There was a time when I went to New York City atleast once a year. Bryan and I started the ritual back in college. My aunt had a small apartment in Manhattan, and she was kind enough to let us (poor college students) stay with her whenever we visited.

After graduation, since we lived in Boston, it was easy to visit regularly. We visited our relatives, sampled exciting food, and just enjoyed the city. For work I would attend the annual black tie Judge's Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, which was always exciting.

I even went once to attend the Saveur Best Food Blog Awards ceremony, where I won Best Restaurant and Dining Coverage in 2012 (yes, a loooooong time ago).

Fun memories, such as meeting Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin, being introduced to a secret "speakeasy" bar, discovering the best fried chicken Bryan's ever had, and seeking after food trends like Dominique Ansel's CRONUT® (or better yet, the DKA), the best NYC bagel, Thanksgiving turkey at a 3 Michelin star restaurants, and more . . .

So imagine what it was like to suddenly stop going to New York when we moved to Hong Kong. Suddenly New York City was thousands of miles away, not just a quick trip from Boston. So you can see . . . the blog sort of went silent on New York after the Girls Trip I took in 2016.

Never would I have imagined that a global pandemic plus other reasons would prevent me from going back to New York City until almost a decade later.

I had seen Hudson Yards on my IG feed during the pandemic, so I told Bryan I really wanted to see that. It did not disappoint! The High Line has had many updates since 9 years ago, and I really really enjoyed exploring that whole area!

Of course we had to get bagels.

We tried Best Bagels and Liberty Bagels in Midtown, and both were excellent!

Bryan stopped by his favorite camera store, B&H for old times' sake.

After never being able to get a reservation at Brooklyn Fare back in the day, we finally got to taste Chef César Ramirez's food at his eponymous restaurant, César.

The food was exquisite.

I'll be adding to this New York City series to write in more detail about some of the places we visited. Enjoy! So excited to be back after 9 years!

The post Hello New York! It's been WAY Too Long appeared first on Tiny Urban Kitchen.

Our friends who live in Boston (a couple) highly recommended that I try Amar in the Raffles Hotel. The wife is from Singapore, and therefore was quite familiar with the original Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

This Raffles Hotel in Boston is the first one in the US. It includes many signature items from the Raffles Singapore (a historic hotel that has been open since 1887!), including its famous cocktails!

A Bit of Cocktail History

The most famous cocktail at the Raffles is called the “Singapore Sling” , made from gin, Luxardo cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Bénédictine, and pineapple juice. The Singapore sling was originally inveited at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore by legendary bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. He later invented the “Million Dollar Cocktail”, made from gin, dry French vermouth, orange juice, grenadine, and an egg white.

The Boston location recreates the Long Bar, on the same floor within the Raffles Hotel but on the other side of the hotel from Amar. You can order these famous cocktails at the Long Bar, or at Amar instead, if you so fancy.

Or you can get your favorite classic cocktail, like Bryan's dirty martini.

Amar's space is stunning, with floor to ceiling windows and panoramic views of the Boston skyline. We came during sunset, and I couldn’t help but get up from my seat to take photos out the window.

The Food

The food is "Mediterranean-inspired" but also has quite a decent selection of Boston's famous fresh seafood (think seafood tower, raw oysters, and the like). To me, it leans a bit Spanish, but also feels a lot like a typical New England farm-to-table restaurant.

I came here twice. Once with my friends, and once together with Bryan. Below are some example dishes we enjoyed. As the dishes are seasonally focused, the menu will change regularly, but these photos can at least give you a general sense of the types of food coming out of this innovative kitchen.

Main Course

Dessert

General Thoughts: Amar Raffles Hotel Boston

I mentioned I came here twice. The first time we actually booked the chef's table, which allows you to sit inside the kitchen and enjoy your meal while watching the action. It's interesting, but you lose out on all those amazing views. The second time, we sat in the main dining room. Personally, I recommend trying to dine in the main dining room. It's overall a much more relaxing space. Plus the views are really nice.

The food is good. I found the starters to be more creative an interesting compared to the mains, but overall everything was enjoyable. If you need to conduct a business dinner or celebrate a birthday, the combination of good food, beautiful views, and a central location makes this place a good choice.

Amar Raffles Hotel Boston

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This place is an INSTITUTION in New York City. Known for its ultra thin and crispy crust, Joe’s Pizza’s fame is legendary. As soon as you walk in, you’ll see a wall filled with photos of celebrities who have visited over the years. 

Bryan had tried Joe’s Pizza in New York City. He said he waited in a super long line for about 45 minutes before getting a few slices. 

Guess what? If you’re in Cambridge (MA) you don’t have to wait at all! Yes, Joe’s Pizza opened up a location in Harvard Square not far from where I used to live. I’m sure it’s popular with students, but it’s also super popular with ME! The first time I tried it, I completely fell in love and declared that it is currently my favorite pizza in BOSTON! 

There’s something about that ultra thin & crispy crust + quality toppings that I can't resist. I always just get the simple tomato + basil + cheese pie. Simple is the best. Soooooo good.

They are open until 2AM, and whole pies cost between US$25 - $33. You can also order by the slice. Prepare to spend US$4-6 per slice.

Joe's Pizza Harvard Square
3 Brattle St
Cambridge, MA

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For Bryan’s birthday this year, we decided to take a little road trip. Newport, Rhode Island is only about two hours from Boston, and we thought it would be fun to celebrate somewhere a bit special.

Another family joined us, which made the whole outing feel like a mini getaway rather than just a dinner reservation.

Bryan's best friend organized the entire meal, and chose Aurelia, the fine dining restaurant at Castle Hill Inn. Aurelia Newport has been recognized by Forbes and Relais & Châteaux.

We arrived right at sunset, and we were all blown away by the views of the ocean. There's a really nice outdoor patio where many people were enjoying drinks and just soaking in the view. Since we had our dinner reservation soon, we just spent about 5-10 minutes taking photos before heading inside.

There are some tables inside that face the ocean, but because we were a bigger table of 5, we sat further inside.

We chose the six-course tasting menu, which is very reasonably priced at USD 165 per person.

As we began our meal, Bryan commented “I didn’t know traditional high end restaurants like this still exist in New England.” He was referring to the old-school, high-end restaurants with white tablecloths and seasoned staff. "Like Boston doesn't have any restaurants of this level of service anymore." We thought back to an earlier time, when restaurants like L'Espalier, Menton, and Craigie on Main were often featured on "Best of Boston" lists.

Aurelia felt like a throwback to a different era (at least in Boston)

The service was fantastic — warm, friendly, and delivered by people who clearly have been with the restaurant for years. Our server told us he had been with the restaurant for close to 20 years (!). There’s something very comforting about that kind of hospitality.

The starters were light and flavorful — a nice way to ease into the meal. A single oyster with foam on top; another single bite topped with an oyster leaf (which really does taste like oyster!!).

Aurelia’s wine list is excellent, and the prestige wine pairing was especially fun. They poured a Château La Mission Haut-Brion with the beef course, which felt like a real treat — not something we drink every day.

One of my favorite parts of dinner was actually the Cheese Course. They featured several local cheeses, plus a blue cheese from Oregon that ended up being everyone’s favorite.

Sweets: Palate Cleanser + Dessert

It ended up being such a lovely way to celebrate Bryan’s birthday — good friends, a peaceful coastal setting, and a restaurant that still believes in warm hospitality and classic dining. I’m really glad we made the drive.

Fun fact: the name “Aurelia” comes from the Aurelia aurita, a moon jellyfish native to Narragansett Bay.

Aurelia at Castle Hill Newport Rhode Island
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

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Coming back to Boston from Hong Kong, we do sometimes “lament” about how the food in Boston is less international than Hong Kong. Bostonians love their steak, pastas, and seafood. Sometimes it’s hard to open restaurants that are too exotic or expensive.

So I was thrilled when Bryan found Comfort Kitchen, a very popular restaurant that’s been making waves in Boston. Located in Dorchester right next to a lovely park, Comfort Kitchen Boston focuses on African cuisine with a modern twist. 

Upon entering, the server brings over what looks like a magazine. It is - in fact - the menu, but it includes stories to accompany the drinks and the food. As you read, you realize the “story” is about you. It’s about identity, and finding out what you represent.

And the food did indeed look “exotic”. There were ingredients and preparations that I’d never see before. Many dishes looked really exciting, and it was hard to choose.

We were a group of four, and finally settled upon the following dishes:

Appetizers

Main Dishes

Desserts

General Thoughts - Comfort Kitchen Boston

In general, everything at Comfort Kitchen Boston was fantastic. They are not shy on heat, so be careful if you’re really afraid of something being too spicy. There were a few dishes that I found to be borderline too hot!

Still, it was so much fun finally exploring a cuisine type that is so different from most of the other dishes I usually eat. The food is delicious, the service was top notch, and overall we really enjoyed our meal there. Everything is also very reasonably priced, especially for the creativity and quality of the entire experience!

The wine list is quite small and everything costs the same, which was very, very reasonable.

I am really excited that this type of restaurant is doing so well in Boston. I hope Comfort Kitchen Boston continues to pave the way for other restaurants serving more diverse cuisines to open up and thrive in Boston.

Comfort Kitchen
611 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125

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