Come for the Meatballs, Stay for the Pizza

Only two years ago, Michael Chernow and Daniel Holzman revolutionized the restaurant scene and opened The Meatball Shop in NYC's Lower East Side. Serving a variety of meatballs and sauces, The Meatball Shop has been wildly successful, and for good reason. Those meatballs are DIVINE. The atmosphere is bustling and fun, especially at 3am, as the small restaurant is a favorite amongst those who have been out on the town all night (myself included.)

Due to my intense love of the Meatball Shop, I was slightly skeptical when The Meatball Factory opened in the East Village last October. I was worried that the "meatball thing" was getting a little too trendy and that this new Factory would try to be just like the Shop.

Always willing to be proven wrong, I accepted an invitation from a fellow food blogger to try out The Meatball Factory a few weeks ago. I mostly wanted to see if their meatballs could hold a candle to Chernow & Holzman's, so I grabbed Patrick and off we went to The Meatball Factory on a rainy New York City night.

The restaurant wasn't very busy when we arrived but I instantly liked how warm and cozy it was inside. Dark wood and dim lighting set the mood for our meal, and then the food started to arrive to the table. First, the restaurant's namesake.
 
We had the Turducken Meatballs (house blend of Shady Farms turkey, Bell & Evans chicken, Hudson Valley Farms duck confit, sage & allspice) with Dragon's Lair Sauce (green curry peanut sauce with red bell pepper and thai basil)

 

and Hog Wild Meatballs (raised heritage pork shoulder, ground heritage pork shoulder, Nueske’s cherrywood bacon fat, mascarpone and a dash of red chili paste) with Pepper Monkey Sauce (Dave’s roasted poblano bbq sauce- a smokey & tangy blend of roasted chiles & tomatoes, cider vinegar, & molasses.) 

I LOVED the Turducken Meatballs. They were tender and delicious and the Dragon's Lair Sauce was one of the best sauces I have ever tasted on anything. I had to restrain myself from picking up the bowl and drinking it, it was that good. On the other hand, I wasn't crazy about the Hog Wild Meatballs. I found the consistency to be a little bit chewy and too dense. The BBQ sauce was okay, but nothing special. Needless to say, I focused most of my attention on the bowl of Turducken balls. YUM!

I did try to save some room for the rest of the food we had coming, the Shrooming Pizza with Roasted wild mushrooms, baby arugula & truffle time cream sauce and the Roasted Brussels Sprouts with maple syrup and red chili sauce.

The pizza was even better than the meatballs. I loved how thin the crust was and the mushrooms were earthy and perfectly cooked. The pizza was gone faster than it had come out, and we moved onto the Brussels Sprouts.

While Brussels Sprouts are my favorite vegetable, I tend to like them a little bit on the lighter side with just a touch of salt, pepper and olive oil. These were very tasty, but the maple syrup weighed them down and made them a bit too sugary. Don't get me wrong, we finished every last one, but I would have liked them better with less on them.

Even though this meal had us incredibly full, we knew we still had dessert coming, the Hot Tin Roof Sundae (Daves malted hot fudge & sea salt caramel along with candied nutmeg walnuts over marshmellow gelato.) I know I mention this in almost every post, but dessert just isn't my thing. This one wasn't much different, but it was still pretty tasty. The walnuts added a good amount of salt to the dessert, which I like, and mixed with the caramel I almost enjoyed it, but I left most of the dessert-eating to my sweets-loving boyfriend. But not before I had him snap a photo of me with a rare dessert that I actually liked!

Overall, I really enjoyed our meal at The Meatball Factory. I was glad we gave it a chance and was even pleasantly surprised that short of the name, The Meatball Factory is not trying to be The Meatball Shop. The Shop's meatballs are more of the rustic Italian variety and while the Meatball Factory is definitely riding on more of the trendy meatball wave, some of the food is good enough to sustain it. Some dishes were certainly better than others, but Patrick and I both liked the food we had and would go back again for more. Especially that Dragon's Lair Sauce!

How do you feel about the meatball trend? Shop or Factory? I'm still very strongly in the Shop camp if I had to choose, but it's best not to compare them, as they are two very different restaurants.

Let's Eat!

-The Fabulous Foodie

Classic Ukrainian Fare at Veselka

The East Village is home to a whole lot of amazing food. When I lived in the neighborhood from 2008-2009, I was lucky enough to live on one of the most amazing food streets in NYC, East 7th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. Without a doubt, Veselka Ukrainian restaurant is a New York City institution. Not only is it open 24 hours, 7 days a week, but it serves up some of the best grub this city has to offer.

(photo courtesy of yonyc.net)

Once I heard the restaurant had celebrated its 55-year anniversary, I knew it truly had to be something special. In a city where nothing is permanent and restaurants come and go on a daily basis, 55 years is like 10 lifetimes in the restaurant world. I have a feeling there's good reason for this.

A few Fridays ago, Patrick and I were hungry and wandering around the East Village looking for some grub. We had put down a few beers at Schillers and we were both craving some good comfort food. We were lucky to get a table for two outside on the sidewalk and opened the giant menu to make our selections.

While neither of us had ever had borscht before, we were intrigued by the bright pink liquid being served around us. Since it was warm out that night, we ordered the Cold Borscht and I have to say, it was such a hot shade of pink when it came to the table that I was almost afraid to try it.But I'm so glad I did! It was actually very tasty. The broth was rich and bright with the the flavor of beets, but was not overpowering at all. The egg was a delicious addition to the soup. I could have done without all the onions floating in the broth, but I really enjoyed the borscht and was happy to try it.

Next we ordered a plate of pierogi, which are Ukrainian dumplings. We got 7 of them, boiled, with a variety of fillings: 2 cheese (for me), 2 arugula & goat cheese (to split), 2 meat (for Pat) and 1 sweet potato (for me).They were all really good, but the sweet potato was definitely my favorite. The plate came with apple sauce and sour cream, and I immediately wished we had ordered 7 more.

Finally, I ordered myself a potato pancake. Patrick ordered Goulash which is veal braised in a creamy herb sauce with mashed potatoes. I was way too full for something that heavy, but the potato pancake was perfect for me. I've eaten a lot of potato pancakes in my day, and I have to say, this was the best one I've ever had.It was crispy and flaky and there wasn't one drop of grease to be found. The flavor was incredible and the texture was perfect. This also came with apple sauce and sour cream and once I finished the delightful dish, I was incredibly full.

A friend told me Veselka allegedly has some of the city's most delicious pancakes, so I definitely plan to return for either brunch or 4am pancakes sometime soon.

What's your favorite classic restaurant, whether in NYC or somewhere else?

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

A Great Tasting Menu at Mas (Farmhouse)

Oh how I've missed you all! Please accept my deepest apologies for how long it's been since my last post. Life has been a little hectic lately as I recently got a new job. I am now the Manager of Community Management for two major food industry brands at a large advertising agency in New York. This is truly my dream job, and I feel so lucky to have gotten it. I'm working with wonderful people, and I'm working with what I love: food and social media. Thanks to my friends, my family and my amazing boyfriend for all the love and support.

Now, on to the important stuff. I recently decided I wanted to take Patrick out for a special meal to thank him for the aforementioned love and support, especially during these last few months as my professional life got a bit overwhelming. I told him he could pick anywhere in NYC, and while we entertained thoughts of the tasting menu at WD-50, incredible fish at Le Bernardin, he finally decided on the West Village's Mas (Farmhouse).This was a restaurant we used to pass daily as we walked into our old job in Soho, and somewhere we have both always wanted to try. We waited until a holiday weekend in New York, knowing the city would be very quiet (just the way we like it) and ventured down to the Village for our meal.

From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, I knew this was going to be an experience like nothing we'd ever had before. We were shown to a cozy table for two in the busy but not overly crowded restaurant, and settled in for our food adventure. We noticed the menu mentioned a 6-Course Tasting Menu, but we couldn't find the actual menu for that anywhere. We asked our waiter, and he explained how it works.

You tell him your food likes and your dislikes, things you want to try and things you want to avoid, and the chef creates a custom tasting menu based on your preferences and based on whatever is fresh that day. True "farm to table," this was a concept that was just too good for us to pass up. I told the waiter that I liked almost everything, just nothing too spicy and nothing with too much butter. Pat noted that he did like spicy and would pretty much eat anything. And with that instruction, our meal was underway. It's no secret that I like to take pictures of my food, but this place, and this night and this vibe, it just didn't seem right. I decided to put the camera away for the night and just take everything in. Hopefully, I will be able to describe the food to help you envision it, but apologies for the lack of photos.

We had some very yummy cocktails while we waited in anticipation for what was to come. I had a vodka grapefruit concoction while Pat opted for his usual Manhattan. The first dish that came out was fresh shrimp with several fresh vegetables, and it was quite delicious. I know I just said fresh twice, but that doesn't even begin to describe it. It was as if the shrimp had just been plucked from the sea and the vegetables picked from a garden outside. This was a great start to our meal. Also, each dish was brought out by two people who placed the plates on the table, in front of each of us, in perfect unison, and then plucked the empty plates from us as soon as they were empty. A nice touch.

The next course needs not only its own paragraph, but its own blog! It doesn't sound spectacular, but oh boy, was it ever. The two waiters placed small bowls of green liquid in front of us and we truly had no idea what we were in for. Asparagus soup with shaved white truffles, poached scallops, sweet corn and trumpet mushrooms. One bite of this soup and Patrick and I looked up at each other in a moment of pure food bliss. The broth was a little sweet, incredibly fresh, full of intensely amazing flavor and the epitome of absolute perfection in a bowl. There is no way for me to emphasize this enough, it was simply the most divine thing I have ever tasted. The scallops were buttery and tender, the corn was sweet and the truffles and trumpet mushrooms added an earthiness to the soup that knocked it out of the park. I literally picked up my bowl for the last sip and almost licked it clean. Then I remembered my manners and didn't, but I REALLY wanted to!

When the waiters surrounded our table to lift the plates away, it was like saying good-bye to an old friend. I knew that I had to have that soup again and that any dish that came after would pale in comparison. At this point our waiter seemed to have realized that he forgot something pretty big and asked us if we'd be interested in a wine pairing with the rest of our courses. We were interested, but a little annoyed that he was only asking us now after we were two dishes in. At this time, new plates were placed in front of us and we prepared ourselves for the next dish. A simple piece of Halibut sat in the center of the plate and we were served two glasses of red wine. I was surprised that the wine was red to pair with fish, but it was actually perfect. Light, slightly chilled and crisp, it paired very well with the dish. Halibut is one of my favorite fishes for its sheer simplicity, so I was pretty excited. And for good reason. The fish was light, flaky, buttery and fresh. It was unspoiled by any heavy sauces or seasonings and was just very simple and delicious. The piece of fish wasn't very large, but was just enough to be a satisfying seafood course. Again our plates were whisked away, and we were ready for the next course.

Roasted chicken with crispy skin was again paired with a delicious red wine. The chicken was moist and full of flavor, the skin was perfectly crispy and salted just to my liking. The wine was smooth and paired beautifully. We thoroughly enjoyed this course but we were both hoping for a heartier meat to finish off the pre-dessert courses. And speaking of dessert, I actually asked the waiter if my final course could be something savory, like a cheese course, and he told me it wouldn't be an issue. The next plates were brought out, and we were both very excited to see that the final dinner course was a crispy pork belly. Patrick and I both love pork belly and this dish certainly didn't disappoint. Properly fatty, tender, savory and yummy, our plates were empty almost immediately. A third glass of red wine, this time a bolder, richer wine, was paired with the pork and was really able to stand up to the flavor of the meat.

As we waited for our dessert course and finished our final glasses of red, we began to look back on the meal and discuss how much we both enjoyed it. We really couldn't get over how incredible the asparagus soup with scallops had been and we discussed how we'd go about describing it to friends before deciding we'd never be able to do it justice. Even now, as you're reading this, you won't be able to fully appreciate this soup unless you go to Mas yourself and try it. It's just that good!

Unfortunately a piece of cake was placed in front of me, and I was disappointed that the waiter had messed up my final course at such a nice restaurant. I didn't want to complain, so I ate some of it (confirming how little I really like cake) and the waiter stopped by the table to check on us. He looked at my plate and realized his oversight. Now don't get me wrong, I'm okay with mistakes as long as they're handled properly. This was not. To make up for accidentally bringing me out a sweet dish when I told him I favored savory to sweet, he poured us a complimentary glass of sweet dessert wine. It was really surprising to me that he thought this was an acceptable make-good, but our meal had been so incredibly good that I let it slide.

I paid the bill and we were back out into the New York City night with our stomachs full of incredible food. For a wonderful tasting menu experience, I highly recommend Mas (Farmhouse) and hopefully they will work out the small service glitches to make it a truly perfect experience.

Do you enjoy tasting menus or do you prefer larger portions of less dishes during a meal? There are a lot of tasting menus I still want to try, but I'm so happy we tried Mas.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Delicious Food, Quirky Service at Craftbar

Let’s be completely honest here for a second: Sundays stink. Not only are they the end of the weekend and the gateway to the most awful day of the week, but usually I’m tired from going out Saturday night (my own fault, I realize) and bummed out that I have another 5 days of work until my next weekend. Due to these facts, Patrick and I decided that we would no longer dread Sundays, but instead we would start a tradition of Sunday Night Dinners where we’d have an awesome dinner to look forward to on Sunday nights.

Last weekend we decided to kick off this new tradition with a dinner at Tom Colicchio’s CraftBar. (PHOTO CREDIT: Blonde in the Kitchen)

It’s no secret that I’m a big time Colicchio fan, and I’ve been wanting to try this more casual version of Craft, the restaurant that Patrick took me to for my 26th birthday dinner. We made a reservation and walked downtown in the warm Sunday summer air.

When we walked into the restaurant, it was almost completely empty. This sometimes turns me off, but on a random Sunday night at 6pm in the summer I expect many restaurants to be empty. We were shown to our table and our waiter came over almost immediately. This is where things got really interesting. Our waiter was nothing short of hilarious. With an incredibly dry sense of humor and a strong opinion on what we should eat and drink, he provided constant entertainment throughout the entire meal. For diners as open-minded as us, he hit the jackpot. I could imagine anyone with less of a sense of humor or pickier eating habits being completely turned off by his personality, but not us. We were delighted.

When I told him I wanted a white similar to Sauvignon Blanc but something new, he recommended the Pinot Blanc instead. It was dry, crisp, cold and mild—exactly how I prefer my white wine. It was also several dollars cheaper per glass than the Sauv Blanc, so I gave him silent points for not recommending something pricier. When we told him we were ready to order, he let us know that he’d be right back to tell us about what else they were offering, exclaiming that he was certain we’d need to hear these menu additions. And again, he was right.

The entrée special for the evening was Berkshire pork for two. Our favorite! He described that the pork was prepared three ways, and while I again can’t recall everything he said, all I really remember are the use of phrases like “succulent,” “fall off the bone” and “you won’t be sorry.” We ordered this dish immediately for dinner. Our hilarious waiter assured me that I would be so happy with the pork dish that I’d have to resist the urge to hug him, but that he’d settle for an enthusiastic high-five.

Patrick and I decided to start the meal off by sharing the Fried Pacific Oysters with Pickled Cucumber and Old Bay Aïoli. Ever since the fried oysters we had at Beauty & Essex, I’ve been craving them. This version definitely didn’t disappoint.Enormous, flavorful oysters were lightly dusted with a crispy coating that had a really great spice to it. There were four oysters in the order, and even half the order was plenty for me given the size of the mollusks.

The next thing we shared was the Duck Rillette Bruschetta with Fried Duck Egg, Mizuna and Orange Aïoli.This dish consisted of some very tender duck meat (Rillettes is a preparation of meat similar to pate. The meat is cubed or chopped, salted heavily and cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded, and then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste. Thanks Wikipedia!) While the meat on this dish was a bit salty, I didn’t find it to be too overwhelming and I actually quite enjoyed it. The fried duck egg introduced a nice texture to the dish but I found the aioli to be rather unremarkable. Overall, though, I definitely enjoyed the it.

As the courses came out of the kitchen and our waiter made frequent visits to our table, he continued to strike up witty banter with us. While the restaurant was empty when we got there and he admitted he was excited we were there so he’d have someone to talk to, people did begin to pour into the restaurant and soon it was quite busy. Regardless of the other patrons, our waiter supplied superb service all night. I noticed that he saw our water glasses were near empty from afar, and I saw him subtly nod to a support person who immediately ran to our table with a pitcher of water. We truly enjoyed his style.

Finally, the pork dish came out. It was a gigantic skillet that was filled to the brim with green vegetables and pork galore.There were pork cheeks braised in red wine and a hearty helping of pork trotters (pig’s feet) that were lightly fried. I can’t recall the third preparation but I remember the meat being tender and very yummy. To top the whole thing off, there were several pork rinds in there because, well, why not?! We really enjoyed the pork for two, even with the $70+ price tag, but since the dish was plenty of food for the two of us the price wasn’t too crazy. In the end, I did high-five the waiter.

We ordered coffees but skipped dessert, as per usual, and left Craftbar with a very positive feeling about the experience. Our waiter, although very unusual, was knowledgeable, friendly and quite funny. I hope he uses good judgment when laying his charm on patrons and holds back his over-the-top sense of humor if he can tell it won’t be well-received. Patrick and I were very entertained.

What are your thoughts on quirky service? Would you prefer a waitperson remain strictly professional at all times? Or are you okay with a little comedy show to accompany your meal? Let me know, I’d love to hear what you think

Let’s Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Girls Night at The Hurricane Club

As far as NYC restaurants go, bigger isn’t necessarily always better. Some of my favorite spots are tiny, like Tre in the Lower East Side and Frank in the East Village. But sometimes, a gigantic restaurant captures my heart (and my stomach) like Buddakan in the Meatpacking District. Last week, I had dinner plans with 3 of my girlfriends and we all really wanted to eat at The Hurricane Club on 26th & Park in Gramercy. I had only ever been for drinks and was dying to try the food, so after a few drinks at Wilfe & Nell to celebrate a friend’s new job, Sam, Colby, Caitlin & I were in a cab to The Hurricane Club. It’s worth mentioning that we had the worst cab driver in the history of cab drivers, but I digress.

When you walk into the Hurricane Club, you instantly note how huge it is. High ceilings only add to it and the dim lighting gives the room a sexy, mysterious vibe. It feels like you’ve just walked into a jungle with lush greenery and a beautiful bar in the center of the room.We sat down in a massive booth made to hold 6 people and opened the drink menus.Colby & Caitlin both ordered the #58; dark rum, caramelized banana, lime & mint, Sam opted for the #28; Sapphire, ginger, grapefruit and a ginger-salt rim, and I (of course) got the #21; Ketel One (fave), cucumber (other fave), Lillet & lime. When the drinks came out, I was excited to see mine was a brilliant cucumber-y green.The drink had a wonderful cucumber flavor and was very refreshing.

Now it was on to the important stuff – the food! We decided to split 3 appetizers and each order our own entrée. We shared the PB & Guava Jam Sandwiches with Prosciutto & Thai Basil, the BBQ Chicken Cones and the Tuna Tartar Special. Everyone was excited about the PB & Jam Sandwiches, and while I was a little disappointed that they were so tiny, they were incredible.Never have I thought to put Prosciutto and Peanut Butter together, but I will certainly do it from now on. The blend of both savory ingredients with the sweet jam made for a rich, delicious dish that we all enjoyed. The Tuna Tartar was bright red but nothing too special. The crackers that it came with were also good, but again, meh. It was pretty standard, and at those prices, I expect the food to knock my socks off. My socks definitely stayed put.Finally, the BBQ Chicken Cones were also good, but not amazing. The waiter had recommended them, and if you’re going to go out of your way to recommend something, it should be great. The presentation was beautiful but the flavors fell a little short.So, we were one for three on our appetizers and were all hoping our entrees would make up for it. Caitlin and I both ordered the Filet Mignon with Shitake Mushrooms & Roasted Sesame Hollandaise (mine rare, hers medium), Sam ordered the Red Curry Scallops and Colby ordered the Spice-Crusted Shrimp with Coconut Cream. I was planning to order the Ginger Scallion Dover Sole Amadine but our waiter regretfully informed us that they had just run out. Bummer. We also ordered the Hawaiian Fried Rice in Hot Stone Bowl to share.

A waitress quickly brought over our rice, and the presentation was awesome. All the ingredients sat together in the bowl; the rice, an egg, some pineapple, avocado and more, and she mixed it for us at the table.We were told to let the rice sit for a few minutes so it could cook in the bowl, but the smell got the best of us and we couldn’t wait very long.We scooped ourselves heaping portions as our meals were delivered to the table. The portions were rather generous and everything smelled delicious. My steak was wonderful, tender and juicy with just the right amount of spices. I scraped off some of the Hollandaise because I’m not a huge fan of the sauce in general and I forgot to ask them to leave it off. I was thoroughly happy with my order.I cut into the steak and was thrilled at the perfectly rare center I had requested.Unfortunately Caitlin wasn’t as lucky. She had told the waiter she didn’t want “any blood” but what she got was brown meat with a tiny pink strip. Not charred, but definitely not perfectly medium. The waiter took her steak back to fire her another portion, as he should have at $34 a pop. Her steak came back out cooked much more rare the second time, but I think this steak made her a believer in the benefits of rare meat. She loved the steak and even said she’d order it medium rare next time. Horray for another rare meat convert! (You’re next, Jill.)

Sam’s scallops were great too, accompanied by a semi-sweet coconut curry sauce that complimented the scallops perfectly. I’m pretty sure they were Japanese Scallops, not sea scallops, as they were flatter than I’m used to. Regardless, they were yummy. Colby’s shrimp came out with the entire shell intact, which I’m not crazy about, but once I tasted the dish it didn’t matter. The shrimp were also very good, a curious blend of spices made for a unique flavor that I truly enjoyed, and it seemed that she enjoyed it as well.

We didn’t leave any room for dessert, so we asked for the check. The waiter was kind enough to remove Caitlin’s steak from the tab, so when all was said and done it worked out to be about $60 a person for the entire meal. I have no problem paying for a great meal, but I’m not sure I would call this meal “great.” It was unique and it was good, but I wasn’t completely impressed. I definitely want to go back and try a few of the other items on the menu. I try not to give a restaurant a negative rating until I’ve gone there more than once, so let’s just say that The Hurricane Club needs to work a little harder next time to get a rave review out of me.

Do you usually send food back if it’s not cooked to your liking? I have to say that overdone red meat is about the only thing I ever send back. I like my red meat bloody! If you want proof, just look at my pictures from my dinner at Peter Luger.

Let’s Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Solid Italian Fare at La Carbonara

From the outside, it looks like any other New York City restaurant, so it was by the fate of the OpenTable gods that we landed at La Carbonara for dinner one night a few months ago. Patrick and I took his friends from Maryland out to dinner to this Italian spot on 14th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues and from the second we walked in the door we fell in love with it.

Now don't get me wrong, I always have been and always will be Max's biggest fan, but since we moved to Chelsea, the trek to either Tribeca or the East Village seems far when we're craving pasta, so we've found a new home at La Carbonara. Let me break it down for you. The cozy atmosphere gives diners low lighting, a noise level that is never too loud even when the restaurant is packed (and it is always packed), and small wooden tables far enough apart for privacy but close enough together to feel like you're sharing a meal with 100 of your closest friends. The staff is incredibly attentive and welcoming and the decor makes you feel like you're having a comfortable dinner in your Italian grandmother's dining room. This restaurant makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and I haven't even gotten to the food yet.

(photo credit: La Carbonara)

As I said, we took some of Patrick's friends here a few months ago and everything was wonderful. But the meal I want to tell you about took place last Friday night. Patrick and I (once again) both had rough weeks at work and decided we owed ourselves a good dinner date. We chose La Carbonara because we were craving some pasta and we loved it so much the last time we had gone. We were shown to our table by the same man who had served us last time, presumably a manager, an incredibly nice Italian guy with a ponytail and beard. We soon found out he'd be our waiter again, and his service was flawless. He checked on us enough times to be helpful but not so much that it was overwhelming.

We decided to split the Oven-Baked Eggplant with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella to start. I love that this dish is baked and not fried, and was really in the mood for this savory treat. It arrived to our table in a small bowl and the aroma nearly knocked me out of my chair. I couldn't wait to dig in!The eggplant was both crispy and soft in all the right places, the cheese was melted to perfection and the sauce rivaled the best I'd had. On the whole, we made a phenomenal appetizer selection.

For some reason, I was really craving seafood. While Patrick went with the Rigatoni with Veal Ragu, I scanned the menu and was really hoping there would be a stand-out seafood special. I was not disappointed. Not only did they have a pasta dish with mussels, shrimp AND lobster, the pasta in said dish was black squid ink pasta, one of my favorites! They had it paired with a spicy marinara but I opted for a garlic white wine sauce. I couldn't wait for our food to arrive! While we waited, Patrick sipped on a crisp white wine and I indulged in a glass of Prosecco.

Our food was finally ready, and I knew it was coming because I could see the lobster on my plate from across the room! Patrick's pasta looked great:but I was very happy with the plate that was placed in front of me:And of course when the busboy brought over the chunk of Parmesean with the grater we kept him at our table for a good long time grating cheese over our dishes. What is a plate of pasta without a mound of cheese on top?

I am proud to say I finished every last bite of the incredible dish. The seafood was so fresh, the pasta was cooked exactly to my liking (al dente!) and I always have a good time cracking open lobster (even though, to this day, my dad cracks it open for me when I get lobster with my family.) I was in heaven! I tried Patrick's pasta, and it was also very good, but braised meat is not my favorite. He definitely enjoyed it though.

La Carbonara has quickly become one of our favorite places in the city. When a great atmosphere is paired with both wonderful service and delicious food, you really can't go wrong. We'll be back for sure, and we'll send new customers to this great spot too!

Where is your favorite place to get pasta in the city? Do you like fancy Italian at places like Del Posto? Or do you prefer good down-home pasta at places like Max and La Carbonara? Let me know, I'd love to hear what you think.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

A Phenomenal Meal at The John Dory Oyster Bar

It's true, I go out to eat a lot. And while I've found (and written about) some amazing food, no meal has ever affected me quite the way my dinner at April Bloomfield's John Dory Oyster Bar did this past Thursday night. Ms. Bloomfield has already wowed NYC with her incredible West Village joint The Spotted Pig, (oh that burger!) so I knew I was in for a real treat at the John Dory.

Patrick and I have both been working really hard lately, so I sent him a note late in the afternoon on Thursday to see if he'd want to meet me after work for dinner to reward ourselves for it. I wanted to suggest the John Dory because we've been meaning to go ever since we moved a block away from the Ace Hotel, but I left the decision up to him. When he wrote me back with, "John Dory?" I couldn't have been more excited (both for the meal and because I'm constantly reminded that I am dating the perfect guy.)

We met at 6:30pm on the corner of 29th & Broadway and I have to say, I was pretty surprised that the restaurant was already completely packed. I knew this place was really hot, but that busy so early? I was definitely taken aback. I gave our name to the hostess who said it would be about 45 minutes and we went to the bar to order some drinks and wait. Since I'm completely obsessed with any cocktail involving vodka and cucumbers, I ordered the Cucumber Rickey and asked the bartender to use vodka instead of gin. Patrick got a Blue Point beer and we waited. And waited. And waited. Luckily, I had my wonderful boyfriend and my refreshing cocktail to keep me company.

When an hour passed, we checked on our table and the hostess told us it would be another half hour. Seriously? Ugh. We went back to the bar to wait and when I checked in 15 minutes later, she said our seats were ready and we were shown to two stools by the window. That was when the real fun began.

I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and we ordered a few things to share. A dozen West Coast Oysters to start, recommended by our waiter because I told him I don't like briny oysters. When he described them as "cucumber-y," I was sold. In addition to the oysters we ordered the Oyster & Bay Scallop Pan Roast, the Chorizo Stuffed Squid and the Parker House Rolls. Little did we know just how amazing our order was.

The raw oysters were very good. We got 3 different varieties, and they were all very tasty. All 12 were gone in no time at all and we waited for the rest of our food to come out. Everything else arrived together and just the sheer aroma alone was enough to knock me off my seat in the best way possible. And then, I took my first bite.

The oyster pan roast was easily one of the most incredible flavors I have ever experienced in my entire life. Rich and smooth, the liquid that contained the oysters and scallops invaded every fluffy morsel of the roll when it was dipped into it. The bite of the pan roast soup with the roll absolutely blew me away and made me realize why I love food so much. It warmed me from the inside and brought a huge smile to my face. Patrick agreed with me, and we patted ourselves on the back for our stellar order. I have to say, the sea urchin on toast that sat atop the amazing bowl of awesomeness was the only part I didn't enjoy. I've had sea urchin before, and I'm not a huge fan, but it just didn't belong anywhere near my precious pan roast. It is way too salty and fishy-tasting for me, so I didn't take another bite of it.

I have been eating some pretty adventurous stuff lately, namely a whole lot of bone marrow, and the Stuffed Squid in theory was right up there in exotic cuisine. But this dish wasn't weird at all, it was incredible! The chorizo in the dish was smoky and packed with flavor, the squid was the perfect texture and the rice was cooked just right. When all the elements were eaten together, it was truly the perfect bite.

When we had finished every last bit of our meal, I felt both satisfied and excited. The food was rich so even though it wasn't a ton of food, I really was full. And I have to say that excitement was an emotion I felt because this was some seriously amazing food. Eating is something everyone has to do to stay alive, but why should that mean we can't enjoy it while we do it? For me, food is so much more than just something I "have to do." It's something that I enjoy doing so much that I look forward to each and every single thing I eat. Call me crazy, but when I find food like my dinner at the John Dory, I think you're crazy if you don't love it too.

Have you ever eaten something that was so good it changed your life? I thought my steak at Peter Luger last December was the best thing I'd ever eaten, but my dinner last night topped even that. John Dory, I will be back VERY soon for more.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

My First Bone Marrow at Minetta Tavern

As I round out my 3rd year living in NYC, there are a few restaurants that have moved from my "Must Try" list to my "Seriously, Why Haven't I Gone There Yet?!" list. Per Se. Le Bernardin. Minetta Tavern. After last night, I can finally move the latter to the "Been There, Done That" list, and oh what an experience it was!

I'm working on an article on Bone Marrow (the kind you eat, not the kind in human bones) and when I polled my Twitter followers on where to get the best in the city, several people swore by Minetta Tavern's version. After a lazy Sunday afternoon, I rounded up my usual restaurant-going gear (my camera and my boyfriend) and hopped on the 1 train down to Christopher Street around 5pm. When I called Minetta earlier that day, they informed me that absolutely no reservations were available for that night, but if we showed up at 5 when the doors opened, we'd likely snag a few seats at the bar. Challenge accepted!

We walked in the door around 5:15 and the front bar was already pretty crowded. The hostess assured us that many of the patrons around the bar were just waiting to be shown to their reserved tables at 5:30, so we caught the bartender's attention and told him we needed 2 seats at the bar. They have a system in place where the bartenders control who sits at the bar to eat based on first come, first serve. No sketchy hovering for us, we would get the first 2 seats that opened. Brilliant!

As soon as the clock struck 5:30 (can we talk about how absurd it is that we were having dinner at 5:30 by the way? Early birds? US!?) 2 people got up and we had our seats. This is where the real adventure began. Regardless of the fact that the menu looked amazing, we had tunnel vision for the Bone Marrow and the Black Label Burger. We decided to skip the $15 cocktails to save some cash, and we anxiously awaited the arrival of the food.

I have to mention that there were 3 bartenders manning the bar, and they were all SO incredibly nice and helpful. We observed as they poured some mean-looking cocktails and waited on everyone in the bar. They were friendly, bubbly and all had huge smiles on their faces. I really appreciated this, and it made for a fantastic vibe.

As the plate of bones approached us, I began to have second thoughts. Could I do this? I mean, I'm an adventurous eater, but was I really about to eat the goo straight out of the bone?! My stomach did a few flip flops as the plate was placed in front of us. There was no turning back now.

I'm shocked at how much the sheer idea of the dish bothered me, but it did. Regardless, I scooped it out, put it on the toast, covered it with the accompanying garnish of roasted onions, closed my eyes and in she went. Okay... it was a little salty... and a little gooey... but it was pretty good.. okay, it was REALLY good... and before I knew it, we had cleaned out all 3 bones! Reflecting back on the dish, I have to say that I enjoyed it even though the concept and the consistency made me a little queasy. Since I am planning to try 2-3 more bone marrow dishes at other restaurants, I hope it gets easier with each experience.

Then the burger arrived. I have heard many say that the Minetta Tavern Black Label Burger is the best in the city (Rev, care to weigh in?) so we knew we had to try it. We decided to split the $26 hunk of beef on a bun and when it arrived my first thought was that it was TEENY tiny. Since we were splitting it, I'd say it was about 4 bites per half. Not nearly enough burger for the expensive price tag.

We ordered it Medium Rare and I'm happy to say our burger was practically mooing. I often find with rare beef that it can have a slightly metallic flavor but I'm happy to report that this burger had no such negative quality. The burger was delicious! Smothered in carmelized onions and served with the advice to avoid condiments, it was simple but tasty. Juice flowed from the meat with every bite, and I thoroughly enjoyed my portion. Again, it would have been nice if it was a little bigger, but I guess that's what we get for sharing a burger.

I plan to return to Minetta Tavern to try the rest of the menu, and maybe have a Black Label Burger all to myself!

Okay, let's hear it, what are your thoughts on Bone Marrow? Love it? Hate it? Repulsed by the thought of it (mom)? I'm planning to have the Bone Marrow at Beauty & Essex tomorrow night and at either Landmarc, Blue Ribbon or Prune later this week (suggestions welcome.)

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

PS- Check out this post on the Bone Marrow craze on MMMelody's blog

Strange Service, Yummy Food at Cafe Cluny

I recently went out to dinner with Jill at Cafe Cluny in the West Village, and the experience we had with the waitstaff was so odd that I felt compelled to write about it. To start, the hostess showed us to a table in the back corner of the restaurant that was arranged in such a way that there was part of a wall between us. After moving the table around a bit and rearranging our seating, we were able to sit more comfortably. I looked up and saw a giant bug on the ceiling and thought to myself that it was a strange piece of art for a restaurant.

When our waiter came over to the table we noticed that he had an incredibly thick British accent. While I love me a good British accent, his was so thick that we couldn't understand a single word that came out of his mouth! He read off the specials, managed to take our drink order and (I think? I hope?) asked us if we wanted some bread. We did. When he brought it back to the table, he took our appetizer order as he delivered our drinks. We decided to split the Crisp Pumpkin & Goat Cheese Fritters with Warm Lentil Salad & Smoked Paprika. I sipped on my crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc as we anxiously awaited whatever was coming next.

Our incomprehensible waiter returned to take our entree order, and the adventurous spirit in me lead me to ask him what he recommended. I have no idea what he said. I ordered the Grilled Eden Brook Trout with Winter Brussels Sprouts, Radish & Bacon Salad, Onion Rings & Whole Grain Mustard Aioli while Jill ordered the Grilled Tuna Burger with French Fries. Our appetizer arrived at the table and it looked so green and bright!

The lentils were the perfect firmness and the fritters were delightful. Crispy, flavorful and not a drop of grease to be found. The appetizer left me with high expectations of my entree, and Jill and I discussed whether we'd be able to understand a single thing our waiter said.

We never got to find out. A new waiter dropped off our entrees, thankfully he didn't have an accent but his high level of enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming. He was what I like to call a "close talker" and excitedly announced our dishes as he put them in front of us. The portion of my dish appeared small, but the smell was intoxicating.

The onion rings, like the fritters, weren't at all greasy. The fish was tender and succulent and the rest of the dish blended beautifully. I ate every bite and was very content when I was done.

"Excited Waiter" came back to the table to clear our dishes and ask us if we wanted dessert. He practically yelled, "WE HAVE A DELICIOUS SELECTION OF DESSERTS, CAN I BRING SOME COFFEE?!" as he stared at us wide-eyed and expectant. It was official, we were frightened. We ordered some Homemade Biscotti with Espresso and simultaneously asked for our check to limit the number of interactions we'd have with this guy. He returned with our check and our dessert, which was delicious, and we quickly finished and left.

While the food was excellent, we left the restaurant feeling slightly confused about the odd service we had received. I'm sure that isn't the norm at Cafe Cluny, but it certainly was strange. Have you ever had odd service at an otherwise good restaurant? I'd love to hear your stories.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Burgers at Wall Street Burger Shoppe

There are few things as satisfying as biting into a good, juicy burger. When two of my fellow food-loving buddies, Rev. Dave Ciancio (aka Burger Conquest) and Lea from Bizzy asked me to join them for a burger lunch at Wall Street Burger Shoppe down in FiDi, I couldn't resist! I met them on a dreary, rainy day, but as soon as I smelled the aroma of burgers the weather outside no longer mattered. I walked up the stairs and joined Rev & Lea at a high-top table as my stomach growled in anticipation.

I knew Lea, the Queen of Mac & Cheese was planning to order the Mac 'N Cheese burger (Char-grilled 8oz blend of Hereford beef, macaroni and four cheeses [Gruyere, American, Pecorino and Cheddar]), but given my lactose-intolerant stomach I had to stay away from it. Rev also wanted to try it, so I felt a bit of burger envy as I ordered my Becky Burger (Char-grilled 4oz Hereford beef burger with aged cheddar, sliced pickles, tomato and ketchup) with Avocado and a side of onion rings. I should have realized my burger was only 4 oz. while all the others were 8 oz, but I was so hungry I didn't notice. Rev ordered the Porterhouse Burger (Char-grilled 6oz blend of Porterhouse tail and chuck burger with lettuce, tomato and steak sauce) in addition to the Mac 'N Cheese burger for a taste test. Trust me, this guy knows his burgers.

We ordered a round of drinks (beers for me & Rev, Guinness Milkshake for Lea) and waited for our burgers to arrive. Lea and I both checked in on Foursquare because the special was a free side of fries or onion rings. When our order got to the table, I was immediately filled with envy because my burger was about 1/2 the size of the other 3 on the tray. The waiter put the food on the table and although my burger was tiny, it still looked solid.

This is when I realized that the waiter had never asked me how I wanted my burger cooked (I like red meat "bloody as hell") and I cut into the meat to disappointingly realize it was cooked well-done. My own fault for not specifying. I covered the burger in ketchup and went in for the kill. Flavorful, even though it wasn't cooked to my preference, it was still a good burger. But my eyes filled with longing as I watched Lea & Rev chow down on the Mac 'N Cheese burgers, they looked amazing. Lea was kind enough to offer me a bite, and it was GOOD. I cursed my stomach for its inability to handle butter and polished off my meal. While I wasn't thrilled with my order, Wall Street Burger Shoppe definitely cranks out some good burgers. Next time I'm ordering the Mac 'N Cheese burger and I'll handle the stomachache!

Make sure to check out Lea's review of her Mac 'N Cheese burger here (click the arrow over to #9) and Rev's here.

Also be sure to check out all the great food writing Lea & Rev have to offer, they're good foodie friends of mine and really know their stuff!

Lea on Twitter: @MacCheesy, @LvM and @BizzyLea
Lea on Facebook: MacCheesy
Rev on Twitter: @yeahman
Rev's blog: Burger Conquest

(photo compliments of Rev)

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

My Red Rooster Review on The Strong Buzz!

At the recent IACP Regional Conference in New York City, I had the pleasure of meeting Andrea Strong, Food Writer extraordinaire. She was on a Digital Writing panel at the conference, and when the panel was over, I went up to her and introduced myself. As an aspiring food writer myself, I knew this was one of the best people for me to talk to and learn from.

After the conference, we sent a few emails back and forth and I was honored when she took the time to read The Fabulous Foodie. When she asked me to review Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster for her website, The Strong Buzz, I was thrilled! Andrea is a very big name in food writing, and the opportunity to write for her is something I am incredibly exited about.

So, my wonderful readers, please click here to read my review of Red Rooster on The Strong Buzz. I'm very proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it. A special thank you to Andrea Strong for the opportunity, it means so much to me.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Connecticut's Best Chinese Food

Lucky for me, I live in one of the most amazing food cities in the world. Sometimes when I'm not busy eating my way through New York City, I visit my family and my favorite hometown restaurants in Connecticut. These include Pepe's Pizza in New Haven (you have to try the White Clam, it's life-changing), Firehouse Deli in Fairfield and Panda House in Stratford.

Ever since I was little, I've been going to Panda House with my grandparents for Connecticut's best Chinese food. Since their birthdays fall within a few weeks of each other, the 3 of us went to Panda House to celebrate last weekend. The restaurant is owned by a man named Jack Yih, and he is a close friend of my grandparents.

As always, Jack was standing at the front door ready to greet us as soon as we arrived. We sat down in the main dining room, and the aromatic food immediately came flowing out of the kitchen. We started with dim sum; Shrimp Shumai and Chicken Gyoza. These were so good that I ate them before I had the chance to take a picture. Then we had Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The lettuce was fresh and crunchy, and it was filled with chicken & vegetables. I often find that Chinese dishes can be heavy and loaded with salt or sauce, but the food at Panda House is light and still manages to be full of flavor.

When we finished the delightful appetizers, we ordered our main dishes. I opted for Chicken & Shrimp with Snow Peas & Water Chestnuts and when it arrived to the table I was delighted to see the a beautiful purple flower sitting atop an incredibly colorful plate of food.

Water Chestnuts are one of my favorite vegetables because they add a unique crunch to any dish. I enjoyed how crisp the vibrant green snow peas were, and both the chicken and shrimp were tender and delicious.

After we finished our meal, Jack brought over three small desserts to celebrate my grandparents' birthdays. What a great way to end our excellent meal! Before we left, I snapped a quick photo of the 4 of us to capture the afternoon.

If you ever happen to find yourself in southern Connecticut, be sure to stop by Panda House in Stratford, CT for a warm atmosphere and fantastic food. And while you're there, please tell Jack I say hi.

If you have family in another state, is there a restaurant you make a point to eat at when you visit them? Or, when family visits you, do you have certain spots you like to go to? Let me know, I'd love to hear from you.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie

Winter Restaurant Week: A Recap

As I've mentioned before, I love NYC Restaurant Week the way a 5 year old loves a trip to Disney World. As soon as the restaurants are announced on nycgo, I go into a frenzy of menu-reading, Open Table reservation-making & emailing friends to invite them to join. I changed a few of the reservations I had initially made for Restaurant Week (had to cancel Primehouse & Nobu), and here is where I eventually landed:

1. BONDST to celebrate my birthday with Lauren & Jill
2. Riverpark with Patrick & 2 other couples
3. Mercer Kitchen with some more of the girls

BONDST is a constant favorite of mine during Restaurant Week and, to be honest, every other week of the year. The vibe is sexy, the food is incredible & the drinks are delicious. For my meal, I chose the Tofu Miso Soup, the Salmon Avocado & Spicy Tuna Rolls, and the New York Strip Steak with Caramelized Shallot Teriyaki & 12-year-old Balsamic. Every dish also comes with Spicy Crispy Shrimp, Age Dashi Tofu and a Steamed Chicken Dumpling. For dessert, I had the Ricotta Cup.The flavor of the Miso Soup was rich, the rolls were the perfect ratio of rice to fish and were incredibly fresh and the steak was a medium-rare masterpiece. Tender, juicy and packed with flavor, I savored every bite of the meat. The 3 accompanying sides were also delicious, each bite was a bold new flavor. And yes, I even enjoyed my dessert, the savory (not sweet at all) Ricotta Cup.

Riverpark has been on my "must try" list as soon as I first heard about its opening last September. Tom Colicchio is my favorite chef, and since I can't quite afford to dine at Tom Tuesday Dinner (yet!), I've been dying to go. I made a 6-person reservation and drooled over the menu for the weeks leading up to it. When Patrick and I got in a cab and told them "take us as far east across 29th street as possible," we knew this place wouldn't be easy to find. And boy were we right! After wandering around lost for about 10 minutes along the FDR, we ran into 2 of our friends who were just getting out of their cab and were as lost as we were. Together, we investigated the building and finally found a security guard to ask where to go. But, let me tell you this: don't let the location turn you off. This restaurant has both a beautiful decor and delicious food. I ordered the Cavatelli, Lamb & Mint dish for an Appetizer, the Roasted Chicken with Sunchokes as my Entree and the Cinnamon Pana Cotta with Pumpkin Cake for Dessert.The pasta dish was outstanding, the combination of lamb & mint reminded me of a great rack of lamb with mint jelly and the pasta was perfectly al dente. My roasted chicken was juicy and tender and had a delicious crispy skin. While the Panna Cotta was just okay, I think I just don't like Panna Cotta. I'd never had it before, and I just didn't enjoy the texture or the flavor of the dish. Lesson learned.

Finally, Mercer Kitchen. Deep in the heart of Soho, the atmosphere here is similar to BONDST. A hip lounge with food from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, any restaurant in NYC that's been around since 1998 must be doing something right. The 6 of us arrived early for our 8:30 reservation, and we weren't shown to our table until close to 9:30. The staff offered absolutely no apology, but we did get a nice corner table in the busy restaurant. For this meal, I decided not to order from the Restaurant Week menu because I'd had my share of desserts for the week. I ordered the Pizza Bianco (4 cheese & garlic, hold the red onions) as my Appetizer & the Breast and Confit of Duck with rhubarb, preserved lemon and wild rice as my Entree.I love a good white pizza, and this one was fantastic! The crust was both chewy & crunchy and the cheeses oozed with olive oil & garlic. I didn't want the dish to end! And then when I thought I couldn't be happier with my selection, my Duck came out and I was first surprised at how much food was on the plate. When I bit into the Confit, it was incredibly tender and full of hearty flavor. The Breast of Duck was medium rare, just how I like most of my meat cooked, and the juice from the duck spread out over the plate when I cut into it. It was moist, well- seasoned and practically fell apart in my mouth. I wanted to lick my plate clean, and I wasn't even a little bit jealous when some of the other girls ordered dessert. The service was lacking at Mercer Kitchen, but the food was not.

Now that Winter Restaurant Week has been extended until the end of the month, I may try to visit a few more spots, but overall, I'm very happy with the restaurants I visited this time around. Until Summer Restaurant Week!

What restaurants did you try, in NYC or any other city you may live in? Any suggestions of places I just HAVE to try? I'd highly recommend all 3 places I went, but beware of the bad service at Mercer Kitchen.

Let's Eat!
-The Fabulous Foodie