Please don't order room service in this city - NYC - August 2013 through December 2014

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As this is a blog about NEW YORK CITY it's almost needless to say that this is all about food. We love food. Period. It's what we do and it's why we do many of our travels because we love to explore cultures and food. So here we go.

We love tasting menus. If it is offered we will go for it almost 100% of the time. You get to experience the full range of the items, talents and limitations of the chef in one meal. So we will start with one of our most unusual foodie experiences. It is called WD-50 and owned by Wylie Dufresne. Unfortunately as of this writing he has been forced to close the restaurant due to real estate development issues. Known as someone who pushed the envelope on dishes and was very, very imaginative for the weird, the daring and the unthinkable. Making things work that are not supposed to work. But before this do yourself a favor and visit the Pegu Club just a couple blocks away. You walk in and feel like you are in a different era - like 60s or 70s mob era with the dark room and barely being able to figure out who you are sitting next too. We sat down and had the bitty lem-lem which is a vodka tonic with lemon infused vodka. Better than your average vodka tonic. Next up was the 2) earl grey martini which Nikkie loved. It was made with raw egg white and earl grey infused gin. Last and finally we had the Le Fleur de Paradis which is champagne with grapefruit juice and gin. All drinks were phenomenal and we would highly recommend any drinks here (pricey but good).

Back to WD50. Below are our dishes:
1) Saffron coconut ice-cream inside a poppy-seed wafer with caviar on top - yeah we had ice cream and caviar together as a dish and as an appetizer. This was gonna be awesome. It was very surprising with the saltiness, the sweet and the coldness. Right out of the gate an example of how different they do things here. Keep em' coming.
2) Cuttlefish w/ fennel and black garlic feuilletine. We could not really find the fish and the fennel was ok. Very surprisingly it all came together nicely at the end.
3) Chilled egg-drop soup w/ sea urchin, mushroom and radish. The sea urchin was exceptional - almost foie grass like and funky with cold soup. One of our favorites. One of my favorite dishes in a very long time.
4) Veal sweetbreads w/ cucumber-lychee, tonic and fermented black bean. The flavors were incredible and an overall awesome dish - the flavors just worked. Another one of our favorites.
5) Sea scallops w/ berbere granola, carrot and marcona. Great flavors - yes granola and sea scallops.
6) Corned BEEF CHEEKS w/ tendon, banana-horseradish and myoga. The banana-horseradish was awesome. The beef cheek was very "tripey". Hard to explain. Easiest way to explain would be to compare it to when you eat "game" meat and you say it tastes very "gamey". Still a good dish, but just an observation.
7) Mediterranean bass w/ celery, macadamia, and grapefruit. This was presented in the form of a fish. The grapefruit puree/mousse was awesome and the presentation was great and very appealing.
8) Rabbit w/ spring onion, beans, hibiscus, and thai-basil nori. The rabbit was excellent, but the beans killed it. Just did not feel like these worked together. The only dish we can say this about really.
9) Cured duck breast w/ curds-n-whey, sweet potato and rice noodles. Again the duck was excellent. The milk was fermented and really was something very different. It definitely is an acquired taste. Just taking spoons of the milk by itself was gross. Very gross. Eating it all together somehow just worked. It really tasted awesome taking it all together. Magic with flavors.
10) Bartlett pear sorbet w/ honeymilk crisp, tarragon and honey/vinegar nitrogenized ice cream. Yes you read that right - honey/vinegar ice cream (NITROGINIZED) and it was awesome. One of our favorites. The flavors!!!
11) Key lime pie w/ ritz cracker and cherry. It was a key lime pie filled with passion-fruit and ritz-cracker on the side. The cherry was not great but a good dish.
12) Apple tart w/ concord grape, sorrell and pistachio. It was a hardened apple skin (almost like glass) rolled-up in a circle with apple ice cream inside and apple tart. Probably one of the best deserts we've had.
13) Beer malt pretzel and passionfruit candy. It was ok.

We loved the food. We loved the variety. We loved the flavors. We loved the combinations. Each dish was presented in its own unique way in its own unique dish/bowl. We love to taste the flavors of each individual component first. Many times we would taste the components individually and it would just not taste good at all. Taking the components together and having a bite with everything in it transformed it to an amazing bite where everything worked and each component complimented each other or off-set the strong flavor/ taste from another component. We loved the experience. The only negative (very very small negative) is that it was somewhat rushed. When we finished a dish the next one was presented, but we also understand that the space is small and that they are trying to get as many people in and out as possible.

Next up is CAFE BOULUD. We love Boulud and have only good things to say about his restaurants and our dining experiences there. Here we go:
1) A fried cheese doughball (just to say welcome)
2) An oyster, fig and foie gras, and raw tuna. Each was served individually in a little bowl. A very refreshing dish. For these first 2 courses we got the same items. From here on it was a "his" and "hers" for each course.
3) Nikkie got seabass covered with a sheet of coconut and fresh avocado. I got grilled seabass with pea mouse. We both loved our dishes. Nikkie loves coconut so having a "sheet" of coconut was very interesting and great tasting.
4) Next up was a summer corn soup for me and a melon soup with ginger for Nikkie. Both were excellent.
5) Next for me were raviolis with peas and mushrooms and Nikkie got shitaki mushrooms on grits with sweet potato puree. Good light summer dishes.
6) For me next was salmon w/ summer vegetables, a salsa and a corn fritter. Nikkie got fish with a corn salsa, and a variety of vegetables. The salmon was a little overcooked, but overall really good flavors.
7) Up for me was a rack of lamb over soy beans and pork belly with soybeans for Nikkie. The lamb was superb, but I did not care for the soybeans. The pork belly was well cooked and very tender.
8) For the first course in desert we each got a macaroon with ice cream. We both love macaroons so this was very good.
9) For the last course Nikkie got vanilla ice cream with pistachio crumbles and I got a plate with various chocolates, truffles, and ice cream. I love sweet stuff so this was right up there for me as far as goodness goes.

An awesome evening of food and fun for us. One of the first times where they served "his" and "hers" that were still somewhat comparable. The service was exceptional, the dishes timed just right and the servers were very knowledgeable. As always the food was delicious, fresh, light and in season. Would highly recommend dining here.

We'll do one more tasting menu restaurant and switch gears. BOULEY. As you walk into the restaurant you are greeted with a wall of fresh apples. The entire wall is decorated with apples. They replace them every week - definitely have not seen that one before. The "waiting room" is filled with orchids and a stand with liquor. Help yourself and pay later. We were seated in the red room (downstairs) at a table facing the entire room.

1) We started with Champagne Savart. I guess we finally figured it out that starting a good meal with a good glass of champagne is worth it.
2) They have a "bread truck" that they pull around with the most amazing breads imaginable baked in the restaurants. You get this Hansel and Gretel feeling looking at the "bread truck".
3) Amush bushe (grapefruit). Just to clean the pallet.
4) First up chilled Wellfleet oysters w/ meyer lemon dressing for Nikkie (served in 3 little shot glasses) and fresh Malibu sea urchin w/ green apple cloud and osetra caviar for me (served in a half sea urchin shell). Phenomenal dishes. We are falling in love with sea urchin. The oysters were phenomenal. The flavors were incredible. Our favorite dish here.
5) Live Chatham sea scallops & live Scottish langoustine in an ocean herbal broth for Nikkie and fresh Portuguese sardines and fresh Barcelona anchovies w/ home made angel hair pasta, parmesan, Jerez and pine nuts for me. The broth was incredible.
6) Organic Connecticut farm egg w/ 24 month Comte, Serrano ham, Iberico pata negra ham, and coconut garlic broth for me (loved this) and Pistachio miso marinated fresh black cod w/ avocado miso and smoked organiz milk for Nikkie. Incredible dishes.
7) Organic Colorado rack of lamb w/ loin steamed in flat leaved spinach, soubise of cipollini, zucchini mint puree, and rose olive sauce for me and Organiz Long Island duck w/ organic golden Nevada dates and Hudson Valley milled polenta. Well cooked with excellent flavors.
8) Huckleberry soup w/ Elderberry yogurt sorbet and chilled Coconut soup w/ pineapple granite for Nikkie and 10 exotic fruit sorbet and ameretto ice cream for me.
9) Hot Valrhona chocolate frivolous for me (a selection of chocolate dishes with ice cream) and mandarin, clementine and tangerine warm tart w/ navel orange sorbet for Nikkie.

We loved this restaurant. One of our favorites. Incredible food with incredible flavors. Incredibly friendly service. Incredibly attentive service.

Breaking away from food a little bit - yes there are many other things to do in this crazy city. Sports are always at the top of the list. The US Open is a must even if you are just somewhat of a tennis fan. Go during the first 3 - 4 days of the tournament as you get to see some really good players all the time on the outside courts. The food prices are a rip-off, but this is the premier New York event. The "lesser" known sports teams (only because they have to compete against the Yankees and Rangers) in New York City are the METS and the NEW YORK ISLANDERS. The Mets have a brand new stadium. Definitely worth a visit if you are in town during the baseball season. Tickets are much much cheaper than the Yankees (don't like the Yankees anyway). The Islanders are kind of in the same situation. Playing at the Coliseum on Long Island the tickets are dirt cheap. We were bored one Saturday afternoon, found cheap tickets and off we went. This was our first hockey game. Everyone always say that watching it live is just so much different. They were right. Crazy to see how fast these guys skate, the action, the fights, the skill. Definitely enjoyed it a lot.

Central park is always a big draw. SHEEP MEADOW AT CENTRAL PARK provides an awesome view from certain angles - stand in certain spots and you will have lush green grass surrounded by beautiful old trees surrounded by beautiful skyscrapers. We actually visited this again during NYC FOLIAGE. The leaves turn beautiful colors during late October and make the scenes so much prettier. Just a skip and a hop away is COLUMBUS CIRCLE where the STATUE OF COLUMBUS stands and watches the action 24/7 and thousands and thousands of cars round the circle everyday in front of the shopping mall, the CNN offices and restaurants offering meals that we will hopefully eat soon. Keep going up and the FRICK MUSEUM will soon find you. We only went one night because "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Vermeer was on display. The rest of the gallery was closed off but the collection seems exceptional so we will definitely visit soon. Keep going up and you will run into the EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO. A unique and somewhat eclectic museum. Seems to be housed in an old school - it is a museum that celebrates Latino art. A smaller collection, but definitely some works that starts a lot of conversation.

One of the things that always catch our attention is the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING LIT-UP IN COLORS. Almost every night the building has different colors honoring someone, something, some team, or some event. Follow them on their blog to stay on top of things. An especially great view of the Empire State Building can be had from WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK. Always something going on here. Do not miss the views through the arch looking back at Empire State Building.

Next up is the The James Beard House. An institution for "foodies". Every week (many times a week) they host celebrity/ upcoming/ honored chefs who come in make a spread. Tickets can get expensive, but it is so worth it. We went for the "Boston tea party". They brought in many chefs from various areas and made lots and lots of finger foods with tea and champagne. The spread was amazing. Too many things to name here, but I'm still gonna try. It was served buffet style. We obviously tried to try everything (it was hard, but we may have succeeded between Nikkie and I).
1) Tea - Estate Darjeeling, black currant, green mango peach, chamomile citron (4 different varieties to choose from) and then champagne on top of that
2) Pastries - huckleberry tartlets (amazing), orange blossom madeleines, chocolate eclaires w/ jasmine, orange, and black sesame, yogurt mousse w/ spiced pears and candied sunflowers, cheese squash marsmallows, apple pecan tartlets
3) Sandwiches - anchovies and capicola w/ tomato conserva, fried capers and basil on tuscan bread, smoked poussin w/ pickled watermelon, basil and mint on country rye bread (awesome), brussel sprout salad w/ horseradish creme fraiche and hazelnuts on a whole-wheat crostini, crab salad w/ celery root remoulade on a lemongrass English muffin, cured salmon w/ juniper mustard and lemon peel confit on pumpernickel, peanutbutter, jelly, and foie gras on rustic white bread (the dish of the event), porkloin w/ jalapeno jam and butternut squash relish and celery on a pretzel bun (close second).

This is just a small example of what we had. We could go back as many times as we wanted. There is only so many times you can go back. It was amazing. Something to experience.

Next up is one of our favorite chefs - Jean George. We managed to visit two more of his restaurants. JOJO is up first - his flagship restaurant that has been around for forever. This alone should be a testament as to how good his food is because in this city only the strong survive and only the superb survive this long. JOJO had an autumn menu when we were there so we decided to go for it. He uses a lot of Asian influence in his dishes and "sushi" type dishes are always at the top of the list
1) So needless to say first up was a tuna roll w/ a soybean emulsion (really good).
2) Next up poached lobster w/ lemon risotto and caramelized fennel (really good and the fennel was very crunchy - generally I am not a fennel fan, but this was awesome)
3) Lamb chop w/ chili crumbs, haricots verts and braised artichokes (good)
4) Warm chocolate cake w/ vanilla ice cream (very good ice cream with almost a type of molten chocolate cake)

We loved the food. We loved the ambiance. We loved the service. But best of all... right as we walked out I heard my name called and it was one of my friends from college and... she is now the general manager at JoJo. And that is how we now have "a connection" at JG. We walked back on Park avenue as the Helmsley building was lit up in beautiful green colors and the rest of the sidewalks were decked out in Christmas lights. It was a good night.

THE MARK - one of Jean Georges more recent additions was next on the list. And this is where my friend Hannah came in. We were seated and immediately we were each poured a glass of champagne. Yes. Since there was no tasting menu we ordered 6 oysters on the half shell (good) and the crispy sushi - salmon, tuna, scallop, hamachi and avocado. There is that Asian thing again. This is one of the signature dishes here and it was really good. The sushi was crunchier and gave it a different texture and taste. As an add on they brought us the truffle pizza w/ Fontina cheese. This is the signature dish here and it does not disappoint. Wow. We were blown away. Thanks Hannah (we really wanted to order it too, but there is only so much you can eat). Next up for Nikkie was Lava Lake lamb chops (very well cooked and really good) and veal Milanese w/ parmesan, escarole, and lemon vinaigrette for me. I was not crazy about my dish. I thought it was very average. We ordered the roasted brussel sprouts w/ pecans and aged balsamic as a side and they threw in the Maitake mushrooms w/ sesame and lime. The mushrooms were a winner. And then they finished us off with apple tart w/ spiced cider ice cream (good) and Profiteroles w/ Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce (ok). We will always go back for the pizza, the sushi and the lamb. Winning dishes I will eat any day. What an experience. It's great to know people.

Continuing with the celebrity chefs - next up is Mario Batali's LUPA OSTERIA ROMANA. Most of this was served family style so that was a little different than what we were used to (there was 3 of us).
1) deep fried cheese - it was ok
2) ceasar salad - good
3) prosciutto and a couple other cold cuts - really good
4) beets - good
5) penne - really good
6) pasta shells w/ broccoli rabe and sausage - really good
7) bass w/ artichokes and red onions- really good
8) olive oiled parsnips - good
8) grilled chicken very spicy and well-seasoned - very good
9) 4 cheeses with bread and spreads - very good
10) hazelnut ice cream w/ chocolate sauce w/ hazelnuts - really good

It was a good meal. You can always trust Mr. Batali for a good Italian meal. We also recently went to one of his more casual places OTTO ENOTECA PIZZERIA. Very crowded and very loud. Things were a little more tapas style or so it appeared (definitely still had full pasta dishes and pizza). We started with:
- a spinach salad w/ baby spinach, Ricotta Salata & Truffle Honey. This salad was incredible. Plain and simple, but phenomenal tasting with the light truffled honey dressing.
- roasted beets and saba. The beets were delicious and had a deep red color. Very pretty to look at.
- Seppia Con Acetini - charred cuttlefish with pickled ramps, jingle bell peppers and fennel. Another really good dish
- and to end it all we shared a Prosciutto Arugulatomato, cacio, mozzarella, crudo, arugula pizza. The pizza dough was very sweet, light and overall a really good pizza.

I thought that the quality of food was very good for the price (less than $70 with wine included). An awesome casual spot for good Italian food. Walk a couple blocks (maybe a little more) over to Bleecker street to the original Magnolia Bakery. One of Nikkie's favorites (she loves the chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting - most of the time the vanilla frosting is dyed a different color). Definitely try their OTHER CUPCAKES - they have a plethora of options. The BANANA PUDDING is also really good (really smooth with nice chunks of banana). The GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE is really good too - a little too much frosting (and I love frosting) - but well worth it. There are plenty of other options as well. Baked by Melissa is everywhere - they only serve bite-size cupcakes in many different flavors and colors as well so this is always a good option as well. Bouchon Bakery is always an excellent option for light macaroons. CARNEGIE DELICATESSEN FOR CHEESECAKE is a must as well. Some of the biggest slices you will see anywhere and some of the best cheesecake too. Momofuku Milk Bar has quickly become a favorite of ours so MOMOFUKU MILK BAR FOR COMPOST COOKIE and MOMOFUKU MILK BAR FOR CANDY BAR PIE are excellent options. The compost cookie has a lot of different things in it which makes it an adventure to eat - many different flavors coming through. The candy bar pie has many many different types of candy in it and is an adventure in itself too. Very rich, but very good. And last but not least - crossing the Brooklyn Bridge you can find Four and Twenty Blackbirds. A Brooklyn dive and very "Brooklyn". A pie shop (and coffee shop) within an awesome old brick building turning out phenomenal pies of all sizes flavors and combinations. The shoofly pie and salted caramel apple pie was delicious. We can't wait to go back for more.

We have many more foodie experiences to go so buckle-up. Next celebrity chef up is Marcus Samuelsson. His restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem has been hard to get into. One day in the fall I took off a day from work and at the last minute we decided to go into the city and spend the day. We were able to get brunch reservations. We started with the:

1) Glogg (Swedish mulled wine w/ cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves, vodka, red wine, sugar, almonds, raisins). Generally I don't care for "spice" drinks, but this was good.
2) Corn bread w/ honey butter and tomato jam - awesome
3) Bloody Mary w/ pickled vegetables - good drink, but it was all about the presentation
4) PYT - pink grapefruit belvedere, lingonberries, lemon, lemon bitters, agave, egg white - really good
4) Market greens w/ butter lettuce, apples, walnuts, ginger lemon vinaigrette - not the greatest salad, but it tasted extremely fresh
5) Sweet potato soup w/ chipotle, chili lime peanuts - really good
6) Meatballs w/ lingonberries, braised green cabbage, mashed potatoes - very good and the meatballs was very sweet
7) Tandoori Salmon w/ celeriac, golden raisin-almond chutney, mustard broth - really good
8) Red Rooster doughnuts w/ sweet potato filling, powdered sugar and whip cream - really good

We loved the meal, the flavors and the presentations. Definitely worth the hike up to Harlem.

The next celebrity chef is TODD ENGLISH. We've eaten at a couple of his places and it's always been pretty good. Next up was CAVA BRASSERIE where we did the Taste of CAVA. It was more of a pre-fixe with an appetizer, entree and dessert. We had the:
1) Berkshire pork belly w/ braised red cabbage and chestnut puree (very good)
2) Kale salad w/ parmigano dressing, crispy prosciutto, and butternut squash (one of our favorites and I generally don't care for kale that much)
3) Roasted half chicken w/ romesco sauce, heirloom cauliflower, and marcona almonds (ok - not the best)
4) spaghetti w/ roasted Atlantic salmon, Scottish smoked salmon, parmesan reggiano, and green onions (good)
5) Spiced apple crisp w/ cinnamon gelato (really good)
6) Sticky banana bread w/ salted caramel gelato and bourbon toffee (really good).
Overall the appetizers were our favorites and the deserts were good as well. There is always space as it is in the Continental Hotel. We did go again shortly after since we had some friends in town. Nikkie had the jumbo scallops which were so so and I had the pork chop which was one of the best pork chops I have ever had (I've had my fair share of pork chops). The pork chop was covered in bacon bits and baked in maple syrup. Very bad for you, but oh so good. Would highly recommend this one.

Next up is a restaurant run by a former alum of the world famous NOMA restaurant - ACME. We went with high expectations of food in the WD-50 mold. First up:
1) radishes with oyster spread/dip with green "grass" laid out on a big wooden plate. Probably one of our favorite dishes. Just awesome
2) Foie gras and langoustine w/ walnuts. Langoustine seems to be the flavor of the month. Unfortunately the foie gras was non-existent.
3) Smoked fish tacos with trout roe and pickled vegetables served on evergreen branches. Another delicious dish served in a very unusual way, but really cool.
4) grilled oysters w/ celery (ok)
5) brown eggs w/ cauliflower puree inside the shell and local cheese (it was ok, but the presentation was awesome)
6) Salmon skin w/ cucumber and buttermilk/horseradish sauce (good)
7) Johnny cakes w/ pork and multiple elements and sides. This was the main dish. There were many components to the dish and it was kind of a built your own dish thing. Really interesting with all the component and kind of fun trying different combinations.
8) Mast Brothers chocolate w/ sunchoke and creme fraiche (chips w/ a chocolate mouse) (good)
9) Nitrogenized beets w/ yogurt mousse and rye bread crumbles. The dish that blew us away. Nitrogenized beets (for desert?). Rye bread crumbs (for desert?). It was awesome, inventive, fun, funky.

Not completely blown away by the meal but still very good. Would recommend this if you are into the somewhat unusual.

Moving on to Mexican food. We have heard so many good things about ROSA MEXICANO (by many considered a very upscale Mexican restaurant in New York). We went on a quieter night while walking around the city. The frozen mango margharita and FROZEN POMEGRANATE MARGHARITA are musts. They were good. The GUACAMOLE is prepared table side. It was good. Nikkie had the beef mole enchilada which she really liked (she is a tough critic on Mexican food). I had the scallop and beef cheek tacos. The beef cheep tacos were good. The scallops were ok.

We do many little day trips into the city just to hang out, walk around, and experience the magic of the city. On one such day we went in and walked around before eventually ending up at the OYSTER BAR @ GCS FOR OYSTERS (Malpeque, chincoteague, shigoku, and yaquina oysters). We've been there a couple times now and the oysters are always a good choice. We always thought this was a very classy/upscale place, but it really is very touristy. Besides the oysters we also had the COMBINATION PAN ROAST (cream, butter and clam juice w/ sweet chili sauce and soaked toast w/ oysters, clams, shrimp, lobster and sea scallop). I really enjoyed it as it was more of a stew. I had a dark and stormy (not a good drink here) and Nikkie as usual had some bubbly with her oysters - they just go together. After walking around and doing some shopping we ended up at the KING COLE BAR @ ST. REGIS FOR RED SNAPPERS. Apparently this is where the bloody mary (known as the red snapper here) was first made. We got a seat outside the bar in the lobby area. A very pretentious place that seemed, felt and turned out to be pretty stuffy. Anyway - I got the red snapper (belvedere vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice & spices) and it really was not all it is made out to be. And at $25 to $30 per drink it gets a little ridiculous. Nikkie had the Astor midnight (stoli, blueberry syrup, lavender syrup, limoncello, and roederer estate brut). It was not as sweet as we thought it would be so it turned out to be ok. We also ordered a cheese plate (cheeses, jar of honey comb, figs, grapes, crackers, apricots, raspberries to much more). The cheese plate turned out to be the highlight of the visit. A good plate with cheese and a good variety of items to accompany the cheese and combine flavors. One of those places you have to visit just to say you have done it - for us it was just not all it's made out to be. I don't mind being charged more than usual, but I do expect something of a little higher quality or something that blows me away. At $100 for 2 drinks and a cheese plate the cheese plate delivered, but the drinks failed miserably.

The Christmas season is always a good time to be in NYC. We decided to spend Thanksgiving night in the city. We've always walked by THE ALGONQUIN HOTEL and it just seemed like a classy old hotel. Well the prices were good so we went for it (especially around the Christmas season they have very good prices). The hotel has a lot of history - one of those where the literary minds of the early twentieth century hung out on weekly basis to talk and discuss things. Considered the oldest hotel in NYC where they until fairly recently still used the OAK ROOM FOR CABARET (unfortunately they stopped it). We sat around in the ROSE ROOM @ ALGONQUIN HOTEL and had a MATILDA DRINK. It's a classic there and it was good. We really liked the hotel. A big Christmas tree in the lobby, lots of little tables and chairs, welcoming to any and all with a big gingerbread house display. The rooms at THE ALGONQUIN HOTEL are updated and modern, but the hallways and elevators remain historical and old with beautiful cast iron staircases and pictures of the New York magazine (this is after all where the idea for the magazine came from). A must if you ever need to spend a night in the city and have the dough. The next day for Thanksgiving we did lunch at The Smith. We had:
- Down East cider (good)
- prosecco (good)/ chenin blanc (good)
- Cotuit bay and wild goose oysters (good)
- butternut soup w/ cream and roasted pine nuts (very good)
- gnocchi (ricotta gnocchi w/ truffle cream) (really good since they were nice and crispy on the outside and nice and light on the inside).
- turkey w/ brussel sprouts and cranberry sauce (good)
- pork (corn and bacon flapjack w/ creamed kale and black peppered honey). This was awesome and definitely one of the better pork chops I've had (yeah it is up there with Cava).
- bread pudding (pumpkin bread pudding w/cranberry caramel, spiced pecans, bourbon mascarpone) - good
- blackout cake (brooklyn blackout cake with chocolate pudding, devil’s crumbs, malted milkshake). The cake was very dry and not good at all, but the little shake was very good

A good dining experience and will definitely return.

Moving back to Mr. Batali - he has a supermarket/ restaurant concept called Eataly. Something we have not seen before but are sure is out there. A massive supermarket with all Italian products for cooking. You walk in the front and you are greeted by a gelato and coffee stand, move on to the cheese and chocolate section, next up fish and meat, then freshly prepared pastas and sauces, then cold cuts and fruits and vegetables, and don't forget the recipe books, cookware and all other items your heart can ever desire cooking an Italian meal. And then strategically throughout there is about 3 - 4 little restaurants each specializing in their own thing. Something to experience for any foodie. Highly recommended. We always get affogado, gelato or espresso here. We've eaten at the "fish" restaurant and had the Fritto Misto alla ligure (assorted fried seafood w/ shrimp, fish, calamari) which was really good and lightly covered in batter. We also had the risotto w/ white truffle as it was the season for the white truffles.

Next up all the little places we have eaten at that is definitely worth a visit as these are true New York institutions by themselves. ARTIE'S DELICATESSEN is just one of those classic NYC Jewish delis. We actually went on Christmas day as we were waiting for a flight out of the city and had hot chocolate (really good), chicken soup (ok), potato pancakes (ok), and hot dogs (really good). Nothing that will blow you away, but a good experience. JOHN'S for PIZZA is one of those old classic pizza places in the city. Not the greatest decor as it looks like the place has not been updated/ remodeled since the day it opened way back with linoleum floors and benches that creek and squeek at every movement, but that is what gives it the charm it has. Pictures all over the place of celebs and landmarks from way way back (1929 actually). Pizza was good, but pretty expensive even by New York standards - still an experience though. And last not least is one that will require quite a hike, trek and maybe even putting your life in danger a little bit - the AREPA LADY FOR AREPAS. She has been doing arepas for forever and runs a small little street cart at night during the non-cold months. She shows up when she wants to show up and the line is usually long. People order and then just sit/ stand around on the sidewalk waiting for their food. She comes out at night in the Jackson Heights area and my oh my can it be shady. We went late one Friday night when her kids were cooking and it was an experience. Arepa lady on the street meets porn store meets rough neighborhood meets guy in a black suit meets guy barely dressed. People of all backgrounds meet here to gather around her simply yet awesomely delicious arepas. Hope I did not scare you too much - this will be the highlight of your trip if you want a little adventure.

On a side note - Rockwood Music Hall is one of our favorites to watch music. Almost always a band playing and always a cheap cover, good beer and a good seat/view.

Next up a couple restaurants we have walked up to last minute or just found online with some mixed results. Puttanesca in the Hell's Kitchen area (closed now as of this writing). We had butternut squash soup (ok), octopus and garbanzo beans w/ celery (good), pumpkin ravioli w/ brown sugar (good), and ravioli w/ braised short ribs (very fatty and not that great). Overall it was ok. Next up is Bettola (in the 80s on the west side). We had pumpkin soup w/ goat cheese (really good), a Bianca pizza w/ mozzarella, parmagiano, mushrooms and truffle oil (really good), a light pasta dish (good), and banana Creme Brulee (not great). Good meal and would recommend during the summer when they have outdoor seating. Next up is Thalia (once again in the Hell's Kitchen area). This seemed like a restaurant that just served everything (usually we don't like this as to us it means that everything is just ok). We had the capellini w/ seafood (good), lamb shank (ok), lobster ravioli (ok), and creme brulee (ok). Overall actually a pretty good meal for a quick bite before a show. Next is Bocca di Bacco. We just walked in here one afternoon while strolling around walking around the skyline (old railroad track running above the city with awesome views and no cars). We had oysters, octopus (really good), and the crostinis (also good). Quite a surprise to us. Pretty good for a quick snack. And last but not least - Connolly's. Don't ask me why we went there. It was after we saw "Once" on Broadway so we figured we had to eat Irish food. Probably the worst meal of my life. We had beef stew (most flavorless stew I have ever had), fish and chips (pretty sure the middle was still frozen from the package it was taken from). Oh well - should have known better.

Other fun things to do - the previously mentioned Sky Line is something fun for a couple hours of free entertainment w/ some really cool views, angles, sights and sounds. Union Square market is always a favorite of ours. We usually walk around and love the fresh produce - grab a couple items and just sit down in a nearby park and enjoy our feast. Last but not least is Chelsea Market. A fun shopping area with mostly little restaurants and foodie things, but also some clothing and arts and crafts stores. A fun part of town to kill a couple hours.

Likes
We love the food in this city. You can eat for as cheap as you want ($1 pizza) or spend as much as you want. We love that there is always something. We love that there is art, expression, photo-ops, and creatures all hours of the time. It's hard not to like this city. Been here 5 years already and still peeling back the layers of this fascinating place and its history.


Dislikes
Not really too much to dislike. The people can be crazy and rude. All the tourists can drive you crazy. Things generally can be pretty expensive. It all is a part of the experience though.


Advice
Eat the foods. Try everything. Try the hole in the wall places. Splurge on at least one good meal. Walk. Walk. Walk. Explore this city. There is a lot to see. Don't forget about Brooklyn. Going over to Brooklyn and looking back to NYC is one of our favorite things to do. It is a majestical view.

And that's just another food blog on the greatest city in the world. Only 2 things to cross off here including Columbus Circle and the Rose Room in the Algonquin Hotel. So 246 down and 5,535 to go. Slowly but surely.

Til' next time from foodie town

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Photos

Union Square
Fresh produce all throughout the summer

Pegu Club
Le Fleur de Paradis - champagne with grapefruit juice and gin

WD-50
A long time waiting

WD-50
Appetizer - saffron coconut ice-cream inside a poppy-seed wafer with caviar on top

WD-50
Chilled egg-drop soup w/ sea urchin, mushroom and radish.

WD-50
Mediterranean bass w/ celery, macadamia, and grapefruit.

WD-50
Veal sweetbreads w/ cucumber-lychee, tonic and fermented black bean.

WD-50
Apple tart w/ concord grape, sorrell and pistachio.

Cafe Boulud
An oyster, fig and foie gras, and raw tuna.

Cafe Boulud
Salmon w/ summer vegetables, salsa and a corn fritter.

Cafe Boulud
Pork belly with soybeans - very tender.

Cafe Boulud
Macaroon with ice cream.

Cafe Boulud
Plate with various chocolates, truffles, and ice cream.

Bouley
Apples all over when you walk in. Pretty incredible.

Bouley
Walking in there are orchids everywhere

Bouley
The "bread truck"

Bouley
Fresh Malibu sea urchin w/ green apple cloud and osetra caviar served in a half sea urchin shell - phenomenal.

Bouley
Chilled Wellfleet oysters w/ meyer lemon dressing served in 3 little shot glasses

Bouley
Organic Connecticut farm egg w/ 24 month Comte, Serrano ham, Iberico pata negra ham, and coconut garlic broth

Bouley
Organiz Long Island duck w/ organic golden Nevada dates and Hudson Valley milled polenta.

Bouley
Organic Colorado rack of lamb w/ loin steamed in flat leaved spinach, soubise of cipollini, zucchini mint puree, and rose olive sauce

US Open
Monfils - a definite character

US Open
Haas in action

US Open
Haas in action

US Open
The night - one of the matches of the tournament. Also one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Duval over Stosur.

US Open
Ivo!!

US Open
The little Spanish bulldog

US Open
Always a good day at the Open!

US Open
The World

US Open
Fun times at the Open!

Citi Field
Saturday afternoon with the Mets

Citi Field
Go Sox!

Citi Field
It's a cool stadium

Citi Field
Pretty sweat view!

Il Museo Del Barrio
Interesting art

New York Islanders
Good seats

Washington Square Park
Beautiful views of Empire State Building

Washington Square Park
The locals doing their thing releasing ballooons