Bao Chicka Wow Wow

Baoburg in Williamsburg is a Little Gem!

Last week, I caught up with Christine at a lovely little (this is an understatement!) restaurant in Williamsburg. The spot is called Baoburg (http://baoburgnyc.com/) and it describes itself as "artisanal cuisine" - the dishes certainly lived up to this hype. The restaurant has about 20 seats and many of the seats are counter style. We ended up sitting on two counter seats facing a mirror. This choice made it easy for me to check that I had nothing in my teeth, an unintended benefit.

To start our meal, we ordered a bottle of Ramon Bilbao Albarino, a nice Spanish white that was reasonably priced at $25. Our server presented the wine a bit awkwardly. It wasn't chilled already, so he brought it over in an ice bucket but did not open it. We were sort of confused since the bottle cap was a screw off - do we open our own bottles now? Is that what "artisanal" means? I attempted to take it off and it didn't work, so I asked the server. Naturally, I loosened it for him so it was soooo easy for him to open. Once it was open, it was a nice wine. We were desperate for a drink, so warm was going to have to do for the first pour!

We ordered several plates to share and were very pleased with our choices! We started with the Cheesy Truffle Fries with BACON ($7). The fries were a lovely start while we waited for our entrees to come.

French Fries TOTALLY count as vegetables!

Our first entrée that arrived was the Sparkling Ribs ($12), grilled baby back ribs tossed in a Cola cider sauce with truffle fries potatoes and a pickled garnish. This was absolutely fantastic! I was concerned I'd have to eat the ribs with my hands and this would result in sticky fingers. To my delight, the ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. The cola marinade was so yummy.

Sparkling Ribs

Our next arrival was the Lamb Stew. I didn't take a snap of the menu and the entrée must be new as it is not yet on the Baoburg site. The dish was fantastic and influenced by Asian flavors. It was served with a poached egg on top, it really added to the creaminess of the sauce and overall nom-factor.

Lamb Stew

The final entrée was the Seared Duck Breast Noodle ($16). This dish was my favorite! Seared duck breast is served on top of fresh, thick ramen noodles, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and poached daikon in a duck consommé. Since this is a broth based dish and awkward to share, I asked our server to have the chef split the entrée into two portions.  Instead of splitting it PRIOR to bringing to us, he brought two extra bowls for us to split it. This was a bit awkward but I managed because the dish was THAT delicious.

DUCK DUCK YUM

Overall, this is a solid new spot. I highly recommend checking it out!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Can You Samba?

If it is Happy Hour, of course you can!

After our wine happy hour at 8th Street Wine Cellar , Melissa and I were still hungry. Melissa suggested heading to Sushi Samba West Village (http://sushisamba.com/location/new-york/nyc-7). This restaurant has "SambaHour" which is a Happy Hour from 4-7pm and 11pm to close.

Naturally, we started with a cocktail. We both ordered the Nina Fresa. It is made with vodka, strawberry, grapefruit and guava shaken with rhubarb bitters, lime and sugar. Normally, it is $14 - on happy hour, it is $7!!

How beautiful is that lime?

Although we had the cheese plate at 8th Street Wine Cellar, we were still a little hungry. We each ordered one of the Happy Hour rolls. The Ezo roll is made with soy-marinated salmon, asparagus, sesame, tempura flake, and served with some yummy wasabi mayo on the side. Normally, it is $12.50 and I believe it was $6. It was really yummy although the ratio of salmon to wrapping was a bit unfavorable.

Let me see your Sushi Roll

This is now a favorite spot for Happy Hour! I can't wait to return.

Cheers,

Liz

Spot Stole My Heart

New Favorite Dessert "Spot"

After Scott and I finished up our Ramen dinner, I was ready for dessert! While we walked on St. Marks, I noticed Spot Dessert Bar (http://www.spotdessertbar.com/). I have wanted to go to this place for A LONG TIME but the time never presented itself. Tonight, however, the stars aligned! We didn't ease into dessert either, we ordered four dessert tapas. Clearly, one would have been enough. Though, who thinks clearly when dessert is involved?

Our desserts came out in the order I posted the photos below. As a funny coincidence, the order they came out in was also my preference of the desserts. To begin, the Chocolate Green Tea Lava Cake stole my heart.

Chocolate Green Tea Lava Cake

The cake was heaven on a plate. It was hot and cold - the perfect balance of a straight out of the oven cake and freshly scooped ice cream melting on it. God help me, I need another one. NOW. The warm soft dark chocolate cake is filled with a green tea ganache, green tea ice cream and walnut soil. It is perfection and beautiful. Next, came the Golden Toast!

Golden Toast

The Golden Toast is so completely random yet delicious. It is honey buttered toast with condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and whipped cream. This tapa reminded me of French toast without the maple flavor. It was a nice complement to the lava cake. We would have been ahead just stopping with two desserts. However, we already ordered four because we are gluttonous pigs. Next up, Kabocha Brulee Cake - an Asian interpretation of pumpkin pie.

Kabocha Brulee Cake

This was OK. If I had not already enjoyed the lava cake and toast, I would have likely thought this was a better dessert. However, in comparison to two star performances, this one was doomed from the start. This cake is a warm Japanese pumpkin cake (more of a custard though), with walnut "soil" aka crumbs, and condensed milk ice cream.  The final dessert was super disappointing even though it contained Thai Tea flavors, the Thai Tea Crème Brulee.

Thai Tea Crème Brulee

This final dessert was a huge letdown. Frownie brownie. It was a Thai tea infused cream custard with caramelized sugar and served with a cup of hot Thai Tea. Ugh. Wish we didn't order it but sometimes you don't know until it is too late - with dessert and many other things, am I right?

Anyway, you MUST go here. Maybe just get 1 or 2 desserts. Stick with my first two choices and you are golden (no pun intended).

Cheers,

Liz

Hot Ramen. Cold Nights.

Of Course I Ordered Extra BBQ Pork!

In order to escape the polar vortex that plagued NYC last week, my friend Scott and I filled our faces with a hot bowl of noodles otherwise known as Ramen. Scott suggested Ramen Setagaya (http://www.ramensetagayany.com/), located near NYU on St. Marks. I've walked by it many times without knowing it was any good. Isn't that common in this insane city? There are simply too many fantastic options we take for granted.  

Customized Bowls? This place means BUSINESS!

I haven't had a ton of ramen in my life, but the last time I got it, I ordered spicy miso ramen. It was fantastic, so I stuck with that. At this spot, the miso ramen contained many of the typical characters: BBQ pork, salt tasted eggs (I usually pass on that), bamboo shoots, beansprouts, cabbage, corn, and of course glorious noodles. I paid $2 extra for additional pork ("chasyu"). This was a shrewd decision and Scott copied my move. He is a smart one!

Spicy Miso Ramen!

This is a tiny spot, like most Ramen spots, that is worth visiting. I would note that even with paying the upcharge for additional pork, there wasn't that much. Boo!

Cheers,

Liz

Tea for Two at Cha-An

One Last Get Together Before Break!

Before we parted our separate ways for break, Melissa and I got together for one last fun activity! We wanted to meet for afternoon tea and did some research. We ended up selecting Cha-An (http://www.chaanteahouse.com/) after debating among many choices. As my review will show you, we may have not made the best decision!

The Outside is Inviting!

I took a peek at the menu online before we got there. I ordered a dessert set-up: Cha-An's Sweets, with cookies, a fresh baked earl grey scone (the highlight of the visit) and pound cake. This was $16 and I assumed it would included Tea....since it was for Afternoon Tea. I read the fine-print and it was $5 more for tea!! I thought this was a bit expensive for what it was, especially since a tea set-up generally includes tea.

Cha-An's Sweets - earl grey scone on the lower right!

I (unhappily) paid $5 for tea - I got a black tea - Darjeeling 2nd Flush. It was a smallish pot and I drank most of it before my desserts even came. I could get refills of course...but it was $5. Other places I've been for tea, the tea is unlimited. I've been spoiled apparently!

Darjeeling 2nd Flush

There are much better places in the city for tea. I doubt I'll come back. If you stop by, maybe just order a small dessert - the black sesame crème brulee with black sesame ice cream is "famous" there.

Cheers!
Liz

 

Indowhat? Indochine!

Colonial French Vietnamese, or something like that

Last night, I had a wonderful night catching up with one of my favorite MBA1s: Scott! We had a night (sort of) planned out. We knew we were going to go to Lexington Bar & Books, but weren't sure where to have dinner. Luckily, Scott had an idea! He recommended a spot near school: Indochine (http://www.indochinenyc.com/index_F.html).  I haven't had much Vietnamese food and I have never had Colonial French Vietnamese food - so what is not to love? Naturally, we started the meal with a cocktail. But which one? According to Yelp! reviews, I went with a clear winner: the Indochine Martini, made with citrus vodka infused with pineapple and ginger and fresh lime juice.

Indochine Martini

It was quite good - far too easy to drink. I only ordered one since we were going uptown for cocktails and cigars after. For dinner, we split three items. The Spicy Shrimp sautéed with long beans, fresh tomato and basil, the Glazed Duck Breast, with long stem bok choi and a baked Vidalia onion broth and Sautéed Rice with shrimp, green peas and egg.

Spicy Shrimp

The shrimp were so tasty! The spice level was just right - it added flavor without being overbearing. Ugh, I hate that!

Glazed Duck Breast

The duck was also lovely. The broth really complemented the side of rice.

Sautéed Rice

I loved that the shrimp were normal size in the rice. Sometimes fried rice can have "baby" shrimp which just taste super fishy to me. Barf. This was not like that, yummy!

If you want a special dinner near campus, check out this spot. Also, on our way out, we saw the actor Wallace Shawn (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001728/?ref_=tt_cl_t5). He is best known as the voice of Rex in the Toy Story franchise, Cyrus Rose in Gossip Girl, and Vizzini in Princess Bride. I didn't take a photo because I'm not a super weirdo.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Gyu-Kaku Happy Hour for the Win

Desperately Seeking Cocktails

Last week, Melissa and I went to Gyu-Kaku (http://www.gyu-kaku.com/ny/eastvillage.htm) for its fantastic Happy Hour (everyday from 11:00am to 6:00pm and 9:30pm to 11:00pm Mon-Thurs). I ordered the Saketini as my cocktail, a mix of vodka and sake! All cocktails are 50% off - all liquor brands too!

Saketini

We ordered a bunch of plates to share, including the rib-eye, hangar steak, and shishito peppers. If you use FourSquare make sure to check-in so you can get complimentary edamame! Both of us check-in, so we each got a bowl!J

Rib-Eye for BBQ!

Shishito Peppers

We had an awesome lunch! This is such a good spot to go during happy hour, otherwise it is a bit pricey.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Miss Korea is a BBQ Expert!

Finally Visiting this Koreatown Favorite!

I live in Herald Square which is right next to Koreatown. This is super convenient when you have a friend visiting that wants to try some Korean BBQ! I've wanted to try Miss Korea (http://www.misskoreabbq.com/) for awhile. Every time I went before it was super crowded, likely because it was at dinner time. This time, we went for lunch before our musical (First Date)k

Miss Korea is Pretty in Pink

We ordered two entrees to split: Veggies & Tofu and Bulgogi (a thinly sliced marinated meat served in lettuce wraps). Korean BBQ places load you up with a free arrangement of veggies, may of them pickled. It is always interesting to figure out what the food is, as each place has its own assortment of "appetizers". 

Mystery Appetizers! Gimme that Kimchi!

Now, for our Vegetables and Tofu! Along with the vegetables, there was a certain type of apple served. There was also an interesting dipping sauce; it tasted somewhat like a fermented bean sauce. 

Eating Corn on the Cob with Chopsticks...it's hard

Finally, the star of the show arrived: Bulgogi! It is my favorite: nom nom nom!

Meat: it's what's for lunch

Out of the many Korean places I've been to in Koreatown, this is at the top of the list. I will definitely go back when my parents come to visit: they love the BBQ!

Cheers, 

Liz

 

Ramen is Only 3 Hours, I mean 1.5 Hours, I mean 30 Minutes Away!

When You Need a Fix, Hit Minca!

One of my good friends, Meredith, visited me from California this past weekend. We met up with some of her friends for dinner. Originally, we wanted to conquer Ippudo. I've lived in the city for over a year and I still haven't gone. There really is no excuse since it is so close to Stern. I haven't wanted to wait. This past Friday was no exception! The wait (at the no reservation restaurant) was over 3 hours! So, we decided to walk over to Momofuku Noodle Bar (which also does not take reservations) which had a 1.5 hour wait.

One of Meredith's friends suggested going to Minca (http://www.newyorkramen.com/) instead, where the wait was *only* 30 minutes for the five of us! We walked over (by this point we had quite an appetite after searching for ramen!) and waited for our table. I have not gone to many ramen spots, so I wasn't sure what to order. The waitress suggested their most popular option: the spicy miso ramen. It was delicious!

The broth had a fantastic flavor, the pork was perfectly fatty without being gross and the noodles were perfectly tender. This meal was for sure a "cheat meal" as I've been doing Atkins for the past month and a half with great success. Sometimes, you need to live on the edge, even if that includes eating carbs. 

Spicy Miso Ramen!

I'm not a ramen expert, so I may not be the best judge. I really loved what I ordered. It was a big bowl and I left very satisfied having only spent $13 on the entree. Also, because this isn't as much of a tourist trap as Ippudo, you likely won't have to wait as long. I only have a sample size of 1 (my own experience) so I cannot guarantee a timely meal. Put your name down and grab a drink across the street at Ace!

Check it out!

Nom,

Liz

 

So EN Love with this Place!

Dinner with Famous People

This past Thursday, I had a truly special evening. In my Digital Media Innovation class, a classmate and I won the opportunity to have dinner with several heavyweights in the digital/tech industry. I knew that my professor (Greg Coleman) and the CEO of LinkedIn (Jeff Weiner) would attend. I didn't know that one of the largest investors in Twitter (Fred Wilson) and basketball legend Dr J (Julius Erving) would be there as well! 

I tried to remain calm and not embarrass my professor and his super important (and rich) friends. We dined at EN Japanese Brasserie (http://www.enjb.com/). I only took *one* picture. Naturally, it was of the super swanky drink I ordered: The Local Honey. 

Local Honey

This cocktail is made with Yamazaki 12 whisky. local honey with wasabi, Beefeater gin and royal bee pollen. It was DELICIOUS!

Our meal was INCREDIBLE. It was a pre-set menu and we dined on the following items:

Edamame - soaked in dashi (pretty basic, yet the addition was welcome)

Freshly Made Scooped Tofu - served warm with wari-joyu (not sure what the sauce is, but this was one of the highlights of the meal. It was so interesting and the texture was super creamy/soft. Also, it is made hourly!)

O-Tsukuri - chef's sashimi selection (definitely some of the best raw fish I've had in a long time!)

Oysters with Ponzu - chef's selection (these were ok, I had one that was a bit "fishy" and it made me have to chug my lovely cocktail. Eek)

Lobster Ishiyaki - stone grilled lobster with a butter miso sauce (yum city, loved this)

Stone Grilled Kuroge Washugyu Ribeye - with ponzu and arajio (the marbling on this was insane, I can only imagine it was expensive)

Sushi Rolls - chef's selection (basic but nom. I tried an eel roll, I am so adventurous...it tasted like chicken, sort of?)

Seasonal Panna Cotta - with a hojicha cookie (the seasonal selection was chestnut, really lovely)

This restaurant is expensive and certainty worth it. I hope to return soon with friends, even if only for the drinks!

Cheers,

Liz

 

My Life is Full of Sen

Cocktailing Event at Sen NYC

Last week, I organized an event for a club (Cellar) at Stern at Sen (http://www.senrestaurant.com/nyc/). It was a hands-on cocktail demonstration with paired Japanese cuisine. The venue is super swanky and our small group had a wonderful time. I was enjoying myself and didn't snap too many pictures of the cocktails or food. I managed to get one before the activities started of the bar set-up. 

We had four different cocktails. The Shiso Spritz (highlighting Vodka and Shiso Leaves), The Sen Mojito (highlighting Katana Sake and Malibu Rum), The Sen Cosmopolitan (highlighting Sake and Triple Sec) and the Mizu "NYE" Cocktail (highlighting Prosecco and St. Germain).

We nibbled on sushi, tempura, chicken wings and chicken skewers. So yummy!

I'd recommend going back here. The best feature of the restaurant is its square bar. It is an awesome focal point. Check it out during Happy Hour!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Picking Apples

Apple Restaurant & Bombar

A good friend of mine, Scott F., suggested getting drinks at a local spot near Stern. I couldn't believe he would actually suggest this spot for a good martini. I've walked past it many many times but never thought of it as somewhere to actually go inside! I want to come from a "Place of Yes," so I agreed and went to Apple (http://applerestaurant.com/).

Ketel One Dirty Martini

I am SHOCKED to admit I was wrong. The bartenders make incredible martinis for a great price ($10)! This is the spot to go near school. The interior of the spot is completely random and super weird. The bar is shaped like a piano. If you can get beyond the decor, the drink selection and pricing is a bargain. Happy Hour is 4-7pm, half off the entire bar. 

Good job Scott!

Cheers, 

Liz

 

Wanna Pranna?

Best to Drink (Thai Gaves) on First Dates!

As the title of the post indicates, I visited Pranna (http://www.prannarestaurant.com/) this past week on a first date. Although I haven't heard back from my date, I do know that I will visit Pranna again. The venue is spacious and the Happy Hour specials for tapas/drinks are great. Of course I didn't order a drink that was on special because I had my eyes on the Thai Gave. It is a (delicious!) blend of agave nectar, ginger juice, lime juice, fresh pineapple juice and tequila. If you're in Flatiron, check out Pranna! 

Sorry for no pics. I didn't want to hurt my chances of a second date with a spastic photo of my cocktail...guess it didn't matter! Pictures next time.

Cheers

Liz