Pop Your Cork(Buzz)!

A Fashionable Happy Hour

My Fashion Law class concluded a couple of weeks ago and I suggested to our professors that we host an end of semester Happy Hour. This was the first semester that the class was offered to both law students and business students at the same time. Also, there are already countless graduation celebrations - so what is one more?

In researching a place, I wanted to pick somewhere that would be well-lit, not too loud and offer a variety of beverages and nibbles. I also wanted to look for somewhere near campus, as that is a central meeting place for all of us. I ultimately decided to go with Corkbuzz Wine Studio (http://www.corkbuzz.com/), located near Union Square.

Great Ambiance

I ordered the $15 Blind Tasting of White Wine (also offered in Red Wine too). This deal features three 2oz pours of wine but you don't know what varietal of wine it is - hence the Blind Tasting aspect of it. I'm not sure when it is offered - we went on a Monday and I was told it is offered until 6pm. I couldn't tell from the website if it daily or only on certain days - make sure to ask when you go! When you check in on your first visit here (I don't remember if it was Yelp! or Foursquare) you receive a complimentary flute of sparkling wine. Do it!

Blind White Wine Tasting

We ordered some nibbles to share. We got the Crispy Fingerling Potatoes with cilantro, red chile and black garlic aioli. Although the aioli looks like disgusting brownish goo, it is DELICIOUS. Do not be scared of it, embrace it!

Crispy Fingerling Potatoes

We also ordered the chef's selection of cheeses. I believe it included a semi-soft cheese, blue cheese and ricotta. It would have been nice if there was a jam or fruit paste served with it to offer a contrast.

Chef's Selection of Three Cheeses

This location has a great vibe to it and the perfect ambiance for a date, dinner with friends or family gathering. Maybe don't come here to watch the game, but other than that, this is a great location. I'd like to come back here sometime for brunch or dinner.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Stern Dynasty

Celebrating Our Last Assignment with Szechuan!

After we clicked "submit" on our last final, Christine and I celebrated at a favorite restaurant of the Class of 2014 (and smart people everywhere): Han Dynasty (http://www.handynasty.net/). On our walk to the restaurant, we had to take a commemorative photo of the NYU sign that was just put up for graduation festivities!

Freshly Minted Stern MBAs!

NYU Photo? Check! Now, onto a frosty beverage. I ordered a Stella and it arrived in its "chalice" - so corny, but great marketing.

Tea? No thanks. Stella? Yessa!

I don't think you're allowed to come to Han Dynasty without ordering the Dan Dan Noodles.

You must experience these noodles. They should be called Nom Nom Noodles

These noodles are so simple: spicy chili oil, ground pork and noodles. Uncomplicated and delicious!

The last time I came to Han Dynasty, which was my first time, which also happened to be with Christine and Olivia, we ordered the Dry Pot Style Lamb. It is one of the spiciest dishes at the restaurant (10/10), so we ordered it at a 5/10. I think it still numbed my entire mouth, but in a good way!

Spice explosion lamb and Christine's beautiful sweater

I can't wait to come back here again and (maybe...) order something different!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Brazen like a Fox

Unlimited Bloody Marys = Great Idea

Michelle is a great friend, and in many ways, an unofficial leader of Block 3. During my time at Stern, she has made efforts to organize many large events. I realize that organizing the conflicting schedules of students, working professionals and new-parents is no easy task! When she organized brunch last week, I was delighted to attend!

The Brazen Fox (http://brazenfoxnyc.com/) offers a complimentary Mimosa or Bloody Mary with each brunch entrée. Instead of just one, we went with the Unlimited Bloody Mary (and could switch to Mimosas) option. The restaurant needs to work on its site advertising, because I couldn't find details on this to report back on the pricing (we split a large check up). Anyway, it was like $15-$20. Given the amount of time we were there, I felt we all got our money's worth.

Blood Mary 1 of ....?

I thought the Bloody Mary had a good flavor to it - a bit spicy and bold without being overwhelming. Since the drink is fairly salty, I switched out with a Mimosa. This was the right move.

For my entrée, I wanted to get something savory. This is something I struggle with (sweet or savory?) but after the Bloody Marys, my destination was set. The Brazen Burger was calling my name. It has cheddar cheese, house-made aioli, tomato and lettuce. I ordered it medium and it came out at that temp.

The Brazen Burger

While I enjoyed the burger, I found it very greasy. I don't think it was from the cheese and aioli, but rather from the meat used itself. A delicious burger tends to be a higher % fat (maybe 20 % fat vs. 10% you may purchase) - this is what makes it taste so good! I found it a bit excessive though.

Matt ordered Bacon Bowl (yes this is a food item). You get home fries, eggs any style topped with melted Cheddar Cheese in a crispy bacon bowl.

Just when you thought you've seen everything - the Bacon Bowl arrives!

Matt had positive things to say about the order. What is not to like about a bowl of bacon?

Overall, this is a great spot for the unlimited deal. I would probably order something different next time, maybe the Pork Belly Grits or Smoked Duck Hash.

If you watch Million Dollar Listing New York, you will share my excitement for seeing a Ryan Serhant listing! I was walking to my brother's apartment and saw his name. He is such a stud and also has a memorable personality: http://www.bravotv.com/people/ryan-serhant/bio

Only in NYC do you get crushes on Real Estate Agents

Cheers,

Liz

 

Sarge's - It's Back and Better than Ever!

A New York Deli Hits the Spot!

My parents are in town for my graduation from Stern (yay happy times!). They love a classic New York deli that is near my brother's apartment: Sarge's (http://www.sargesdeli.com/). Unfortunately, it was closed due to a fire in 2012. It recently reopened! I was pleased because I had never tried it while it was open and now was my chance!

Before my parents visited, I had ordered Sarge's through Seamless. I got a turkey sandwich and the pasta salad - both were incredible! There is something about eating in the physical restaurant that is much better than Seamless, so I was excited to try it on site!

My dad wasn't the biggest fan of the fries before, so he was curious to try them out. Based on his reaction, I am 100% sure they are much better! Before they were the thick steak-cut fries - these are a much better size ratio. The onion rings were awesome! I hate when you bite into one and the onion separates from the batter; this one stayed in tact! The waffle-cut sweet potato fries were great, but I would have preferred the normal shape.

French Fries

Onion Rings!

Crinkle Cut Sweet Potato Fries

I should also mention, you get a bowl of coleslaw and a bowl of pickles for the table. The serving size of coleslaw seemed appropriate for our group size (4) but the pickles were far too plentiful!

I ordered the turkey sandwich (as did my dad and brother) and my mom got the pastrami. It is KEY to order it lean. You can get it normal (which is somewhat fatty), lean (still tasty and delicious but not as gristly) or super lean (a bit drier but much less fat).

The turkey is REAL turkey, unlike deli meats you may get at a grocery store. The meat is carved from an actual turkey vs. some monstrous reformed blob of meat. It is divine. You must try it.

The pastrami? Where to start??? It is the best pastrami I've ever had. Katz's does not impress me - it is WAY too thick. Also, Carnegie is great but just cannot compare. The waitress gave me a funny look when I asked for mayo and said she "wouldn't tell anyone" - I realize it is a cardinal sin to not have mustard, but, deal with it. I appreciated that she didn't rat me out to the culinary police.

Also, the macaroni salad is AMAZING. It is the perfect combo of tangy with a hint of sweetness. Some are overly sweet or have too much mayo - this was awesome! Normally different shaped pastas in the same dish freak me out, but I actually liked the elbows and larger shells. WIN.

Best Macaroni Salad!

TURKEY!

Pastrami!

You may have noticed that these sandwiches are MASSIVE. I recommend requesting several additional slices of bread (I always get rye), so you can make a couple more sandwiches with the left-overs you will likely take home! You can get 2-3 sandwiches, at least, depending on your preferred meat-to-bread ratio.

Cheers!

Liz

 

Uno..Dos (Caminos)..Tres!

Mexican in Meatpacking!

After our evening at the Dream Hotel, Christine and I headed to Dos Caminos Meatpacking(http://www.doscaminos.com/) for dinner. After several hours of cocktails, we were due for actual food!

At Stern, I served as a Launch Captain (helped with Orientation for new students) and I got a gift card for the family of restaurants that owns Dos Caminos. I keep forgetting to use it, but happened to have it in my wallet. This was the perfect occasion!

Whenever I get to a restaurant, I check Yelp! and Foursquare for check-in deals. You'd be surprised on how many perks you can get just by "checking in"! On Yelp!, I noticed there was "1 free Prickly Pear Shot" with check-in. I had no idea how big it would be, but I assumed it would be a small serving of the frozen Prickly Pear margarita.

Yelp! Free Check-in Drink

I liked that it was served in a Champagne flute - it seemed more elegant. We didn't want to order any more alcoholic beverages, so this was a nice sweet treat. Naturally, we had to get the guacamole. A visit to a Mexican restaurant without it seems like a sad visit!

The STAR!

Salsa Trio

The guac here is great, but not as good as Rosa Mexicano. That place is the BEST. We split two tacos. The Carnitas is slow-roasted pork with green chile salsa and pickled red onion. There was an aggressive amount of onion, so I picked some of it off. We also got the Mar y Tierra, with grilled marinated skirt steak, Tecate battered rock shrimp, Sriracha aioli and BACON (!!!!!) guacamole.

Carnitas!

Mar y Tierra - SURF AND TURF

Rice and Beans!

It should be no surprise that I preferred the steak & shrimp tacos - who doesn't love sriracha mayo AND bacon AND guacamole? YUM!

This is a great restaurant and if the weather is nice, you can sit outside! I love people watching and seeing everyone dressed up  getting ready to go out on the town. Great vibe!

Cheers,

Liz

 

The MBA...was it all a Dream (Downtown)?

Last Chance Beer Blast!

Last week was Senior Week and it was SO much fun! Our final event was Last Chance Beer Blast at the Dream Downtown (http://www.dreamhotels.com/hotels/new-york/new-york/dream-downtown/hotel-overview).

We worked with a company, Host Committee (http://www.hostcommittee.com/), to set up the event. Out of the graduating class, we had several hosts responsible for promoting the party to our community. For $25, each attendee got access to a 1-hour open bar and then could stay afterwards. I decided to be a host and it was a great idea!

Swanky Set-Up!

As a host, I had a designated seating area for people that RSVPed under me. I also got a handwritten note from Host Committee, some small desserts, "props" and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label (not cheap "sparkling wine")! As a host, I had to get 10 people to sign-up for the "Perks" of the table - it was a great way to incentivize me to promote the party and then split the bottle with my guests!

The party got real CRAY

I didn't snap any pictures of it, but as you can imagine, people jumped in the pool! Instead of diving in, I dove into this paper popsicle!

Paper Popsicles have no calories

Christine and I headed out after a couple hours to dinner. Stay tuned for my post! When we were walking to the restaurant, I saw this cute PUG poster. I cannot get enough and wanted to share it with you.

Rasta Pug!

If you're organizing a party, Dream was an awesome spot - especially if the weather is good - and Host Committee worked out really well! They even take professional photos of the event and share them with you!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Celebrating Follies 2014

A Mexican Fiesta at Agave

We had an incredible Follies this year - the Torchy Awards! We wanted to take the cast out to celebrate with a fun dinner. Naturally, I was all over planning this event and picking the restaurant. I chose Agave (http://agaveny.com/) because I love this place. The food, drinks and atmosphere are awesome.

We had a 7pm reservation and I arrived a bit early...so I ordered a mango margarita - my favorite here! Gotta love that happy hour pricing! BOOM!

Happy Hour!

Once we were all assembled, we had to take a group shot! What a beautiful group of funny people - so proud to be a part of this amazing cast!

THE CAST!

Naturally, we had to order the guacamole! It is so yummy here and served in an edible bowl. I love that they refill your chips - it is critical to maintain the right guac to chip ratio.

Oh, hey there - get in my mouth now!

We also got sweet potato fries to split - served with a chipotle mayo. I'm sure you are aware of my love of mayo, so this was so yummy!

I ordered the Enchilada Mariscos, stuffed with Gulf Shrimp, Lump Crab, sautéed cabbage, queso cotija and salsa verde. Yummy. I did have some meal FOMO when I saw what Mike ordered: the Duck Enchiladas! I sampled a piece and it was soooooo good. NEXT TIME!

Enchilada Mariscos

We ordered several pitchers of frozen margs - awesome call. We also got three desserts to share. My favorite was the molten chocolate cake! The banana thing was ok, but honestly, I'm not a huge banana person (unless it is the cupcakes at Sugar Sweet Sunshine!). The tres leches was good too, but nothing to write home about.

Banana Dessert

Molten Chocolate Cake - WINNER WINNER!

Tres Leches

You know I love Agave. If you trust my taste, do yourself a favor and visit! Come early for happy hour at the bar, then get seated for dinner.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Out of the Fire and Into the Frying Pan!

School's Out - Party Time

I often feel like a bad New Yorker...especially when I haven't visited certain drinking institutions, such as The Frying Pan (http://fryingpan.com/site/). It is an historic floating lighthouse docked at Pier 66.

It is easy to figure out when you've arrived!

As part of our Senior Week activities, we had a happy hour here. Although it was a bit chilly, the weather cooperated and there was no rain - whew!

We had a tab, so I'm not sure the exact cost, but we got several pitchers of white sangria (maybe $35 each?). It is topped with seasonal fruit - this time peaches and mangoes. SO GOOD. This is some dangerous liquid - it creeps up on you!

This counts as a serving of fruit, right?

We passed the time playing a fun game - Bananagrams! It got super heated - when you have a bunch of drinking MBAs, what could you expect? I had so much fun - woot!

Beth is READY to play!

This is a great spot - it definitely has the potential to be super fratty, so you're warned.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Ladies who Lunch

Bottino for Delicious Italian

One of my block 3 mates, Lilian, thought of organizing a lunch for some of us during Senior Week. She had the great idea and I contributed by thinking of a place to eat on the West Side (we were going to the Frying Pan after). I ended up on Bottino (http://www.bottinonyc.com/). Check out the open-but-enclosed seating area. We had a lovely corner table.

You can enjoy the outdoors without being outdoors!

I was intrigued by a cocktail on the menu, so I absolutely had to order it! The Grey Gardens Martini is made with Organic Black Tea and Grey Goose, St. Germain, Preserved Lemon Syrup and Honey.

Grey Gardens Martini

This was a fantastic cocktail! If you come, you MUST get it!

There were so many options on the menu, I struggled with what to order. Luckily, Jillian and I were interested in the same two entrees, so we split them. Problem solved!

Lasagna al Forno with Homemade Pasta, Bolognese and Bechamel 

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Boar Sausage

Each dish was very different and I'm glad we split them. Initially, I was a bit scared of the boar sausage but it was delicious! The lasagna was also so great - much heavier than the pasta but very tasty. Lilian also got the Orecchiette. Kate got the Sautéed Shrimp with Lentils and Garlic, White Wine and Herbs.

Shrimp!

After we finished our meal, we ordered a coffee and got dessert. Jillian and I got the Warm Tuscan Bread Pudding, Kate got the Pecan Tart and Lilian got something with Biscotti...I believe Affogato.

Cappuccino

Bread Pudding

Pecan Tart

Affogato

Usually I LOVE bread pudding, but this one was a bit too custardy. The custard was very eggy and almost looked scrambled, so it was a bit of a bummer. I'd recommend getting a different dessert if you go!

Cheers,

Liz

 

U(nami Burger) talking to me?

Finally Visited this Burger Mecca!

Last Monday, after Melissa finished up Brand Strategy, we met up for a late night dinner. We had been meaning to check out Unami Burger (http://www.umami.com/umami-burger/eats/umami-greenwich-village/) and this was the perfect occasion!

PREACH (also, is it just me or do those buns look like lips?)

It is a short distance from campus, so we just walked there. Since it was past the dinner rush (9:30pm), we were seated right away. This place understands how scrumptious truffles are and there is an entire section ("Truffle'd") devoted to three burgers featuring this precious ingredient. I wasn't sure what to order - so much pressure to get the right thing! - but I ended up with the Truffle Burger. It is a beef burger with roasted garlic aioli, truffle cheese and truffle glaze. Melissa got the same thing - great minds! 

Truffle Burger

We ordered the sweet potato fries and thin fries. We decided to "Unamify the fries"  by "Truffle 'em" with truffle cheese and truffle salt.  

Sweet Potato and Potato = Best Friends

You may be able to see that the sweet potato fries have what looks like brown sugar on them. I completely missed on the menu that they have a "sweet salt" on them. I love sweet potato fries but I don't like sweet toppings on them. Our server was kind enough to bring us a replacement without the topping, even though it was my fault. Great service! Unami gives four dipping sauces.

Garlic Aioli, Hot Sauce (eek), Jalapeno Ranch, House Ketchup (a bit sweet than Heinz)

If you know of my love of mayo and garlic, the Garlic Aioli was naturally my favorite. After we consumed all the truffles we could handle for the evening, we were DONE - no more food - nada! I am always curious to see the dessert menu, so our server brought it over.

How cute?

The sea salt caramel shake sounded delish, but I had to pass. Maybe next time! Also, I think in the future I will just order one item with truffle, it was a bit too rich, which is saying something coming from me, ha!

This is a solid burger spot! It also features special burgers regularly from famous chefs, so make sure to visit the website to see that the special is!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Went to Newport, obviously there was Lobster

Corner Café Delivers for Brunch!

Last weekend, I had a fantastic weekend in Newport, RI with about half of my MBA class. The weather cooperated and many lobsters sacrificed themselves to a higher purpose. Christine and I were SUPER pumped in our bibs waiting for the lobster!

NOM NOM NOM

Once the lobster arrived, I couldn't help myself from taking a photo with my yummy buddy.

We had a moment....then I broke his neck. Oops

I am an empathetic person, so I put myself in the lobster's shoes...

You must appreciate a good pun - it cracks me up too!

We had some time the day before we left, so Christine and I researched the BEST spot. We found the Corner Café (http://www.cornercafenewport.com/) and we were not disappointed!

I don't know about you, but I always struggle with brunch. To go sweet or savory? Luckily, I had a kick ass brunch buddy (Christine!) and she struggles with this too!! We decided to order one of each and go halfsies!

For savory, we ordered the Cowboy Scrambler. It was eggs scrambled with ham, BACON!!!, jalapeno peppers, onions and pepperjack cheese. It was going to be served on top of sourdough bread, but we didn't want soggy bread, so we got that on the side (solid move). It was topped with sour cream and salsa. So good!

GET IN MY BELLY!

The potatoes were awesome as well and were a nice complement to the scrambler.

For sweet, we got the Wootens Sweetbread French Toast, served with homemade maple pecan butter! I prefer hot syrup (so it melts the butter and doesn't make the entrée cold) and they were happy to heat it up - love the service!

The powdered sugar adds extra drama

I loved the different flavors from both of our orders - it would have been too much to just have all the French Toast, so the eggs were a great contrast! I also loved the bottomless coffee - it was always kept full. Great service!

If you're in Newport, you must check this spot out!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Dinner in the Garden

La Lanterna di Vittorio Offers Excellent Italian in Greenwich Village

I love spending time with Aish - we met in a class we had together last semester with our mutual friend Michelle.

Michelle, Aish and me!

We all caught up briefly at beer blast (the weekly happy hour Stern hosts in the building basement) and then Aish & I headed to dinner. I am currently reading a great book (Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan) and two of the main characters are professors at NYU! In the book, they were set up by a mutual friend and had their first date at La Lanterna di Vittorio (http://lalanternacaffe.com/), an Italian restaurant with an enclosed garden right near campus.

I am a huge fan of reading (especially guilty pleasure books such as this one) and even a bigger fan of exploring new restaurants - I knew I had to check this spot out! We each ordered a glass of red wine: the Carmenere Cab. It was delicious and under $10.

Let there be wine and no whine

We decided to split two items: pizza and lasagna. Since Aish is a vegetarian, we stuck to items both of us could enjoy and ethically enjoy :)

For our pizza, we ordered the Pizza con Cipolla e Caprino (topped with goat cheese, caramelized onions, walnuts and extra virgin olive oil).

Nom-a-thon!

Do not be deceived - those slices that LOOK like sausage are caramelized onion! The pizza was super delicious EVEN without meat! It was thin-crust and made to order. I'm glad we split it so we could try two different items.

The other entrée we split was the Lasagna Quattro Formaggi with Black Truffle Paste! NOM! It was like a cheese explosion accented with truffle yumminess

See that truffle goodness? Are you drooling yet?

The lasagna was delicious! I took a bite and burned my mouth off - so be cautioned food is served HOT here. Also, I didn't realize this had no tomato in it so when compared to the pizza dish, there wasn't much contrast (cheese vs. more cheese). Next time, I would order the pesto one or meat sauce (damn vegetarians! hehe).

The garden were we sat is beautiful - the rest of the dining space seems a bit dark/cramped, so the outside area is wonderful.

Enclosed Garden with HUGE lamps

I highly recommend this spot: the prices are right (most pizzas are $12-$14 depending on toppings) and the ambiance is awesome.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Pera for a Surprise Lunch!

Spring has Finally Sprung!

One of my closest friends at Stern (Liv) recently got engaged and a small group of us wanted to throw her a surprise engagement lunch. Another friend of mine, Beth, organized the event and made a reservation for the group at Pera SoHo (http://soho.peranyc.com/)

Since it was Cinco de Mayo, I chose to order an Apricot margarita with my lunch.

Apricot Margarita

I LOVED this drink. It was far too easy to enjoy and, given the amount of work I had to do during the rest of the day, I only had one.

While we waited for our food, we were given a basket of warm, seeded rolls served with an herb butter and oil - really tasty! After looking at the menu, I decided to order the Pera Steak Burger with Kasseri Cheese.

Da Burger!

This was DELICIOUS! I asked for it to be medium and it was perfectly so - juicy and flavorful. The hand-cut fries were also awesome - I loved the addition of oregano.

We sat outside since the weather was beautiful. It started to get VERY hot and I appreciated the attentiveness of the staff in propping up some of the umbrellas to provide shade.

I think I will come back here for Happy Hour (http://soho.peranyc.com/happy-hour/) the menu features tapas (choice of 2 for $6) and wines, draft beers and cocktails for $6 each.

Check this place out, especially if the weather is good to take advantage of the ample outdoor seating!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Cupcakes Bring the (Sugar Sweet) Sunshine Out!

My Favorite Cupcakes in the City!

Who knew I would discover my new favorite cupcake while attending a Strategy Speaker session on a Friday? My professor ordered cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery (http://www.sugarsweetsunshine.com/) and I was in HEAVEN!

I chose a yellow cupcake that looked adorable without knowing the flavor. Little did I know that I would be discovering my new favorite flavor: Holla Back Girl! It is a banana cake with cream cheese frosting. I am super super weird about banana. I generally do not like it on its own, but I love it in baked goods, especially banana bread. This cupcake captured everything I love about banana bread and slapped delicious frosting on it!

For the last day of classes for the undegrad course I assist with, I asked the professor if I could order cupcakes. Once she gave me the OK, I ordered 84 cupcakes of a variety of flavors. People tended to love the Black & White...Just Right (chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream), Strawberry (strawberry cake with cream cheese icing) and the Holla Back Girl! Without question, the Sunshine (yellow cake with vanilla buttercream) are amazing and a crowd pleaser.

Beautiful colors!

What I love about this bakery, in addition to its awesome cupcakes, is that it offers delivery. If you have a sizeable order, the $16.95 delivery fee (may change depending on distance from the bakery) isn't that much of a drain and it saves you the time of heading over there and lugging them, especially if you ordered 7 dozen!

Also, most bakeries in NYC have cupcakes that are nearly $3 if not more! This bakery has cupcakes that are *only* $2! I know that sounds ridiculous if you don't live in NYC, but this is a relative bargain, especially given the quality.

When I'm in the neighborhood, I look forward to stopping into the physical location to sample some desserts beyond just the cupcakes :)

Cheers,

Liz

 

Taking the 1 Train to Ramen

Harlem has some DAMN GOOD Ramen!

Last Sunday, I headed to Jin Ramen (http://www.jinramen.com/menu with Lilian and Megan. It was a bit of a trek (took about 30 minutes door to door) but certainly worth it! We saw Jin on a "10 Best Ramen in New York" list and knew we had to check it out! http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/nyc/16860/10_Best_Ramens_in_New_York.htm

As an appetizer, we ordered the steamed pork buns, stuffed with chashu pork, iceberg lettuce and spicy mayo!

Look at that pork goodness!

The pork buns were absolutely delicious and not too fatty; this may have been a function of the slices of pork we got though. I love the buns at Ippudo and Totto slightly more. I'd be happy to eat any of these at this moment though :)

For my Ramen, I ordered the type that was praised on the list: the Spicy Tonkotsu (pork bone) Ramen. According to the site, "Tonkotsu ramen is the richest and most complex of our ramen broths, and has its roots in Fukuoka. The creamy white soup comes from boiling pork bones, over high heat for hours on end, releasing the rich, hearty flavors of the marrow into the broth." Can you say YUM? The spicy version is blended with the house special spicy mayu sauce (spicy soybean and roasted garlic paste) & rayu (spicy sesame oil). I wasn't sure how spicy it would be, so I ordered the spicy part on the side and mixed it on my own.

Just the Tonkotsu

Magical spicy sauce!

Happy together :)

I ended up dumping all of the spicy sauce into it. This was absolutely heavenly! I loved the soup spoon it was served with as well - it made it easier to deal with the noodles. Also, I added corn (get more veggies) and added more chashu, because I love that pork goodness!

Although this place is located in a neighborhood I'm not that familiar with (Harlem), it has motivated me to come up here and explore more! The train ride is fairly simple (Jin is RIGHT under the 1 train stop!) and the food is fairly incredible.

Cheers,

Liz 

 

Who Doesn't Love a Lunch Special?

Agave FOR THE WIN!

Last Friday, Melissa and I met up for lunch at Agave (http://agaveny.com/). The weather was turning around and Melissa researched places near campus that had outdoor seating and lunch specials. I had no idea that Agave offered a Two-Course Pre-Fix Lunch for $14.95! It is served with a fruit-infused margarita "tasting" (image below). We got a pomegranate and mango one. Clearly, this is a smart ploy to get you to order a full-sized one. I already know how good they are, so I was planning to order one anyway.

Margarita "Tasting"

I didn't snap a picture of it, but for my first course we both ordered the Mother Road Roadhouse Chili. I'm not typically a huge fan of chili, but this was absolutely DELICIOUS! It is a blend of braised beef & pork cooked in Dos XX and Chile. It is served with soft tortillas for dipping. Yum yum yum! The other first course option was a salad. We clearly made the best choice.

For the entrée, there were four choices. I got the chicken wrap, served with mango chutney and sweet potato fries.

Chicken wrap - SO GOOD!

My mouth is watering looking at that photo. The wrap was utterly fantastic. The fries were great too and served with a delicious chipotle mayo. I cannot rave about this enough!

Melissa ordered the steak wrap, which was served with regular fries.

Oddly cut steak wrap...is this sushi?

Poor Melissa really struggled with eating her wrap. I have no idea why they thought it would be a good idea to cut it up like a sushi roll. All the filling kept falling out! I felt the chicken wrap was much tastier.

When we were wrapping up lunch, we rolled right into happy hour ($6 margs down from $10). You can add the fruit flavor for $1 extra...so worth it! We both got mango!

Frozen Mango Margarita

I love Agave so much! The happy hour, lunch special and brunch special ($27.95 for two-hours of bottomless mimosas, wine or frozen/shaken margaritas) are hard to beat! You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't check it out.

Cheers,

Liz

 

The Meatball Shop!

Late Night Eats

After drinks at Whitehall, some of us continued the celebrating and headed to The Meatball Shop (http://themeatballshop.com/locations/#64-greenwich) for dinner. I LOVE THIS PLACE! Especially for late night dining.

My favorite "balls" are the spicy pork! I ordered them as the "Naked Balls" with the spicy meat sauce and a side of Parmesan cream sauce. I feel that the combo of the meat and cream sauce is the ultimate! I chose to get them served over rigatoni.

Spicy Balls with spicy meat sauce and Parmesan cream

This is an awesome spot with great priced food, awesome drinks and incredible special features each day. There are multiple locations in the city, so there is likely a place close to you regardless of location!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Birthday Drinks for a New Friend!

Whitehall: A Cramped Space with Great Cocktails

Last Thursday, a new friend, Erin, was celebrating her birthday with cocktails at Whitehall (http://whitehall-nyc.com/). I love love love Erin and her boyfriend JBJ! Also, some other new friends, Frank and Sophia attended. So fun catching up with them!

I've gone to this spot before with Aish on a West Village cocktail crawl several months ago. As I noticed the first time, the bar area is VERY cramped. This is mostly because there are tables for patrons to eat at immediately behind the bar. While I understand restaurants in NYC are trying to maximize profits with more tables, it is incredibly annoying to pay for a cocktail and be nearly in someone's lap as they eat dinner. Granted, this is likely as annoying, if not more, for the people attempting to eat!

For my first cocktail, I ordered the No. 11, this cocktail is made with house infused vanilla bean bourbon, lemon and mint. It is served in a mason jar and super yummy!

The No.11

For my second drink, I ordered a gin (Tanqueray) and tonic. This isn't the sexiest looking cocktail, so I didn't snap a photo.

For my third and final cocktail, I ordered a Bulleit Manhattan. I love when this cocktail is served in a couple glass - so classy!

Bulleit Manhattan - don't you just love the brandied cherry? Swank city!

We were starving while we were there for a couple hours, so we ordered a couple baskets of French fries. They were tasty! It was odd that they were served with BBQ sauce and not ketchup, so I asked for mayo for dipping. Because, when the food is already fried, you clearly need to dip it in mayo. NOM NOM!

I recommend checking this place out for a drink, but be warned if you go during a generally popular time (right after work or the weekend evenings) you will be cramped!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Ippudo

Lunch for One

You know when you REALLY REALLY crave a certain food but no one wants to go with you to get it? Well, I felt that feeling last week about ramen, specifically Ippudo (http://www.ippudony.com/). I had only gone there one time and it was during a snowstorm, so the wait wasn't bad. Typically, this place is notorious for epic wait times (1-3 hours), so I went right when it opened at 11am to beat the rush. This was a good call. You may think it is too early for ramen, but honestly, it is ALWAYS time for ramen.

I decided to order the classic Akamaru Modern with Nitamago (seasoned soft boiled egg). The broth, which is pork based and called "Tonkotsu", is absolutely fantastic. Look at this beauty below!

Akamaru Modern with Nitamago (seasoned soft boiled egg)

The first time I came to Ippudo, I thought it was the best ramen I ever had. Since this experience, I went to Totto Ramen and it has been my new high bar. Given this comparison, Ippudo is no longer my favorite. While the ramen is still fantastic, I don't prefer the noodles or spicy paste as much.

My main take-away from this visit was to go to Ippudo at weird times and that I LOVE Totto!

Cheers,

Liz

 

The Sushi Keeps Coming at Kumo!

All You Can Eat Sushi!

Last week, my block (yay Block 3) at Stern got together to share food, drinks and fun. Last year, we had a really great time at Kumo Sushi in the West Village (http://www.yelp.com/biz/kumo-sushi-new-york-2) so we went back there!

Block 3!

The all-you-can-eat deal is either ~$25 for just the food or ~$35 for food AND sake/beer. Be forewarned that although the sushi is good (it isn't Nobu quality but you also won't get sick) the beer and sake sort of suck. Also, the sake is served in a massive pitcher, so if you don't pay attention, you MAY think it is water and chug it. Again, that may be part of your strategy, so you do you.

Just 1 of the Many Plates!

Some of my favorite things to order include: the miso soup, avocado salad, spicy girl roll and sexy roll. This place is a such a deal - I've gone here 3x and haven't gotten sick. Also, the sushi tastes very fresh, which is almost surprising giving the low price point; must be a volume play!

I recommend checking this place out if you're down going somewhere that can get noisy/rowdy, especially on the weekend. This is directly correlated to the unlimited alcohol!

Cheers,

Liz