Located in the posh Bryant Park Hotel, Koi serves an elevated Asian menu that is definitely worth a visit, even if a bit pricey. I should mention that they have a vegan menu that is not brought systematically to the table and you would need to ask for it. Of course, you can get a miso soup or some edamame, but I suggest the crispy rice that is in essence a sushi made with crispy rice that they propose with spicy tuna, yellow fin tartare or truffle avocado that is what we ordered. It is at this place that we tried crispy rice for the first time, many years ago, and we are never disappointed: you get the …
I finally made it to Angelo Seafood Market! Jodi having a lunch plan, I was thinking it would be the best time to go there as they probably have nothing vegetarian to offer if we wanted to go together. Nice place, with a store in the front, proposing various products, from pasta filled with lobster to canned fish and fresh seafood in the back. But it is in the basement that you can get their lobster roll, with mayonnaise or butter. I went for the latter, wondering if they would put some celery, too much of it in fact, in it. As I waited, a delicious smell of butter came from the adjacent kitchen and maybe…
I never had Taiwanese food before, so I was excited to try Wenwen in Greenpoint, and learned that it a blend of Chinese cuisine and local cuisine with influence from Japanese cuisine as well. We arrived a little before 12pm on a Saturday and were the first to go in. Well, 15 minutes later, that place was packed, from the dining room to the bar. Their brunch menu is quite appetizing with a few vegetarian dishes like the fried tofu with garlic soy paste or the pea shoots with tofu skin. The former was my favorite: crispy on the outside, soft inside with a delicious sauce made with sichuan peppercorn. I also …
Amzchef sent me a double induction cooktop for a product review. I really discovered induction after trying one of their products (post here) and love it because it allows you to control the temperature, similar to what you would experience with a gas stove. This double induction cooktop is portable, with dual burners that are paired with a cast iron griddle that can be used as an indoor grill, perfect to cook vegetables, meats, eggs or pancakes. Small (9.1"D x 18"W x 4.3"H), it is perfect for a small kitchen or a trailer, or anywhere on the go. Easy to use, you just need to get used to the display, that …
Each time we passed in front of Miriam, an Israeli restaurant located on the Upper West Side, we noticed the crowd and so, thought that we had to try this place. We never tried the dinner, only going for brunch. Reservation required unless you are lucky enough to have a sit at the bar. For drinks, we had their mint tea that was nice and sweet, or their homemade mint lemonade that was well made, not too tart or too sweet. However, I thought that their Turkish coffee was not great, being a bit watery. Food wise, I am still thinking about their lamb shawarma that was served with a fluffy pita, delicious Persian rice that was buttery and a harissa and yogurt sauce that …
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If you have never been to The Tin Building, you are truly missing an incredible experience. This food market from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is superb, with my favorite spot being their bakery that proposes delicious items, similar to what you would get in France. My favorite is their brioche au sucre that is better eaten there, as the sugar will fall in the bag on the way home, and their...
A while back, I published a recipe of vegetarian chili, made with tofu. Since then, I discovered a meatless product at Trader Joe’s (I am not paid for this nor was I asked by this company to promote their product!) that really looks like ground beef and has the same texture, but is made with soy.
Ratatouille is a Provencal dish that originated in Nice, in the South of France. Needless to say that this dish became popular after the Disney movie of the same name and it is now not uncommon to see it on menus in New York. Comforting, this is the kind of dish where every family has its own recipe. Some cook the vegetables separately. others together. Even the way the vegetables are cut can differ, some preferring them grossly cut and others, like myself, small. Know that it has to cook for a long time and you will surely get a fantastic smell in your apartment.
When I was a kid, the only soufflé I knew was the cheese soufflé that my Mom was making. We never heard about sweet soufflés and it is only much later in my life that variations on soufflés started to appear, like the cauliflower soufflé we made one time with my sister. Then I discovered chocolate soufflés, and one time, banana soufflés. The latter is fantastic; well, if you like bananas! So, the recipe below is my take on a recipe I learned at the Institute of Culinary Education few years ago.
I love ramen and New York is a perfect city to try different ones, having so many places proposing that delicious Japanese dish. And my favorite moment to eat that soup is now, as I like it hot and was never really impressed by cold versions of it. This recipe requires a bit of work, but it is worth it!
I discovered S'Mores in this country, this treat not being known at all in France. Even roasting marshmallows, that we call chamallows, is pretty uncommon there. So, I decided to make my own version of a S'Mores pie, layering a Graham cracker crust, a fudgy brownie and some torched marshmallow. An easy recipe that will satisfy adults and kids!
I discovered olive oil cake a couple of years ago, eating in an Italian restaurant. Since then, I never hesitate to order it for dessert, often preferring it to the popular tiramisu. And in fact the best olive cake I ate, that inspires this recipe, was at Maialino. So, I decided to make my own: an easy recipe for a succulent cake...
This is a simple recipe for a dish that is very comforting: meatballs with orzo (that we call in French langues d'oiseaux or birds' tongues because of their shape).
I remember that when I was a kid, I used to see TV series or movies where people were making pancakes, wondering what it was, as we did not have that in France. In all cases, I would definitely not say that crepes are like pancakes and it makes me cringe when I hear people comparing the two as they are totally different!
Anyway, here is the way I make pancakes at home.
I love BAO, these steamed buns of all sorts of shapes that you can find in Chinese restaurants. I love it so much that I was curious to know how to make it and decided to try myself. I made two versions: pork belly for me and tofu for Jodi (not entirely vegetarian as it contains fish sauce). It is not that this recipe is complicated, but it takes some time.
During our trip to Florence, we had some amazing Tuscan white bean soup. This recipe is inspired from it. Enjoy (I did)! and bon appétit!
Bugnes are some sort of beignets that are popular in Central-Eastern France, the most known being the bugnes de Lyon. There are two sorts: the soft and the crunchy, the difference between the two being the presence of yeast (soft) or not (crunchy). It is not difficult to make, but takes a bit of time as the dough has to rise.
I love paella and tried to recreate my own version, made with meat and seafood and cooked for long enough so the rice gets very soft and flavorful. In this recipe, I have replaced the saffron by turmeric, to give to the rice this nice yellow color, saffron being expensive. Here is the recipe:
Check out this recipe to make some delicious butternut squash ravioli with taleggio cream. In this recipe you will learn how to make homemade pasta! Yum!
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Opened in May last year, Diner 24 is trying to differentiate itself from an unfortunately dying breed of diners in the city. How? By serving big portions and crazy milkshakes. So I had to check it out and left perplexed: not that I was surprised that the huevos rancheros would just be ok in a diner (yes, they were and interestingly, our neighboring table ordered the same and the presentation was a bit different, with avocado on top; probably forgotten by the kitchen on our side), but I found that the 12oz double smashed burger they were offering, although it looked dry at first, was really good. The meat was juicy and nicely caramelized, with crispy bits on the outside. However, the onion…