A food blog.
'SNice, the West Village vegetarian café, just opened a branch in Soho and I have a feeling this is going to become my go-to lunch spot this summer with an extensive menu of meat-free sandwiches and yummy vegan desserts.
Today I tried the gigantic curried cauliflower wrap with chickpeas, brown rice and mango chutney. It's big enough for two days' worth of lunch.
The vegan peanut butter chocolate sandwich cookie was a great treat - surprisingly creamy if a bit crumbly.
Otarian, the first low-carbon vegetarian chain from the UK, opened recently on Bleeker St. Intrigued by the carbon ratings that go along with each dish instead of calories, I went in and tried this curried apple-parsnip soup. It was creamy and rich with just a hint of curry and came with crunchy parsnip strips to stir in.
The vegetable biryani was spicy with chunks of veggies in between two layers of rice. Yum...I'll be back for both lunch options that are also good for the planet.
This weekend the Hester Street Fair opened with a great mix of food vendors. I started off with the Malbon Brothers collaboration with Frank's Chop Shop, a fantastic pulled pork sandwich on a soft roll topped with refreshing cole slaw and a spicy barbecue sauce.
An Choi was offering 3 types of banh mi and shrimp salad rolls.
The basil added tons of flavor to the meatballs and it came topped with loads of cilantro, aoli, cucumber, pickled carrots, pickled daikon,and mild jalapenos.
Kumquat was also there with their mini-sized cupcakes in maple bacon, honey banana peanut butter, salty caramel chocolate and lemon lavender.
The lemon lavender was light and refreshing, and the chocolate was drizzled with salty caramel.
Mile End offered cream cheese or smoked salmon on their Montreal bagels.
The cheesy and salted pretzels from Sigmund's were a huge hit, with the line going out of the park.
The avocado popsicle from La Newyorkina was a rich and creamy treat and so unexpected!
Walking down Thompson Street today, I stopped into the newly opened Project Sandwich, a cute little takeout sandwich and soup place with a few tables for dining in.
The sandwich options include the French, with egg salad and smoked duck and the Mexican with smoked fish and lime aioli along with several others. I opted for the Brazilian, with grilled steak marinated in smoked salt in a soft and biteable bread with mozzarella, tomatoes, loads of pickles and a flavorful garlic cilantro chimichurri sauce.
I was so excited to try Ma Peche, only to arrive and find out the dining room isn't open on Sundays! Luckily, the bar was open so while we didn't get to try any entrees the more limited bar menu was available.
We started with the cauliflower, which is fried with mint, curry and fish sauce for the most incredible, dissolve-in-your-mouth texture. This was my favorite!
The mussels came in a fragrant beer and crab paste sauce and were some of the largest, meatiest mussels I've seen.
The three terrine banh mi was good, but not a replacement for the famous pork buns. My eye is on the beef tartare for the next time around.
I was thrilled to hear about 112 eatery, a gem of a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. The chef, Isaac Becker, has been a James Beard nominee for the last 3 years.
We started with the steak tartare, a creamy blend of beef and herbs with an egg on top - an incredible beginning that I highly recommend.
The lamb scottadito is comprised of 3 pounded chops over a bed of yogurt sauce.
The scallops had a perfect tasty crust with a dash of truffle oil over a bed of oyster mushrooms.
The foie gras meatballs were amazing - melt-in-your-mouth decadence over a bed of fresh paste with a sprinkling of cheese.
The sirloin was prepared with a crust of nori for a nice saltiness over a bed of ponzu sauce.
The crust buttermilk fried chicken was thick, crunchy goodness and came with a side of beautiful carrots and bagna cauda.
I've never been a huge fan of tres leches cake, but theirs changed my mind: a creamy, spongy cake with a cream cheese frosting in a bed of sweetened milk.
The stunning chocolate pot de creme was thick, super chocolatey and accented with a lovely marbled slice of chocolate.
How fun is this edible flag game from The Sydney International Film Festival and Whybin TBWA Australia? The flags are made using well-known foods local foods. Have fun guessing!
If you want to go to the Greenpoint Food Market, my advice is to get there early. Really early - like when it opens. When I arrived at 2 (it opened at 12) the highly anticipated pork buns from Red Cook were gone, but there was still plenty of other delectable treats to try like this amazing brown sugar peanut butter ice cream swirled with chunks of caramel from Milkmade Ice Cream.
I also loved these chocolate marshmallow bars from Molly's Chocolates. They're dangerously decadent, and they have frosting.
Sandwich Friend offered four half or whole sandwiches: black forest ham with peach chutney; avocado, apple and spinach with cilantro-parsley relish; tuna with olives, tomatoes and artichoke hearts; and the deconstructed egg salad with eggs, potatoes and dill.
The amazing bacon marmalade. What is it? It reminds me of rillette with bacon and secret spices.
Yummy spicy beef empanadas from La Tia Faby.
Gorgeously frosted lavender shortbread cookies from Sugarbuilt.
The sea salt dark chocolate caramels from Token Confections are super creamy and smooth.
I loved the take on a peanut butter cookie from Bullfrog Eats, with a dollop of jelly in the center.
I've been a little apprehensive about the Trump building next door to my office in Soho, but the Italian restaurant Quattro Gastronomia was a nice surprise. We started with the saffron risotto appetizer, a crunchy ball filled with beef ragu, mozarella and peas.
The duck salad was light and refreshing with blood oranges, tomatoes and strips of duck in a balsamic dressing.
The veal and prosciutto tortellini was creamy but surprisingly not too heavy in a cream sauce with peas.
Shopping in Whole Foods Bowery, I was so excited to see the new pickle bar
Visiting a friend in Long Island City, I stumbled upon the Breadbox, a bright and airy bakery/cafe that's an unexpected oasis in the neighborhood. Converted from an auto body shop, it's stocked with delicious desserts like this banana cupcake with strawberry frosting & filling.
There's also an extensive list of sandwiches and salads. The ham and gruyere came with super-spicy mustard and a side of salad.
The cappuccino was a perfect ending to a unexpected find!
Balaboosta is one of the latest restaurants to open in my neighborhood and tonight I stopped by the bar to try a few dishes. Having just acquired their liquor license the drink options were limited, but I opted for the white sangria which was a step above most due to a dash of cardamom.
The roasted cauliflower is a fantastic appetizer (or side dish) with a strong garlic flavor, pine nuts and currants for a sweet contrast.
The lamb cooked two ways was a great dish and also something I'd return for. The lime flavor in the creamy Persian sauce was a nice surprise on the tender chop, and I loved the smoky grilled taste and saltiness of the shoulder wrapped in a grape leaf. The sunchoke puree was a mild and buttery compliment to the lamb.
The Turkish coffee chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream was a satisfying, although not so exciting, ending.
