I have enlisted TJ's help for his 2011 creative project Christmas present. One of our favorite parts of living in NYC has been exploring the food. This year our goal is to keep a photo journal of our eating out adventures. Here is the progress to date:
Ben and Jack's Steak House, Gramercy, Manhattan
We celebrate TJ's birthday the first weekend of January. Using a Restraunt.com coupon the meal total was still nice and high. This place has the reputation of being one of the best steak eats in the city and the prices show it. The ambiance was fine but nothing special. We were surprised by how casual many of the other guests were considering how much they were about to spend on their dinners. It was a fun experience but a one time outing.
The filet mignon did not have bacon which I thought was defining characteristic? It was yummy but I would not say the best steak of my life
Chilean Sea Bass on the other hand was AMAZING!!! TJ and are pretty sure if will be the best one we ever eat. The creamed spinach was also a favorite. Mashed potatoes were standard
TJ at his birthday dinner :)
Le Pain Quotidien, Upper East Side, Manhattan
This place is chain with multiple locations around the city. The locations are all quaint and inviting. We tried it out for the first time and were very pleased. A repeat visit is almost certain. We found a location about 20 blocks north of us that has enough tables that it allows you to linger. The free wi-fi is also appealing, allowing some de-breifing after the meal.
Hot pear-ginger spritzer with cinammon stick and mint leaf. This drink was a fun treat, yummy but the ginger was a little strong. We really liked the cups without handles.
You order coffee by the "pot"
Tomato avocado omelet with fresh bread... yum!
Hot croissant with french ham and gruyere cheese, three mustards to choose from on the side.
This one was a winner too.
Paquitos, Gramercy/ Murray Hill, Manhattan
This little joint is a hole in the wall place just a few blocks from us with a handwritten menu on the wall. We stopped by after church last Sunday. I asked the woman behind the counter for a recommendation to which she replied "I recommend everything." She then went on to recommend the enchiladas. We got chicken enchiladas with corn tortillas that indeed turned out to be amazing. The chorizo burrito was also very tasty. Worth visiting again, especially for the price and proximity to our home.
Sobaya, East Village, Manhattan
We were inspired by a student who worked with TJ who was japanese and went to the east village to eat soba noodles. We recently went to an authentic Japanese ramen soup place and really loved it. It seemed like a good time to explore some more Japanese noodle dishes. We found this place highly recommended on Yelp. It did not disappoint us. The food was amazing and, true to the review we read, at least 2/3 of the clientele was asian. Our waitress was very friendly and helped with explaining the menu and giving recommendations in limited English with a huge smile. Worth visiting again.
This soup has Udon noodles, one of the two main types served at this restaurant. These are made out of wheat flour. The soup additions were mostly from the sea with a tempura fried shrimp, some sort of squid, and another scallop like morsel. This one was the soup she recommended and TJ and I loved it!
This soba noodle containing soup was the daily special with duck and mushrooms. The soba noodles are made in house out of buckwheat flour. TJ said he could not decide which soup he liked best but said this was his favorite broth.
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