Restaurant Week NYC

Twice a year (Summer and Winter), Manhattan restaurants participate in an event called Restaurant Week. It's a span of anywhere between 2-6 weeks where some of the upscale places in town offer a 3 course lunch or dinner for a reduced price of $24 or $35, respectively. This is a monster bargain, as many of these places would normally cost 2-3 times that price for a 3 course meal. However, you have to be careful what you wish for, as some restaurants will offer you a great meal, whereas others will throw scraps onto the menu and pretend it's fine dining.

Due to my moving up here recently and being occupied with more important things (such as finding an apartment!), I didn't have the time to explore as many places as I wanted. Fortunately though, I was able to check out two places: David Burke Townhouse and Le Cirque. 

David Burke Townhouse came first. It was off a friend's recommendation on a Sunday evening. It's a very modern, chic looking place in the Upper East Side and received a 2-Star NY Times rating several years ago. The chef/owner, David Burke, is a bit cooky. Many of his plates have eccentric names and presentations. But whereas many other chefs with an air for the flair fail with the execution of the food, he makes it work pretty well. Service was pretty good, but what surprised me was the food and the immense portions we got considering it was restaurant week. Sure, a few details were missed (unpolished fork, Riedel etching on the wine glass pointing the other way), but these are details only a perfectionist would look for, especially when you work in an environment where perfection is demanded every day. They were easy to overlook considering the great meal we had.

Albert, who first made an appearance in a previous pizza episode, and I sat down in the lounge and were treated to a great meal. For starters, he enjoyed a Pretzel Crusted Crab Cake with a Sweet Chili Prawn, Confit Orange and Poppyseed Honey. Due to my shellfish allergy, I didn't want to risk anything so I didn't try it, though he enjoyed it immensely. I opted for something simpler--a Wedge Salad with Bacon Lardoons and Russian Dressing (it also had crawfish which I had removed). It was very well presented and tasted great. 

Pretzel Crusted Crab Cake with Sweet Chili Prawn

Our entrees took it up a whole notch, as Emeril would say. Albert enjoyed a "Bronx Style" Filet Mignon of Veal and Veal Cheeks with Pea Puree, Pea Shoots, and Pistachio "Candy." This was one of the most flavorful and tenderest steaks I've ever tried. The veal cheeks served on the side literally melted in my mouth. I've never seen meat so soft. The "Bronx Style" is a new cut of meat that supposedly Burke himself invented. There's a great write up of the cut on this website. I'm not sure if filet is the proper term, but it's close enough. The little crispy white things are typically referred to as "beggar's purses," and are small fried concoctions with a filling inside.

My Handmade Cavatelli and Braised Short Ribs, with Wild Mushrooms, Mushroom Chips, and Truffle Mousse was heavenly. It was definitely one of the best short ribs I've had. The cavatelli are the white cylinders in the picture; they are a small rolled pasta. The mushroom chips--the brown things on the right--added a nice textural contrast to the dish. However, the stars of the show were the beef and the truffle mousse. The white truffle mousse was quenelled tableside and really lifted the flavor of everything on the plate. After several bites, everything got a bit mushed up together and it became a bit difficult to pick out individual flavors, but who am I kidding, this dish was just ridiculously good.

Dessert was good, but after the home runs we had as entrees, it was a difficult act to follow. I had a Caramelized Apple Tart with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, whereas Albert had a moist Chocolate Cake with Mint Chip Ice Cream and Morello Cherry Sorbet. Each was delicious and light, which was nice because we didn't need a heavy and rich dessert. 

I would recommend this place for restaurant week without a doubt--you get a great value for your money.


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Le Cirque Then

Le Cirque Now

The second place I visited a few weeks later. Called Le Cirque, it is one of the most famous restaurants of the past 40 years. It's history is old and rich (much like the clientele!). Opened in 1974 at the Mayfair Hotel (where Daniel now resides) in the Upper East Side by famed restaurateur Sirio Maccioni, it was a mandatory stomping ground for any celebrity passing through New York. Daniel Boulud was its most famous executive chef and took it to its highest glory of 4 stars from 1986-1992. Getting a table was so difficult, that the Pope at the time even joked with Sirio once "If he could get him a table," to which Sirio replied "Yes, but could the Pope reserve him a table in Heaven." Since then, the moniker stuck, and getting a table at Le Cirque was referred to by some as getting a table in heaven. Over the years, Le Cirque has twice moved locations, with it's newest reopening occurring in 2006. 

Le Cirque at the Bloomberg Tower

Unfortunately, I feel, as some critics do, it has lost much of the luster and shine it once had. However, I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt for two reasons: 1) I had the restaurant week menu, which is cheap compared to the real menu, and 2) I dined in the lounge since I was a party of one. I could imagine their real menu in the main dining room being a better experience.

For an appetizer, I had a Salad of Peach and Smoked Mackerel with Basil and Pane Fritto. I'll admit I did not enjoy this dish, as I found the fish to be overly salty and have a bit of an off fishy flavor. The pane fritto added some crunch to the plate, but it seemed like it had been fried a while ago and had become slightly soggy. The basil came both as a coulis and as seeds.

My entree was a Pistachio Crusted Lamb Filet with Peas, Mint, and Goat Cheese. The presentation was very simple. I felt more could have been done to excite the eyes other than simply placing a filet of lamb atop a pea and mint puree. It was cooked a bit more than the medium rare I asked for. The flavors were great and the goat cheese matched well, but there was nothing truly exciting about the dish. I found the monkeys on the plate to be kind of childish, personally.

Lastly, for dessert I had a Rice Pudding with Apricot Marmalade and Almond Crunch. I was really looking forward to this because being Cuban, I've been searching for ways to spice up traditional rice pudding for years. I liked the concept of this dish, but the rice pudding was nothing compared to what you can get in Miami, which are rich and full of intense milk flavors.

Lastly, the service was pretty poor. My waiter made no attempts to recommend anything other than their high-priced tasting menu, did not communicate much at all throughout the meal, brought wines out after the dishes were served (it should be poured before the dish arrives), and even forgot to charge me for the meal itself! The check only included the two glasses of wine I ordered (one of which they did not even have, although it was listed on the menu). If you are out of a wine, you should not list it. If you offer me a substitute, show me the bottle, don't just bring the glass filled with the wine.

Lounge Area where I dined

Getting a dinner reservation at Le Cirque may have been a table in heaven thirty years ago. Today, however, I think it is living more on its reputation than anything else. I'm not sure why they have a Le Grande Tables du Monde designation, or what former NYTimes critic Frank Bruni was thinking about when he gave it 3 out of 4 stars in 2008. Perhaps he got the high end treatment because they knew it was him coming in. If none other than for these two respected opinions, I give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt that they are still good. I will have to visit again in the future and not skimp on a wimpy restaurant week menu in the lounge. I hope they can sway my vote.

Les Grande Tables du Monde--not sure who deemed them worthy

Blue Ribbon

Blue Ribbon is a very small, casual restaurant in the SoHo district of Manhattan. It is famous among restaurant industry professionals because it serves great food until 4am, which means many chefs, maitre d's, waiters, and cooks can come in to wind down their adrenaline after getting off work late at night and enjoy a great meal. The restaurant was started by two New Jersey brothers named Bromberg back in 1992. The name, Blue Ribbon, was taken after the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in France, where the two brothers studied.


Without a doubt, their signature dish is the bone marrow. If you've never heard of eating bone marrow or find the concept queasy, allow me to explain on what you're missing. You take a young calf's femur bone (leg bone) and have your butcher cut it in one of two ways: into a long bone, or crosswise, revealing the inner marrow. After soaking the bones in salted water for several hours/days to remove blood and impurities, you simmer the bones in water or roast them in an oven for several minutes until warm. They are traditionally served with bread and other condiments.


The marrow itself is EXTREMELY rich, much like foie gras or sea urchin. It is somewhat difficult to describe until you try it for yourself, but the best I can do is that it is like a very gelatinous fat that literally melts in your mouth and coats it with rich flavor. Do not mistake it as being like cartilage, which is easy to associate with bones. The texture is soft and creamy enough to spread on bread, and has a slight beefy flavor.

Blue Ribbon serves the marrow with little wooden forks that are used to separate the marrow from the bone. You then place it on their toasted challah bread, spread some red wine oxtail marmalade, and finally sprinkle some sea salt before taking a big bite. This was the second time I've ever had marrow, the first being at Sra. Martinez in Miami's Design District, a restaurant run by Miami celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein. Her's were much more complex, being served with an apple butter sauce and barbecued eel. I admit I liked her preparation better, being a bit more sophisticated in textures and flavors. However, I equally appreciated the ones at Blue Ribbon, which were much more rustic and offered marrow in it's simplest, unadulterated form. It allowed me to taste pure marrow, which was great. If you're interested in the recipe, here you go.

After the bone marrow, I decided to go for another favorite among culinary aficionados--sweetbreads. No, this is not bread flavored with berries. Sweetbreads are the name affectionately given to the thymus gland of young animals (typically calves, lamb and pigs). In spanish I've sometimes heard the term mollejas applied to them. They are found in the neck area and diminish in size as the animal matures. Whereas the origin of the name is unclear, what is easy to see is that they can be delicious if prepared correctly. 

A popular preparation involves poaching them in milk, removing their outer membrane, and then pan frying them (with or without bread crumbs). The result is a delicious white meat with textures varying from a crunchy exterior to a pillowy soft interior. It is everything a chicken nugget wishes it could be. They are also very rich in taste and while they have textures and tastes akin to fat, you will be hard pressed to actually find visible fat in them. An interesting food for sure which I highly recommend you try (if you can find it on a menu and are not paying the bill that evening).

As far as sweetbreads go, I've only enjoyed them twice, the first time being at Gramercy Tavern in New York. Those were absolutely heavenly, coming with mushrooms, a veal demi glace, and some wilted greens. The preparation at Blue Ribbon was similar to their bone marrow--very simply done, allowing you to taste the product in its purest form. I would have liked them a bit crispier for my personal taste, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. These came with arugula, wild mushrooms, and carrots (pictured below). I've heard that Michelle Bernstein does sweetbreads really well, although they were removed from the menu at Sra. Martinez before I had a chance to try them. I guess I'll save 'em for another day...

I hope you enjoyed my post, learned a thing or two about what foodies like to eat, and opened your mind a bit to trying new things the next time you go out.


I also wanted to make something clear for those that have been following the blog. Much of the food I've written about so far, although sometimes comprised of exotic or luxurious ingredients, does not exactly constitute as fine dining. Many of the restaurants I've written about are set up with simple decor and the food preparations are not complex. It is great, upscale food, served in a casual and much more approachable atmosphere. Yes, the dishes are home made, require hours of preparation, and have unusual ingredients. But they are being prepared very simply and at a much more affordable price compared to something like Daniel, Per Se, or The French Laundry. What Daniel does with sweetbreads and foie gras and what Blue Ribbon does are worlds apart. 


As I mentioned in my first blog post, it does not mean that one is deservedly better than the other. Each has its place. Places like Artisanal, Blue Ribbon, Momofuku, and Les Halles only represent the tip of the iceberg in New York dining. That concept alone should attest to how much this city has to offer in terms of dining. It is much easier--and affordable--to do an impromptu visit to Momofuku on a Sunday evening than it is to get and pay for a table at a 4-star place (especially because many of the best places close on Sundays!). As the future progresses, I will eventually have opportunities to visit places like Eleven Madison Park and Jean Georges. I will be sure to write about them. If anything I've written so far intrigues you in the slightest, I'd stick around for the primetime shows. That's when the real fun will begin.

China Town

There is no doubt that New York is the most culturally diverse city in the world. There are many neighborhoods throughout the city that reflect the customs of the people who live there. Perhaps no community demonstrates this more clearly than the Chinese, who have established not 1, not 2, but THREE different China Towns throughout the five boroughs. Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Flushing, Queens, which has one of the China Towns. I went there for lunch with some friends after a day at the beach, and was able to enjoy some great authentic Chinese food.

Were not in Kansas anymore, Toto. No egg rolls here.

The particular restaurant we visited has been recommended by the Michelin Guide for the past few years (Note: I said recommended, not rated, as in stars). You know you're in an authentic place when you can't read anything and you are the only non-Asian people in the dining room. Thankfully, my friends had visited before and the menu had some translations.

We ordered several plates of food, all of which come at a very cheap price ($5 or less). This style of dining is called dim sum. It reminds me of tapas in Spain, where everything is appetizer portioned and meant to share. You are served hot tea to accompany your meal to aid in digestion instead of water (but you can have water if you like, as well). This first dish is pork dumplings. There's a ball of ground pork sitting inside this little liquid-filled pouch, which are then steamed. Tradition follows that you poke open the pouch to let the liquid flow out into your spoon to suck up. Otherwise, you risk burning your mouth with the steaming hot liquid if you just eat the whole thing in one bite. The dumplings were absolutely delicious. I could eat the whole basket, which brought 5 or 6 dumplings.

Up next were some rice cakes sauteed in a wok with some vegetables. They are gluten-based discs that have an incredibly soft and chewy texture.

Lastly were some scallion pancakes. These are non-leavened flatbreads made with dough instead of batter, like a traditional American breakfast pancake. The dough is mixed with green onions and cooked with oil. Although a savory item, they lacked a bit of seasoning. Nonetheless, they were an interesting treat.

I have the feeling this was just the tip of the iceberg as far as my musings into Chinese food are concerned. I will definitely check out some of the other China Towns to sample their authentic cuisine. And the best part is, it's so cheap!

The Best Pizza ever?

On a recent visit to Connecticut to visit a friend, he took me to a hole in the wall pizza joint named Frank Pepe's. It's existed since 1925 and has since had a couple of expansions. However, the original still stands with its coal-burning oven. You will know you arrived when you see the line of people outside waiting for a table. A line for pizza? This has good written all over it. I'm in.

The pizza was absolutely delicious. At first, I was hesitant to call it the best pizza I've ever had. That's a bold statement. It's definitely the best I've had in recent memory, which puts it into the tops I've ever had. I think the combination of the coal oven and fresh ingredients is what makes the pizza sing. I even liked their beverages, which included something called White Birch Beer Soda. It tasted kind of like a medicine, but somehow really good at the same time. I recommend it not only because it's good, but because you probably won't see it anywhere else!

If you live in the Northeast and ever pass near Connecticut, it's definitely something you should check out. You'll thank me later.

Albert gives his stamp of approval.

Momofuku You!

Momofuku (meaning "lucky peach") is a family of restaurants owned and operated by David Chang, a Korean-American chef that studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York. After graduation, he realized he did not have the financial backing or skill to create a multi-starred restaurant. So, he did something perhaps even more daring. He opened up a small place called Momofuku Noodle Bar in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, an area more known for its pubs and hipster NYU students than for its cuisine. However, because he was in a less picturesque neighborhood, his rent was low and he was able to afford great ingredients from local farms. The decor is minimalist and there is no dress code. Waiters don't even have uniforms. Due to all this, he is able to present you great food at an affordable price, compared to other "fine dining" places in the city. It's simple food prepared expertly.

Shortly after, he opened up his other places, including Ssam Bar, Ko, Milk Bar, and most recently Ma Peche. Ko, the most formal of his places, only has a dozen bar stools, and reservations are nearly impossible to get because you have to go through an online process to get the seat. The food is incredible though, and it has won awards for best new restaurant. I've had the privilege of visiting Noodle Bar twice and Ssam Bar once.


Chang is a big fanatic of pork, so vegetarians beware. His signature dish is his steamed pork belly buns. He takes a freshly made bun, and fills it with hoisin sauce, two slices of steamed pork belly, scallions, and cucumber. That's it. It's very simple, but the ingredients are so good and blend so well, that it is absolutely delicious. There is a perfect amount of fat on the belly that fills your mouth with a rich pork taste. The fat goes great with the sweet hoisin, and the textures of the bun and cucumbers go great. You can get the pork buns at just about any of his places.

His other signature dish (he's got several) is the pork ramen noodle bowl. It's a bowl filled with freshly made noodles, pork shoulder, pork belly, scallions, a poached egg, fish cake, bamboo shoots, nori (sushi wrapping), and a flavorful broth. This is one of the best soups you will ever have, and it is incredibly filling. This dish is only available at Noodle Bar, I believe.

At Ssam bar, I enjoyed Crispy Pig's Ears, Pork Shoulder Steak, and Spicy Pork Sausage. I didn't have my camera with me then, so there are no pictures. But they were delicious! He changes the menu weekly, so these dishes are either no longer on there, or have been altered slightly.


Chang is also famous for two other gastronomic feats. At Noodle Bar, you can reserve a fried chicken meal, while at Ssam Bar you can reserve a "Bo Ssam," a whole 10 pound pork shoulder served alongside oysters and other accompaniments. I was able to try the chicken meal with some friends this past weekend and it was phenomenal.

You are given two chickens, one served Southern style with old bay batter, and the other served Korean style in a spicy glaze. 

To accompany the chicken are 4 sauces, an herb basket which included purple bay leaf, bibb lettuce, peppermint, baby carrots, red ball radishes, and a few other things I didn't catch. The sauces included a hoisin, soy-jalapeno-garlic, the spicy red sauce, and another I can't recall right now. Not pictured are mushu pancakes, which are flour-based tortillas. You would take some chicken, herbs, and sauce and wrap them with the pancake and enjoy. 

The herbs, sauces, and vegetables were so fresh and well made that you could taste each component as you bit into the wrap. It was fun to compose each wrap differently than the previous to taste new things. Everything was delicious and the five of us were able to finish the platter. 

I highly recommend any of the Momofukus if you're ever around the Manhattan East Side and in the mood for some delicious, filling, and affordable food.