friend


Insider tip:  Can't score a reservation?  IF you can find a spot at the bar, there are impressive looking snacks (e.g. like finger sized fried chicken) and people watching at the bar.

Parm

About six months ago I tried to go to Parm in Nolita.  Parm doesn't take reservations and the host said it would be about a 45 minute wait.  The problem is, there's no bar area or bar alternative nearby to kill time.  I was hungry and figured I could suffer the 45 minutes...Until 45 minutes became an 1 hour, and then over an hour.  I had to call it quits when another restaurant I had wanted to try, located down the street, had availability (see review of Balabousta, http://forthefoodieinallofus.blogspot.com/2012/04/balaboosta.html).

Despite this initial disappointment, Parm persevered on my list.  The perfect opportunity presented itself to finally dine at Parm, a 2:30 lunch.  No chance there could be a wait (or significant wait) for a table at 2:30.  Upon arrival, I was seated immediately (even without my dining companion present).

Parm is a brilliant concept.  Italian American (as opposed to authentic Italian) food, served fresh, with high end ingredients and in moderately sized portions.  Most Italian American restaurants in NYC (and all over the US) serve over fried, over battered, frozen chicken cutlets, or flavorless tomato sauce out of a can, in bulk portions to the masses.  Parm succeeds where so many restaurants in Little Italy fail.

The ambiance at Parm is 50's diner chic, but the best part is the doo wop music playing in the background.

What to Eat:

Start with the Baked Ziti.  There is an option to get a side of "Meat Gravy", which is a hearty, beef Bologna sauce.  Unless your a vegetarian, order the ziti with meat gravy.  The browned ziti noodles are layered with a homemade marinara sauce and then topped with huge dollops of fresh ricotta.  I'd love to get my hands on this recipe.

The main reason I tried Parm is to confirm the rumor that Parm served the best chicken parmigiana in NYC.  Rumors confirmed readers.  Parm offers the chicken parm on a small roll, a medium sized hero or a platter (the platter includes a salad or ziti).  Unknown fun fact about me: Chicken Parm Heros are one of my 5 favorite foods.  The problem is, most of them are greasy, over breaded, have average bread, etc...I found none of these issues at Parm.  Parm's chicken hero contained layers of thick slices of lightly breaded white meat, sweet marinara sauce, and fresh mozzarella.  One word: perfection.  It's a good thing they don't deliver.






It is hard to save room for dessert at Parm but find a way readers.  The dessert special was apple cinnamon zeppoles, which I was considering until the waiter brought out a slice of a diner's Peppermint Patty Ice Cream cake.  That's right, Parm serves a different homemade ice cream cake every night.  As someone raised on Baskin Robbin's Ice Cream cake, I could barely contain my excitement.  The ice cream cake was layered with spearmint ice cream, mint ice cream and chocolate ice cream.  Each layer was separated by cookie crumbs and the cake was topped with candy cane crumbs.  The server recommending getting a bit of each layer on your fork, which was a great call.  The different chocolate and mint flavors together were incredible.

Willing to wait (forever) for a table?  Parm will make it worth your while,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip:  Do not go during usual dining hours unless you are willing to wait about an hour. Go for an early/late lunch or dinner to avoid the crowds.

Del Friscos Grille

Del Friscos is my favorite steak house in NYC.  In my (gasp) almost ten years in NYC, no other steak house has come close to unseating this establishment in my mind.  So when Del Friscos opened a more casual eatery, Del Friscos Grille, I was intrigued.  Looking for a post holiday shopping meal to re-energize, we decided to give Del Friscos Grille a shot.

The Del Friscos franchise consistently delivers delicious food and outstanding service.  Our experience at Del Friscos Grille was every bit as tasty while providing impeccable service (at a (relatively) lower price point) than Del Friscos.

Del Friscos Grille offers a large and diverse menu (meat, fish, chicken, etc...).  Also, the menu includes Del Friscos famous steaks for those unfortunate souls that had their hearts set on the original Del Friscos but failed to score a reservation. 

Unlike the bright white linens and fancy decor in the original Del Friscos, Del Friscos Grille is large and dark, setting the perfect tone for casual drinks with friends.  The service at the Grille, however, was just as good as the original.  Our server accommodated several item changes graciously.  Throughout our meal, she stopped by to check on us to ensure that we had a truly flawless experience.

Each dish we ordered was better than the next.  If possible, I would recommend going to Del Friscos Grille with a few people because there are plenty of items you will want to share. 

What to Eat:

Del Friscos Grille is not meant for the light eater.  Come hungry, very hungry.  Start with the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls.  Despite my skepticism, the Asian influenced American classic somehow works.  The plate is drizzled (doused) in a sweet chile sauce which was a nod to the egg roll (even though the sweet chile sauce was appetizing, I personally prefer a cheesesteak with ketchup).  Regardless of the sauce, the prime meat and cheese mixture is the right balance of savory, so the rest is just dressing. Also, you'll be impressed that the egg roll isn't greasy/oily.



Since you are dining at the Grille, go with the Cheese Burger if you need more meat (I'm old school so if I want a steak, I'll wait until I have a reservation at the original Del Friscos).  The two thin hamburger patties are piled high with layers of cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles.  Instead of ketchup and mustard, Del Frisco's smothers its cheeseburger with a "sloppy sauce," which is a delectable concoction of ketchup and mayonnaise.

The stand out for me at Del Frisco's Grille was the Roasted Tomato Flat Bread.  The bread crust is lightly seasoned with oregano and parmesan, and then topped with large chunks of freshly roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and basil leaves.  Shortly after I ordered, I noticed Del Frisco's Grille serves a burrata appetizer so I asked for the kitchen to swap out the mozzarella for the burrata.  The server ran (literally) back to the oven to have it changed in time.

Need a dinner/drinks spot to catch up with friends near 30 Rock? I know Del Friscos Grille will be my new go to spot in midtown,

Your foodie friend

Flex Mussels

I don't eat mussels.  I like most seafood but mussels aren't on my list.  You may be asking why I would go to Flex Mussels if I don't eat mussels (simple answer: Mitch loves mussels).  But most restaurants offer more than just what they are known for so we headed to Flex Mussels to celebrate Mitch's fish tank surviving Hurricane Sandy's power outage (the irony, I know).

Flex Mussels' uptown restaurant features a bar and counter area with about two dozen seats for walk ins.  The staff attempting to deliver food to the bar/counter patrons didn't mind those waiting for a seat clogging up their space (when I apologized for being in the way to several servers, all responded "no need to apologize").  The cocktail list is a bit limited but the wine list, by the bottle and glass, is inspiring and focuses on blends to compliment the seafood centric menu.

With dozens of mussel preparation options, Flex Mussels' is a mussel lover's paradise.  I found many appetizing sauces, such as the Bruschetta, featuring tomatoes, a bit of lobster, basil, etc...Out of curiosity, I asked our server if instead of mussels, I could have any other form of seafood (fish, scallops, shrimp, calamari, etc..).  He said he would need to check with the kitchen.  After a few minutes, he returned and informed me that a different seafood could be substituted and asked for my preference.  I went with shrimp and happily buzzed in my seat about my good fortunate.  About 5 minutes later, the server returned to inform me that instead of 25 mussels, I would receive 2 medium sized shrimp.  2!  I thought he was joking at first.  How could the kitchen serve an entree with 2 shrimp and expect a patron to be (1) happy and/or (2) full.  This was incredibly disappointing and a more than a bit ridiculous.  I ended up ordering the whole grilled fish instead.  I did not expect Flex Mussels to accommodate my request in the first place but they should have never agreed to do so by exchanging a pot full of mussels for 2 shrimp.  Instead, a simple "no" would work better.

As you will read further below, go light on the apps/entrees so you can go heavy on the desserts.  Unsurprisingly, the non-mussel dishes (desserts aside) are average so if you are not a mussels person, Flex Mussels isn't for you (unless you are going for wine and dessert, if you are, let me know, I'm in!).

What to Eat:

Order a side of truffle fries.  They offer regular fries as well but what's the point.  When you can have parmesan covered, truffle oil coated fries, there really is no other viable option.  The fries had the perfect balance of crispy to softer fry ratio.  The overflowing fries in the cone container managed to disappear (into our stomachs) instantaneously.

From the discussions with our neighbors, it seems like any of the mussels options are delectable.  Mitch chose the Chowder, which consisted of a rich butter, bacon, cream broth.  The large lobster chunks, which had been mixed in with the mussels, soaked up the flavor of the bacon flavored, creamy broth.

SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT.  This was the standout of the night.  Both desserts we ordered were exceptional and so save room to order both of them.  

We ordered the donuts, which are piped with various flavors, such as salted caramel, chocolate, etc...You can pick four different flavors from about one dozen choices.  Get the Smores (the donut prominently displayed in the pic).  I would actually get two of the Smores because the marshmellowy, chocolate center of the doughy fried sphere was nothing short of heaven.  Literally.  The donuts include a side of rich vanilla bean dipping sauce which goes well with the simpler donuts, like the cinnamon sugar donuts.

The other outstanding dessert was the Whoopie Pie.  Sadly this picture does not do it justice, I wish I took another shot once we cut it in half (but was too busy devouring it, surprise!).  The whoopie pie consists of layers of moist dark chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting.  It is then fried (which I think is unnecessary but it was easy to separate the fried outside shell from the rest of the dessert) and placed next to a scoop of espresso bean ice cream.  The moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting was nothing short of perfection.

Readers, you don't have to choose, order both!

Not a mussel lover?  Stick to the wine and dessert,

Your foodie friend

Neta

One of my favorite foodies came to town and since he was avoiding red meat, we thought we'd check out the West Village's new Japanese restaurant, Neta.  "Neta" is a Japanese word that translates to "fresh ingredients of sushi."  The chefs, formerly in charge of the kitchen at Masa, deliver fresh, inventive, delicious Japanese food.

Neta's lack of decor is actually a clever way to highlight the bustling open kitchen and the beautiful presentation of each dish.  The restaurant only holds a handful of tables but also offers about two dozen counter seats.  This is a terrific restaurant for an out of towner (or local, for that matter) dining alone.  The action in the open kitchen is more exciting than at least half the dates I went on before I met my husband.

Neta's entire menu is based on small plates so the restaurant recommends ordering 3-5 dishes per person.  Another option is the Omakase menu, which translates to "chef's choice."  The chef will choose 5 dishes based on seasonal ingredients (taking into consideration each diner's food allergies).  Each diner at the table, however, must order the Omakase menu.

Instead of restricting ourselves to trying 5 dishes, we opted to order a large portion of the menu and dine family style.  I recommend ordering family style instead of the Omakase menu at Neta because you can easily find more than 5 things you'll want to try (and acknowledging that I am somewhat of a control freak, I am a bit hesitant to relinquish my entire dining experience to a chef that does not know my personal food preferences).

Neta offers high end sake at affordable prices.  The sommelier is very knowledgeable and unless you have your heart set on an option, I would recommend consulting with him first.  The wine by the glass, while a bit less affordable, turned out to be a good value because the sommelier was heavy handed with each pour.

Our server was attentive and cheery, albeit a bit aggressive on pushing drinks (AND she "inadvertently" absconded my glass of Sancerre before I had finished it).  She did accurately guide us to the right amount of dishes for our party, which seems to be more of an art than a science.  I enjoyed the pace of the meal from the kitchen, which was impressively spread out despite how many plates we ordered (I find sometimes when you order small plates, the servers aggressively place the dishes on your table, resulting in rushed meal).  At Neta, there was never more than three dishes on the table.

What to Eat:

If they have it on the menu, order the Spicy Lobster, which was a special.  This dish is hot!  Despite my attempt to ask for it mild, it still came out HOT HOT HOT.  The lobster, served in the lobster claws, was wok fried with onions, asparagus, and green chiles.  If you like spicy food, this is a must.  I would consider ordering more than one for the table.

Also make sure to order the Duck & Foie, which will help reduce the level of heat from the spicy lobster.  The tender, braised duck strips and foie gras slices are mixed together in a hoisin sauce and then packed inside a crispy, celery shoot  (there is a fourth celery shoot missing from the picture because someone (you know who you are) jumped the gun when he saw hoisin sauce). 


Do not expect a large, round scoop of fried rice when you order Neta's Duck Rice (not pictured).  Neta's duck rice is presented as strips of braised duck, mixed with hoisen sauce and then piled high on top of white rice.  The beautiful presentation came second only to the savory taste of the dish.

The surprise hit of the night for me was the Schezuan Spiced Salmon, which was a creamy, salmon mixture piled onto a bed of white rice and then topped with crispy Bonita flakes.  This simple, cool temperatured dish is a nice change from the warmer dishes on the menu.

Because Neta is a Japanese restaurant with tons of fresh seafood option, order at least one sushi dish.  I would recommend only ordering one per person, however, so that you can enjoy all of the unique, cooked options on the menu.  My favorite sushi roll at Neta was the Dungeness Crab and Avocado Roll.  Despite the simplicity of this roll, it was the perfect way to end the meal.  The sweet crab meat did not contain any unnecessary filler, like mayonnaise or tempura.  The smooth and savory avocado was all that was needed to compliment the sweet shellfish.

Wondering which West Village hot spot will show up next?  Keep reading, the West Village is back on my radar,

Your foodie friend

Bell Book and Candle

For people into the organic food movement, I found your new favorite restaurant: Bell Book and Candle.  NYC has been battered by an early winter but I can promise you that everything about Bell Book and Candle will warm you up.  This West Village spot has a garden on its roof to grow many of its ingredients.  Bell Book and Candle's menu is high end comfort food and each dish we ordered was perfectly executed. 

One of the things I liked the most about the Bell Book and Candle was each staff member's refreshingly friendly attitude.  We showed up a bit late, "no problem", our party size changed, "no problem".  Each staff member (the hostess, server and busboy) was welcoming and engaging, which is somewhat rare in the West Village.  The entire meal was leisurely paced and after we paid our bill, the staff allowed us to linger at our table until we decided it was time to call it a night. 

The patrons in the bar area loudly clamor for the mixologist's attention because Bell Book and Candle features a fun cocktail menu.  That, and the restaurant is located in the basement and suffers from low ceilings. But what Bell Book and Candle lacks in height it more than makes up for in charm, food quality and service.

This is now one of my top 3 favorites in the West Village. I recommend securing a reservation to avoid feeling cramped in the bar area.

What to Eat:

Start with the House-Made Burrata.  Burrata (thankfully) has become more common on NYC menus.  Bell Book and Candle's burrata, however, is exceptional.  The creamy, gooey center of the large burrata "ball" happily explodes when cut in two halves and is surrounded by ripe, blistered tomatoes grown on the roof and picked earlier in the day.  Bell Book and Candle's burratta appetizer rivals any top NYC Italian restaurant's burrata.

For an entree, go with the Striped Bass.  The pan seared bass is placed on a bed of pureed sweet potato, mixed with carrots and peas.  Our server kindly swapped out the spinach for hericot verts which created a "raft" for the bass.  Despite numerous ingredients and spices on the plate, they all complemented each other.  The bass was a nice, lighter compliment to the heavier burrata appetizer (but if you want something heavier, try the short ribs).

Organic, locavore or neither and just in need of great eats?  Check out Bell Book and Candle for a date or a night out with friends,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: if you are a party of 5 or less, ask for the semi-private room behind the bar.  There is a window so you can peer into the bar (and get the bartender's attention when you need it).  Despite being tucked away, the server (Bell Book and Candle's bartender) and the busboy stopped by frequently to check on us.  Also, because the room is somewhat sectioned off, it is a bit quieter than the rest of the restaurant.