If you love baking but do not want to go shopping at a crowded supermarket, do not want to waste the excess of ingredients and to save time on preparation, Red Velvet is certainly for you. The concept is simple: they propose various desserts, from molten chocolate cake to chocolate pot de crime or tiramisu, and will deliver the recipe with all the ingredients to your door. And do not worry: refrigerated items are kept with icy packs in a pouch. 

After trying the burger for brunch, I was looking forward to try other items at Hudson Tavern and went back, again for brunch, but also dinner. I admit that I was not disappointed and I prefer this place to The Madison Bar and Grill or City Bistro. What makes them different? The variety and quality of food that you would not expect in a bar. 

Located in Weehawken, right before entering Hoboken and kind of in the middle of nowhere, sits Hi-So Thai, a Thai restaurant as its name indicates. We have been wanting to go there few times in the past, but the location did not really appeal to us. So, finally, we decided to go for dinner on a Thursday. The large place (bigger than it seems from outside) was not crowded at all. Ordering was fast and it started well, my deliciously refreshing Thai iced tea arriving within minutes. 

One of the great discoveries for Restaurant Week was Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria, an offshoot of the original restaurant that is also a market place. There, we had a fantastic prix-fixe meal that definitely made us want to go back.

Rodizio restaurants (all you can eat style Brazilian restaurants, churrascaria referring to a steakhouse) can be fairly expansive, especially when you go for dinner, so, Restaurant Week is the perfect occasion to indulge with unlimited meat (if you are vegetarian, you can also go for the buffet). But, of course, they will not serve all the choices they offer for dinner, conscious of the price difference. 

I had so much fun at Jeremy's Ale House in the Financial District. I went yesterday and our first encounter with Jeremy Holin, the owner of this dive bar was quite surprising: he made us taste an heirloom tomato that he found that had a succulent taste. Not that he was selling it as a dish or anything in his bar, but just because he wanted to share his discovery with us. That's Jeremy and it definitely shows the person he is: generous and incredibly friendly. One thing he said that I still remember is "Saloon is not a business: it is a way of life".

It's been a while we wanted to go to Blue Water Grill, the seafood restaurant located in Union Square. So, we decided to go for restaurant week, thinking that it would be a good way to try this fancy place. It is fairly big, with two floors that were packed. We got a seat next to the station where they prepared the seafood and could observe the staff relentlessly opening oysters or preparing seafood platter that looked amazing. 

I have to say that it takes some courage to open a healthy restaurant next to a burger joint, not that I expect a rivalry between Flatbread Grill and Bareburger...Flatbread Grill is fairly new as it opened a couple of weeks ago at the location where a frozen yogurt used to be. 

You may think that Byblos is a Greek restaurant, but it is in fact Lebanese, taking its name from a city in Lebanon that is a popular tourist destination. This place, opened in the Flatiron district in 2012 by Executive Chef Sabeh and his wife Sonia Kabouch is an offshoot of their original restaurant opened in 1990 in Murray Hill, but unfortunately destroyed by a fire years later.

It's been a while that I wanted to eat in an Indian restaurant in Jersey City, keeping a list of places in my notes gathered during conversations with my coworkers. I ended up at Raaz on a Saturday for lunch, going with one of my colleagues who was visiting from India. He went to this place few times and liked it, even if some of the taste was a bit Americanized. 

It has been a while since I wanted to try Hill Country Chicken. The name says it all: it is all about chicken, although if you do not like this delicious bird, you have some alternatives there. I went there with one of my colleagues from India, after he told me that he loves chicken, but never tried  it fried before. 

After seeing the documentary Cartel Land, that I highly recommend, Jodi and I were in the mood for Chinese food. As we walked towards Chinatown, I suddenly remembered a place I wanted to try on the busy Saint-Marks: The Bao. It was 7pm on a Saturday evening and I was not sure if we would get a table, as this place got lots of attention for its dumplings. When we arrived, we immediately got a table and did not have to sit at the communal table located in the back of the dining room. 

Reservations are definitely required for dinner (we went on a Friday night) and for brunch, although, for the later, there were still tables available. This place is totally different from the one downtown: bigger, brighter and a bit more elegant, although not at the level of The Cuban, but still, a notch better, with colorful paintings on the walls. For dinner, it is also quite noisy, the Cuban music being blasted, forcing the patrons to shout to be heard. Fortunately, this was not the case during brunch...

I like bar food and enjoy a brunch in a bar. But what I do not like is the noise level that can be pretty high, especially when there is a game on TV. That explains probably why it took me so long before going to 1Republik in Hoboken. But we made it, on a Sunday, showing up at 11:30am. I admit that it was not our first choice, but I am glad we did as the food was fairly good. Time wise, it was perfect as the noise level increased as the time passed, to a point when I was glad to leave...

Located in the heart of Herald Square and at the tip of K-Town, The Harold is a bistro I did not expect to find there: good food and nice service, the menu offers a good variety of dishes that can satisfy a wide range of customers. I admit that I went there to try their lobster roll, but, unfortunately, they served it only for lunch. 

We went to It's Greek To Me many years ago, and I recall that we left a bit disappointed about our experience, the food being salty and not that great. So, we decided to give it another try and ended up there first for lunch, and then for dinner, our first meal being fairly good. 

Bon sang! I probably just found one of the best burgers in town! Well, I would not specifically say that I found it: we saw it on the 5 Best Restaurants, a TV show on the food network that will make you salivate. They cover any kind of food: burgers, pizza, ice cream...The first episode we saw was on burgers and ranking number 2 was Sebastian's Steakhouse burger. 

La Masseria is with Toni Di Napoli, my favorite Italian restaurant in the Times Square area. Although a bit pricey, it's menu offers some classic Italian dishes in a decor that would make you forget you are in the heart of the city. In a farm, La Masseria is the building where tools to live animals are housed, representing the freshness of ingredients and authenticity of the cuisine. This explains the decor, especially the farm tools hanging on the walls. 

No need to cross the ocean to get some good fish and chips: A Salt and Battery (a play on assault and battery) is probably your spot if you are craving this so British specialty..or if you are curious about trying some fried candy bars (I guess anything can be fried). 

This is a very small joint with very few seats. 

Getting a reservation for a Friday night was not difficult and they confirmed twice with us that we were coming for dinner, reminding me each time that jacket is required. Located on Duane street, very close to Khe-Yo, this is a stunning place: big, with an elegant setting , you cannot miss the entrance with its wall of apples, the lounge area with its purple color and flowers, the vaulted ceilings brushed with gold leaves, the heavy wooden doors and the thick carpet that contribute to the general atmosphere of the restaurant. It is fancy, pricey, but comfortable, with a good service, as expected in such place. 

If you are looking for an old school Italian restaurant that serves traditional dishes from northern Italy, Il Tinello Ristorante might be the place for you. Opening about 30 years ago, it is an elegant and pricey restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. I admit that I do not remember that much the decor, the lights being very dimmed, making me worry about the photos I would take during the meal. 

If there is a place that does not disappoint for Restaurant Week, it is Benoit, the French bistro owned by Chef Alain Ducasse. This is the perfect occasion to try this place that I visited before (check my review of Benoit here).

I love the feel of that place that makes you travel miles away, in an elegant French bistro in Paris. 

The first time I tried Quiznos, I did not need to be pushed to get toasted as they say: I mean, I love their steak sandwiches. I discovered them few years ago and was definitely worried that they would close when I heard that they had difficulties and filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2014, from which they emerged few months later, after closing few locations. 

Jodi and I were looking for a restaurant on Opentable for a dinner on a Friday. We decided to book a table at Cara Mia, an Italian restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. We passed in front of it few times, so I thought we should give it a try. I admit that when we arrived, I has a bad feeling; it might be the fact that one of the staff members was outside, trying to convince people to come for dinner...

We went to their location downtown, few blocks from Union Square. This place that has been feeding the carnivores for more than a decade is fairly big, with a decor centered around the burlesque, a play on the name. It goes from the portraits of burlesque actors from 1920 to the napkins print...

Tablao is a Spanish restaurant located in TriBeCa. The menu features classic Spanish dishes such as paella, as well as tapas, these small plates that are sort of the signature of Spanish cuisine. I have to say that I love when restaurants offer small plates as it is a good way to order plenty of dishes to try. But, of course, it is also a good way for restaurants to make money as people usually order too much...We went at Tablao on a Friday night. If you follow this blog, you know that I hate noisy settings, considering that a meal is a good moment to share and talk with my loved ones or friends (that I love too).

I saw so many mouth watering photos of dishes taken at Bar Primi and posted on Instagram, that I told Jodi we should go there for either brunch or dinner. We finally ended up there for a brunch on a Saturday, early as we made dinner plans; the kind of plan that mAkes you decide to go early enough and try not to indulge, although the latter is subjective as you will see I this post. 

Wow, we passed so many times in front of The Great New York Noodle Town without even looking at their menu and simply discarding the place, preferring the more popular spots in Chinatown. Well, it was until we were invited to the Flatiron Food Tour from Like A Local Tours, where we talked about food with our guide, Robert. 

Obao is not totally unknown to me as it is the former Ember Room where Chef Kittichai, purveyor of eclectic desserts at Spot Dessert Bar, use to serve chocolate ribs, as well as a lemon Mille crepes cake to die for. I am not sure why they changed the name and concept, but, I have to admit, that Obao is worth knowing. There, they served dishes from South East Asia, especially Thailand and Vietnam, but with a twist. 

Benares was not unknown to me as I tried their location Midtown Manhattan. Ok, I did not really like it and my Indian friends were not thrilled either. But I was thinking that, maybe, the location in TriBeCa as well as few years could surprise me. So, we went on a Friday. The decor was modern with an interesting divide in the center of the main dining room that was in fact a banquette. 

When I think that I passed in front of Joe's Ginger many times, thinking it was a pale copy of Joe's Shanghai, the famous Chinese restaurant on Pell street, known for his delicious soup dumplings. Little did I know that it is the sister restaurant of Joe's Shanghai, opened in 2004 by Chef and owner Joe Si. When we went there, we saw the line in front of the flagship restaurant and passed in front of a patient crowd, avid to try the soup dumplings that are often mentioned in tourist guides or magazines. 

The last time I went to Sabores, I had a bad experience: food and service were not great. But, as the months passed, seeing more and more people going there, we decided to give it another chance. I still remembered the colorful decor there, although I think they added more things on the walls.

Looking for a quick and cheap lunch in Hell's Kitchen, I ended up at Diego's Mexican Grill. I immediately noticed the warmth of this place, thanks to the exposed bricks and the Mexican floor tiles. Very colorful, with lots of art on the walls, this is like going to Mexico without paying the fare. 

I had Café Noir, a Mediterranean restaurant located in TriBeCa on my list and we decided to go there after an event at Jodi's school. We arrived there after 9pm and, surprisingly, the restaurant was not packed. Yes, I was surprised considering how crowded all the other restaurants were on a Friday night. 

I recently went to Patzeria Family and Friends, an Italian place located few blocks from Times Square, in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. It was for lunch and the place was empty. I think I went there a long time ago, looking for a restaurant after a movie, and the experience was not that great. But, hey, it was a while back and I was ready to give it another chance. Looking at the decor, you can really see the influence of Times Square, with all the posters from popular shows decorating the walls.

Luscious Thai is a cheap Thai restaurant located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This quite small place offers a lunch special for $9.95, where you get an appetizer and an entrée. But, contrary to a lot of places, you have few choices for appetizers, from dumplings to a salad, with of course the usual Spring rolls that I decided to pick. Yes, usually, you have one or two choices, not more. 

Chili Thai is the kind of neighborhood gem I love to discover. Located in Hell's Kitchen, few blocks from Times Square, it proposes for lunch a very cheap deal: the lunch menu starts at $6.90 with an appetizer and a main dish.

We passed Black Iron Burger few times and had in mind to go there, thinking that they probably serve killer burgers. Well, I should mention that they are few steps from a Five Guys, so the competition must be fierce! Black Iron Burger is setup like a bar, with TVs and blue lighting that I feared a bit as I do not take any photos with the flash...

I was really excited when I got invited to a press diner at La Sirene, a French restaurant located in Soho, couple of minutes from the subway. I met the Chef and Owner, Didier Pawlicki, at Le Village last December (below is a photo of Chef Pawlicki in kitchen of Le Village).

You may think that Pad Thai is a Thai restaurant. Well, you are half right: it is a Thai restaurant that serves also Japanese cuisine. Yes, that sounds weird, but they have a nice Japanese cuisine menu that includes the usual sushi and sashimi, bento boxes...But we were not going there for that and sticked to some Thai dishes.

Then came our entrée. At first, Jodi ordered some dal makhni, but the waiter told her that it was medium spicy and that anyway, I would have some in my dish. So he suggested that she picked a different dish, a gesture that I truly appreciated. So she went for the saag paneer, a dish made with spinach and cottage cheese.

Going to The Elysian is always a challenge as this popular Hoboken restaurant is always crowded and it is often that a line would form outside on week ends, specifically for brunch. Owned by Joyce and Eugene Finn who also operate Amanda's, another popular spot, it is the oldest continually operated restaurant in the city. The adventure started in 1895, when the restaurant opened as Dillenger & Jeffson's. During the prohibition, it went from a restaurant to an ice cream parlor and hair salon. I am not sure when they took that name that sounds French, but is not. 

I think I have more chance booking a trip to Greece than getting a table at Uncle Nick's in Hell's Kitchen. Well, in fact, it is what I thought, having tried few times to go there, until I saw their location in Chelsea. Uncle Nick's is well known: good food in a casual ambiance, far from the trendy Avra Estiatorio or the more elegant Molyvos, that is, according to one of my Greek colleagues, the best Greek restaurant in New York. 

Rue 57, French for 57th street used to be one of my favorite spots when I came to the U.S. many years ago. I used to order their Le château seafood platter for two for myself...so, when I went back, I thought it would be a good idea to order it, although I was not alone. 

After a couple of years feeding the  avid crowd of lobster rolls at Pier 13, Luke's Lobster set foot in Hoboken and opened on May 15th. It replaced a pizza joint that seemed to be always closed and was definitely a questionable business choice, considering the number of pizzerias in the area. The pizza place was preceded by a frites joint that unfortunately did not have the same success as Pommes Frites in the East Village. Why do I think that Luke's Lobster will do better?

The Chef, Gabe Thompson is not unknown to me as we recently went to one of his other restaurants in Manhattan, L'Apicio, where we had a fantastic dinner. In fact, the menus at the two places have a lot of similarities. And for sure, we knew we would not pass on desserts as his wife, Katherine, is the pastry Chef and not only did we have amazing desserts at L'Apicio, but, when they appeared on the TV show The Best New Restaurant, she blew away the diners and the judges, Tom Colicchio being the host and head judge, each time with a different dessert.