Barbonia

I finally visiting another restaurant I've wanted to try, Barbiona is near Union Square located at 20^th & Park. The restaurant is very large with a full bar on the side. I went after work on Thursday night with some colleagues. I have to say, I wasn't very impressed with our pushy waiter. We were seated around 7pm and greeted by our waiter who made us order appetizers and entrees all at once, insisting that the kitchen would have too many orders coming in later so it was best to place everything at once. I ordered the Israeli Salad I asked for no cucumbers but asked if it was still served with lettuce, he mumbled and nodded yes. Well he must have totally misunderstood me because I was literally served a bowl of diced tomatoes and onions. Good thing we ordered a side of asparagus to share for the table too so I could add some green into my salad.

Even though our service wasn’t the best and my meal wasn’t sensational, it was a still a fun dinner in a good environment. I would recommend going to Barbonia for drinks and appetizers after work.

The Stanton Social

The Stanton Social was recommended to me by my boss when I first moved into the city two years ago, noting that it offers excellent food and is often a celebrity hot spot. I had looked at the menu online and maybe I looked at the wrong thing because I was not impressed. However, recently strolling around the Lower East Side with my brother during his visit we were starting to get hungry and looking for a place to eat in the area that approved both our tastes. All of the sudden I realized we were standing in front of The Stanton Social so we walked in and asked for a table for two. Luckily it was still early enough (7pm) so there was still room. They took us up stairs and we had the best trendy comfort food we’d ever tasted.

Our waiter was great, super nice and really knew her stuff- making suggestions and going into great detail in explaining the dishes which is exactly what I love since I tend to be a picky eater. We ordered a bunch of food and split everything. We started with zucchini tempura served with a dipping sauce, followed two sliders- one was grilled cheese, the other was a hamburger. Per the server’s recommendation we ordered the apple and brie cheese quesadilla topped with caramelized maple syrup, which I have to say is probably one of the most memorable dishes I’ve had in a long time. For dessert we shared the warm blueberry cobbler which was amazing.

Arrive any later than 7pm from Thursday-Sunday and you better have reservations, which can be made via OpenTable.

Ilili

Earlier this summer my friend and I wanted to take advantage of New York’s Restaurant Week, after reviewing the list of participating restaurants we decided on ilili, located on 5th Ave. between 27th & 28th. As you know, I am always impressed with a restaurant’s décor and well-planned lay out. The restaurant's interior architecture is very geometrical, two stories and the narrow design clearly divides the bar and the restaurant seating. Per usual with Restaurant Week, we were able to order an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. For appetizers we ordered Hommus (chickpea puree, Lebanese Tahini, Lemon and Olive Oil with Burghul, onion and mint) and Falafel (fried chickpea & fava bean dumplings). The Falafels were amazing, much smaller than Crisp's but still delicious. ilili's Mediterranean cuisine menu offers a lot of vegetarian options. Some of my favorites include the Baba Ghannouj (eggplant, Lebanese tahini, tomato served blue with mustard-hommus sauce), Mouhamara (walnuts, sundried peppers, and pomegranate molasses), Fattoush (Lebanese garden salad, toasted bread, sumac lemon vinaigrette), Moujadara (green lentils puree with crispy red onion), and Brussels Sprouts (friend with grapes and served with fig puree, walnuts and mint).
All the items on the dessert menu sound fantastic, although we ordered the Carmaelized Banana Bread Pudding (Cardamom Crème Anglaise, vanilla fig, chocolate chip ice cream) and a scoop of Mango Sorbet.

A Night Out in Boston

A couple months ago I went to Boston for the first time. I arrived late in the afternoon on Wednesday and left on Thursday so I didn’t get to see too much of the city but from what I saw of it, I loved it. Looks like there is good shopping, cute restaurants and the red brick buildings in the downtown area are very charming. I like that you can walk around the city without enormous crowds of people and on clean sidewalks.

Our evening began with dinner at Sasso, located at 116 Huntington Ave, which was fantastic. Our group of eight had two orders of mussels and the Gnocchi 14 (housemade Yukon potato gnocchi, roasted brussel sprouts, lemon, thyme, bacon and labna) for our appetizers followed by a lot of different entrees including the Insalata (bibb lettuce, baby tomatoes and pickled shallots with tarragon vinaigrette), the Anatara 32 (roasted Mouland duck breast with shitake mushroom risotto, baby turnips and cherry gastrique), and the Ravioli 25 (goat cheese and onion marmalade ravioli, madras curry emulsion, pea tendrils, baby turnips, glazed radishes, mint, and English peas). We finished our meal with a tasting of desserts including the Butterscotch Pudding, an assortment of gelati (mango, strawberry champagne, and vanilla), Strawberry rhubarb crumble and the Sasso Tiramisu.

After dinner we headed to the Cirque du Soile performance which was held under the thematic blue and yellow circus tents. I had never seen the show before and was very impressed with the three contortionists who opened the show and the man who stacked nearly twenty chairs on top of each other and climbed to the top.

After the show we headed back to our hotel, the Lenox Hotel and made a stop at the City Bar within. The drink menu featured a fun list of drinks including the Green Tea and Passion Fruit Champagne that I ordered. After enjoying a drink at City Bar we walked over to Poor House in order to experience a true Bostonian pub.

For reservations at Sasso check OpenTable.com.

A Vegetarian Who Loves BLT

A goal of mine while living in NYC is to dine at every restaurant in the BLT family, as you know I’ve made it to BLT Prime and BLT Market, both of which left a lasting impression. Since those outings I’ve ventured to BLT Fish Shack, BLT Steak and BLT Burger. (BLT Fish is the only one that’s missing!) As a vegetarian I’m probably harder to please then their typical customer so hopefully the fact that I love these restaurants despite my non-carnivorous ways should only further prove how wonderful these restaurants are- amazing service, knowledgeable staff, impressive décor and great food and desserts.

BLT Fish Shack is located directly underneath BLT Fish on 17 St. between 5th and 6th Avenues. The décor at BLT Fish Shack is not shack-like at all; in fact, you feel like you’ve just walked into a local Cape Cod restaurant. Diners sit in white wooden booths upholstered with nautical blue and white striped cushions, there’s a raw bar where fish specialists are preparing mussels, clams and lobsters in the middle of the room and the menu and daily specials are written out on chalkboards throughout the space. My friends ordered mussels and calamari for appetizers and lobster and fries for their entrees. I joined the clean plate club by choosing from the "Pick A Fish" section of the menu where patrons choose a fish- Organic Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna, Cod, Skate, Striped Bass, Flounder or Steamed Lobster- and a sauce- Lemon Hollandaise, Spicy Salsa or Tartar Sauce, all of which are served with arugula sald and a choice of rice pilaf or roasted potato. I had the Organic Salmon grilled and topped with the Spicy Salsa.

A few weeks later I made reservations via OpenTable for BLT Steak while my dad and brother were in town visiting. Just like at BLT Prime, our meal started with the amazing popovers, severed with butter and rustic sea salt. We ordered appetizers to share followed by our individual entrees. I definitely recommend these vegetarian options: the Roasted Beets and Apple salad, a side of Grilled Asparagus and the Chopped Vegetable Salad. For dessert we enjoyed the rum laced carrot cake with cream cheese icing, Carmaelized New York cheese cake and the Sliced Fruit and Berries.

Later that week I took my brother to BLT Burger, who surprisingly offers a to-go menu, located on 6th Ave. btw 11th & 12th Streets. We began with an order of sweet potato fries that were cooked to perfection. My brother ordered the Classic Burger which is made with 5 oz. of Certified Black Angus beef, however we have heard from friends that the Lamb Burger is the best. Having looked at the menu beforehand I knew I had to try the veggie burger. I have never tried the frozen veggie burgers like Boca Burger, nor do I want to, so I saw this as my chance to order a “gourmet,” handmade veggie burger. It was served on a whole wheat bun and made with a medly of organic grains, vegetables and spices. It was good, especially when I loaded it with ketchup, but I’m definitely not hooked. We topped off our dinner with milk shakes! A friend of mine recommended that we try their spiked milkshakes which included a list of tasty sounding concoctions like The Shocker (Stoli Vanilla, Oreos, vanilla ice cream) and Grandma's Treat (Maker's Mark, caramel syrup, vanilla ice cream). My brother ordered The Shocker, while my theory was, why mess up a good thing that I only treat myself to about once a year with alcohol because chances are I wouldn’t like it. So I ordered a vanilla milkshake but asked to have Oreos in it. And of course, the other older sister was right! He didn’t love his, he was hoping that it would taste more like a milkshake and less like alcohol, while I finished mine so fast I wished for another. ;)

Many other cities are lucky to have at elast one of the BLT restaurants besides NYC including, San Juan, Washington D.C., White Plains, Miami, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Las Vegas.

All of the BLT restaurants are owned by Executive Chef Laurent Tourondel. And interestingly enough the BLT stands for "Bistro Laurent Tourondel." After the four year program at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine, where he earned a "d'Aptitude Professionnelle de Cuisinier," the French chef cooked his way through some of the world's most esteemed kitchens. He first opened BLT Steak in 2004 which garnered so much praise he then opened BLT Fish, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, BLT Market and BLT Fish Shack in NYC.

El Centro

Last week during my cousin's NYC visit we scored tickets to the Late Show with David Letterman. We had to be in line to pick up our tickets by 5:30pm for the 7pm taping so we wanted to grab dinner quickly before hand so we went to El Centro on 9th near 54th St. And thank goodness we did, I loved everything I ordered- the Classic Mojito, guacamole, homemade tortilla chips, and the Ensalade Centro.

El Centro is owned by restaurateur John Dempsey, who also created Vynl, and is overseen by its chef, Jorge Pareja. Given it's 9th Ave. location, it's perfect for a pre-theater dinner.

Salt

Salt is an intimate restaurant in Soho specializing in seasonal American food. The menu at Salt is unique in that it allows diners to customize their dinners by picking one protein and two sides. The available proteins include Alaskin King Salmon, Whole Grilled Dorade Royale, Marinated Hanger Steak and a Long Island Duck Breast. My meal consisted mostly of sides which were amazing, especially the Braised Brussel Sprouts and Parsnip Puree.
If patrons aren't crazy about the "Protein + 2" set up, there are several "Chef's Entrees" to choose from like Roasted Cod, Braised Romain Lettuce, Mushroom Fricassee, Pancetta, and Truffle Broth and more.
Salt is located at 58 MacDougal St., near King St. And reservations can be made via OpenTable.

Centro Vinoteca

Centro Vinoteca is a triangular shaped restaurant located in West Village on 7th Ave. near Barrow St. I stood near the hostess stand waiting for my friend for just a few minutes and was already impressed with the menu, or at least the seasonal specials that were written on the chalkboard. We ended up ordering a bunch of the Italian small plates- or "piccolini"- to share. We ordered the parsnip and chestnut soup, silver dollar-sized sweet potato cakes and zuccini fritters.

The Sous-chef at Centro Vinoteca is native New Yorker Leah Cohen who is a contestant Top Chef Season 5. Once former head chef, Anne Burrell left Centro, Cohen has stepped up to the plate, and according to George Elkins- the managing director Mangia hospitality group, which owns Centro- "She’s done a remarkable job. She’s bringing new things to the table, and everything we’ve tasted has been, well, she’s just been hitting it out of the park.” (Source) And I'd have to agree with him on that one, I absolutely loved everything at Centro Vinoteca and the fact that they serve seasonal dishes means I might be able to make an exception and repeat the restaurant!

Saucy

Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 75th and York, Saucy is an unique establishment that features over 50 different sauces, each paired with an entree on the menu. The menu includes steak, seafood, organic chicken, pasta and tasteful appetizers like spicy hummus and a Mediterranean Salad.

Resting above the restaurant's 75 seats are tons of cloth sacks filled with spices and dried herbs from around the world. The mirrored ceiling throughout the restaurant allows guests to see the contents of the open sacks which include dried chili peppers, bay leaves, curry and more.
What I loved most was that Chef and owner Simon Mann was at the restaurant to welcome his guests, take their orders and make sure everything was prepared to their requests.

Monsieur Marcel

Monsieur Marcel is a bustling cafe located within Santa Monica's famous 3rd St. Promenade. Opened in Dec. 2007, this French spot is the perfect place to have lunch after shopping along the Promenade. With tables outside and a small counter inside the tiny kitchen is able to serve up some amazingly tasty dishes. I had a warm goat cheese salad with candied walnuts.
[Location: 1260 Third Street Promenade, 310.587.1166]

The Cat & Fiddle

Sitting outside in the courtyard at The Cat & Fiddle is the perfect spot for a casual drink in LA. Walking under a stone arch way into the courtyard makes the setting even more enchanting and creates the perfect hide-away for celebs who want to go unnoticed.
There is live jazz on the patio every Sunday from 7pm to 11pm and a Fish and Chips special all day long every Monday.
Located at 6530 Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, CA

Urth Caffe

My final stop during my two weeks in LA was at Urth Caffe on Melrose Ave. Recommended to me by a friend who knows me well, which was even more obvious when I arrived at Urth, saw the great outdoor seating and read over the menu. It was exactly the kind of place I'd want to go to on a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles with its patio seating and vegetarian-friendly menu that features mouth-watering dishes that are good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With so many great salad options I decided to go with The Tostada sald (minus the fried tortilla shell)- a chopped salad served in a friend toritilla shell with grilled veggies, on a bed of black beans and organic romain lettuce with house salsa, guacamole and monterey jack cheese. My friends at the Urth Quesadilla and the Panini Roasted Turkey (Urth butter roasted turkey breast with Jarlsberg swiss cheese, grilled on a poppyseed crusted honey wheat bread and served on a whole grain mustard sauce).
Of course we finished with an aray of Urth's famous desserts including the New York Cheesecake, Banana Bread Pudding, the Deep Dish Apple Pie and the Chocolate Crown Cake.

Asia de Cuba

I had no idea what to expect when Rolland Berry and I drove up to the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Blvd. but was pleasantly surprised as we sipped wine among the white and orange interior of the bar in the lobby, ADCB, before being escorted to our table at Asia de Cuba. Seating at the table amongst giant terracotta pots it's hard not to feel a little bit like Alice inside her world of Wonderland. The outdoor, courtyard-like seating is the quintessential night out in LA.
I loved the innovative Asian and Cuban fusion cusine paired with the unmatched Philippe Starck design. I was totally impressed with the menu, and how could you not be with dishes like bamboo steamed asian and caribbean vegetables, plantain fried rice with avocado salad, Lemongrass Skewered Chicken (coconut thai chili marinade, grilled pinapple and lychee) and the Calamari Salad 'Asia De Cuba' (crispy calamari with chayote, hearts of palm, banana, cashews, chicory and radicchio-sesame orange dressing).
Reservations can be made at Open Table.

Babalu

Babalu is a fantastic restaurant located on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California serving up American, Asian and Caribbean dishes that are sure to please anyone's palate. My friends and I all ordered salads but so many other dishes on the menu looked amazing. If nothing else, this restaurant is a great place for a casual dinner out with friends.
1002 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Aroma Cafe

During lunch at Aroma Cafe I was overwhelmed by the extremely large menu while, at the same time, underwhelmed by the service we received. As much as I love having plenty of options, I had a really hard time understanding what this restaurant's specialty was- there were salads, pizzas, sandwiches, pastas, vegetarian dishes, meat dishes, Mediterranean and BBQ- really there was just too much variety. But the good thing is that Aroma Cafe has something for everyone.
I loved sitting outside at this newly renovated, street-side cafe and at night it would be nice to sit in front of the small fireplaces for a drink or during dinner.

Mexicali Cocina Cantina

Great Mexican restaurants are not hard to find in LA but Mexicali Cocina Cantina was a great find, located in Studio City on Ventura Blvd & Laurel Canyon Blvd. We had a very strange waiter but the food was great. My friend and I shared their homemade Guacamole, she ordered the Grilled Chicken Quesadilla and I had the Mexicali Fajita Salad. But their menu also includes a long list of Tacos, Tamales, Burritos, and Enchiladas as well as fabulous margaritas and sangria.