The first impression La Perigord gives is that it is a truly authentic French restaurant.The captain is very friendly and seems happy to seat you.He asks you about your evening in a thick French accent while handing you the menu and demanding the rest of the wait staff to bring out freshly picked flowers he is sure to keep the place operating smoothly.The fresh bread brought to the table was obviously straight out of the oven.The smell of baguette filled the air, and the fine French baguette was so warm steam came out when tearing a piece off to devour it.No butter required for this bread. Le Perigord makes an excellent first impression.
Paté du chef is a good start at a French restaurant.This chef happens to have a very good selection of spices in his paté.It came with ratatouille, a French stew, but it was very light and was certainly fit for those above the level of a peasant.The vegetable tart seemed more like a frittata with all due respects to the French.It was, however, delicious and had a flaky, buttery crust.This delicious slice of tart came with a tangy butter sauce.Some good advice for those planning on visiting this restaurant: after finishing the tart, ask for more baguette and soak up the remainder of the butter sauce with the bread.It is truly an out-of-this-world experience.
Incredible sauces was evident in the food during the main course as well.A bed of tiny scallops was covered in a red sauce, which must have been roasted tomatoes or something.The mustard sauce served with veal kidney was also worthy of being slurped with a spoon.
This restaurant is a favorite amongst my entire family—with good reason.The atmosphere is modern and high class, but still has a laid back feel to it.The décor is very artistic, and they practically use their wine collection as a glass wall.The view of Columbus Circle is very relaxing while sitting comfortably in A Voce’s swivel chairs.
Although just being in A Voce feels like you’ve just stepped into the chicest lounge in New York City, it is the food that takes you out of this world.Insalata di peshche, or salad with peaches, is a very fresh-tasting seasonal dish.Thinly sliced peaches mingle with watercress and fresh whipped ricotta.The peaches were just ripe enough to be sweet, but still have a nice bite, with adds to the different textures of this salad.For those who have never had it before, squid ink pasta as an appetizer is an excellent way to experience something new.Although I will argue that the squid ink adds very little flavor, the pasta was still delicious.It was even able to make someone who cringed at the idea of eating squid ink lick her plate clean.
The lamb short ribs are the best option as a main dish.The lamb was incredibly tender and the flavor was strong, but not overwhelming.The dish was surprisingly sweet, but it still made a satisfying entrée.
The dessert was surprisingly salty.A semi-frozen lime mousse was unheard of to me.It was served over thinly sliced sweet watermelon that made sure the salty mousse still felt like dessert.
Chef Adam of A Voce is not only talented, but extremely considerate to his fans (in this case me!)When I asked for the Chef’s autograph, he came out to personally give it to me even though his restaurant was packed.A Voce is the best contemporary Italian place to go in New York.
A simple atmosphere with nothing special really. However, service felt personalized.The wait staff was very friendly.Appetizers were good, but nothing out of this world.Salmon rillettes lacked in some smoky and dill flavor and it was a bit bland.The country pate was better, and the pickled vegetables it came with were nice and crisp—not over marinated.
The plats principaux were unique and a bit unexpected.Wild mushroom risotto was nice and creamy.There were corn and fava beans inside, which was very different from many other mushroom risottos.Black truffle butter enhanced the soft texture as well as the bite to the wild mushrooms. Poularde Albufera is not to be missed though.Tender poached chicken, stuffed with an excellent forcemeat of sorts.The tenderness of the chicken was nice in contrast to the spring vegetable fricassee with whole grains.The savory sauce that the dish was doused in really made it something that you cannot stop eating, even though the portions were generous.
Artisanal cheesecake was a surprisingly light finish to a rather filling meal.The cheesecake part spoke for itself: light, fluffy, rich in flavor without being too dense.The gram cracker base/crust had a nice hearty texture with a sweet cinnamon taste.Chocolate marquise is another sweet way to end.Hazelnut feuilletine gave the creamy chocolate part a nice subtle crunch.Vanilla salt sprinkled on top made the contrasting flavors of dark chocolate and salt very sophisticated.
This meal could please many diners from all backgrounds.You leave Artisanal with a satisfied smile, along with some fine cheese from their fromagerie.
Le Cirque is an elegant restaurant with a playful edge.The décor creates a high-class environment.Flowers on the table were fresh, bright orange orchids.To start, chilled melon and yogurt soup—very refreshing during the summer time.The curry oil poached shrimp gives the soup a little heat and an interesting taste that you just can’t stop eating.
Service was a bit slow, and not too polite, however it is understandable on a busy day.After sitting at the table for a while, our main courses arrived.The skate is a fresh dish, yet still complex for a seafood dish.The fish is served on top of a creamy cauliflower puree that was very rich in flavor.Mini cheeseburgers “Le Cirque” were a very popular choice, and with good reason.They were cooked to the perfect medium rare, and the melting cheese made the beef all the more succulent.My personal favorite was the chicken ballantine.Thigh and breast meat, rolled in crispy skin.It was an elegant presentation with chicken far from dry.It came over corn, arugula and maitake, which reminded me of a summer barbeque, only elevated.
Le Cirque continued to impress with their dessert.Although the ricotta mousse cake was nothing all to special, Le Cirque’s Rocky Road with caramel panna cotta, chocolate sorbet, marshmallows was amazing.The frozen chocolate was so rich and sophisticated; it was not a typical rocky road for children.
Butter is a chic restaurant that attracts a young crowd.However, the amazing food attracts all sorts of people.Butter has a very modern, yet still pleasant atmosphere as well.There is a vibrant bar scene, with many unique and refreshing cocktails—including a virgin cocktail that changes each month. Although the waiter seemed rude and rushed, the rest of the staff are still very polite.
To begin your fixed-price three-course meal, the market salad was a bed of fresh, crisp lettuce over a generous amount of quality Vermont goat cheese.The mixed charcuterie plate had succulent and flavorful sausage that had quite a unique taste.Each sausage comes with a balanced pairing, such at duck rillettes with pickled cherries.
The main course is what really blew me away.The grilled pork is extremely tender and cooked to perfection; it went perfectly with the warm potato salad.The whole grain mustard in the potato salad with pork really gave the dish a German rustic flavor.Barbequed short rib is also an excellent choice.The barbeque sauce has a strong, smoky flavor.They were definitely cooked low and slow, judging by the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
To finish with something sweet, chocolate-lovers would love the rich dark chocolate and walnut torte.Decedent, with a strong dark chocolate flavor and almost creamy texture.The shortbread, however, was disappointing.Not flaky, buttery, nor sweet.It had almost a savory peppered biscuit flavor, but it lacked in the great texture of a southern biscuit.
Overall, the great main dish outweighed any disappointments.
Most people marvel at the density and size of a legendary 6-ounce cookie from the famous Levain Bakery in New York City. My experience with their cookies may be record breaking and considered a bit out of the ordinary…
I literallyspent months constantly obsessing over these giant cookies from Levain Bakery, New York ever since they were featured on an episode of Throwdown With Bobby Flay.I also happen to be a ‘cookie monster’ of sorts.I had been back and forth from the city plenty of times to visit La Mode Mare (yes, our beloved fashion blogger), but I never got the chance to go try these cookies.Okay, that was a lie.As you all may know, I always make time for some good eats.However, whenever I felt the cookie calling when in New York City, I headed straight for the amazing Macaron Café.Those rose lychee, coconut, and lavender macaroons kept distracting me from my mission: to try a 6-ounce cookie from Levain.
Finally, I get to spend the night with La Mode Mare, which meant more time in the city.The next morning, I was sure to head directly to the Levain Bakery in downtown Manhattan.
After waiting so long for these cookies, I was ready to dig in to a cookie that didn’t make me have to keep longing for more.I reached into the paper bag they were in and pulled out the original chocolate chip walnut cookie.I will admit that it is a pretty decently sized cookie.You can feel the thing weighing down your hand a little.
Many may disagree with me, but it was actually smaller than I expected.During the times that I obsessed over the 6-ounce cookies, I read reviews such as, “I find it difficult finishing half,” and, “I’m a big guy, but one of these cookies makes a meal for me.”I thought that for the first time, I wouldn’t need at least a half a dozen cookies to leave me satisfied, that one would do just like it would for a normal person.
The cookie disappeared in my hand quicker than I had expected.So to my surprise, I did have to reach in for the next cookie.This was the oatmeal raisin.(It is delicious and packed full of raisins, by the way.)I finished that one almost just as quickly.My hand unexpectedly went in for a third 6-ounce cookie.This one (the dark chocolate peanut butter chip) turned out to be my favorite.Still, with a little room left in my stomach, I tried their last flavor: dark chocolate chocolate chip.I was not the biggest fan, for I found the double chocolate overwhelming, so I only ate half.
At the end of it all, I had consumed 21 ounces worth of Levain Bakery cookies and tried all 4 flavors.Overall, I thought they were good.Flavor-wise, the oatmeal raisin lacked cinnamon/overall seasoning.It relied completely on texture.Texture-wise: all 4 were incredible.Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside.The sweet-meets savory-meets intense chocolate flavor cookie was my personally favorite as I mentioned before.
I jokingly complained on Levain Bakery’s wall about how these cookies were not nearly as big and filling as I had hoped and was forced to consume 3.5 cookies to reach a full stomach.Later, they replied and asked what was the largest amount of 6-ounce cookies anyone has had in just one sitting.For a woman, usually only a half.For a man, usually just one.
They told me and congratulated me that I had beaten a cookie-eating record for their Bakery.They also said not to feel bad about the amount I ate since Pam Weekes (one of the owners) has 2 at a time.Unlike her though, I’m not an Iron Man Triathlete, I’m just one ravenous fish.
Is it sweet? Is it savory? Is it breakfast? I don't know. All I know is that this delicious grilled cheese is gooey and flavorful.
Personally, I love cinnamon.The aroma is PROVEN to lift one’s spirits.Well cheese naturally makes me happy, and with cinnamon?Ah, heaven in a bite.I love the way the cheese oozes out of a grilled cheese and it just melts as your eating it.This may not be your conventional all-American grilled cheese, but if your adventurous and looking for new flavors, you have got to give it a try.
INGREIDIENTS
·12 ounces of quality brie (choose one with a mild and buttery flavor)
·4-6 thin slices of a Granny Smith apple
·2 slices of oatmeal bread
·1 tablespoon of butter
·2 teaspoons of cinnamon
·2 teaspoons of clover honey (or any type of non-flowery honey)
DIRECTIONS
1.Build the sandwich with the brie, apple, and bread
2.Place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bottom is golden and the cheese begins to melt. Carefully turn the sandwich and cook until golden and the cheese has melted completely
3.Plate the sandwich, and while it is still hot sprinkle the cinnamon on the sandwich and drizzle the honey over it
