Gelato Ti Amo 05-26-2012

Location: 68 2nd Ave.
Time: 2:45pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: CK has recently started his piano class in the East Village, and we have made it a mission to explore the food options in the area. I try not to do too much research since I enjoy being stumbled upon interesting places, and this Saturday afternoon, we did just that and came across a seriously good gelato place.

On our way to brunch, we witnessed two charming men exuding gelato happiness whilst unwrapping their brand new chairs out front. With sweet aroma stirring my emotions, "Forget food, we are eating gelato right now," I said to RB. This was perhaps the best decision I made since my six inch sandal purchase last week.

All natural. All fresh. This gelato chain from Italy may put other gelato places to shame. The three of us shared hazelnut and custard flavors ($3.80 for small) and were unable to decide which was better. The texture and consistency are perfect - creamy but not too heavy while the heavenly flavors hit your throat. The essence of fresh ingredients can really be tasted in this smooth gelato.

It is so damn freaking hard raising a child, but I am so thankful that I now have a reason to be near Gelato Ti Amo every Saturday.

Brooklyn Crab is Coming! 05-28-12

Feelings: Red Hook's Brooklyn Crab, projected to open in June, sounds like a perfect place for our summer outing! Seafood, mini golf, bocce, patio and roof deck--all can be found at this new spot brought by the owners of Alma on Columbia Street. They will even offer a shuttle service from the F/G Carroll St. station. According to their website, shuttles will be available every 20 minutes from 6-10pm Sunday to Thursday and 6-11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. I can't wait!

Gaia 05-19-2012

Location: 251 E. Houston St.
Time: 12:pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: Gaia, a quaint Italian cafe in Lower East Side, is a classic New York hidden gem. The high quality ingredients are liberally used for their delicious Italian home cooked meal, created by the owner herself. Every flavor is made with love and care, and you would be instantly transported to Italy after the first bite.

They certainly do not have the fastest service, but with large tables and sunny room, dining here would be quite a treat that gives you a moment of relaxation. Many people dining here or picking up food are regulars, and the owner greeted them with a smile and casual conversations. It is really like a scene from a film.

My spinach and ricotta gnocchi ($7) was light and flavorful. Is there such a thing as light gnocchi, you may wonder. Gaia's food is not heavy--it is simple and well executed just like how authentic Italian cuisine is. The flavors are so well balanced with umami that there is absolutely no need for over seasoning and overbearing amount of cheese.

RB thoroughly enjoyed his Montanaro panini, which was delicious and thoughtfully executed. The speck, taleggio cheese and pickled vegetables were the perfect insert for the delicious freshly baked panini bread. He felt the sandwich surpassed any Italian sandwich he could find in Soho or Little Italy.

If you don't have time for food, just stop by for their home made custard cream with strawberry and a touch of coffee ($3). This simple dessert is airy light, and the fresh flavor of strawberries shine through. I know that we will certainly go back for this delectable dessert again and again.

I hope Gaia will be able to maintain their reasonable prices while serving excellent comforting food. They certainly offer the best value in Manhattan!

The Cardinal 05-12-2012

Location: 234 E 4th St.
Time: 2:30pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: Dining out with a toddler is always a challenge, but we seemed to have figured out what makes CK dine quietly: Outdoor seating, delicious artisan bread, blasting music and dashing young servers. At The Cardinal, the North Carolina style comfort food joint in East Village, CK sat rather quietly throughout the brunch while flirting with our pretty waitress.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is quite charming with the quintessential East Village low key vibe.  It was also fun that they were playing all the late 90's hip hop hits. With Southern food and 90's hip hop, I felt I was back in my college days in Florida. All we needed was sweet tea.

Nothing on the brunch menu is close to anything remotely healthy. You will not find salads or fruit cups here. But all the flavors here are clean and polished with fresh, hearty ingredients. The portion they offer is also extremely large. It is no wonder they offer no appetizers here. I actually ate my sweet potato pancakes ($13 with pecan butter) for three days straight--it was that big. However, if you do crave appetizers, they have sides like biscuits, home fries and grits available.

RB's pork chops and eggs were quite hearty and tasty. The porkchops were well cooked and seasoned, and smothered in 'red eye gravy' infused with coffee, offering a very complex and interesting component to the meal. The strip of bacon that lay on top of the chops was sinful and delicious.

The Cardinal is famous for the beauty of the meats: Crispy free-range chicken, juicy grass fed beef, and heritage pork and bacon. If you are a devoted carnivore who enjoys simply good barbecue and Southern flavor, you will be pleased by the meat success The Cardinal offers. And for vegetarians like myself, there are plenty of fluffy, dense pancakes and biscuits to go around.

Abraço 05-05-12

Location: 86 E. 7th St.
Time: 3pm
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: If you ever met a person who grew up in a big city in Japan like myself, you would know that we actually prefer rather small, compact spaces. The small space and tiny, narrow roads are quite normal and ultimately comforting. And when entering perhaps one of the best coffee shops in the city, Abraco, you will see that sometimes the best things come out of the tiniest place.

Abraco is a size of a New York apartment bathroom. But it certainly brews excellent bold espresso and  coffee. The service is friendly and polite, which is infectious to the customers. This is perhaps the only place in the city where people line up perfectly without a fuss similar to Japan. The flavor of iced coffee is ever so smooth and precisely balanced with a hint of refreshing acidity and a note of chocolaty delicacy.

All I have to say is this: Dear Abraco, you ruined me. There are many great coffee places in the city, but after experiencing this intoxicating, utterly addictive flavor of Abraco coffee, I will no longer be satisfied with any others. I also appreciate your unpretentious vibe and comforting small space.

Momofuku Milk Bar Carroll Gardens 04-28-2012

Location: 360 Smith St.

Time: 2pm

People: CF, CR, RB, CK and myself

Feelings: My dear friends CF and CR were in town from DC, and we met at Court Street Grocers for a tasty sandwich brunch in Carroll Gardens. Afterwards for dessert, we stopped at the newest Momofuku branch, Momofuku Milk Bar, conveniently located by the F/G Carroll Street stop on Smith Street. This location is the biggest of all but still with the same trusted menu. 

"Another Milk Bar?" is exactly what RB and I said when we saw that ubiquitous neon milk sign. But can we really complain about their blueberry&cream cookies and soft serve? If you have visitors, this is a great destination in the neighborhood. 

My coldbrew coffee, the staple summer drink in the city, was smooth and refreshing. We really can't go into a coffee shop not seeing a sign says,"coldbrew coffee" nowadays. Since I enjoy its bold flavor, I hope it'll be on the menu all year around everywhere. 

Besides the heavenly coldbrew, CR's salty pistachio softserve was a definite winner. "I dream about it.." said CF. "I liked it because it wasn't too sweet." I get the feeling that CR and CF will return to NYC perhaps just for the sandwiches from Court Street Grocers and this softserve. 

The noticeable difference about this location is its hours. This spacious Milk Bar is open everyday from 7am to 10pm. It'll be very difficult for commuters like us to ignore that coldbrew and bagel bombs on the way to work.

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy 05-05-2012

Feelings: The search for the chocolatiest chocolate ice cream is over. Chocolate Therapy was first released back in 2005 as a part of Mood Magic flavors, but now it is back with vengeance. If you are a casual chocolate lover, you will find this Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy far too intense. It is incredibly rich, dark with chocolate Oreo-esque cookie crumbles and chocolate pudding swirls. The flavor is nothing but chocolate.

It is even tastier if you add whip cream to make the chocolate intensity a bit milder. But if you just want the amazing cocoa knockout, go ahead-- pick up a pint and enjoy it straight up. I wouldn't call this Chocolate Therapy, however. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful chocolate addiction.

STK Out 04-23-2012

Location: 1114 Avenue of Americas
Time: 12:30pm
People: Effie and myself

Feelings: The trendy Meatpacking steakhouse, STK, recently launched a take out kiosk near Bryant Park, serving burgers, wraps, and salads. All items on the menu are under $14, and there are some interesting sides available like mac&cheese bites ($4) as well as STK's famous frozen treats, including a birthday cake shake ($6).

The lobster wrap with arugula and avocado surely sounded delicious, and the STK burger with truffle aioli would satisfy many a midtown worker's burger cravings. I normally despise watermelon, but the high quality of the tomato watermelon salad with feta cheese ($8) surprised my palate. The watermelon worked almost like spongy tofu, soaking up all the juicy, tasty flavor of the ginger dressing and feta. STK Out recently updated their menu, and unfortunately I don't see this delicious, perfect summer salad on their new menu. What a shame! This could have been the only way to get me to eat watermelon.

Effie was not too pleased with the toasted veggie wrap ($8), which seemed very dry. The iced tea ($2) was nothing spectacular, and we continued on our lunch outing at out favorite spot, Blue Bottle.

I felt that many items on the menu were a bit overpriced, but the new menu is all under $10. Perhaps I should overcome my sorrow over watermelon salad and try some other items now that they are slightly cheaper.

Vanilla Cream +Chips 05-03-2012

Feelings: Calbee recently released vanilla flavored potato chips in Japan! Salty-sweet vanilla cream chips, anyone?

UPDATE: My parents in Osaka tried these chips! They said these strange sounding chips taste like when dipping them into vanilla ice cream. The direction actually states to keep them in the fridge so you can recreate the chips+ice cream sensation.

Cafe Cortadito 04-21-2012

Location: 210 E 3rd St.
Time: 11:30am
People: RB, CK and myself

Feelings: Cafe Cortadito, a Cuban inspired spot off on Avenue B, is certainly not a kid friendly brunch spot. It is, however, a cozy, intimate space with perfectly stylized decor and dim lighting. The staff did not seem too thrilled that we were with a child, but at 11:30am on Avenue B, we could not find anywhere else close to dine. The weather was perfect for their outdoor tables, and CK enjoyed interacting with ladies with big sunglasses and puppies that walked by. The staff was prompt and courteous while maintaining the East Village cool, and it was refreshing to see them not paying any special attention to CK. He behaved quite well perhaps because of that, but their delicious food certainly caught his attention and stuck him to his chair.

There are many traditional Cuban dishes as well as brunch specialties on the menu. $18.95 brunch special includes unlimited sangria and mimosas ($11.95 if you just want one drink). There are tons of meat dishes on the menu, like marinated steak and ham. But I enjoyed my vegetariano sandwich (black bean puree, avocado, roasted peppers, swiss cheese with plantain chips), which was flavorful and well executed. The savory-sweet plantain chips were perfectly crispy and melted in my mouth along with the complimentary warm Cuban flat bread with drizzled butter. RB's huevos rancheros (two eggs over a corn tortilla with black beans and salsa) was light and delicious.

Food here is excellent with simple and clean flavors, and if you don't want to wait in line for Poco next door for brunch, I would highly recommend Cafe Cortadito. From all angles of dining, food, decor, service-- they were really able to achieve the best brunch experience possible. It is certainly a neighborhood favorite, and a spot like this one really signifies East Village: low-key, cool, and intimate.

Rosa Mexicano Lincoln Center 04-30-2012

Location: 61 Columbus Ave.

Time: 12:30pm

People: FA, AP and myself

Feelings: Rosa Mexicano is a bit five years ago, but it is always exciting to experience a bit of celebrity sighting while dining with friends. The Hearst Tower is close by, and the group of Marie Claire folks, including Ms. Nina Garcia and Joanna Coles were waiting for a table as we nervously stood behind them. My mind couldn't help but wander as to what they might be eating, if they are eating at all. The service here is courteous and professional, and with a bright, spacious setting, it is a solid, reliable spot for any business lunch. It is no wonder the Marie Claire team was there.

We started with their famous guacamole ($14, perfect for two to three people), which was prepared at the tableside. It was creamy and impeccably fresh, almost earthy. Chips and tortillas were served along side. My entree, tacos with chile-rubbed white fish ($15.25, grilled white fish marinated in achiote, orange and garlic.) was moist and flavorful, and I especially enjoyed the sweet and tangy aroma from achiote and orange. I had to assemble my own tacos, which some people may prefer, but I found rather disappointing.

AP had visited Rosa Mexicano before, and he felt the food used to be a lot better. His chicken enchilada ($14.75, two soft corn tortillas filled with pulled roasted chicken, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce and melted Chihuahua cheese) was just average.

There are a few great desserts like blackberry tres leches cake and espresso flan (both $8.50). The flan was especially soft and airy. I appreciated that the sweetness was understated, but it was overall not mind blowing.

The food, which is a modern take of Mexican cantina cooking, was just above average, but the atmosphere and excellent service as well as the possibility of standing next to Nina & Joanna made the experience  phenomenal. Ms. Garcia, when are we meeting there again?