Marche du Sud: Their New Tapas Menu is a hit!

My fiancé and I stopped in at our favorite neighborhood happy hour spot, Marche du Sud (1136 First Ave. New York NY),  recently after not visiting for a month or two. We experienced a whole new happy hour experience and tapas menu. We were a little disappointed that the $1 oyster special is no longer available on weekdays anymore (it is still available on weekends), but loved the new tapas menu and also the new half price wine special for happy hour! We had always wondered why there was never a special price for wine during happy hour, so this was a pleasant surprise!

Ben and I love coming to Marche du Sud because it is convenient, pleasant, and always has exceptional service and food. It is almost like an addiction, because we want to go all the time!

New Tapas Menu

The new tapas menu is an amazing update to the menu, because we used to order pizza and an appetizer and leave it at that. We loved how there was much more of a selection of small plates on the new menu, so we could try more of a variety of items instead of sticking to our go to items.

Mini French Pizza 
Marinara sauce, black olives nicoise, fresh herbs, and gruyere cheese

The mini French pizza was delicious and crunchy with the thin crust pastry-like dough that Marche du Sud uses for their other pizzas. This version was more simplified for the tapas menu, but extremely delicious and gave into my craving for one of their pizzas without having to order the regular size pizza. The marinara sauce was light and went perfectly with the gruyere cheese. The fresh herbs on top added crunch and freshness to each bite!

Poelee de Poulpe 
Sauteed octopus with garlic, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs

The Poelee de Poulpe, which was sautéed octopus, was our favorite dish! It was sautéed with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs and was extremely flavorful. Also, there were plenty of garlic slices in this dish that my fiancé and I appreciated since we love garlic. At least we both had bad breathe together?! The octopus was perfect in texture and slightly charred on the edges which made the meat very flavorful and mouth watering good.

Shishito Peppers
Sauteed Japanese Shishito peppers, topped with truffle sea salt

The Shishito peppers were very delicious! They weren't exactly the hottest shishito peppers, but that is all based on luck, so we will let it slide this time! They were topped with truffle sea salt which added a lot of truffle flavor to each bite. I wanted to lick the paper they were sitting on after we were done because of the rich truffle flavor.

Boulettes de Boeuf en Cassolette
Chef's spiced beef meatballs in a tomato sauce, in a clay dish

The Boulettes de Boeuf en Cassolette, which was beef meatballs in tomato sauce were very moist and tender and cooked perfectly. They sat in a clay dish with tons of tasty marinara sauce, which was the perfect dip for bread when we were done :) The meatballs were flavorful and seasoned so that they had a little bit of a spiciness to them. They were delicious!

Croquettes du Marche
Lardons, caramelized onions, french herbs, on a bed of chipotle mayo

The Croquettes du Marche was one of the two croquettes options on the tapas menu. We originally were going to order the Goat Cheese Croquettes, but based on the suggestion from the bartender we decided to order this version with pork, onions, and fresh herbs, served with chipotle mayo. They were quite delicious, but probably our least favorite of all the tapas we ordered. They were lightly fried and almost like a savory donut. The chipotle mayo was a great pairing to this because the creaminess of the mayo moistened the fried croquette while the chipotle made gave it a little bit of a kick. 

I already can't wait to go back and try some of the other items on the new menu paired with the half off wine! 

Shalom Japan : Jewish and Japanese Food together, proves to be a great concept!

I had heard of Shalom Japan (310 South 4th St., Brooklyn, NY) right after it opened and finally made it there! I am very glad I did, since the experience was very tasty and well worth the trek to Brooklyn on a freezing cold Saturday night. The concept of combining Jewish and Japanese food together always sounded very interesting to me, and it was definitely as good as expected.
The interior of Shalom Japan is very simple, small, and inviting. Every table in the restaurant was taken. The drink menu was very interesting because the cocktails were a mixture of Jewish and also Japanese flavors. One of the cocktails had Manichevitz in it, while many of the others had sake in them. There was also a flight menu where you could try a flight of Japanese whiskeys, Japanese sakes or Japanese Shochus. We started with cocktails, and ended the evening with a flight of Shochus. The cocktails were of mixology quality and we are glad we tried both types of cocktail experiences. The waitress suggested we order dishes to share since the dishes were created to share amongst a table.

Sake Kasu Challah, Raisin Butter

To start we ordered the Sake Kasu Challah with raisin butter, which was exceptional. The challah was the perfect texture and was lightly coated with poppy seeds. I wouldn't say I tasted any sake in the challah, but it was quite delicious. The butter was delicious and sweet and a great compliment to the challah.

Smoked Toro Toast, Scallion Cream Cheese

The Smoked Toro Toast was like eating breakfast at dinner! It was just like lox with cream cheese on a bagel, but better. The toro was perfectly smoked and super fresh. I tend to prefer fish raw sushi style, so this was perfect for me. The scallion cream cheese added the oniony flavor that I love when I am enjoying lox and bagels with the works! This dish was so simple, but a total winner in all of our stomachs. Definitely a must order!

Tuna Tataki, Black Tahini

The Tuna Tataki was everyone's favorite dish of the night. It was sushi grade tuna served over black tahini. I have never seen black tahini before, and it created quite the statement on the plate. The flavor was so rich and creamy and the perfect pairing with the tuna. The tahini tasted and smelled like the freshest black sesame seeds. It also had a slight soy sauce flavor mixed in to give it that Asian flair. We all wanted to lick the plate when we were done! I think that next time I may order this dish for just myself and not share it :)

Truffle Congee, Bay Scallops, Gobo Chips

The Truffle Congee was grits mixed with truffle, truffle oil, scallions, scallops, and crunchy chips. This dish was very rich in the truffle flavor and every bite was oozing with flavor. There were plenty of scallops to go around, which was good for sharing. The crunchy chips added some textural interest to this dish, since otherwise it was more of a porridge consistency. We all couldn't get enough of this dish and kept putting our spoon in for more. It was quite impressive how something as simple as grits could be made so interesting and full of flavor.

Matzoh Ball Ramen, Foie Gras Dumpling

The Matzoh Ball Ramen, which we were all looking forward to the most, was actually not as much of a show stopper as the other dishes. It was delicious and tasty, but it was more "blah" than the other dishes. Also, it was much harder to share in a group! There was one Matzoh ball and one dumpling to cut up and share four ways. I didn't really taste the Foie Gras either, and thought that they could have just used regular pork in the dumpling, rather than going to the extent of getting foie gras and not even tasting it. I especially liked the addition of the seaweed and the crunchy noodles to this soup to give it that Asian flair.

Monkfish Hot Pot, Ankimo-Miso Broth

The Monkfish Hot Pot was everyone's least favorite dish. It was very difficult to share amongst the group. It was way too fishy in flavor, and even the miso flavored broth was getting overpowered by the fish flavor. I have always wanted to have a Hot Pot experience where raw meat and vegetables are brought to the table and cooked in the boiling hot stock. I was expecting that we would be receiving a hot pot experience based on the name of the dish, and was disappointed that it was just a normal soup broth already made.

Shortrib Cholent, Horseradish, Potato, Butter Beans, Barley

The Shortrib Cholent was amazing! It was very hearty and full of flavor. The meat was extremely tender and melted in your mouth. It was mixed with potatoes, beans, and barley and was the perfect winter treat. It wasn't your standard stew which tends to have more of a bland flavor; this dish was full of flavor with the horseradish adding some spice to each bite! We all loved this dish!

Black Sesame Creme Brûlée

For dessert, we split two dishes that we couldn't resist ordering. The Black Sesame Creme Brûlée was very unique because of its black sesame element. It wasn't overly sweet like normal Creme Brûlée tends to be, since the sesame flavor gave it more of a hearty peanut-y flavor. The sugary top layer was perfectly crisped and not a bite was left behind of this dessert. 

Inside of the Black Sesame Creme Brûlée 

Chocolate-Banana Challah Bread Pudding-
Whipped Creme Fraiche, Whiskey Caramel

The Chocolate-Banana Challah Bread Pudding was to die for! It was extra fluffy and oozing in flavor and richness. There were tons of chocolate chips and banana pieces within the challah giving it a delicious sweet flavor! It was topped with creme fraiche and plated with whiskey caramel, which both made for great dipping sauces to this bread pudding. This dessert was amazing and gave the perfect finish to a fabulous meal. 

I will definitely be returning to Shalom Japan in the future!

Pizza Beach: A great addition to the Upper East Side!

Good pizza in NYC is easy to come by, but Pizza Beach (1426 3rd Ave., New York, NY) offers a whole new experience to good pizza. This new addition to the Upper Side of Manhattan is definitely a great one, as it isn't the traditional Italian brick oven pizza experience. Pizza Beach offers a more relaxing casual atmosphere where you feel as though you are at the beach with nautical decorations strewn all around the restaurant. The Martignetti Brothers who own the East Pole and also Brinkley's are the creators of this new concept and they yet again show that they know what they are doing! 

We had a reservation on a Friday night during the first or second week of the restaurant being open and it was already crowded with diners. I guess when something good opens up in NYC, it doesn't stay unknown for long. I was impressed with how crowded it was, that our reservation was honored and we didn't wait at all to be sat. They really knew what they were doing already and seemed to have ironed out all the kinks that new restaurants seem to always have. 

The wine list is very reasonable at Pizza Beach, where the glasses of wine are $10 and bottles of wine are $40. When the waitress suggested we order a bottle versus glasses, it was a no brainer to order bottles for our group, since you always end up getting a 5th glass out of the bottle.

Burrata -
Heirloom cherry tomatoes, rosemary flat bread

To start, our table shared the Burrata, which was extremely fresh with an abundance of heirloom tomatoes and rosemary flat bread. The heirloom tomatoes were lightly oiled and were extremely fresh and a great pairing to the extra creamy burrata. This burrata was somewhere in between mozzarella texture and burrata texture, since it wasn't oozing from the center like perfect burrata does, but it was pretty close. Very delicious!

Sunshine Salad -
Heirloom tomatoes, red onions, fresh basil, honey-apple cider vinaigrette

Each couple shared a salad. Ben and I made the mistake of ordering the sunshine salad, which consisted of all heirloom tomatoes, and since we already had tasted the heirloom tomatoes from the burrata appetizer, it probably wasn't necessary to have more. The salad was very fresh, and colorful with every color of heirloom tomatoes present. The onions gave the salad a bitterness and all in all, it was the perfect summer salad with a very light oil basting. I loved the salad, however, if we are having burrata again next time, we will opt for the more fruit based salad or the kale salad that was on the menu, as they all looked amazing!

Purple Kale & Butternut Squash Pizza - 
Kale, butternut squash mozzarella

For dinner, we all shared four pies, which was perfect since we were three couples, and everyone got a slice of each pie. It was the perfect way to try a variety of flavors, which at Pizza Beach, you definitely want to step out of the box and try the non-standard pies.
The Purple Kale & Butternut Squash pizza was probably the most interesting pie we ordered, as I can't say I have had butternut square on a pizza before. It was probably my third or second favorite pie.  This pie was a white pizza, with tons of squash and kale all over it. It was on the sweeter side due to the squash, which was then offset with bitterness from the kale. It was definitely delicious and some of the others at the table's favorite pie. It wasn't overly cheesy, which was nice because you could taste the vegetables that were on the pie. Also, the crust was amazing. It was sweet and crunchy, and I need to find out their recipe, as it was a cross between standard pie crust and a doughnut because of the subtle sweetness that existed. MMM.

Margherita - 
House made mozzarella, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil

The Margherita pizza was extra saucy and cheesy which I loved. Margherita pizza is one of my favorite types of pizza, so this definitely was a winner. The quality of the mozzarella you could tell was made fresh, while the sauce had a lot of flavor to add to the whole taste of the pie. Definitely worth ordering!

Thai Coconut Curry & Rock Shrimp - 
Ginger, fresh cilantro.  From Chef Joe Capozzi of the East Pole

The Thai Coconut Curry and Rock Shrimp pizza was my favorite that we ordered. It was the most interesting in style and definitely different than I have ever had before. I tend to prefer red sauce pies, so for me to like this the best, it says something. You could definitely taste the coconut curry flavor  without being too overpowering or too subtle. It was the perfect level of curry. The rock shrimp were a perfect pairing to this flavor, and added a nice crunchiness to each bite :) This pie combed two of my favorite things, Thai food and pizza into one great union!

Lamb Merguez & Oaxaca Cheese -
Catskill Farms grass fed lamb, shishito peppers, fresh cilantro

The Lamb Merguez and Oaxaca Cheese pizza was good, but not amazing. This pie was everyone's least favorite at the table. The lamb was tasty, but it didn't taste like the right kind of meat to put on pizza. It sounded interesting in conception, but definitely not in reality. I was also disappointed how the shishito peppers were not on every slice, or how there were tons on some slices, with one on another. I love spicy, and I unfortunately got a slice that had one shishito pepper on it, which was really disappointing, while others at the table had their slice covered in them :( We should have gone with our initial thought to order the Spicy Soppressata pie. I guess there is always next time, since I definitely will be back!

Le Village: BYOB French Bistro Specializing in Gluten Free and Vegetarian Options!

I am happy to have been introduced to Le Village (127 East 7th St., New York, NY) by a couple of friends, because a BYOB (with no corkage) French restaurant is definitely a rare find! The French are known for their wine, and most French restaurants have a heavily French based wine list, so BYOB is often not very welcome.
Upon entering this East Village restaurant, I noticed how cozy and cute it was inside. It felt very warm and inviting and the staff extremely friendly and accommodating. The menu offers many options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free customers, which is pretty unheard of when it comes to French cuisine since meat and bread are standard staples of French cuisine.

French Onion Soup - Swiss au Gratin 
(Vegetarian Broth)

To start, I had the French Onion Soup, which was served with a vegetarian broth, instead of the standard meat stock that French Onion Soup is normally made with. The top layer was extra crispy from the toasted baguette pieces, while the cheese was extremely gooey and creamy. There was so much cheese on this soup that it kept sticking to my spoon, which I am not complaining about, because the more cheese, the merrier! The broth was much lighter and thinner than other French onion soups that I have had because of the vegetarian stock, which made it seem healthier and more enjoyable. Also, there were a lot of onions in the broth which I loved because I love onions!  My only complaint about this soup is the temperature, as it was way TOO hot! Even after blowing on each bite several times, it still burned my mouth, which unfortunately made the rest of the evening a little more difficult because of my burned taste buds :( Now, a few days later my mouth is still recovering.

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts 
with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries

Next we shared the sautéed brussel sprouts, which were probably the most unique brussel sprouts I have ever had. They were fresh instead of the standard savory. They were mixed with strawberries and seasoned with pepper and a balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was almost similar to syrup and added a delicious sweet flavor to the vegetables, while the pepper gave it a little extra flavor. I definitely think strawberries and brussel sprouts are a great combination that I never would have considered!
After doing some searching, I found the recipe online, and I think I am going to make it at home now!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb. brussels sprouts
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp. garlic powder
• 
  
• For strawberries:
• 1½ - 2 cups fresh strawberries
• 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
• 1½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash strawberries, remove stems, and slice into quarters.
2. In a medium bowl, mix berries and corresponding ingredients together and set aside.
3. Chop the stalks off of the brussels sprouts and remove outer leaves.
4. Wash thoroughly, making sure to remove dirt and debris.
5. Chop sprouts in half lengthwise.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.
7. Place sprouts cut-side down. Sear for 6-8 minutes.
8. While searing, sprinkle with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Add lemon juice.
9. After 6-8 minutes have passed, stir and continue to sauté for another 8-10 minutes.
10. Add strawberries and sauté for 5-7 more minutes, being careful not to overcook the berries. Taste test one of the sprouts to make sure that they are tender.
11. Serve in a bowl.

Royan's Ravioles al la Creme
Fresh little French raviolis stuffed with Comte cheese garlic, parsley, cooked with heavy cream and truffle oil 

Next we enjoyed the Royan's Raviolis al la Creme, which were VERY miniature raviolis served in a creamy, cheesy, garlic sauce loaded with truffle oil. I have never seen such tiny raviolis before, which made it easy to eat, since each one was bite size. This was one of my favorite starters because of its rich truffle flavor and simplicity. It was the perfect size, since it was a little heavier due to the cream, and all you needed was a taste because of its richness! I would definitely order this again!

Cassoulet
Mixed Beans stewed, smoke portobello, oyster, shiitakes mushrooms, sliced boiled potato, eggplant, olive oil

For our main course, we shared 3 entrees that were all very different from one another. My favorite was actually the Cassoulet, which was quite surprising since it was vegetarian. I loved the lightness of this dish, and how it was filled with flavor and hearty vegetables. It was a stew of beans, portobello, oysters, and shiitakes mushrooms, potatoes, eggplant, and olive oil. The tomatoes on the top of the dish added extra flavor, while the bread crumbs on the top added the crunch that made each bite sensational. Also, the abundance of mushrooms made me enjoy this dish even more since I rarely get to eat mushrooms due to my fiancé's allergy. This was the perfect dish to enjoy on a cold winter evening. MMM!

Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin
with truffles, mornay sauce, and swiss cheese
(French Mac and Cheese!)

The Gnocchi Parisian au Gratin was my other favorite entree. It was referred to as the French Mac and Cheese! It was extra creamy with a mixture of cheeses making the mornay sauce, and also swiss cheese. The addition of truffles gave it a rich flavor. It wasn't as truffle flavored as the ravioli appetizer, but it was delicious and more subtle. The burned cheese on the edges I loved because it added some burned bitterness to the somewhat indulgent meal! I didn't realize gnocchi could be considered a French dish, but apparently it can be :)

Coq au Vin
Red wine, bacon, onion, mushroom, bouquet garni, stewed chicken

The last entree, the Coq au Vin was my least favorite dish because of its stew-like flavor. I thought it was a little on the blander side compared to the other dishes, but still very tasty. It was definitely the perfect dish for winter. It consisted of chicken on a bone, potatoes, and mushrooms. The red wine, bacon, and onion stock gave the dish a super hearty flavor. I also learned that the chef started preparing this dish a week in advance to make sure the chicken is overly tender and so that everything is stewed to perfection.

Banana Brûlée 
French Pastry Cream, Nila style cookies, caramelized sugar coating 

For dessert, we shared 3 selections that were all very different from each other. I was excited to see that the brûlée on the menu wasn't your typical brûlée with caramel flavoring. The brûlée on the menu at Le Village was banana flavored! Upon my first bite of this tasty treat, I enjoyed the extra crispy caramelized sugar coating, which is my favorite part of creme brûlée, and this was true in this case too! The creme part of this dessert was much more refreshing and flavorful than a standard creme brûlée because the addition of banana really made it much more interesting and tasty.

Fondant au Chocolate
Dark Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream Strawberry, Coulis and Whipped Cream

The Fondant au Chocolate was my favorite of our three desserts because I am very biased when it comes to lava cake. If it's on the menu, I must order it because it's my favorite. This one in particular was amazing with oozing dark chocolate in the center with a nice warm cake on the outside. The vanilla ice cream was also very fresh and creamy and a nice contrast to the warm chocolate cake. The cream was definitely homemade and enjoyable. I would eat this dessert everyday if it didn't come with the weight gain!

Minute Baked Vegan Seasonal Tart 
Apple Tart, served with Coconut Sorbet

The apple tart was delicious and light. It wasn't overly crusted and was more about the actual apple rather than the crust. I almost couldn't find the crust under all the apple slices. Also the coconut sorbet that accompanied the tart was amazing! It was so coconut-y, that it reminded me of a pina colada. It was definitely a nice addition to the plate. 

I really enjoyed my dinner at Le Village. The food was very authentic to France and the desserts were unbeatable. The service was also very friendly, and they took their time in delivering each course to the table, which I always appreciate. I would definitely recommend this place to friends. It is a great place for a date, or even a group of friends. Just grab a bottle of Bordeaux and enjoy a nice romantic dinner there! 

Panca: Delicious Peruvian Cuisine, with a few technical issues!

My fiancé and I love Peruvian food (Doesn't anyone reading this know we love all food?), and we love ceviche, so Panca (92 7th Ave. South, New York, NY) was the perfect restaurant choice for a Saturday night in the West Village. Upon arrival, the restaurant was pretty packed and every table was taken. The only table available was for our reservation and was unfortunately located right near the door. The waitress told us that if another table opened up, that she could move us mid-meal. So we agreed with this. Luckily, most of the time, there weren't a lot of people in the door way waiting, so our table location ended up being fine.

Sangria!!! 

We opted to order a carafe of sangria to share since sangria is the perfect pairing for Peruvian food. The sangria was sweet and refreshing, with a good amount of fruit in it. Definitely made me long for summer time. 

Cebiche Mixto - 
Fresh fluke, shrimp, calamari, octopus in aji amarillo leche de tigre 

For our ceviche, we ordered the Cebiche Mixto, since the waitress suggested that it had the most variety of fish and seafood in it, and that we would be the most happy with it. She was definitely right! It was really refreshing with the citrus juices and plentiful seafood. I loved the abundance of crunchy onions on top of the dish, as well as the crispy corn kernels which added crunchy texture to the dish. The only negative was that it could have been made spicy! I could have probably just had ceviche all night, but we had to try other dishes :)

Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken

For some reason, I always must order rotisserie chicken when I am at a Peruvian restaurant since the restaurant Pio Pio got me into the practice of ordering chicken at these types of restaurants. We ordered a quarter of a chicken since we were ordering so many other dishes, but the waitress accidentally brought us out a half of a chicken. It ended up being way too much food, but at least we weren't charged for the mistake! The chicken was good, tender, and basically JUST chicken, which wasn't overly exciting. I learned from this experience that I no longer need to order rotisserie chicken, when there are so many other fabulous dishes on the menu with more interesting spices and flavors.

Garlic White Rice

We ordered a side of garlic white rice because it sounded good, and also didn't realize one of our main entree's came with rice. We were kind of disappointed our waitress didn't bring this to our attention when we were ordering, since we ended up having way too much food! Yes, the garlic rice was different than the rice that came with our entree, but still not a necessary item on our menu! The rice wasn't overly garlicy and I actually preferred the rice that came with our entree because it had other spices in it that made it extremely flavorful.

Anticuchos de Corazon -
Grilled veal heart skewers, potatoes, and huacatay sauce 

The Anticucho de Corazon, which was grilled veal heart skewers was our favorite dish we had all night. It was so tender and almost creamy in texture because of the extreme softness and tenderness of the heart meat. It was also spiced very heavily, but in a good way, that made each bite ooze with flavor. The huacatay sauce was a nice addition to the dish, although the meat was so flavorful that it was almost not needed. I used the dipping sauce more for the yucca fries that were underneath the meat. In the description of this dish on the menu, it said it was accompanied with potatoes, and it actually came with yucca fries. This was another disappointing mistake in ordering that the waitress did not advise us of, since we had ordered a side of yucca fries as well, and had we known this dish would have a few of them included, we wouldn't have ordered the yucca fries!

Lomo Saltado - 
Creekstone farms hanger cubes, stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, ahi amarillo, soy sauce, with Peruvian yellow potato frites, and rice

For our main entree, we shared the Lomo Saltado, which was cubed hanger steak, stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and soy sauce. This dish was also served with potatoes and rice. The steak was extremely tender and flavorful and cooked perfectly with a pink center. Each bite was moist and juicy and soaked up the soy sauce marinade very well. The onions, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes were a nice touch to this dish and gave it the overall variety in flavors. I would definitely reorder this dish again.

Yucca fries with Huacatay Sauce 

The yuca fries were fried perfectly with a nice crispy coating, where each bite was crunchy. However, the side portion was really not necessary due to the other dish having yucca fries.

All in all the food we ate at Panca was top notch, with no complaints. The service was the issue for us that night. We did not like how our waitress did not tell us we were ordering too much, and did not discourage us from ordering side dishes that were actually part of some of the items we ordered. We also didn't like how the dishes came out too quickly from the kitchen and at points too many at once. There were moments that we had no room on our table for a dish that was on its way to the table. I wish they had scattered the dishes a little more so we could have taken our time with each dish. Also, when we ordered a second round of sangria, mine came out fifteen minutes after Ben's and we had to keep asking several waitresses that walked by about it. We also waited forever for the bill and almost felt as though our waitress had forgotten about us.  At the end of our meal, we felt uncomfortable because there were several couples waiting to be sat at tables, and they were staring our table down, but we couldn't get up because we hadn't received the bill! 

I think that Panca is a great restaurant for food and flavor, but I think they need to work a little on their service and the logistics of delivering food, drinks, and bills to the table.

Brennan & Carr : A Brooklyn Roast Beef Staple

While out in Brooklyn running errands with an original Brooklyn native, a group of us needed to find a place to eat lunch. My friend immediately thought of Brennan and Carr (3432 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY) when she realized how close it was to where we were. She had been going to this roast beef place since childhood, and her father used to work at its main competitor, the Roll'n'Roaster when he was younger.
Upon entering Brennan and Carr, you could tell this place was old and also very well known. It was crowded with customers waiting for their take out orders. Even the line to be sat was a few people deep. The dining room was extremely casual with wood paneling and outdated furnishings. This place was your typical dive restaurant, and we all couldn't wait to indulge in what it was famous for!

Simple Menu, its all on the placemat!

The menu was extremely simple. It was printed on the placemat and also on display on a board on the wall. The menu was very limited with only a few choices of entree. We all opted for the roast beef with cheese sandwich, which sounded so appealing after being stuck outside in the cold all day running errands.

Roast Beef with Cheese

The food came out extremely quick and with no fuss or embellishment. The roast beef sandwich wasn't about presentation, it was all about flavor. The bun was soggy from the roast beef juices and broth, which I actually really enjoyed. Normally a soggy bun is disappointing on a sandwich, but this was one of Brennan & Carr's signatures. The roast beef was full of flavor and ultra tender. It broke apart very easily. The cheese gave the sandwich the added indulgence that I longed for that day. This meal wasn't exactly on the bridal diet, but I couldn't pass it up.

French Fries

The french fries and onion rings were for sharing, which I am glad the waiter told us when we ordered. There was just the right amount of each to share without going overboard. The fries were crispy and not salted, which it the perfect way!

Onion Rings

The onion rings were delicious, but not very unique. They were more fast food quality, but still what we all were looking for at this fattening feast.
At the end of the meal, I was extremely happy and satisfied with the meal. Although, my friend said that she still feels that Roll'n'Roaster wins for the better roast beef sandwich!

Boulton & Watt : Savory Brunch with $5 brunch cocktails!

After my fiancé raved about the dinner he had at Boulton & Watt (5 Avenue A, at 1st. St., New York, NY), we knew we had to try it for brunch at some point. We went on a cold Sunday afternoon with a group of 9 of us. The hostess tried to seat us in a corner area where our group would be split between two tables. It was definitely an awkward set up for a brunch where you wanted to catch up with everyone. After some discussion with the hostess about seating us at a different table in the restaurant, she finally gave in. She was saving the other table for a group of 7, which made no sense, since the group of 7 could squeeze into one of our corner tables versus us having to be split between two tables. Our group of 9 definitely fit at the other table with ease, so there was a whole production over tables for nothing.

$5 Seasonal Sangria

When we were finally settled into one table, we were given menus and much to our surprise all the brunch cocktails were $5, which is a pretty good deal for a NYC restaurant. I opted for the sangria, which was refreshing and actually pretty potent. I started to feel buzzed during the first round.

Pickles Jars - 3 for $13 
Pineapple with Habanero, Mint and Basil / Bourbon Jalapeño / Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Seeds, Roasted Garlic, Dill

We decided to order a selection of pickle jars for the table to share. This was a great way to share amongst the table and get a bite of each flavor. We ordered the pineapple with habanero, bourbon jalapeños, and brussel sprouts with mustard seeds. My favorite was the bourbon jalapeños, even though you didn't really taste the bourbon flavor. I think the mention of bourbon was more of a marketing scheme, but the jalapeños were extremely spicy and accompanied with onions and peppers and very varied in flavors. The brussel sprouts weren't as good as I was hoping since generally brusell sprouts are more savory in flavor, versus pickled. I now know that pickling brussel sprouts are not the way to enjoy this treat!

Braised Short Rib and Bone Marrow Benedict -
Bordelaise Sauce on Country Bread 

For my meal, I shared two dishes with my fiancé. The braised short rib and bone marrow Benedict was extremely savory and glutinous! I don't recall really tasting the bone marrow, but the short rib was tender, full of flavor, and melted in your mouth. It was served on bread with bordelaise sauce. The only odd and inconsistent thing about our dish was everyone else at the table who ordered this dish had two pieces of bread and eggs completely separate from each other, making it easy to share and split. For some reason ours came out on the same piece of bread and the eggs were partially attached to each other. The potatoes were fried and perfect. We didn't leave one bite left on the plate!

Boulton and Watt Mac and Cheese -
White cheddar, persuade bread crumbs (we added bacon)

Our other entree, the Boulton and Watt Mac and cheese was also a winner! We added bacon to it which was definitely a great choice! The mac and cheese was topped with broccoli shavings and bread crumbs which added a nice crispy top layer, while the inside of the mac and cheese was super creamy and melty. MMM. White cheddar was definitely a great choice in cheese for this dish!

I would highly recommend brunch at Boulton and Watt. The drinks were potent, while the food was exceptional. Also, the price point of this place was pretty good for the neighborhood. I definitely want to return and try this place out for dinner next!

Burke & Wills - Brunchin' Aussie Style

A few of my girlfriends and I were looking for a place on the Upper West Side to have brunch. As we were browsing the Internet, we noticed that most of the UWS places don't take reservations during brunch, which is really inconvenient when you are a larger group and also have a baby with you. I think at this stage in our lives, we are past waiting an hour to be sat at a trendy place. 

In our searches on Google, we came across Burke & Wills (226 West 79th St., New York, NY), which is actually the same owner of the previous Sunburnt Calf, and they were willing to take reservations!!! Burke and Wills is now the grown up version of the Sunburnt Calf with an updated classy atmosphere, fancier menu, and no all you can drink brunch special, keeping the rowdy rif-raf patrons away. 
The brunch drink menu was more interesting and exciting than a lot of the typical brunch spots, because it featured a Build Your Own Bloody Mary bar. The bar didn't just have different garnishes, but it also had different mixes, liquors, and rims to choose from.

Build My Own Bloody Mary!

The bartender manning the Bloody Mary station was extremely helpful and willing to let us all try each rim, and also each mix before deciding which one we wanted for our drink. I chose the Kaffir-lime infused rim and chipotle mix with vodka liquor. For the garnishes, they had so many choices! We were given a stick and we were allowed to take as many garnishes that fit onto the stick! I chose pork belly, shrimp, and a spicy red pepper. They had plenty of olives, celery, and other garnishes to choose from as well. The pork belly was definitely one of the highlights of my drink, along with the chipotle mix, which was just the right level of spicy. I would definitely return for this station again, since it was a lot of fun to compare with each other what we each chose for our garnish.

Swagman's Breakfast-
2 eggs, hanger steak, pork belly, roasted mushrooms, potatoes

For my meal, I got the Swagman's Breakfast, which was definitely the highlight of the table! It was similar to a full English Breakfast in style, but so much more gourmet! The hanger steak was cooked to perfection with a red center, which is the way I love my steak. The pork belly was a nice addition to the dish, even though I had already enjoyed it on my bloody mary. The roasted mushrooms were plentiful and cooked with the perfect texture and flavor. Oddly, the mushrooms were one of my favorite parts of this dish because they really added so much extra flavor to the dish. The potatoes were nice and thick cut. The side salad was marinated very lightly and added the needed freshness to this dish since it was so hearty and heavy otherwise. The eggs I ordered sunny side up, and they were cooked perfectly.

If I need a brunch in the UWS, this is definitely at the top of my list! It was convenient, low key, and delicious!