Butter : Go for the food, not the service!

After visiting the original Butter on Lafayette St. a few times for drinks, I longed to try this place for dinner. Finally, this year for restaurant week I made it there! The Lafayette St. location is now closed, so we visited the new midtown location.

We arrived 20 minutes early for our reservation and the hostess told us that our table wasn't ready, and we were encouraged to go to the bar to order drinks. We were assured that when the table became available, that we would be "found". While standing at the bar, I looked around and saw at least 4 free tables available for parties of 2. Very strange to say the least, since we didn't see any groups of 2 waiting at the front of the restaurant to be seated.

Calamansi - absolut vodka, fresh watermelon ice cubes, torn mint leaves, calamansi lime juice

We proceeded to order a round of drinks, and figured that once we returned to the hostess area with our drinks that we would be seated. I ordered the Calamansi, which had ice cubes made of watermelon in it, which was pretty unique and refreshing! The drink had a mixture of vodka, the specialty watermelon ice cubes, mint leaves, and lime juice. It was a very good drink, and not too sour, which was perfect since I hate when restaurants overload the drink with lime juice.

We walked back to the couches near the hostess stand to wait to be seated. While we were waiting, we kept seeing groups being seated before us, we checked our watches and saw its was 10 minutes past our reservation time. My boyfriend went up to the hostess stand to check in on the status of our table and she claimed she called us and couldn't find us and that our table had been ready for some time! We were sitting right in front of her the whole time! We were the only ones sitting there. The hostesses kept looking over at us, but clearly did not remember us from just a few minutes earlier as promised. 

Finally, the hostess sat us and plopped a set of menus on the table. She did not include any restaurant week menus, wine list, or drink menus. We came for restaurant week, and planned to only order off that menu. We sat at the table waiting for a server to come over with the menus we needed, and another 10 minutes went by before anyone came over to us. Finally, the waiter came over, and we asked for the restaurant week menu and drink menu. We proceeded to watch him walk around the dining room helping other tables for another 10 minutes before coming over, but he didn't remember to bring us the menus! He laughed and said "oh, I forgot to get you your menus..". After about 20 minutes of waiting, we finally received the menus we wanted all along. One would think that by the lack in service, this place was packed, but it wasn't! 

Delicious Bread with Herb Butter and Regular Butter

While previewing the menus, the bus boy brought us two types of bread and two types of butter. My favorite were the rolls with a croissant-like texture that were slightly salted on top. MMMazing! The butter was equally as amazing, which it should be considering the name of the restaurant. The bus boy we learned from our experience throughout the night was the most attentive person on staff and came over to clean our table, fill our water glasses, and offer us more bread on a regular basis.

Soup of the Day - Chilled Cucumber Soup with Melon and Black Pepper 

The soup of the day was a chilled cucumber soup with melon and black pepper. It was very light, refreshing and flavorful. I almost felt like I was at the spa while eating this soup because of the amazing cucumber flavor. This is a soup I definitely would want to have again in this lifetime.

House Made Veal Bacon, Spicy Cabbage Salad

For the other starter, we ordered the house made veal bacon, which was cut very thick like a filet, versus a slab of bacon. We were both hoping for a crispy piece of bacon and were disappointed.  The whole grain mustard that was spread all over the bacon was a little overwhelming for this dish, and my boyfriend and we did not think it was a great accompaniment for the bacon. We were hoping for a more savory pairing instead of the spicy tart flavor of the mustard. We enjoyed the spicy cabbage that came with the bacon, but it wasn't anything special. This dish was our least favorite of the night, which is surprising since we both love bacon!

Fish of the Day - Grilled Hake, Lady Cream Peas, Cuban Oregano

For one of our entrees we ordered the fish of the day, which was the grilled hake. I have had hake once before and loved it, so I was very happy to see this on the menu since it is not very common. Hake is a white flaky fish that is very light in flavor and not too fishy. It was accompanied by white beans in a lemony creamy sauce and topped with fresh scallions. The hake was cooked perfectly with a slightly crispy layer with the fish being tender and full of flavor. The lemony cream sauce that the beans were in was so delicious and made dipping the fish into it very enjoyable. The scallions were a nice touch to each bite because of their crispy texture and bitter flavor.

Braised and Grilled Creekstone Farms Beef Short Ribs, Gypsy and Poblano Peppers 

For our other main course we ordered the braised short ribs that were served over quinoa . The texture of the short rib was amazing! It broke apart so easily with just a fork and melted in your mouth. The hot peppers that were on top of it gave it a nice spicy taste that off set the sweet and savory sauce that it was covered in. What a lovely combo! This was our favorite dish!

Chilled Lacinato Kale, Toasted Garlic, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

We decided to order a side along with our prix fix restaurant week menu, but the wrong side came to the table. We had ordered the grits, and we received kale. Oops! Luckily, the waiter said we could keep the kale, and that they would bring us the grits in a few minutes. The kale was the freshest kale either of us had ever tasted. It was extremely earthy and every bite was breathtaking. There were pieces of toasted garlic in it, and it was covered in olive oil. If I could have this salad everyday, I'd be very happy. This is one mistake I am very happy they made :)

Geechie Boy South Carolina Yellow Corn Grits

The grits were equally as phenomenal as the kale, as they were like eating dessert. The grits tasted as if corn bread had been broken into crumbs and soaked with milk, just like a liquid corn bread of some sorts.They were so creamy, cheesy, and mmm mmm good. I'd skip dessert any day for some more of these grits.

Dark Chocolate Cake, Pasilla Chili Sugar, Whipped Creme Fraiche

After we were done eating our meals, we waited an exceptionally long time for dessert, at least a half hour. While waiting we witnessed the hostesses packing up for the night and going home. We didn't feel right about this, and almost wanted to leave the restaurant as well since we didn't feel welcome anymore.
Finally, we received our desserts which were very delicious, but not worth the wait. The first dessert was a dark chocolate cake that had chili sugar on top of it, giving it a salty taste. I have always been fond of a salty and sweet taste together, so this was quite delicious. Definitely my favorite dessert out of the two.

Damson Plum Tart, Toasted Almonds, Lemon Sorbet

For the second dessert, we had a plum tart that was served with toasted almonds and lemon sorbet. This dessert was much less heavy than the chocolate cake and very tart and sweet all at once. I loved the sour, sweet taste of the sorbet with the tart flavor of the pie with the crunchy almonds. All the textures and flavors combined very nicely. 

We enjoyed this meal a lot, but only because of the amazing food! I definitely would return for the food, but certainly not for the service. You could tell that Alex Guarnaschelli was not in the restaurant the night that we were there, because of the lack of service that we received.  One would expect much more from a celebrity chef. Do not go here if you expect to be treated with care and respect, only go here if you want good food!

NYY Steak "Burger" : One of the best burgers in NY?

My boyfriend and I decided to try out NYY Steak at the Yankees stadium after we read online at AM New York that their burger was rated one of the top burgers in NYC.

It was a nice change of scenery to go to such a nice place on a game day at the Yankees Stadium instead eating at the concessions.

We started off with a round of drinks. I ordered a mojito which was tasty, but nothing special or unique about this drink. Nonetheless it was tasty.

Gate 6 Mojito

While previewing the menu for lunch, we noticed there wasn't even a burger on the menu. We were very confused since we really wanted to try this burger! We said to the waitress that we wanted to order the burger, and she didn't hesitate or say anything about it not being on the menu. Could the burger be a secret dish that isn't on the menu?

The burger either came with french fries or coleslaw, and we chose coleslaw since fries just seemed too heavy. For the $17 cost, one would think that it would come with fries AND coleslaw! No such luck!

NYY Steak Burger with side of coleslaw

The burger came to our table, and at first glance it seemed great! We soon realized it was missing something. From the reviews we read, and the pictures we saw, it was supposed to include onion jam and aged gouda. The waitress never asked us about toppings and we just assumed we would receive the burger the way it is supposed to be prepared. The meat you could tell was great quality and cooked to perfection, but the missing toppings were a great disappointment. All that was included on ours was lettuce, tomato, and pickles. 

The coleslaw was very light and not overly creamy, just the way I like it!

NYY Steak burger

The burger meat was quite delicious, but I am not sure I would rate it one of the top burgers in NYC, since it lacked excitement . I was hoping for the burger I saw in the picture from AM New York, but this didn't compare. It was like seeing a picture of a McDonald's burger in an ad, and then getting disappointed by the burger you receive. Hopefully next time they don't forget our toppings, if there is even a next time! 

Luke's Lobster: Deliciously amazing!

I recently visited the Luke's Lobster (242 East 81st St.) on the UES, and was extremely happy with my experience. I had only had a lobster roll from the Luke's food truck before, and had always wanted to visit the actual place.

This place was exactly where I wanted to be on a Saturday night. It was casual, chill, and not too crowded. There was a line about 3 people deep when we arrived, but plenty of seating and very welcoming and clean. I felt like I was in Montauk being here because of the nautical, beachy vibe of the place.

Noah's Ark - Great deal!

I found it really unique that Luke's lobster roll had more than just lobster rolls. They offered Shrimp rolls, crab rolls, and of course lobster rolls. Since normally after eating one lobster roll, you are still slightly hungry and left wanting more, we decided to venture out of the box and order the Noah's Ark. This combo option is definitely the best bang for your buck and gives you great variety of flavors. It included 1 lobster roll, 1 crab roll, and 1 shrimp roll, all cut in half and served as 6 halves so it can easily be shared with a friend or a date (3 halves per person). Also, accompanying this platter, is 2 pickles, 2 bags of chips, and 2 sodas, unless you pay a little extra to change the sodas into beers.
I was pleasantly surprised how different each of the rolls tasted from one another. I can't say that I would order differently next time I go there, since I do want to relive each and every roll again.
The shrimp roll was nice and buttery with a touch of mayo on the bread to give it that slight touch of Maine feeling. It was a combination of Maine and Connecticut all in one roll so that it wasn't too much butter and not too much mayo. What a delight. I also loved the flavors this recipe gave the shrimp since I am only used to eating lobster in this way. It was such a surprising and welcome taste!
The crab roll was definitely different than any roll I have ever had. It had that fresh out of the crab leg taste, with the perfect mixture of  butter, spices, and a slight touch of mayo on the bun. You could really tell that this meat was fresh. MMM.. 
The lobster roll was as amazing as expected of course. It was super fresh, buttery, and chunky, just the way it should be! There were just the right amount of spices on it, with a dab of mayo on the bun. They definitely did not skimp on the lobster chunks. My mouth and stomach were very happy.

Half of the Noah's Ark - Portion for 1...perfect!

I will definitely be returning to Luke's lobster! It is definitely a casual, chill spot and one that I could consider frequenting on the regular.

The Committed Pig: Amazing in Every Way for Every Meal!

Unfortunately, we had a lot of rain on our beach vacation down the shore, so we decided brunch would be the perfect activity since the beach obviously was not an option. We couldn't help but notice how crowded The Committed Pig (168 Main St., Manasquan,NJ) was for brunch two days in a row, and figured it must be good. 

When we entered for brunch there was a large crowd waiting at the door for their name to be called. Luckily, the hostess told us only 15 minutes and took our phone number so we could go for a walk while waiting! Exactly 15 minutes later, I received a text on my phone that our table was ready. Already impressed! 

When seated in the restaurant, I couldn't help but notice the cute quotes on the walls and pig themed apparel for sale. For instance, "In a Bacon and Egg Breakfast, what's the difference between the chicken and the pig? The Chicken is involved, but the pig is committed!". How clever was this place! 

Red Velvet pancakes - red velvet batter, cream cheese glaze, bacon

The  menu was the extreme comfort food menu with the most interesting and delicious sounding entrees written all over it..MMM... I wanted to order 1 of everything! Unfortunately, our stomachs aren't big enough to fit more than 2 entrees shared, so we ordered the Red Velvet pancakes and the Croque Madame.
The Red Velvet pancakes were topped with a cream cheese glaze and served with a side of bacon. I have never had red velvet pancakes before, nor have I seen them on a menu before. I was very impressed and think I much prefer this version of red velvet over the cupcake version. They were sweet and soft with the slight sourness from the cream cheese that made this a delicious treat. The bacon was extra crispy, and so flavorful. I think this may have been the best bacon I have ever had.

Croque Madame - shaved ham, fontina, gruyere, white cheddar, grilled sourdough, topped with a fried egg & mornay sauce, served with salad

The croque madame was extremely savory with shaved ham, fontina cheese, gruyere, and white cheddar between two slices of grilled buttery sourdough bread and then topped with a fried egg covered in mornay sauce.  Quite the messy treat, but oh so good. The ham was sliced nice and thick with each bite was just more gluttonous than the last. The sandwich was served with a side of salad, so at least some of this dish was healthy?

Coffee Thermos

To drink, I ordered the coffee thermos. I had no idea I was really going to get my coffee served in a thermos, which was so cute! I thought this was extremely unique since it kept the coffee nice and hot, and also was a generous portion without having to ask for refills.

The only negative about this place, was I wish I had known it was BYOB when we went for brunch, since mimosas would have been a nice pairing for the meal. There is always next time! 

We had such a good time here, that we returned the same night for dinner and this time, we brought our own wine! Also, there is no corkage fee :)

Dinner

During dinner hour, the place was not very crowded, which leads me to believe it is more of a brunch spot than a dinner spot. It was a Sunday night, and typically the Jersey Shore empties out Sunday afternoon as people head back for the work week, so perhaps this was why it was not so crowded. 

Fried pickles - dusted with corn meal and fried, served with Russian dressing

We ordered the fried pickles to start, which were lightly covered in corn meal and then fried. They were were absolutely delicious and were paired with Russian dressing, which was a nice touch since it gave the appetizer a little tangy flavor instead of just a creamy flavor. I liked they were lightly fried so they still tasted super fresh instead of heavy.

Jalapeno Popper Burger - cheddar jack, jalapeno poppers, cream cheese

For dinner, we shared the Jalapeno Popper Burger. The burger was very unique because there were actually fried jalapenos that were stuffed with cheese on the burger! And there were a lot of them! The burger was also covered in cheddar jack, and the bun had some cream cheese spread on it to add to the already intense amazing spicy, cheesy, and juicy flavor! This burger meat was very tasty and you could tell just by biting into it that it was great quality. It was a blend of Pa LaFrieda hanger steak, short rib, and brisket. What a combo! As you bit into it, the juices just came right out into your hands. Amazing! I also loved the spiciness of the jalapenos. Definitely a re-order item next time I go there! 

The burger was accompanied with our choice of fries, but unfortunately they were out of waffle fries that night. We ordered sweet potato fries instead, which were amazing! 

I wish I lived closer to Manasquan, so I could visit the Committed Pig more often, but I guess next time I am down the shore I will pay them a visit. 

Esposito's: Good, Hearty, Italian down The Jersey Shore

While spending a weekend down the Jersey shore, we wanted to go somewhere casual and BYOB. Within walking distance to our hotel, we discovered Esposito's (233 East Main St.), which was new to Manasquan. They already had a location in Matawan, and had opened this location weeks prior to our stay.  Lucky for us! 

The dining area was very casual and had an old school pizzeria feel, with a cute patio, which we chose to sit out on. 

Sicilian Calamari - tender fried calamari tossed in spicy red pepper and onion relish 

For our appetizer we ordered the Sicilian Calamari, which was very unique because it had spicy red peppers and onion relish mixed into the fried calamari with some balsamic vinegar sprinkled on top. I liked this dish in general because of the unique flavors, but the major issue I had with it, was there were olives mixed into it as well. My boyfriend and I hate olives, so we had to pick around them, after each having a few bites that tasted like olives...eeewww. The description on the menu did not say there were olives, so we were both very disappointed to find them in this dish.

Bolognese Penne - Homemade meat sauce with a touch of cream

For our pasta we shared the Bolognese penne, which was penne covered in homemade meat sauce with a touch of cream. We could have had this sauce over any type of pasta noodle which was nice, but penne was our selection. The sauce was very flavorful with the perfect amount of meat and fresh tomato chunks. A very hearty pasta!

#3 Sesame Seed Crust Pizza - plum tomato, garlic, basil, fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto, broccoli rabe, and sausage

For our main dish, we ordered the #3 sesame seed crust pizza. This pizza had plum tomato, garlic, basil, fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto, broccoli rabe, and sausage on it. I have never seen pizza crust like this before, and it is unique to Esposito's. The sesame seeds gave it that Italian bread stick flavor with a nice crunchy exterior and slightly doughy soft interior. So divine!  The quality of all the toppings were super fresh and so full of flavor. I kind of wish I was back at Esposito's eating a slice of the amazing sesame seed crust pizza right now!

I highly recommend and don't forget to bring a bottle of vino! No corkage fee here!

Surf Taco: A Dissapointing Taco Experience

While staying in Manasquan. NJ on a weekend getaway, we needed a quick snack because our friends who just arrived from the city were starving for lunch. My friend, who is from New Jersey knew of Surf Taco (121 Parker Ave., Manasquan, NJ) and recommended that be the place for our mid-afternoon snack before our dinner later.

We were absolutely starving when we arrived and the place didn't look super busy. When we placed our order, the cashier mentioned that they were catering for an event and that our order would take about a half hour and asked if we were ok with that. We were ok with a half hour wait, and placed our order. 

My boyfriend and I both ordered 2 types of tacos and decided to forgo the combo platter which included beans, a drink, and chips. However, our friends ordered the combo platter. One would think that if you are ordering a platter that comes with chips, and you are told that you have to wait a half hour for your food, that the cashier would supply you with your chips upon ordering so that you could snack on them and use the salsa bar while waiting. No such luck here!

Luckily, we were given our cups to fill up with soda while we waited. Surf Taco has one of those awesome movie theater style soda machines where you can pick between many flavors of soda and brands with a touch of a button. Unfortunately, they were out of all the fun flavors and we were stuck with orange or vanilla. They definitely needed to check on the machine and fill it up with the missing flavors! It seemed very neglected.

We sat down on the outdoor patio, and started to wait for our food. The clock kept ticking and ticking and ticking, until about an hour went by and no sign of our food. As I was about to stand up and check on what the hell was going on with our food, it finally arrived! For the time our tacos took to come out, they better be damn good. 

Garlic Shrimp Taco & Mahi Taco

When my boyfriend and my order arrived, we noticed that it came with chips, even without ordering the combination! We all found this misleading, since the only reason my friend ordered the combo was for the chips! They also should have given us these chips while we were waiting for that whole hour! 

I ordered one garlic shrimp taco and one mahi taco. The garlic shrimp taco was supposed to be sauteed with garlic and topped with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, cilantro sauce, and lime juice. I didn't taste even a hint of garlic on the shrimp, pretty disappointing! 

The Mahi Taco was blackened Mahi Mahi, topped with avocado lime sauce, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, slice of fresh avocado, chopped pineapple, and lime juice in a double corn tortilla. I can't say I tasted all those flavors in this taco either. It was not that exciting and I think I could have had better at Taco Bell. 

Traditionally Tacos are naturally flavorful with mixtures of ingredients, sauces, and textures, but these tacos definitely lacked that excitement. I understand that the restaurant was catering an event, but they should have either had more staff on that day to make sure the customers in the store were served in a timely matter or they should have closed the store that day. I think they definitely need to work on time management of preparing food for an event and having store business at the same time. All in all, we all felt like our tacos were prepared half-assed because of the event, and for the time they took, it was so nice not worth it.

Blend on Main: A Foodie's Paradise???

I was spending the weekend in Manasquan, NJ and my boyfriend and I arrived on the later side to our hotel. It was a rainy night and we wanted to stay close by, so we decided to check out Blend on Main (152 Main St, Manasquan, NJ) since it was connected to our hotel, and the menu sounded unbelievable. Also, how could you pass up on a restaurant with the quote "People who love to eat are always the best people" outside? This seemed like it was going to be a foodie's paradise just based on the menu! 

Inspiring Quote Outside the Restaurant! 

When we made a reservation an hour ahead, the hostess acted as though there was very limited availability for the time we selected and gave us a weird attitude. We had asked her if we could have 8 or 8:30 and she said "oh, you must take 8". When we showed up at 8, half the restaurant was empty, and as 8:30 approached, the restaurant became less full due to tables finishing up. We were mesmerized by how the hostess had made it sound like the later time would have been so packed when we would have preferred to be sat later than 8. 

 The restaurant had a beautiful ambiance with a fireplace in the center of the restaurant and nicely spaced seating. It was the perfect setting for our date night, since the following night we were being joined by another couple for the weekend. It also happened to be BYOB which was a fabulous perk, since my boyfriend and I love to drink wine with our dinner! 

The waitress immediately came over to our table to let us know about the specials and to open our wine. There was no corkage fee, have we found heaven? The bread basket immediately came out for us to munch on before ordering, which I thought was an extremely nice touch, since I find that at most restaurants they wait till you have ordered before bringing the bread out. Sometimes I am so starving that I can't concentrate on the menu, so this bread came in handy.  

Asian Calamari - American squid, crispy fried,  Thai chili plum sauce, nori komi furikake, scallion, wasabi aioli

For our first appetizer, my favorite one, we ordered the Asian Calamari. The calamari was served with beautiful presentation in a Chinese take out container, which was definitely very creative! It was also accompanied with chopsticks, but unfortunately, only one set. We had to ask for another set from the kitchen, which was kind of a chore because we had to ask two of the waiters for them before actually getting a second set.
The calamari was lightly fried and topped with Thai chili plum sauce, nori homi furikake, scallions, and wasabi aioli. It was a nice combination of sweet and spicy all at once. I also loved that it wasn't too heavily fried, so it felt much easier to eat. I happened to love this dish, but my boyfriend thought it was a little too sweet. I agree, I would have liked it to be a little spicier, but I did love it the way it was.

Lobster Mac n' Cheese - macaroni, Maine lobster  tail, sliced black truffle, three cheese bechamel, mericaine, truffle sauce

For our second appetizer, we ordered the lobster mac n' cheese. From the description, you would never know it was going to be prepared in a crab cake-like ball. Our waitress had told us about it before ordering, so we were prepared, and it actually made us more enticed to order it. The fried ball of macaroni, was supposed to be stuffed with pieces of lobster, black truffle, and truffle sauce. I saw shavings of black truffle on the plate, and also a few inside the ball, but did not really taste the truffle sadly. I wish they had sprinkled some truffle oil into the cheese to make it a little more flavorful, since there was definitely a lack of truffle and flavor. Also, there were microscopic size pieces of lobster in the mac n'cheese. My boyfriend and I probably each got two tiny bites of lobster, so it was a little disappointing. This dish was awesome in theory, but not awesome in creation.

Ahi Tuna Taco - tuna belly, sriacha aoili, nappa cabbage slaw, yuzu jalapeno vinaigrette, wasabi tobiko, crispy won ton

For our third appetizer, we ordered the Ahi Tuna Tacos. These were absolutely delicious and we enjoyed them, but the description of the dish was a little misleading. Ahi Tuna is generally seared fresh tuna, where you can see the red center and charred edges. These tacos had ground up tuna in them that was then mixed with sriacha aoili. This type of preparation is generally called spicy tuna, and you never know if the tuna is as fresh or great quality when you get it in this preperation. Other than that, we loved the freshly fried won ton taco shell, and the perfectly seasoned and dressed tacos. MMM MMM good.

Shrimp & Grits - cajun crusted mayan shrimp, roasted organic carrot, roasted asparagus,  mascarpone grits, house bacon

The main course was our favorite! Typically, appetizers tend to be more exciting and tasty than the main course, so this was a rare experience. We ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which was large shrimp deliciously spiced in cajun spices, atop creamy mascarpone grits, served with roasted carrots, asparagus, and bacon. The shrimp was cooked to perfection with the perfect level of spices and grilled to the perfect consistency. The carrots and asparagus had some charring on them, which gave the dish that grilled southern feel. The bacon was thick and cooked to perfection. It was a perfect pairing to the creamy grits that sat underneath this flavorful dish. There was not one bite of this dish that I did not enjoy.

Drunken Doughnuts - fried doughnut, cinnamon, sugar, rum berry sauce

For dessert we ordered the house special, the Drunken Doughnuts. I thought from the description that the doughnuts would taste as though there was alcohol mixed into the batter, but it was really only the sauce that had that flavor. They were fried and crispy and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and accompanied with rum berry sauce. They were very delicious and definitely would order them again! I am glad the waitress raved so highly of them.

We enjoyed our dinner at Blend, although my boyfriend and I felt that the menu was very foodie driven with key wording on the menu and key ingredients that speak to foodies, but when the dishes were delivered they lacked the flavor that was promised. I would check this place out again if in need of a dinner spot next time I'm in Manasquan, but definitely not my first option.

Otto : So glad I finally made it here! And I will definitely be back!

I have been wanting to check out Otto (One 5th Ave., New York, NY) for probably about 8 years! I had tried to walk in a while back and there was a long wait, so we decided to skip it. Not sure why it had taken me so long to finally make it back, but I am so glad that I did. 

Everything at this place was done with perfection from the moment we sat down till the moment we left. 

Olives (gaeta, sicilian, alfonso), Funghi Misti

We ordered the olives and mushrooms to start for the table. I cannot tell you about the olives because I don't eat olives, but the assortment they gave was pretty nice instead of just one type of olives. There were 3 kinds of olives. The mushrooms were cooked and marinated to perfection. Also, there were a few types of mushrooms mixed into the bowl for a variety of textures and tastes which I thought was very special, as I don't often get to eat mushrooms since my boyfriend is allergic to them and we share most of our food.

Baby Spinach, Ricotta Salata & Truffle Honey

To start, my boyfriend and I shared the Baby Spinach, Ricotta Salata, and Truffle Honey salad. This salad was so divine. The truffle flavor was very present and made each bite better than the last. The croutons had a nice crunch and the ricotta was a nice addition to all the other flavors of this salad. I had never thought of including truffle oil into a salad, and I think I may have to try this at home after this experience!

Margherita D.O.P. - Tomato, bufala mozzarella, basil

For dinner, we shared 3 pizzas and 3 pastas for the table since there were 6 of us. This was the best idea because I got to try a little bit of everything :) 

For the first pizza, we ordered the Margherita D.O.P., which was your standard tomato, bufala mozzarella, and basil pizza. Although, there was nothing standard about this pie. It was full of flavor with just the right amount of fresh sauce and bufala mozzarella. This was my favorite pizza because of the sauce and basil flavor. Sometimes, the simplest pizzas are the best, and in this case, it was true. 

Summer Truffle, Guanciale, Egg pizza

For our second pizza were ordered from the specials menu. We ordered the Summer Truffle, Guanciale, and Egg Pizza. There were fresh slices of truffle and salami on the pie with a sunny side egg on top. This was my least favorite pie, which was surprising since I LOVE truffle. It didn't have the truffle flavor that I love from truffle oil, since the only truffle on the pie was the actual truffle slices which always tend to be less flavorful than the oil. I also did not love the egg on top of this pizza. Since I got the last slice, mine only had the egg white on it, and I did not get any of the yolk. I am not sure if it would have made a difference, but overall, the margherita was 1000 times better!

Prosciutto Arugula Pizza - Tomato, Cacio, Mozzarella, Crudo, Arugula 

Our third pizza I loved! We ordered the Prosciutto Arugula Pizza. It was generously covered in fresh prosciutto with a layer of arugula on top. I loved the crunch of the arugula against the soft salty flavor of the prosciutto. I would definitely consider ordering this pie again!

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara - Pancetta, Scallions, Black Pepper, Egg

For our first pasta we ordered the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. It was a spaghetti that had pieces of pancetta, scallions, black pepper, and egg in it. It was extremely flavorful and if I could have had seconds on any of the pastas, it would have been this one. It was definitely my favorite because of the pancetta flavor and my love for scallion on anything! Also, the sauce was creamy without being too creamy.

Taccozzette Con Stracotto - Braised Pork Shoulder, Tomato, Basil

For our second pasta, we ordered the Taccozzette con Stracotto, which was braised pork shoulder, tomato sauce, and basil on a pappardelle type of noodle. This dish had very tender pork shoulder in it, which made it very delicious, but lacked an overall great flavor as far as the tomato sauce is concerned. I didn't feel that the sauce had enough going on and the flavor didn't stand out enough. I normally tend to prefer red sauce over cream, but the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara still wins!

Goat Cheese Agnoloti - Lemon Butter, Fennel Pollen

For our third pasta, we ordered the Goat Cheese Agnoloti. This was the dish I selected for the table and was expecting to be the most exciting due to the goat cheese aspect. I was expecting chunks of goat cheese versus the sauce actually being made of goat cheese. This I had never seen before. It was very unique, flavorful, and delicious, but a little too creamy if you have too much! The Spaghetti Alla Carbonara still wins!

Salty Peanut, Dark Chocolate, and Olive Oil Gelati 

For dessert, we were told ahead of time by friends who have been to Otto before that the Olive Oil Gelato was a must order! Because of my love for peanut butter, and my boyfriend's love for dark chocolate, we also decided those were a must try as well. On the dessert menu, you could order 1-3 kinds of gelato in one serving, which I loved because we could have variety. The salty peanut gelato, tasted exactly as it sounded and was amazing! Definitely would order again. The dark chocolate was rich and delicious as well. The most interesting gelato was the olive oil, which I have never had before. It was so unique and refreshing, and definitely something I must have again!

Black & White - Milk Chocolate Chip & Creme Fraiche Gelati, Hazelnut Croccante, Chocolate Sauce, Caramel Creme

Because of confusion with the wine we ordered during dinner, the waiter also brought our table an additional dessert on the house, which was extremely nice of him. We had ordered 2 bottles for the table of a certain brand, and the waiter had mistakenly brought us the same brand, but different year of the wine. When we ordered a 3rd bottle later, a different wine was brought to the table, which actually was the one we originally ordered. Oddly, the kind that was substituted in the beginning was less expensive and we loved, so we decided to stick with the less expensive wine. 

The dessert he brought us was the Black & White, which was milk chocolate chip & creme fraiche gelato, with hazelnut brittle pieces, chocolate sauce, and caramel cream. This dessert was so rich and luxurious, that we all dug into as fast as we could. MMMM 

My experience at Otto was amazing, as the food, ambiance, and also service were all top notch. I definitely hope to return again soon to enjoy more of the fabulous margherita pizza, pasta and olive oil gelato! I now know why this place is many people's favorites!

Candlelight Inn - A Westchester Staple

If you live in Westchester, you HAVE heard of Candlelight Inn (519 Central Park Ave., Scarsdale, NY)! Every time I have mentioned to anyone from the area that I am going there or have been there, they know it. It is family owned since 1955. I originally had thought that it would be a fancy place based on the name, but boy was I surprised! This place isn't fancy, but its really freakin' good! It is your typical hole in the wall bar that serves amazing bar food with the most amazing wings I have ever tasted! 

They don't take reservations, and the wait is well worth it. Also, for the Superbowl, the place is beyond crowded with people waiting for pick up wing orders, which you have to call 2 weeks in advance for. After having these wings this year for Superbowl, I am not sure I could ever go without again! 

Nachos

Last time we went, we ordered nachos which we have never ordered before, and they were delicious! They were coated in cheese and covered in meat and beans with jalapenos. These were not fancy nachos with a million different topping choices, but they were definitely your typical gluttonous bar nachos. MMM...Also, no worries, we did not run out of cheese when eating the chips, there was more than enough cheese to go around :) 

Onions Rings

The onion rings at this place are to die for. They are extra crispy and fried to perfection. Also, these are the good kind of onion rings, the ones where the onions stay inside when you bite into them. Each and every bite has onion inside of them :)
Definitely don't start your diet the day you go here, because you may not be able to order anything off the menu!

Waffle Fries

The waffle fries are also amazing! Crispy just the way we like them!

Hot Teriyaki Wings

And now onto the show stopper! The Hot Teriyaki wings! I had never had teriyaki wings before until trying them from this place, and I must say, what an amazing concept! I love that you can have the sweetness of the teriyaki, with the hot sauce mixed in for that added hotness. I also noticed that every wing is attached to a drumstick, which I have never seen anywhere else. You always get half and half in every order. It's perfect, because I tend to prefer the wings, and my boyfriend tend's to prefer the drumsticks :) Although, after eating the drumsticks from here, I may be converting...
There are other flavors of wings to choose from here, but I tend to stick to my favorite, Hot Teriyaki :)

I highly suggest checking Candlelight Inn out. I do not recommend going here with a large group because the seating is limited and there is always a wait. There is also the option to order to go from the separate takeout building, or order in the main building for takeout while having a drink at the bar. I could seriously eat everything on this menu, its so good! Also, its cash only, so make sure to hit up the ATM ahead of time!

Pampano - Fancy Mexican, a Restaurant Week Success!

I have been wanting to try Pampano (209 East 49th St., between 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave.) for a while because of how cute it looks with the outdoor patio, and also its close proximity to my office! My boyfriend and I have been to one of Richard Sandoval's other restaurants, Maya (1191 1st Ave., between 64th and 65th St.) and enjoyed their happy hour and unlimited brunch several times. We knew based on the food, drinks, and ambiance at Maya that Pampano was a definite must try! Richard Sandoval has over 30 Latin restaurants across the United States, Mexico, the Middle East, and Europe, so this is a chef that knows what he is doing when it comes to Latin cuisine!

We decided to check Pampano out for lunch during NYC Summer Restaurant Week. Unfortunately, we went on the most humid day of the summer, so we couldn't make my dream of sipping margaritas out on Pampano's beautiful patio a reality. We decided to sit inside comfortably. The inside of the restaurant was very low key and nice. It seemed very traditional Mexican.

De Maracuya - Jalapeno infused tequila with passion fruit

To start, I ordered the De Maracuya margarita that had jalapeno infused tequila mixed with passion fruit juice. It was a really nice combination because it was sweet and spicy all at once. 

Ceviche de Mariscos- Shrimp, octopus, bay scallops, tomato, chile serrano, cilantro

To start, we decided to order an additional appetizer to share, since we were going to share the 3 course restaurant week menu between the two of us. Most restaurants I don't think would allow two people to share one restaurant week prix fix meal for two. I was very impressed they allowed us to do this, since otherwise we would have had way too much food for lunch!

We decided to order the Ceviche de Mariscos as our extra item, even though it was offered as part of restaurant week since the quesadilla that was offered on the restaurant week menu was not part of the regular menu. Most restaurants during restaurant week don't offer items that are majorly different from their regular menu, and I liked that Pampano's choices were not all items that were on their regular daily menu.
The Ceviche de Mariscos was a mixture of shrimp, octopus, bay scallops, tomato, chile serrano, and cilantro in a fresh citrusy ceviche sauce. It was served with some fresh avocado as well. This ceviche I must say is probably one of the best ones that I have had! Every bite was so fresh and tasty, that I wish I could have had more and more of it. The portion was also very generous with a great variation of seafood.

Quesadilla de Pescado - Red Snapper, oaxaca cheese, crema, tomatillo salsa, cotija

For our starter that was part of restaurant week, we ordered the Quesadilla de Pescado. This was served with a beautiful presentation and was already cut into two slices. Perfect for sharing! It was quesadilla tortillas stuffed with red snapper and oaxaca cheese, and covered in crema, tomatillo salsa, and cotija cheese. There was also some black bean puree underneath the quesadilla to dip into, which I thought was a really nice touch, since I am a bean lover!
You could really taste the red snapper in this dish, and all the flavors worked really well together. MMM!

Enchilada Nortenas - pulled port, black bean puree, melted cheese, and chile pasilla sauce

For our entree, we ordered the Enchiladas Nortenas, which was mexican style pulled pork, black bean puree, and melted cheese, covered in chile pasilla sauce. This dish was also split into two pieces which made it easy to share. The flavors of the pulled pork were definitely unbelievable, and dipping each bite into the chile sauce made this dish fabulous.
What I loved about this dish versus our starter was that they were both completely different in taste from each other and unique to themselves. I find that a lot of Mexican dishes tend to be a lot of the same ingredients prepared in different shapes or formats, so each dish ends up tasting the same, but looking different. These dishes were not that way at all :)

Fried Plantains

We also ordered fried plantains as a side, that was not part of the restaurant week menu. We couldn't pass up having these since the waitress raved about them. These were very good, but not the best plantains I have ever had. They needed to be a little crispier and more well done, as some of them were even mushy and soggy.

Pastel de Elote - Warm corn cake, coconut ice cream, hibiscus sauce

For our dessert, we ordered the Pastel de Elote, which the waitress said was one of their signature desserts. It was a warm corn cake served with a scoop of coconut ice cream and hibiscus sauce. The warm cake went really nicely with the coconut ice cream because of the contrast of temperatures. Also, the corn cake was nice and sweet without being too sweet. And the coconut ice cream, let me just say OMG! So refreshing! It really was an authentic Mexican dessert that we enjoyed immensely.

I definitely would like to visit Pampano again and try their unlimited brunch for $39. It includes unlimited small plates and free flowing margaritas, sangria, and bloody maries. I also would love to return for dinner and sit on the beautiful patio! I highly suggest visiting Pampano!