The other day I was having a highly productive (read BORING) day at home cleaning. But at least it’s exercise right? All that sweeping with the broom. Gosh I miss the days when I had a vacuum cleaner. But nobody in New York City seems to have one. They all sweep. Anyway, enough about that! This productive but boring day suddenly took a turn for the better when my boyfriend arrived home with a dessert from Dominique Ansel Kitchen. Oh he knows me well. So very very well. If you want to impress me, or apoligize to me, or just be nice to me, get me ANYTHING from the pastry wizard, Dominique Ansel.
delicious
NYC Restaurant Week: Riverpark
NYC Restaurant Week kicked off this Monday where diners can enjoy a 3-course lunch for $29 or a dinner for $42 at select fine dining restaurants across the city. Long before I came to live in NYC, I had been an avid watcher of the TV show ‘Top Chef’. One of the judges on that show is Tom Colicchio, who owns Riverpark as well as Craft and Craftbar & several others in the city. Riverpark is situated right by the East River, so a beautiful evening view while eating your meal is an added bonus. The restaurant itself is chic yet still inviting, with leather and pin-lighting throughout. I found it to be very comfortable: both with the seating and noise level. Tables are spaced well-enough apart that you can hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. There’s nothing more I detest than to go to an upscale restaurant and have rude or snobby service. Thankfully, you won’t find that at Riverpark.
Portuguese Octopus from Al Vicoletto
Sometimes the tastiest food is right under your nose. Case in point: Al Vicoletto which is quite literally across the street from where I work. My boss wanted to meet me for lunch and suggested Al Vicoletto, an Italian restaurant in Union Square. He chose a pasta dish, but I wasn’t really in a pasta mood so I scoured the menu for something else. The Grilled Portuguese Octopus ($15) caught my eye, as I love octopus when it’s done right, but it’s not a food I have too often.
Chicken Rice (Com Ga) from Bird’s Eye Vietnamese
While looking around at all the lunch options available at the Winter Brooklyn Flea & Smorgasburg this past weekend, I was drawn to Bird’s Eye Vietnamese. I’m always eager to try something new, and I’m definitely not as familiar with Vietnamese food as I am with some other cuisines. I ordered the Com Ga ($11), which is basically chicken rice, with fresh sliced chicken, ginger fish sauce, herb aioli, cured egg yolk, Vietnamese herbs & pickled vegetables. Chicken rice sounds like a simple dish, but Com Ga is deceiving in this regard. It is anything but simple, with complex flavors making this one tasty meal.
Chilly Penguin Religieuse
This adorable little penguin religieuse ($7) from Dominique Ansel is almost too cute to eat. But make sure you do, because he is divine! This little guy is all bundled up for winter with his earmuffs and scarf made of marshmallow. His eyes, beak and wings are crafted from white and dark chocolate. The choux pastry is filled with Mexican hot chocolate cream with a hint of chili.
Pies from Two Little Red Hens
The cupcakes at Two Little Red Hens were one of the first I ever tried when I moved to New York City in 2012. I’ll be honest; ‘normally’ I’m not a big cupcake fan. A lot of the time they have way too much buttercream frosting, and are too sweet for my liking. Which is why…
Maple Cinnamon Christmas Cookies
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying some quality time with loved ones. For those back home in New Zealand, it’s already Christmas Day & here in New York City, it’s Christmas Eve. This year in New Zealand, my family will all be gathering at my cousin’s farm. She has two children, and I’m going to miss not seeing their faces light up when they open gifts. And of course, it goes without saying I will really miss the delicious feast, which usually involves a roast lamb with all the trimmings, and my favourite pavlova for dessert. For those not familiar with pavlova, it’s a meringue cake that has a hard shell and is soft and fluffy on the inside. It’s then topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Since it’s Summer there, strawberries are a popular topping.
Christmas Tree Brownies
This past weekend I had a Christmas party at my place and I wanted to make a dessert that was festive and easy for people to grab and eat. These adorable brownie trees are perfect for placing on a platter. The brownies are rich and fudgy, with chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows to take them to a 10 out of 10. The green swirl is created using candy melts, sprinkles are the trees decorations, and the candy cane serves as the trees trunk.
Spiked Eggnog Cake with Rum Glaze
A cake that not only has rum in it, but rum in the glaze also? Yes please! Plus eggnog? Sign me up! I’m a huge eggnog fan. Which wasn’t always the case, as you can’t buy it in New Zealand, and I never knew anyone who made their own. Now that I’m living in New York, I’ve really gotten a taste for eggnog during the holidays, and I like to have it as a treat after dinner. Or whenever I want something sweet. I was very surprised when buying the eggnog at my local supermarket, that 5 out of 6 varieties contained high-fructose corn syrup. This is a nasty replacement for sugar, but it’s cheap so that’s why companies use it. I had to pay a bit extra to get the natural eggnog that has real sugar & no artificial ingredients, but at least I feel better about drinking it. The brand I got is called Organic Valley, and I can highly recommend it as one of the best tasting eggnogs I’ve tried. Of course, one of these days I’ll have to make my own.
Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant from Épicerie Boulud
Colored croissants are not as common in the US as they are in Europe. This beautiful, striking Chocolate-Raspberry Croissant ($4) from Daniel Boulud takes 3 days to make. It is unique in the fact that the layers are so precise, you could count them, and the outside is crunchy, with a sweet, buttery inside. But be fair warned: this croissant is not for the faint of heart. It is sinfully rich and decadent. The brains behind this candy-striped creation is Francois Brunet, who is in charge of the bread and viennoiserie at all of Boulud’s restaurants across the city.