Author Archive
Not a Rare Treasure, But Still A Good Meal
Hip burger joints seem to be all the rage in New York this summer. At Rare Chelsea, located with the Fashion 26 Hotel, they try to distinguish themselves with unique combinations of toppings, as well as out-of-the-box entrees like the BBQ Brisket Po Boy. When I walked into the restaurant, my expectations dropped. Cheesy hotel decor left me desiring more of a restaurant that claims to be a trendy spot for a young crowd.
My mood lifted when a gargantuan order of shoestring fries, sweet potato fries and waffle fries was brought to our table. Along with ketchup, there were four dipping choices. The homeade bbq sauce was surprisingly delicious with the sweet potato fries. However, the honey maple dip flopped; it was sickeningly sweet, like it had been made with Aunt Jemima. I ordered the turkey burger, which came with feta pesto and olive tapenade. The dish was incredibly satisfying, and I enjoyed the Mediterranean twist on the organically raised turkey burger. The pickles that came on the side were too sweet for my taste, and I hoped that the dish had come with an additional side.
The service was extremely pleasant and attentive. A big selling point of the restaurant is the rooftop bar, which appeared raise the restaurant’s cool factor. If you need a relaxed place to meat your burger needs, I would recommend an evening at Rare.
Rare
at Fashion 26-a Wyndham Hotel
152 West 26th Street
(between 6th & 7th Aves.)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 807-7273
http://www.rarebarandgrill.com/chelsea.php
Monday – Wednesday
Breakfast, 6:30am to 10:30am
Lunch/Dinner, 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Thursday & Friday
Breakfast, 6:30am to 10:30am
Lunch/Dinner, 12:00pm to 12:00am
Saturday
Breakfast, 7:30am to 10:30am
Brunch/Lunch, 11:30am to 4:00pm
Dinner, 4:00pm to 12:00am
Sunday
Breakfast, 7:30am to 10:30am
Brunch/Lunch, 11:30am to 4:00pm
Dinner, 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Appetizer $6.50-15, Entree Salads $14-17, Burgers $9-21, Sides $3-5
More Than Just a Snack at Snack
Exciting foodie news! Soho eatery Snack passed my hummus test today. As far as I’m concerned, a restaurant’s hummus is a great indication of its quality.
I often frequent Snack for lunch takeout, and I have never been disappointed. The picture below shows the chicken and artichoke salad, which includes potatoes, toasted bread, arugula and an olive dressing. It is very hearty but I manage to finish it, as I usually do with all my favorite dishes at Snack.
The vegetarian souvlaki is full of tzatziki, feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and butter beans. Beware: it’s messy but incredibly delicious!
Go the extra mile and order the grape leaves too. They won’t ease your post-lunch food coma, but they will certainly put you in a satisfied mood. Enjoy!
Snack
105 Thompson St., nr. Prince St.
New York, NY 10012
212-925-1040
Monday-Wednesday 12-10pm, Thursday-Saturday 12-11pm, Sunday 12-9pm
Prices: Appetizers $5-12, Sandwiches $7.50-9.50, Lunch Entrees $13, Dinner Entrees $17-20, Dessert $4
A Meal Fit For a Greek God
After six hours at the Fancy Food Show, I continued my day of pleasure at Kefi. I have been there for several meals, and I enjoyed each time more than the last.
My favorite appetizer is the grilled octopus, which is placed on top of a delectable bean salad. It is cooked to the perfect consistency, and the beans are flavored with lemony spices that complement the fish. A close second is the house-made Cypriot sausage, accompanied by tzatziki, radishes, cucumber and warm pita bread. I was so eager to try it that I only managed to capture an image of the last few bites of the dish…
The grilled branzino and the pan-seared striped bass come with a few of my favorite ingredients: olives, capers, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes and string beans. If you’re in the mood for a meat dish, the braised lamb shank is to die for.
For a unique glass of white wine, I recommend the Retsina, which has an earthy flavor because it is kept in pine barrels.
My meals at Kefi have been greatly enhanced by the décor. A diner on the first floor feels as though she is in a small Greek house, being served simple, delicious food by someone’s grandmother. I tried to capture the atmosphere in the below picture, which shows porcelain plates and royal blue shutters on the walls. The basement floor has stone walls and dark wood beaming.
Tonight was certainly not my last trip to Kefi.
Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10024
212-873-0200
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday 5pm-11pm
Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-3pm
Brunch Sunday 11am-3pm
Prices: Appetizers $6.50-9.95, Sandwiches $10.95-13.95, Main $9.95-17.50, Dessert $3.95-7.95
A Guilty Pleasure, 3 Times Over
On his show “Bizarre Food” Andrew Zimmern said, “You can’t go to New Orleans without getting a beignet from Café du Monde.” Or in my case, three and a half beignets. Two of my friends from school were the perfect partners in crime for this food adventure during our spring break. Beignets, a type of French doughnut, are a New Orleans staple, and it is only fitting to enjoy them at an establishment like Café du Monde.
With the amount of powdered sugar on the tables and floors of this outdoor café in Jackson Square, you would expect it to be surrounded by a cloud of puffy white smoke. The wait for our late afternoon snack was about fifteen minutes, which seemed to drag on as we watched everyone lick their sugary fingers and enjoy their iced coffee. Each order comes with three huge beignets—a tall order for some, but not for us. The doughnuts were crispy but not too greasy, and were still warm from the fryer. The mess was certainly part of the fun, as you can see in the picture below.
We left feeling immensely satisfied. Any visitor to New Orleans must eat at Café du Monde—even if it’s under the guise of a cultural adventure!
Café du Monde
Locations, Hours, and Phone Numbers: http://www.cafedumonde.com/locations.html
A Taste of Istanbul in Midtown East
My first food challenge in NYC: Try all the meze plates at Taksim. Barely two weeks into the summer, I’m well on my way to accomplishing this goal. My favorite meze so far is the Shepherd salad, a tantalizing mix of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, parsley, and green peppers with lemon juice and olive oil. Other favorites include the tabuli, elephant beans, stuffed vine leaves, and hummus. The lamb adana is worth trying as well, as it illustrates how delicious a simple dish can be.
Taksim is perfect for takeout, a quick bite, or a relaxed first date. Although the menu is basic and the presentation is fairly unoriginal, Taksim is a great place to satisfy cravings for Turkish fare. The staff is friendly and efficient, which helps to create an enjoyable dining experience. Sultry music and dark tiled walls contribute to Taksim’s authenticity and no frills approach to Mediterranean food.
No word on the falafels yet, but there’s always lunch tomorrow.
Taksim
1030 2nd Ave., (54th & 2nd)
(212) 421-3004
Daily: 12pm-11:30pm
Delivery: 12pm-10:30pm
Prices: Appetizers $6-8, Sandwiches $5.50-9.50, Main $15-19, Dessert $5.50
A Spicy Tuesday Evening
There’s no better way to end the workday than by enjoying some chips and guac. At Agua Dulce in Midtown, they take the simple snack to a new level. We ordered the trio of guacamole, which included a hefty portion of baked chips accompanied by Guac Tropical (pineapple, mango, habanero), Guac Ahumado (chipotle, house cured bacon, tomato), and Guac Tipico (jalapeno, lime cilantro, shaved red onion). Our favorite was the Tropical—the spicy flavors were the perfect accompaniment to the chips.
Our entrees did not disappoint either. The skirt steak with roasted potatoes and chimichurri sauce was excellent, as was the aji panca glazed duck. The glaze on the duck, similar to barbeque, was too sweet for my taste. Yet, the duck was juicy and lean. The meal experience seemed authentic, and we enjoyed awakening our palates with Latin American flavors.
The décor of Agua Dulce intrigued me, to the point where my wandering eyes prompted some inquisitive looks by our attentive waiter. I was enamored by the fascinating mix of modern and classic adornments, such as the Lucite chairs next to Spanish-style blue and green tiles. The name of the restaurant, which translates to “fresh water” in Spanish, is very telling of the fresh and fluid atmosphere. The front of the restaurant, complete with a garage door that remained post-renovation, is open to the street and allowed for a nice summer breeze during our meal. In addition, the humongous bathroom door is a mirror on the inside—a feature that is always appreciated by female diners.
I would return to Agua Dulce, and I assure you that a trip to this Midtown restaurant will put you in a spicy mood!
Agua Dulce
802 9th Ave. between 53rd & 54th Sts. New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 262-1299
info@aguedulceny.com
http://aguadulceny.com/media/aguadulce.html
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11am-4pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun 4pm-11pm, Thu-Sat 4pm-12am
Late Night: Thu-Sat 4pm-3:30am
Happy Hour Daily: 3:30pm-6:30pm
Prices: Appetizers $7-13, Main $18-24, Dessert $9
Food and the City
Hello! It is a pleasure to join the ranks of the Hungry? City bloggers. I will go by Florence, after the Italian city that fulfills all of a foodie’s dreams (or at least mine). I am a college student first and a food enthusiast second, but this summer I have found myself in Manhattan—where I eagerly enter the famed NYC culinary scene. It doesn’t take an outsider to see that there are exciting food adventures here. My interest in food began at an early age, when my parents encouraged my brother and I to be open to new culinary experiences on European and other exotic vacations. Additionally, my mother is a cooking instructor, and there is never a shortage of good food, wine and conversation in our house. This summer, I hope to review some fun NYC places to eat—all from a student’s perspective, budget and preferences. I’ll be dragging along some friends from school, in addition to my notepad and an empty stomach. Enjoy!
