essential luxuries

THE MASALA WALA.

2012-02-12T21:58:00.001-05:00

A new Indian street food-inspired restaurant opened up in Lower East Side - The Masala Wala! Make sure to make reservations in advance, because we ended up having to go watch the Knicks game at Nice Guy Eddie's across the street for over an hour before we were finally seated.

The Pani Puri (hollow puri stuffed with chili, potato, onion, and chickpeas filled with tamarind and spice water) was nothing compared to the pani puri I had in Bangladesh - so I was a little disappointed. It was served cold, which I found to be strange.

The Samosa Chat - crusty pastries stuffed with potatoes and green peas covered with a spicy chutney - was delicious.

Basmati rice and naan bread came out for the table.

For my entree, I ordered the Malai Kofta - vegetable balls in a creamy almond sauce - the sauce was absolutely delicious! Slightly sweet, slightly nutty. Everyone kept sticking their naan bread all up in it!!!!

I have never seen these little Indian vegetarian meatballs before, but I found them to be fantastic!!! I think the Meatball Shop might want to consider a collaboration...

Make your way over to The Masala Wala for some South Indian street favorites!!!

NORTH END GRILL.

2012-02-12T21:01:00.002-05:00

If you head down to Battery Park City, you will notice that Danny Meyer has essentially begun to take over the Southern tip of Manhattan. From Shake Shack to Blue Smoke, and now his newly opened North End Grill - Danny Meyer is making sure everyone in BPC is well-fed and happy.

The North End Grill was hopping on a Thursday night - for a new restaurant, I was happy to see the broad range of clientele this restaurant produced. From young and hip to older, Gramercy Tavern/Union Square Cafe types, this restaurant catered to us all.

The cocktail menu is decked out with interesting concoctions. I ordered the Kachumber Kooler - a refreshingly spicy blend of gin, cucumber, cilantro, green chiles, and lime. This drink had a lot of substance to it and I loved the extra heat from the chile!!!

We started with a few appetizers - a portion of their menu is EGG-BASED...which I absolutely LOVE because I ADORE EGGS IN (ALMOST) ANY FORM. The Soft Scrambled Eggs with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Grilled Bread was delightful. The mushrooms enhanced the flavor of the eggs well and the softness of the egg contrasted nicely with the crunch of the bread.

Another egg-based appetizer was the Tuna Tartare with Fried Quail Egg and Crispy Shallots. The saltiness from the egg helped to flavor the tuna.

I can never say no to ricotta cheese. The Roasted Beets with Orange Ricotta and Grilled Bread was lovely - the smooth, soft ricotta spread nicely over the bread and the beets added the perfect earthy freshness to the dish.

For our main course - we shared the Nova Scotia Lobster with Tropea Shallots and Lemon Butter. We absolutely loved this preparation and we were very happy with the way the lobster was prepared - soft, succulent, and flavored with a light sauce.

We also ordered a side of the Hashed Brussels Sprouts and Lentils - which sounds a lot more exciting than it actually was. Oh well - more vegetables never hurt anyone.

The desserts were fantastic. Although our meal was absolutely delicious, the desserts definitely stole the show at the end of the evening.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ginger Ice Cream (and an extra scoop of Salted Caramel Ice Cream) was honestly divine. I have not experienced such a moist cake in a very long time - absolutely drenched in delicious, sugary toffee and spiked by the surprisingly welcome ginger flavor.

The Butterscotch Pot de Creme with Chocolate Streusel and Single "Maltmallows" was fantastic. It was fun discovering the puddle of BUTTERSCOTCH hiding beneath the smooth pudding. The chocolate crumbles added the perfect amount of texture.

We very much enjoyed our meal at North End Grill - the menu was catered for a diner like myself: someone who loves 1. eggs 2. seafood and 3. awesome desserts. Once again, Danny Meyer gets it right. Look forward to more visits to North End Grill in the future.

VIKTOR & SPOILS.

2012-02-08T21:53:00.001-05:00

"Secret Mexican restaurants with no signs" should become one of my interests on Facebook. I happened upon Viktor & Spoils yesterday, a new taqueria and tequila bar at the Hotel on Rivington. The entrance is covertly covered by strips of Mexican bills and, OF COURSE, no restaurant signage. #OBSESSED After providing my name to two bouncers at the door, I was escorted into the hip Mexican abyss.

I happened to dine at Viktor & Spoils on the same night they were hosting a Fashion Week event - the place was pumping. Mexican soda step-and-repeat?? #gotem

2-man mariachi band and dancer? #gotem

I ordered a Paloma - which is what I have officially dubbed the "Mexican Greyhound." A fun concoction of Herradura Reposada Tequila, Mexican Grapefruit Soda, lime, and a dash of sea salt. With one sip, my half-Mexican pal smiled and reminisced, "It reminds me of my grandfather.

And then it was time to dive into the food!!! The menu is limited to a few appetizers, tacos, taquitos, and nachos.

Our first platter of tacos and taquitos came out! The items pictured on the left of the tray were the Roasted Poblano & Corn Tacos with chihuahua cheese, radish, and cabbage. Delicious.

A close up of the Spicy Scallop Taquito - topped with dynamite sauce, tobiko, and fresh avocado. This was definitely one of my favorites of the evening!!!

The Tuna Poke Taquito - served with avocado, radish, and sesame-onion sauce. Not quite as exciting but still good.

We then proceeded to order the remainder of the taquito offerings off the menu. On the left, the Elote Corn & Lobster Taquito - a warm, cheesy mixture of charred corn, lime mayo, chili de arbol cotija cheese, and fresh lobster. MMM. We also really liked the Hamachi Crunch Taquito - flavored with yuzu dressing, pickled jalapeno, and cilantro.

When my cousin finally arrived at the dinner table, we got to try a bit of the El Classico Nachos he ordered!!! OMGGGGGG - this DEFINITELY fulfilled the nacho craving I had developed since the super bowl!!!!! A humongous, crisp and creamy pile of corn tortilla chips, chihuahua cheese, oaxacan string cheese, cotija cheese, pickled jalapeno, mexican crema, blackbeans, guacamole, and charred tomato salsa. This platter of nachos will continue to haunt me throughout the remainder of my adulthood - must. order. again.

At the end of our meal, a few plates of Churros were placed at nearby tables (for the party). I couldn't help but snatch one and dipped it into the Dulce de Leche dipping sauce. Also available was Red Chili Chocolate and Mango-Habanero Dipping Sauces. We found the churros to be delightfully moist and softer than your run-of-the-mill churro. #APPROVED.

Very much enjoyed my fun meal at Viktor & Spoils - definitely a fun place to grab a post-work apertif, a casual meal of luxury tacos, and/or cocktails made with Mexican spirits!

TAKA TAKA: TAKE 2.

2012-02-06T21:41:00.002-05:00

OK, so I will admit - Taka Taka didn't captivate me at first. I didn't really recommend it to people - out of fear that people would no longer consider me a "foodie." Mexican sushi?!!?! 'Tis not authentic!! But on my second visit to Taka Taka, I put my fears aside - and let myself REALLY judge the place.

I deemed that...

1. the sushi off the conveyor belt is never that exciting.

and

2. the following dishes CHANGED MY LIFE:

Exhibit A: CRISPY RICE CAKES - crispy rice bites topped with spicy tuna tartar, sliced avocado, and masago. Since my last visit, this little dish has been revamped to LA-STYLE PERFECTION!!!! OMG we ordered a second serving as soon as we finished the first plate!!

Exhibit B: HAMACHI SUSHI BOMBS - OMG OMG OMG. I literally cannot stop thinking about these little spheres of happiness. A sushi rice ball topped with hamachi and wasabi mayo - there is a certain WARMTH that exudes from each little bite. The wasabi in the mayo adds just enough heat to ever so lightly cook the fish. The textures and flavors absolutely hit the spot. At first we ordered the Tuna Sushi Bomb and the Hamachi Sushi Bomb - and soon thereafter, asked for TWO MORE ORDERS of Hamachi Sushi Bombs. If I was rich, I would order send everyone a gift of a pyramid of Hamachi Sushi Bombs. They are fantastic, I assure you.

It is pretty rare that a restaurant wins me over on the second try. I am glad I gave Taka Taka a second chance...I cannot wait to go back and fulfill my sushi bomb craving.

DELL'ANIMA.

2012-02-06T21:02:00.002-05:00

There's nothing more satisfying than a late night dinner of pasta and vino in the West Village after a trying day. de ll'anima is a popular Italian bistro that is consistently filled with a crowd. Even though we arrived after 9:30pm on a Wednesday evening, we were still relegated to seats at the bar! But a smooth gulp of Savuto's Odoardi made me simmer down.

We started off with the Roasted Red Peppers Bruschette - I like the concept of bruschette served at dell'anima. Rather than being pre-smeared on fluffy, toasty bread - the diner self-applies his/her desired amount of puree of roasted red peppers, smoked almonds, and pecorino romano.

The side of Brussel Sprouts with red onion, smoked pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries was fantastic! The combination of smokey and sweet flavors was different and certainly notable.

We ordered two different plates of pasta to share - the first being the Garganelli with fresh hedgehog mushrooms, shallots, rosemary, and parmigiano reggiano.

The other dish was the Cappellacci with roasted cauliflower, sage, walnuts, and ricotto. I have to say - I was not very impressed with the pasta dishes at dell'anima! The flavors were all a bit...queer. And the consistency and textures of the pasta did not impress me.

The dessert was really lovely - I don't quite remember what it was, but it was a sort of panna cotta served with a passion fruit sorbet. And topped with a crystallized piece of black sesame. Delightful.

I would return for the intimate ambience and some light snacks - but will pass on the main courses. It is not often that something smothered in cheese cannot win me over.

ILILI.

2012-02-06T20:39:00.002-05:00

It's that dastardly time of the year again - RESTAURANT WEEK has hit New York City and the crowds are going wild. But you all know how I typically feel about Restaurant Week - yawn.

But I was actually quite surprised by my Restaurant Week meal at ilili this past week!

They started off the night by coming around with a tasting pour of their Beirut Sunburn!! Eeeks - I forgot how much I do not really love Bourbon!

WARNING: SORRY FOR THE HORRIBLE PICTURES - THEY WERE ALL TAKEN ON MY IPHONE. As I am reading the Steve Jobs biography, all I can think is - URGH. COULDN'T YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A CAMERA INSIDE THE IPHONE SUITABLE FOR FOODIES BY NOW!??!!?!?! IDIOTS. At least that's what Steve Jobs might have said had he been a foodie who cared as much about photography as he did about being a fruitarian.

I ordered the Lebanese American - which tasted pretty much exactly like a mojito - I'm not complaining.

We got to choose not only one but TWO appetizers as a part of our Restaurant Week offerings - sweetness!

I went with the Tuna Belly, served with avocado puree, barberry chutney, radish, and beet...

...and also the Arnabeet Mekle - roasted cauliflower, red finger chili, and mint atop a bed of labne tahini! We were all shocked by the huge portions that they gave us - the tuna belly was decent but I definitely preferred the cauliflower dish!! It proved especially useful when they presented a basket of warm, poofy pita bread for the table to enjoy.

I also got to try a falafel off of my pal's appetizer - this bugger definitely had a unique mixture of spices within it, which makes it stand out against any normal falafel from a street car.

For my entree, a $5 supplement afforded me the Steamed Tile Fish dish - served with almond milk, fermented aleppo peppers, salsify, apple, and pea shoots. It was a very light dish that was slightly annoying to eat. Salsify is like...an annoyingly thin strand of leafy green that is nearly impossible to chew or bite into.

For desserts, my pal sitting next to me and I ordered the Labne Cheesecake and ilili Candy Bar!!! Both definitely brought giddy smiles to our faces.

For a restaurant week experience, this certainly wasn't a bad one. Although the location and the atmosphere are a bit pedestrian, I'd be willing to come back again for a full-priced meal.

MISS LILY'S VARIETY STORE, BAKE SHOP, & MELVIN'S JUICE BOX.

2012-02-05T10:49:00.001-05:00

Next door to Miss Lily's Favourite Cakes on Houston Street (which I STILL haven't gone to, BTW, URGH) is their newly opened Variety Store and Melvin's Juice Bar!!!

Right along Houston Street, you get pulled in because you notice someone DJ'ing live on air for Radio Lily.

Before you hit the juice bar, you walk through a neat Rastafarian collection of records, books, etc in Miss Lily's Variety Store.

It emerges into a brightly lit juice bar that puts you in a HAPPY MOOD to start your day off right with some ANTIOXIDANT-PACKED JUICES!!

I ordered the Coco-Fuel Protein Shake - a blend of coconut, strawberry, banana, and protein powder!! MMM - the perfect way to start a busy Saturday morning.

There are also other items sold at Miss Lily's Bakeshop - such as her famous patties, salads, roti, sandwiches, and other Caribbean delights. Love that this shop is only a few blocks away from my apartment - definitely plan on coming back for some more delicious smoothies and a quick snack!

LINCOLN.

2012-01-26T21:25:00.000-05:00

The restaurant at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Ristorante, is certainly worth checking out - even if you aren't out watching the ballet or the opera.

You know how I usually go ballistic on restaurants that don't cater to vegetarians or serve me meat and don't care? Well - you can expect QUITE the opposite coming from Lincoln. My waiter asked our table if we had any food allergies or preferences - and noted that I was vegetarian...and apparently informed the entire waitstaff.

Even the bread man!!!! I wanted to try the "fluffy bread" but the bread man informed me that it unfortunately contained LARDO (which I had accidentally ingested during my meal at COI). Good catch!

Even the little amuse bouche was specially catered for me! My friend received a lentil-topped crostini and I was served one with an olive tapenade. I whimpered and wanted to know why I didn't have a lentil-topped crostini as well - and the amuse bouche server informed me that the lentil-topped crostini had chicken stock in it. Good catch! I ate the lentil one anyway.

My pal ordered a side of Fughi Misti - a delicious blend of roasted mushrooms of all different varieties! A symphony of textures and flavors.

I ordered a side of the Beets, Sheep's Milk Yogurt, and Pistachios - not quite as thrilling as the funghi misti, but still very good.

I have never seen gnudi on a menu since my visit to The Spotted Pig - a dish that I still talk about to this very day. So I was more than excited to order the Gnudi di Ricotta e Rapini - ricotta dumplings topped with broccoli rabe pesto, pine nuts, and garlic chips. While they were not quite as "melt in your mouth" as the gnudi for Spotted Pig, they certainly came in a close second. The plump dumplings were filled with soft cheese. I loved the contrast of texture from the crispy garlic chips.

For dessert, I ordered the Gianduiotto con Panna - served with chocolate gelato, hazelnuts, and whipped cream. This was literally like a Ferrero Rocher Sundae SPRINKLED WITH ROOFIES. The whipped cream was of a light, airy, and smooth consistency that I have never experienced before. The crunchy ferrero rocher-esque sphere was crunchy and crispy, perfect with each spoonful of rich gelato and crunch hazelnuts. YUMYUMYUM.

Petit fours for the table before the bill arrived. Cute.

My meal at Lincoln Ristorante was a lot better than I had anticipated - an indulgent and conscientious waitstaff, delicious pastas, a celebration of vegetables, and fantastic desserts. I cannot wait to return...possibly when I watch The Barber of Seville in February?

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

2012-01-24T22:23:00.001-05:00

Xin nian kuai le to all of my FAVORITE internet-users out there!!! It is the year of the DRAGON, which is an AUSPICIOUS year - so I am definitely looking forward to lots of SUCCESS over the next few months.

To make sure I was on the PATH TO SUCCESS, I made sure to eat as many Asian meals as humanly possible over Chinese New Year weekend.

It all began on Friday - at Peking Duck House. 1. I had been here before and really enjoyed it and 2. it is a BYO - so I thought it would be the perfect place for a Chinese New Year Dinner amongst friends and lovers.

I somehow managed to forget to take a shot of our steamed Vegetable Dumplings - which was the perfect way to whet our appetite for Chinese cuisine.

Our Peking Duck arrived at the table!! Of course I did not partake, but the two boys at the table managed to kill off the mallard with ease.

The vegetarian answer to Peking Duck was Moo Shu Vegetables - which we could place on top of the pancakes, top with scallions and cucumbers, and then douse in hoisin sauce.

What is Chinese New Year without some Steamed Sea Bass!?! The Chinese word for fish is yu - which sounds almost the same as the Chinese word of surpluses. May there be fishes every year. May there be surpluses every year.

We also ordered Shrimp and Vegetable Pan Fried Noodles - which didn't come out as I had expected (I love the thin and crispy egg noodles that are just drenched in sauce).

For a bit of extra luck - the boys decided to partake in the FISH EYEBALLS!!!!! Here they are posing with the bad boys before the big gulp.

#FISHEYEBALLBFFERS

#COUSINBFFERS

We had a raucously loud and spectacular time at Peking Duck House - definitely a place to bring a fun crowd and enjoy a delicious meal.

We spent the next day jumping around Soho for macaroons, brunch, and eyeglasses!

I am not sure how I have never come across this gem of a chocolate shop - but we found ourselves absolutely mesmerized and staring through the glass windows of Kee's Chocolates in Soho. The Black Sesame macaroon was PHENOMENAL. Soft, just the right balance of chewy and crispy, with the slightest hint of cocoa.

Immediately after brunch, we couldn't help but return back into Kee's Chocolate shop for a few more goodies. The chocolates are tiny pieces of art - we got a little bagful of chocolates to try. I, of course, chomped right into the Black Sesame Truffle right away. #LOVE

We decided to take a break from Chinese and go Thai for brunch - Kittichai features a $25 Prix-Fixe brunch of UNLIMITED brunch cocktails!!! I loved the spicy kick from the Bloody Mary!

I had the Kittichai Omelette with Jumbo Lump Crab - it was served with curried potatoes and a stale-ish naan bread. The kitchen must have been hoping I was bombed on Bloody Marys because this omelette was less than mediocre. One goes to Kittichai for unlimited cocktails and a hip atmosphere - not quality of cuisine.

After a few more hours of shopping in the city, we jumped on the LIRR and headed to Huntington. We celebrated the new year Japanese-style at Osaka Sushi.

The Seaweed Soup was chock-full of nutrients of wakame.

My $15 rolls were not shabby - the Pinky Salmon Roll and some other crazy roll. I was shocked by the Manhattan price tags at this joint.

On Sunday mid-morning, my extended family and I headed out to Flushing for a Chinese New Year's lunch!! We went to DJDB (Da Jiang Nan Bei) Restaurant.

We ordered a slew of yummy dishes - the flounder in black bean sauce was delicious.

I forgot what part of the pig this was (the fattiest part) but I had to take a picture of it because it was so jiggly!!! I, of course, did not partake in this dish - but my cousins seemed to like it!

Tofu and seafood in a corn-starchy sauce.

Snow vegetable and squid! YUM.

And of course we had to drop by the bakery across the street for BUNS!!!!!!!

There is no greater joy than buying freshly-baked buns filled with cream, taro, and red bean - all less than $1 per piece.

I had a delicious Pineapple Bun filled with COCONUT!!!

That night, my extended family and I enjoyed a traditional Chinese New Year's HOT POT feast!!!

I couldn't have asked for a more belly-bursting, delicious holiday - filled with food, friends, and family. GAN-BEI to a very happy and successful YEAR OF THE DRAGON!!!

KING RESTAURANT.

2012-01-16T23:13:00.003-05:00

"It's good to be THE KING" is printed on the restaurant's business cards - which made me think of Gene Simmons and his reality TV show that makes him appear quite normal...to the point of boring (which, of course, does not at all deter me from avidly watching). The King Restaurant opened up last week right by my apartment - literally sitting at the border between Soho and West Village.

The antique-y, old world charm of the venue makes for a casually luxurious dining experience. The open dining space and bar area lead towards a more intimate "railroad" style dining area.

At each table is a little enticing SWITCH. When turned on, servers run over with a bottle of champagne...service fit for a KING. I couldn't help but flip the switch myself, but of course I warned my server to ignore the request beforehand.

I began with the Tartine of Mimolette and Spaghetti Squash - and adorable little toast topped with strips of spaghetti squash (one of my most favorite vegetables) and heaps of thinly shaved mimolette cheese!!! Delicious and quite different!!

My friend ordered the Squash Soup with chamomile, pumpkin seeds, and spice bread. I thought the mixture was a tad too sweet for my liking.

The Smoked Octopus dish with frisee, radish, and poached egg was absolutely AMAZING. The octopus was cooked perfectly and had a wonderful smokey flavor to it - so much to the point that I am fearful there might have been bacon bits in my dish (I thought to ask...but didn't...because I secretly wouldn't have wanted to stop eating it if I had realized it was bacon). The soft, velvety texture of the poached egg paired well with the soft octopus. I tolerated frisee for the first time in many months only because I loved the smokey bits of flavor captured in each leaf.

My friend's Roasted Skate was very nice - served with cauliflower, caper berry, and maple. A lightly flavored cauliflower puree always goes well with the saltiness of skate. The caper berries were similar to...well...capers (caper berries are the fruit, whereas capers are the edible bud), and added a pickled sweetness to the dish, which I really liked.

My Scallops, served with hen of the woods mushrooms, salsify, and clam nage, was not as exciting. The clam nage was a soupy sauce that was poured over my dish at the table - it was difficult to experience the flavor of the clam in each bite because of the sauce's liquidity. I woud have much rather preferred a creamier or thicker sauce to flavor the scallops.

For dessert - a Mint Poached Apple with walnut streusel and cream fraiche gelato. To be honest, we were a bit disappointed with the dessert. The poached apple slices were not served warm and were almost difficult to cut through - I would have liked a softer fruit consistency. The walnut streusel was a little too simple and there was not enough cream fraiche gelato to go around!! To tell you the truth - I have better breakfasts made out of Chobani Greek yogurt and granola.

Our check arrived with two airy chocolate chip meringues. A nice touch.

There were many things about the King Restaurant that I liked - several of the dishes were quite unique and lovely. Others, such as the scallops and the poached apple, were not quite as strong - they lacked in flavor and consistency. I am excited, however, to return to this newcomer restaurant after it has had time to work out the kinks (which there are only very few of).

SONS OF ESSEX.

2012-01-16T22:46:00.001-05:00

From the same man that brought you the Eldrige in LES, Matt Levine's newest venture, Sons of Essex, is not nearly as hip-stentious (a portmanteau for HIPSTER + PRETENTIOUS). The scene was underground and communal - I sat in the front of the restaurant near the bar, where you are seated picnic table-style next to other diners. A little invasive and rocky (the table's legs were uneven and shifted often), but the extreme comfort food menu made me forget about all my discomfort.

My friend ordered the Truffle Grilled Cheese - a deliciously puffy and crispy sandwich of gruyere, goat cheese, parmigiano reggiano, sauteed mushrooms, and baby arugula. YUM. It also came with a side bowl of Tomato Cheddar soup.

I began with the Asian Calamari Salad - a blend of lightly battered and fried calamari tossed with sweet and spicy Asian chili sauce, cucumber, watermelon, cilantro, and celery leaf. I loved the combination of celery and cucumber flavors along with the calamari - light and refreshing.

It was a hard call - between the Macaroni and Cheese options and a true entree - but I ended up ordering the Eggplant Parmesan Stuffed Tomato - a carved local beefsteak tomato stuffed with layers of eggplant parmesan. DIVINE. You know my affinity for cheesy and mushy vegetables - which was exactly the consistency of the eggplant parmesan. Next time, I'm going for the Lobster Pot Pie!

We also ordered some sides to accompany our meal - the Cauliflower Puree was lovely. A creamy, whipped, airy puree with light flavors. The Roasted Brussel Sprouts were topped with pine nuts and had an excellent mush-factor.

Desserts were an absolute must. My friend ordered the Churros with Creme Anglaise Dipping Sauce - light, crispy sticks of fried dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar and served with a delicious vanilla scented cream. This must have been the lightest and cinnamon/sugariest encrusted churro I have ever eaten!!!! Absolutely fantastic.

The Butterscotch Pudding with Bruelee Bananas was also excellent - a golden delight, smooth luscious pudding with hints of caramel topped with sweet ripe banana made slightly crispy with their burnt sugar topping. YUMYUMYUM. The pudding had a wonderful vanilla flavor to it - which was enhanced by the caramelized bananas. I absolutely LOVED this dessert - it definitely competes with Magnolia's Banana Pudding (which I love so dearly).

Had a wonderful meal at Sons of Essex and cannot wait to go back and try more items off their menu!

A BRIEF ON DHAKA AND DUBAI.

2012-01-09T23:20:00.000-05:00

After a cancelled flight, a horrendous stay at an airport hotel in Bangkok (which involved a bug-ridden room and also a cable service that did NOT feature STARWORLD), and a 2 hour flight on one of worst airlines in the world (BIMAN AIRLINES...yes, I finally found a contender for AIR INDIA - my hatred for this airline can be displayed both here and here)...we were FINALLY in Dhaka.

I got to spend the next few days with Z's family in Bangladesh and really engross myself into Bengali culture!! Which apparently involves nonstop eating. And lounging. And shopping. And partying. Ideal, no? I didn't take nearly enough pictures while I was in Dhaka...mainly because my brain functions and normal human inclinations were attacked by a threatening dust allergy that transformed me into a listless human being with no desire to remember life.

What I do remember:

1. A constant influx of food (as soon as breakfast was finished, lunch was already being prepped in the kitchen).

2. Mosquitos. It was like mosquitos had never tasted such deliciously foreign Asian blood before. At the risk of losing all of my friends and blog readers, I have decided to post this disturbing picture of my face. Please note that the entire left-hand portion of my upper lip is one humongous mosquito bite. Like a lip injection gone wrong. The bite was so large and heavy that it made the left side of my face physically DROOP. Like muscular dystrophy.

I really do think that Bangladesh should consider covering entire apartment buildings with one large mosquito net. Wouldn't that make all too much sense?

3. Custom-made clothing. For those who like one-of-a-kind apparel, Bangladesh is the place to be! We spent an entire day in Gulshan, the "cosmopolitan" side of Dhaka - where women buy yards of glorious Pakistani-designed fabric and transform them into the shari or salwar kameez of their dreams! So many options and unusual print mixing - I would love to have a reason to design my own salwar kameez one day!

Some other fun images my camera managed to capture despite my overall apathy towards memory-making:

So many sweets!!!!!! Bengali desserts are DECADENT and absolutely saturated in sugar.

One night, we went out to the Banani area and ate at Dhaba, a cozy chaat shop in Dhaka!

The Pani Puri was especially fun to eat!! The round crisp puri is cracked open and stuffed with the potato and masala filling. Ladle some pani (the liquid made of mint, coriander, chili, and water) and tamarind chutney into the puri and pop the ball of Bengali fun into your mouth!!! Delicious.

Papri Chaat is made of round discs of fried dough topped with chickpeas, yogurt, tamarind chutney, and masala.

My absolute FAVORITE was the Chur-Mur!!!! It was a cool, tangy, sweet, mushy, and crunchy dish all combined in one!!! The cool flavor of the cucumber mixed with the tanginess of a yogurt sauce, and the sweetness of a tamarind chutney. MMMMMM MMMMM MMMMMMM, I loved every single bite. OMG, I am craving this sweet dish right now...

Like in any large Asian family, Bengalis sure do spend a lot of time together!! And they sure know how to throw together a quick party for any occasion!! Performances, music, food, and all!

Here are pictures of me and my new family. And my children.

On New Years Eve, we packed our bags and headed to Dubai. Flying Business Class on Emirates is literally a dream come true. I would rather spend my entire life living on a Business Class seat on an Emirates flying apparatus than in my own apartment in West Village. I swear to God it is roomier.

The full recline option is more-than-life-changing. Whether or not to sit more upright when the meal arrived was a truly difficult decision.

As a food blogger, I felt it was necessary to post images of my Emirates in-flight service.

What is that? A trifecta of bread disguised as one shapely roll!?!! What a novel idea!!! Later, you can say "Oh, I just had a little roll for lunch." When in actuality, you ate three rolls...combined into one. #genius I ordered the Fish Pie Tart - flaked salmon, dory and garden green peas in a rich parsley sauce, topped with fluffy creamed potatoes and served with an assortment of fresh vegetables.

I asked for not just one, but two desserts - a tray of Fresh Seasonal Fruit and also the Cheese Selection. I mean...how fabulous is this mini cheese board!?!? #love

I got to see a few of the sights as we drove from the airport to our hotel...but unfortunately did not get to visit any ginormous malls or go to the top of the Burj Khalifa (not that I would pay $100 USD to get a nosebleed on the 160th floor of a building anyways).

By the time we got settled in Dubai, it was already time to get dinner. We headed out to Jumeirah Beach Road and walked along the "boardwalk" filled with hotels, restaurants, and shops. I wish I could have seen it in the daylight, because I think it woud have been a really beautiful sight. Tons of tourists jam up this area, but the locals are there as well!!

It took us a while to pick a restaurant, but we finally settled with Sarai, an Syrian restaurant on JBR.

The Baba Ghannouj, roasted eggplant mixed with green and red bell peppers, parsley, diced tomatoes, and garlic, was topped with a pomegranate sauce that complemented the eggplant surprisingly well!!

The Hummus Mohammara is topped with walnuts, kaak, and pomegranate molasses pesto.

We all agreed that the pita bread served at Sarai was fantastic - it also had a hint of sweetness!

The Yalangi - stuffed mini vine leaves with rice and oriental spices.

The Zeitoun Halabi - a marinated green Aleppino olives salad with vegetables and cheese.

The Choki Istamboulieh - a simple artichoke salad.

The Fattoush Salad was a CROWD-FAVORITE - a mixture of parsley, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh mint, sumac, cabbage, white stringy cheese, and lemon dressing - this BOMB SALAD was topped with FRIED PITA CHIPS (#WOOT) and drenched in the most amazinggggggg lemon dressing known to mankind! We could not get enough of this.

Whenever I'm on vacation, I order a lot of calorie-ridden fruity drinks. And nonsensical containers of calories - such as cappuccinos apres dinner. So of course I had to order some lemon minty thing.

Sarai was a pretty decent restaurant - we were all sufficiently stuffed and satisfied after our meal. My major complaint is about the WAITSTAFF. Not once, not twice, but THREE times the waiter either chose to not understand/ignore me and completely obliterated my order for a 1) lemon minty drink (you ordered a drink?) 2) MOHAMMARA-topped hummus (for which he CORRECTED my pronunciation when I first placed the order) and 3) Fattoush salad (which HE RECOMMENDED!!!). #URGHFACE

Before heading back to the hotel, we treated ourselves to some gelato at Cone Street.

We rang the New Year in at the terrace of our hotel, the Media Rotana.

The terrace level reminds me any swanky rooftop bar in Manhattan - cabanas, cushy sofas, bumpin' DJ, and drunk people over the age of 50.

Thanks for tuning into the latest edition of ESSENTIAL LUXURIES: TRAVEL. #ole!

4 DAYS IN BANGKOK.

2012-01-08T17:33:00.000-05:00

OMG, OH HAI 2012!!!!! Happy holidays and a happy new year to all of my loyal readers out there (I'm lookin' at YOU, Mom!) - I hope they were food, friends, and family-filled.

I have just returned from my annual overseas Holiday Expedition - this year, I traversed to Bangkok, Dhaka, and Dubai!! And now I will attempt to recount my adventures without losing steam and giving up.

BANGKOK DAY 1:

I arrived in Bangkok around 8am and made my way over to my hotel, Viva Garden, via taxi. The 30-minute trek was less than a 300 baht drive (which is equivalent to $10 USD), which is when I realized that taxi rides in Bangkok are ABSURDLY cheap. You can end up spending an hour or more in a cab (thanks to traffic), and the ride will only come out to $5 USD. Viva Garden is an excellent hotel with an extremely nice staff - but it is not exactly located in "Central" Bangkok. I'm still not really sure what "Central" Bangkok even is - is it where all the malls are? Is it the old part of Bangkok? Unclear. Being that cab rides are so cheap, the location of the hotel is not a problem. But convincing a taxi to come BACK to the hotel was sometimes a challenge. Being that is was considered "far away" - it would sometimes take a bit of persuasion on our part to make our way home. If you are willing to take on the challenge of public transportation - the Sky Train stop is extremely close to the hotel and also supposedly much more convenient than taking a taxi (to avoid traffic!).

Because my travel companion, Z, wouldn't arrive until later on that evening - I had a whole day to spend with myself. I began it with a quick trip to the gym. Viva Garden has an outdoor pool and also a mini gym with a bike, treadmill, elliptical, and a few free weights.

Afterwards - it was off to the Jim Thompson House, the home of James H.W. Thompson - an American entrepreneur that founded the Jim Thompson Thai Silk Company. Beware of confusing cab drivers with your destination because Jim Thompson is also the name of his retail store (there are many locations of this store in Bangkok). I accidentally got dropped off at a Jim Thompson retail store and had to catch another cab to get to the museum.

A little fun fact: Jim Thompson was actually a University of Pennsylvania Alum!!! Go Penn!

Before taking the tour, I decided to have lunch at the adorable open-air museum restaurant, Thomson Bar and Restaurant. It was breezy, serene, and overlooked a koi fish pond. Find the menu here.

I began with the Yam Som O - a fresh pomelo salad with prawns, fried garlic, shallots, roasted coconut, and a sweet-sour chili dressing. OK, pomelo salad has officially changed my LIFE. How come we don't eat citrus-pulp salads here in America!!!! SOOOO delicious, refreshing, and relatively carb-free! I loved the texture of the pomelo pulp against the fried garlic and roasted coconut.

I also ordered the Gaeng Khew-wan Gai rue Goong - green curry with Thai eggplants, sweet basil leaves, and prawns. Yummy with just the right amount of spice!

I also couldn't help but get in the Thailand spirit by ordering a Coconut Juice - served in a coconut shell of course!!

Entry fee to the museum includes a 30-minute guided tour of the house, which is quite informational! The traditional Thai house is set amongst a complex of lush gardens. It is made up of six traditional Thai houses.

When Jim Thompson was 61 years old, he went on vacation in Malaysia...and mysteriously never returned. No one is sure where Jim Thompson went...or if he died...he did, however, keep many broken antique relics in his home (example pictured above - a headless Buddha). According to superstitious Thai beliefs, people should not keep broken things in their homes as it harbors bad luck. Maybe Jim Thompson should have listened...

On the ground floor of the home - an ancient silk knitting machine!

Since I was already downtown, I decided to venture through Bangkok's enormous mall shopping district - including Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Central World Plaza. According to my travel guide (I used Eyewitness Travel Top 10 Bangkok), one of Bangkok's "Top 10 Spas," the Orientist Spa, was located in Central World Plaza. Well. I searched. And searched. Asked around. And could not, for the life of me, find it.

So, I decided this was God's way of telling me I needed to TREAT MYSELF ("TREAT YOSELF!!") to a luxurious treatment at the Oriental Hotel. I hopped into a cab and told the driver to take me to the Oriental Spa. He turned to me and began laughing, "Miss, the Oriental Hotel is not even in Bangkok!" OK...::flipping through pages of Eyewitness Travel book::...I pointed at another random spa, the Grande Spa at the Sheraton. The cabbie laughed raucously outloud, "Miss, that is not in Bangkok either!" ERRMMMM, I do believe I purchased the Eyewitness Travel TOP 10 BANGKOK guidebook...put the pedal to the metal!!

"I know a GREAT massage place that is only 1 km away...super popular and very cheap...I guarantee you that it is better than the Oriental Spa or the Grande Spa..." as he began driving me to an unknown destination. This is essentially how all horror stories begin.

I soon found myself in front of Rangnam Spa, in the middle of what I only knew as NOWHERE. I had two choices: 1) flag down another cab who is hopefully more obedient or 2) give in and order a 2 hour Detoxifying Coffee Body Scrub and Thai Massage. The good news is - I was not murdered. The bad news is - I was charged an arm and a leg for a massage in Thailand. 2000 baht (around $67 USD is considered unheard of for a "local" massage parlor). If you find yourself in such a situation - just keep in mind that most 2 hour massage treatments should cost no more than 500 baht. BAH.

After I threw my money away, I decided it was time for dinner! I headed over to Cabbages & Condoms, a restaurant with a cause!! All proceeds from the restaurant go towards the PDA, the Population and Community Development Association - a family planning initiative in Thailand. All the more reason to order MORE food!!

Of course there were many condom-oriented decorations at the restaurant - the centerpiece being this Christmas tree made entirely of condoms!!!

I chose to sit in the beautifully lit outdoor garden.

Some crispy chips to munch on as I perused the menu...

I ordered the Poo Lone - a chili dip of steamed crab meat cooked in coconut milk and served with vegetables.

I had a hankering for fried tofu, so I also ordered the Phhang Hed Horm - black mushroom and firm tofu in a thick curry paste.

I ladled the chili dip and the tofu concoction over STICKY RICE!!!! MMM.

The dessert, Sa-Ka Tui Dum Ma Praw Onn, was FANTASTIC!!!!! God, I love Asian desserts. Boiled glutinous rice flour, black peanut, and young coconut with coconut milk. MMM - great mixture of textures and sweet flavors.

BANGKOK DAY 2:

I started my second day at Wat Arun, the Buddhist Temple of the Dawn. The mosaic and tile work on the grounds are absolutely stunning!!! The prangs (towers) are covered with broken porcelain from China - what a novel idea for recycling!!!

The climb was definitely quite steep!! Be sure to hold onto the railings, especially for the last flight!!

Afterwards - we sped off to the famous Chatuchak Market (aka JJ Market), which is only open on Saturdays and Sundays!! This weekend market, the largest in Thailand, is NOT to be missed!! A sprawling sector of over 5000 stalls selling anything from food, to animals, to plants, to clothing, and more!!! You could literally spend all day milling and eating your way through the complicated maze.

Tons and tons of food vendors lined the streets.

I had to stop and get myself a refreshing glass of Thai Iced Tea!!!!

We spent an absurdly long amount of time in the Riotino stall, which sells amazing one-of-a-kind pieces from Japan!! Riotino is my new favorite store.

We finally found our way to the DREAM SECTION for lunch, the only area where you will be able to dine in air conditioned comfort!

We ate lunch at Toh-Plue Restaurant, which was a nice respite from the crowds and the heat.

We started with the Coconut Milk and Spicy Papaya Salad. MMMMM - the papaya salad was so fresh!!!

And I cannot even begin to explain to you how much COCONUT RICE has CHANGED.MY.LIFE. Why do we ever prepare steamed rice with water!?!?!

The Pad Kee Mao with Shrimp was the BEST version of drunken noodles I have ever eaten in my life. The noodles were ridiculously tender and nearly melted in your mouth. AHHH. I will think of these noodles forever.

We also tried the Fish Balls Curry with Rice Noodles. It was fun to plop the little twirl of noodles in the bowl and ladle it out along with a submerged fish ball!!

I had my eye on these coconut ice cream desserts the entire time I walked through JJ market!! I couldn't leave the premises without trying one - coconut ice cream is scooped out into an actual coconut shell and topped with corn, agar jelly, real young coconut, AND STICKY RICE!!!!!! Absolutely genius.

It was Christmas evening, so I decided to book a nice dinner at the Water Library for our holiday meal. The Water Library is located on the 2nd level of Chamchuri Square, a large shopping mall. The space is beautiful with a modern opulence.

As the name suggests, you can't simply order tap water here. There is literally a menu devoted solely to WATER here!!!

I decided to go for a bottle of the antipodes, a water from New Zealand. I was attracted to the simple, unfussy, cleanliness to the brand and the bottle.

Some breads to begin at our table.

While I opted for a glass of wine, Z ordered a delicious juice concoction - I believe the word "energy" was in the name and it was AMAZING!!!! We talked about this juice for the rest of our vacation!! Definitely one of the best smoothies I have ever had.

For my appetizer, I ordered the George Bank Scallops with fennel juice, green apple, and goat cheese (sans chorizo).

My entree was the Chilean Seabass with mushroom, ponzu, and white truffle butter (sans bacon ragout).

While the presentation was certainly beautiful, I found my dishes to be rather cold and also not partcularly noteworthy. I liked the crispy preparation of the seabass, but I didn't find the dish fusing together seamlessly. The mushrooms seemed like a separate act. The scallop dish, too, was a little disconnected.

The Espresso Cream Caramel dessert with a dark chocolate ganache, lime, and banana sorbet like literally redefined indulgence in the dictionary. The smooth, rich mixture was SO DELICIOUS and mind-altering.

Because we were so obsessed with the cream caramel dessert, we found little excitement in the Warm Manjari Cake, which reminded us of just any other molten chocolate cake dessert.

Eating at the Water Library reminded me of New York - in both atmosphere AND price. While it was nice for a special Christmas treat, I would have much rather eaten at a less expensive restaurant for more authentically-Thai food.

BANGKOK DAY 3:

The following day was not really spent in Bangkok - we took a 1-day excursion to drive out to the Kanchanaburi province to see the Tiger Temple and also to visit the Damnoen Saduak Floating Marketing along the River Kwai in the Ratchaburi.

What's a guided tour without a pit stop at some random place to making you buy "authentic" items at tourist prices?? This particular resting area boasted a coconut milk steamer and some other coconut sugar delights.

It was also randomly an orchid farm!

I, of course, got lured into buying some elephant-printed pants...which later came in useful when 1) I rode a boat in Thailand during the "winter" and 2) found out that tigers are tempted by colors such as bright red/orange and shocking pink (please note the shorts I am wearing).

All aboard the boat!! Thailand used to be the "Venice of the East" - the rivers were roadways where business, commerce, and trade were conducted.

Today, people still live along the River Kwai at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, but it is not quite the marketplace that Thai people depend upon anymore. Still, many houses and even restaurants line the River Kwai.

The floating market was such a sight!! We paddled up to the main "shopping" area and then disembarked to enjoy the view and take in all the action!

Just about anything and everything is sold on these little boats - from fruits to shoes to desserts!

I absolutely fell in love with this lady selling noodle soup on her boat!!! A tiny boat, smaller than a twin size bed, stocked with all the ingredients to make the most delicious bowl of soup.

You could choose your own noodle - egg noodle, thin rice noodles, or thick rice noodles.

And you could choose your flavors and toppings - I went with a fish noodle soup!!

After 2 minutes of magic - VOILA. A piping hot bowl of noodles for only $1 USD!!!

I literally could not get enough of this place. If you go to the floating market, you MUST try these noodles!! My small kitchen is no longer an excuse for not cooking.

On our way to the Tiger Temple, we stopped at a few other places - including Elephant Village!!!

We got to take an elephant for a ride around the village grounds!! Such gentle creatures!! And I never knew how hairy they were! Super fun.

We also stopped at a local restaurant for lunch!

Some spicy chili dip!

Delicious Shrimp Pad Thai!!!

I thought this little eggplant was pretty cute, so I had to take a picture.

A yummy vegetable omelette of sorts flavored with basil!

This sweet roti dessert was fantastic - imagine a glazed doughnut...dipped in condensed milk...MMM.

And finally, we made it to the Tiger Temple. It is about a 2-3 drive from Bangkok (but only about 30 minutes from the Floating Marketing). Monks have been raising tigers at this forest sanctuary and temple since 1999. Since then, the tiger count has raised from 1 to over 90.

I have to say, I was deeply disappointed by what I saw at the Tiger Temple. Essentially, you are placed in a large pit with 15-20 chained tigers that appear to be in a deep sleep. You are led around with a "guide" from one tiger to another for a series of poses. The whole experience is insensitive and unsettling.

Yea, you can get some fairly decent pictures such as this..

...and this...

...but for the most part - you can see (from the background of this photo) how derived this whole "Tiger Temple" concept really is. No sense of reverence towards these animals...and it is absolutely clear that all the tigers have eaten Ambien for lunch. Who wants a picture with snoring tigers!?!??! What sense of adventure does that conjure?!?!

BANGKOK DAY 4:

I wanted to make sure I fit in all the rest of the Bangkok highlights on my last day in Thailand!! I was up and at 'em by 11am to make it out to the Grand Palace, or Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang, which was the official residence of the Thailand/Siam's Kings from 1782-1925. On the same complex as the Grand Palace is the Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

The grounds of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are absolutely ridiculous. Completely ornate, opulent, and unreal. You feel like you are at a royal Disney World.

I was determined to make it to the restaurant ON FOOT. I love tasting my map skills in new cities and feel a true sense of accomplishment when I make it to my final destination alive.

Walking to the restaurant, I saw a side of Bangkok that finally made me feel like I was in Asia.

I had lunch at May Kaidee, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Bangkok that also runs a cooking school!! It is a small, adorable open-air restaurant that feels like a hippie's paradise.

I ordered a Thai Iced Tea with Lemon - which is a nice alternative to traditionally heavy and milk-infused Thai Iced Tea.

I wanted to try so many different things but finally narrowed my choices down to three different dishes. I wanted to eat something that would be cool and refreshing because it was quite a hot day!! The Guitiow Loui Suan Tofu with mixed vegetables and thai herbs in a rice wrapping was nice and light.

The Yum Hou Plee, Banana Flower Salad, had such wonderful flavors. It was kind of sweet and sour with a bit of spice. Lovely.

The Pumpkin Hummus with Sticky Rice essentially changed my life. A thick paste of pumpkin puree with chunks of pumpkin and basil leaves. So yummy.

Afterwards, I found my way to Wat Pho, which is the birthplace of traditional Thai massage!

This was one of the most relaxing and tranquil temples I have ever visited - the grounds were extra breezy and there was peaceful music and wind chimes filling the air.

Wat Pho means Temple of the Reclining Buddha, which is a buddha that has reached the ultimate state of nirvana.

The buddha is absolutely humongous. Standing 50 feet high...

...and 143 feet long!!

Look at the humongous feet and toes!!!!

Before heading out the airport, I wanted to enjoy one last dinner in Thailand.

I headed out to the Metropolitan Hotel only to find out that the restaurant I had intended on visiting (thanks to my Eyewitness Travel guide) was CLOSED. In its place was Nahm, a chic Thai restaurant that brought me right back to New York.

A light amuse bouche to begin the meal.

I ordered the Green Fields juice - a blend of cucumber, mint, ginger, and lemon juice.

My appetizer of Coconut Cupcakes with Red Curry of Crab. SO DELICIOUS. I loved the cute concept of using thin slivers of toasted coconut as a "chip" to top with the flavorful curry!!!

I also ordered the Crab and Snake Gourd Soup with egg, pepper, and coriander. No, there were no snakes in the soup, that was simply the name of the vegetable. Big crab chunks in an egg drop noodle-esque soup! I enjoyed this.

I wanted to try something different for my meal - so I ordered the Stir Fried Fish Dumplings with Pak Warn. I didn't really know what to expect, but apparently Pak Warn is a green leafy vegetable!! The fish dumplings were not really dumplings, they were actually fish balls. I was a little unimpressed by this dish.

The dessert CHANGED.MY.LIFE. Since this meal, I have thought long and hard about where I can find this dessert again in New York...IF ANYONE KNOW'S PLEASE TELL ME. It was a bowl of Black Sticky Rice with Longans and Young Coconut served with Caramelized Taro. The caramelized taro was crispy and delicious, savory and sweet. The black sticky rice was so ooey-gooey and deicious, covered in creamy coconut milk with the added texture of coconut and dragon fruit!! #DEAD

I was definitely happy with my time in Bangkok - it is a wonderful city with a rich history and DELICIOUS food. I cannot wait to go back and experience the rest that Thailand has to offer.

MORE THAN SOFT SERVE AT VICTORY GARDEN!

2012-01-06T13:30:00.000-05:00

You all know how I feel about my neighborhood goat milk soft serve joint - Victory Garden....pure. love. Despite the most recently hired ice cream server (who has an unnecessarily dry and hoity toity attitude), I am in absolute love with this place.

But come winter time, the goats apparently go on vacation and Victory Garden's flavored goat milk ice cream becomes rather limited in variety.

Have no fear!! There are plenty of other options available at Victory Garden and the winter time is the perfect reason to go beyond your goat milk comfort zone and try a mini jar of their delicous cheesecake!!!!

For thise who eat dairy-free, be sure to try their Chia Seed Parfait, made with homemade cashew nut milk and lightly sweetened with agave. I like to top mine with pistachio and halva.

Enjoy!

A NEW ENGLAND ESCAPE.

2011-12-18T21:54:00.001-05:00

6 hours of bus and car transportation, an 11pm dinner of a Dunkin' Donuts Vanilla Chai Latte (which, BTW, has LITERALLY changed my life) and a banana I found in my purse, and 47 Christmas sing-a-long songs later...my driver, Clarence, and I finally arrived in Hanover, New Hampshire around 2am on Friday evening (or, I suppose...Saturday morning).

Overnight, snow had covered the ground and I woke up to a WHITE SATURDAY!!! My brief weekend escape to visit my June-bug had to all be jam-packed in essentially one day, so we were up and at 'em by 8am to start our Saturday morning on the right foot: TWO GYM GLASSES at the River Valley Club. From then on out, it was kind of a downhill spiral into glutinous food consumption overload.

Our first stop was King Arthur Flour in Vermont (a short 5 minute drive from Hanover). There, bags of the famous King Arthur flour and other baking/cooking necessities are sold alongside the pastry and bread bakery!

I got to try a bite of their Hazelnut Loaf - which was absolutely delicious!!! Light and buttery like a croissant with the perfect hint of hazelnut in each bite.

They also hold a variety of baking and cooking demonstrations at King Arthur Flour. If you have a pal that lives in the area - be sure to give them the gift of a King Arthur Flour baking class!!!

I couldn't help but purchase one of King Arthur Flour's OWL ENERGY BARS!!! Made of oats, dates, peanut butter, and nuts - it was the perfect snack to munch on the long bus ride home!!

While the baked goods at King Arthur Flour were certainly tempting, we decided to head over to Lou's in Hanover for a more rib-sticking meal.

Lou's has been around since 1947 and still holds true to its old-timey diner values. The omelettes and other breakfast items at Lou's come with your choice of BAKED BEANS or BLACK BEANS!! I hadn't been in New England long enough to realize the geographical importance of BAKED BEANS - it was a surprisingly welcome addition to my breakfast plate!!

Breakfast meals are also served with Lou's HOMEMADE bread - I chose the CINNAMON RAISIN bread, which I topped off with Lou's special strawberry jam!! Humongous chunks of strawberries in every bite - delicious!

You can also bring a taste of Lou's home with you - Lou's special Strawberry Jam, Lou's Porridge Mix, Lou's Steel Cut Oats, Lou's Homemade Granola, Lou's Maple Syrup, and more are sold at the front of the restaurant...along with a variety of baked goods! These goodies make a perfect gift!!!

A few blocks down in Hanover is Morano Gelato - of course I had to stop in to get some smooth, creamy gelato!! I got a scoop of Dark Chocolate, Candied Chestnut, and Banana!! YUM.

After a brief recharge at home, we were off to Quechee Gorge Village in Vermont. We didn't really know what to expect - but we saw there was a winery, so we thought it was the ideal way to spend the remainder of our afternoon.

$6 buys you 10 tastings of Putney Mountain Winery's fruit wines! The wines are all produced in the Connecticut River Valley and unfortunately....all taste like complete crap.

Beyond the creepy antique shops and random pewter stores, the highlight of Quechee Gorge Village is undoubtedly the CABOT QUECHEE STORE - which features an astonishing amount of ALL-YOU-CAN-TAKE samples!!!! Cabot cheese, popcorn, dips, you name it - fill 'er up!!

I had to calm myself down at the Cabot Quechee Store because I didn't want to spoil my dinner at Simon Pearce Restaurant in Quechee, VT! Simon Pearce was named one of the Best (Restaurants) of New England in 2011!

We started off with some warm breads and butter.

I ordered a mug of Cider Winder to warm myself up - a mixture of calvados and hot mulled cider. The perfect drink to put you in a holiday spirit!!

I decided to order the appetizer special of the day - Seared Georges Bank Scallops with triple potato truffle puree, caviar, and petite celery. I was underwhelmed by this dish as it was served rather cool and didn't have particularly memorable flavors.

Thank goodness I was able to force my dining companions to share their appetizers with me as well!! My driver, Clarence, chose the BEST appetizer of the evening - the Potato Gnocchi, which was served with exotic mushrooms, parmesan cream, and garlic chips. Hands down - everyone's favorite appetizer plate. Creamy, textural goodness.

Bug opted for the Rock Crab Cake - served with an Old Bay remoulade. Bug wasn't particularly fond of this crab cake (dismissing it as having "too much filler") but I quite liked it! I thought the consistency was quite nice, with just enough crispiness from the searing. The remoulade had a wonderful crunch with a fantastic pickled flavor to it!

For my entree - the Horseradish Crusted Blue Cod served with crispy leeks, herb mashed potatoes, and a balsamic shallot reduction. The cod was extremely flakey and was fried to the lightest perfection!! The flavors of the leeks (similar to that of thin shoestring onions) was the perfect complement. I absolutely loved this hearty fish dish.

And I just simply could not pass up a chance at dessert - I ordered the Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding a la mode served with Bailey's chocolate sauce. The bread pudding was wonderfully decadent, moist, and spongy. A fantastic way to end my meal at Simon Pearce.

The next morning we enjoyed a home-cooked breakfast a la Bug and then hit the road.

Before dropping me off at South Station, my driver Clarence and I shared a meal at Darwin's - a cute, hippie coffee and sandwich shop in Cambridge. I ordered The Magnolia Sandwich on toasted 7 grain bread - a yummy mixture of hummus, avocado, apple, carrot, tomato, sprouts, and honey mustard. I cannot believe I have never experience the GENIUS that is the combination of APPLES and HONEY MUSTARD in a SANDWICH until this moment. FANTASTIC. I also ordered a tiny tub of Artichoke Salad and some chips to accompany my sandwich.

My short trip up North was well-worth the frost bite travel time. I cannot wait to return for more New England foodie trips!!!

RAMEN TAKUMI.

2011-12-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

Ohhhhhh, the weather outside is FRIGHTFUL. The city has finally been hit with massive CHILL attack (which I will actually gratefully accept because for the first few mild months of winter...I was under the rational assumption that the world was ending). Nothing staves off a cold evening better than a nice bowl of RAMEN!!! Ramen Takumi is a tiny ramen shop near Union Square that is especially cognizant of vegetarians!!! Carefully labeled vegetarian-friendly sections ensure us veggie-vores can happily consume a bowl of ramen without fear of chicken or beef stock! You can find the menu here.

We started with an order of Vegetable Gyoza - lightly fried for that slightly crisp layer of skin.

I ordered a bowl of the Vegetable Miso Ramen - a soybean paste flavored broth filled with chewy ramen noodles, scallions, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and corn. Well-flavored soup and the perfect ratio of vegetables to noodles to broth. I also happen to think ramen is the best cure for any hangover!!

While I wouldn't recommend a noodle apprentice searching for his noodle master at Ramen Takumi, I think it is a convenient place to find a decent bowl of noodles if you are in the area.

PULQUERIA.

2011-12-17T18:01:00.002-05:00

So, I've been away for quite some time - MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES. Work has gotten the best of me and has rendered me PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE of staring at a computer screen and positioning my fingers in the QWERTY position. I have still been able to enjoy a meal here and there despite my hectic schedule and I would love to catch you all up.

On a hidden windy street in Chinatown lies a basement haven of a Mexican restaurant - Pulqueria. There is no sign, so just enter through the dodgy staircase underneath the sign for a Vietnamese restaurant.

Pulque is a milk-colored alcohol made from fermented agave plants. In the past, pulque received a bad rep. Rumors of the use of muneca (a textile bag filled with poo) to quicken the fermentation process turned people off from the alcohol...but I am here to prove pulque is AMAZING and SAFE and NON-POOPY!!!!!!! Pulqueria serves a variety of pulque-infused beverages. I tried the Tamarindo Curado de Pulque - a yummy mixture of fresh tamarind, pulque, tequila, agave, and lime.

We started with the Sikil Pak - a Mayan pumpkin seed dip served with housemade tortilla chips. SIKIL PAK HAS LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. I don't understand how I have managed to live 26 years without this dip in my life. It is nutty, dense, texture-y, and absolutely delicious. The chips were also airy and crispy, a perfect complement.

Pulqueria's Ensalada de Nopal Asado is the best representation of cactus I have ever had in my life. A fresh, colorful salad of grilled cactus, red onion, avocado, and queso anejo. The cactus was absolutely perfect - crisp and un-slimy.

We shared an order of tacos - C ordered the Cochinta Pibil taco (on the right) and I ordered the Pescado Zarandeado taco made of grilled tilapia, fire-roasted pico de gallo, and lime. The tacos were the only part of our meal that we weren't completely obsessed with. I found my taco to be really soggy.

We also shared an order of the Sopa Azteca (they pre-split our servings!) - a smoky guajillo-tomato broth served with fried tortilla, avocado, and queso fresco. YUMYUMYUM. We absolutely loved this soup, especially the chunks of chewy cheese we found inside!!

Our final dish was the Tostados de Atun - housemade tostados topped with ceviche-style tuna, avocado, chipotle mayo, crispy onions, and and lime. The combination of onions and tuna was fantastic!!

I absolutely loved my meal at Pulqueria. The vibe was great, the crowd was diverse and interesting, and the food was genuine. I cannot wait to go back for more pulque drinks and more pumpkin seed dip!!

OCEANA.

2011-11-29T07:42:00.001-05:00

I have been meaning to patronize Oceana for quite some time now. It's hard to get around to when you automatically assume anything in the vicinity of Rockefeller Center should be immediately discounted and overlooked. Oceana is located in the McGraw Building (yes, as in McGraw-Hill) and reeks of business lunches and client dinners. But who ever said a business lunch or client dinner had to be mediocre?

We started off with a variety of breads to choose from, served with salted butter.

From the kitchen, a small shot of lobster bisque. A nice, flavorful way to begin the meal!

We decided to make a meal out of appetizers and sides. The first of which was the Housemade Orecchiette with seafood sausage and broccoli rabe. The seafood sausage was crumbled and tasted alarmingly close to sausage (despite there being no meat in the dish). The orecchiette definitely had a kick to it!

The Peekytoe Crab Cakes were served atop a wasabi aioli and pickled cucumber. I absolutely loved the sour, crunchy pickles with each bite of crab!

For our "main" dish - we ordered the Sauteed Nantucket Bay Scallops - which the kitchen kindly split onto two separate plates for us. The scallops were served with black figs, pickled mushrooms, and wild arugula. A very pleasing presentation!

OMG, I could not even handle how cute all the little mushrooms were!!! Do you see the TINNNYYYYY little one sitting there in the very front!?!?! #cannot...OK I will stop posting pictures of fungus now...

For our sides - we ordered the Housemade Potato Gnocchi with parmigiano reggiano - not the best gnocchi I've ever had (a little too chewy) but I couldn't pass up an excuse to stuff cheese in my face.

The Spicy Napa Cabbage with lime chili glaze had a nice zing.

And the Wilted Spinach flavored with creme fraiche, roasted garlic, and lemon was fabulous. If you ever have a problem getting your children to eat vegetables - just dump it in some creme fraiche. It will work every time.

For dessert, we ordered a bowl of sorbet - a scoop of white sesame, dark chocolate, and pumpkin. I am CONVINCED we were served guava instead of pumpkin (because it tasted a bit too citrusy and sweet to be pumpkin) and the white sesame flavor tasted like Chinese tong yuan!! Interesting!

We also ordered the Chocolate Custard Brownie - served with roasted cinnamon cream and espresso granite. This was surprisingly fantastic!! The brownie was super soft, moist, and decadent - and even came topped with a gold flake!

Oceana served some of the best petit fours I have ever had!! They were like little pudding pops!

We enjoyed our meal at Oceana - although we probably should have had a more seafood-centric meal, all the different tastings filled our bellies and left all our tastebuds satisfied. Will definitely visit Oceana again for a more fish-filled meal in the future.

KUTSHER'S TRIBECA.

2011-11-29T07:10:00.001-05:00

Ya'll know how I feel about my Jewish homies!! I was so thrilled to hear about Jeffrey Chodorow's newest venture - Kutsher's Tribeca! A restaurant celebrating Jewish American cuisine, backed by a 100-year history of the Kutsher's Country Club in the Catskill Mountains.

Kutsher's Tribeca is a pretty snazzy little place! Very dimensional lighting and spacious.

The bread was served with a caramelized onion butter - great flavors!

I ordered the Bungalow Bunny cocktail - gin, muddled lime and mint, blueberry-lime cordial, and smoked bitters. I imagined it being like a fruity mojito...but in actuality, it tasted more just like gin. Too much gin.

We began with the Borchst Salad (oh, hello Borchst, we meet AGAIN!!) - beets, marinated goat cheese, fingerlings, artichokes, greens, and broken beet vinaigrette. A lovely salad except I'm not sure how much I love the combination of beets with potatoes - a little too root-heavy, if you ask me. But I wasn't so aware of how important potatoes were to Jewish cuisine until this evening.

Of course - for a truly authentic Jewish meal, we HAD to order the Crispy Potato Latkes!! I loved that they served it with sour cream and a local apple compote - I've never had apple compote with potato latkes before and it is DELICIOUS!!! I loved the added sweetness.

The Crispy Artichokes alla Judea was probably my favorite dish of the evening - the artichokes were perfectly cooked (mushy but crispy!!) and topped with lemon, garlic, parsley, greens, and shaved parmesan. Wonderful, simple flavors.

We were excited to try the Pastrami Smoked Salmon - despite the name, there is no actual pastrami in the dish!!! Instead, the salmon is smoked with pastrami to enhance its flavors!! Inside the pile of smoked salmon lies a sour cream and chive knish, capers, and dill. The knish was like a Jewish samosa - a filled potato dumpling of sorts.

And of course - what is a Jewish meal without Mrs. K's Matzoh Ball Soup!?!?! I ADORE matzoh ball soup and think about it all the time - this bowl is just like every FABULOUS homemade matzoh ball soup...except $11. Nevertheless - I enjoyed every slurp and was especially fond of the extra chewy egg noodles!

For dessert - we ordered the Chocolate Babka Bread Pudding served with pear brandy caramel sauce. It was an interesting take on bread pudding and came more in a muffin form. Moist yet dense - not shabby.

Overall, I very much enjoyed my meal at Kutsher's Tribeca and am still convinced I was Jewish in a past life. Definitely make your way over for an inventive yet traditional Jewish meal.

NJ DISPATCH: TERESA CAFFE + BENT SPOON.

2011-11-26T17:42:00.001-05:00

I spent Saturday morning shopping in Downtown Princeton with mi madre. After cleaning out J. Crew, we decided it was time to grab a little sustenance! Instead of patronizing our usual spot, Mediterra, we decided to try another restaurant from the same Terra Momo Restaurant Group. Teresa Caffe is a casual Italian restaurant that effuses the aroma of baked breads and cheeses. Like other Terra Momo restaurants, Teresa Caffe also boasts fresh, local ingredients and all baked goods are made fresh daily from the nearby Witherspoon Bread Company.

I had already had my fill of olive oil samples from Carter and Cavero Old World Olive Oil Company right before l lunch, so I didn't feel much like indulging in additional carbohydrates and saturated fats.

I ordered a bowl of the Minestrone Soup with fresh cracked pepper.

My mother and I shared a Funghi Panini - pressed ciabatta bread filled with marinated portobello mushrooms, sun dried tomato pesto, smoked gouda cheese, and spinach. I am pretty sure that instead of smoked gouda cheese, they stuffed smoked ham in our sandwich instead - which I quickly discarded.

We also shared a Zucca Pizette - topped with butternut squash crema, porcini mushrooms, thyme, and grana padano (sans the pancetta). Yummy, yummy!!

And of course - no trip home to New Jersey is complete without a trip to The Bent Spoon!! I ordered a scoop of Chocolate Cinnamon and Pumpkin Mascarpone!!!!! senjglsnegjsnlgseg WHY DOES BENT SPOON NOT HAVE A LOCATION IN MANHATTAN!?!?!?!

MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.

2011-11-26T17:18:00.001-05:00

OMG - you know how everyone says "URGHHH-FACE...I NEVER WIN ANYTHING"???? Well, it's true. For me. Other then that cappuccino maker I won back in a college, my life has been one DOWNWARD spiral into MISFORTUNE and DISPARITY.

So, BOY, were my spirits uplifted when I discovered that I had WON tickets to the 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!!!!! The GRAND STANDS at 71st and Central Park West - here I come!!!

Gates opened at 7:15AM and I sent a threatening email to my friends to report to the staging area NO LATER THAN 7:30AM. The gates supposedly closed at 8:15AM, and there was NO WAY I was going to spend my Thanksgiving morning watching the parade on TV. UNFORTUNATELY, due to TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES (ahem, a BIRTHDAY PARTY) the previous night, I overslept and jumped out of bed at 7:50AM in a drunken, panicked stupor. I ran out of the house without brushing my hair, teeth, or washing my face and also managed to slip my pants on inside out and backwards. BUT GUESS WHAT KIDS - I MADE IT. We were let into the gates to access Central Park West...but by the time we had arrived, there was no way we would make it to the Grand Stands.

But have no fear! We had a pretty great view anyway!!! Despite having to stand for 2 hours (and due to my short stature, I missed anything that wasn't floating 40 feet in the air), we had a great time!

Selected photos of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floats:

The Wimpy Kid!

Buzz Lightyear!

Pillsbury Dough Boy!

Sponge Bob!

Kung Fu Panda!

Snoopy!

An ICECREAM CONE!!!

Ronald McDonald's deflated sneaker!! WAHH-WAHHHHHHHH.

The best seats in the house!! Reminder to self: purchase apartment with windows facing Central Park West.

Spiderman!

Pikkachu!

Hello Kitty!

Smurf!!

Kermit!

And of course - SANTA!!!!

Afterwards - it was off to New Jersey for a Thanksgiving meal at home!

This was my father's best attempt at using an iPhone camera. A little blurry but at least it was a fairly centered shot.

Me and the FAMILIA!!

I brought Mini Matcha Cheesecakes from Ivy Bakery to the Thanksgiving feast. This bakery/lounge is super fun and even provides board games for your entertainment and leisure!

Hope you all had a wonderful and blessed holiday full of food, family, and friends.

HOME MADE KATI ROLLS.

2011-11-26T07:12:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have ever gone out with me in NYC, you will know my fixation with KATI ROLLS at the end of every night. It is mostly a joke, because I actually HATE kati rolls (and waking up and smelling like a kati roll the next morning) - but nonetheless, I find myself in line at The Kati Roll Company in West Village more frequently than necessary.

S, an Asian friend who grew up in Calcutta was kind enough to invite me over for a homemade taste of kati rolls. I was a little wary at first, as I thought back to many mornings of hating myself after ingesting a 2 lb brick of oil, eggs, and dough - but decided to accept the offer.

Here is Chef S in his kitchen!!

We noshed on some samosas as he prepared the food! These ones were unique because he added cinnamon into the mix!!

I also had chakli (or murukku) for the first time! These savory snacks made of fried rice flour are absolutely delicious!

The yummy pan of homemade paneer that he was cooking up!!! So fragrant!

All the other fixings for our kati rolls! The chapati flat bread, which Chef S heated up on an oiled pan, watercress, onions, and lemons! Also another fun and delicious snack - cucumber slices with a light dusting of masala spice!!! SO AMAZING.

There we go - filling up our kati rolls!

Eh, voila! My chapati was cooked with an EGG in the pan! I layered in the paneer and topped it with onions, watercress, onion, and a squeeze of a lemon. Roll it up like a burrito and eat up! SO YUMMY.

Thank you, Chef S, for an amazing meal!!! You have completely changed my view of kati rolls and I now know where to come when I am in a drunken stupor at 4AM.

FLEX MUSSELS.

2011-11-25T17:23:00.001-05:00

Flex Mussels always sounded like some protein powder and steroid-junkie joint to me. But I assure you - it is nothing of the sort! The restaurant serves 23 different flavors of mussels, each enticing and alluring along with oysters and other sea-food related dishes.

Our experience was a little more drama-filled than necessary. We ended up waiting for 45 minutes for our food to arrive with neither an apology nor a gift from the kitchen to appease our hunger. Lizzie managed to wrangle us a bottle of merlot for our troubles, but only after a few stern words of disapproval.

It was tough to decide between a cheesy option, a lobster-supplemented option, or a more exotic/ethnic option. I finally decided to go with the Pesto, mussels cooked in a broth of basil-walnut pesto, shrimp, garlic, and parmigiano. Pretty delicious! I also stole a bite of my pal's Parma mussels - a cheesy and decadent mixture of parmigiano cream, meyer lemon, scallions, toasted garlic, and shallots.

I also ordered a side of Flex Veg (I opted for the brussel sprouts) to balance out my meal.

What is a meal of mussels without Flex Truffle Fries?!?

We ended the meal with four Salted Caramel Flex Donuts - better than a beignet in New Orleans!!!!! So soft, light, fluffy; dusted with sugar crystals; and filled with delicious caramel.

Make your way over to Flex Mussels to eat your way through the endless variety of mussel pots!! And do not miss out on the donuts!!

ONEGIN.

2011-11-19T08:05:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to see that the old Uno's Pizzeria in West Village was being converted into Onegin, a Russian restaurant!! For me, Russian food is a completely new and novel cuisine that I had yet to explore, so I was thankful I only had to walk 10 minutes in the cold to satiate my curiosity.

The interior is plush and ornate, which is the only acceptable setting for dining when you are order a Blini with Black Caviar for $48. #baller

We started off with drinks - I ordered the Bitter Truth, a mix of Citadel Gin, Campari, Aperol, grapefruit juice, and fresh lime juice. It was a bit too gin-ny for my tastes...and I'm bummed that I forgot to order VODKA to make the whole Russian affair a bit more authentic.

They brought out loaves of bread for our table to begin munching on.

I wanted to try the most RUSSIAN things off the menu, so I grilled the waiter about the "Russian-ness" of each dish. I ended up choosing:

Blini with Red Caviar, Sour Cream, and Onions. Basically - blinis are these thin, moist crepes that you fill to your liking.

I spread a decent amount of sour cream. topped it with a sprinkle of caviar, and then a few sprigs of onion for good measure. Rolled that bad boy up and voila - a Russian burrito that tastes like a lox and cream cheese bagel!!

The Traditional Ukranian Dumplings "Vareniki" also seemed like a really Russian choice for the evening - we opted to fill ours with cabbage...and like all things Russian, these dumplings were also served with sour cream. Maybe I'm biased, but I think Asians do dumplings way better than the Russians. Despite the caramelized onions, there was still not a whole lot of flavor in the dish. I also didn't like that the outside was doused with a dressing of butter.

I was especially excited to try the Vegetarian Borscht soup, which is also a quintessential Russian dish.I am officially obsessed with borscht soup - it is like a beet-lover's dream come true. Smushy vegetables (mostly made of beetroot) and a red beet-root, almost tomato-y, based broth. So healthy and warming!! It was also served with a warm piece of Pompushka garlic bread...and....sour cream for good measure.

For dessert, we ordered the Warm Apple Strudel with Vanilla Ice Cream. The strudel was almost more like an apple-filled blini covered in powdered sugar.

And we also ordered the Sour Cherry Varenki - which were, urgh, MORE DUMPLINGS. We could barely swallow these cherry-filled dumplings that were served with...seriously??? sour cream??? Very artificial in flavor.

Russian cuisine is quite interesting to me - it varies so wildly between luxuriously decadent caviar and simple and humble beet root made into soup. Despite an overdose of sour cream and excessive interaction with sub-par dumplings - I had a fun time trying Russian food for the first time.

BAR'RIQUE.

2011-11-16T21:11:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for a sweet little wine and tapas bar in West Village, look no further. Bar'rique will satisfy all of your wine and cheese needs. Ignore the "C" grade plastered on the window - I was irked at first as well, but I can attest that the food we ate that evening was clean, presentable, and did not harbor any bacterial illnesses...that I know of. Find the menu here.

We started off with a platter of crostini. One with Truffled White Beans and Pickled Beets; one with Fresh Ricotta, Honey, Almond, and Thyme; and one with Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers, and Capers. I enjoyed most of them but the Truffled White Bean crostini (pictured in the middle) was quite strange - the puree was runny and reminded me of egg yolk.

We also wanted ordered another plate of cheese (a soft one) that was served with honey and apples. I just love a little sweet, spreadable cheese!!!

The Arancini risotto ball of Mushroom and Taleggio in a spicy tomato sauce had a nice, crispy texture. I think the balls could have used a bit more moisture.

We also ordered a few vegetables as sides. The brussels sprouts and sauteed broccolini were the perfect way to round out the decadent cheeses and risotto.

Bar'rique is great for a casual dinner or snack with a glass of wine. Simple food in a simple setting.