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…

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 …

When Pariwaar Delights opened a couple of months ago in Hoboken, replacing Mikie Squared, I was really excited as I love Indian cuisine, that I discovered during so many trips to India in the past. Calling itself the King of Biryani, I was looking forward to try their specialty, a rice dish that I only had thanks to one of my colleagues who was bringing that chicken and rice dish from time to time at the office, as he knew I loved that cuisine. Although it was spicy, I simply loved it. Our first visit was quite interesting as we witnessed a little heated discussion between staff in the middle of the dining room, thinking …

Newark avenue in Jersey City has many Indian restaurants and so, we like sometimes to try new ones, although I admit that I have my favorite: Rasoi. So, this time, we decided to go to Curry On as someone at work recommended it. As you enter, you feel like you are in a different place with the decor and lighting that makes you wonder if they throw parties at night. Menu wise, they have the classics, with nothing really standing out. We started with samosa chaat that is made with samosa, potato and crispy puffs, smothered in yogurt and tamarind sauce. Packed with flavor, crispy bits from the samosa, I love the sweet and savory taste of that dish. For our main, Jodi went for the…

I finally made it to Le Pavillon, the restaurant from Chef Daniel Boulud that is located across from Grand Central. Well, finding the entrance the first time was a bit challenging, like keeping a secret, but once you know and you try it, you just want to go back. This beautiful space with its wall of plants seems more modern and certainly less stuffy than the chef’s eponymous restaurant that, the last time I went, had jacket required, a requirement from the past. At Le Pavillion, jeans and tshirts sit next to suits and gowns. The food there is remarkable: modern French with surprising combinations, like the onion tart with époisses that is …

We were walking on the Upper East Side and decided to have a quick bite when we stumbled upon Vive La Crepe on Lexington Avenue. I love crepes, so I was thinking, why not? They had an interesting menu, so we decided to try their ham and cheese crepe that I thought was decent, the crepe itself not being at the level of a good savory crepe to be honest (savory crepes are called galettes and are made with buckwheat, while sweet ones are made with flour). Jodi got their Amelie, made with …

When we heard that Julietta, a popular gelato spot located in the West Village was opening in Hoboken, we were a bit surprised as Il Laboratorio Del Gelato is close by, although less classic, and there are plenty of ice cream shops in the mile square city. But we decided to give it a try. For both gelato and Italian sandwiches in fact. Let’s start with the first one: gelato. Jodi got their coconut one that was good. On my side, I was excited because they had hazelnut and got a sample of it. I did …

Fusion food is always interesting and chefs Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi succeeded in proposing a creative menu inspired by Jewish and Japanese cuisine at Shalom Japan. The epitome of this is their matzo ball ramen that is when a matzo ball soup meets Japanese ramen (by the way, they even offer a kit to make it yourself). Made with chicken broth and bits of chicken, scallion, wood ear mushrooms and nori, it has mandels, that are crunchy croutons that you can …

Proposing modern American cuisine, L’Adresse is definitely a restaurant to keep in mind. This post is about several visits over time so know that the menu changes often and you may not find some of the dishes we had when we went, but at least you can get a feel of the place. The only two dishes that are always on the menu are their truffle burger ($42) and their “burger with cheese” ($29) or cheeseburger. Both are good, but I definitely prefer the cheeseburger that is anyway their signature burger; I thought at the beginning that they called it “burger with cheese” to make it sound fancier, but it …

I recently received an email from Sarah Tachon, the proud owner of La Maison Tachon, an online pastry shop that has a pop up in Greenpoint, at Oak and Iron on Franklin street, every Saturday, from 10am until sold out. So, we decided to check it out and spend some time in Brooklyn, our first stop being a tasting of freshly made goods. Classicaly trained as a pastry chef, Sarah Tachon worked for Dominique Ansel and at Maman, two references that are not to ignore. She started her own business last April, with a couple of coffee shops in Brooklyn serving her products that are made daily in a communal kitchen with …

When I received an email from Sarah Silverman asking me to try what she believes is the best chocolate chip cookie in the city, I was curious because I heard about Funny Face Bakery, the business she started in April 2016, famous for its cookies that display famous faces that are hand made, admiring for sure the craft that is quite impressive as you can easily recognize who is portrayed. But I never heard about their cookies and I admit that since City Bakery disappeared few years ago, I feel like a…

Located few blocks from the Exchange Place Path Station, City Diner is a modern version of an American diner: vibrant vibe, cocktails and elevated diner menu make this place stand out. It’s not a cocktail I wanted to try there, but their milkshake, especially their Nutella one ($9), being a huge fan of the famous hazelnut spread. Unfortunately, it was a bit light on it if it was not for the blob that they put on the whipped cream. We both got a sandwich. Me, the…

A few weeks ago, DoneRight Döner Kebab opened in Hoboken’s busy Washington street, replacing Brooklyn Dumpling Shop that was short lived. There, you can get your sandwich in a delicious bread that they cook every two days in their central kitchen, called Gobit, a Turkish version of pita, that is amazing. You can get sandwiches, wraps or a rice box with lamb, chicken (you can get a mix of lamb and chicken) and falafel, the meat slowly cooked on a rotating rotisserie. Their mix…

Buddy’s in Jersey City is a place to know. Located near Exchange Place, we discovered this busy restaurant in the summer and came back for brunch. Their brunch menu is simply exciting. The first time we went there, they had buffalo cauliflower that was a great vegetarian option, being crispy and spicy, the combination of the hot sauce pairing well with the blue cheese. More classic is their Buddy’s breakfast that consists of three eggs and your choice of pancakes, French toast, and bacon. We opted for…

My last visit at Le Rivage was more than 10 years ago. I never went back because of our experience there was not great. So, when I received an invite, I was a bit surprised, but excited to try the menu from Chef David Cámara, who took over the kitchen in May last year. Chef Cámara with his impressive culinary experience, succeeded Chef and owner Paul Denamiel and decided to put his own touches to the family recipes from Chef Denamiel. The menu for sure is classic with dishes like escargots, soupe a l’oignon or seared foie gras that was a special that evening. I did not hesitate …

It’s been years since I wanted to eat at Orsay, a French restaurant located on the Upper East Side. This brasserie has been around for a quarter century and seem to remain the go to spot for neighbors and business people. In a way, I can understand as there are not that many great places around, even the outpost of Angelina Paris, with its reduced menu, cannot compete. Still, it is also because it is good and quite classic. For sure, I had to try their escargots ($18) that were not just bathed in the traditional garlic and parsley butter, but were topped with breadcrumbs and had a mist…