We were looking for a restaurant for brunch on the Upper East Side when we found Who’s Jac W.?, wondering what the somewhat cryptic name was all about. Is it Jack? is W for Wife? My curiosity stopped when we looked at the menu and decided to give it a try. It is a spacious restaurant, with a cozy feel, but going at the beginning of service might not be the best idea as they were still setting up things…

We passed many times in front of Great Jones Distillery Co and it was time to check out the only active whisky distillery in Manhattan, opened 100 years after prohibition. We went for dinner and so did not get a chance to visit the distillery or even the lounge, but, as we entered, we could not miss the large copper pot that dominates the shop where you can buy some of their whisky as well as various merchandise like glasses, books, hats, etc.

Jack Austin’s in Weehawken closed its doors several months ago and has been replaced by Beneci’s, an Italian restaurant that we decided to check out. Most of the decor from the previous restaurant was gone, except these funny dog lamps that I guess they could not resist keeping. But I admit that the restaurant feels like a hotel restaurant and it is not just because of the fact that it is adjacent to the Sheraton.

Last Saturday, we were walking on the Upper East Side, after spending few hours at Museum of the City of New York in Harlem for a retrospective of New York music from 1980 to 1986, featuring Madonna, Blondie, Run-DMC, Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, John Zorn, Liquid Liquid, etc. So, as it was hot outside, we were looking for a new ice cream shop to try and found Sedutto, a small ice cream parlor with so many flavors that it will keep your head spinning. Imagine: they have regular ice cream (I counted 43 different kinds), sorbets (3 flavors), soft and hard yogurt, as well as spiked ice creams from…

We were in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, looking for a place for brunch when we stumbled upon Le Gamin (the kid in French), a French restaurant that just celebrated 30 years (they opened on Bastille Day 1992). I was excited to try this place because there were several classic dishes that I wanted to try. So, I started with escargots, snails bathed in a delicious garlic and herb butter sauce, that is what makes this dish awesome. So, yes, I could not resist dipping the fresh baguette they put on the table, forgetting what this was doing to my arteries!

We were looking for a place to eat on a Saturday on the Upper East or West side of the city, when I suggested to Jodi to go to Uno Pizzeria and Grill to get some deep dish pizza. I did not even finish my sentence before she said yes, pizza being one of her favorite dishes…Uno is quite known when it comes to Chicago style deep dish pizza as it is said that it is there, in 1943, that Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, descendant of Neapolitan immigrants, decided to create an Italian-American version of Pizza.

My favorite spot for deep dish pizza in New York City is Emmett’s a small joint located Downtown Manhattan that we discovered many years ago while watching a food show on TV. There is something about this place that I love: some sort of nostalgia from the decor (love the bar with its bills from all over the world) and run down tables, with a warmth not just from the place but also from its staff that makes you want to go back. Their deep dish pizza is a must have and our favorite is the…

Have you ever wonder how donut should be spelled? Is it donut or doughnut? According to grammar.com, “More exactly, "donut" is the US spelling and "doughnut" is the spelling used more frequently in the UK”. Whatever it is, I love doughnuts, cake or yeast, classic or with a twist. So, as we were in Greenpoint, we decided to try Peter Pan Donut and Pastry Shop, a popular place that has fed hungry patrons since the 1950s and was even featured in Spiderman: No Way Home,…

Going to The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia is like stepping in the past to indulge some old time ice cream, with some people thinking that this place has been opened for decades if not centuries, being maybe the oldest ice cream parlor in America where possibly, Benjamin Franklin used to go. It’s true that the owners have done a good job creating a place that truly looks ancient: from the decor to the way staff is dressed (by the way, they call them Jerks with an old meaning that does not mean how we would interpret it today!), and even some old time flavors. But, in fact, The Franklin Fountain opened…

Going to Philadelphia, there were few things we wanted to do, one of them was to have a cheesesteak and, our plan was to go to Geno’s, but the 100 degree weather made us want to go indoors. So, I looked up on the internet if there were more choices at the Reading Terminal Market to try something new as last year we went to Carmen’s Famous Hoagie. That is how I found Molly Malloy’s, a pub that sits right in the middle of the market. So, going there had few advantages:

We were looking for a restaurant in Philly’s city center that would be opened after 10pm on a Saturday evening, after an opening at MK Apothecary where Jodi had several paintings. In New York, this task would be easy, with so many choices that your selection would be based on your food craving. Not in Philly. Many restaurants were either already closed or would close at 10pm. I was not really into room service, so we decided to eat at Del Frisco’s Grille that was right next to our hotel. I am not going to lie: there could be worst choices and at first, I was eying their steak section. But, as it was pretty late, I decided to go lighter (dessert included as I admit that I have my own perception of what a light meal is).

Each time we go to Philadelphia, we treat ourselves at Vetri cucina, the amazing restaurant of Chef Marc Vetri who is one of Philly’s top chefs. Going to Vetri is such an experience: located in a townhouse, it is as if you were invited to someone’s house. The decor is warm and the perfect setting for an intimate dinner where you will be able to hear your conversation, even if there is music in the background (well, Jodi noticed the music, I did not!).

Indian food is one of these cuisines that we often crave and with the closure of Soul Curry in Hoboken, we did not have much in the city, Karma Cafe not being a favorite. So, when Empyrean Indian Kitchen and Bar opened, we immediately ordered food for delivery and were impressed by the food there. So, it was time for us, many months later, to dine in there and, similar to our deliveries, we did it more than once…The dishes at Empyrean Indian Kitchen and Bar are a festival of flavors whether you want it spicy or mild, vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Every meal starts with the papadum, these crackers…

We were in Green Point, Brooklyn on a Sunday, looking for a place for brunch when we stumbled upon Le Fanfare, an Italian restaurant with a neighborhood feel. It was not that crowded when we arrived early, if not for a party in the patio. I immediately loved the decor, designed by Milan artist and architect Giuseppe Amato, that sets this place apart: on the left were wooden booths were we sat; on the…

Sparks Steakhouse is one of these places that are part of the history of New York, like Keens, Peter Luger or the Old Homestead. Not that it is that old, but it is a major player in the New York food scene, to the point that when it announced in 2017 that it would close its doors because it could not reach an agreement with its landlord, everyone was stunned. Fortunately, they were able to…

We were craving Chinese food and had to be midtown, so I thought that Dim Sun Palace would be a good spot for us. But not the location on the Theater District that can be really busy, we went to the one on 56th street. The place was packed, but, fortunately, they have a second floor that was quieter.

I discovered Cafe China several years ago, as I was going through the restaurants in New York with one Michelin Star. At the time, I was not that impressed by the food, but admitted at the time that it might have been because of the choice of dishes we made. So I was curious to see how this would be this time, and admit that this was very good, with a very speedy and courteous service! Here is what we had:…

We were craving Chinese food and decided to stop by Chinatown for lunch on a Saturday. Our original target was full with a long wait, so we finally ended up at Joe’s Ginger on Pell Street. The restaurant was a bit busy so I thought that, probably, that little known secret about this place was out: this is the sister restaurant of Joe’s Shanghai, a popular place in tourist guides, made famous by its "Xiao Long Bao", these…

We found El Rio Grande, a Tex-mex restaurant located Midtown East, while looking for Mexican food in that area. Their menu looking pretty good, we decided to give it a try. We went on the Friday before the 4th of July, the place not being that busy, probably because people were traveling. As we entered, we could not miss the over the top decor, with the oversized cowboy boot and the bison with wings that was hanging on top of the bar…

Located close to Grand Central, Dock’s Oyster Bar is one of those seafood institutions that seafood lovers must visit. This restaurant that boasts an impressive dining room offers an incredible menu where the fruits de mer (seafood in French literally meaning fruits of the sea) are celebrated in various ways: raw, cooked, in sushi or in pasta are few examples. A good way to experience it is by starting with one of their seafood platters. The Royale plateau is perfect for two, but I admit that I could…