pork & chocolate

J. Sheeky Oyster Bar

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

J Sheeky Oyster Bar in London is a throwback to a more glamorous era. With a long, polished wood wraparound bar, walls lined with photos of theater stars and formal bar service, it's a great place to drop by for giant, Atlantic ocean oysters and other seafood.

The Fremont Diner

2012-02-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Fremont Diner has amazing comfort food in a hip farm-influenced diner in Sonoma. The figs in a blanket are poached in red wine and cinnamon and then wrapped in thick slices of tasso ham.

The Nashville chicken is spicy, fried, and served with white bread, pickles and thick, creamy mac & cheese.

A (relatively) petite chicken sandwich is crunchy, perfectly fried chicken with mayo on pickles on a bun.

And of course, no fried chicken lunch is complete with out crunchy onion rings.

C Casa

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

The tacos as C Casa at the Oxbow Market aren't the average taco. Options like the spiced lamb with goat cheese, mint, jalapeños, garlic aioli, mixed greens, and avocado creme take the taco to a whole new level.

Auberge du Soleil Bistro & Bar

2012-01-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

The view from the outdoor deck at Auberge du Soleil's Bistro & Bar in Napa Valley is stunning. The great food just makes the experience even better. The Ahi tuna tartare tops a generous amount of avocado and dashi gelee, with fresh tortilla chips.

The Mediterranean octopus is chopped into a salad with chickpeas, olives, peppers and salsa verde.

Steamed manila clams are in an amazing broth with chunks of pork belly, lime and basil.

Frenchie Bar Á Vins

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Frenchie Bar Á Vins is the perfect restaurant in Paris.Tiny and dark, get there early for a seat (it's packed not long after it opens). The food is incredible - starting with the tete a cochon with lentil salad, cornichon/mustard pearls, sliced apple and pickled radish.

The octopus is fantastic - salty and olive-y.

Scallops are beautiful with tons of citrus flavor over a bed of squash puree and pepitas.

Foie gras creme brulee-style with white truffles.

An amazing tartare, also with white truffles.

Fried brie and chutney.

Insanely good smoked trout with picked onion rings.

L'Estaminet, Marché des Enfants Rouges

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

L'Estaminet is the perfect local place that you hope to find by chance, with simple, rustic and really delicious food. Roast pork in a sweet sauce and noodles.

Eggs and blue cheese.

Hearty leek and potato soup in a mason jar.

Jacques Genin

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

The perfect breakfast in Paris: chocolate eclair, espresso, fruit pates at Jacques Genin. And chocolates to go.

Bread and Roses

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Bread and Roses is a cute little cafe with great bakery that makes a perfect spot for lunch or a break from walking around. Broccoli and roquefort quiche.

Boulangerie Eric Kayser

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

The pastries at Boulangerie Kayser are my hands-down favorite. The chocolate-filled, sugar coated beignet didn't last long enough for a photo; the pan au chocolate had a rich dark chocolat and the right amount of flakiness.

Le Comptoir Général

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Le Comptoir Général is another uber-hip place in the 10th; brunch by day, drinks by night, hidden door, taxidermy.

Happy new year!

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

Hope your 2012 is filled with deliciousness.

Le Verre Volé

2011-12-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

Le Verre Vole is super hip, super small and cozy with great good and a huge wine selection from the shelves that serve as a wine shop surrounding the tables.

The fish pate was so light and airy; could have eaten this all night.

A pretty, crunchy crab salad.

Sausage with creamy mashed potatoes.

Lamb brains fried in a light, crunchy batter.

Grilled hake in a delicious minestrone soup.

Le Fumoir

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Le Fumoir in Paris may have the best brunch ever - in a dark, cozy room with the shades closed as not to wake anyone up too early, brunch was a feast of courses that left me wanting to go back to bed, starting with yogurt and pastries.

Next up were eggs benedict with a crunchy english muffin and thinly shaved jambon.

The best part is not having to choose between sweet and savory - after the egg course it was on to pancakes and waffles.

La Paradeta

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

The line starts outside La Paradeta before it opens; upon entering, you're greeted with a fresh fish market where you select which fish and how much you'd like; it's then weighed, sent to the kitchen and cooked, and you pick it up from a window as it's ready.

Fresh oysters.

Steamed mussels with tomato sauce.

I was sick and this soup was the cure - insanely good broth with mussels and tiny shards of pasta.

Razor clams with green sauce.

Almost too cute to eat baby octopi.

Monvinic

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you're going to Barcelona, go to Monvinic. The space is gorgeous, the cutlery brass, the food amazing. Amuse bouche of avocado gazpacho with crispy fish.

Truffled foie gras terrine with flowers.

Pumpkin soup with pumpkin crisps with chunks of pumpkin.

The lightest, most airy fried fish balls.

Cabbage stuffed with vegetables resembling the texture of ground beef in consomme.

The single best thing I ate: royal style hare. A 3-day preparation involving sous-vide, pancetta, foie gras, white truffles, blood sauce, and more white truffles resulting in the richest, most compact, concentration of meat.

Market fish with veggies.

Suckling goat with beans.

Grilled rockfish - the same fish the girl stepped on in The Blue Lagoon.

Pasta with mushrooms.

Veal with mushrooms and potato cake.

Lovely mango sorbet.

Chocolate mousse, with slices of chocolate, and chocolate crumbs.

A cloud of coconut goodness.

Tickets

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

Tickets, the tapas bar opened by the Adria brothers in Barcelona after the closing of El Bulli, is a fun, over-the-top theatrical dinner production, with the inventive food as the star.

With more inventive things to come, an intro of iberico jamon and perfectly crunchy pan con tomate was a simple start.

The famous non-olive olives: they look like olives, taste like olives, but deflate entirely upon entering your mouth, with pickled mini mussels.

Fish rinds, like really good pork rinds but fishy.

Paper-thin slices of tuna belly painted with iberican jamon fat and pine nuts.

Cloud-like pastries with manchego cheese.

A quail eggs "nest" with each egg coated in cheesy breadcrumbs.

Oysters with chicken juice and lime seeds.

Galician crab cannelloni with avocado as the shell, with sour cream.

Prawns in a box.

Tuna belly and roasted vegetables.

Clams in green sauce.

Razor clams with ginger sauce, cayenne pepper and lemon foam.

Beautiful bundles of squid with caviar.

The fun cooked mushrooms that arrive in a pouch.

Fried rabbit ribs...mmmm.

Chocolate cake with hazelnut spread and ultra cute mini strawberries.

Cheesecake and sorbet reversed - the sorbet is the yellow globe and the cheesecake the creamy white scoop.

La Torna, Santa Caterina Market

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

La Torna, a tapas bar in the Santa Caterina market, is a more intimate and possibly more local affair than the stalls in La Boqueria.

Lovely grilled tuna with vegetables.

Asparagus with a healthy amount of sea salt and romesco.

Seafood platter - each item perfectly cooked.

Rich tripe stew with beans and jamon.

Beans and blood sausage.

A surprise (and surprisingly good) chocolate cake with a gooey center and creamy sauce.

Pinotxo Bar, Boqueria Market

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Pinotxo Bar (stall #466) in the Boqueria market has great food and a fun vibe.

Beef stew with chunks of meat, liver and peas.

Scrambled eggs with shrimp and veggies.

Unexpectedly good chickpeas - mixed with meat, of course.

Beans with clams - so simple and so delicious.

The octopus was absolutely incredible - simply grilled with olive oil, salt and paprika.

Patatas bravas.

Super soft and creamy flan.

Cuines Santa Caterina

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Cuines Santa Caterina, in the Santa Caterina market, feels like a cross between Momofuku & Republic in nyc - minimal decor and hyper focused on fresh food from the market next door. We started with a great tuna loin and seasonal tomato salad.

Pot of artichokes, jamon and clams.

The seafood rice was incredible - fragrant and rich with shrimp, mussels and clams.

Country style rice with sausage, mushrooms and chicken.

Gilthead bream with perfectly crispy, salty skin and tomato confit.

Roast lamb with potatoes in a thick, meaty sauce.

The gigantic oven-roasted iberican pork rib for 2 (really enough for 8) arrived sizzling on a griddle, doused with sea salt and a little rosemary, juicy and succulent on the inside, crispy and seasoned on the outside. One of the best dishes of the trip.

Long, skinny creme brulee.

A spanish riff on strawberry shortcake with strawberries and pastry sheet.

Chocolate "sushi rolls."

A wall of fresh herbs at the back of the restaurant.

Oriol Balaguer

2011-12-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

The cakes at Oriol Balaguer in Barcelona are works of art - glossy, delicate toppings and layers of flavor inside.

Piscolabis

2011-12-18T07:49:00.001-08:00

Piscolabis in Barcelona has lovely outdoor seating on a beautiful boulevard and is a great place to sample traditional tapas. We started with the classics - iberico jamon and manchego.

And of course, pan con tomate.

Fried courses - croquettes and tempura vegetables with romesco sauce.

The eggs scrambled with cheese and chorizo over crispy potatoes was amazing. This could have been breakfast every day.

The squid was gorgeous and light.

A foie gras "slider" with apples and balsamic.

Coppelia

2011-11-13T08:26:00.001-08:00

Coppelia is great for brunch; for dinner I could eat there all the time for dishes like their mac and cheese. It's spicy and has crispy pork belly and chicharron mixed in.

The fish tacos are also really nice with soft tortilla, crispy flounder, spicy chipotle slaw and guacamole.

As good as the savory part of the menu is, it's the desserts that really shine. The chocolate cake is rich, dense and is layered with dulce de leche frosting, covered in caramel, topped with chocolate spheres and served with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar.

Even better is the torrejas de oliva, a bread pudding served with blackberries, fresh cream, a couple dabs of olive oil and a crunchy/salty bread crumb mix.

My favorite was the angel food cake in a margarita glaze - toasted meringue with hints of lime and salt and an effervescent texture, served with blueberries - amazing.

Bouchon Bakery Cafe

2011-11-09T17:09:00.001-08:00

The Bouchon Bakery Cafe in the Time Warner Center is a great place for a glass of wine and a bite to eat on a chilly night. The butternut squash soup was accented with cinnamon creme fraiche and cranberries.

The squash sandwich was topped with pickled cabbage and a creamy cheese. For dessert, a chunk of ice cream smothered in chocolate on a cookie base, served with ice cream and fresh cream was a rich way to end.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

2011-11-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

The newly opened Dominique Ansel Bakery is dangerously close to my office - dangerous because the pastries and desserts are amazing and I want to go there every single day. There are beautiful slices of Torta de Santiago, a Spanish almond cake; glossy espresso tarts; lemon poundcakes; rich flourless chocolate cookies...the list goes on and on!

1618 Seafood Grille

2011-10-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

1618 Seafood Grille in Greensboro, NC, has a great wine list and a menu full of seafood and American fare. We started with the oversized taco appetizer, which consisted of an amazingly seasoned flounder taco and a ground kobe beef taco topped with pico de gallo, lettuce, avocado and shaved manchego.

The pan-seared grouper was cooked perfectly, and arrived on a gorgeously styled plate on top of stone mill grit cakes, with a spicy roasted red pepper sauce, saffron oil and ricotta filled cabbage wraps.

The pork shoulder arrived as thick chunks of pulled pork in a sweet and smoky bbq sauce, with an onion ring as a stand-in for a bun, and goat cheese potato salad with jalapeno slaw.

The Pan American

2011-10-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

Re-opened after a fire closed them down for most of the year, The Pan-American is a great place for a Latin-inspired feast with locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. The fresh-made guacamole was a great start, with the unusual addition of corn to the mix for a sweet twist.

The tomato soup swirled with tomato cream and basil oil had a sweet, smoky flavor and came with an adorable trio of mini grilled cheese tortillas.

The spicy blue corn jalapenos stuffed with farmers cheese was nicely complimented with a sweet berry jam.

A thick beef tenderloin was encrusted with chimichurri spices and served over a bed of butternut squash puree with steamed kale and sweet cherry tomatoes.

Dessert was amazing - two slivers of impossible chocolate cake, topped with flan and served with caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream and strawberries.

Grub Street Food Festival

2011-10-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

The Grub Street Food Festival moved to spacious new digs this year, and hosted a ton of great vendors. I started with the doughnut holes drizzled with caramel sauce and powdered sugar from Wonder City Coffee & Doughnuts.

Moving on to a brief savory stop, Pies 'n' Thighs served a delicious buttered biscuit with a fried piece of chicken covered in hot sauce.

A great newcomer, HS Chocolate Co., made their debut with inventive candy bars like the figgy blue, with blue cheese, fig ganache and nougat in dark chocolate, and chocolate disks filled with peanut butter, maple syrup and roasted peanuts.

A perennial favorite, Stuffed Artisan Cannolis, had a seasonal pumpkin pie cannoli alongside regular flavors like choco loco.

Blue cheese seemed to be a theme, with Robicelli's Iona cupcake - an amazing pear olive oil cake topped with Roquefort buttercream frosting, almonds and a port reduction.

Fatty Cakes NY had a great selection of yummy looking cookies, like the smashing pumpkin and an old-fashioned made with whiskey, cherries and orange cream.

The fried apple pie from Melt Bakery was fantastic - gooey cinnamon apple filling in a crunchy shell coated with sugar...mmmm.

Taka Taka

2011-10-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Taka Taka, Mexican sushi & Japanese taco joint, is a fun new place in soho. There's a full menu with hybrids of the two genres, like the fried soft shell crab roll with avocado and chipotle mayo, but the fun part is the conveyor belt that circulates through the restaurant with various rolls, with numbers for identification and on color-coded plates for prices.

The yakuza roll is delicious, with squid, salmon skin, cucumber and siracha sauce for a little kick.

I loved the spicy tuna tartar roll, coated in a layer of chives.

Coppelia

2011-09-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Coppelia is the perfect diner with Cuban influenced fare in a low-key but hip setting. The oxtail empanadas was rich and crunchy with crema fresca, cojita cheese and pico de gallo.

A dish of scrambled eggs with peppers accompanied by a fried rice with beans, chorizo and cilantro with an arepa is great for brunch.

The Huevos con bistec is perfectly pounded thin juicy steak with fried eggs and traditional rice and beans.

But maybe the most exciting part is the dessert menu created by Pichet Ong. With desserts ranging from angel food cake with meringue glaze to salty peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, the desserts are impossible to resist.

Prince St. Cafe

2011-08-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Prince St. Cafe, for being open today! After being holed up inside for the hurricane, a cup of coffee and eggs benedict with a smear of creamy pesto spread was perfect.

Legend

2011-08-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Legend, in an unusual Chelsea location, serves up some authentic and delicious Sichuan food, judging by the huge crowd there on a recent Friday night. The dry spicy tasty diced chicken makes a great bar snack or appetizer – small chunks of chicken fried to a crisp with a mild at first but slowly building heat, mixed with super spicy and not so spicy peppers.

Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck

2011-07-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

The lobster roll from the Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck is pretty to look at and feels so summery, with chilled lobster fresh from Maine dressed in a mayo and celery salad with a dash of bright paprika on a buttery toasted bun (also from Maine) and served with a Brooklyn Brine pickle.

Luke's Lobster Truck

2011-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Luke's Lobster "Nauti" Truck has their amazing lobster roll to go - huge chunks of fresh Maine lobster (including whole claws!) served chilled on a bun with a little bit of mayo, a little bit of lemon butter and a lot of delicious spices.

Bistro Truck

2011-07-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

The Bistro Truck is a fantastic addition to the food-truck scene. There are sandwiches, but the food leans towards French-Moroccan plates instead of street-food - like the light and fluffy poached tilapia in extra virgin olive oil with Moroccan spices, basmati rice, and a salad with a mustard vinaigrette.

Community Garden Cafe on Cleveland Pl

2011-07-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

A new cafe (official name is unclear) has taken over the former What Happens When/Le Jardin Bistro space on Cleveland Pl. The menu has soups, sandwiches, salads, desserts and brunch - like the creamy biscuits and gravy served with fruit & salad - and is best eaten out back in the spacious and lush garden.

Spritzenhaus

2011-07-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I usually prefer a cocktail den or wine bar to a beer hall, but Spritzenhaus in Williamsburg is a major exception. The big, open, airy space was full without being overcrowded, it feels modern, and the menu includes a selection of oysters and good sausages, like this chicken sausage with curry ketchup.

The salty pretzel with mustard.

A side of sweet sauerkraut is a great addition to any of the sausages.

Il Pesce @ Eataly

2011-06-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Eating seafood at Il Pesce @ Eataly is a great experience. We ate our way through the specials on a recent visit - starting with a gorgeous soft shell crab swimming in butter and wilted greens.

The smoked trout was a beautiful and delicious dish with rich smoky flavor, a light fluffy texture and sprinkled with capers and lavender blossoms.

Even the crudo trio was fantastic - a silk snapper topped with red lava salt, pumpkin swordfish with crushed almonds and blue fish with a salty gaeta olive aoli.

Momofuku Ssam Bar's geoduck

2011-06-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, the first time I heard of geoduck (pronounced gooey duck) was while watching the exotic surf & turf episode of Top Chef Masters. When a friend and I were at Momofuku Ssam Bar and it was on the menu as a special, I couldn't resist trying it. Thinly sliced carpaccio of geoduck arrived with a cucumber gazpacho with paper thin slices of cucumber and creamy globs of apple butter. It was refreshing, delicious and utterly approachable.

Rockaway Beach concessions

2011-06-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

Rockaway Beach has just become so much cooler. Like a mini Smorgasburg or Hester St Fair, it's a boardwalk full of mouthwatering food vendors, like Veggie Island, with mint chocolate chip and other milkshakes, cones and smoothies that are perfect after a day reveling in the sand.

Blue Bottle is also here with their amazing overnight cold brewed New Orleans style iced coffee, rich with chicory flavor. It's a great start with the breakfast appropriate la fresh arepa from Caracas Arepas Bar - tomato, avocado, cheese and tangy sauce on a corn flour bun.

The Caracas stand, right next to the Blue Bottle stand, below.

Rockaway Taco, the curators of this awesome lineup, also have a stand - although if you want a taco, you'll still have to go to the original location on Beach 96th st.

For a (vegan) sweet craving, Babycakes is on hand with doughnuts, waffles, and brownie ice cream sandwiches.

Ode to the Elephants is a yummy looking Thai stand, with everything from satay skewers to a Thai burger.

The Veggie Island stand.

The Dutch

2011-06-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

At a fun dinner at the recently opened The Dutch, we started with fantastic cocktails – the Sullivan St Fix-up with gin, green chartreuse and celery bitters and the Aviation Royale with gin, maraschino and crème yvette.

The food started with a loaf of moist, dense cornbread with whipped butter.

The Hiramasa tartare with salsa verde was bright and fresh, and balanced by a small touch of crema and crunch of seeds.

The beet salad was also light with fresh beets, smoked eggs and dill over a yogurt sauce.

Entrees were massive and amazing – the lamb neck was incredibly tender in a deep, smoky, slow-burning mole sauce over dirty rice.

A hangar steak arrived with a beautiful onion topping dripping down the side, and a creamy smoked potato and horseradish side.

Bottega

2011-05-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Bottega in Yountville, California, has a lovely outdoor deck and surrounded by flowers and the mountains in the distance it makes for a perfect, and surprisingly light (for Italian) dinner. We started with the roasted baby golden and chiogga beets with Point Reyes blue cheese spuma and pistachio vinaigrette.

The shaved artichoke was filled with amazing chunks of lemon olive oil braised artichoke, fried artichokes and parmigiano reggiano.

A shaved brussel sprout salad was a study in simplicity with only five ingredients including marcona almonds, sieved egg and pecorino. So light and fresh.

The green egg and ham was delicious and beautiful with a crispy fried egg with a runny center over olive oil poached asparagus and prosciutto bits.

The black pepper bucatini alla carbonara had a soft cooked hen egg over thick noodles and shaves asparagus in a creamy sauce.

The linguini bolognese had a rich, meaty sauce with veal, pork, rosemary and a porcini mushroom sugo.

The whole fish was roasted in a wood oven with meyer lemon, coal cooked fennel and roasted asparagus.

Finally, the grass fed lamb was tender and had amazing compliments of honey roasted pears, tarragon dressing and thick, creamy polenta.

La Cremeria

2011-05-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

The newly opened La Cremeria has fantastic gelato. It's beyond creamy - and accented with perfect flavors, like tangy cherries and chocolate drizzle, mascarpone, or tiramisu. Insanely good.

Morimoto

2011-05-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Morimoto feels more meatpacking district than Napa valley, but the food is incredible and I’d be happy to have it in the city! It was a cool day, and a start of chicken ramen in a rich, meaty broth with perfectly tender noodles was great to warm up with.

The foie gras balls were unexpected and amazing – small, rich croquettes that reminded me of a decadent version of thanksgiving stuffing.

Slices of yellowtail with pastrami spices were unbelievably and flew off my plate. The purple beet powder, candied olives, gin crème fraiche, and breadsticks were perfect compliments.

The tempura soft shell crab rolls were beautiful with asparagus, avocado and spicy sauce.

I was expecting little dumplings when I ordered the pork gyoza; they arrived covered in a thin, crispy skin with bacon foam, tomato chutney and scallions.

I couldn’t help but order the beef curry bread – a panko breaded and fried ball of beef in sweet Japanese curry.

The fried rice came with a beautifully runny egg on top and was a great additional to the rest of the plates.

Gott's Roadside

2011-05-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

Gott's may be the hippest roadside stand I’ve been to, starting with the mango-tangerine smoothie blended with house-made lemonade. So refreshing on a hot day.

The fish tacos were loaded with griddled mahi mahi, salsa, slaw and a spicy jalapeno cilantro sour cream.

Sweet potato fries were salty and crunchy; the special sandwich, a Korean style tender pulled pork shoulder, was on a toasted egg bun with kimchi, hoisin mayo and cilantro. For the healthier option, a thick patty of seared tuna with ginger wasabi mayo and asian slaw.

The classic bacon burger was juicy, topped with secret sauce and perfectly complimented with crunchy onion rings.

The French Laundry

2011-05-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Dinner at The French Laundry is a special experience, with a very formal atmosphere and excitingly beautiful food.

It started with amuse bouche of a delicate, beyond creamy gougere, and a lovely miniature cone of salmon sashimi.

The first of the official 9 courses was the well known "oysters and pearls", with two tiny treasure cove oysters, white sturgeon caviar and buttery sabayon of tapioca pearls.

One of my favorite parts of dinner wasn't a course - it was this lovely presentation of 3 salts in antiqued silver cups.

Back to the menu - next was a choice of the moulard duck foie gras with rosewater, pink lady apple, red walnuts and a black truffle gastrique or the gnome sized carrots (below) from the French Laundry garden across the street with medjool dates, cilantro and madras curry.

The Columbia River sturgeon was light and served with a smear of baby beets, and my favorite - cucumber dill gelee cubes, with a scoop of mild horseradish cream.

The butter poached main lobster tail was incredible; but most interesting with the ramp covered "subric", a spongy cake, topped with English peas, Tokyo turnips and Perigord truffle.

The Liberty Farm pekin duck stole the show for me - incredibly crispy on top, completely tender inside, with rich flavor; crispy beech mushrooms and savoy cabbage.

The tete de cochon was molded into a lovely cylinder and was as tender and flavorful as it should be with a hen egg, asparagus, cornichons, frisee and Dijon mustard.

The "calotte de boeuf grille" was beyond belief - a juicy, tender slice of beef with a red butter, melted green garlic, spring onions, and potatoes.

The mousse au chocolat blanc was a deliciously smooth dessert, with morello cherris and marcona almonds.

To finish off, there were small sugar doughnuts and a trayful of chocolates.

Levain Bakery

2011-04-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

The cookies at Levain Bakery are unbelievable - massive gobs of chocolate or chocolate chip deliciousness, just barely cooked on the inside and still soft on the outside. Amazing!

Vai Spuntino Bar

2011-04-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Vai Spuntino Bar is a great new wine bar and Italian restaurant in Soho. To start, there's bread with roasted garlic, a creamy eggplant puree and a bean and olive salad and a lovely create-your-own wine flight.

The tuna duo, with hamachi and yellowtail, was served with avocado and was a great light start to dinner.

The first tomato and watermelon salad I've had this year was served with goat cheese.

The beet salad was incredible, with arugula and a hefty portion of shaved cheese.

A pappardelle and ramp dish was surprisingly light given the richness of the sauce.

The short ribs in a meaty sauce melted; the bed of potatoes was buttery.

The flatbread with prosciutto, gorgonzola and figs was sweet and a good stand in for dessert.

Vive la crepe

2011-04-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I crave a pb&j...in a crepe! Vive le crepe does it perfectly - a thin, soft crepe filled with peanut butter and marmalade. Fantastic.

Asiadog

2011-04-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day: Asiadog opened a shop right around the corner from my apartment! Now it's possible to get one of their amazing dogs (beef, chicken or veggie) topped with sweet Japanese curry and spicy kimchi apples day or night. These are hot dogs at their best!

French Laundry

2011-04-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

A few friends and I are having dinner at French Laundry (yay!) on May 2nd and have 2 extra spots in our reservation. If you're in the SF area and would like to join us, email me!

Torrisi Italian Specialties

2011-04-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Torrisi Italian Specialties is a fantastic experience, beginning with their incredible house-made mozzarella served in a bowl of Davero olive oil with milk thistle and a crunchy piece of bruschetta with cheese.

The next course of the nightly dinner menu was cucumbers New Yorkese - thinly sliced cucumbers with garlic at 3 stages of pickling.

Next up was a grilled squid salad with corona beans, celery and a pepperoni vinaigrette.

The tripe cacciatore was a play on a traditional preparation - battered and fried.

The goat ricotta gnocchi with cauliflower and pine nuts was unbelievably creamy and delicate. I could have eaten an entire bowl.

The amazing devil's chicken had a great spice tempered by a yogurt sauce, topped with frisee.

The light and flaky striped bass fillet was topped with olives on a bed of pickled green tomatoes.

Adorable cups of lemon ice arrived as a palette cleanser before the assorted Italian cookie plate for dessert.

Oxley's Carvery

2011-03-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Oxley's Carvery, a British meat stand, recently opened on Mott St. After walking by the gorgeous roasted meats a couple of times, I finally stopped in and tried the ribs - juicy, tender meat slathered in barbecue sauce and served with rosemary potatoes and spicy coleslaw. The roasted meats are seriously beautiful - check them out below.

Slabs of ribs

Lamb and pork roasts

Ham

Herb roasted turkey

House and Hands Supper Club

2011-03-15T19:09:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to attend the inaugural dinner of House and Hands Supper Club this past weekend, Lucky You, Lucky Me. Inspired by upcoming St Patrick's Day, dinner was a loose interpretation of Irish-American flavors in lovely, intimate setting.

We started with the perfectly cooked mussels that were fresh, meaty, and steamed with the just the right amount of butter and garlic and crunchy toast.

The main course was an amazing, thickly cut, house-seasoned corned beef that was juicy and fragrant, served with cabbage, potatoes and carrots - I wanted to eat the whole tray.

Dessert began with a beautifully flaming Irish twist on a root beer float - O'hara's Stout over vanilla Haagen Dazs topped with a strawberry.

The night ended with these delicious chocolates from Sweets by MaryAnne, a disk of smooth dark chocolate filled with a Bailey's coffee creme.

What Happens When

2011-03-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

What Happens When is a very cool pop-up restaurant with a menu that changes each of the 9 months it's open. This month, the focus is on the forest, with a little Where the Wild Things Are playfulness.

The amuse bouche was a great start - especially the hearty pumpernickel soup. The quail terrine was a nice contrast, followed by an ashed date.

The combination of herbs, cheese and the perfectly delicate amount of truffle on the bread was amazing.

The smoked hen egg worked perfectly with chicken liver, butternut squash, serrano ham, cauliflower and croutons.

Tempura nuggets of frogs' legs with potato chips and potatoes, leeks and mint were a great appetizer.

The pig entree was served in the largest bowl I've ever eaten out of. Of the three cuts cooked three ways over lentils, I loved the melt-in-your-mouth head meat battered and friend in a fish-stick shaped log. The belly was also delicious, over a bed lentils.

The short rib was incredible - tender and flavorful over creamy cheddar cheese polenta.

The foie gras was rich and served with the unusual combo of duck confit, coco beans and poached pears.

Desserts were served from a lovely dessert cart, and consisted of a delicious lemon finger cakes, a very herbaceous chocolate mousse cake, and a deeply spicy cinnamon pudding with meringue disks.

Robicelli's

2011-02-24T17:59:00.000-08:00

Finally, I had the chance to try Robicelli's cupcakes at the awesome (but short-lived) pop-up Park in Nolita. Lured in by their unusual flavors, these didn't disappoint - the Thai Chili Chocolate was insanely hot, as in, I needed a glass of milk. The Elvis, a peanut butter banana, was topped with candied bacon.

Rubirosa

2011-02-12T14:31:00.000-08:00

At Rubirosa, an Italian restaurant in nolita, we started with great little bruschetta - one with tomato, mozzarella and balsamic, and the other a rich meatball smothered in mozzarella, both on thick crusty bread.

The rubirosa salad as a perfect mix of greens, country bread, tomatoes, and more mozzarella.

The pizza is the star here - a 50-year old recipe that's thin and crispy with a great sauce and pepperoni.

Nuela

2011-02-06T06:06:00.000-08:00

Nuela is a cavernous Nuevo-Latino restaurant in Flatiron that's gotten great reviews, and although the service could be better, the food is excellent. The tuna ceviche was bright, tart and beautiful.

The charred octopus had amazing flavor on a bed of potato puree with avocado, black olives and onion.

The hanger steak was cooked perfectly in a light chimichurri sauce with a yuca hash and frisee.

I loved the lobster, putter poached in a creamy sauce with a quail egg.

To finish, a big alfajore topped with powdered sugar.

Eataly: Le Verdure

2011-01-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

I'd been wanting to try Le Verdure, the vegetable station at Eataly, for some time and a visit from an out of town friend was the perfect opportunity. We were blown away by the grilled persimmon bruschetta over goat cheese on thick bread. New York Magazine published the recipe here.

The fritto misto was also incredible, with radishes, pumpkin, potato, scallions and string beans in a crunchy, delicious coating from being fried in extra virgin olive oil.

We also tried the braised artichoke with tomato and potato and hearty, crusty dipping bread.

Greenhouse Tavern

2011-01-22T08:28:00.000-08:00

Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland is the first certified green restaurant in Ohio and believes in farm-to-table food - a great place to eat over the holidays. I started with the creamy turnip soup, a perfect dish for freezing winter days.

The hand-ground beef tartare with pommes frites, a 2minute egg, jalapeno and mayo was really tasty.

The pork sandwich - on a pig shaped plate (below) - is a huge sandwich stuffed with roasted pork shoulder, thousand island dressing and onions, with awesomely thin and crispy shoestring fries.

Colicchio & Sons

2011-01-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

Dinner at Colicchio & Sons in the main dining room is an amazing fine dining experience, starting with Tom's buns, delicious rolls that shine from a butter and salt brushing.

The pastrami cured hamachi appetizer was my favorite part of the meal - perfectly sized pieces of tuna with think slices of proscuitto, a chunk of crispy bacon and caviar. Amazing!

The pork belly with pepper jam and dandelion greens was heavenly and the pork rind added crunch.

The cod was perfect, with a crunchy skin and delicate white meat; it was served with cabbage, pumpkin and chestnuts.

The lamb cooked in two ways was rich - especially the medallion wrapped in skin; the black eyed peas and tiny honshimeji mushrooms were nice on the side.

To finish, we had a decadent chocolate tart with passsion fruit and sweet milk sorbets and hazelnut brittle.

Pies 'n' Thighs brunch

2011-01-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

On blustery winter days, the brunch at Pies 'n' Thighs is perfect. This rich sausage gravy with an egg on top of a buttery biscuit is the ultimate comfort food.

Of course, the crispy fried chicken with a biscuit is also a good choice, with a side of black eyed pea salad.

Flying Fig

2011-01-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

I spent a few days in Ohio over the holiday, and was happy to spend one evening at Flying Fig. They've been supporters of local, sustainable food for years. This seared walu was fantastic over basmati rice in a yellow curry broth and served with greens and a citrus fennel & cumin relish.

The chicken confit, while not as crispy as expected, had great flavor and came with spaetzel, braised cabbage, haricot vert and a tarragon jus.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, all!
Gingerbread cupcake from Little Cupcake Bakeshop.

Lani Kai

2010-12-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

Lani Kai is one of the rare hip tiki bars that exist, but given that it's creator is also responsible for the amazing Flatiron Lounge and Clover Club, this shouldn't be a surprise. The excellent cocktails include the Last Luau, with white & aged rum, grilled pineapple, ginger syrup and lime juice; the Pacific Swizzle with white rum, rosehip, lemongrass and hibiscus tea; and the non-tiki New York Sour with whiskey, lemon and orange juice, red wine and topped with egg white.

The Queen's Park Swizzle is made with aged rum,mint, demerara, lime and bitters.

The food is great as well - we started with the Tuna Poke, a ahi tuna with chilies, sesame, macadamia nuts and cucumber on taro root chips.

The pork buns with pickled cucumbers and secret sauce were amazing; and the delicata squash tempura is a perfect bar snack.

For dessert, we tried the doughnuts served with a perfectly salty caramel dipping sauce.

Pulino's

2010-12-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

At a recent dinner at Pulino's we started with the amazing cannellini bean bruschetta - a creamy mix of beans with braised greens topped with pecorino and served with thick bread drizzled with olive oil.

The coppa was incredible - thin slices of melt-in-your mouth pork.

The pizza is also great (as it should be) topped with house-made salami with a little spice and served with a spicy olive oil on the side.

Takahachi Bakery

2010-12-04T06:37:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite sushi places launched a Japanese bakery in Tribeca - Takahachi Bakery. Stocked with baked goods like macarons and strawberry shortcake, there are many options of pan - like this delicious beef curry pan with a rich beef curry stew filling and a perfectly soft shell.

L'asso

2010-12-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

The ultimate dessert: s'mores pizza from L'asso. A super thin, crunchy crust smothered with a thick layer of chocolate and topped with mounds of toasted mini marshmallows. Incredible.

1534

2010-11-28T07:19:00.000-08:00

1534 is a new bar in Nolita where the French influenced drinks are serious, but the vibe is laid back. The drinks we tried - with lemongrass, lime, ginger, pisco & egg white; and vodka, pear, lime, and mint were perfect pre- or post-dinner cocktails.

Taim Mobile

2010-11-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

How exciting after a day of braving the shopping masses in soho, to find Taim Mobile has just opened? Their falafel sandwich is delicious and surprisingly light even though it's stuffed with falafel, hummus, Israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini sauce. I topped mine with feta, pickles and spicy sauce for a little kick.

Happy Thanksgiving, Momofuku style

2010-11-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I'll be continuing the celebration tomorrow with the Thanksgiving croissant. Thanks to Midtown Lunch for the tip.

Williamsburg takeout: La Nonna

2010-11-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

The pizza from La Nonna in Williamsburg blew me away - the crisp is the perfect balance between thin, crispy and chewy and is deliciously seasoned with garlic and salt. This one was topped with proscuitto, arugula, mozzarella, parmiggiano reggiano and my favorite part, fresh tomatoes.

The artichoke and basil pizza was also great, topped with spicy salami and buffalo mozzarella.

Korilla BBQ

2010-11-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

Finally, after a month of waiting and a couple near-misses, I was in the vicinity of the Korilla BBQ truck for lunch. The Korean-influenced tacos, burritos and bowls all looked amazing, but of course I went for the porkinator, a burrito with tender pulled pork, bacon kimchi fried rice (yes, fried rice with chunks of bacon and a bit of spice from the kimchi), monterey jack cheese, salsa, lettuce, spicy sauce and a kimchi cucumber. It was fantastic and Korilla, if you're reading, please head to Soho again soon!

Hundred Acres

2010-11-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

Hundred Acres, from the Cookshop team, makes a great brunch. The chilaquiles had soft tortillas, eggs, chile sauce, sour cream, cilantro - and the best part, pickled veggies for special touch.

The rich open face pork rillet tartine is topped with greens, radishes and a side of crispy fries.

For dessert, the bread pudding is amazing - a slice of thick, butter bread with salted caramel ice cream.

Mary Queen of Scots

2010-11-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

Dinner at Mary Queen of Scots is richly satisfying: the menu is a blend of French and Scottish influences, all executed with a comfort food sensibility. This duck cassoulet was one of my favorite dishes - creamy goodness with confit rabbit, sausage, beans and sourdough.

The toasted walnut salad was beautiful, with grilled apples, walnut vinaigrette and clava cheese, a stinky Scottish variety.

A crowd pleaser: devils on horseback, which are apple chutney stuffed dates, wrapped in bacon.

The wild mushroom toast appetizer is made with bacon topped with a fried egg.

The pork carbonara is huge, creamy and delicious with garlic confit, cherry tomatoes and topped with an egg.

The roast chicken has crispy skin and comes with a tasty burgundy reduction, baby carrots and oyster mushrooms.

The grilled scallops is an elegant dish, with chunks of bacon, parsnip puree, fried brussels sprout leaves and touches of dill.

Although meatless, the vegetable tart is wonderful with ratatouille veggies and cheese on a light, flaky base.

The steak comes with smashed potatoes and horseradish garlic butter, and although I didn't taste it, the person that ordered finished every bite.

On to the lovely desserts...they each had interesting and unexpected savory/sweet combos that worked surprisingly well. This sweet corn financier with cranberries was a big hit, and beautiful.

I loved this dish, with peanut butter filled chocolate sandwich cookies, honey ice cream and bourbon flambeed bananas.

The acorn squash cheesecake with maple and walnuts was just sweet enough and perfect for fall.

The apple tart was the most straightforward dessert topped with ice cream, a nice ending.

Babycakes biscuits

2010-11-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

What better way to start the morning than with a doughy, vegan biscuit from Babycakes with a dollop of non-dairy cream and jam?

Hester Street Fair: season's close

2010-11-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

Halloween was the last day of the Hester Street Fair for the season, and they ended on a high note with some great food vendors. We started with a fish-shaped taiyaki (Japanese pancake) stuffed with sausage and cheese from the Rook.

The smoked short rib and pork shoulder chili with hominy from Char No. 4 was great - I loved the soft, potato-like texture of the cooked hominy. They also had a great side of bourbon spiced peanuts that had a little kick.

On to the desserts: the fried pumpkin pie coated in sugar from Melt Bakery was heaven and I was thrilled to try one after they ran out at the Grubstreet Food Fest.

Wink & Flip made a great pumpkin cookie with icing that had the dense, moist texture of a scone.

They also had a tree of mini pumpkin cheesecakes.

Scratchbread had an interesting take on the sticky bun in their chai sticky roll.

They also made a decadent, cocoa-ey buttercream brownie.

Macaron Parlour has some really great flavors - Thai chili with peanuts and honey; candied bacon with maple cream cheese; s'mores; and pumpkin pie.

Cups of spiced apple cider and spicy hot chocolate (with a gorgeous square marshmallow) from La Newyorkina were a perfect ending.

Pumpkin: Pinkberry

2010-10-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

You all know about my love of pumpkin, and now Pinkberry has pumpkin! It's great topped with graham crackers, cinnamon and whipped cream - like a health(ier) pumpkin pie.

Francois Payard Bakery

2010-10-30T15:16:00.001-07:00

This doughnut from Francois Payard is perfect for a decadent breakfast, with vanilla custard and an orange blossom glaze.

Five Leaves

2010-10-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

Brunch at Five Leaves in Williamsburg is great, especially on a sunny day. Most of the seating is outside, and it's perfect to take in some sun with a coffee and a delicious brunch. The ricotta pancakes are amazing - very thick and topped with honeycomb butter, strawberries, blueberries and banana.

I loved the egg sandwich - the eggs are cooked with sage and cheddar in between a panini.

Tacombi @ Fonda Nolita

2010-10-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

The tacos at Fonda Nolita are fantastic - and made in a VW minibus that's parked inside a garage-like space. The laid-back place is a great place to stop for a daytime or late night snack. I tried the short rib, with tender meat, peppers and onions and the creamy corn, poblano pepper and queso fresco - and I'll be back to try the others!

Little Cupcake Bakeshop

2010-10-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

I can't resist a chocolate cupcake topped with meringue, and the newly opened Little Cupcake Bakeshop has a great version - a light, fluffy chocolate cake with soft meringue frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

They also have so many other interesting flavors - blue velvet (blueberry/cream cheese), dreaming princess (almond cake with raspberry/vanilla buttercream and meringue), hummingbird (banana/pineapple) and peanut butter and jelly - that I'll be tasting my way through all winter.

Grub Street Food Festival @ Hester Street Fair

2010-10-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Grub Street Food Festival took place last Saturday at the Hester Street Fair, and it had great food, worth wading my way through 13,000 people for. I was most excited about trying the Mexicue truck, for it's BBQ/Mexican combos. The barbecue beet was great, with beets in a strong barbecue sauce and topped with goat cheese. The chorizo taco was very spicy, with habanero aioli slaw and cilantro and feta cheese.

Their bbq brisket slider was also incredible - smoky, tender meat flavored with with spicy slaw and avocado.

Unfortunately, by the time we reached the front of the line at Pako Taco, the beef tacos had sold out, but this Korean chicken taco with spicy sauce, kimchi and cucumber was still really good.

Dessert from Melt Bakery was fantastic - thick molasses cookies with creamy pumpkin ice cream filling.

Souvlaki Truck

2010-10-17T06:23:00.001-07:00

Souvlaki GR is a great new food truck - I could eat their charcoal grilled pork in a perfectly seasoned pita with onions, tomato, feta, fries and tzatziki sauce every day.

Akariba

2010-10-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

The number of sake bars in the city is limited as compared to the options for wine bars, cocktail bars and beer gardens, so I'm super excited about the opening of Akariba, a tiny sake bar in Williamsburg. The space is cute, with an outdoor porch vibe and a glass ceiling for viewing the treetops above. The sake is good, and served in huge glasses, and there is a menu of small plates from neighboring Zenkichi. I tried the shrimp tempura with a curry dipping sauce - a great sake drinking snack.

Bun & Co.

2010-10-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Bun & Co., on the LES, serves up Cambodian sandwiches and sandwiches in "buns", which are actually a thick toasted slice of buttery bread, topped with things like pulled pork and cabbage. What is a Cambodian sandwich? It's much like a Vietnamese sandwich, with cilantro, carrots, cucumber and a spicy sauce - except here the pork pate is replaced by things like bacon (yum!) or cauliflower.

Francois Payard Bakery

2010-10-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled that the Francois Payard Baker y just opened downtown. It's not only a bakery, but also has savory options, like this incredible roast beef sandwich. The meat is like a porchetta of beef - juicy, tender and full of herb flavor. It's topped with fontina and pesto on their signature baguette.

The arugula and asparagus salad was fresh and crisp, topped with parmesan and a lemon dressing.

The broccoli quiche was cheesy and delicious.

On to the desserts...the lemon tart was creamy and citrusy in a crusty shell.

The strawberry tart was bursting with strawberry flavor on a bed of creamy custard and accented with a few pistachios.

Of course there had to be chocolate - perfection in the form of this raspberry and milk chocolate cake roll.

Torrisi @ San Gennaro

2010-09-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest: I dread the San Gennaro festival. It means having to fight my way through crowds of Italian-sausage stuffing tourists on my doorstep just to get into my building and the smell of ten pound bags of raw onions being chopped at 10 in the morning. However, this year there is a ray of light: the Torrisi Italian Specialties booth. They're serving a juicy roast pork sandwich topped with spicy broccoli rabe and peppers, the most incredible mozzarella sticks from their hand-made cheese in a herbed, crusty batter, and a sweet cream puff to top it all off.

Momofuku Ssam Bar

2010-09-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

Momofuku Ssam Bar is a modern classic, and the dishes on a recent visit were inventive and delicious. The fried duck necks sounded intriguing - and were unbelievably good! They were fried and were like meaty, rich chicken wings elevated with a spicy garlic chive sauce, pickled corn and beans.

The pork buns are always a must.

The blackened bluefish sandwich was crunchy with pickles and potato chips.

The charred octopus was really exciting with thin slices of green tomato, an avocado puree and mole in the form of thin crackers.

Dessert was a thyme mousse with a scoop of apricot, tapioca caviar and shortbread. So pretty!

Bisous Ciao

2010-09-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

Bisous Ciao is a sleek new macaron shop on the lower east side. The colors are bright and beautiful, and the confections are bursting with flavors like sour cherry, salted caramel, gianduja, and even vanilla. Macaron perfection.

La Nacional

2010-09-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

La Nacional was recommended by a few friends, and after eating there, I can say it's now one of my favorite Spanish restaurants. It has an old-school vibe and food is authentic as it comes, starting with a classic warm chorizo served in a meaty broth.

The white asparagus was a surprise - tender and topped with crispy chunks of Serrano ham and olive tapenade.

The best was the paella - with shrimp, squid, clams, mussels and chicken, the flavor was incredible! I missed the crunchy bottom but the flavor more than made up for it.

Eat My Chocolate

2010-09-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

Eat My Chocolate is a cute new sweet shop opened by a mother-daughter team in Nolita that creates creamy handmade chocolates, baked goods like strawberry cheesecake cupcakes, and giant macaroons. Yum!

Eataly

2010-09-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

My advice for a visit to Eataly: go directly to a food station, order wine and when sufficiently relaxed, proceed to attempt to navigate the crowds and shop. The meat lasagna in the pizza/pasta station was a great place to start - the pasta thin and light with just the right balance of bechamel and sauce.

Dessert was a crunchy almond cookie and this delicate vanilla panna cotta with orange marmalade and salted crumble on top. Delicious!

The other desserts looked delectable and I want to try more on a future visit.

There are also golden roasted chickens available to go.

The cheese section is huge, and stocked.

There is also a tiny station with chocolates, like this praline caramel.

Living Room Bar & Terrace

2010-09-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

The Living Room Bar & Terrace in the new W Hotel downtown is a little bit slick, but the drinks are really good. This bourbon summer cup was muddled with blueberries, basil, ginger and mint for a light, slightly sweet cocktail.

The strawberry & basil paloma was also nice with pink grapefruit, agave nectar, lime and tequila.

Both the deviled eggs and olives with parmesan were good accompaniments to the drinks.

ChipShop

2010-09-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a little international comfort food, and ChipShop in Brooklyn takes it to another level: fried pizza - like a big, gooey fried mozzarella ball.

The chicken curry has a nice spice and a twist: served over chips instead of rice for a nice crunchy texture.

The sides of mashed peas and cheesy cauliflower are rich and could be a meal on their own.

The Blue Stove

2010-08-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

Pies seem to be the next dessert trend, and The Blue Stove in Brooklyn makes great versions of the classics that are beautiful and delicious. This strawberry rhubarb pie has a flaky, light crust and the combination of tangy and sweet is perfectly balanced.

Gummi sculptures

2010-08-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

How cool are these gummi sculptures from YaYa Chou? They're based on questions of commodity and consumption - and they also make me want to go out and buy a bag of my own...to eat.

Liebe

2010-08-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about the recently opened Liebe, an Indian fusion spot in Nolita. I tried the leibe roll with vegetables wrapped in a buttery, slightly sweet Indian pancake. It came with spicy and smoky sauces for extra punch as well as raita. The chickpea salad was incredible - it was bright and refreshing with cilantro. This is a meal I'll be returning for time and time again.

The corn salad was also delicious - and spicy!

The pistachio ice cream was a nice surprise - it was super creamy, almost like custard, with a layer of pistachio on top.

Williamsburg takeout: Pies 'n' Thighs

2010-08-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Pies 'n' Thighs lives up to the hype: the fried chicken is unbelievable with extra crispy skin and juicy, flavorful meat. The pulled pork sandwich also impresses with a smoky flavor and cole slaw topping. The sides are also excellent - the biscuit is buttery with the perfect texture and the collard greens have just the right amount of spice.

The blackberry lemon pie was pretty and very tangy, the milder blueberry sour cream pie that looks like an empanada was a little sweeter.

Heartschallenger

2010-08-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

How adorable is this pink truck? It's been parked next to a playground in Nolita for the past couple of months and I had to stop by to check it out. The Heartschallenger truck offers frozen Japanese treats like strawberry mochi and popsicles in flavors like Ramune, along with a select few American popsicles in interesting flavors.

Miette

2010-08-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

Miette in San Francisco might be the most adorable and irresistible sweet shop I've been to. The walls are covered in jars of brightly colored candies and it's stocked with good chocolate and other treats from around the globe. They also have the loveliest baked goods - specifically the old fashioned cupcake, a super dense and moist chocolate cake topped with smooth, bright white Italian meringue and a decorated with a tiny red sphere. It's a must on every trip to the city.