We arrived in NYC and sat in traffic for most of the way, knowing we had a 5.30pm reservation at the two-starred Michelin restaurant, Daniel. Thankfully they have a 30 minute grace period (OpenTable typically gives you a 15 minute grace period, maybe they operate on New York time?), and we made it right at 6pm on the dot. We decided to go for the 4 course menu instead of the large tasting menu, since some of that menu's items did not appeal to us.
We had an amuse bouche, some kind of cracker with some kind of something on it, that I distinctly remember as super tasty. The bread was very good, and throughout the meal I think I had 4 pieces of bread (2 garlic parmesan, clearly the favourite, a brioche and some kind of wheat or grain bread). The butter came with sea salt from Bretagne and some other salt from somewhere. Damn I forgot. But they were amazing. And then another gift from the chef. I remember the center one being carrot soup, delish, and looks like ish and shrimp. Really good!
Then, I got SAINT-JACQUES (Nettle Wrapped Sea Scallop Salad, Young Leeks, Purple Potato Confit, Hazelnut Oil) and Lingon got THON ROUGE (Yellowfin Tuna, Shiso Bavarois, Young Radishes, Anchovy Meyer Lemon Coulis, White Sturgeon Caviar). I liked his tuna a lot, and mine was interesting but just not bad..
Next, I got the FOIE GRAS (Grappa Flambéed Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Chilean and Mojave Grapes, Pistachio, Wisteria Flower Pink Peppercorn, Pickled Cape Gooseberry). The portion was generous, and the accompaniments were great, and I loved it. Lingon got GRENOUILLE (Florida Frog Legs, Velouté Hon-Shimeji Mushrooms, Garlic Chips Vadouvan Oil, Watercress “Pistou”), which was so amazing. That soup was just so amazing. I think this was the best course.
For the main, I had been really craving beef for weeks, so I got the BOEUF (Duo of Beef, Imperial Wagyu Tenderloin, Gourgane Crèpe, Smoked Bone Marrow, Fava Beans, “Bordelaise Jus”, and the Black Angus Short Ribs, Chermoula-Carrot Mousseline) which was good but not blow-me-away good, and Lingon got the LAPIN (Black Garlic Stuffed Rabbit Saddle, Swiss Chard Fricassée, Spinach Pasta, Jus “à la Moutarde de Dijon”) which I thought was just OK. Not sure how I feel about rabbit, as I have not eaten it a whole lot.
For dessert, I got the “Saint Honoré” (LINZER SABLE, VANILLA-MASCARPONE CREAM, CARAMEL-BUTTER SALTED CREMEUX, CARAMELIZED CHOUX). St. Honoré is the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs. This classic
cake, named in his honor, comprises a baked circle of “pâte sablée” at
its base with a ring of “pâte à choux” piped on the outer edge. Small
cream puffs dipped in caramelized sugar are attached side by side on
top, and are finished with whipped cream, piped on using a special tip. I fricking loved it. The pastry on the bottom was divine. Suitably flaky, extremely buttery and moist. I could die for this. Lingon got the CAFE (Jivara-Coffee Chantilly, Ginger Caramel Chocolat Fondant, Turkish Coffee Ice Cream), which he loved, but I did not since I am not the biggest coffee fan. The dessert was really really really good.
Then, we got an anniversary cake! Yay! Happy anniversary to us! Plus a small basket of madelaines and canale bordelaise to take home.
This was a good meal, but too fancy for me. While the food was delicious, I think I can get better for less $. Lingon was glad to have fulfilled his desire to try this place, but I don't think we will be back.
Also, out Travel and Leisure list had Uncle Boons for Thai food, so off we went, and we tried the items they had recommended, which were the lamb larb, beef massaman curry and the dorade (more for the nam prik chili sauces). I have always loved larb, but probably most used to pork larb. The lamb had a lamb flavour, which is not my favourite, but was not that strong and the herbs and spices and other flavours were very fresh and delicious. The beef massaman curry was not bad, though not spectacular. It came with what tasted like shredded julienned potatoes, which was different. Lastly, we got the grilled dorade, which was the best dish of the evening. The meat was clean, fresh and tender, and paired with the nam prik sauces was absolutely divine. The whole shebang was rather expensive though, and for Thai I will, in the future, probably revert back to my Hell's Kitchen favourite Pam Real Thai for their unbelievably fragrant anchovy fried rice.
A stone's throw away was my long time favourite Rice to Riches, so off we went for some post dinner sweetness. They seemed to have made the names of the flavours more interesting. We got our favourite cookies and cream (now called the corner of cookies & cream...), which contrary to a lot of cookies and cream things which involve oreos, was more a white cookie. New (at least to us, as I don't remember getting this before and I most certainly would have had I seen it), was "oreo"gasm, which are the oreos. Still very very good. And very very expensive. For soupy rice. But suckers we are. And we enjoyed it! I thought I took a picture, but cannot seem to find it!
I had been wanting to try Roberta's pizza in Brooklyn for a long time, since it is a huge favourite of our friends. Finally I decided to un-lazy myself and take the train to Brooklyn to try them out. I got the Bee Sting pizza (think it was pepperoni, mozzarella, chili flakes and honey). The crust was nice and chewy and crispy at the same time, and the toppings were delicious. A bit of a trek for this though, and probably will try to find something closer that does not require me to cross the water!
We went to Osteria Morini with our NYC friends who had been there often before. They told us on Monday after 9pm was industry night where one could have pastas at normal portion size for $10. Definitely jealous, since now we were paying more than 2x. We got 6 different kinds of pastas, and I know I did not take any pictures coz I was too hungry and the lighting was bad anyway. But memorable ones were the garagnelli (pasta quills, cream, peas, truffle butter, prosciutto) and cappelletti (truffled ricotta ravioli, melted butter, prosciutto). I did not like the corzetti (pasta coins, house made lamb sausage, nepitella pesto), felt rather unremarkable, even though the server recommended it as one of the favourites or something. Overall great meal!
After dinner, we went to Morgenstern's for ice cream. We were told that it was fairly new, and there was always a line. They had a durian banana flavour which I sampled and really liked! We stood in line for about 30 minutes, and ordered salted chocolate in a cup with the cone on top. A single scoop should have been $4.50, and we ordered 2. I realized they had charged me 50 cents extra and when I asked why, the guy was like, oh it should only be 25 cents extra, and I suppose its the cost of a cone or a cup. WTF. So he refunded me my 25 cents, and in my jeans pocket I had 3 quarters of change from this place, which dropped out in the hotel room when I was packing and I forgot to pick that up. Grrrr. Hope housekeeping is making good use of my 75 cents.
Oh NYC, I will miss eating there.
We had an amuse bouche, some kind of cracker with some kind of something on it, that I distinctly remember as super tasty. The bread was very good, and throughout the meal I think I had 4 pieces of bread (2 garlic parmesan, clearly the favourite, a brioche and some kind of wheat or grain bread). The butter came with sea salt from Bretagne and some other salt from somewhere. Damn I forgot. But they were amazing. And then another gift from the chef. I remember the center one being carrot soup, delish, and looks like ish and shrimp. Really good!
Then, we got an anniversary cake! Yay! Happy anniversary to us! Plus a small basket of madelaines and canale bordelaise to take home.
This was a good meal, but too fancy for me. While the food was delicious, I think I can get better for less $. Lingon was glad to have fulfilled his desire to try this place, but I don't think we will be back.
Also, out Travel and Leisure list had Uncle Boons for Thai food, so off we went, and we tried the items they had recommended, which were the lamb larb, beef massaman curry and the dorade (more for the nam prik chili sauces). I have always loved larb, but probably most used to pork larb. The lamb had a lamb flavour, which is not my favourite, but was not that strong and the herbs and spices and other flavours were very fresh and delicious. The beef massaman curry was not bad, though not spectacular. It came with what tasted like shredded julienned potatoes, which was different. Lastly, we got the grilled dorade, which was the best dish of the evening. The meat was clean, fresh and tender, and paired with the nam prik sauces was absolutely divine. The whole shebang was rather expensive though, and for Thai I will, in the future, probably revert back to my Hell's Kitchen favourite Pam Real Thai for their unbelievably fragrant anchovy fried rice.
A stone's throw away was my long time favourite Rice to Riches, so off we went for some post dinner sweetness. They seemed to have made the names of the flavours more interesting. We got our favourite cookies and cream (now called the corner of cookies & cream...), which contrary to a lot of cookies and cream things which involve oreos, was more a white cookie. New (at least to us, as I don't remember getting this before and I most certainly would have had I seen it), was "oreo"gasm, which are the oreos. Still very very good. And very very expensive. For soupy rice. But suckers we are. And we enjoyed it! I thought I took a picture, but cannot seem to find it!
I had been wanting to try Roberta's pizza in Brooklyn for a long time, since it is a huge favourite of our friends. Finally I decided to un-lazy myself and take the train to Brooklyn to try them out. I got the Bee Sting pizza (think it was pepperoni, mozzarella, chili flakes and honey). The crust was nice and chewy and crispy at the same time, and the toppings were delicious. A bit of a trek for this though, and probably will try to find something closer that does not require me to cross the water!
We went to Osteria Morini with our NYC friends who had been there often before. They told us on Monday after 9pm was industry night where one could have pastas at normal portion size for $10. Definitely jealous, since now we were paying more than 2x. We got 6 different kinds of pastas, and I know I did not take any pictures coz I was too hungry and the lighting was bad anyway. But memorable ones were the garagnelli (pasta quills, cream, peas, truffle butter, prosciutto) and cappelletti (truffled ricotta ravioli, melted butter, prosciutto). I did not like the corzetti (pasta coins, house made lamb sausage, nepitella pesto), felt rather unremarkable, even though the server recommended it as one of the favourites or something. Overall great meal!
After dinner, we went to Morgenstern's for ice cream. We were told that it was fairly new, and there was always a line. They had a durian banana flavour which I sampled and really liked! We stood in line for about 30 minutes, and ordered salted chocolate in a cup with the cone on top. A single scoop should have been $4.50, and we ordered 2. I realized they had charged me 50 cents extra and when I asked why, the guy was like, oh it should only be 25 cents extra, and I suppose its the cost of a cone or a cup. WTF. So he refunded me my 25 cents, and in my jeans pocket I had 3 quarters of change from this place, which dropped out in the hotel room when I was packing and I forgot to pick that up. Grrrr. Hope housekeeping is making good use of my 75 cents.
Oh NYC, I will miss eating there.
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