Proprietors/Executive Chef: Heather Heuser/Jason Marcus

Williamsburg–  229 South 4th St, Brooklyn, NY

Front Entrance EQUALS pig with a cut out heart through it…how compelling of a story.  I love pig. Pig loves me.  Who knew we were going to eat the hell out of pork that night…! I did my homework kids.  This has been on the list of bookmarks since I want on a loony bin frantic about not getting enough of my offal fix…. (Thanks Del).  But really, what we literally ordered was a boat load of pork… and that divine sweetbread.  Now I’ve got everybody hooked.  This place is charming… yet misleading.  There is an “outdoor patio” area but it’s closed off… The best view you will see is a brick wall and some grass/greenery.  Not literally an outdoor patio………but still tucked in and intimately charming.  We didn’t mind.

To Prix-fixe or not to prix-fixe…that was the question to the beginning ending of our night.  Sorry, but as I have mentioned before… I did my homework and my ‘mind’ was already pre-set and predetermined to order exactly what I/we wanted.  Since the waitress recommended 8-10 dishes total, we each got to pick 2…with me “finalizing” our ridiculous list.  Some dishes were vetted out..and some were vetted in.  In the end, teamwork was a success because we were blessed with an incredible, beautiful meal, for dirt cheap … like you couldn’t believe.  Also, my first experience with a Rose that came from Austria…. VERY tasty.  I’m straying away from the norm and I kinda like it!

a medley of a fig salad with tons candied walnuts & cheese… great way to start the meal.

Pork belly…. with corn, tomatoes & peas.  Flavorful, a bit on the fatty side…but like I said…flavorful.  Not a fan of peas, so didn’t really understand it…but loved the touch of corn.

chicken liver mousse.  Rich, delectable, bits of actual liver pieces on top of toast dressed in balsamic. We liked this very much.

Foie gras terrine style.  with tons of berries… a bit of sweet & savory.  Definitely need toast for this even extra richness.

Tuna Tartare atop tempura eggplant.  There is a lot going on here…. Good, but not as good as the other dishes we ordered.

Strawberry cinnamon glazed pork ribs.  Looking amazing doesn’t it? It was good…but I think we all expected it to fall more off the bone?  According to my friend at least.  I’m not an expert on ribs or anything, but I think the meat could have been juicier…. BUT the glaze was sweet & fantastic.  Just a bit underwhelming.

Risottow/ mushrooms, corn & peas… oh didn’t we see this combination before?  Risotto was cooked just right… not too hard and overall, very creamy.

Sweetbreads sauteed with artichokes followed by what seems to be more peas & tomatoes.  Got a bit of tang to it due to the artichokes, but otherwise, I generally don’t say no to sweetbreads.

Bacon donuts.  Enough said.  Enough said…

Traif is the place to go for all things meaty (their specialty is pork after all), simple & clean flavors…. and small & big plates can be found, which makes family style that much more fun.  Prices are super reasonable (ok, I’m from Manhattan, I’ll be honest, it seemed dirt cheap to me!).  And we all agreed how much we enjoyed our meal and how absolutely the trip out to Williamsburg was TOTALLY worth this restaurant.  It’s quirky, fun and quickly holds a special warm spot in my heart … keep it up!

Proprietors/Executive Chef: Phil Suarez, Jean-Georges Vongerichten/ Dan Kluger, if you didn’t know, you can leave my blog.

Flatiron – 35 East 18th Street, New York, NY

Farm to table concept…this is not new by any means…and it’s become quite the trend in the city. do you know what’s on YOUR plate lately?  I’ve become a huge supporter of all things organic, as long as the end product taste fresh. ABC Kitchen does just that.  Since I have been here for lunch, brunch AND dinner, I think it’s about my time to do my due diligence… and give this place a proper review.  Two thumbs up Mr. Vongerichten.  Well done.  One of Jean-Georges better restaurants in the city…. for SURE.  Well, aside from Jean-Georges…obviously.  ABC Kitchen is extraordinary in space and overall, designed with simplistic beauty in mind.  I love it.  And also the restaurant’s commitment to providing organic and locally sourced ingredients is also very admirable.

first things first… for lunch there is a reasonable prix-fixe for $32, which is what we precisely did one lovely afternoon. Otherwise, it’s a la carte for everything else.  The menu is split up into various sections: market table, appetizers, pastas & whole wheat pizzas & entrees.  (For brunch, you will get options for salad & sandwiches and dinner will have a more extensive listing for pasta & pizza options).   There is a ton of variety, so you are not just limited to full entrees.  I like the idea of being able to share the appetizers and market table (small plates).

• Beets w/ homemade yogurt.  Fan-flipping-tastic.  I love beets…and the yogurt had a refreshing acidic smoothness.  I opted for the
• grilled portobello sandwich with arugula, Parmesan & lemon mayo
• Tomato, mozzarella & basil wheat pizza
• Chicken Liver Toast
• Crab Toast
• Arctic Char
• Akaushi Cheeseburger

Their pizza is good, but too healthy…so nothing special.  Brunch and lunch were my favorite.  Highly recommend the toasts… you can’t go wrong.   Dinner was also good…but I should have ordered something else aside from the arctic char.  The more I order arctic char, the more I begin to realize how much I just don’t like this type of fish.  I hate cooked salmon and not a fan of trout, and arctic char resembles each fish.  I was in the mood for fish, and unfortunately I think this was the only viable option.  On the flip side, the akaushi burger was good though, mounds of cheese on top!  My only criticism?  You got it… some of the items (smoked salmon) were indeed a bit salty.  Better watch that hand sous chefs….Overall, impressed with the variety of fresh ingredients used… simple, clean flavors that beautifully meld together.  This place is worth coming to and if only

smoked salmon w/ potato roesti, creme fraiche & grated horseradish

chicken liver toast

crab toast w/ lemon aioli

Proprietors/Executive Chef: Josh Pickard, Luke Ostrom & Andrew Carmellini/Jason Hua

South Village – 131 Sullivan Street, New York, NY

it’s not really in the name… it’s not a Dutch restaurant…on the contrary, it’s quite Modern American and so is Andrew Carmellini.  Though, based on his website, he claims to be into French & Italian (hence the birth of Locanda Verde).  I don’t know if you can do justice by cooking all three different types of food equally, but I guess it takes a man like Carmellini to at least want to try.  Am I hating?  Absolutely NOT!  Just an observation, and I know for a fact I’m probably not the only person thinkin’ it.  The man has been genius so far in all of his endeavors.

can you get back on topic please? oh right, the Dutch.  it’s one of the buzzing, trendy “it” restaurants in the city at the moment and a good friend of mine (Jason) is the executive Chef there.  Without being completely bias, I have been here on two occasions, once for dinner and once for brunch.  I can tell you that I enjoyed BRUNCH ten times as much as I did dinner…and here’s why.  For dinner … I should have gotten the little oyster sandwiches as everybody and their mothers have been raving about them.  More reasons to come back… but I wanted to keep it simple and chose the branzino.  the jalapeno corn bread is a nice touch/choice for a bread basket.  Genius.  The fish was perfectly cooked, but it was overly salty.  Salt has apparently been my nightmare.   Rule of thumb…you can salvage an under seasoned dish…but once you’ve over salted the food, it’s completely destroyed.  I didn’t want to hate it…but it was just so salty.  Otherwise, all the flavors were beautifully melded together.  Too bad Chef Jason wasn’t there for me to bitch at him… because I would have respectfully and courteously done right by him.

Brunch on the flip side was a much more memorable experience.  3 Keys to my heart?  Sweetbreads, beef tongue & tripe.  These are the same three things I don’t eat nearly enough in my every day life.   Good mix of brunch options from sweet to savory.  Or, go the seafood route.  They use Stumptown coffee which is a plus… hearty & bold.  And to top the icing on the cake… we also ended it with two amazing desserts.  (Yes, I said two… don’t judge, I JUST came from YOGA OK?!).  Not just a solid meal, but over the top.  The Dutch exceeded my expectations and so much more.  I am really glad I was able to give it another chance… now I can’t wait to come back!

Two eggs with hominy grits & chorizo.

My gf ordered her two eggs with grits & chorizo… sorry, not nearly as wonderful, full of flavor and overall tasty as mine.  The grits were good though.

Barrio Tripe w/ fried egg & pico de gallo

You can imagine my excitement when I saw Barrio Tripe w/ fried egg & pico de gallo on the menu.  Best f*ing thing on the menu…. EVER…and after having found out that they braised the tripe for over 6 hours…. AH, my delight cannot be contained!  You thought YOU had problems…

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie w/ pistachios

Peanut Butter Ice Box.  Serious deliciousness.

Proprietors/Executive Chef: AvroKO Group/Brad Farmerie

Nolita – 210 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY

The Brad Farmerie kick…while Saxon + Parole is the latest and greatest… let’s not forget about the beloved Public.  On the flip side, I dined here during brunch time, and it was an overall pleasant experience.  Big open space, wooden decor, it’s quite breathtaking actually.  Big enough to host (small) private events in either location.  The restaurant is still able to retain that cozy feel, though it was loud & bustling that wonderful Saturday afternoon when we attended. Public has got an eclectic charm to it, that I can’t quite put my finger on it… whatever it is… I’m hooked.  It’s a fun environment, great for small and big groups.

Gamey menu…while the menu at saxon is more focused on meats & seafood…. the menu here is quite eclectic and primarily focused on gamey meats as their specialty.  For brunch, we started off with a bloody mary that has got a good kick to it.  Refreshing & not too thick (which I prefer), but still good and full of citrus.  The two dishes that caught our eyes are the tea smoked salmon & venison burger.  Venison, being the healthier, leaner choice than red meat… as if this was enough reason you should feel the need to eat healthier…Uh, no.  It actually tasted pretty good, though you can definitely tell it’s a lean meat.  I am even more excited to come back and try dinner.  Every Sundays they are running a special supper $50 prix-fixe for 5 courses…which is a pretty sweet deal.  So why haven’t I taken advantage yet?  Any takers?!?!

Tea-smoked salmon, spinach and poached eggs on toasted sourdough with yuzu hollandaise

Everything was perfectly portioned, but there was just a bit too much bread.  Loved that it was toasted.  Yuzu hollandaise sauce was light, smooth and delicious!

Grilled venison burger on a miso bun with tomato chili jam and cassava chips

Proprietors/Executive Chef: AvroKO Group/Brad Farmerie

NoHo – 316 Bowery Street, New York, NY

Formerly Known As…the beloved Double Crown.  Oh yeah, Double Crown! Everybody knows (and may have loved) Double Crown…adjacent to the speakeasy, Madame Geneva.  A gin bar nonetheless… Under the same ownership, the newly Saxon + Parole is a much coveted New American restaurant, (with a tinge of Mediterranean and North African flavors) and plenty of equestrian decoration.  Named after the two great New York racehorses.  If you are familiar with Double Crown, their food had a  much higher Asian accent.  The restaurant itself is quite gigantic, with an upstairs AND downstairs dining area.  I prefer the top level, as it has more lighting and a bit more livelier.  This is the type of establishment that if I didn’t have my own table, the bar is the next best thing.

what do you get when you mix grilled meats & aquatic delights? saxon + parole.  BUT WHAT THE HELL does aquatic delights mean? Seafood…right.  I.knew.that. My mind was elsewhere…it’s their specialty.  In fact, their bar is pretty damn fantastic too.  Their selection of cocktails are totally worth whatever price it ranges.  Saxon is the kind of place where I would like to lounge my drinking days….I am in love with their cocktails as I am with their appetizers.  I think I could actually live without their entrees…they are good, don’t get me wrong..but I prefer small bites of variety BETTER… esp. when it involves the likes of mousse, bone marrow and a few oysters here and there… The entrees didn’t get me that excited here…but this is a key environment to mingle with friends in low key conversations…. and come to think of it, not a bad environment for first dates either…

Bone Marrow w/ a delightful orange, berry marmalade.

Bone marrow is undoubtedly rich, a little too rich for me, but spread it gently and thinly over the brioche toast and you should be fine and pair it with the marmalade for some textures.

Brussels Sprouts w/ bacon, poached egg & hazelnuts

This is my favorite dish of the night.  The delicate leaves of the brussels, crispy, salty bacon, creaminess of the egg, subtle sweet and nutty  hazelnuts, made for the perfect bite in taste and texture.  I love textures especially when you can hit up all the various tastes in ONE bite. You had me at first bite.

Portobello mousse with whiskey jam & truffles

Second favorite dish of the night.  The mushroom mousse was incredibly light and airy…not too creamy. Decadent in truffles, but not too rich in taste… perfect with the toasted brioche.  So simple yet refined.

Saxon Burger topped with fried egg & bacon.  Toasted sesame bun.

Pretty messy but good.  Accompanied by crispy fries.  Overall, solid.

Saxon’s Burger ~ Up Close & Personal

www.augustny.com

Proprietor/Chef: Jordon Frosolone

Category: American

Neighborhood: West Village
359 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 929-8787

Mood: unique humble eats.. that look flawless and almost effortless …

Tastes Like: great food accented European (French/Italian) with a slight Mediterranean flare that is sure to be connected with their wood fired oven.  wood fired ovens make everything taste that much better.  Although the menu is tiny, I am positively certain that my choices were straight As.  I couldn’t be happier.  The roasted sweetbreads was one of the best that I ever had and it was my first time having it “roasted” versus the usual pan seared.  It gave it an extra crisp … and longing me for more.  The hake and shellfish bouillabaise was wonderful.  Light, smoky, aromatic, full of saffron, fennel and onion flavors, but not too salty… the perfect combo for me in what I’m looking for in a bouillabaise broth.  

Must Haves: Roasted Sweetbreads… Hake & Shellfish bouillabaise … for brunch, consider trying one of the baked eggs.. my favorite Alsatian

Stay Away: N/A

Ambiance: back garden for a nice outdoors feel… wooden decor, cork decorum, give a rustic, cozy feeling.

Service: i experienced that dinner service was really slow…however, they were very nice and laid back.  for brunch, once we expedited our request (because we were in a hurry) it was probably the fastest brunch I ever had.

Rating: 5 stars

Caveat: N/A

www.thelittleowlnyc.com

Proprietor/Chef: Joey Campanaro

Category: American

Neighborhood: West Village
90 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 741-4965

[pics up soon]

Mood: basic staples and familiar flavors that are easy and comforting on your palate.

Tastes Like: superb, comfort food with choices from seafood to meat you can’t go wrong. they have excellent meatball sliders here.. so juicy and tender.  they do an excellent lamb shank, the meat is so tender and sauce is delectable.  it’s one of the best lamb shanks I’ve had in the city.  If you have a sweet tooth, you must end with the beignettes.  Fried and dusted with powder sugar, it’s filled with nutella and accompanied with rasberry sauce for dipping.  They offer sliders for brunch service too…whatever you do… GET the sliders.  They come in three, beef, pork & veal.  Truly a gifted unforgettable meal.

Must Haves: sliders.  lamb shanks.  beignettes (nutella and rasberry sauce)

Stay Away: n/a

Ambiance: Intimate, charming… you’ll feel as if you’re dining near your fireplace…without the actual fireplace present.

Service: prompt & courteous and never fails to refill your glass of water.  they were very customer service oriented and allowed us to add an extra slider if we wanted to to make it even for both of us.  love it.

Rating: 5 stars

Caveat: Always so busy, whether for brunch or dinner service.  If you’re willing to wait for bar seats, go for it.  Otherwise, make reservations which can be an upwards of 3 months.  Yeah, crazy I know, unless you are willing to eat dinner at 5pm…

www.markettablenyc.com

Proprietor/Chef: Mikey Price/Joey Campanaro

Category: American

Neighborhood: West Village
54 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-2100

Mood: basic staples and familiar flavors that are easy on your palate.  if you’re a seafood lover, this place is for you.  if you like little owl, this place is also for you.

Tastes Like: high quality food, so versatile across various categories  you can savor to bits.  i’m quite certain that dinner will be spectacular (if not more) than my luncheon experience here.  i personally ordered the burger, which was a bit too heavy for lunch, but the burger was cooked medium rare to perfection and fries were crispy and seasoned accordingly.  Not the best burger I’ve had, but good enough to leave satisfied.  I’ve also had the pleasure in sampling the falafel which is excellent!  The potato gnocchi was a bit heavy and lacked sauce.  I’m disappointed that I didn’t try anything seafood, but that shall wait for dinner.  

Must Haves: falafel

Stay Away: n/a

Ambiance: The restaurant is unmarked, so be sure not to walk past it.  Fresh, sleek, big open windows and wooden tables that give it that rustic feel.

Service: no complaints.  catered to our needs even in the busiest of times.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Caveat: Extremely long waits for dinner service, which I have neither the patience or stomach for.  Try to make resv. or come super early and be prepared to wait at least 45 min.

www.marcforgione.com

Proprietors/Chef: Christopher Blumlo/Marc Forgione

Category: American

Neighborhood: Tribeca
134 Reade St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 941-9401

Mood: a delectable brunch treat or rustic, utmost satisfying dinner for two…

Tastes Like: flavors are so delicately layered … you’ll want to eat real slow to savor every bite.  you can tell marc cares about the quality of the ingredients… as the entrees are very straightforward.  the main ingredient of the entree portion shines all by itself without the sauce and extra jazz.  my black bass was superb as was the shrimp and clams in the lobster broth.  new to the menu is the strip streak which was cooked to perfection. tender chunks of meat, without being chewy … that’s when you know it’s all in the meat. they bake all their goods in house…so if you love bread, you are in for a real buttery treat.

Must Haves: for brunch… the bacon, egg & cheese popover is a must.. it’s my favorite item on the menu and if you ask for hot sauce, they’ll give you sriracha, the good stuff!!  if you like french toast, they have an amazing combo with bananas and candied walnuts.  i was advised by forge that they changed their bread recently..they used to use banana bread and now reverted to a brioche.   for dinner, you really can’t go wrong.  forge offers a great selection for both meat and seafood…. or dinner for two options.

Stay Away: for brunch, didn’t care too much for the eggs benny with butternut squash.   am usually crazy about butternut squash but didn’t find this to hit my sweet spot.

Ambiance: casual, comforting without being overly obnoxious.  service is fantastic and the people know how to respect boundaries.  we’re all here for the food not the social gathering scene.

Service:

Rating: 5 stars

Caveat: the restaurant changed its name from Forge to Marc Forgione .. to gain a stronger presence in identity.  Marc Forgione has then competed on Iron Chef and was named the winner of Iron Chef.  Since his popularity was easily skyrocketed from the show, I have had a hard time getting reservations for brunch on weekends!!!  Before, we just easily walked in….gone are the days!

www.prunerestaurant.com

Proprietor/Chef: Gabrielle Hamilton

Category: American/Brunch

Neighborhood: East Village
54 E. 1^st St, New York, NY 10003
(212) 677-6221

Mood: Something sweet or savory or BOTH.  with starch or proteins in it.  A must for Brunch.  A good blend of both offerings that will entice and satisfy the palate.

Tastes Like: something popped sweetly in my mouth and seconds later it zinged.  You can tell by the presentation that the chef actually gives a crap what it looks like and how it tastes.  It’s no ordinary brunch, but it’s not quite extraordinary.  Still, I am enamored bright the bright pink logo and pretty in pink friendly staff.  It’s simple goodness, with a few turnkey ingredients that really enhance the quality of the dish.  Crème fraiche on the blueberry pancakes was an excellent idea.. fully executed well. The pancakes were adorned with lots of blueberries, and the batter was a light contender to the cream.  Whipping delicious.  Due to seasonality, the fruit will rotate depending on which season we’re in.  Last time I checked in, I was sorely disappointed when I saw pear instead of blueberry.  No creme fraiche this time.  It was good, but my loyalties are with blueberries.  Til’ next summer!  Not feeling sweet?  Live on the edgier sie of things with huevos rancheros, though the eggs were baked perfectly moist (i rarely am in agreement with baked eggs).. and who can say no to a classic tex mex of avocado, salsa, chili & lime? I must admit, my favorite item on the menu goes back to the basics.  Steak & eggs.  Prime rib so bloody juicy it makes my heart race with every bite.  The hash brown like potato rosti was crisp and enjoyable paired with the extra crispy english muffin.   And if you’re looking for the perfect bloody mary place… I don’t know about perfection, but this place has about 10 different kinds to your liking.  With a shot of beer… how about that for authenticity?  if brunch is any introductory to the dinner entrees, i’m wholeheartedly excited.  with a quick glance of their offerings, it sounds like simplicity meets a touch of exotic.  there is some thing for every one.  my personal favorite is the danish… anchovies & fresh fennel. mm mm mmm….

Must Haves: dutch oven blueberry pancakes, though it has to be with crème fraiche not sour cream.  They might have changed their menu recently, so I would ask for crème fraiche!  STEAK & EGGS! you don’t know steak and eggs until you try this monstrosity of a dish.

Stay Away: NA

Ambiance: very unassuming on the outside… adorned with very hot pink on the inside.  Quaint and cute for LES, packed with lots of flavor & personality.

Service: Service is ok, nothing memorable, but everybody was courteous.  This place is always packed so I can imagine why their heads may roll from occasion.

Rating: 5 stars

Caveat: Be prepared to wait a whopping while. Have only had the pleasure of brunch here only!