When one of the descendants of writer Victor Hugo (« Les Misérables ») joins forces with the Serafina group, you get one of my favorite French restaurants in the city: Brasserie Cognac. It is in 2008 that Chef Florian Hugo started this adventure that continues years later with the same quality and superb French flare. Brunch or dinner are equally delicious, with dishes like the soufflé that are perfect any time of the day. Their cheese soufflé ($34) is definitely recommended: fluffy and cheesy, with a delicious golden crust. It is a rare dish to see on a menu, besides of course, the classic chocolate soufflé, and they execute it perfectly, reminding me a bit my childhood in France when my mom was making it for dinner, being less successful when it comes to the way the soufflé rises. For a smaller size appetizer, the…

The 2nd Avenue Deli is one of these iconic Jewish delicatessen that do not age. The food is simply comforting, large portions being the main characteristic of such place. However, I love the fact that they offer a half sandwich and soup, even if for $28.95, it is a bit pricey. For soups, I prefer the matzo ball over the borscht, the latter not being the best I ever had (Veselka it is). The matzo ball is light, bathed in a delicious chicken broth with pasta and carrots. A…

We passed in front of Shoo Loong Kan in Jersey City so many times, with sometimes people waiting outside for a table, that we decided to give it a try on a windy and somewhat cold Saturday. We showed up at 12pm and got a table right away. Good, considering that 30 minutes later, the place was full. Meaning “Little Dragon Ridge”, It is named after a location in the Shapingba district of Chongqing, known for its mountainous terrain that looks like a dragon. Originating from the…

We recently discovered Lolita in Midtown Manhattan. This place, that serves Mexican food has quite an amazing decor, vibrant and bohemian chic that make it a hot spot for a happy hour. Well, talking about happy hour, it extends until 7pm on Fridays, which were the days we visited them, so we took advantage of it for their margarita ($12) and empanada de platano ($7 for two). They do have other cocktails, like The Jerk, that, just because of the name, I had to order. It had so many components: with vodka, banana, lime, strawberry, ginger, allspice, jerk bitters, scotch bonnet and is carbonated (hopefully, I did not forget anything). It is as they describe it like a clarified and refreshing highball with notes of Caribbean fruits and spices. And for sure, they are generous with the vodka! Anyway, being …

We discovered Court Street many years ago but never went back until recently, for restaurant week, where I thought that they did an excellent job serving dishes that make you want to go back, capturing the spirit of the event. And we did go back. Serving hungry diners for more than 40 years, its bar is always full of people having drinks or eating on the high top tables, but I prefer their dining room, located in the back, that is quieter. The food there is very good, with a long list of daily specials. I mean long. Issue is: everything sounds good and you are a bit overwhelmed by all these choices, knowing that you …

The biscuit Babe in Hoboken is a recent addition to the food scene in the mile square city, opening March 2025 and shy of two months in operation when I visited them. Replacing D’s Soul Food Cafe, the space is quite nice, bright and beautifully decorated, with inspiring quotes on the wall that you can read as your mind wanders. Biscuits is their specialty and, of course, I had to try their BBL Drizzly fried chicken with honey butter, even if it was only 8am…The sandwich looked amazing, the reddish, shiny fried chicken pieces dripping in honey butter, being squeezed between a nicely made biscuit. It was …

Hani’s Bakery is one of these spots that get a crazy amount of attention on social media, whether it is Tik Tok or Instagram, with people raving about one of two things that are absolutely to try. So, on a day I was off, we decided to see for ourselves. As it was a weekday, there was no line and the place was not that busy, although we saw many people stopping by to get some goods there. We ordered at the counter after a lengthy discussion about what to get, as everything looked good. We then …

One of the most memorable trips abroad was when we went to Japan few years ago, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto. I loved the food and the culture. An opportunity we got later on was getting a subscription to Tokyo Treat, where you receive a box on a monthly basis for a subscription, allowing you to discover, every time, new sweets or snacks. So, when ICHIGO.inc, the company of www.tokyotreat.com and Sakura.co contacted me to try their …

I had Oxomoco in Greenpoint on my radar for a while, so, when I heard that they got awarded a Michelin Star, I had to definitely go and see for myself. Let me start with that strange name that refers in Aztec mythology to a deity associated with night, astrology and the calendar, and is said to be the first woman, akin to Eve. Isn’t food a good way to discover other cultures?
Anyway, we decided to go to Oxomoco for brunch, that is served also weekdays. The trip to Brooklyn was not …

There is a new coffee shop in Hoboken, that seems to be the kind of businesses who wants to open in the mile square city considering how many have opened in the past few months or are scheduled to open. Question is: how many coffee shops do we need? I do not know and anyway decided to try anyway! So, Forum Coffee is new, replacing Cafe Amor, Hoboken being…

It’s been a while since I visited one of the locations of Luke’s Lobster, that I once considered, with The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market, one of my favorite locations for a lobster roll. There are plenty of places proposing this divine dish, but I often end up with a roll that has too much celery, overpowering the entire thing, or the lobster is overcooked. So, after going to Angelo Seafood Market in Hoboken, I decided to pay the one in the garment district a visit. But, instead of …

With a location in the east village, Tipsy Shanghai is a true find. Serving Chinese food in a beautiful decor, the dining room being decorated with tons of ornaments to remind you where you are eating, this place has an extensive menu. But there are few things that are a must have. The Wuxi pork ribs ($18) is definitely one, with a recipe that was passed from generation to generation since 1905. These ribs literally fell off the bone. Then there is the crab xialong dumplings ($7.95 for 4), pork and …

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…