I love chicken and, when I discovered fried chicken, it was as if angels were singing above me. So, no wonder why I wanted to try Cluck-U(niversity) Chicken. I did try their delivery and the smell of the chicken totally drove my cat crazy. But, sorry Whitney, no seasoned or fried chicken for you!

The first time I tried a merveilleux was in Paris, at my friends Caroline and Arnaud who bought them at Aux Merveilleux de Fred. The merveilleux is a meringue cookie coated in whipped cream; it is a specialty from the North of France and Flanders (Belgium). 

I love chicken in any way: fried, roasted, pan seared...So I was looking forward to try Kyochon Chicken near Koreatown. So, here I am in that place that is fairly modern: very bright, trendy decor and loud techno music, especially if you go upstairs where a large counter as well as tables are. You order at the counter and then have to wait until your buzzer tells you your food is ready.

This is the ultimate pizza as it has four corner slices, preventing any fight over the almighty deliciousness that a corner is. I mean, who would want s middle slice from a Sicilian pizza???
The first bite was fantastic: the nicely charred crust was delightfully crispy and the sauce was divine. And that cheese...When you have tried mozzarella di bufala, there is no turning back!

For my birthday, we went to Avra Estiatorio, an elegant Greek restaurant located Midtown East. When people asked me if I already went there, I answered affirmatively: I went there more than 10 years ago and remember two things: the long wait (couple of minutes became 45 minutes) and the delicious fresh lobster I ate. I was hoping the first would not repeat...Well, it kind of did...

Haldi is one the new new venues Michelin-starred Executive Chef Hemant Mathur is devoting his time and talent to grow. Chef Mathur is not unknown to me as I was lucky enough to taste his amazing food at Tulsi in November 2013 (he got a Michelin star there), but without a chance to meet with him. I mean, he has an impressive resume: worked at Bukhara, one of the popular restaurants in Deli that I tried last year; he teamed up to open Devi, getting a Michelin star in 2007, being the first Indian restaurant in the country to get one. I admit that I did not like Devi that since closed, but it was anyway way after Chef Mathur left the restaurant.

I was recently invited to a blogger dinner at Bagatelle, the popular French restaurant in the Meatpacking district. There, I had a fantastic time with the team of Blue Polo Interactive, Inc. (Jocelyn, Michael and Josh), as well as my fellow bloggers, Malini, The Restaurant Fairy, and Christine. There, we got to meet with Chef Sebastien Chamaret, who gave us an exclusive tour of the busy kitchen.

Ponty Bistro is an interesting restaurant; not because of the decor, but more the selection of dishes that are French, African and Mediterranean. There, Chef Cisse, who opened the restaurant in 2008 with his cousin, after years in the restaurant business and an impressive resume (Daniel Boulud at Daniel Restaurant, Vong and Mercer Kitchen for Jean-Georges Vongerichten and others), crafted an eclectic menu adding some African influence to some traditional dishes. 

The last and only time we went to Marc Forgione, the eponymous restaurant of the celebrity Chef was in 2011; but trust me: I still remember a phenomenal meal there and could talk about most of the dishes we had with detail, although they are not anymore on the menu. It was time to go back and they welcomed us back after we sat, not because I am someone you would never forget, but because they probably keep the names of their customers in a database that is checked whenever somebody makes a reservation. 

Rotisserie chicken brings to me some childhood memories, from the time we were going to the farmers' market on Sundays or when we passed by the butcher's section at the supermarket, our noses filled with the delicious and appetizing smell of the roasted bird. I love rotisserie chicken and could eat a whole one with some mayonnaise or simply by dipping the meat in the almighty juice. 

It probably took me a year before going to Devi. Not that I could not get a reservation, but the list of restaurants I would like to visit is long as NewYork offers endless choices. I added it on my list after visiting Tulsi in November 2013, the Chef Hermant Mathur having worked at Devi, allowing the restaurant to receive a Michelin Star in 2007 and 2008. I had high hopes, but, unfortunately, it turned out to be a sad experience, far from the elegant dining experience we were expecting to get.

There, no surprise concerning the cuisine served as it is pretty standard, the only thing that would make them standout from other Thai restaurants is the prix-fixe menu that they propose for dinner, probably wanting to align with the other restaurants in the area that try to attract theater goers. 

Q2 Thai is the type of Thai places you find in New York, where you do not go for the decor, but more for the food: delicious and cheap, especially when going for lunch and enjoying a meal for less than $10. I heard about this place few times, my colleagues mentioning how good but how spicy this place could be. So I went once to try by myself. 

Decor wise, there are couple of things that I noticed. First, the wood on the walls that reflects the commitment of Burger Fi to serve natural ingredients and beef raised without antibiotics or hormones, as well as the two wooden communal tables. Then, if you look on the left of the counter, you will see some bottles of wine on the wall: they serve wine by the glass or bottle, as well as craft beers.

There, Nicholas Morgenstern serves unique ice creams. Yes, unique is probably the right word, although innovative might be more appropriate. He is taking classic ice creams and put his own twist on it, using all natural products. For instance, he proposes the King Kong Banana Split made with bananas (of course!), five scoops of ice cream, sesame caramel and pineapple. 

Located in Chinatown, Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich Deli, formerly Banh Mi So 1, has been serving banh mi to an hungry crowd since 1988. A Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich, taking its origin from the French during its colonial period. In fact, Banh Mi is the bread before being the sandwich.

We passed so many times in front of Bill's Bar and Burger in the Meatpacking district, whether we were going to the High Line, The Gansevoort Market or Chelsea Market. So, it was on our list and, after a day strolling in the city, we decided to go there to try their cheeseburger. We went early, at a time when it was not that crowded and so, we could hear each other...

Finding a good crêpe place in New York is not that easy. My favorite so far was Bar Suzette, in Chelsea Market, but I was hoping to find another great spot, maybe a bit cheaper and far from the hype of the market. This time, I tried By Suzette, a tiny place in Tribeca.

This was a spectacular dish: first, the presentation was really appetizing and the dish had such an aroma that I just wanted to dig in. The duck was served in two ways: first was a breast that was perfectly cooked (pink) and with the best part being the skin that was deliciously fatty and  heavenly crispy. Then, the kebab sausage that had so much flavors, thanks to the spices they used in it. The dish was served with parsnip purée, quinoa and grapes.

Back in March, on a cold day, we went to Queens, in Sunnyside, to celebrate our friend Livia's birthday, at Bucharest, a Romanian restaurant. We went on a Saturday and I enjoyed the fact that the place was not crowded as we could hear each other talk, until they started string up the place for a party that night and the star of the event started singing. Don't get me wrong: it was...

As we were exploring restaurants in Tribeca, we ended up at Lotus Blue, an elegant Chinese restaurant. I was intrigued by the name and wondering if it was named after one of the Tintin books, Le Lotus Bleu, but I guess I was mistaken, the lotus on the wall not being blue and nothing really in the decor could have indicated I was right. But it got me there!

I had Petrarca Cucina e Vino on my list for a while and we finally went there on a Thursday night, after booking the table on Open Table. I guess the name is an homage to Francesco Petrarca, the Italian scholar, but I admit that I was there less for the culture and more for the food...I probably should insist on the Vino part of the name: when you enter the restaurant, you cannot miss the amazing display of wine that goes all over the dining room; it is pretty impressive.

I recently went to Havana Central for a quick lunch, trying to benefit from their $12.95 prix-fixe. For that price, you get a main dish with two sides (a choice of maduros, black or red beans, white or yellow rice). I love Cuban food that I find very comforting, so I was excited to see how this would be, especially as the place is close to Times Square and I was wondering if it would be a place where foot traffic is more important than the quality of the food.

Then, our burgers came. At that point, we our noses got filled with the fantastic smell of the meat: this definitely opened even more my appetite.

Jodi ordered the cheeseburger with pickles and ketchup. On my side, I ordered the double cheeseburger with ketchup and mayo. I admit that I did not expect the patties to be that thick and the cheddar was oozing from it, giving to the burger an even more appetizing look.

My experience at Sombrero started well...I went there during the lunch break of a training I was attending in the area and it was conveniently located a block away from the training facility, allowing me and my fellow trainee to find quickly shelter as the temperature was freezing. When we arrived, it was very cold in the restaurant and we asked the staff if it was normal (they could have just started the heater); they said that it was normal to have such temperature inside.

Saigon 48 is categorized as a Vietnamese restaurant, but it serves Asian food, from, of course, Vietnamese to Thai or Chinese. Located few block from the heart of Times Square, the interior of the restaurant is not what you would expect. Looking at the menu and their lunch special, I thought it would be the kind of place where you go more for the food than the atmosphere, and was definitely surprised to see the nice decor of the dining rooms (they have a small dining room in the back that would be perfect for a private gathering).

Pongsri is what we could call a chain restaurant whose first location was opened in 1972, in Chinatown, makes it the oldest Thai restaurant in that area. I did not go there, but to the one near Times Square, that I saw many times when walking near the multiple theaters.

The dish took a bit of time to come, but, when it was at the table, my nose was invaded by the delightful smell of the lamb. It was a good dish: the meat being perfectly seasoned and moist, but I would have liked some sauce with it, maybe yogurt. I also liked the grilled vegetables that had a nice char. 

I have never seen a presentation like this and was mesmerized by it! Taste wise, it was delicious, the octopus being perfectly cooked and the dish having the correct acidity. I admit however that I prefer when the octopus has a bit of char that enhances a bit the taste. But still, it was very good.