Pho at Pho 66 in Hell's Kitchen - NYC, New York

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There are days where you are fixated on a particular dish. This time (shall I say again?), it was ramen! We were planning on going to Sapporo ramen, but it was packed. So Jodi and I decided to walk on 9th avenue, aka Hell's Kitchen, and see if any restaurant would erase our disappointment. We noticed Pho 66. The location looked familiar and it is only after we entered the restaurant that we realized that we went there several months ago, at the time it was a Colombian place called Farmers Rotisseria A La Brasa.  I could not believe it!

If you do not know what Pho is, it is Vietnamese dish consisting of broth, noodles usually made from rice, herbs, vegetables and meat. Well, it was as close to the ramen craving as it could be...

What I really liked is the fact that they offer different sizes of bowl: large, medium and small, to accommodate any appetite.

Jodi ordered the Pho Verte:

Verte means green in France and here, it relates to the fact that it is a vegetarian dish. 

On my side, I ordered the Pho Bun Bo Hue:

It consisted of pork shoulder and beef shank and came with some lime, soy and lemongrass to mix with.

Both broths were tasty with for sure bolder flavors thanks to the meat in the Bun Bo Hue. The noodles were good, but I preferred the one in the Pho Verte as the one in the Bun Bo Hue were a bit too al dente for my taste and as they were thicker, it was less enjoyable. I liked both dishes, with a preference for the vegetarian one in fact! Incroyable!

For dessert, we decided to share a black rice pudding:

It was made with coconut milk and served with slices of mango. I did not like it to be honest: the texture was off, I could barely taste the coconut milk and the mango was not ripe enough.

I really liked Pho 66 (except the dessert): the Pho are pretty good (they have a nice selection), they look beautiful and taste good, all of that for a reasonable price! I did not regret not having ramen that night! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series Event at Pouring Ribbons in NYC, New York

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We were recently invited to the Häagen-Dazs® Artist Series at Pouring Ribbons in Alphabet City. This event was a way for Häagen-Dazs® to showcase "art inspired by a journey in Italy and gelato". I admit that we were there more for gelato than art as, after a trip to Italy few years ago, we got crazy about gelato! Imagine that when we went there, we had gelato everyday: coconut for Jodi, Hazelnut or vanilla for me! 

So I was curious to see what Häagen-Dazs® would present! And I was not disappointed! I think the biggest discovery of the evening was that gelato can be used as an ingredient for drinks or pastries! Yes, you read well: drinks and pastries! I know, ice cream cake is popular here, but not in France: we have frozen cakes but it is more for convenience than taste, at the exception of the omelette Norvegienne or baked Alaska. 

So let's start with the drinks! Besides regular drinks you would find anywhere, mixologist and co-owner of Pouring Ribbons Troy Sidle proposed some alcoholic drinks of his creation with gelato. We tried the Bello Rosmarino, made with vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice, raspberries, rosemary and a scoop of limoncello gelato from Häagen-Dazs®.

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. Based on the information given, this is how Troy Sidle got inspired:

"At the Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, Troy Sidle was struck by the pairing of rosemary and raspberries, never thinking they would go well together. After tasting the unique combination in Bologna, he was inspired to add in the refreshing flavor of Häagen-Dazs® Limoncello Gelato to create a delicious cocktail that can be made at home during the hot summer months".

I never had gelato in a cocktail and was pleasantly surprised. It was very good and the ice cream did not seem out of context. In fact, it was dangerous because so good, it was like drinking milk! 

Then, one side of the bar was full of desserts made by Christina Tosi, owner and celebrity Pastry Chef of Momofuku Milk Bar! What was there was not only appealing to the eyes (and the stomach), but very good and creative.

The best of all was the Häagen-Dazs® Dark Chocolate Chip Gelato Cake!

I can tell you that all the guests were gravitating around this cake! The description of Christina Tosi's inspiration was:

"I am a huge fan of ice cream cakes. Fudgie the Whale has nothing on this one! One of my favorite things to snack on while strolling (between gelato shops) in Florence is dried fruits, especially apricots.

Italian bakeries are always full of the most beautiful acetate-lined shiny chocolate cakes, and I just knew I wanted to create one on my terms, combining my American sensibility of an ice cream cake with Häagen-Dazs® Dark chocolate Chip Gelato and my favorite in-between-gelato shop snack."

By the way, writing this post, I discovered that Fudgie the Whale is a type of ice cream cake produced and sold by Carvel in its franchise stores!

Anyway, I got my hand on a slice of that cake!

Look at that slice and tell me you would not want a bite, or two!!! That was light and heavenly good. The pairing of the apricot jam with the chocolate was a killer!

The other desserts were made without Gelato. We got:


Dark Chocolate cookies:

Dark Chocolate Pistacchio spread:

That by the way I used as a filling for crepes! I used it like a nutella spread that was in fact the inspiration of the Chef! Delish!

Biscotti Milk that was Chef Christina Tosi's take on cookies and milk!

This was great and I enjoyed it with the chocolate cake!!!

They also pass around some Häagen-Dazs® gelato samples. We tried the Black Cherry one that was very good. I wish I could have tried other flavors but we had to leave!

Besides food, the evening was filled with art, also inspired from Italy and Gelato, as well as music, with a performance from Suzanna Choffel from "The Voice":

And let's not forget art! There was Tim McFaden (hand-blown glass gelato Bowl), Loren Bartham (cuff bracelet with vintage stones) and Kelsea Slade (leather clutch with tassel).

We had a good time there and were lucky to be part of the guests who could taste these delicious creations!

Enjoy (I did)!

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A Trip to Dominique Ansel Bakery and Pulino's Bar and Pizza in NYC, New York!

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Despite the rain today, we tried to make the most of the week end and decided to go to the City to get some good food! I enjoy walking in the city, even with this type of weather to either photograph the street or nature, especially flowers with rain drops on them.

Our first target was Dominique Ansel Bakery: it is not the first time we went there and, if I could, I would go every day for their Kouign Amman!

It was not even 12pm and the place was packed! I admit that we went there for the cronut, a new creation from Dominique Ansel that is a CROissant-doNUT! Such a good idea: we could not wait to try it! Unfortunately, they were sold out!!! Of course, we could not leave like that and so, we decided to order a Kouign Amman:

This is a must have at Dominique Ansel Bakery! Imagine a croissant packed in butter and covered with a bit of sugar. Trust me: if you try one, you will dream about it and go back there just for it! But, what is great about this bakery is that they take classic French pastries and put a twist to it! Like the Paris New York that I also tried today:

The Paris-New York is inspired by the Paris-Brest, a French pastry, made of choux pastry and a praline flavored cream. In this one, the cream is made with peanut butter! It was very good, not too sweet and not heavy, with a nice balance between the peanut butter and the chocolate.

Then, we decided to walk uptown, under the rain, thinking that a bibimbap in Korea Town would be perfect for this weather. While walking, I started to have my mind thinking about all the places we could go to , maybe closer, such as ramen or Italian, but Jodi really wanted bibimbap, until I mentioned Pulino's Pizza! We were just passing by W Houston and she pushed me on my right to go towards that restaurant! Then, there was no possibility of changing her mind...and mine at the same time...

The last time we were there, we tried their burrata that was fantastic, as well as their four cheese pizza. We decided to order again the burrata, that is homemade:

If you like cheese, especially creamy cheese, this is for you!

It was heaven! The cream was perfect and refreshing! Combined with the crispy bread, the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar, it was an harmony of flavors dancing in my mouth!

We then decided to try the simpler pizza you can find: the margherita.

It is composed of tomato, mozzarella, grana cheese and basil leaves. The crust was divine, a bit burnt from the brick oven, but it was not an issue at all! The pizza sauce tasted fresh and they put a lot of cheese. To conclude: very, very good!

After this second visit at Pulino's, I think that it is a great restaurant. The only negatives today are the table placing (they squeeze their customers so much that it was difficult for the table next to us to get their food without us being on the way) and the waiter was rude!

Enjoy (I did)!



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A trip to Montreal - Part 9: Houston Steaks Côtes Levées Trudeau Airport

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After a fantastic time in Montreal, it was time to go back. We showed up early at the airport to make sure we had enough time for customs and...lunch! Of course, we were not expecting the same level of food like the one we got used to in the past few days in Canada, but wanted to avoid fast food for sure! That is how we ended up at Houston Steaks Côtes Levées. 

Yes, this is a steakhouse and Côtes Levées means spare ribs (in Canada - in France it is travers de porc). I was not really motivated to have a steak there though and decided to order a burger:

It was the Houston burger, composed of a beef patty, BBQ sauce, herbed cream cheese, caramelised onions, capicollo and arugula. The bread that was a brioche bread was a bit dry and the arugula was so overpowering that I removed it. It was then just ok: not the best patty for sure! The onion rings however were real good, but there were only a few on the plate!

Jodi ordered the House salad:

It was composed of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, endives, onions and croutons, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette. Let say that it was just a salad! Nothing extraordinary...

Well, what can I say: we were not expecting fantastic food at the airport and it was an ok alternative to the fast food. If you are in a hurry, this is not for you: the service was slow and not that friendly!

Enjoy (...)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 8: French Bistro L'Express

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On Sunday night, we went rue Saint-Denis to eat in a popular Parisian style bistro called L'Express. It was definitely a trendy place with an elegant decor and a typically French menu, from the appetizers to the desserts. The menu, elaborated by Chef Joel Chapouile, offers classic French dishes such as the rillette, oeufs mayonnaise (deviled eggs), foie gras or steak frites. 

When we arrived, there were not that many people. Normal I thought as it was Sunday night. But, as the evening went, more and more people arrived. When we left, the place was packed!

After we ordered, they brought us some bread and butter:

As well as some crunchy cornichons in a jar that gave a relaxed and rustic feel to the experience:

Jodi decided to order only a salad as she really wanted a dessert. She picked the goat cheese salad:

Goat cheese salad is pretty standard on a French menu. Sometimes the cheese is toasted, sometimes it is not. At L'express, it was not. The goat cheese can also vary, from buche to crotin de Chavignoles. It was a good salad: simple, refreshing and not overdressed.

I decided to order the salmon tartare:

It was served on a bed of micro greens. I liked it but would have liked more texture to it, maybe by cutting the salmon thicker. 

Then, for the main dish, I ordered the veal kidneys in mustard sauce:

This is a very classic French dish and I was looking forward to it! I was not disappointed! The kidneys were cooked as ordered, medium, and were tender with a delicate but particular flavor that I am not sure how to describe! They were mixed with delicious mushrooms and the sauce was phenomenal. I do not know how they make it but it was so good! And then there were sauteed potatoes that were awesome! Cooked all the way through, they were a bit crunchy. This was the best dish we had on that trip!!!

They it was time for dessert! Jodi got her long awaited Ile Flottante!

Ile flottante is made egg whites topped with caramel (sauce or harden) served on a vanilla custard sauce. It was delicious: light, not too sweet, the egg whites were perfectly firm and melted in my mouth immediately. The vanilla custard was creamy and tasty, a perfect complement to the eggs. 

I could not resist and ordered the Baba au Rhum!

The portion was big too. It was just ok: the cake was not as light and airy as it should and the rum was watered down a little. Between the two desserts, I clearly preferred the Ile flottante!

The walk back to the hotel was really necessary after this excellent feast we had at L'Express! It was a great dinner and if you go, I recommend the veal kidneys! 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 7: Schwartz's delicatessen!

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On Sunday, after visiting the Fine Arts Museum, we decided to got eat Rue Saint-Laurent. We noticed some delicatessens the last time we walked there and decided to go there to have some good deli sandwiches. We ended up at Schwartz's, located boulevard Saint Laurent.

The place has been opened since 1928 and reminded me of Katz's in many ways, although Schwartz's is much smaller and the staff is courteous...

The place was packed and we had two choices: try to get a table at the restaurant or go to the takeout section. We tried the restaurant and got lucky to be seated right away! We had to share a table with other patrons. Over there, the menu is on the wall only. Interestingly, the menu is small and if you are vegetarian, your choices are limited to fries, slaw and pickles...

Contrary to most of the delis in New York, they do not bring you pickles or slaw: you pay for it! So did we...

We decided to order two sandwiches:

The salami sandwich:

The smoked meat sandwich:

Smoked meat is what we call pastrami in the US. You can order it lean, medium (our choice) or fatty. It was very good, tender, with just enough fat in it.

The salami sandwich was also delicious with a nice quantity of meat for sure! As people come and sometimes share, they impose a small fee:

With her meal, Jodi ordered a black cherry soda.

At the end, they gave us our bill and we had to pay at the cashier, cash. So no fear of losing a ticket like at Katz's!

It was good and comforting. The atmosphere definitely reminded us of Katz's, but I thought it was much better. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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A trip to Montreal - Part 6: French Patisserie Boulangerie O Gateries in Longueuil

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Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

When my friend Malika came to New York, we told her that we were going to Montreal for a week end and she suggested to visit her friends Jean-Francois and Lise who own a Pastry shop in Longueuil, a suburb that is a few minutes from Montreal. 

Jean-Francois is a French pastry Chef who was trained by Les Compagnons du Devoir, a companionship that originated in the Middle Ages, during the construction of Cathedrals. The goal was to  teach and train very skilled workers during many years of apprenticeship. They then expanded to more traditional jobs. Being part of Les Compagnons du Devoir is not a small thing and not everybody can be part of it: you have to be dedicated, motivated and skilled. It is during his apprenticeship that Jean-Francois ended up in Canada, where he met Lise, and together, they opened O Gateries, that will celebrate 20 years this year, in July.

Besides talking about personal stuff with Jean-Francois and Lise, we spoke about being a boulanger - patissier and I could really sense a passion that I always like to find in people. One thing that I still remember that Jean-Francois said, was about technique: when making something, what matters is not the ingredients, but the technique. It makes sense, otherwise, each time I follow a recipe, I should have the same result as anybody, no? No.

To give you an idea of O Gateries, now: I was expecting a smaller place, but it was of a good size, with a terrace and a dining room. In fact, O Gateries is not only a bakery and pastry shop: it also does some catering (apparently their duck confit pie is a big hit) and serves meals. 

But, because of all the work, Jean-Francois decided to hand over part of the products he sells to local artisans: for the bread and the chocolates (at the exception of the truffles that he makes). This way, he can focus on making viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants called in Canada "Chocolatines" and in France, "Pains au chocolat",...) and pastries. He tries to stay traditional and looking at the pastries, we saw the classic ones: eclairs au chocolat, mille feuilles, religieuses...

As we were there for breakfast, they proposed us to try few things. Jodi ordered the chocolatine or Chocolate croissant.

It was very good: flaky and buttery!

Lise suggested to me to get the Eggs Benedict: I could not refuse, especially as I love that dish! But the way they prepare it is with a French twist!

It was composed of a slice of French bread, sauteed mushrooms that were fantastic, brie and a perfectly poached egg topped by Hollandaise sauce. They added some moutarde de Dijon / Dijon mustard that gave a nice kick. 

We also got the opportunity to try the palmier or elephant ears that were delicious: fresh, flaky, crunchy and buttery.

As well as the religieuse that is one of my favorite pastries!

I really appreciated the fact that it was not too sweet and we could really taste the chocolate in the custard that is inside the puff pastry. 

We definitely had a good time there whether it was for the food or the company! O Gateries is definitely an address to know!

Enjoy (Id did)!

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