(Todd English's) Olives

I've been eying this place after its numerous mentions on the FoodNetwork. With the holidays around the corner, it was the perfect time and place (even if you do feel like you're sitting behind a shower curtain) to meet up with friends (whom you haven't seen in I-lost-60-pounds-since-I-last-saw you months!) for the holiday season. The service was in no way top-notch, but who cares when there's WOW!me food in front of you?

Pictured above is the pork chop, which as you may already know (yes, it was so good I have been raving since) was one of the tenderest cuts of meat I've ever had. A pork chop! What a notion! I am more familiar with the thin, dry-with-a-side-of-sauce chop types. So, I rave now.The dessert plate ('for two' they say) speaks for itself. Can I make all of the items on the plate? Yes, probably (no, not bragging), but each item was still excitingly delicious. Those are the most expensive fried oreos and apple fritters I've encountered, but they are without a doubt conversation stoppers. And there were leftovers! To share with the family!

Oh, and did I mention the free pumpkin mini-cakes that came with our check?




Todd English's Olives NYC
in the W Hotel
201 Park Avenue South

Vive la Crêpe!!!

Oftentimes people ask us, "Why do you take pictures of your food?". Well, why wouldn't you want to remember this for the rest of your life?

Crêpes remind me of those carefree, poor-student days of Paris (before the night spent in the airport). It's just so hard to find a Crêpe that comes close to the French, and I don't think this is quite it either.

But, a hot crisp crêpe with dark chocolate, clementines, coconut, and vanilla ice cream? With this, even back to back 70 hour work weeks can't keep you down. So far...

But! O! My! What amazing vanilla ice cream!



Vive la Crêpe!
51 Spring Street
b/t Lafayette & Mulberry

Happy Weekend #32

Pain de Mie

Wow. We haven't done a weekend post since November?
It's a lazy night. Above and below (in addition to "Straight" Baguettes and Lavash) are the reasons why. I'm taking my first 5-day weekend culinary course in Artisanal Breadmaking. I. LOVE. IT. Look for a career change real soon. These photos are from the first two lessons (Saturday & Sunday). Unfortunately, you're missing about 97.89% of the experience of bread. If only you could at least smell them through these photos...

Brioche

Pain aux Cereales

Bagels & Kaiser Rolls

Happy Weekend!

Read THE LAST FEW MONTHS' POSTS here:
Pancake Month
Cafeteria
A Little Love Shack
Peep Peep!
Ajisai Japanese Fusion
Piccolo Cafe
Joe's Shanghai


Related Posts: Weekend #29. Weekend #30. Weekend #31.

Peep Peep!

For our true loyal readers (aka the ones who actually still check this blog after several months hiatus on our part), here is a [**drumroll**] rerun!

But it looks so gooood! With work (I know, repetitious excuse, but it's true!) and home renovations going on, who has time to eat out anymore? Well, it's a new year. So let's make (and keep) them resolutions that encourage more time spent with those we love (but not those we don't).

Le Peep. Their coffee isn't so great, but gosh darn those pancakes are craveworthy. The Pumpkin Pie pancake is pictured here, but we still recommend the Apple one over this gooey-ness. The Grande Skillet is huge! Our eyes saw it, and our brains registered it. Yet, we still ate the WHOLE thing! Bad coffee doesn't stop us. We just stopped by Starbucks on the way home. =)



Le Peep
Design Center Plaza
345 Rt. 9 South
Manalapan, NJ 07726

Joe's Shanghai

Wow. What a tourist trap.

Enter Pell Street. See the mob in front of the green awning. This is it.
Grab a number and wait. And wait. And wait some more...till you notice your fingers are still connected only because you're wearing gloves. Leave to get bubble tea. Wait there. Leave bubble tea place with bubble tea in hand. And wait some more. About 23,189 hours later, sit at table...alongside random strangers.

Over hyped? Hell, yeah. The first time I had soup dumplings was in China, and it was amazing there. The bamboo steamers piled high to the ceiling. The waiters carrying the piles around with hands tied behind back. What's not to be in awe about? It's soup inside a dumpling. But unlike many a friend here, I just can't bring myself to crave soup dumplings from Joe's.

Maybe I'm just jaded. Or maybe it's because I'm bitter I almost lost my fingers and toes...
I hear the Queens location is exponentially better... I guess I don't give up easily.


Joe's Shanghai
9 Pell Street
nr Bowery
(other locations available)

KoFoo

This cute little spot was bustling with customers. Why? As of yet, I have no idea. For Bibimbap it really is worth the long trip up and over to K-Town (and the stone pot) instead. Maybe the Kimpap is good? You're probably better off trying dishes that don't require special pots for cooking. I don't know, but I am willing to take one for the team and try those out too.

NOTE: Don't let the new cashier charge you twice!

KoFoo
334 8th Ave
(b/t 26th St & 27th St)

Cuba Cafe

A search for some Japanese place quickly jotted down days ago led me to be lost and way out of my lunching range. So, on my way back to the office, I spotted this Cuban place (I searched for a Cuban place a couple of weeks prior only to find it closed down and is currently a construction site-- way to be on top of things, me) and hopped right in to purchase an over-the-budget-before-I-even-had-a-budget meal of Pulled beef with tomatoes and fluorescent rice. By the time I got back to the office, everything was bright orange, but what can I say? Pulled meat? I save a special place in my heart for you.

Cuba Cafe
200 8th Avenue
b/t 20th & 21st

FoodParc

Go. Here. Especially if you are in the area. And if you're not, make a trip. This place (face it-- just like everywhere else in Manhattan) is not cheap, but boy does it have options! Usually in cases like these, I'd say, "Go with a bunch of people so you can try a bunch of different things from the various FoodParc "shops", but then, there's limited seating. It's a quagmire. I'll leave it to your clever minds to solve.

I didn't try this 2 times in 2 weeks (Yet. I still I still have next week to work with.), so I can only really recommend the Fornetti Prime Rib Sandwich (with crispy onions & horseradish sauce). You're greeted by a friendly worker asking, "Do you need help ordering?", as s/he points you to the nearest touch screen where you can only pay by card, OR to the "shop" counter, where you can get more help and pay with cash or card. Then, you receive your ticket, wait for your number to show up on an overhead screen and turn from brown to orange, hear your name called, drop off your ticket, and pick up your food. It's all rather quick and efficient, as long as you ask for directions when lost. You can order a whole or half sandwich; the whole was just over $10 (with cheese), but it lasted me 2 days. Those onions were so good, I could die!

Definitely check out their menu for all the possible choices!


FoodParc
845 Sixth Ave.
b/t 29th & 30th St

vivo

I passed by this place a few times before I had the nerve to step inside. Yeah, it looks like a clean, new-ish place, but why does it always seem empty inside? Well, it turns out this spot may be devoid of people inside, but the food is pretty tasty and less people means more seating!

Again in the span of two weeks, I've tried this place twice, testing the Curried Chicken Wrap and the Egg & Vegetable Wrap. Do I think it's all worth these Midtown/Chelsea prices? No. What can I say? I'm a cheapie. Will I continue to occasionally go back there? Uh, yeah! Didn't I mention the open seating? I'm a cheapie who's easily swayed... by a chair.


vivo
307 7th Ave
(b/t 27th & 28th Streets)

brgr

I spotted this place, read about it, then stopped in twice within the span of two weeks. Niiice. But my wallet wasn't very agreeable afterward. The burgers are a good size for the individual, but definitively expensive. If you go for a side, which you undoubtedly should, it's nice to have a second person there to help finish it all up. Leftovers would really be a shame.

The first time I went, I ordered the Rainforest Brgr (GRUYERE, avocado, Herb Mayo, lettuce, and tomato) and Sweet Potato Fries, already knowing I would be there again soon-- the menu was just too tempting. Lo' and behold! The next week swings around with another crazy load at work, and what better way to get your sanity back than to stop everything, order up a Blue Sky Brgr (ROQUEFORT, bacon, Sweet Onion Marmalade, lettuce, tomato, & pickles) with a side of The Trio (Onion Hay, Russet Fries, & Sweet Potato Fries), and escape to the world of The Magicians?



brgr
287 Seventh Avenue
(b/t 26th & 27th St)

Spot

It was a bit of a crazy night: last minute plans with L (& J), last minute decision to head out to NY, rain forecasts, humidity up the wazoo, and no real destination before KP's birthday bash. While searching for a good, uncrowded restaurant in St.Mark's, we passed by The Spot, and KM declared that under no circumstances were we to miss the opportunity to try this new-ish itty bitty... uh... spot (har har) by Pichet Ong (whom KM and I met and adored at P*Ong and is responsible for the tastiness of The Village Tart). Let's just say crickets could be heard 'round the world over all of our complaints.

After a mediocre dinner (at a crowded place with a longer-than-promised wait), we were all ready for a dessert pick-me-up. Our eyes were just as hungry as our taste buds, so we ordered a 3-course sampler (really worth the price) and some sides. The phone pictures really do no justice to his eccentrically served desserts. I don't usually follow chefs as I do authors, but he's an exception. Can't wait to try his recipes too!

3 Courses:
Avocado Parfait (calamansi chili, cocoa cracker)
Chocolate Marquis (alfonso mango tapioca, yakult ice cream)
Butterscotch Torchon (gingered pineapple, macadamia, thai tea whip)

Sides:
Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookie
Mocha Molten Salted Caramel Drink
Condensed Milk Ice Cream w/ Strawberries


Spot Dessert Bar
13 St. Marks Place
b/t 2nd & 3rd Avenues

soba-ya

A last minute text from L (who we haven't even contacted for ages-- maybe 7 years?) coupled with some scrambling, hasty text messages, and quick decisions, KM, her cousin J, L, and I dragged ourselves out to NYC for KP's birthday party. To gear up for the party, we stopped by Momofuku, saw the wait, and retraced our steps back to Soba-ya where the wait was...just as long (and worst of all-- longer than promised).

By the time we sat down, we were ready to eat a horse but settled for some soba instead. Amongst us we got Tororo Soba (cold soba with grated raw sweet potato, shown), two Kinoko Soba (hot soba with a sliver of duck), and a Tem Don (shrimp & vegetable tempura rice bowl). The noodles themselves had a great bite and chew. On the other hand, Tororo is not something I've had before, and it's probably not something I'll have again unless very persuasively persuaded. Also on the same hand, there were a few muttered breaths about the stinginess of the duck meat in the Kinoko Soba. Back onto that other hand we were on before the other hand (this is getting confusing), I'd still go back for other soba (or udon) fixes...if I'm ever in the neighborhood again.


soba-ya: Japanese Noodle Restaurant
229 East 9th Street
b/t 3rd & 2nd Avenues

Veniero's (with Pictures)

We've posted about Veniero's before, but this time, we provide pictures. And, a different point of view. Strangely enough, not too different. This is similarly the third stop of the night, but we decided to take out all the stops and put our metaphoric dessert car in full gear. Between KM, P, & I, we tried the Tortoni, Italian Cheesecake, and Chocolate Banana Strawberry Cake. The menu is so extensive (if a little ghetto), it's hard to pick out just one (or three). But, of course, we're not complaining! I'll be honest, it's not the most amazing Italian dessert I've had in NYC, but the place has got something for everyone. On every occasion.

When I said we pulled out all the stops, I meant it. We got some Rainbow Cookies for take-away too! Again, not the best we've had. The cake layers were a smidgen dry for our trained Rainbow Cake palates.


Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffé
342 E 11th Street
nr 1st Avenue

Luzzo's

Tartufata Pizza: tomato sauce, mozzarella, truffle pate, basil

The yearly (?) reunion with P (and KM) involved one request from yours truly. Something CHEAP. But again, it's NYC, so "cheap" is hard to come by, and I can't say this meal satisfied the sole request made. OK, so my gripe with NYC food prices has obviously continued to increase (who knew that even was possible?). On the brighter side, that was some damn good pizza. Basil, fresh sauce, mozzarella, and TRUFFLE? I'd be more surprised if it wasn't tasty goodness.

Oh yeah, we also tried the Special, Pappardelle Funghi w/ Speak (pronounced 'speck'; homemade pasta with mushrooms and smoked prosciutto), and Carciofi Gratinati (artichokes in breadcrumbs in lemon & garlic dressing). Personally, I found the Speak to be a little too smoked and overpowering. However, 2 of 3 in the party disagreed. Perhaps my palate is just that much more refined... To each his own! But don't even try to skip the Tartufata Pizza. That's just bananas!

Luzzo's Restaurant
211-213 First Ave
b/t 12th & 13th Streets

Gelato On a Stick

Utter devastation didn't last too long as the West Village Beard Papa's was replaced with a new gelato spot. (Enter inner strife: HALT. Isn't there already a GROM two stores down? But if it's gelato that comes on a stick, it's totally different. Right?)

Unchaperoned and unadvised, KM and I naughtily made our way in the opposite direction of supper to have dessert BEFORE dinner. KM chose the Hazelnut Pop topped with Hazelnuts, Dark Chocolate & Coconut, while I opted for the Chocolate Pop with Granola, Dark Chocolate & Coconut.

The entire wonky experience took less than 10 minutes, which included deciding, instructing, paying, pictures, eating, and 5 minutes of clean-up. We inhaled those suckers. Not because they were that good but because we had to. It melted so quickly, we can't honestly say the gelato was good or bad. Instead of a small bar to stand at, they should install sinks to drip over and wash up afterwards. Were we satisfied? Hell, no. Did we want to walk over to GROM for a civilized gelato experience? OH, yes. Will we be going back to Popbar? Alas, probably not.

The lament for Beard Papa's is back in full force.


Popbar
5 Carmine St
@ 6th Ave

Panera

Hankering for a fresh, tasty Lobster Roll/Sandwich? No time to drive up to Maine? Hate road trips? Or just plain old don't have a car? Luckily, now you can pick one up at your local Panera (Hurrah!)-- Limited Time Only! (Oh, no!)

But beware, convenience comes with a price. An arm? A leg? No, $16.99!!! (Thanks, A, for pickin' up the tab!)


Panera Bread
multiple locations

Bridgeway Diner

It's been a while since the family has dined out on a Friday night. With E (and her I'm-not-going-out-there attitude) gone away for the weekend, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for...diner food! The menu is filled with everything but the kitchen sink (YAY!), and the seating area was filled with tons of kids (BOOO...).

I ordered a Meatloaf Sandwich (meatball sandwich craving? check!) while the rest of the family ordered: Tex-Mex Burger, Salmon Filet, Beef Goulash, Chicken Milano, and Disco Fries (French fries topped with gravy and provolone cheese). Everything was pretty typical, tasty diner fare, but the fries could do with a little more home-lovin and a little less gravy-from-the-box. Also, the service could do with a little more pep-in-the-step.


Bridgeway Diner
3030 Us 9
Old Bridge, NJ 08857

The ORIGINAL Frank Pepe

Again with the cell phone pictures! My phone seems to give everything a yellow-ish tint (Ooooo mood lighting). If you're ever in the neighborhood of Yonkers (tyeah right, I know!), Frank Pepe's is similar to many a pizzeria-- blazing fluorescent lighting and booth seating. Of course, the BIG difference is the pizza offered. Not being a Pizza Connoisseur, I can't tell you it's "The Best Pizza" (as J will tell you), but I can say it was damn good and tasty. Each bite is riddled with the taste of whichever topping you choose (in this case: clam w/ white sauce, meat lovers, OR cheese); they don't skimp on the toppings. They may occasionally mix up your order with friends at the next table, and instead of giving you a clam pizza with white sauce and cheese, they may lay down a clam pizza with white sauce and no cheese. But, of course, there were no hard feelings. Or lingering looks at the next table's pizza. Or fighting. OK, maybe a wee bit of fighting. And, maybe some hard feelings. And maaaybe some downright staring.

Behold! Trapezoidal pizza slices! BEWARE! Those droopy suckers are seriously messy.



The Original Frank Pepe Pizzera Napoletana
1955 Central Park Ave
Yonkers, NY 10710

Cafe 360

There are two things at Cafe 360 that we had to try. OK, more than two things. But we held back! We know. It's hard. It's shocking. It's unbelievable. BUT. WE. DID. IT.

Of course it helped that we entered the bakery with our minds focused on gelato [insert angelic song here]. Not hindered by the freezing temperature outside (yeah! hardcore!), KM ordered scoops of hazelnut, dark chocolate, and dulce de leche. I got amaretto and tiramisu. It was definitely hard pickings, but we resolved to come back at a later [warmer] date to try the other flavors. Dining next to the Hookah paraphernalia and utilizing our Shifu-trained gelato taste buds, we concurred that though it's not the best we've had, it's way more convenient than stopping by-- O' say Italy-- on the way back from the mall. We'd go back, but we definitely prefer other shindigs in NY, NY, and NJ.

Oh yeah, and then there's the rainbow marzipan. Meh. While it's amazingly five layered, the layers actually work against it. The cake is too thick and therefore heavily sugar-soaked, the jam is too prominent, and the chocolate is completely lacking (literally-- where's the chocolate?). Ooooh picky picky.

These are some of our favorite desserts, so we always look for recommendations. So, RECOMMENDATIONS???

Cafe 360
34 East Main Street
Freehold, NJ 07728

Court Jester

KM & I went here as a pre-Christmas luncheon on a lax Wednesday off. With no particular restaurant in mind, we chose this place for the crowds entering it and its decently priced low-key bar food. It was OK.

We ordered Coconut Shrimp as an appetizer, which was misleadingly delicious. Misleading because the rest of the food was average at best. KM chose the Jester Steak & Sweet Potato Fries and I tried the Chicken Finger Platter. Two key things were left out that could have made this meal a smidgereen above average: the promised Mushroom & Onions with the Steak AND seasoning on the waffle fries. So now, we are left--underwhelmed.


Court Jester: A Saloon & Eatery
16 East Main St
Freehold, NJ 07728