I have always been a fan of Chef David Burke: his food is creative and exciting, sometimes whimsical, so every meal is something to remember. So, when I walked passed Park Avenue Kitchen by David Burke, I made a point to try it. We went for brunch twice, the second time being at the time of restaurant week, where, for $30, you get an appetizer and an entree. The menu had plenty I wanted to try, but I settled for the lobster dumplings that were sitting on a delicious tomato-miso dressing. Elegant, the shell was perfectly made, covering the deliciously cooked lobster...
President Cheese sent me a Brie to come up with a recipe and of course baked Brie is what comes immediately to mind. I mean Brie with a good bread is fine, but I often get Brie bites or baked Brie in restaurants, so, why not make my own? It is an easy recipe that will make for a great appetizer and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
We wanted to have a light lunch on a weekend and ended up at Spring Cafe Aspen, located few blocks from Washington Square Park. Their menu, that they describe as « healthy conscious » is vegetarian, with lots of vegan options, all prepared using organic produce and no refined sugars or processed food. Considering the dinners I had that week, I thought it would be a good idea…
There used to be a time where, if you wanted to eat a cheap meal, you would go to a Thai restaurant. And then, the past few years have seen the emergence of fancier Thai places, not only serving different dishes than the traditional curries or noodles, but also proposing interesting cocktails. Chalong in Hell’s Kitchen is one of them. Meaning “celebration” in English, Chalong is also a southern district of Phuket in Thailand. The restaurant, that opened in 2023, serves Southern Thai food. There, Chef Nate Limwong crafted a menu that is quite unique, centered on seafood and with limited …
Located few steps from the Empire State Building, Royal 35 Steakhouse is one of these little gems that no one is talking about (think Peter Luger and Gallagher’s for instance). Well, this is probably a mistake. This place that has been around for some time is worth knowing. I recently went with a friend and we shared an amazing porterhouse ($75 per person). I love the porterhouse experience: even if you do not order it, you cannot resist looking up as you hear the sizzling sound passing by. But, when it comes to your table, it is even better! The meat was perfectly cooked medium rare, with a…
Listen to the last episode: A discussion with Vincent Todarello aka Johnny Prime Carnivore Connoisseur, foodie and meat expert.
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Pick of the month
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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We recently discovered Fluffy, Fluffy, Go! In the Newport mall. Located in the third floor food court, this place is a little gem. Of course, the main thing to try there is their fluffy pancakes, a Japanese version where egg whites are beaten to give this thick and airy consistency to an all American dish. So, I went for their combo ($27.50) that came with their signature pancake, a sandwich (I chose the tamago ham sando), and a drink ( had a Thai iced tea). The pancake was very good, light and fluffy, covered …