The Redhead

SATURDAY - MARCH 12, 2011 (DINNER)

The Redhead

349 E. 13th Street (b/w 1st & 2nd Aves)
New York, New York 10003
212-533-6212

website: http://www.theredheadnyc.com/


yelp: 4 stars
menupages: 4 stars
(new feature! I will start putting up yelp and menupages reviews)


Mike and I came here because we had heard so much about the fried chicken and it was definitely time to try it out!


WHAT WE ORDERED:

(The Fried Chicken!)

You didn't really expect us to order anything else when we came here specifically for the fried chicken right??? LOL! But let me tell you, I am a fried chicken fan and I ADORE this fried chicken! The breading on the outside is crispy but not heavy, it's not greasy which I have NO clue how they manage to pull off, but it's perfectly crispy, not too salty (perfectly seasoned) and not greasy... WIN!!!!

The salad beneath the chicken was a pear salad and it was just perfectly tossed with a very light lemon vinaigrette, perfection. This is not to diminish the poor little cornbread in the corner who seems meek in comparison to the rest of the plate, but do not be deceived by its small and demure stature, the taste packs a wollop! Moist, not chewy and not too sweet, very well done! =) Mike and I cleaned our plates, which is obviously an indicator of how much we loved the food!

If you're looking for a really good fried chicken that won't make you feel like heartburn is on the horizon, definitely visit the redhead. Be forewarned, they do not take reservations so if you don't like to wait, get there early or late or get ready to hunker down and wait. If you do decide to wait they have a great beer selection and some great appetizers, the bacon peanut brittle is a very good "to share" starter. Also, though I'm sure this is clear, it's not Popeyes (though I have nothing but LOVE for popeyes!) or KFC priced either, the fried chicken is $18 per plate, but worth every penny. Either way, I would definitely go back for the fried chicken and maybe to even try their other menu items. The staff was very attentive and friendly as well though I don't think I could say the same for the table of roustabouts sitting next to us, obnoxious.

Next on my fried chicken bucket list - Buttermilk Channel and Momofuku =)

Cafe Mike & Sherry - Cran-Apple Roasted Pork Loin

CRAN-APPLE ROASTED PORK LOIN (SLOW COOKER STYLE)

Recipe: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotporkroasts/r/bl57c5.htm

(what it looks like done!)

(can you see the steam comin' off that bad boy? lol.)

(you better see the steam now! ha!)

This was a good recipe ya'll we made it with some rice and spinach on the side. I liked this recipe, it was easy and tasty. I can't say it's the best slow-cooker recipe I've ever come across, coz in a later (and upcoming) entry I made something I gotta say was TO DIE FOR!!!

But if you need something easy and tasty, a crowd pleaser, you'll find it with this recipe, enjoy!

RIVER DELI

SATURDAY - MARCH 5, 2011



River Deli
32 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201
718-254-9200



We came here very specifically to celebrate my sister (March 8) and her husband's (march 6) birthdays. It's in a very unusual place that under the I-278, very well hidden. The food was pretty good and the ambiance in the area was very cute. The staff was very friendly and accommodating (we had a large group, so kudos to them!). This will not be a very comprehensive review of River Deli as we ended up ordering a bunch of appetizers and not everyone got to eat everything and they had some nightly specials that I can't seem to remember. Albeit, it really is my own fault for waiting until the end of April to write a review regarding a restaurant we went to a month and a half, almost 2 months ago. So what I do recall in my gigantic watermelon-like head is what we (Mike and I) had for entrees.


(*Note - I also do NOT have photos, I know, I know .... EPIC FAIL. sorry.)


WHAT WE ORDERED:

Mike: Malloredus Sardi Alla Campidanese (traditional short sardinian pasta with sausage, tomato sauce and pecorino cheese)

I had a little bit of Mike's dish but from what I remember it was quite tasty and delicious, it's a solid choice for those who aren't overly adventurous! =)


Sherry: Orata (whole grilled orata)

If you have NO idea what Orata is ... neither do I. LOL, just kidding! Orata is a white fish also more commonly known as a Dorada. It's a mediterranean fish very similar in taste to the Branzino (mediterranean sea bass). That's about as much as I know. Ha! If you want to know more about the (I was just interested in whether it was going to fill me up or not, coz I was hungry!) fish, click on the link I provided above. Originally I was going to order the eggplant dish, but very unluckily for me, they were OUT. How do you run out of eggplant?! Ha, so I went with the Orata and I was NOT disappointed, it was very tender and delicious, the flesh wasnt' fishy at all and it flaked at the touch of my fork! I was pleasantly surprised with the deliciousness and delicateness of this dish and the portion was great, I didn't feel overstuffed nor hungry. Excellent dish, I definitely recommend.


I think River Deli is an excellent neighborhood haunt, its a little out of the way to make a more frequent patronization if you don't already live in the neighborhood. I certainly would never have wandered into this direction and tried this lovely little resto had it not been at the request of the birthday folk!

Nuela

SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 27, 2011 (DINNER)


NUELA
43 West 24th Street
New York, New York 10010
212-929-1200

Website: http://www.nuelany.com/


** Mike and I came here for Restaurant Week and as I looked over their normal a la carte menu online, it seems to me that they did not make any special dishes or didn't offer anything on the resto week menu that they don't offer on the regular menu, which I think is fantastic! I think the only difference between the regular and restaurant week menu is the serving size.




They serve this bread as a complimentary dish. I don't recall the name of it but I do remember that it was made of yucca flour (very unusual!), but it gave the rolls a completely different texture, fluffier, almost spongy, delicious! The sauce on the side is a marscarpone mix with what appears to be honey drizzled along the side of it. The rolls are delicious on their own or dipped in the mascarpone sauce, either way ... a perfect start!


WHAT WE ORDERED:

The Appetizers

Mike: Smoked Brisket Arepas

(sweet plaintains/black bean queso blanco)

What can I say, this dish was AMAZING!!! The plaintains sit at the bottom with the brisket in the middle (no skimpy portions here! There was a TON of meat on these bad boys!) and sprinkled with the queso blanco and scallions. The plaintains were just slightly sweet, the queso was mild and the brisket was perfectly cooked, not chewy, not too salty, slightly smokey and the slight kick from the scallions was like a combination of flavors in your mouth that left you salivating for more! I would order this for an entree if there were such a thing! After the yucca flour rolls and now the brisket arepas, we were off to a FANTASTIC start, I couldn't wait for the rest of our dinner! Did I mention presentation (not that I really need to, you all can see for yourselves) was phenomenal. Sometimes presentation can really either make you want to eat something or push it away (ha!). If you keep reading, there will be nothing you see that you will NOT want to eat. Trust me.

Sherry: Black Kale Salad

(fennel/lemon vinaigrette/soft egg/anchovy/crispy pork)

So the presentation of this looked amazing, I was told that I was to break the egg (it's cooked overeasy) and mix the whole thing together. Whoever made the salad was a little heavy-handed on the vinaigrette but I felt the mildness of the egg helped cut the vinaigrette. The kale wasn't mushy, it wasn't raw, it was just right. The anchovy was not the stinky type, I almost didn't notice them in there until Mike mentioned that it was supposed to have anchovy, ha! The crispy pork was chewy as you would expect it to be, but that added to the texture and fun aspect of this dish. I would say that this was my least favorite dish, however, it was very fun, the salad itself was very good, very fun but nothing phenomenal or to write home about. I would recommend trying other appetizers, I picked the salad because I was trying to keep the calorie count down, a mistake in retrospect, but no crying over spilled milk now right? The waitress did recommend the spicy tuna ... maybe i'll try that next time ...

The Main Entrees

Sherry: Peruvian Chicken

(Whole smokey chicken/french fries/huancaina sauce)

Clearly I didn't get a WHOLE chicken and thank goodness! LOL! I got a drumstick, wing and breast which was an excellent portion serving in my opinion. The yellow sauce on the bottom is the huancaina sauce which is a potato, cheese, garlic sauce. It was very mild and went very well with the chicken. The chicken was very good (very moist!), not overly salty but it didn't impress me as a rotisserie chicken very much. I guess after being a patron of Pio Pio peruvian chicken, I was expecting a very flavorful chicken, instead it was just mediocre, even Costco's rotisserie chicken has more flavor (in my opinion). The manager stopped by to tout the chicken and aji (the green sauce on the bottom left of the photo) sauce and how it was "the best!" I didn't want to insult him as we still had dessert coming and I didn't want to have any spit end up in anything we were eating. The Aji/green sauce was good, there was no kick to it at all, which is a SHAME. Pio Pio's and Sophie's Cuban Cuisine have hands down the best aji sauce I've ever had and unfortunately, this one at Nuela didn't hold a candle to either (sorry, just being honest). The french fries were probably the best part of the dish. I've never had fries made like that, but they were very fresh and very crispy! Yum! I think the dish as an overall was good, a solid pick, but in retrospect (it's always 20/20 you know?), I think I should have been more adventurous.

Mike: Arroz con Pato* (*extra $5 additional)
(Crispy duck breast/confit thighs & gizzards/roasted foie gras/verde rice/soft duck egg)

Now, in regards to my last commentary to being more "adventurous" here is the definition as to why I felt that way. Mike ordered the arroz con pato and all i can say is, "wow". Everything in this dish jived together. Every piece of meat was moist and sooo very savory. The green rice, unusual, but so delicious and not overcooked, complimented the meat, the vegetables, the egg. There wasn't anything about this dish that was disappointing. It should be their signature dish. The portion was tremendous even though they dialed it down for restaurant week portions. I can't imagine what the regular portions of this dish is! I recommend that if you go to this restaurant that you do NOT leave the premises without ordering this dish! If you go, order it! Needless to say the additional $5 is well worth it.

The Dessert

Sherry (left): Chocolate (terrine/smoked banana/almond sorbet)
Mike (right): Churros (sugar & cinnamon/chocolate sauce)

By this point, the 2 of us were pretty close to maximum stuffedness, ha! But when the dessert came out, the real question became "how can you say 'No'?". The smoked bananas were a little overpowering if you ate it alone, but if you cut it with the almond sorbet, it became a decadent treat. The terrine (dark chocolate bar) was smooth, not bitter at all. Many dark chocolates are bitter and as a result, I don't like them as much, but this was a creamy, mild dark chocolate that was just very, very nice to your taste buds, excellent! The churros (a very traditional latin dessert) did not disappoint either. The churros came out piping hot and it wasn't utterly doused in sugar & cinnamon as often many street churro vendors will do. It was lightly dusted with sugar & cinnamon which allowed for you to taste the natural mix of the sugar with the doughiness of the churro, wonderful. The icing on all of this was of course the chocolate sauce. Churro Fondue! The churro is great alone, but equally as delicious with the chocolate sauce. The desserts were a terrific ending to our delicious dinner. Thanks Nuela! =)

THE REVIEW:

I think I don't have to spend much time telling you how much I enjoyed the food, as I think I did that already, lol! I guess what I will say is that the ambiance and art in the space was well imagined and presented. It's also very romantic in the main dining room (there are 2 separate dining rooms), there is also a bar/lounge area which is more modern, it's a well designed space. The restrooms are awesome! They're all individual co-ed restrooms. The waitress was very attentive, sweet, knowledgeable, helpful and never ever let our water glasses go empty, ha! I know that seems so trite, but I think that's such an important part of "service". It's a basic! Anyways, I highly recommend this restaurant. If you are adventurous and want to have a great dining experience, I think this a great place to go. If you're on the fence, get off the fence and GO! You won't regret it! =)

Winebar

SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 27, 2011 (NYC WINE TASTING!)


Winebar
65 2nd Avenue (@ E. 4th St)
New York, New York 10003
212-777-1608

website: winebarnyc.com


** Who says you have to go to a Vineyard to have a wine tasting! NYC is hands down one of the best cities in the world because it has everything apparently! =) Mike and I went to Winebar on a DailyCandy Deal (shout out!) for a wine and cheese tasting!


THE WINE:

(From left to right):

• Cava, Francoli, Brut Reserva, Penedes, 'NV
• Cabernet Sauvignon-Tannat, Chateau Peyros, Madiran, '05
• Malbec-Gamay-Cabernet Franc, Touraine Mesland, Clos de la Briderie, Loire'07
• Primitivo, Tratturi, Salento, Puglia, '08
  

*As a note - our waitress brought out the cheeses super late and Mike and I were super thirsty, as a result the Cava (esp. since it's a sparkling white) was not part of our wine and cheese pairing analysis. I'll only be listing what wines went best with what cheese, the rest of the details may otherwise just put everyone to sleep, ha!

(The wine and cheese presentation!)

THE CHEESES:

(From left to right with the best wine pairing listed next to the cheese name):

• Piave (cow), Italy :: Primitivo
• Abbey de Belloc (sheep), France :: Primitivo
• Mahon (cow), Spain :: Malbec-Gamay-Cabernet Franc

THE REVIEW:

Mike and I had so much fun here! While the staff was a little absent-minded at the beginning they really picked up the slack soon thereafter and they were friendly and very sweet and helpful! We really enjoyed our time there, it's a great date place! If you're looking for somewhere private (there was hardly anyone there but I think it might have had something to do with being sunday @ 4PM and the sun still being out) and cozy where you can have a conversation without yelling, this is definitely the place. We didn't try any of the food items because we had an upcoming dinner reservation at Nuela (next review! Stay posted!). But we definitely enjoyed the ambiance (lowly lit and very romantic) and the food on the menu looked interesting and smelled wonderful! We will definitely be back, maybe then I can give it a full and honest review! =) I definitely recommend going here! =)

Oms/b - Riceball Cafe

SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 26, 2011 (LUNCH)


Oms/b
156 East 45th Street (@ 3rd Ave)
New York, New York 10017
212-922-9788

website: http://www.riceball-omsb.com/


WHAT WE ORDERED:
(*Sorry no photos!)

- They have different meal packages, Mike and I had a Groupon for $12 worth of food from them. We decided to order 2 Set A's (3 rice balls + soup - $8.25). We ended up ordering 6 different riceballs just to try as many as we could and the soup was miso soup.

(1) Shrimp Tempura w/fried rice - this riceball was very good, but I felt that the shrimp tempura wasn't super fresh and so it was kind of chewy, but if you aren't super adventurous, I would definitely recommend trying this one. A solid riceball.

(2) Wasabi Shrimp - I really, really like this one alot! The shrimp is mixed in a thick wasabi-mayo sauce and it just meshes really well with the white rice that it's wrapped in. I loved this one alot! If you like wasabi and shrimp, you'll love this riceball! =)

(3) Eel w/egg flakes - I felt like the eel was good, but the mix in it of itself wasn't the most ideal. Not bad though, I'm slightly indifferent towards this riceball. It wasn't bad, it wasn't great, it just was. If you are not adventurous ... not highly recommended.

(4) Spicy Tuna - This riceball is not made with raw tuna you normally would think of. It's made with the canned cooked tuna. If you do NOT like canned cooked tuna (like Mike, LOL!) don't order this. I only discovered it after I ordered, luckily I like canned tuna. I thought it was a solid riceball, not spicy at all. A solid riceball and again definitely a SAFE riceball.

(5) Smoked Salmon w/cream cheese - This riceball is like eating lox and cream cheese except instead of it being on a bagel, imagine rice. The salmon isn't the smelly type so it was definitely a solid riceball, I would recommend this one. =)

(6) Shrimp Pop Corn - Next to the Wasabi Shrimp, this riceball is my next favorite! It does come in some sort of mayo sauce but I think that the flavors paired well! I would definitely recommend this riceball to anyone! Enjoy! =)


THE REVIEW:

Warning! The restaurant is really small and the staff is SUPER SLOW. However, the decor is cute and the food as an overall is good. I also think that this is a very fun place for a lunch date. It's so much fun to eat with your hands and the riceballs come in cute little bamboo boat shaped plates. If you are very hungry, you will be very sorry! Ha! The portions aren't large and if you wanna get stuffed you're gonna have to order a significant amount more. Also because the space is so small, you may not want to linger at the tables as the other patrons will start hovering over your table and shooting you dirty looks, lol. My last gripe about this restaurant is that they close early, M-F 7:30PM and Saturday 6:30PM, they are also CLOSED ON SUNDAY. So don't get your hopes up on a sunday.

Great China (Berkeley, CA)

SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 19, 2011


Great China
2115 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, California 94704
(510)843-7996

www.greatchinaberkeley.com




WHAT WE ORDERED:



SEAFOOD & PORK DUMPLINGS (15 @ $6.95) - These were succulent, very juicy perfect bite-sized dumplings! Every bite was an absolute pleasure and I guess for the 1.5 hour wait to get into the restaurant, it should have been that good. If you like a good dumpling, get these! =)

CHUNG KING CRISPY CHICKEN ($9.95) - This looked like a forest when it arrived on our table. Ha! There was cilantro, julienned ginger and scallions all over it! The chicken was very tender, however, very juicy and just a pleasure to eat. The ends tended to be a little bit EXTRA crispy if you know what I mean, but I don't think that detracted too much from the dish itself. The sauce at the bottom (soy sauce based) wasn't overpowering and surprisingly not overly salty. An excellent dish!

CHINESE STRING BEANS ($8.95) - These string beens were sauteed to perfection! I loved them! They were sauteed with a little bit of pork and this pickled vegetable (that I recognize but don't know the name of, so i'm sorry I can't help! ha!) They weren't the best of the best I've ever had but they were very tasty and an excellent dish. They were just a little bit greasier than I prefer but outstanding overall! Go with it! =)

WALNUT PRAWNS ($14.95) - Deep fried prawns glazed with sweet creamy sauce. This was the highlight of our dinner! These prawns were big, not those skimpy little things you get, the walnuts were toasted to perfection and the batter on the prawns was nice and light. The glaze didn't weigh down the batter and the sweet cream at the bottom was a nice touch to the entire dish, it lightened the sweetness of the glaze and made the entire dish a party in your mouth! I would highly recommend this dish to anyone who passes through this restaurant. A 10!

THE REVIEW:

The wait for this restaurant is nearly unbearable. If you want to get in without waiting a ridiculous amount of time, either get there early (before 7PM) or later (after 9PM). The decor in the restaurant is nothing to write home about but I assume that they are definitely more about the food than the decor, which is the way I felt about the food. The chinese food here is really authentic and by the number of chinese people walking out and waiting to get in, it's pretty safe to say that if the natives are coming, it's probably pretty authentic, or it's a good bet for good chinese food. LOL! The menu is extensive, so if I were you, I would go on their website and get an idea of what you want before you get there. Otherwise, you might be sitting there for awhile. The staff is pretty nice and the food comes out in a timely manner. If you're in the area and have a taste for authentic chinese, I would definitely venture a visit here! =)

Buddy's Bites and Brews (Hayward, CA)

FRIDAY - FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Buddy's Bites and Brews
24297 Hesperian Boulevard
Hayward, CA 94545
(510)-300-3388

http://www.buddysbitesandbrews.com/

PS - If you have an account on restaurant.com, you should definitely go, you can get gift certificates to Buddy's ($25 for $10 - and also in other denominations). It's a great way to save!

Happy Hour (M-F: 3PM - 6PM) - all small bites are $2 Off, $3.50 draughts, $4 House Wines, $5 Cocktails. They also have specials on certain days, like Taco Tuesdays, etc (check their website for deets!)


WHAT WE ORDERED:

**We went during Happy Hour so all of these dishes we got at $2 Off. Win! =)

Shaunte:

1. Strawberry Jalapeno Buffalo Wings ($6/$8) - These are only MILD, but they were delicious! If you like a sweet and slightly heated buffalo wing or a departure from normal buffalo wings, order this, you definitely will NOT regret it! =)

2. Fancy Fries w/cajun garlic ranch ($4/$6) - These fries were fried perfectly and the sauce was perfect, it's a little too creamy for me, but i'm a little weird about creamy dips.


Sherry:

1. Belgium Mussels in Tomato Brandy Broth ($7/$9) - These mussels were good, but I think the mussels I had at Bistro 61 better. Though the sauce was very good, it was a little salty but if you dip the cheesey bread that comes with the mussels in the sauce, it's perfect! =)

2. Seaside Calamari ($7/$9) - These were lightly breaded and perfectly fried. It came with an aioli ranchero sauce which i wasn't super crazy about but the cocktail sauce was something on FIRE! I loved it! You could actually see and taste the horseradish in the cocktail sauce! It gave the calamari a whole new kind of taste! If you like calamari (like me!) then try these =)

3. Simple Tossed Greens ($5/$7) - It was greens. That's all I need to say. The greens were fresh, not rotten or gross. I just needed some foliage.


THE REVIEW:

I had the Denoggnizer Double IPA for $3.50 for a pint! Yay! Go Happy Hour! Well I ended up having 2 and getting a little wasted, lol! Coz I drank an entire pint before the food arrived and we know what happens when i drink hungry, lol! Anyways, this is a great little pub place, if you're gonna go don't forget to go get a restaurant.com gift certificate and go during happy hour to really take advantage of a great discount for great food! =)

Vientian Cafe (Oakland, CA)

THURSDAY - FEBRUARY 17, 2011

VIENTIAN CAFE
3801 Allendale Avenue

Oakdale, California 94619

(510)535-2218

M-F: 11AM - 9PM

No website, just yelp it! (www.yelp.com/biz/vientian-cafe-oakland)

WHAT WE ORDERED:

1. Cha Gio (Top Right, $6.95) - I've had one a many of Cha Gio rolls in my lifetime. I don't like mine chopped up but they were really, really delicious anyways! It came with a side of noodles and the usual sweet chili sauce which paired excellently together! =) An excellent dish!

2. Thai Style Papaya Salad (middle left, $5.95) - This was also excellent, it ALSO came with noodles and the vegetables with the noodles were a fantastic mix together. Although the giant wedge of cabbage served to be an obstacle between me and the salad, i'm sure it would have tasted well with the entire mix. I would definitely recommend this salad to all omnivores! =)

3. Thai Style Chicken Fried Rice (middle right, $5.95) - This was very good fried rice as well but nothing stellar, if you're not overly adventurous about super ethnic thai-lao-vietnamese foods then this is a solid and very safe pick. You won't be disappointed and the portions are great =)

4. Fresh Spring Rolls w/Chicken (Not pictured, 4 for $5.25) - These spring rolls were very, very good. You could taste the freshness and the peanut sauce was also excellent! =)

THE REVIEW:

Walking into this restaurant was like a throw-back to my Taiwan days! Let me tell you I think this is someone's house with the downstairs area converted into a restaurant and the family probably lives upstairs. Honestly, the restaurant is located in a neighborhood, not even remotely a business district. I could see the kitchen from where i was sitting and it looked like mama, papa, nana, grandpa, sister, brother, uncle and auntie were all coming in and out of the kitchen, ha! This is what you call a real down "hole-in-the-wall" but the food was soooo good and authentic! I haven't had authentic Thai-Lao-Vietnamese food like that in a really loooong time. I eat a lot of really good Thai Food in the city, but this was a whole other type of experience. Go if you wanna experience what its really like in an asian household, lol! =) I totally recommend this place, it is toooo bad they aren't located in NYC, I would be a regular.

Maya

Sunday - February 13, 2011

(photo: Mike and I at our early Valentine's Day dinner together!

Maya
1191 First Avenue (b/w 64th & 65th Sts)
New York, New York 10065
212-585-1818
www.richardsandoval.com/mayany/index.htm


WHAT WE ORDERED:


Appetizers:

Queso Fundido ($10, $11 w/chorizo)

This dish was really delicious! The tomatillo sauce was also excellent. We have become what we consider "queso fundido connoisseurs", this particular queso fundido was very good, I think what we messed up on (and this is by no fault of the restaurant) is that we forgot to order it with Chorizo ... party foul on our part. I think it would have been comparable to Rosa Mexicano's had we ordered it with chorizo. It was still very good and I would recommend this dish for couples and dates. It's a dish that's not only delicious but one that you can have fun with. =)

Ensalada de Papaya ($10)

This was a very refreshing salad! It consisted of papaya (ripe), strips of green apple, avocado, cilantro, panela cheese and pommegranate seeds with a tequila-papaya vinaigrette. I would definitely recommend this salad as a shared salad prior to your entree. I'm not sure I would recommend it as an entree by itself. The taste of the salad is delicious but also very distinct, I told Mike that as a prolific salad eater, there would be no way I could stomach eating this salad as an entree, I think it's definitely a meant-to-be-shared salad.

MAIN ENTREES:

Mike: Langostas y Camarones ($31)

I really should let Mike write this part of the review since it was his dish, but I have to say that the shrimp and the lobster were both cooked perfectly. Not undercooked and not overcooked where it becomes like rubber. Now, I have to say that i'm not really a very big lobster fan just because I really haven't had any lobster that's really "wow'd" me, but I would say that this lobster was very, very good. I actually really enjoyed it. All of the sauces with the pea leaf salad below was wonderful! The green drizzle tasted like a pea-onion blend. It paired superbly with the rest of the dish. Now, I noticed that this particular dish isn't on their normal menu that's provided online so this might have been a special dish for Valentine's day or Resto Week. Either way, if you are a seafood lover and looking for a new twist on seafood, I would highly recommend this dish!

Sherry: Pernil (Lamb) - ($28)

I would like to make mention that this particular item is also not present on their regular menu and may be potentially a specialty item for Valentine's or Resto Week (btw - now extended through February 27!) This pernil was PHENOMENAL!!! The meat fell right off the bone, it was super tender, it came with a cactus veggie blend which was amazing with the meat. There was nothing about this dish that I didn't like. I even brought the bone home for my dogs to savor (only a little and under intense supervision!). Pernil is traditionally made with pork shoulder and so this lamb was a tremendous departure from the usual. Maya is supposed to be modern mexican and I have to say, perfect! Order this! You will NOT be sorry!

DESSERT:

Tres Leches ($8) - A sponge cake made with 3 types of milks and raspberry mousse, dressed with fresh raspberries on top. When I say this dish was mouth watering, I am not lying! Mike and I could NOT get enough of this dish, it was so wonderful! I'm glad we passed up the ice cream! =) Sorry - no photo available, we attacked and finished it before I realized that I hadn't taken a picture, ha!

THE FINAL REVIEW:

Michael and I both love, love, looooved our meal here together. The flavors, the uniqueness, the time spent and creativity in blending unusual flavors together was tremendous. I have been to Maya on numerous occasions for their happy hour (7 days a week!) from 5PM - 8PM. Just in case eating here isn't sweet enough for you, they have a great happy hour! Their margaritas (tamarind being my personal fave!) for half off $6, they're normally $12. They have a botanas menu that goes all night long for $3 per item. I will definitely return to Maya, if not for dinner, then their happy hour. I highly recommend this restaurant, you will not be disappointed at all. The ambiance in the restaurant is mostly romantic and the staff is extremely friendly and accomodating.

Congee Village

SATURDAY - JANUARY 15, 2011


Congee Village
98 Bowery
New York, New York 10013
212-965-5028
www.congeevillagerestaurants.com


WHAT WE ORDERED:

(1) Xiao Long Bao (aka - small/tiny juicy buns) - OMG these things were HORRIBLE!!!! They were dry and the meat really didn't have any flavor. Do NOT waste your hope for something good here!

(2) Steamed Vegetable Dumplings - these weren't so bad, they were wrapped in crystal dumpling wrap though? But there were only 3 in the order ...

(3) Scallion Pancake - YUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK! Please DO NOT poison yourself and your taste buds by even bothering to order this. I loooove scallion pancakes, I hated this, it's like they bought it from booboo-the-clown, froze it, threw it in a vat of oil in a frying pan for a few seconds until the ice melted and then put it on a plate. Uuuuuggghhhhh....

(4) Hot sizzling Chinese Broccoli - this is the best dish that Mike and I had. As a matter of fact, it inspired us to go buy some Chinese Broccoli and make more the next day, lol.


THE REVIEW:

I think in retrospect, seeing as the restaurant is named CONGEE VILLAGE, that I should have ordered some congee, lol. However, I have a fundamental problem with paying $8 for a bowl of boiled rice grains. Call me crazy, but I really don't think I should have to pay that much for a bowl of boiled rice! Anyways, we tried to order at Congee Village like we were at Green Bo or something, clearly these 2 restaurants are NOWHERE within the same leagues. I won't be going back ... definitely not.

Wine 30

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Wine 30
41 East 30th Street (b/w Park and Madison Aves)
New York, New York
(212)481-0197
http://www.wine30nyc.com/


WHAT WE ORDERED:

Drink:

• A bottle of Nieto Senetiner Reserva 2009 Malbec (excellent!)

Appetizers:

• Zucchini Pancakes w/cucumber-dill yogurt sauce ($8 - below, on the left) - At first appearance, the zucchini pancakes appeared too mushy but they were actually perfectly crispy. On its own, the pancaske is a little too salty, but with the cucumber-dill yogurt dip, the dip cuts the saltiness and the mix of the 2 flavors together was a HIT! I would recommend grabbing this appetizer.

• Beef Sausage Lollypops wrapped in Roasted Red Pepper ($9 - above, on the right) - OMG, do NOT waste your money on this appetizer! This dish tasted like they walked out and crossed the street to the nearest deli to pick up some random beef sausage and a generic jar of roasted red peppers and slapped the 2 together on a skewer to serve to people. Yuck! It's completely un-creative and the 2 flavors did not MESH well together at all! It was mostly horrific to eat together. Meh!

• Tomato, garlic, arugula, sundried tomato, olive oil & shredded parmesan cheese Bruschetta ($6) - The mix of all these unique and complex flavors mixed very well together. However, they mixed in a fashion were it tasted like they were mushed together. The bread was overtoasted, or rather, quite bluntly burnt and that definitely killed the deliciousness of the bruschetta. I was not overly pleased. I think the bruschetta would have been much better if my bread hadn't been burnt and the ingredients for the toppings were freshly tossed together versus being mushed together and sitting for hours in a fridge awaiting an order from a patron. It was also, as noted a very expensive appetizer as you only get 2 pieces of bruschetta for $6. A little excessive if you plan on burning my bread.

Main Entrees:

• Mike - Red wine seared Hanger Steak w/creamy polenta & sauteed spinach ($19) - Cooked perfectly (medium rare). The polenta & sauteed spinach were also cooked very well. Each individual flavor was delicious and together an absolute delight. I'll admit the initial taste of all 3 flavors together was a little odd but the after flavor that lingers in your mouth demands that you continue to take more bites! This dish paired perfectly with the Malbec. Excellent!

• Sherry - Garlic-Ginger Shrimp Salad w/black beans, tomato, tortilla strips, chihuahua cheese and cilantro-lime dressing ($18) - The shrimps (5) were a perfect serving as they were very large shrimp. The salad was very refreshing, not overbearing or tasteless at all. The baby romaine w/black beans, tomatoes, tortilla strips and chihuahua cheese packed so much flavor that it absolutely required no dressing, in my opinion. There was a very light cilantro-lime dressing that was present but I don't think it would made a bit of a difference if it hadn't been on the salad. Ladies - if you are calorie counting, I highly recommend this dish, it is also perfectly portioned. =)

DESSERT:

• Caramelized Banana Bread Pudding ($7) - This was a very different take on bread pudding. I would say it tasted more like french toast pudding! It was, however, excellent! It was simply delicious and all the flavors tasted like a party in your mouth. =)
  

THE OVERVIEW:

The ambiance at this restaurant I would describe as very modern romantic. They also appear to have a backyard area which is most likely open during the warmer months. They are selling eclectic paintings and the ceiling is lined with wine corks (very unique!) The service staff was great, sweet, nice and accommodating. While I felt heavily disappointed by most of the appetizers, I feel like the main entrees were a definitely saving grace for this restaurant. I would definitely come back to try to the other dishes and would also recommend this restaurant to other friends and family members for a romantic dinner for 2 or just for a good meal.

Mahjong Dumpling

Thursday, January 6, 2011



Mahjong Dumpling

1542 Second Avenue (b/w 80th & 81st Sts)

New York, New York 10075

212-717-7800





WHAT WE ORDERED:



Appetizers:

• (1) Lady Ramen (toasted ramen noodles w/wild bok choy, water chestnuts and toasted sesame seeds) - this was a very tasty dish but I felt like this wasn't anything you couldn't just throw together yourself. It's very simple and therefore I didn't feel like it was a very creative dish. ($4)

• (2) Spring Rolled Up (Napa cabbage, spring onion & carrot w/a red chili dipping sauce) - a typical spring roll, but it was very tasty and very good. =) ($4)

Dumplings ($4.25 for 3 dumplings):

• RUN FORREST (Wild shrimp, lemongrass, ginger, & scallion w/a red chili and tomato salsa) - this particular dumpling was very good! I liked it tremendously, probably the best dumpling they have available.

• RATATOUILLE (Zucchini, japanese eggplant, onion, tomato ragu, zatar yogurt & kalamata olives) - this was my least favorite dish, it was too salty and the combination of the flavors from all the ingredients was just mostly horrific. If you see this and were considering the ratatouille dumpling, i recommend that you pass on this particular choice.

• MOM'S STYLE (Braised pulled beef, caramelized onion and tomato in an au jus sauce) - The pulled beef was too salty and the mix of pulled beef (which has a very strong flavor on its own) certainly didn't mix well with the au jus sauce which also as a dumpling didn't work at all. I didn't like the combination at all, I would pass on this option as well.

DESSERT:

• Monkey want a Banana (Crispy banana dumplings, chocolate sauce and creme fraiche) - this may have very well (other than the the spring rolls) been the best thing I had at this restaurant. It wasn't overly sweet, the bananas weren't too mushy and the dessert was very tasty. ($4)

DRINKS:

Mike - Dogfishhead 90 minute IPA (very good!) - $8/bottle

Sherry - Mahjong Mix Shochu ($8) - this was a very good drink but extremely small. Too bad.

THE REVIEW:

It has a great ambiance, great place for a date b/c the space is very unique. However, if you DON'T want to overpay for dumplings (3 for $4.25) and leave hungry, then I really wouldn't recommend coming here. If you're looking for a very small easy meal then this place is ideal. As a dumpling lover I was not impressed by the seemingly "unique" take on dumplings. While the combinations sounded delicious, the execution and flavors were a COMPLETE MISS!!! =( Quite unfortunate, really. This place, for me, was completely un-impressive. I would not recommend coming here and I would not make any effort in returning. If my friends were to suggest this place I would be sure to warn them of making a dire error if they were hoping for good food and leaving filled with happiness (food-wise that is). I would also certainly excuse myself from attending dinner with them at this place. No offense, really.

Mason Jar

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Mason Jar (http://www.masonjarnyc.com/)
43 East 30th Street (b/w 5th and Madison Aves)
New York, New York 10016
212-213-3587

Price: Average
Service: Good
Ambiance: Good


WHAT WE ORDERED:

Appetizer: Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

Main Course: BBQ Tasting (Beer Can Chicken, Mason Style Baby Back Ribs, Brisket)
2 Sides (Mac'n'Cheese, Beer Battered Onion Rings)

Drinks: Arnold Palmer


REVIEW:

The ambiance was nice, they gave us a complimentary appetizer (some sort of bean salad with crostini bread - it was pretty good!). The pulled pork egg rolls were really, really good so Mike and I were really excited for our entree (that we were sharing, it was pretty big). Unfortunately, the Mason Style Baby Back Ribs were a little too salty and the brisket was super duper dry. The Beer Can Chicken was very moist and tasty, the mac'n'cheese was solid but nothing to rave about and the beer battered onion rings were a little too greasy for me. I like my onion rings to be light and crispy and it was more like heavy and greasy ... meh. The Arnold Palmer drink (made with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka) was very good though! All in all, I wouldn't be rushing to get back here, it wasn't bad, it wasn't great, it isn't meh, it's OK. I would go back if we had a bar/sporting event there. I get the impression that their appetizers are much better than their entrees. Oh well, it was a good experience. =)