Babbo (New York - Greenwich)

110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
(212) 614-6670
http://www.babbonyc.com/
Chef: Mario Batali

It has been such a challenge to time our eating schedule in NYC since we had complied a long list of NYC's good eats from various Chowhounders and bloggers. At 5:45pm, we were not hungry at all, but were in the vicinity of Babbo. Since it was only 5:45pm and we didn't see many patrons waiting outside... we thought Babbo must be not be busy. So we we just strolled up and down the street, debating whether to eat then or wait til later.... We decided to eat anyway, just in case it might get busy..or so we thought... When we walked in, it didn't seem that crowded. Only the bar was filled up. But the host informed us that the wait would be at least 90 minutes AND we couldn't leave the restaurant. We have to stay INSIDE the restaurant, in the small space around the bar, for 90 minutes. Majority of the restaurant is reserved for those who made reservations 1 month ahead. (Reservation slots open up 30 days in advance and that even fills up quickly). For the rest of us walk-ins, there were only 6 tables available in the front of the restaurant. People can also sit about the bar. But if you have a party over 4, forget it. So we waited...(actually for only an hour)....but it was worth it!A complimentary chickpea bruschetta -
For our first antipasti, we ordered warm tripe alla parmigiana. As an antipasti, we expected this dish to be of a smaller portion. We were definitely surprised. It was huge! The tripe itself was wonderfully tender and delicate, not chewy at all. It just melted in my mouth....Loved it!

Pig foot "milanese" with rice beans and arugula. This was very good - crispy yet soft and tender in the inside.
For the primi, we ordered upon the waiter's recommendations, mint love letters with spicy lamb sausage. I could definitely taste the mint but it was not overwhelming. It was very interesting to taste mint as one of the main ingredients in pasta. Goose liver ravioli w/ balsamic vinegar and brown butter. This dish had more of a sweet, rich, bold kick to it. We didn't enjoy this ravioli as much as the balsamic vinegar was a bit overpowering.
We ordered grilled lamb chops "scottadita" w/ sunchokes, grilled onions and lemon yogurt. As they brought out this secondi dish, we were stuffed! The lemon yogurt was a nice, unexpected touch to the taste, complementing the grilled lamb.

Our complimentary petit fours...
This was our last NYC meal and I was immensely satisfied. So much thought, attention and preciseness went into these elegant dishes... I'm a huge Mario fan now!

Eleven Madison Square (New York - Union Square)

1 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
212-880-0905
http://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/
Executive Chef: Daniel Humm

On our last day in NYC, we made reservations for an early lunch at Eleven Madison Park. They have a prix fixe "Market Menu" for $38 (appetizer and entree). This is the entrance of the restaurant with its rotating doors to a former bank in the MetLife building.
The art deco interior and high ceilings are accompanied with hanging lanterns, glass panels, leaf patterns, and grand centerpieces of flowers and shrubbery.
Here is my selection of the multi-grain bread and olive bread....
We both order the Market Menu. We started with a nice tomato soup with poached quail egg, basil, and bread pieces, finished with a drizzle of olive oil.
Our next course was a crusted lamb with sweetbreads, over turnip puree. The puree was smooth and creamy and complemented well with the lamb and sweetbreads. The lamb was perfectly tender and I enjoyed every bite of it. I'm fairly new in tasting sweetbreads (which are thymus glands of veal, young beef, lamb and pork), but these were very flavorful and had a soft, but plump texture. I'm not sure it's my favorite just quite yet.
Although the food was quite exquisite and tasty, the service was not up to par. Good service and timing is so important in these kinds of establishment. We had to wait a long while before getting our orders taken... and when our food came out.. we waited for another long while because we didn't have any utensils and our server didn't even notice us since he was standing at the counter, dazing off somewhere, while our food was getting cold! And plus he was a bit haughty and cold..(brought out the dessert menu without saying a word or smile). Thumbs down on service! But the food was excellent!

Barefoot Contessa Tour (Hamptons, New York)

My cousin and I are huge fans of Ina Garten! She's such an amazing and talented chef. Her recipes uses simple ingredients and are easy to follow and they always turn out so well. We couldn't leave the Hamptons without visiting some of the places she frequents and that are featured in her cooking shows and her cookbooks.

Green Thumb Organic Farm (Watermill) While driving on the main Montauk Highway, we stopped by the farm where they sell local organic fruits, vegetables and local jams since 1978. We picked up some really sweet and fresh cherries and strawberry jam for my mom. (The hand above the Green Thumb sign behind me has a green thumb...it's just camouflaged by the tree).


Tate's Bake Shop (Southhampton)- Ever since Kathleen King was 11 years old, she started baking chocolate chip cookies and now has a national baking empire. Everything that she sells are baked at the Tate's Bake Shop. (http://www.tatesbakeshop.com/) These are Tate's famous thin, crispy chocolate chip cookies. The recipe can be found online, which we are still trying to master. It's a thin-crispy style cookie, as opposed to the thick-soft-chewy style. The recipe calls for a higher butter-to-flour ratio, and the dough spreads quickly on the cookie sheet, leaving a sugary, buttery crispness. This won't help your healthy diet, but it is addictingly delicious.



Cavaniola's Gourmet Cheese Shop (Sag Harbor) - Michael and Tracey Cavaniola opened this cheese shop in 2001. Located away from the main street of Sag Harbor, this corner cheese shop is quaint and small, yet holds the finest domestic and international cheeses and salami. Just by stepping into the store, I smelled the fragrances of France. Inside the cheese shop, you can get some generous samples of the artisanal cheeses and salami.
We bought a panini with soppressata salami, Fontal cheese, roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette. This panini was the highlight of the tour - simple, rustic, and elegant. We took a short picnic break near the waters harboring the yachts. The moment was so perfect and serene. Great food, great company, great weather, and great views.
Loaves & Fishes Cookshop (Bridgehampton) - Sybille Pump Van Kempen ran this cookware shop with her husband, where they sell high-quality cookware and tableware. Her mother, Anna Pump (cookbook author, baker, mentored by Barefoot Contessa), had run the Loaves and Fishes specialty food store where they have fresh baked bread, cheese, salami and salads. We didn't get a chance to actually visit the food shop, but next time, we'll stop by and try the fresh breads and cheese.

Bridgehampton Candy Kitchen... This shop is the classic old-fashioned "luncheonette" that prepares grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade ice cream. They also have Greek specialties such as souvlaki and Greek salads with pita bread. Tony is enjoying their creamy, homemade strawberry ice cream.

We wish we could have visit all the places that Ina Garten recommends but then we wouldn't be able to actually experience and soak in all the charm and peaceful ambience of the historic villages of the Hamptons. Our last stop was dinner at Duryea's Lobster Deck. (see next post).

Duryea's Lobster Shack (Montauk, New York)

65 Tuthill Rd
Montauk, NY 11954
(631) 668-2410

Our last stop on the "Barefoot Contessa tour" was Duryea's Lobster Shack at the East End of the Hamptons. With a peaceful view of Fort Pond Bay, we were spoiled with delicious seafood while watching a beautiful sunset. And we were very lucky to visit the Hamptons right before the busy summer season. We had the whole outdoor deck all to ourselves. Thanks to Ina Garten for the recommendations! Again, no one can go wrong with Ina!
Duryea's outdoor seating overlooking the bay...
Lobster Bisque - The first time I ate a lobster bisque was the Trader Joe's version, so I don't consider myself a lobster bisque connoisseur. After I sampled their clam chowder and loster bisque that one of the Russian workers gave us, I had to order a bowl of the steaming bisque. It had a cornucopia of flavors that included a creamy, buttery, smooth, and most importantly lobstery flavor. My one complaint was that the bisque was a tad on the salty side and that made finishing this soup a daunting task.
Lobster Rolls are also another popular dish here in these seaside towns. I had been reluctant to try these lobster rolls because I didn't want the bun and fillings to distract my taste of the lobster meat. But after several meals of only lobster, I was ready for a change. There isn't one traditional way to make a lobster roll. Some places make lobster roll with just lobster and a dollop of mayonnaise. Others use lobster, celery, and mix it all with mayo. Some toast the bun and some untoasted. This particular rendition include generous chunks of lobster, celery, mayonnaise, a toasted bun and a bit of dill.
Tony's non-seafood plate: Hamburger - The hamburger at this lobster shack was actually a tasty and flavorful version. This was quite a surprise, considering that this is a seafood shack. By the looks of the patty, it was most likely handmade. They didn't ask me how I wanted the patty cooked but when it arrived it was cooked medium. For some reason the hamburger doesn't have any accompaniments, so I had to ask the nice Russian ladies for some lettuce and tomato which they obligingly agreed to. The coleslaw was over seasoned and as a result not too much of it was eaten.A friend of ours ordered these mussels so I can't comment on this, but she seems to enjoy it. View from our table

Degustation (New York - East Village)

239 E 5th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 979-1012

Hidden on 5th Street, it's pretty easy to miss Degustation if you just stroll along the main streets of East Village. The entrance to the restaurant is low-key, with its name modestly placed on the door. Degustation has a 16-seat bar seating where patrons can witness the chefs prepare and cook the Frenco-Spanish style tapas right in front of them. Ambiance was intimate and comfortable. The waitress was well-versed in the menu, giving us a breakdown of our dishes each time she served us our plates. After we finished each of our dishes, we were given a new set of utensils. I think we went through 7 rounds of utensils... (Apologies for the picture quality. Lighting was a bit dim). croquetas
slowly poached egg with jamon serrano and chorizo "broth"
pan roasted squab breast, ginger-beet puree, pickled white asparagus and chervil
wagyu beef flank, tempura of white maitake mushrooms, pea shoots, and red onion marmalade (that is white foam on the left).

suckling pig, tomatillo, velvet pioppini mushrooms, scallions and cilantro
grilled octopus, potato, caramelized bulb onions and celery salad with a piquillo pepper emulsion
seared foie gras, sherry and date consomme with watermelon radish
Tasting these wonderful tapas was a delectable affair - each dish delivering a different experience.

Il Laboratorio del Gelato (New York - Lower East Side)

95 Orchard St.
New York, NY 10002
212 343 9922

Il laboratorio del gelato is dedicated to producing the very finest ice cream and sorbet. There are no seats inside and people are lined up at the ordering window, which opens to the kitchen where you can witness the chefs creating handmade frozen dessert with local and organic ingredients. The name Il Laboratorio suggests a "custom lab" where chefs are dressed in white lab coats to develop the unique flavors. The menu is extensive, ranging from the usual strawberry, chocolate, mocha, to very interesting ones such as olive oil, sambuca, and thai chili chocolate. But only a handful of flavors are featured on its rotating daily menu. You also won't know the flavors until you get to the window so be ready to decide quickly.



We got three flavors: Dark chocolate, Pear and Black Sesame. Definitely worthwhile. Every spoonful of the gelato was smooth and creamy, my tastebuds wanting more.
You will probably find a line here and no place to sit. We just sat on some steps of someone's home. But it's a great way to enjoy the gelato and take in the chic NYC neighborhood scene. The place is between Broome St and Delancey St, next to the NY Tenement Museum (watch out for the tours that might invade the lines at Il Laboratorio). And remember, it closes at 6pm!

Jean Georges (New York-Upper West Side)

1 Central Park West

www.jean-georges.com

This restaurant is located in the Trump International Hotel & Tower, right across the street from Central Park. We dined during lunch which offers 2 entrees/appetizers for $28.

For the amuse bouche, we had shrimp ball, mango with black olives, and a shot of edamame drink.

goat cheese gnocchi, caramelized baby artichokes, lemon and olive oil

sea scallops, caramalized cauliflower, caper-raisin emulsionskate w/ chateau chalon sauce
gently smoked squab
For dessert, all patrons received this exquisitely presented trays of different chocolates, homemade marshmallows, and mini macarons.

This place is a must-visit!! $28 a person for all this exquisite food... it's definitely worthwhile!

Russ & Daughters (New York - Lower East Side)

179 E. Houston St.
New York, NY 10002
(212) 475-4880
(800) RUSS-229
www.russanddaughters.com

We found a walking food excursion tour on Chowhound to try NYC's quintessential deli experiences. First on the list was Katz's. Second was Russ & Daughters which is a few doors down from Katz's. This deli specializes in smoked fish, cream cheese, and bagels. They also have pastries, chocolates, and many other appetizer goodies. The deli has no inside seating, but there are two benches in the front to enjoy their food.
I ordered the Scandinavian Grav Lox with Dill on an everything bagel with double-whipped cream cheese, red onions and tomatoes. Grav Lox is not smoked, but cured and coated in a delicate brine of salt, sugar and dill. The bagels are hand-rolled and boiled before baking in an old-fashioned revolving oven. Biting into this scrumptious bagel sandwich was amazing with all the right flavors infused together. The only setback for me was that the server had spread on two thick layers of cream cheese. Enough with the calories, but who's counting right...