Category Archives: Lower East Side Restaurants

L’Apicio in the LES

I am a bit embarrassed to admit how behind I am on posting this — but, better late than never! 2012 flew by so fast AND I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be an amazing year in so many ways! So, what was my final dinner of 2012? ITALIAN, of course!

So here we go … my final meal of 2012 was a great one! My boyfriend and I headed downtown to the Lower East Side for dinner at L’Apicio — the sister restaurant to L’Artusi. It opened only a couple of months ago and we have been excited to head on down to the LES to get a taste of the menu.

L’Apicio’s menu is set up the same way as L’Artusi’s — reasonable sized plates that you share with those you are dining with. Italian cuisine and tapas style… what could be better than this?

When it comes to tapas, I will admit that I go a bit crazy ordering. It first usually starts out with the two of us looking over the menu, eying down what we have to have then we come together to share our choices, we narrow it down to a handful of plates then we confuse ourselves by asking the server what he/she prefers on the menu. Usually we end up picking a plate or two that the server prefers, I pick a plate, my boyfriend picks a plate then we decide on one final dish that looks good. Every once in a while I see something that I know I would love to eat but I know my boyfriend is going to be difficult about trying something new; and I am totally guilty of giving a specific look to my server when I say “so, how is the Mezzalune? I bet it’s delicious — right?!” My non-verbal communication through my wicked eye-glare will tell any waiter that he/she needs to respond “Oh yes, it’s fantastic, and a popular dish ordered by many!” All it takes is for my boyfriend to hear a rave review by the server and he’ll order the dish. A girl has gotta do what a girl has gotta do … for delicious food ;-)

We started with a delicious cheese plate — my guess is the restaurant changes this cheese menu based on what they are able to order / what is fresh. I would suggest ordering 2-4 different types of cheese to start. They go beautifully with wine as well!

hamachi

Then, we ordered a couple of appetizers — but there is one specific plate I have to rave about. The Hamachi was out of this world! Hamachi is also called yellowtail (click here for more info). This dish was made with apple, jalapeno, and chives. All of these ingredients made each bite full of fresh and vivid flavors. The funny part about ordering the Hamachi is that I was hesitant about eating it — I wasn’t too sure about the description on the menu but boy am I happy I gave it a try! It might be my new raw obsession!

cauliflower ravioli

Another dinner favorite was the Mezzalune — ravioli stuffed with cauliflower and topped with pinenuts and capers. The capers added the perfect amount of salt, the pinenuts made the ravioli texture unique and the cauliflower made me feel like I was eating something healthy! The plate was small and something I wish I could have devoured all on my own. If I went back and had to order only one plate — this would be it! Who would have thought how flavorful a cauliflower ravioli would be!?

beefy gnocchi

Another great order — the Osso Bucco Ragu Gnocchi. Gnocchi is already a very filling food, and paired with hearty meat you are bound for a food-coma. It’s also very easy to screw up cooking gnocchi and the chef at L’Apicio cooked this plate perfectly.

maple squash

And, last but not least, the perfect side dish — the Delicata Squash. The squash was made with hazelnuts, sage and maple. All of these sweet flavors made the vegetable taste like candy. It’s the perfect side dish to order when you are eating such savory main dishes. This is also an inspirational side dish that I would like to recreate at home!

We also ordered polenta but it was not something we enjoyed. I believe the consistency of polenta is either loved or hated — and in a nutshell, it’s something I really don’t like. But, if you do like polenta, the restaurant gives you a few beautiful options to choose from!
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NYC Ranking For 2012

Anyone on FourSquare? I loved this write-up Time Out New York did on the top places in NYC people checked into in 2012. I thought you would all enjoy this list — especially since the majority of these hot-spots you can find on my blog!
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Happy National Donut Day!

I have to get something straight with everyone right away — I am not obsessed with donuts. I actually maybe eat two or three a year (if that). Yes, two or three — one during a road trip home to Hershey, one in the JFK airport and one on National Donut Day — those were the exact times this year that I have eaten a donut.

the donut plant coconut donut

And since today marks National Donut Day… today was one of my days I ate a donut. To be more specifically, I ate a donut from the Doughnut Plant. There are two Doughnut Plants: one in Chelsea and one in the Lower East Side. They are both fantastic and busy and full of the most uniquely flavored donuts you will ever taste. Flavors like blueberry, “rose doughseeds,” pistachio, peanut butter, creme brulee, and more!

Today, I decided to go with a flavor I have been a bit obsessed with this summer — Coconut! Wow, yes, I said coconut!

I was surprised that the coconut flavor wasn’t over-powering. Instead, it was a sweet, sugary coconut flavor that was glazed over a light and fluffy donut dough (if you have had a pina colada, you’re all set — if only there was rum on the inside of the donut!). What was on the inside? Coconut cream! Wait, what? Coconut cream? On the inside of a square-shaped donut? Yup, that’s correct! And the owner of the Doughnut Plant won’t tell us how he got that cream on the inside of his square donut. It’s a mystery I am happy with because the donut was unbelievably delicious and was the perfect solution to quench my coconut-obsessed taste-buds!

Whether it’s National Donut Day or not… This donut shop is so tasty, it might be a place you just have to stop at when you visit NYC!

Ravioli Round-Up

It was recently brought to my attention how much I blog about ravioli. So, when I typed in “Ravioli” in my blog’s search, I discovered my friend was right… I am obsessed with ordering this type of dish! So, I thought I’d do a round up of my favorites over the past couple of months so if you have a hankering or an obsession like I do — then you’ll know exactly where to go for the best plate!

1. The best ravioli dish I believe that I have had while living in New York City (and I recently ate it only a couple of months ago) was from my favorite Italian restaurant, Perbacco! Perbacco is in the Lower East Side and they change their menu seasonally, so you know that the food is going to be nothing but fresh and full of flavor! This ravioli — Ravioli di Zucca con Salsiccia which is kabocha squash ravioli sauteed in brown butter sauce and italian sausage served with amaretto foam on the side — is the perfect dish if you are after something both sweet and savory!

2. What other restaurant could have the ravioli plate down… of course it’s going to be Perbacco’s sister restaurant — Gnocco! I was able to catch this ravioli dish when it was listed as a special. Honestly there isn’t a better filling for a ravioli than either pumpkin or butternut squash… and pair that with some freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and I’m officially in heaven!

3. Here we go… exactly what I was just talking about. The Butternut Tortelloni with Roast Italian Chestnuts, Sage and Parmigiano from Crispo in Meatpacking is done perfectly! And you know that this will be available to you since it wasn’t on a special menu! Yum Yum Yum I just love butternut! Super sweet, savory, and in a way totally hits that spot the same way comfort food does!

4. And in fourth place is a more classic Ravioli Al Formaggio — a ravioli filled with cheese in a pink sauce. I loved how the small West Village trattoria cooked up this dish! Malatesta Trattoria doesn’t take reservations, but your 2 hour wait will be worth it — the prices are dirt cheap and you will be saying “yum” between every single bite!

5. A hot-spot where New Yorkers could spot the Kardashians while they were filming their latest season of Kourtney and Kim Take New York, the restaurant is also known as Asellina located on Park Avenue (and can be considered in the neighborhood of Murray Hill). But the chef at this restaurant put together one heck of a special featuring a truffled ravioli… can you see the truffle shavings? They weren’t cheap with the real-deal — forget truffle oil!

6. Bar Pitti was the most recent place I ordered a ravioli dish and it was the most perfect option I could have picked! The ravioli was light and fluffy and stuffed with spinach and cheese — poured over top was a tasty butter and sage sauce that had me licking my lips! It’s a no reservations and cash only type of joint so be prepared! The wait goes fast and you’ll love the pushy (/busy) Italian employees!

Italian Food — Good for the Soul

For me, Italian food is probably the most comforting food I could ever feed myself. When studying abroad and missing home — I would head to a tasty Italian restaurant to comfort me. The best thing about cooking this style of cuisine for yourself at home is it’s pretty darn cheap, flavorful and very basic to make (at least most dishes are).

Now that I have been to Italy — all over the place actually, this past fall I got a true taste of the country my ancestors came from — I can truly say that the sister restaurants Perbacco and Gnocco here in New York City are better than 99 percent of the restaurants I ate at while visiting the homeland. That other 1 percent is actually a random sandwich shop that I fell in love with in Florence called Antico Noe. And even Perbacco and Gnocco restaurant owner Gianluca Giovanetti says that the bread in Florence is the best — the bread = one of the reasons why Antico Noe’s sandwiches are to die for.

food at gnocco in nyc

I’m sure you are all used to by now my raves on these two restaurants… The truth is, I’ll never stop blogging about them because 1. They truly are the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to in my entire life, 2. The menus change and the specials are always blowing me away, 3. I’m not the only one that loves these restaurants, reviews all over the internet says fantastic things!

So I blogged last week about Perbacco and that means this week I am writing about Gnocco, again! The other night I went for dinner with my Penn State friend Alexandra and her father who also lives here in the city. Her father actually introduced me to Gnocco — so I can blame him on my addiction for the food.

What did we order? I ordered the special — a pumpkin ravioli which was both comforting, light, and full of flavor. I was surprised at how much more potent the ingredients became once the ravioli began to cool. The flavors stood out more! It came with long gorgeous parmigiano reggiano cheese shaving on top. And yes, I ate every single bite. It would be a sin not to.

But first, we ordered for the table an unbelievable burrata cheese special for an appetizer. The burrata was probably the best burrata I have ever had in my life — the cheese was so silky, fluffy, and perfectly seasoned. The plate came with fluffy, crunchy bread that was toasted with (most likely) olive oil brushed on top. And of course there was the tomato and basil seasonings as well. In all honesty, you can’t find better cheese in any other restaurant.

Alexandra ordered my favorite pizza — the Tartufata — which includes fresh mozzarella, a truffle sauce, mushrooms, and speck. Alexandra is a vegetarian so she ordered it without the speck. The first time I had this pizza I ordered it because the table next to me ordered 2 of the pizzas (for two people) and the smells of the pizza were so divine they floated over to my table and I became a huge fan instantly without even having tasted the pizza.

The evening was filled with spectacular cuisine, amazing company, and fantastic wine. The atmosphere is so cozy and you honestly can’t get any better than Gnocco (and Perbacco of course).

Beauty & Essex

The LES has become such a trendy place to wine and dine, and of course party. It’s also turned into a “hip” place to live, although if you venture to the neighborhood during the day you’ll see that it’s still in pretty rough shape and needs some cleaning up. I know way too many people that used to live in the Lower East Side that experienced bedbugs. So, I would rather just go there for a drink and/or dinner every once in a while. I’m way too happy living in Chelsea.

My boyfriend and I ventured to Beauty & Essex this past Saturday night for a birthday party. Just take a guess what street this restaurant/bar/lounge is located on… that’s right, Essex! When you enter, you have to walk through a pawn shop before being greeted at the actual door to the restaurant. “Are we in the right place?” my boyfriend asked me when we first arrived. And if I hadn’t googled this joint before heading downtown I probably would have been confused myself.

pawn shop outside beauty and essex

The pawn shop that you must go through to get into Beauty & Essex

Once the bouncer opened the door for us, we stepped into a place completely different than the pawn shop. (This is one reason why I love living in New York City, you never know what you’re going to find.) Immediately when you step inside you see a luxurious curved staircase that takes you up to the second floor — this is where we were seated with friends. Beauty & Essex is a fabulous combination of a bar, lounge, and restaurant. If you can’t get a table to eat at, then the next best thing is to order some appetizers at the lounge-section. I actually enjoyed sitting in this seat because it felt more cozy (perfect on a cold winter night) and it allowed more people in the group to move around and chat with everyone.

beauty and essex menu

Instead of ordering dinner, we ordered a ton of appetizers and snacked on those until we were filled. The plates we ordered were primarily fish dishes, something I would never complain about. Some orders included: the tuna poke wonton tacos, lobster pizzetta, lobster tacos, wok fried mushrooms, classic pan con tomate with fresh burrata, creamy parsnip ravioli, and oven braised chicken meatballs.

The tuna tacos were so tasty! The fish was fresh and the tacos added fantastic texture to each bite. Lime wedges were provided to squeeze on top, and usually I consider this a have-to-do but this time there was so much flavor in the dish already it wasn’t a necessity. We ordered the lobster pizzetta without bacon, and I loved the flavors on this plate too! Loaded with tasty chunks of lobster, and lots of cheese on top, you’ll never want your pizza made any other way. I was also surprised with the creamy parsnip ravioli — it was a vegetarian ravioli and I swear I thought there was meat in it! Those vegetarians sure can trick you!

Overall I really enjoyed myself here. The night started with some music playing in the background and as it got later the music was turned up for more of a “club” feel. The energy at this place was also so much fun — I can’t wait to go back!

(photos courtesy of Yelp)

Perbacco, East Village Italian Cuisine

I’ve mentioned this restaurant many times in other posts. I’m in love with the food here and if there was a Perbacco in Chelsea… well, I’d be in major trouble!

My good friend Alexandra introduced me to Perbacco’s sister restaurant, Gnocco when I first moved to the city. Her father is friends with the owner and we got an amazing education on the food at his restaurants. (See my post on Gnocco for more details!) I’ve been to Perbacco many times — with my boyfriend, with my mother, with family, and this past weekend I took some friends from out of town to experience the most delectable Italian food that they will ever experience outside of Italy. (Actually, I think it was better than the majority of meals I had on my recent trip to Italy.) And my friends agreed, the food is outstanding! They are from Boston and they mentioned how much business a restaurant like Perbacco would get if they opened in the Boston area.

My friend Amanda & I outside of Perbacco.

My friend, Amanda, and I reconnected after several years apart. We used to play together as kids when I lived in New Hampshire. Now, as adults we’re keeping in touch once again! At dinner one of her birthday parties from when she was a kid came up. I chuckled and asked if it was the one when she had a magician perform. Her mom laughed and we all remembered that Amanda ruined the magic for all of the kids because she knew the trick involving a hidden rabbit in a hat. Oops! (But also very funny!)

The fluffiest gnocchi I have ever had!

While laughing about the past and catching up on all of the most recent happenings in our lives, we devoured our appetizers, side dishes and entrees. Honestly, I could have kept eating and eating all night long. I strongly believe that if the food is outstanding you will eat it all, even if you aren’t that hungry. There has never been a time I have ever left any of my food on my plate at Perbacco. And some times I wish that I could have leftovers so I could keep enjoying the food the next day. Nope, it never happens. And I never eat pork, but when I am eating at this Italian restaurant I forget about my no pork rule and I pig out.

I went with a safe dish, the gnocchi, and my mother ordered the Ravioli di Zucca con Salsiccia which is kabocha squash ravioli sauteed in brown butter sauce and italian sausage served with amaretto foam on the side. Which in other words means a taste of heaven. My poor mother couldn’t keep my fork away from her plate. Even though the gnocchi was insanely fluffy and full of flavor, I couldn’t help but move over to the sweet ravioli on my mother’s plate. Lesson learned, mom… eat faster next time!

Sweet and filling ravioli from Perbacco.

I always order something different when I come here because the menu often has seasonal dishes. I love that I can expect some of the classics to always be there, but I also look forward to some new surprises. Last winter I had probably the most delicious risotto I have ever tasted — maybe it will return to the menu this winter, or maybe another unexpected dish will be created!

Happy New Year 2012

I hope everyone is off to a fantastic New Year! How did everyone spend their New Years Eve? Hopefully with a glass of champagne in one hand!? (I love this photograph from Red Haute and Bothered on Tumblr. I just had to share it with you).

Instead of going into all of the stereotypical New Year’s resolutions… I want to share with you a few of my favorite posts from 2011. I’ve discovered so many fantastic restaurants here in New York — and I hope everyone is able to try some new and interesting cuisine in this upcoming year!

For the overall tastiest dish in New York City — Al Di La Trattoria in Brooklyn, New York — fits the bill! I never go to Brooklyn, but I would happily go any time if it meant I would be eating at Al Di La.

My favorite meal while out of New York City was from — Antico Noe — a sandwich shop in Florence, Italy. I never imagined that a sandwich could be this delicious! I plan to go back to Florence one day, just so I can eat here!

The best burger award goes to — Minetta Tavern — their Black Label Burger is the reason why you need to make reservations one month in advance! And do not offer to share this burger with anyone. Trust me, you’ll want it all to yourself. (*and eat it the way the chef prepares it, do NOT add ketchup.)

For an affordable, yet trendy and sophisticated menu, the award award goes to — L’Artusi — I love that the menu changes seasonally, and the portion sizes are fantastic!

The most exotic restaurant surly is — Ventanas — this Spanish-Moroccan fusion restaurant has mastered the tastiest dishes and has an incredibly entertaining ambiance.

The fastest and tastiest restaurant award goes to — La Esquina’s Taqueria in Soho — it’s hard not to stop here for some tacos and grilled corn whenever I am shopping downtown! Plus, it’s a great place to take friends to when they visit, no one dislikes their food!

The best comfort food award goes to — The Meatball Shop — the unfortunately long wait keeps me from going back, but the food is delicious and insanely cheap! Who wouldn’t want a bowl of spicy pork meatballs?

Pizza may have been around for centuries, but Co. in Chelsea knew what to do to have people re-discovering it again. Even though it’s a bit pricey for pizza, you’ll love every bite!

The best South American food goes to the 24/7 joint in Hell’s Kitchen — Empanada Mama. The avocado salad is to-die-for but all of the empanadas are fantastic! This is obviously what they are known for, so you must order a bunch when you go (plus, they are wicked cheap!).

Little Muenster Grilled Cheese

grilled cheese restaurant
You may be wondering how an entire business can focus on a childhood favorite like grilled cheese… It’s easy! The grilled cheese sandwiches at Little Muenster are not your stereotypical white bread meets American cheese. The chef at this restaurant has amped-up the simple sandwich into a sophisticated one by combining high-end cheeses with other ingredients to compliment them. For example, I ordered the #4 — which is Asiago, Parmesan and Muenster cheese with butternut squash and sage brown butter on peasant bread.

When hot, the Muenster cheese was perfectly stringy, the peasant bread was buttered and perfectly cooked until golden brown which ultimately created the perfect crunchy texture, and the butternut squash had a smooth, thick texture in the sandwich. The sage brown butter added the perfect sweetness in addition to the butternut squash. Would I order this sandwich again? You betcha! The entire menu is grilled cheese, although you are able to order a soup or salad on the side as well. I have been told their tomato soup is to die for, but I was perfectly satisfied with the grilled cheese.

My friend Stefanie and I had planned to head to Little Muenster on the Lower East Side — and we both couldn’t wait to go! For both of us, it was our first time going and I don’t know about her, but I was shocked to see how small the restaurant was. The space probably could comfortably fit maybe 15 people. So we ordered our sandwiches and had to wait a few minutes for people to finish up eating. This place is not a great spot to go to if you are looking to sit down and take your time eating. Once you order, it takes maybe 15 minutes for your food to be prepared. (I know, 15 minutes may seem like a long time for a simple grilled cheese to cook. But remember: some cheese takes a longer time to melt than others.) Next to the Meatball Shop, this is a fantastic place to find your favorite comfort food!

Note: this is the way I will make my future children’s grilled cheeses. No more dinky sandwiches… I now know how to spice it up at home!

Click here to see what Serious Eats has to say about Little Muenster!

Grapes & Asparagus in a Pasta With Cream Sauce

I have to admit, the inspiration behind making this dish has to do with one of my favorite restaurants — Paprika. During my first summer in New York City I used to walk to Paprika once a week for dinner. It’s such an affordable restaurant and the food is not only so tasty but the portions are fantastic! Well, I used to order a fettuccini pasta in a cream sauce with shrimp, asparagus, and grapes. Such an odd combination, right? Grapes? What’s up with that? Let me tell you something about the grapes in a dish like this… I always feel like a rich, thick, cream sauce makes me feel thirsty — well, the grapes change all of that. The sweet burst of a juicy red grape is exactly what everyone needs after eating a pasta with alfredo sauce dish.

Since that summer, Paprika has changed their menu a few times and they unfortunately took my favorite dish off the menu. (You can only imagine my reaction towards the waitress when I found this out.) So I decided to recreate the dish myself.

One major difference is I decided to leave out the shrimp. I hardly ate the shrimp anyways on the Paprika dish, I more so liked the flavor the shrimp gave the pasta, but it was pretty much a cocktail shrimp and I hate the texture of that type of shrimp.

First things first, you need a cream sauce. I originally took a Food Network alfredo sauce recipe and I eventually altered the recipe to the way I preferred to make it. But start with this recipe and go from there:

    1 pint heavy cream
    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
    1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
    Freshly cracked black pepper
    To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Serve immediately.

While I make the sauce, I boil my water to make the pasta. I prefer angel hair pasta but fettuccini works as well. Once the pasta is cooked I drain it. I slice up some asparagus and either steam cook them in a Ziploc steam bag or I quickly cook them in a small pan. Then I add the asparagus to the cooked sauce and I add red grapes. Once I stir the items together I add the pasta and toss the pasta in the sauce, asparagus, and grapes. I serve immediately.

Over all it’s a very quick meal to prepare. Here is a list of the following things you need to serve one person:

    3 Large Asparagus
    8-10 Purple Grapes
    Angel Hair Pasta (or Fettuccini)
    Whipping Cream
    Butter
    Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
    Black Pepper

In total, I probably spent about 20 minutes making dinner. But it only took me about 5 minutes to inhale.

The grapes are an interesting addition to a pasta dish, but give it a shot and tell me what you think. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!