I Just Want To Eat! 3/27/23 I Just Want To Eat! 3/27/23

Madame in Jersey City

Madame Claude is gone, long live Madame! Not a bad change of name in a way, considering that Madame Claude was the name of a famous Madame who, when arrested threatened to reveal who her influential clients were. So, we were curious to check out this French restaurant that, although a bit off the beaten path, is quite popular in Jersey City. Located in a basement, this is like a hidden gem, with a more modern decor than before, but with still some charm to it. The bar, called Panache (meaning done with flair) has…

Espresso nougat martini at Madame in Jersey City

Food wise, the menu has also changed to classic French with a twist where, for instance, escargots will be served with a fennel tuile or the cassoulet will be prepared au gratin. Here is what we tried:

For appetizer, we shared the crispy polenta that was served with romesco and a mint labne. They mentioned mascarpone on the menu and I guess it was used to bind the polenta that was, as advertised, crispy, and not dry or grainy, working well with the two sauces that were on the plate.

For her main, Jodi got the burrata that came with an olive tapenade, figs and focaccia crisps. This was very good, the tapenade pairing very well with the creamy burrata, adding a salty note, while the fig gave some sweetness to the dish.

On my side, I decided to try their ribeye that came with two sauces that I asked for on the side: a bordelaise sauce and a garlic, parsley and butter sauce. I preferred the former. The perfectly cooked ribeye, that was tender and juicy, was topped with trumpet mushrooms and I also ordered some truffle fries that were as I like them: thin, crispy and cooked all the way through, the kind of fries you cannot stop eating.

For dessert, we got their crepe suzette cake that was made with mascarpone, blood orange and served with a rum caramel that was flambee. Decadent, the sweetness was complimented with a creme fraiche ice cream. This was an excellent take on a classic French dessert.

Crepe suzette cake at Madame in Jersey City

Overall, this was a great meal and, although this place is a bit far, I would definitely go back to Madame: I love the atmosphere where, even with music in the background you can have a conversation, and I find their menu exciting.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Madame - 390 4th St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

I Just Want To Eat! 3/10/23 I Just Want To Eat! 3/10/23

Carbone in NYC, NY

It has been a while since I wanted to try Carbone, the Italian restaurant of Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick. This popular place, that lost its Michelin star in 2022, is like stepping in an episode of The Godfather, from the decor in the back room to the Italian music playing in the background.

Serving family style dishes, seeing plates passing by makes your mouth water and you may observe the staff preparing the Caesar salad on a cart, like you would look at someone making guacamole table side in a Mexican restaurant. After ordering, they brought to the table some bread, with some salami and mozzarella (so good and creamy) that is always a nice touch.

I started the meal with their Carpaccio Piemontese where the thin slices of raw beef are topped with a truffle emulsion, toasted walnuts, shallots, chives, mushrooms, arugula and olive oil. Definitely a portion to share, it was good, with a nice crunch from the walnuts and mushroom, but the toppings overpowered a bit the meat.

Capaccio Piemontese at Carbone in NYC, NY

Carpaccio Piemontese at Carbone in NYC, NY

Jodi ordered their eggplant and zucchini scapece, a dish made with roasted eggplant and zucchini, topped with ricotta and parmesan, with few mint leaves. Refreshing, this is a delicious dish that I wish I would find in more restaurants, better in my opinion than eggplant rollatini.

Eggplant and zucchini scapece at Carbone in NYC, NY

Of course, I could not not order their spicy vodka rigatoni that contributed to their fame! And I admit that it is well deserved: that dish is simply divine. It is spicy for sure and quite comforting at the same time, the generous amount of sauce bathing pasta as well as onions. This is a must try if you go there.

Spicy vodka rigatoni at Carbone in NYC, NY

We were too full to have dessert after such a feast and it is too bad, because I am sure that their tiramisu is worth the trip. After dining there, I understand why Carbone, besides being the go to place for celebrities, has gained its fame. I would definitely go back and this time try their Linguine alle Vongole that is one of my favorites, although the rigatoni, lighting my mouth on fire were pretty darn good!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Carbone - 181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

I Just Want To Eat! 3/8/23 I Just Want To Eat! 3/8/23

The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

After going to the Monmouth Museum to see one of Jodi’s paintings that made it into an exhibition there, we ended up for a family dinner at The Pour House in Red Bank, NJ. A big restaurant, really crowded, with a mix of diners and patrons sitting at the bar, this place seemed to be like a neighborhood favorite where you hang out on a Saturday evening. Luckily, as we were a big table, we ended up in a “private” room, that only had one long table, more spacious and less noisy for sure.

The menu there was a bit overwhelming, with so many choices that I was not sure what to eat! They have what you would expect in this type of establishment. For instance, for appetizers, they serve a giant pretzel (with cheddar cheese sauce and spicy brown mustard), mozzarella sticks and wings, but also pierogis and a French onion soup that was delicious, topped with crunchy frizzled onions.

Giant Pretzel at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

Mozzarella sticks at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

French onion soup at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

For the entrees, on top of steak, pasta or fish, they have classic burgers, chicken sandwiches, a French dip that is quite good, and a veggie burger with a homemade patty called the Thin Vinnie, that is not so thin. I would say that adding “thin” to any dish is sarcastic as the portions of the entrees are big. And I did not mention the desserts that were huge, all served “a la mode” that is with vanilla ice cream. Although the Toll House pie seems impressive, the apple crisp is the star of the show: comforting and decadent.

Thin Vinnie at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

Chicken sandwich at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

French Dip at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

Apple crisp at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

Toll House pie at The Pour House in RedBank, NJ

So, yes, The Pour House is a good find if you are in the area: the food is good and the portions big, so, if you go, you better come with an appetite!

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Pour House - 640 Shrewsbury Ave, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701

I Just Want To Eat! 3/6/23 I Just Want To Eat! 3/6/23

Chocopain at Le Leo in Jersey City

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I am a huge fan of Chocopain, a French Bakery that has few locations in Hoboken and Jersey City. So, when I heard that they were opening a new place in Jersey City, I had to check it out. So, I walked approximately 10 minutes from the Journal Square Path station, and found Chocopain on the ground floor of a Luxury Building, Le Leo, recently erected.

The place is of a good size, bright with floor to ceiling windows, with a perfect setup to not just have breakfast, but also work, the communal table being equipped with power outlets and USB chargers. In terms of offering, they have the same as all their other locations: tea and coffee for beverages, croissants, chocolate croissants, chocolate babka and chouquettes, among other things.

Chocolate croissant at Chocopain at Le Leo in Jersey City

I am always happy to see a business thrive; and when it is one that I love like Chocopain, I cannot be happier and wish Clemence Danko, the owner, and the Chocopain Team, all the success in this location and many more to open!
Enjoy (I did)!

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Chocopain at Le Leo -

I Just Want To Eat! 2/27/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/27/23

Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

On a Friday evening, we decided to have dinner at Strip House Midtown, few steps from Grand Central. We had a reservation and were bit early; we had to wait until our table was ready, but observed several couples coming without any reservation being seated before us. The person at the desk explained that she was waiting for a good table for us: ok, I would give her that, our table being quite comfortable, on one of the corners upstairs, overlooking the restaurant.

I started off my meal with an espresso martini that is their signature cocktail, made with Grey Goose vodka.

Espresso martini at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

As an appetizer, I got a crab cake that was served with a chipotle mayo, and pickled carrot and celery root. The crab cake was quite good, the crab not being overpowered by tons of fillers.

Crab cake at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

For her main, Jodi went for the Bibb lettuce salad with goat cheese and pear, sharing some sides with me. The salad had a nice presentation, but there was not much cheese in it.

Bibb lettuce at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

For the sides, we shared the Mac and cheese that were really good, creamy and cheesy, the drunken cremini mushrooms and the the 1000 layer goose fat potatoes that looked very appetizing but were not as good and tasty as I expected, the outside being crispy, but, unfortunately, the center was slightly undercooked.

1000 layer goose fat potato at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

Drunken cremini mushrooms at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

Mac and cheese at Strip House Steakhouse in NYC

My ribeye did not come at the same time as the sides that I started to eat while waiting. It had a nice pepper crust was more medium than medium rare. With a nice char, it was tender and juicy: this was worth the wait.

Everything took a while to come, so we decided to skip dessert, although we already had our sight on their chocolate cake. This was a bit disappointing considering that overall, the meal was pretty good. I’ll have to go back another time and hopefully, we will make it to dessert.

Enjoy (I still did)!

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Strip House Steakhouse - 15 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

I Just Want To Eat! 2/24/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/24/23

Olivia's in Hoboken, NJ

We finally made it to Olivia’s in Hoboken. We wanted to go before, but reviews were not that great, people complaining about the cleanliness of the place. But we decided to give it a chance. We went on a Saturday evening, the place being packed, dark and with loud music that is definitely not something I like…

They have a nice cocktail list and my favorite is the fact that they have a Negroni and friends bar, where, besides Vermouth and Campari, you can decide to put gin (Negroni), whiskey (Boulevardier), Mezcal (Oaxacan), etc. So I went for the Boulevardier that was quite good, well balanced.

That have a bunch of dishes that are perfect to share like the truffle arancini that are smothered with Manchego cheese fondue, or the crispy baby artichokes that you dip in saffron aioli.

Crispy artichokes at Olivia's in Hoboken, NJ

For her main, Jodi had the Athena’s salad that was composed of Kalamata olives, red onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Feta cheese, and mix greens, dressed with a red wine vinaigrette. It usually comes with anchovies but she asked without. On my side, I got the hanger steak with haricot verts and truffle fries. The presentation looked beautiful and appetizing, a bit rustic. Unfortunately, the steak was more medium than medium-rare that could have been fine if it was not very chewy. I was for sure disappointed. At least the truffle fries were delicious, thin and crispy like I love them.

Athena’s salad at Olivia's in Hoboken, NJ

Truffle fries at Olivia's in Hoboken, NJ

For dessert, we tried their brioche bread pudding. The top was nice, crunchy and delightfully caramelized, but it was overall dry.

Brioche bread pudding at Olivia's in Hoboken, NJ

I admit that I was a bit disappointed by Olivia’s and was expecting more. I’ll probably give another try in few months…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Olivia’s - 1038 Garden St, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 2/22/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/22/23

The Parisian Tea Room in NYC

We discovered The Parisian Tea Room last year, as we were driving through New York to go to JFK Airport. I was really surprised to see this place in an area a bit off the beaten path, with not too much foot traffic, but surrounded by hotels and near Times Square. I am more a coffee drinker, but I do appreciate a good tea sometimes, herbal mainly with mint being my favorite, and we have tried quite a few places in New York; so, why not try this place? We went on an off day as I was off, picking a 11:15am spot rather than after 1pm.

The place is small and beautiful, the decor giving the feel that you stepped into a Parisian tea room in the 1920s, celebrating fashion week with the decor (beautiful wedding dress at the entrance), but also, as we will see in a moment, with their menu. There is a good explanation to it: the owner, Karen Elizabeth Lozner (who made the dress by the way), is a fashion designer! It might also explain why everything there is about details, including the dishes and utensils that add to the charm of the place.

What is great is that you can either go for one of the prix-fixe teas or pick a dish from the menu. We went for the former, with Jodi ordering the French Afternoon Tea ($62pp) and me the Haute-Couture High Tea ($82pp). The difference between the two? Mine had a cheese plate with imported cheese and prosciutto as well as a soup of the day, and for dessert, Jodi was supposed to have assorted mini-pastries with macarons, while I was supposed to have homemade French pastries. So, we started by ordering our tea: the menu was quite limited and I admit that I was a bit disappointed not to see any mint tea. So I went for the Chai Imperial with whole milk, while Jodi had an English Breakfast tea. The Chai was good, but a bit light for my taste (I tried authentic Chai in the past, so this was no comparison to it).

They then started to bring the food, with both of us having a mixed green salad. My cheese plate arrived, made of brie, Gruyere and another cheese that they were not able to name. When the plate came, I was shocked: it was very small! And so was the soup (potato and carrot if I correctly remember) that was more like a cup…

Then our tray came: the savory element was a croissant with hummus and cucumber for Jodi, egg salad for me. The croissant was undercooked and my egg salad was runny.

High tea at The Parisian Tea Room in NYC

Croissants with egg salad at The Parisian Tea Room in NYC

Croissants with cucumber and hummus at The Parisian Tea Room in NYC

The sweet element was for both of us madeleines, pumpkin muffins, mini-cheesecakes and a chocolate and a raspberry macarons.

Desserts at The Parisian Tea Room in NYC

I admit that I left fairly disappointed: the food was just off, with small quantity for the price you pay. Angelina Paris is much better food and price wise for sure, so is Lady Mendl. I would pass on this place…

Enjoy (…)!

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The Parisian Tea Room - 347 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 2/20/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/20/23

The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

When The Lola cocktail Lab and Eatery opened in Hoboken, I was curious to try it, wondering if the notion of cocktail lab would take precedent over the eatery concept. The place is big, with two main areas: the main dining room that surrounds the large bar, and a second dining room, more cozy and slightly quieter.

They have lots of cocktails (loved the espresso martini that was not my first choice: I wanted the egg nog that was on their Winter cocktail list, but they could not make it), but it is the food that made me want to go back there, less than a week later, for Valentine’s Day, where, we had a wonderful meal for just $45 that I thought was a great deal, restaurant lowering often the quality of their dishes for days like this or even restaurant week.

Espresso martini at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

For our first meal there, we started with the crispy bites that was composed of fried zucchini, fried cauliflower and sweet potato tater tots. Good, not greasy and delightfully crunchy, it was a bit one dimensional though and could have been better if one of the elements were replaced by mozzarella sticks for instance.

Crispy bites at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

For her main, Jodi got the “Farm Lover”, a charred cauliflower, served with eggplant, sautéed mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes in a sweet cherry wine reduction. Great dish, very hearty, it was quite tasty.

Farm lover at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

On my side, I went for the baby back ribs that were served with pickled onions, coleslaw and truffle and rosemary fries. I loved the rustic presentation on a butcher block and the half stack of ribs was big! Smothered with a whisky BBQ sauce, the meat was literally falling off the bone: I loved it! The fries, although a bit too salty, were deliciously crispy. For $24, I though this was a really good deal.

Baby back ribs at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

Dessert was a bit disappointing: we chose the Oreo cheesecake: the cheesecake itself was good, but they drizzled some caramel on top of it and put some chocolate icing that made it too sweet. Fortunately, the vanilla ice cream helped cut the sweetness.

Oreo cheesecake at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

So, then, as I mentioned before, we went back for Valentine’s Day. They had a menu for $45 that had appetizer, entree and dessert. Cocktails were additional and I went for one of their creation for the occasion: the chocolate strawberry martini that was pretty good and well balanced, strawberry and chocolate working well together.

Chocolate and strawberry martini at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

For appetizers, Jodi got the mozzarella sticks and I got the fried calamari. When the dishes came, I was surprised by the portions that were bigger than expected for a prix-fixe menu. Both were a good start: not greasy, the mozzarella sticks were gooey and the calamari perfectly cooked, not chewy at all.

Mozzarella sticks at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

Fried calamari at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

For her main, Jodi got the penne a la vodka that was also a large portion, very good, while I opted for the ribeye that was served with rosemary mashed potatoes and sautéed broccoli. Topped with some herbed butter, the meat was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. This was amazing!

Penne a la vodka at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

Ribeye at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

For dessert, we decided to try their chocolate lava cake and the plain cheesecake. Both were good, but the lava cake was superb, the melted chocolate oozing from the center.

Cheesecake at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

Chocolate lava cake at The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Hoboken, NJ

Both dinners were great! The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery is an exciting addition to the Hoboken restaurant scene. I am curious to try their ribeye outside of the pre-fixe to see if the quality was identical. So, yes, I’ll be back!

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery - 102 Sinatra Dr, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 2/17/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/17/23

Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

Earlier this year, we went to Ju Lan Club, a restaurant located where the Limelight used to be that serves upscale Chinese cuisine in an incredible setting. This place is huge and we only saw the main dining room that was beautiful, especially the murals on the walls that added to the aesthetic of the place.

The menu there is quite overwhelming, with specialty dishes marked with a crown. But there are so many that ordering each of them would be a gargantuan meal. They have classic Chinese dishes like…

Earlier this year, we went to Jue Lan Club, a restaurant located where the Limelight used to be that serves upscale Chinese cuisine in an incredible setting. This place is huge and we only saw the main dining room that was beautiful, especially the murals on the walls that added to the aesthetic of the place.

The menu there is quite overwhelming, with specialty dishes marked with a crown. But there are so many that ordering each of them would be a gargantuan meal. They have classic Chinese dishes like the Spring rolls that you can either get vegetarian, with duck or lobster (we had the former), their crispy scallion pancakes that are exactly what the name says and some of the best we had, or vegetable dim sum. But, an elevated version is their edamame dumplings that were served with a truffle miso broth giving a delicate touch to a very tasty dumpling.

Vegetable Spring rolls at Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

Scallion pancakes at Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

Edamame dumplings at Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

Of course, I could not not try some of their non-vegetarian dishes and started with their honey maple glazed spare ribs that, although not falling off the bone were delicious, smothered by this superb glaze that had a nice sweetness to it.

Glazed spare ribs at Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

And then, for the entree, I went for the Jue Lan Lo mein that is one of their specialties made with lobster, shrimp and chicken. This is one of their signature dishes that I highly recommend: with lots of protein, the lobster being the elevating element, it was really tasty and I had to restrain myself from not eating the whole dish that can be shared.

But I wanted dessert also and after much hesitation, we decided to go with their warm apple donuts that were served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. What you would never guess about these donuts is that they are like a croissant bread pudding stuffed with an apple cinnamon filling. Quite big, they were piping hot, slightly crispy on the outside. I highly recommend this!

Warm apple donuts at Jue Lan Club in NYC, NY

I should mention their cocktails: I got their Smoky Samurai that is one of their signature cocktails made with Hibiki Suntory whiskey, homemade Demerara syrup, angostura bitters, an orange peel for decoration, that was smoked with apple wood chips.

Smoky Samurai cocktail at Ju Lan Club in NYC, NY

Overall, we had a wonderful meal at Jue Lan Club: the food there is amazing and I cannot wait to go back and try some other dishes that seem fantastic!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Jue Lan Club - 49 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011

I Just Want To Eat! 2/15/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/15/23

Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

The heart of Times Square have seen quite a lot of Asian restaurants opening and the last one I tried is Awe Sum Dimsum (pronounce “awesome” dimsum). This casual place is very similar to Dim Sum Sam that I tried few months ago: you order at the counter or on their POS, from a quite large menu and they will tell you when your meal is ready thanks to a buzzer that will be handed over to you after you pay. The Menu has quite a lot of items, but I admit that I was a bit disappointed not to see anything with duck, especially some Peking Duck bao maybe? So I ended up ordering har gow or shrimp dumplings that were perfectly made and delicious, fried eggplant shrimp that were just ok, slightly bland, and some soup dumplings that were a bit challenging to eat as they were cooked in a small aluminum tart pan and so, when trying to remove the sticky shell, it often broke, freeing the fatty broth. It could have been good if the shell was thinner…Jodi was excited as they had plenty of vegetarian options, but the vegetable dumplings and steamed vegetarian rice rolls were unfortunately lacking flavor. At least we had the scallion pancakes that were decent. For dessert, I was really looking forward to trying their lava buns or creamy egg yolk buns. Unfortunately, the bun itself was dry and the filling was not as creamy as I had in other places.

Fried eggplant shrimp at Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

Soup dumplings at Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

Steamed vegetable dumplings at Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

Steamed vegetable rice rolls at Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

Scallion pancakes at Awe Sum Dimsum in NYC, NY

So, overall, Awe Sum Dimsum was disappointing. I prefer Dim Sum Sam around the corner or, for some great soup dumplings, Kung Fu Kitchen.

Enjoy (…)!

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Awe Sum Dimsum - 160 E 23rd St, New York, NY 10010

I Just Want To Eat! 2/13/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/13/23

Rossini's in NYC, NY

If you like Italian cuisine, Rossini’s is a great spot to know. Located closed to Grand Central, this Italian restaurant has an old school authentic feel, from the decor (it is fairly big: I counted three different rooms) to the attire of the waiters that is pretty formal.

Food wise, they have classics like the calamari fritti or melanzane imbotite (eggplant slices stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella) that they split into two portions as we were sharing.

Melanzane Imbotite at Rossini's in NYC, NY

For the entrees, you can go with their homemade pasta: their linguine alle vongole, although not the best I had, is delicious, but I admit that my all time favorite is their fettuccine Alfredo that is one of the best I ever had! Another option is their veal parmesan that is fried breaded veal topped with tomato, arugula and red onion (I had it twice already).

Fettuccine Alfredo at Rossini's in NYC, NY

Linguine alle vongole at Rossini's in NYC, NY

Dessert is an absolute thing to try: their tiramisu is sublime, creamy with the lady fingers perfectly soaked in coffee; their ricotta cheesecake is great, but the best is their homemade cannoli that was delightfully crispy, stuffed with an amazing ricotta filling.

A bit on the pricey side, Rossini’s is for sure a place to know. All the food I tried so far has been very good, but if you go, I suggest. you try their pasta Alfredo and let me know what you think.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Rossini’s - 108 E 38th St, New York, NY 10016

I Just Want To Eat! 2/10/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/10/23

1803, Creole cuisine in Tribeca

We were looking for a New Orleans inspired restaurant in New York, when we stumbled upon 1803. Taking its name from the year the United States purchased Louisiana from France, Napoleon needing money to fund the war with the British, this restaurant serving creole cuisine, opened in October 2022. Spacious, with its French quarter feel and large bar, it has two floors, the second floor being where bands will play live music.

They have a nice cocktail menu and, as it was quite cold outside, I decided to go for a hot toddy that warmed me up.

As you can expect in a place like this, they have some classic creole dishes, like the fried oysters, the gumbo or the jambalaya that they also propose in a vegan version that is made with tofu and vegetables (lots of tofu that was good, but not enough vegetables). The Jambalaya was made with shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken. Like the vegan version, it was a bit dry and very spicy. A good way to cool your mouth is with the Mac and cheese that is sublime.

The jambalaya were disappointing, but the beignets were not! Still remembering the ones from Cafe du Monde, we literally inhaled these that were freshly made and did not need the chocolate sauce that came with it.

I am still on the fence with 1803: it was a bit loud for me and the jambalaya was way too spicy. We might go back for brunch to give it another chance as, overall, it had a nice vibe. And for sure we will get again these beignets…

Enjoy (the beignets)!

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1803 - 82 Reade St, New York, NY 10007

I Just Want To Eat! 2/8/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/8/23

Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

It’s always exciting when a new French restaurant opens, moreover when the Chef is not French, adding a bit of a challenge that he successfully overcame. Chef Adam Schop is well known in New York City, being the Chef and Owner of Miss Lily’s, a Caribbean restaurant located downtown. The part of Hell’s Kitchen Steak Frites bistro is located is not where I would typically walk to find a place to eat, going usually north of 42nd street: this is probably a mistake considering all the places there that I have never tried and this place is definitely adding some attractiveness to this neighborhood. Besides the music and of course the non-french speaking servers, you could imagine being in a bistro in France: the decor with some recycled furniture from the restaurant that used to be there, Tavolino, some hand scratched mirrors and hand painted signage, with a mix of photos from Paris and New York give a certain feel that reminded me some of the places I used to go to when living in Paris.

Food and drinks are quite interesting. They have original cocktails with interesting names like Deux vies (two lifes), Queen of Montmartre and the Madame Guillotine that I chose, a mix of whiskey, calvados, cassis, lemon, egg white and bitters.

Madame Guillotine cocktail at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

It was restaurant week and I thought that their choices for a $45 dinner (appetizer, entree and dessert) was quite good as, often, some of the specialties of the restaurants are not proposed in a prix-fixe like this. This was not the case: I not only got the escargots, but also the steak frites as it was something I absolutely had to try there considering the name of the restaurant. The escargot was not served in the classic dish but in a shallow dish, mixed with croutons that were soaked with the delicious parsley, garlic and butter sauce.

Escargots at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

The steak frites was a thick portion of NY strip steak that was perfectly cooked medium rare, was quite tender and had a nice pepper crust. It was served with a pepper sauce and some superb French fries that are like I love them: thin and crispy. The main difference between this steak frites from the Restaurant Week menu and the regular menu is the fact that the NY strip is not dry aged. Still, it was really good.

NY strip at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

French fries at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

On her side, Jodi went for a salade verte (butter lettuce, haricots verts, radishes, red wine vinaigrette) and a selection of three cheeses: Boucheron (goat), Ossau Iraty (Basque cheese - sheep) and Bleu d’Auvergne (blue - cow). They came with bread, grapes, truffled fig jam and marcona almonds.

Salade verte at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

Cheese plate at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

Dessert was good but we made a huge mistake: I was intrigued by the warm morbier cheese (one of my favorites) on baguette with sour grapes. It was good, but would have been more special if there were more sour grapes. The mistake was to not order the chocolate soufflé that was very popular with diners, but we were full and I had to order at the beginning of the meal, so it was too late to change it.

Warm morbier at Steak Frites Bistro in Hell's Kitchen

Well, it gives me another reason to go back to Steak Frites Bistro!

Enjoy (I really did)!

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Steak Frites Bistro - 496 9th Avenue New York, NY 10018

I Just Want To Eat! 2/6/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/6/23

Kura Sushi, Conveyor belt sushi in Jersey City

We have been waiting for so long for Kura Sushi to open in Newport, right where the mall sits. You may wonder why and the answer is simple: Kura Sushi is not your classic Japanese restaurant. It is a conveyor belt sushi bar! If you never tried this before, it is fun to do: the kitchen will prepare a series of dishes that will move around the dining room on a conveyor belt. Each dish, preceded by a sign telling you what it is, costs $3.70 (if I correctly remember) and they calculate the bill simply based on the number of dishes you took (they will automatically count when you slide the plate into the opening that is either in front of you if you are sitting at the counter or on the side if you are sitting at a table, with a prize if you reach 15 plates (we never did). In case what you want is not coming through because very popular, you can order on their POS that allows you to also order other dishes like ramen or drinks, and it will come on the conveyor belt right on top, stopping in front of you for few seconds, so you have time to grab your order.

The whole thing is very exciting and you quickly realize that, at the beginning of the meal, you spend more time grabbing dishes than eating, and you probably eat more than what you would normally order. They of course have some classics like a salmon nigiri or avocado roll, but have for the most part interesting dishes. Here is what we tried:

Aburi eel with miso cream cheese at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Avocado roll at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Dashi olive sweet shrimp at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Salmon toro at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Seared beef with Yakiniku sauce at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Seared scallops with Japanese mayo at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Spanish Mackerel at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Spicy popcorn shrimp roll at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

We also tried some desserts, like the Hokkaido milk creamy tart, but the best was their Japanese style soy milk donuts that is a must try!

Hokkaido milk creamy tart at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

Japanese style soy milk donuts at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

I should mention that for drinks (we had tea, hot sake and plum wine), you may see a robot coming to your table…

Umeshu plum wine at Kura Sushi in Jersey City

I love Kura Sushi: it is fun and the food is good. The only problem is when to stop taking plates and eating…You simply can’t stop!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Kura Sushi - 525 Washington Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07310

I Just Want To Eat! 2/3/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/3/23

House of Que, Hoboken, NJ

BBQ is one of my favorite meals and it is an artistry that I did not imagine was so involved until I saw The American Barbecue Showdown on Netflix. From the type of meat, the rub, the type of wood to use and the temperature, this is more than just meat on a plate for sure. One of the places I love in Hoboken for BBQ is House of Que.

The best moment to avoid the crowd is of course for lunch during the week or early for brunch as it can become really crowded…and noisy, that is not something I like when eating. There is another bit difference between brunch and dinner: their sampler for one person is not available for brunch. I wonder why as this sampler that is composed of ribs, brisket and sausage with two sides is awesome. The brisket is nicely fatty and charred, although slightly dry, as are the ribs. The sausage is pretty good, the casing having a good bite and the filling not overpowered by anything (sometimes, there is too much fennel, not theirs).

For sides, I always go for the same: the Mac and cheese that is creamy and made with good cheese, and the corn pudding that is one of the best I ever had.

For appetizers, we often go for the fried pickles or the nachos, but my favorite is the Frito pie that is made with Fritos, a smoked brisket chili that is to die for and cheese. This is not only delicious (that is the kind of dish I would crave), but the vessel for it that is a bag of Fritos, makes it fun to eat.

Fried pickles at House of Que, Hoboken, NJ

They also have great sandwiches, like the smoked brisket brunch burger that is a heart attack on a plate: It is a brisket patty served with bacon, American cheese, an over easy fried egg and mayo, that you can get with fries or onion rings. The first bite is amazing: you really get an explosion of flavors from the egg yolk that is bursting out from the pressure applied to eat that monster burger, that gives a certain smoothness, to the smokiness of the bacon and the juiciness of the patty that is quite good and was nicely charred.

Smoked brisket brunch burger at House of Que, Hoboken, NJ

If you are vegetarian, you can get some sides or salads, like the green garden salad that Jodi often orders.

Green garden salad at House of Que, Hoboken, NJ

So, yes, House of Que always delivers: their food is delicious and very comforting. I definitely recommend it to enjoy some Texas hospitality.

Enjoy (I did)!

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House of Que - 340 Sinatra Dr, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 2/1/23 I Just Want To Eat! 2/1/23

Marty's in Jersey City, NJ

We walked passed Marty’s in Jersey City quite a few times. Located in an old firehouse, this place serves some quite amazing burgers and shakes. I love the fact that they have a POS (Point Of Sale) when you enter, so it gives you more time to look at their menu and customize what you want, rather than being at the counter and feeling the pressure to order quickly because there are people behind you, probably with the same feeling, waiting.

I always go for a double cheeseburger, a single patty being too small compared to the bun and not giving enough chance for the meat to shine. So, yes, I got a double cheeseburger, that came with American cheese (nice amount of it), a slice of tomato, onion, but no lettuce, that I topped with ketchup and mayo. The burger looked really appetizing and the first bite was great: the meat was perfectly cooked medium, juicy, with a nice char.

Double Cheeseburger at Marty's in Jersey City, NJ

Jodi got the Impossible burger with American cheese, tomato and pickles. The Impossible is way better than the Beyond burger and I have to say was pretty good, even if I prefer mine.

Impossible burger at Marty's in Jersey City, NJ

To accompany our burgers, we got some crispy fries that were pretty good and would think were not frozen considering the bags of Idaho potatoes laying on the floor. And of course, to help me digest (???) I got a cookies and cream milkshake that had a perfect consistency, with some chunks of Oreo cookie.

Cookies and Cream milkshake at Marty's in Jersey City, NJ

This was a nice surprise, the burgers being very good and I cannot wait to go back to Marty’s: this is definitely a neighborhood gem.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Marty’s - 488 Central Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307

I Just Want To Eat! 1/30/23 I Just Want To Eat! 1/30/23

Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

It is no secret that I love Indian food and we sometimes venture to Newark Avenue in Jersey City for lunch or dinner, in some of the amazing Indian restaurants that are there. One of them is Masala Cafe. This place has an extensive menu with a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. We went there one Saturday evening for dinner and tried the following:

For appetizer, we had samosa that were crispy and…

For appetizer, we had samosa that were crispy and not spicy:

Samosa at Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

We then shared some dhal and some paneer tikka masala, two vegetarian dishes that were really good, especially the latter one that was very creamy and that I had with a bit of rice, but mainly with their butter naan that was deliciously charred.

Paneer tikka masala at Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

Butter naan at Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

For drinks, I always go for a mango lassi and Jodi had a lemonade.

Mango lassi and lemonade at Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

Last was dessert, and we went for our favorite one, gulab jamun, that we accompanied with a chai that was unfortunately too milky, maybe because we asked for mild food and they did not want to serve us a tea that would be too spicy for us.

Gulab jamun at Masala Cafe in Jersey City, NJ

Overall, the meal was delicious and we decided to go back another time to Masala Cafe to try some other dishes…

Enjoy (I did)!

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Masala Cafe - 839 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306

I Just Want To Eat! 1/27/23 I Just Want To Eat! 1/27/23

Zaytinya in NYC, NY

When we visited Zaytinya in Washington DC back in 2018, I ended up regretting that it did not have an outpost in New York City. Well, this gap has been closed since July last year and it seems that this place does not stop getting full with a crowd eager to try some Mediterranean cuisine served mainly tapas style.

This is a big and bustling restaurant located in the Ritz Carlton, dominated by their beautiful bar that was crowded all evening and from which we got a glass of Arak El Massaya for me and a lemonatha for Jodi, a non-alcoholic beverage made with lemon, cardamon, fenugreek and club soda.

We decided to share few plates, the waiter recommending one from each section and started with labneh that we ate with their fluffy pita that is fantastic, as well as some cucumber and carrot.

Another starter was their seared halloumi that came with dates, pomegranate, pistachio and citrus. Do not expect the flaming halloumi that you sometimes get in Greek restaurants: this one was simply seared, but still sublime, eating it with the various components from the dish that either gave texture or acidity.

This was followed by the crispy eggplant or Bantijian Bil Laban, that was served with garlic yogurt, turmeric, apricots, and walnuts. Delightfully crispy and cooked all the way through, it was not bitter and not greasy at all.

For her main, Jodi went for their charred eggplant pie, a mediterranean version of flatbread, while I chose two dishes: lamb baharat that is a spiced rubbed leg of lamb kebab served with tabouleh and tahini sauce, as well as Garides Me Anitho or sautéed shrimp with a sauce made with shallots, mustard and lemon juice. The lamb was perfectly cooked, flavorful, the tahini adding some nuttiness to the overall dish. I did not expect the sautéed shrimp to be smothered by that sauce, but it was really good and I dipped a bit of pita in it…

Charred eggplant pide at Zaytinya in NYC, NY

Of course, we could not leave without dessert and could not resist trying their kunefe that I ate with a medium-sweet Turkish coffee. The dessert was a bit disappointing, being a bit dry.

Still, we had a great meal. The dishes at Zaytinya are small and it is a bit pricey, but the food is amazing there with so many choices, vegetarian and non-vegetarian, that it is a bit overwhelming to pick as you do not want to miss out. This great outpost from Chef Jose Andres is sublime so a reservation is recommended.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Zaytinya - 1185 Broadway, New York, NY 10001

I Just Want To Eat! 1/25/23 I Just Want To Eat! 1/25/23

Yuki's Bakery and Coffee in Hoboken, NJ

We were looking for a treat when we stumbled upon Yuki’s Bakery and Coffee near the Monroe Center, an area where we do not venture to that often but that seems to have some interesting places. Opened mid-2021 by Yuki (Aviva) Levinson, this Israeli influenced bakery is a great find. Small, it has some exciting offerings like the rugelach and halva rugelach that are superb. Rugelach are small crescent rolled pastries filled with chocolate in this case, but can also be filled with apricot, raspberry, etc. I have never seen one with halva, a middle eastern confectionary made with tahini, that added some nuttiness and smoothness to it, without making it too sweet. My favorite! The Nutella babka is good, but a bit dry and with not enough of this decadent chocolate hazelnut paste (this is not as good as Breads Bakery).

Halva rugelach at Yuki's Bakery and Coffee in Hoboken, NJ

Rugelach at Yuki's Bakery and Coffee in Hoboken, NJ

Nutella babka at Yuki's Bakery and Coffee in Hoboken, NJ

They also have classic French like croissant and chocolate croissant and I only tried the latter that was quite good, flakey and buttery. And they also have other things like their raspberry and pear coffee cake or their Israeli cheesecake.

Pain au chocolat at If you prefer savory items, they have quite a few that we did not try yet.

Raspberry and pear coffee cake at If you prefer savory items, they have quite a few that we did not try yet.

If you prefer savory items, they have quite a few that we did not get yet, but I am definitely curious to go back and try them!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Yuki’s Bakery and Coffee - 720 Monroe St - E101, Hoboken, NJ 07030

I Just Want To Eat! 1/23/23 I Just Want To Eat! 1/23/23

Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

After Maison Kayser closed during Covid and sold its stores to Le Pain Quotidien, I was wondering what would come to the Bryant Park location, construction soon starting there for another bakery. Several months later, in December 2022, Heritage Grand Bakery opened. We went few times and I admit that it is a great addition for bread, viennoiseries (croissants, pains au chocolate, etc) and cakes. Their croissants and chocolate croissants (pains au chocolat) are good, but not as buttery and flakey as some others like Chocopain, and I did not like their pistachio honey croissant as there was too much of a cream that overpowered everything. However, their cinnamon roll is perfect, having enough cinnamon and their kouign amann (think about a croissant with more butter and caramelized) is deliciously crispy and buttery, with a perfectly caramelized bottom. My favorites are definitely the brioche au sucre or sugar brioche, the plie au chocolat, a croissant dough filled with chocolate chips and vanilla custard, as well as the brioche au chocolat that has tons of chocolate on top!

Brioche au sucre at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Cinnamon roll at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Plie au chocolat at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Kouign Amann at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Brioche au chocolat at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Croissant at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Pain au chocolat at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Pistachio honey croissant at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

They also propose cakes, individual or large, that really make your mouth water. The Paris-Brest is a cake that was named after a bicycle race between the cities of Paris and Brest on the West coast of France. It is made with a puff pastry that is filled with praline cream. There is amazing, slightly crunchy, with a praline that is perfectly made and topped with almonds. Another classic is their eclair au chocolat that looks elegant and is also good, although I always preferred a vanilla custard as the filling over chocolate.

Paris-Brest at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Eclair au chocolat at Heritage Grand Bakery in NYC, NY

Overall, this is an awesome addition, with so many choices there that overwhelm you a bit when trying to make a choice. And entering in Heritage Grand Bakery, you get your nose filled with a buttery smell that make you want to bite on their croissants right away!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Heritage Grand Bakery - 8 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018