2 Abonnenten
Romancing the Tastebuds
Intimate places where a girl could easily confuse the warm, content feeling in her tummy with the warm, tender feelings of love. Use this knowledge for good, not evil.
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So sad this place has closed!Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Don't know cheese? Don't know wine? Never fear, your trusty waiter is here to save the day! Just tell them how many you types you want to try and they will bring you an artistically prepared flight of cheeses that will convert even the most stubborn deli cheese stalwart into a fancy cheese believer. With a wine list that averages $30-60 a bottle, none of them will break your budget so you can leave the wine pairings to the pros as well without having to worry about how you'll pay for it later. This isn't one of those places that throws a couple half an inch slivers of cheese onto a plate and calls it a day. Generous hunks are presented alongside dark chocolate, rosemary lemon curd, fresh honeycomb, spicy orange marmalade... it's hard to imagine where they're keeping all these delightful pairings behind that tiny cheese counter. The tapas style entrees are not to be scoffed at, but I find myself the happiest when I come for just cheese and dessert. What's better than moist, warm chocolate cake? That same slice of cake drowned in heavy cream right before your eyes. Cheese, wine, and chocolate. So this must be how one sweeps a girl off her feet. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Someone told me that Traif is Yiddish for "not kosher". Considering that bacon makes everything better, I'm definitely cool with that. The only complaint I've heard about this place is that "the flavors are too complex." Which sounds like an amateur eater complaint to me. I have not had anything bad here, perhaps only "less than great." I would recommend the summer salads, the pork belly egg & bacon sliders, the bacon doughnuts with espresso gelato. The menu changes regularly but a lot of pride clearly goes into each dish. Final bonus: It has not been crowded a single time I've been there. Even Sunday brunch at 12. Score for those who hate to wait. -
Another one bites the dust 😭Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: "Artfully composed" would be an accurate description of the cocktails here. They range from playful and light to complex and strong, but all are beautifully done. I prefer the latter category so I tend to go for the tea infused drinks or anything with rye whiskey. If you're the type who likes to walk through museums reading every placard, then you will thrill at the drink menu descriptions which include backstories for every drink. You know who you are. Unlike so many other "secret" bars, Angel's Share scores extra points in my book for being a speakeasy that doesn't go out of its way to keep business out. That might mean you have to stand in a crowded entrance for twenty to thirty minutes until a seat clears out, but at least you don't have to jump through hoops like dialing secret numbers that are always busy in the middle of a workday to make a reservation. Ply your date with fancy cocktails and impress her with the knowledge of what "Angel's Share" means (wikipedia). Classy, sophisticated, and smart. Who wouldn't be impressed? -
Thalias 3-Sterne-Beitrag: This would be an agressive move for a first or even second date, but if you are ready for the level of intimacy that a below grade Moroccan lounge with candlelit nooks and crannies promises to offer then you've come to the right place. Most of the tables will have you sitting on soft cushions right beside your date so you can hold hands and shamelessly caress one another. You'll be surrounded by other couples, but the dim halos of light create the illusion of isolation that just might be inviting enough for soft whispers and sneak previews of "sexy time" (as Andrea S. so aptly put it). The food, drink, and service leave something to be desired, so for those smooth operators out there maybe the best course of action is to come here for inspiration and then recreate the ambiance in the comfort and privacy of home. There's a Trader Joe's just a couple blocks away, I bet you can get a decent bottle of wine and some tasty hummus and pita chips there. -
Thalias 4-Sterne-Beitrag: The times I've been here it's been a Friday or Saturday night. So far I've done the 2am reservation for a group of 6, the "call us if you have any cancellations," and the huddle outside the phone booth at 6pm and try not to get scowled or elbowed out of your spot by other thirsty would-be patrons. Once you're in, it's easy to forget the hassle that you faced on the outside. Post-speakeasy entrance euphoria. The afterglow is so sweet that the initial trauma is forgotten and people keep coming back to do it again. Like childbirth. Have the mixologists fix you up something special, like an Oaxaca Old-Fashioned (yum), or stick to the tried and true cocktails on the menu. When you're appropriately buzzed, order a fancy hot dog to soak up the alcohol. There are a number of bacon wrapped dogs on the menu that you won't see outside in Crif Dogs proper. Last time, they had one with truffle mayo, bonito flakes, and some kind of gourmet slaw. My personal favorite is still the spicy red neck. Fancy cocktail doesn't necessitate fancy hot dog. You worked this hard to get in, eat and drink as you damned well please and enjoy that afterglow. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: It's 3 AM. You're craving something decadent, sumptuous, and sinfully delicious. No need to settle for anything less because Blue Ribbon Brasserie is here for you, my friend. Fresh shucked oysters, foie gras terrine, bone marrow with oxtail marmalade, rack of lamb... I think I love you. The place is usually packed to the gills, but grab a drink at the bar, it's worth the wait. Why these brothers have not been able to translate the quality here over to their sushi place down the street boggles my mind, but maybe they should just stick to the bad for your diet, good for your soul, foods. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Cupcakes are overrated. Sugar Sweet Sunshine is not. This is clearly the cupcake place for converting non-cupcake lovers. Just see all the reviews below that say "I don't even like cupcakes" or some variant thereof. The frosting is not cloyingly sweet, the flavors are pronounced, the cake is light, soft, and moist. My favorite flavors: Lemon Yummy, Pistachio, Pumpkin, the Kissing Cupcake (peppermint & chocolate!), and any number of rotating special flavors that you just have to pop in and see for yourself. That being said, if you prefer standard cupcakes--dense, buttercream frosted things the size of your fist that cost $3-6 a pop--then you'd better stick to Magnolia or Crumbs. This girl is sticking with her $1.50 treats from Sugar Sweet Sunshine. -
Closed permanently!Thalias 4-Sterne-Beitrag: Bacon wrapped raw oysters aka "Angels on Horseback" I've always said bacon makes everything better. This takes that to a whole new level. Wrapping something hot around something fundamentally slippery and uncooked seems like a feat that requires some serious skill, and I still don't know how they do it, but the end product is brilliant. Sit at the bar inside, or the ledge on the outside, and if you're nice to the oyster shuckers they might give you some freebies that put the blue point oysters to shame. Since this is usually a pre-gaming, light snack spot, I have yet to try most of their entrees, but I've had better lobster mac & cheese elsewhere. Skip it and get more bacon wrapped oysters. -
Sadness, this was where I had the first inklings that my date was marriage material. Closed now 🥺Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Oyster flights with wine pairings. Recipe for either a very romantic or very sloppy evening (I'm going to go with the former). The mussels were the best I've had anywhere in the city. Fresh, plump, and plentiful. We ordered them Frontier style, which meant they were steamed in a sauce of mushrooms, bacon, bourbon, and cream. It's not possible for that combination to go wrong, is it? The prices are reasonable, nowhere near the fleecing you would experience at some of the more famous seafood places in the city. The space is small and feels a bit like eating at a fish stand in local market, which I think adds to the charm, but I know is not for everyone. I highly recommend it for those who care more about the food than the ambiance. -
New York, NY, Vereinigte Staaten
Closed permanently!Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Let me tell you why the middle of winter in NYC is the perfect time for ice cream sandwiches. Particularly ice cream sandwiches from the Coolhaus truck. 1) It's a food truck, which means it's outdoors, which means you eat it outside. Now think about the goopy, drippy mess that is ice cream in summer time. You have none of that when it's sub-freezing. Take your time and savor your sammie. 2) They're stinking delicious. Any time of year is the perfect time of year for a Coolhaus sammie. Some of my favorites have been hot cake flapjack + brown butter and candied bacon ice cream, rosemary lemon + meyer lemon ice cream, double chocolate chip + salted caramel. I prefer the soft cookies since they don't push my ice cream around as much. It might be worthwhile to ask which cookies are soft that day if you share the same preference. I hunt the trucks down via Twitter (Coolhausny) and never walk by a truck without at least stopping to see what new flavors they have in rotation. The listing they have on their menu doesn't include half the flavors I've seen at the trucks. Be adventurous and try something unique. The possibilities are endless. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Somewhere between the dirty martini and oysters on the half shell, three quarters of a bottle of malbec, the foot and a half long slabs of thick cut bacon, and the sizzling platter of buttery, charred porterhouse for two, I lost my ability to think objectively about this steakhouse. We were smart and took early reservations (6:30) which meant we were seated immediately. The disgruntled crowd by the door as we made our exit did not seem to be faring quite so well. I admired everything from the arched tiled ceilings (historic landmarks they say) to the friendly waiter who insisted he never forgot a face even after three years (we humored him even though in the back of our minds we guessed it was another case of 'all-asians-look-alike'). And what a quirky, nice old man that stopped by our table to wish us well and thank us for coming to dine... what's that you say, Google? That spacey old man is the spitting image of Wolfgang Zweiner himself? Say what?? I am mildly embarrassed that we asked him if he was the owner... (it wasn't me!) I will stop swooning for a moment to give one tip to the meat lover's who will come after me. When a delicious, perfectly cooked steak is presented to you on a sizzling platter, do not waste time attempting to compose photos of said steak. Do not slowly savor every bite of that first melt in your mouth slice. Instead, the first thing you MUST do is move your whole steak off the sizzling platter and onto your cold plate. Because, as any self-respecting steak lover will tell you, a cold, perfectly cooked steak is infinitely better than a warm, overcooked steak, which I am sad to say is what the final slices were after sitting on that platter for probably half an hour. No one to blame but ourselves. We were ready to be wheelbarrowed out the door about halfway through, but the fact that we still finished Every. Last. Bite. goes to show that it was a thing of beauty. Not to be missed. Luger's has some pretty stiff competition in the city. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Taureau has opened my eyes to what fondue can and should be. Pure decadence in the form of melted cheeses and unlimited dipping sides like thick cut slab bacon and portobello mushrooms. Followed by thinly sliced, tender morsels of marinated meat to be dipped in sizzling oil and a string of homemade sauces (loved the red wine bordelaise). Finally a strong finish with the traditional dark chocolate and fresh fruit. Fondue is not for everyone. Like Korean barbecue or Mongolian hot pot, you have to work for your food. But for those who enjoy savoring each carefully crafted bite with good company over the course of two hours, this is a wonderful experience. We went on a Saturday night which meant the mandatory $48 prix fixe, but any other night of the week I would go for the same. This is barely more than you would pay for fondue across the country at the McDonald's of fondue (the Melting Pot - no offense, it was the best I could get for a long time too), and the quality is so much better you really shouldn't be comparing them in the same breath. It's BYOB so you can have a delicious wine pairing without spending the premium restaurant price on your bottle. And it's also no longer cash only (happily accepted the AMEX), so don't let that slow you big spenders down. ;) Didier has done us right. Expect to see me back soon. -
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Loved this place! Another victim to the pandemic 😷Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Eight days in Paris. Mission to find the best crepes in town. Creperie Josselin was the clear winner beating out Cafe Breizh and Creperie Pen-ty. My take-away from the experience (besides sudden cravings for savory crepes every time I pass a creperie in NYC) is that crepes are not complete without a jug of dry cider, preferably from Brittany. Cafe Henri made my night (and my ham, swiss & egg crepe) complete when I discovered they serve dry apple cider by the miniature bottle. Enough to share with a friend if you're a lightweight like me. Perhaps someone should get them a set of earthenware jugs to put the finishing touch on one of the most authentic French hole-in-the-wall experiences you'll set foot in this side of the Atlantic. I'll definitely be back to try the eggs benedict next time. -
So sad, this had the best mushroom risotto that I’ll be chasing foreverThalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: Try the risotto. Do it. I almost didn't order it because I thought, "I can't order something Italian at a French diner" But I am so glad I ditched that gut instinct because it was cracktastic. And despite how tempting it might be to fill up on the lightly toasted, complimentary bread and butter... save room for your real food. You'll thank me later. What made the experience even better? Sitting front and center at the bar and getting to watch every step of the food being made for the fifteen or so patrons crammed into this tiny place. Dinner and entertainment for one low price. I recommend sitting at the bar in the cooler months when the heat from the industrial stovetop won't cause you to swelter. -
Thalias 5-Sterne-Beitrag: To the straight men out there who enjoy a delicious brunch (or perhaps afternoon pot-o-tea): Do not be ashamed. I challenge you to brave the girly Wonderland themed interior and the predominantly feminine clientele and reward yourself with a buttery Cheddar, Ham, and Chive savory scone. Or perhaps you'd enjoy salmon Eggs Benedict over a sun dried tomato, feta and basil scone. Or maybe your sweet tooth could be satisfied with a mixed berry scone with clotted cream and homemade preserves. Fancy a caramel chocolate chip? We won't judge. But at the end of the day, if you can't convince your bros to join you, I can guarantee this place will be a hit with the girls and Mom. So feel free to use us as an excuse (or cover) to indulge.