Pulling off Shabby-Chic and French-Mexican Fusion is Easy For Jolie Cantina

Jolie Cantina - Cobble Hill
241 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231


What is French-Mexican fusion? I'm still not quite sure, but Jolie Cantina pulls it off with ease. And where else would rustic potted plants sit comfortably next to metal lawn chairs and junk-yard shab-fab?

It doesn't matter if this place has a confused décor. I happily drank my tea out of the charming ceramic mug that reminded me of Winnie The Pooh's honey jar.

Ms. Dahlia's Is Home

Ms. Dahlia's Cafe - Bedford-Stuyvesant
449 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY

A small cafe with green chair pillows and pink ceilings provides a welcome bit of charm and flavor to the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Ms. Dahlia's is more homey than hipster, more old-school than new-school, and more flavor than charm (though it is quite charming).

One word of caution, though. Ms. Dahlia specializes in biscuits and breakfast; desserts are not the forté. After two disappointing experiences with red velvet cupcake in a jar and Nutella pound cake, I don't think I will wait for a third strike on dessert. Nevertheless, this welcoming food parlor is worth a visit. I put my full backing behind the biscuits. Turkey bacon, heavy biscuits with flakey outsides and warm insides, and eggs any style. Throw on some gravy if you'd like--you'll die of a heart attack with a smile affixed to your face. 

A Taste of the Outback is as Close as 79th Street

Burke & Wills - Upper West Side
226 W 79th St., New York, NY 10024

Have you ever had a sudden craving for sweetbreads? Can't say that I have. What about kangaroo? Ever wake up one morning and crave a 'roo burger? Well, at Burke & Wills you can satisfy all the outback cravings you never knew you had.

The restaurant located at the 79th Street subway stop on Manhattan's Upper West Side isn't exotic in name or even decor. The small drawings and maps hanging on the wall are the only indications that the restaurant serves Australian fare.

Below the restaurant's skylight, we nestled into our two-person table against the wall and cracked open the leather menu to look for the typical one-page insert detailing the options for Restaurant Week. One did not exist. Instead, the waiter informed us that we could select from the regular menu--one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert each. Nothing was off limits, though a few items did explicitly indicate a $5 or $10 additional charge.

Justifying the additional $5 charge (when have I ever seen kangaroo on a menu?) I ordered the kangaroo loin to start, followed by the spiced duck breast, finishing with a warm chocolate cake. My Restaurant Week partner in crime ordered veal sweetbreads to start, and then enjoyed his kanga-experience in burger form for the main course. For dessert he had the affogato.

Kittery Is A Taste Of Maine In Brooklyn

Kittery - Gowanus
305 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY

Circo Combines Circus Whimsy With Fine Cuisine

What kind of place is Circo? It's a place to get a great meal, as I've already mentioned. But the restaurant has more depth than that. On a LivingSocial deal that felt like a hand-picked, secret discount just for us, we went back just a few nights ago to try it again. It didn't disappoint.

Circo is the kind of place where you can enjoy a beautiful meal outside watching passersby.

Circo is the kind of place that replaces your bread and water, rather than bringing in the "old" setting, when you move indoors due to the rain.

Circo is the kind of place where the Captain comes by to apologize for the rain--as if it were his fault.

Circo is the kind of place where a waiter comes by to fold your napkin in a point when you get up from your seat.

Circo is the kind of place that surprises you with a free sampling of red wine soaked cipollini onions when you show particular interest in the preparation. We are very happy when people really enjoy our food, they say.

Circo is the kind of place that gives you a free taste of Cointreau when you ask what type of liqueur you detect in the panna cotta.

Circo is the kind of place where the whimsy of the circus meets the gravitas of fine cuisine.

Casellula Is My Favorite New York City Restaurant

Casellula - Hell's Kitchen
401 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019

As we walked up to this little wine bar in the rain, we almost stopped short because of what looked like paper covering all the windows, a typical sign of interior renovations. Instead, it was just fog that had clouded the glass--a veil for the patrons that kept the harsh elements locked outside.

Unfortunately, a 40 minute wait deterred us from becoming one of the carefree indoor patrons that night. We had returned to the wine bar having eaten there not three weeks prior. Sadly, we veered our hungry bellies in another direction but vowed to return again.

It was the cheese that lured us back. How could it not with a knowledgeable fromager on staff to suggest the perfect set of country cheeses to pair with your wine and food selection?

Winter is when we found this gem. And the cold, the rain, and the fog are now gone. Summer is here, and we have been back to this wine bar several times since--I've lost count. Returning not just once, but repeatedly, Casellula has made me break my golden rule of unique dining experiences in the city. How am I supposed to try everything that New York has to serve if I continually revisit old stomping grounds? But this is worth it. Time and time again, it's worth it, so I can't help but return.

What makes Casellula my favorite restaurant in New York City? For a wine bar with a fromage specialist and an ever-changing menu of items such as Goose Breast Reuben or Roasted Bone Marrow, the lack of pretension is ironic. Instead, this simple, little restaurant--far enough removed from Times Square to be considered a midtown respite--is just warm and cozy, and it serves delicious food. It's as simple as that.

One particularly memorable night entailed an epic search for chocolate dessert. Though we were in Hell's Kitchen, I was thwarted at every turn in trying to satisfy this craving. Of course, I turned to Yelp in fervor, and a number of dessert options either looked mediocre or were already closed. I identified an Italian dessert place a few blocks away that looked like it had fine desserts, and I even called ahead to confirm their dessert menu and let them know I was coming in for some chocolate cake. However, once happily seated in a booth in the back, our waiter informed us that they were sold out of chocolate cake. Though other options were available, my heart sunk, and we excused ourselves from the establishment. Next, we tried a French restaurant not too far away. I liked the look of their chocolate cake, and we were about to take a seat when I saw that almonds were baked into the cake. Allergic to almonds and quickly running out of options, I decided not to stay.

I remembered Casellula.

We walked in, sat down (with no wait, thankfully), and asked to only see the dessert menu. They had chocolate cake.

I asked the waiter, "How good is your chocolate cake?"

He said, "Very good."

As a child, my mother spoiled me with her restaurant quality baking, and she has a particularly feisty chocolate cake that would knock out most competition. So, I'm not easily impressed with dessert, and nearly 40 minutes after my search for chocolate began, I wasn't in the mood to mess around.

"I have extremely high standards for dessert, particularly chocolate cake. Are you sure I'm going to like this?" I asked, in the politest way I could given my temperament.

"Yes," he stated confidently.

The cake arrived. I was disappointed. A thick block of chocolate layer cake sat before me--chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and so on...just like one might find in a grocery store or at a child's birthday party.

But then, the waiter held up a pitcher of heavy cream and ceremoniously drenched my chocolate cake. Oh my goodness.

How was it? Heaven. Chocolate decadence sopping up smooth white cream. The cake was richer than I had anticipated with frosting that was far less sugary than a cheap birthday cake. Little bits of chocolate (were they tiny chocolate chips?) melted with every bite. And the cream? Soaked up inside every nook and cranny, making this the most moist (and caloric) cake imaginable.

While that certainly wasn't the last time I went exclusively for dessert, I wouldn't want to peg this restaurant as just a wine bar, just a cheese bar, or just a postprandial dessert spot. It's everything, and I enjoy everything about it. That's why I'll be going back--again.

Take In A View Of Manhattan From The Water's Edge

Water's Edge
401 44th Drive at the East River
Long Island City, New York 11101

Let's face it, Manhattan could be cleaner. It could be more modern. The island has moments of profound beauty, but more often I'm looking at gum-spattered sidewalks and mountains of trash bags.

Something happens, though, when you leave the city and glimpse it from the outside. The scale of the island decreases, but the grandeur becomes overwhelming. It's a spectacle that doesn't tire or fade. And what better way to enjoy Manhattan than from the Water's Edge in Queens?

With such a stunning view, I had expected sky-high fares and mediocre food. While the prices were indeed quite high, they were as reasonable as could be expected in the shadow of skyscrapers. The food, on the other hand, exceeded expectations.

I was a winner with the crab cake. Water's Edge is a seafood restaurant, after all. Yet they were able to prepare impressively delicate and light gnocchi, a textural feat we could even taste through the heavy cream, salty bacon, and general weight and gluttony of the dish.

Maryland Crab Cake. Lump crab, chive slaw, Cajun remoulade ($15)

Hand Rolled Gnocchi. Specked ham, shitake mushrooms, truffle oil, taleggio cream. ($14)

For dinner, I ate the lobster and shrimp entrée. Paler than my typical red, Main lobster, this crustacean crawled from Brazil. I recognized the difference in color immediately, asking the waiter about the lobster's origins (rather than paying attention to the menu's detail in the first place). Yet, I couldn't taste too much of a difference, though the meat was tougher and less sweet. The white wine and butter sauce blanketed the dish, blurring any flavor distinction I may have been able to make. I couldn't even finish the whole meal--the butter slowed me down and eventually became overbearingly rich.

Shrimp and Brazilian Lobster Tail 7oz. Francese. White wine, lemon butter sauce ($45)

Chilean Sea Bass. Cherry peppers, red onion, sweet corn, cilantro pesto. ($34)

View of the bar and the restaurant beyond.

We left as the staff closed up the restaurant. Despite the rocky start to the evening, it was smooth waters the rest of the night at Water's edge. Full of butter and cream, we rolled home (in a Lyft car) and slipped into a food coma that lasted to the next morning. 

Yet Another Disappointing Restaurant Week Meal At Arlington Club

Arlington Club - Upper East Side
1032 Lexington Ave (Between 73rd and 74th)
New York, NY 10022

• Food: Sadly below expectations.
• Service: Prompt and friendly.
• Ambiance: Dim, quiet, with a Gentleman's club flare (minus the cigar smell). 
• Value: Ironically low, given Restaurant Week deals. 

Restaurant Week, the twice yearly New York celebration that brings high-class (high cost) food to the masses, makes me tingle with anticipation. I look forward to these few weeks a year when I can justify dining at some of the city's finest restaurants. Yet, it seems to let me down more often than not. There were a few superb meals--Circo, Perry Street, and Brasserie among them--but other restaurants seem to have a reduction in quality that surpasses the reduction in price. Arlington Club, a mix between a Good 'Ol Boys club and a pub, won the first spot on our Restaurant Week list.

The restaurant mustered the creativity to serve not table bread but rather popovers the size of pomelos. Breaking through the crusty exterior to the doughy bread beneath became more rewarding still when we were able to slather whipped butter over each bite. What was hard to swallow was that I grew up eating lighter yet richer popovers in the tiny town of Rutland, Vermont. Was it that a Zagat-rated restaurant in America's culinary epicenter couldn't top Rutland's popovers--or was it that even the popovers get a downgrade during Restaurant Week?

Appetizers of french onion soup and a tuna tartare arrived promptly. With cheese seared to a golden brown and bread that still had some crunch despite being drowned in soup, the former was a hit. However, the tuna tartare--while good--reminded me of the tuna avocado salad I'd had for lunch that day at Kobeyaki, the Japanese fast-food chain my colleagues frequent. 

The main meal consisted salmon atop a pool of puréed peas and asparagus. The deep green color was the most impressive aspect of this culinary slight. I really don't know how the simple act of blending can remove all flavor from a food. However, the salmon passed muster--I just wouldn't pay top dollar for it.

The most impressive aspect of the meal arrived in the form of a slender cake topped with three candied pieces of popcorn. This peanut butter chocolate bar almost washed away the disappointing meal. With a bit of crunch and a hint of salt, the chocolate cake and ice cream combo threw the curve, bringing up the meal's overall average. Sadly, however, I wouldn't call this restaurant top-grade. I wonder if it's any better outside of Restaurant Week. 

Levain Bakery Cookies Are Not Cookie Cutter Perfect--They're Better

Levain Bakery - Upper West Side (Also in Harlem and the Hampton's)

167 West 74th Street

New York, NY 10023

My cousin goes down in the in Hall of Foodie Fame for this recommendation.

As though it were no big deal, she slipped in the name Levain Bakery over lunch the other day. Despite her lack of fanfare, I knew the bakery must be good for her to have mentioned it. I just didn't know just how good.

Having no prior knowledge of the Levain Bakery's cookies, my expectations were moderate, which is unusual in a city where every "hot" foodie trend spreads like a pandemic through Buzzfeed, Twitter, and casual conversation. But when I sidled into the line crowding to the door, I realized maybe this was a hot trend I had missed.

As a grab-and-go basement bakery, the queue moved quickly, ushering in the stalwart patrons who had been patiently waiting through wind and spitting rain. With the chocolate chip brioche out of stock, I opted for the double chocolate chocolate chip cookie, which arrived not warm but hot. Levain defies the flat, cookie cutter feel of chain stores (Think Mrs. Fields, if you dare make the comparison.) As with any fine work, the imperfections contribute to, rather than detract from, the brilliance. In the case of Levain Bakery, what you receive is a mildly misshapen, mountainous cookie that gets your hands messy and melts in your mouth--but I guarantee you wouldn't want it any other way.

After also trying the walnut chocolate chip (also delicious), I would recommend the double chocolate instead. The walnut cookie's sugar content carried a zealously sweet imprint of blanched sugar. Left unchecked, this sweetness becomes too overpowering to continue eating after just a few bites. In contrast, the bitter cocoa in the double chocolate chocolate chip enriches the dough and eliminates any trace of processed taste. Nevertheless, the cookie is rich enough that halfway through my chocolate cravings were satiated. In a moment of unexpected self control, I saved the rest for later.

And I am so glad I did. After a night in the refrigerator, a Levain Bakery cookie is still soft enough to sink your teeth into--like a block of fudge. It is the breakfast of champions.

Sake Bar Hagi Is A Thumbs Up Despite Times Square Locale

Sake Bar Hagi - Times Square

152 W. 49th Street, New York, NY 10019

I work in Times Square, which is immeasurably convenient when it comes to transportation (almost all the subway lines converge in that area), but inconvenient in almost every other regard. Once in a while I smile when I see Times Square as the backdrop to a Hollywood movie, which reminds me that my daily doldrums are other people's fantasies. However, most of the time the mess of tourists and overwhelming advertisements makes me curse Times Square (sometimes aloud). The mix of indecently high prices and blatant tourist traps also makes me steer clear of dining in that area; even after taking in a show I try to dine 5-10 blocks from the epicenter.

However, Sake Bar Hagi surprised me. Neither a tourist trap nor price gauge, this restaurant was mildly decorated and highly affordable. We settled in at the sushi bar with hope.

We had been lured there under false pretenses. As we were choosing a restaurant, my dining mate had seen a picture of salmon rice balls on yelp and became fixated. Yet one glance at the menu confirmed that this was an all-ramen joint with far fewer options than Yelp pictures promised.

Nevertheless, we each ordered a bowl of ~$10 ramen, which came with a more traditional wooden spoon and chopsticks, and began to slurp. Uneasy about the quality of the meat from the unconvincing menu photos, I had ordered vegetarian. Seeing the sliced pork in person quieted my qualms, but I was still happy with my choice. Hot, flavorful broth backed a medley of Asian add-ins--bok chou, seaweed, and a boiled egg in particular--which warmed my belly from the inside out.

In the Hell's Kitchen area there are two or three trendy ramen restaurants that almost always have a wait of an hour or more--no reservations or take out allowed. Sake Bar Hagi is no four star restaurant. These are not magic noodles. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised to find this little gem in proximity to Times Square. And, there was no wait to dine.

Radiance Tea House & Books Promotes Calm and Wellness

Radiance Tea House & Books - Midtown West
158 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

Radiance Tea House & Books channels the refined elegance of a traditional tea house at the foot of tea hills across mainland China. The slender menu book of teas contains a range from Chinese green, jasmine, or pu'er; to wellness teas that list a variety of health benefits; to teas of other origins, such as caramel Rooibos. Sit among the Chinese books--in both Mandarin and English--that you can peruse or buy while you sip tea in one of the few truly quiet spots you can find so close to Times Square. 

On the opposite side of its mini-library there is a small restaurant section. The menu has typical Chinese fare that holds true to origin while catering to Westernized palates--such as egg custards and hot and sour soup. Between the two of us, we ordered one "wellness soup", one green tea soba noodles, and one shrimp wanton noodle soup.

Goji berries, ginger, ginseng, and dates jived brilliantly in this small pot of soup (served with a lid to maintain heat) that packed bold flavor into a sweet, calming brew. No one flavor stood out boastfully, and whether placebo, mental satisfaction, or the true power of the ingredients, this soup managed to turn the tide for my fellow diner who had been feeling unwell.

The green tea noodles, served cold with chilled chopped cucumbers and a lonely bok choy, added substance to the small soup order. For me, I had my own wanton soup, which made the first bitter cold Fall day fade into the distance. The first slurp of soup disappointed me; but after a couple of stirs I awoke the seasonings that had settled at the bottom and could not have been happier with the order. Essentially, this was Grandma's Jewish Chicken Noodle Soup--except Chinese (and with shrimp wantons). Good for the body and the soul. 

We didn't have to get dessert (when do you have to get dessert?), but obviously we decided on a little something sweet to finish the meal. Splitting the mochi sampler was a strategic success--this much ground gluten is not a good idea for one person.

I'm not sure if my next dining experience will be with a friend for dinner or a good book for tea, but either way I look forward to it.

Cho Dang Gol: The NASCAR Experience of Korean Dining

Cho Dang Gol Korean Restaurant - Koreatown
55 W. 35th St., New York, NY 10001

The other evening I couldn't make up my mind about what to eat. I had been stressed and not feeling well, which put my emotional cravings in conflict with my physical best interest. Whenever in doubt about what to eat while living in Nanjing, I ordered Korean food. However, without realizing, I had somehow omitted Korean food in my culinary adventures in Manhattan. I decided to right this negligence with a trip to Koreatown.

Despite a small queue out the door of Cho Dang Gol just after 9 pm, once inside we were informed the kitchen would be closing imminently. Why would the kitchen close so early, especially with a full house and a line of eager patrons? I will never know. We could eat, the hostess told us, but only if we placed our orders while we waited for a table. The food would be served as soon as we sat down.

Typically at Korean restaurants, several small dishes of pickled this and fermented that come out first as appetizers--whether you order them or not--and are soon followed by the main course. However, all of our small plates, our main bibimbap and soup, as well as our waters and teas were served with NASCAR speed and coordination. A whirlwind of waitresses descended on our table, and five or six arms reached out to set the table, which was fully stocked mere seconds later. They rushed to the next table without a second glance.

Small dishes aside (not my favorite usually), the food satisfied all cravings. Just healthy enough to leave no regrets of indulgence, the soup and hot stone pot were both warm and filling. We enjoyed a brothy seafood soup with red droplets of spice floating at the surface that looked more ominous than they tasted. The bibimbap did not have the same look--Julianne vegetables atop smoldering rice, with a sunny egg resting on the surface--to which I grew accustomed in China. However, the bulgolgi (beef) and special Korean red sauce mixed into the pot in the perfect fusion of spice and natural flavors. (Several different waitresses had asked in passing if we would like them to mix the bibimbap for us. We politely said we could stir on our own.)

While patrons quietly dined, servers speed-walked through the path of tables and chairs like young boys who are scolded not to run at an indoor swimming pool. After asking for a fried egg to garnish my bulgolgi bibimbap, our waitress yelped acknowledgement in such a distressed way that I nearly fell over laughing at the comedic absurdity.

Halfway through the meal, a young female waitress check bombed us. In a drive-by deposit, she informed us that the register was closing. When we finally did pull out our credit cards, another waitress snatched the black bill book and scurried away. She returned with the receipt and two small glasses of heavily sweetened ginger ice tea for dessert.

The whole experience was cartoonish and absurd, yet still delicious. 

Share Sunday Morning With Strangers At The Greene Grape Annex

The Greene Grape Annex - Fort Greene
753 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY 11217

Without looking at the weather report this morning I felt that change that comes with the first crisp morning of fall. And I put on a scarf.

I love scarf weather, not only for the endless ways to redecorate the same old jeans and tee shirt look without effort. To me, fall ends the laziness of summer, where heat and humidity hang too heavily. We are in a grace period of relaxed productivity, able to get out and enjoy the weather before the deep hibernation of winter sedates the city.

And coming to Annex Coffee this morning is yet another indicator of fall. Walking through the streets, people are out an about--in their sweaters and sunglasses--running Sunday morning errands. Here inside the Annex, I'm listening to loud 80s music and sipping a chai tea latte (a real one--not from powder--thank you very much). As I peer over my own laptop at the countless others who have newspapers spread, textbooks cracked, and laptops out, I see the laid-back work environment that connotes a Sunday in Fall.

Maison Kayser's French Breakfast Stands Above Hell's Kitchen Competition

Maison Kayser - Columbus Circle
1800 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
And other locations

Despite locations across the globe in metropolitan areas such as Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, and New York, this French chain feels like a special local find. I've dined at the Columbus Circle cafe a couple of times, relaxing my own rule of thumb to taste as many of New York's culinary offerings as possible.

On a previous occasion, I sat in the cafe, decorated simply with odes to France, and ordered the Epinards & Chèvre Cocottes. A mini cast-iron pot arrived with a side of peasant bread. The breakfast consisted of egg and spinach drowned in boiling cheese, equaling a rich breakfast of indulgence in one small pot.

Saumon Fumé Tartine

Most recently, I sat outside in the roped-off sidewalk terrace to dine in the summer sun. My breakfast (above) looked just as full of sunshine.

Oeufs Bénédicte

Not a coffee drinker myself, I gravitate toward teas and particularly enjoy a chai latte as a special indulgence. Cafes and coffee shops too often concoct a lazy-man's version from powdered formula that bastardizes the tea and leaves me with a sickly sweet taste in my mouth. Is it too much to ask for steamed fresh milk infused with deep-brewed chai tea? Not at Maison Kayser. This was the perfect cup, garnished with a few shakes of cinnamon:

Chai Latte

Maison Kayser's prices are affordable but not a bargain. For the same $15-20 you could easily stuff yourself with heaps of pancakes or waffles in the depths of Hell's Kitchen and still have some wiggle room for a breakfast cocktail. But personally I don't mind substituting that big plate of waffle carbs for a charming and high-quality French breakfast.

And if you're on the go, Maison Kayser stocks a full boulangerie in the front so patrons can grab a beverage and pastry before heading up to Central Park...or wherever!