YUMMMMM

2 weeks ago in Mexico City...home :-)

Beef Tacos, Chicken Soup, & Hibiscus Tea

-S&B

DBGB Kitchen & Bar

Food Network's show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" recently featured DBGB as one of the best places in NYC for meat.  It was obvious that it was a place that we had to check out, so B rallied up Justinien & Schwartz, two meat lovers.

Daniel Boulud the mastermind behind DBGB was once a chef at Le Cirque and then moved to open his own place called Daniel in the UES, then opened Cafe Boulud and DB Bistro Moderne (it's obvious that Mr. Boulud loves his name).  The whole idea behind DBGB is that they make their own sausages in house; there are 13 different types listed on their menu.  I personally loved the decor inside: concrete floors & walls, see through kitchen, steel & more steel, it's very LES chic.

Here's what we ordered:

Starters:                                                                        

Chop-chop Salad w/romaine, avocado, carrots, watermelon, & ginger sesame dressing

Jim's Matzoh Ball Soup

Special for the night - Heirloom Tomato Salad

Entree:

Roasted Chicken Breast w/spring vegetable

DBGB Hot Dog w/sautéed onion, mustard, ketchup, 299 relish, & fries

Pan Roasted Atlantic Salmon w/baby leeks, house made gnocchi & arugela

Dessert:

Chocolate-Chocolate w/truffle, chocolate chip cookies, cocoa nib crunchies, caramel sauce & whipped cream

The review:

Personally I thought the heirloom tomato salad was the best thing I ordered.  The matzoh ball soup lacked salt and it just didn't taste like my grandmothers, however I did enjoy the parsley infused in the matzoh balls.  The DBGB hot dog was the only type of "sausage" I could order off the menu because everything else had pork, honestly I'll stick to Hebrew National.  It tasted like rubber and if it wasn't for the relish I don't think I would have finished it.  The chocolate dessert was beyond amazing and every bite had surprise to it.  One bite would be all ice cream then the next would be a cookie, & then crunchies...yum.  Schwartz roasted chicken fell off the bone & a must try if you venture there.  Justinien enjoyed his salmon but really enjoyed the homemade gnocchi.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar - great booths for groups, lot's of energy, LES feel

299 Bowery

New York, NY  10003

tel: 212.933.5300

NY Times Review - 2 stars

NY Mag - 1 star

-S&B

Corsino

Oh Corsino! B was so looking forward to dining here ever since she walked passed it one March afternoon. It looked like such a great place to eat & it's sister restaurant Inoteca is delicious. A few weeks ago she went to dinner with her girlfriends JC, JP, & KB...they all walked away disappointed.

To start we ordered a few crostinis: ricotta & orange honey, cannellini bean & artichokes, and olive tapenade. We also ordered a formaggi platter (pic to the left) with cow's milk ricotta, parmigiano reggiano & fontina val d'aosta.

Entrees:

Heritage Brisket Meatballs

Chicken Piccata w/cippolini & cauliflower

Linguini w/cockles, hot peppers & oregano

Tagliatelle w/lamb

The olive tapenade was very disappointing considering it tasted like anchovies, but the ricotta & orange honey is a must. The sweet honey with the cheese is the perfect mix. Our cheese platter wasn't disappointing...it's cheese, who doesn't love cheese! On the other hand the entrees weren't the best. B's meatballs were too salty, hard, too much pepper, they just weren't like Savanna's, sorry. JP's chicken piccata was actually delicious, order this if you go. Both the pasta dishes were too buttery and missing in flavor. KB reviewed it herself: "my dish was good the lamb was well cooked however, I felt the radicchio was an unnecessary accompaniment and didn't add anything to the dish but a bitter flavor."

Corsino - night outdoor seating, good wines & cheeses, not like it's sister restaurant Inoteca

-S&B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

Bill's Bar & Burger

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 3 out of 5 (fried veggies, yum, not all of them are crispy since you can't really fry broccoli )

Oil Amount - 3 out of 5 (it's fried, let's not kid ourselves)

Flavor - 4 out of 5 (veggies add the flavor to each bite)

Salt Level - 2 out of 5 (you won't be needing a glass of water after each fry)

Presentation / Experience - 3 out of 5 (looks like how any normal burger joint would serve fries, nothing fancy)

Dips - served with ranch dip

Price - 1 out of 5..$4.95 totally worth it

They go great with a burger & a definite must.

-S&B

Reasons Why We Heart This City #8

D'Agostino's in the West Village is 105% nicer then anywhere else, not cool.

-S&B

The Spotted Pig

After rating a few French fry places it was time eat some real food & what happened to be around the corner?  The Spotted Pig...yum!!  We settled for a burger with Roquefort cheese on top, it was delicious but towards the 3rd bite it became a little overwhelming.  

I would love to go back and try a few more of their dishes like their Pan Roasted Striped Bass with tomatoes & saffron, Fried Zucchini Blossoms with cherry tomatoes & basil and/or their Walnut, Chocolate & Amaretto cake for dessert.


It's a great place to grab a beer or wine with your friends & an excellent place to people watch.  Look out for their regular clients like Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin, Kate Hudson, SJP, & Jay-Z (he own's the building, btw)


The Spotted Pig
314 West 11th Street
New York, NY  10014
tel: 212.620.0393


-S&B

Barbuto

Barbuto located in the West Village is a great place to people watch and that's about it really.  Jonathan Waxman from Top Chef Masters disappointed our plates.  Located on the hot corner of Jane & Washington Street you would expect to have this delicious dinner that would blow your mind since Cafe Gitane is literally around the corner along with Standard Grill.  They have a good space with a huge outdoor seating, but keep in mind if it's hot out, they don't have A/C, so don't bring a date here unless it's 70 degrees!

Starters:

Insalata Caprese

Mussels

Entrees:

Pollo al Forno (roasted chicken) w/salsa verde

Spigola ai Ferri (black cod) w/endive, leeks, & mushrooms

Special of the Day - Red Snapper in tomato sauce

Patate (fingerling potatoes) w/calabrian & rosemary

Dessert:

Raspberry Gelato

Chocolate Sundae

B's Review:  I was excited to try a Top Chef Master's restaurant since they are "the best" in world, but was disappointed with a few things, first the A/C condition.  Mind you I love to people watch and I am known to stop a conversation just to watch someone cross the street or put a bike in their car, but on an August night having no A/C is not fun.  I love the garage feel look as it makes it a comfortable environment...perfect brunch location.  2nd disappointment was the amount of oil on the insalata caprese. The tomatoes & cheese on this salad were outstanding as we learned that the chefs go to the market everyday and pick out fresh ingredients that is why the menu changes everyday, but the salad was drenched in oil.  My chicken was outstanding since it was moist, but it lacked that kick, that flavor.  It was also HUGE; they actually served me a 1/2 chicken, so if you want to share a dish, this is the dish.  My girls ordered the fish plates and the black cod was amazing and buttery, the side salad...gross.  The red snapper was hardly touched since it was too sweet and the combination didn't go together.  Sadly I don't think I'll be venturing back there...sorry Mr. Waxman.

Barbuto

775 Washington Street

New York, NY 10014

tel: 212.924.9700

-S&B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

Bill's Bar & Burger

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 4 out of 5 (classic American Fry)

Oil Amount - 2 out of 5 (crunchy, perfect)

Flavor - 4 out of 5 (classic American Fr)

Salt Level - 2 out of 5 (you won't be needing a glass of water after each fry)

Presentation / Experience - 3 out of 5 (looks like how any normal burger joint would serve fries, nothing fancy)

Dips - served naked

Price - 1 out of 5..$3.50 totally worth it

They go great with a burger & a definite must.

-S&B

Cask

Cask Bar+Kitchen recently opened on 33rd between Lexington & 3rd Avenue.  If you live around the neighborhood this is definitely the spot to call you "neighborhood bar."  They have a great bar scene for an after work crowd and an even better party room downstairs.  This is not your typical Murray Hill bar which is so refreshing!  The crowd looked to be 25+ and everyone was dressed well, no frat boy look...sorry.

Starters:

Frommage - White Cheddar, Gorgonzola, & Pepper Crushed Goat    

        

Dinner:

Wild Mushrooms Flatbread - Spinach, Fresh Mozzarella, Parmesan & Truffle Oil

Coriander Crusted Salmon - Crispy Potato Cake & Garlic Sauté Spinach

B's review: The food was great.  The cheese platter was presented very well and came with olives, grapes, jam, & crackers.  I would definitely order the frommage plate again without the gorgonzola cheese - just not a fan.  It's a great way to start the meal.  The mushroom flatbread was amazing! The fresh mozzarella & truffle oil made the dish.  The salmon was good, cooked perfectly & had lots of flavor.  The potato cake tasted like mashed potatoes that had been fried on top...yummy; the spinach = not a fan.  I would definitely go back there.  It was a great place to grab dinner.  It had a great scene, excellent service, & great food options.

Cask Bar+Kitchen
167 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016-4641
(212) 300-4924


P.S. they have a Country Style Brunch Saturday & Sunday with homemade muffins & breads, roast sirloin beef and whipped potatoes.


-S&B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

The Spotted Pig

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 4 out of 5 (these shoe string fries hit the spot)

Oil Amount - 4 out of 5 (just look at the pic)

Flavor - 4 out of 5 (salty & a few garlic chips are thrown in there)

Salt Level - 3 out of 5 (water please)

Presentation / Experience - 2 out of 5 (there's nothing like getting a plate of overflowing fries )

Dips - served naked

Price - 4 out of 5..$7 bucks, it's a lot but look how many fries their are

Definite must if you are craving fries, especially if you are in the West Village & looking for a good bar scene.  Once you taste one you'll find yourself eating the whole plate...watch out!!

-S&B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

DBGB Kitchen & Bar

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 4 out of 5 (they were all crunchy)

Oil Amount - 1 out of 5 (hardly any oil)

Flavor - 4 out of 5 (salty, classic fry)

Salt Level - 2 out of 5 (you won't be needing a glass of water after each fry)

Presentation / Experience - 2 out of 5 (loved the lil' dish; looked hand-cut)

Dips - served naked

Price - 5 out of 5..$6 bucks no thank you for this tiny serving.

BUT we would definitely go back to savor these fries & they go great with a burger.

-S&B

Bia Garden

 Happy Birthday Will!! 


Last night we celebrated his birthday at Bia Garden and we definitely had a blast.  This tiny hole in the wall has this great room in the back to host parties.  


When you walk down Orchard you are bound to miss it.  You step down and find yourself at this little counter wondering if you messed up and are at the wrong place...but you aren't!  There is a huge refrigerator door that opens you up into a hall then, up 2 steps and wahla..Bia Garden!!!  They have a very simple concept which makes sense and works, order beer by the 6, 12 or 24 pack! AMAZING for beer lovers.  
  
They also have a great menu.  Being a party of 30 we ordered all the apps plus a few extra things:


Green Papaya Salad
Lemongrass Sausage
Vegetable Summer Rolls
Crab Spring Rolls
Chicken Lollipops
BBQ Lemongrass Beef Short Ribs
Shaking Beef
Ginger Clay Pot Chicken
Veggie Vermicelli Noodles
Grilled Lemon Spicy Chicken


Everything was delicious and we couldn't keep our hands off the rolls & chicken lollipops, yum yum!  To end the night we sang happy birthday with 3 dozen BakedByMelissa cupcakes!!

Veggie Vermicelli Noodles

Bia Garden
154 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
tel: 212.780.0100


Happy Birthday Will!! Here's to your 30's...cheers!


-S&B

Savanna's - Southampton

Savanna's Restaurant in Southampton is absolutely delicious. B and her friends dined there before they went out on a Saturday night.

We sat outside which was beautiful since they have this patio/garden feel but in the middle of the summer it was too hot and buggy...note to self: always ask for a table in doors at night in the summer :-). They accommodated a group of 20 which can sometimes be overwhelming but they did a good job. I definitely was not expecting Savanna's to be as great as it was. I was thinking more Southern food, but it wasn't; here's what we ordered:

Starters:

T-Bar Chopped Salad w/hearts of palm, beans, tomatos & cucumbers

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Entrees:

Breaded Chicken Milanese

Spice Crusted Tuna

Spaghetti "Chitarra" w/veal meatballs, basil, & marzano sauce

Dessert:

opted for nothing :-(

It was hard to choose from the menu since they have some very tempting items to order. They served the whole table a bread basket that had a mix of rosemary & olive bread, my two favorites. The Spice Crusted Tuna was mouth watering and a definite must if you go there. The meatballs in the spaghetti were to die for and definitely made the dish. We could have lived without the spring rolls since they weren't up to par with the rest of the food. I wish we could have ordered dessert, maybe next time!

Savanna's - delicious, foodies will enjoy, great place for groups

-S&B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

Barbuto Fries or fingerling potatoes...hmmm

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 1 out of 5 (the tiny potatoes tasted like chips..hoooray, everything else was like a potato wedge)

Oil Amount - 1 out of 5 (no oil)

Flavor - 2 out of 5 (salty, lil' rosemary but there should have been A LOT more)

Salt Level - 1 out of 5 (you won't be needing a glass of water after each fry)

Presentation / Experience - 1 out of 5 (could have been presented nicer, but the restaurant serves family style so we'll forgive )

Dips - served naked

Price - 5 out of 5..$8 bucks no thank you

Stay at home and make these.

-S&B

La Esquina

La Esquina is one of our favorite places to eat. Conveniently located in SoHo La Esquina offers 3 different locations the Taqueria, Cafe, and their secret downstairs location, the Brasserie.

They have so many delicious things at each location but the Brasserie offers the complete menu. Our favorite things are the sopa de tortilla, ceviche acapulco, tostadas contramar, taquitos de pollo rostizado & La Esquina mole negro. They recently acquired a new chef, Akhtar Nawab, and he's added more delicious fish options to the menu, like last night's special Sea Bass wrapped in banana leaf, yum! Sadly our favorite salad was taken off the menu, ensalada de nopales, which is a cactus salad w/jalapeños, onions & cotija cheese. He also fixed the dessert menu, THANK GOD!! He added a mouth watering pastel de chocolate - cafe de olla, it's a must have.

Overall it's a fun experience walking into the Taqueria & being greeted by a bouncer & doorman then walking downstairs in what feels like a storage unit. After walking down the stairs you give your name again to the hosts, walk through the kitchen and wala...the bar!

Spotted @ in the downstairs dungeon: Alicia Keys & John Mayer


Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart
John Mayer - Clarity

La Esquina - Must Try, NYC Hot Spot, Fun Experience walking into a the Taqueria.

106 Kenmare Street

New York, NY 10012

-S & B

Battle for the Best...French Fries

Delmonico's Twice Fried French Fries

Ratings:

Level of Crispness - 3 out of 5 (not every fry was crunchy)
Oil Amount - 1.5 out of 5 (hardly any oil)
Flavor - 3 out of 5 (salty, lil' parsley, & crunchy, great steak fry)
Salt Level - 2 out of 5 (you won't be needing a glass of water after each fry)
Presentation / Experience - 3 out of 5 (loved the lil' dish; looked hand-cut)
Dips - standard ketchup
Price - 5 out of 5..$8 bucks no thank you


We would definitely go back to savor these fries. 


-S&B

Philippe

"She's thinking Philippe, I'm thinking Wing Stop" Rick Ross (Ft. Gucci Mane) - MC Hammer

Okay no! We obviously prefer Philippe's chicken satay to Wing Stop's wings, sorry Rick Ross.  Philippe is one of our favorite places to dine in the city and Hamptons.  Mr. Chow's chicken satay is to die for, the creamy sauce loaded with calories, makes you want to down 5 of these delicious skewers.  Another must have are the chicken lettuce wraps, yummy.

What we enjoy:

B - Crispy Beef & Philippe's House Salad

Justinien - Chilean Sea Bass

Hamptons House - Crunchy Duck Salad, Vegetable Dumplings, Beijing Chicken, & House Me Mignon

Spotted @ Madison location: Shawn & Marlon Wayan and Jerome Bettis with crew

Spotted @ East Hampton: Chris Bosh

Philippe - Hot Spot, Must for the Hamptons, Group for Groups

33 East 60th Street

New York, NY  10022

East Hampton 

44 Three Mile Harbor Road

East Hampton, NY  11935

you'll be dreaming about Philippe's chicken satays; you're welcome

-S&B

*Hit - if you're in the East Hampton location pop into Lily Pond after for some dancing & house music

Happy National S'mores Day!!!

You're probably wondering how could we miss this amazing holiday; we're speechless!

Yesterday was National S'Mores Day but we figured since we were late in celebrating we would give you another day to enjoy these ammmmmazing treats.


-S&B

Battle for the Best...Treats

It was NW's birthday in B's office so they decided to go with something new since NW is a cupcake, cake, cookie, really anything sweet fanatic. We decided to surprise her with Two Little Red Hens.

Sadly they only start serving cupcakes at 11am so we opted for scones. We indulged in blueberry, chocolate, and maple/walnut scones.

They were amazing, yum!! The maple syrup walnut confection tasted like crunchy French toast. It was hard for us to keep our hands off it.

We ordered a candied ginger scone that they boys indulged in, it was a little too sweet. The fresh cranberry & almonds scone was

nice and light and wasn't too crumbly or too cakey. We didn't need toppings like cream or jam which says a lot about a pastry. We'll definitely go back to try their famous cupcakes & cake.

Sorry Alice's Tea Cup, it looks like you've got some competition. :-(

-S&B