0 Mobile Eats: Gorilla Cheese NYC

I was really in the mood for trying a new food truck, one that I haven't been to before. After scurrying the NYC Food Truck Alliance timeline, found that Gorilla Cheese was right around the block. Plus, it's grilled cheese. 

0 Una Sera in Toscana... TOMORROW NIGHT!!

Do you like delicious Wine? Do you like awesome Italian food? YOU'RE IN LUCK!! Tomorrow night, Thursday, April 10th, at 7pm, Fabio Piccolo Fiore is having a five-course tasting dinner, with an Unlimited wine pairing. Check out the flyer for all of the information...

0 Restaurant Week Adventures: Blue Water Grill

So it's come to my attention that as much as I like seafood I don't really go to seafood restaurants...and I can't seem to understand why. In efforts to get more seafood restaurants under my belt, a good friend and I decided to check Blue Water Grill for restaurant week. 

2 Ballpark Bites: Baseball Season is Here!!!!

0 Adventures in Restaurant Week - Barraca

As stated in a previous post...THIS. IS. SPARTA RESTAURANT WEEK!!! Wouldn't be able to call myself a food lover if I didn't participate now would I? First stop on the RW adventures Barraca!!! 

What is Barraca and what made you come here?

Barraca is a Spanish restaurant specializing in tapas, paellas, and sangrias located in the West Village. What made me come here was that I was looking up places to take someone a few months ago and saw this place. I'm a huge fan of Spanish food and an even bigger fan of the West Village so I was pretty sure I would end up going there. Long story short...I didn't go -_-. Then RW happened and I saw Barraca was on the list. I'd be a fool to not take advantage this time around. So I hit up a friend of mine and we rolled out

Makes sense...so tell me about the place.

Medium sized, exposed brick (which I love), dimly lit, enjoyable tunes, moderate noise level, very mellow vibe. A.K.A. My kind of place. Perfect for clearing your head and grabbing a drink by yourself and also good for entertaining a date. 

Ok. What did you end up ordering?

To start:

• Gambas al ajillo - shrimp in garlic, olive oil, and guindilla pepper
• Croquetas de jamon - cripsy serrano ham croquettas

For an entree:

• Mariscos - paella with shirmp, calamari, cuttlefish, monkfish, string beans, clams, and mussels

Dessert:

• Bomba de chocolate - chocolate mousse, hazelnuts, and caramel
• Banana pudding (which I don't see on their online menu)

Only one entree? Wasn't it 2 of you?

Yeah only one entree. This place serves entrees that are meant for 2 people to share so in efforts to not waste food and money there was only one entree served.

I guess that makes sense. So how was the food?

The food was very good. The shrimp in garlic was EXCELLENT! Plump shrimp sitting in garlic and oil and peppers. May have been my favorite part of the meal. Croquetas were good as well. A little on the salty side, but not enough to make you not want to continue destroying them. The paella was enormous and literally packed with tons and tons of seafood. Every item providing it's own individual flavor which lead to a mega party for my taste buds. The dessert was pretty average. Nothing to really go crazy over.

Wasn't feeling the dessert huh?

I wouldn't say I wasn't feeling it, but there was nothing special about it. I usually don't get dessert when I go to restaurants so if it's not amazing then it's just something sweet on a plate to me. 

I get that. Sooooooo this place specializes in sangria and you didn't try any?

Of course I did. How could I forget about that. Every course was washed down with several glasses of sangria. See below:

• De La Mancha - saffron infused passion fruit, Verdejo white wine, clementine, Don Q Limon Rum. Very bitter taste
• Valencia - Rose, Oleo Succharum "citrus oil", grapefruit juice, vodka ginger. My favorite out of all the ones I've had. Smooth, fairly sweet, love the ginger finish
• Rioja - Rioja red wine, Aperol, guindilla pepper, cherry heering liqueur. My second favorite. Deep red color, rich flavor, little kick.

Nice. Any thing else I need to know? Dislikes? Recommendation?
I really enjoyed my trip to Barraca. Outside of the croquettas being a little salty I have zero compaints about this place. Definitely worth a visit. If you manage to make it there I'd suggest either going with a group or with someone who has a healthy appetite. Since the portions are meant to be shared you don't want to get stuck with a bunch of food that you're trying to force down or lug home.

 

 

 Barraca

81 Greenwich Avenue

(212) 462 - 0080

0 What'd You Miss Last Month??

As March begins, February closes, and with that comes a little recap of some of our top posts:

0 Best Burger Hunt - Part 6 (Cinema Cafe)

When you go to a restaurant, you're looking for something to eat, the words "Possibly the best burger you will ever have" pop out at you.  To that statement I say...Challenge Accepted!

0 Beer Sips: Hunter S. Thompson style....

Ok, no I didn't go on a psychedelic drug ride thru Vegas with Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Reference for those who are not aware).

I'm talking about the Flying Dog brewery produced, Gonzo Imperial Porter.

0 Take advantage!

Ladies and gentlemen...

Not sure if you all know this but restaurant week is upon us...actually it's been here since the 17th of this month. Anyway, until the 7th of March (next week Friday) select restaurants will have prefixed, 3 course lunch and dinner menus at discounted prices.

I encourage you all to take advantage! This is definitely the time for you to try that restaurant or dish you were uncertain about without having to kill your pockets. You really can't go wrong with a 3 course dinner for $38 bucks.

For a full list of all the restaurants participating in restaurant week click le here

If there are any places you recommend or would like to tell us about please feel from to leave a comment below or reach out to us at NOMinNYC@gmail.com and share.

Peace, Love, and Grub!

0 Birthday meal at Besito

Last Sunday of Presidents day Weekend, I went out to lunch with my family to celebrate my birthday.  Being that Mexican is my favorite cuisine of all-time, I decided upon Besito in Huntington.  I have been to the one in Roslyn before, but my first time here.  The food was DELICIOUS! and the drinks were DOPE!!

0 Chef Marty at Your Service....

Well, for those May not know, this past Valentines Day marked my 30th birthday. A milestone to say the least. However the weekend before my fiancé threw me a wonderful surprise party with friends and family. It also being Valentines Day, I wanted to make it special for her, also it would be our first in our new apartment.

I scoured the internet for recipes and came across three that I thought would be a good test for myself. 

2 The Brightest Star In The Brunch...

So it has come to my attention that I've been coming to The Noho Star for YEARS and not once did it dawn on me to write something up about it. How that happened...I have no idea. My sincerest apologies for the disservice. Without further ado...

0 Charlie's Bar and Grizzill!

I'm telling you...spontaneous adventures almost always lead to great finds. After the gym last night I was contacted by a friend who was looking to catch up for a bit over some grub and drinks at this spot which I had never heard about. Not having anything planned for the evening I happily accepted the invite. And I must say that I'm glad I did.

0 Next Stop...Floor 54

54 Stories above the streets of Times Square, sits the Highest Rooftop Bar in Manhattan. The name? Well you guessed it...Bar 54, which is located inside the Hyatt Times Square, on well, the 54th floor.

Last week we were given the chance to try out the newest, hippest spot in Manhattan.  Let me start this off though by saying the staff is absolutely phenomenal, extremely genuine and very helpful. Not to mention the bar tenders and chefs are DAMN good at their jobs.

Now, it is a high-end lounge and with that comes some steep prices for drinks.  My favorite, the Rhapsody in Rye (Bulleit Rye, Ramazzotti Amaro, Benedictine, Dry Vermouth, Angostura, and Orange Bitters), will run you $25 dollars. HOWEVER!!! DO NOT!! Let the prices steer you away because the Rhapsody in Rye is definitely worth it. My other go to drink of the evening was the Green Submarine (Pimm's, Tanqueray Gin, Green Chartreuse, Ginger Syrup, Lemon, Cucumber, Soda), which was actually served in a punch bowl.

Bar 54, also has some AMAZING food. They managed to make great dishes better and things that I'd probably never order very enjoyable. Things like the Chicken Liver Mousse (Pomegranate, Sorrel, Crostini).  I'd have to say that the Pomegranate really makes this little dish, in that you have no idea you're eating liver (which by the way, I was VERY hesitant to eat since I'm not really a liver fan). The Sweetness of the pomegranate, mixed with the crostini = YUM! HOWEVERRRRR, my favorite bite of the night *insert drum roll please*....was the pulled pork slidah (Boston accent added for no reason).  I can't confirm nor deny I may have followed the waiter around grabbing one each time around. Pork was tender, and the pickles had just enough bite to them to compliment the sauce to a T! Next time I make it there I want to try out Porchetta Sandwich, because I love Porchetta, and well bacon. 

The decor has a very modern feel to it, with couches and chairs setup to make you feel comfortable, and right at home. However, the spotlight of the place is their rooftop deck, which overlooks Times Square, and has a direct sight line to One World Trade Center. I wish it wasn't so cold out this night as I  would have loved to enjoy the view a little bit more.  They do have little heaters and fireplaces on the deck to keep you warm, but the warmth inside was way more appealing!

I'm looking forward to making a trip back here in the spring/summer when the weather is nicer, to really get a good feel for the whole spot. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get dressed up for a really nice night out in Manhattan.

We would like to give a very special thank you to Paula who made the opportunity for us possible, and also to Klair and Richard for helping make the night a great one. We are extremely appreciative and look forward to seeing you all again very soon!

Bar 54

135 West 45th Street

(646) 364-1234

0 Valentine's Day Date...

So as much as I may preach against Valentine's Day festivities...I'm guilty of partaking this year. How did I go about choosing where I wanted to go, you ask? Simple! I knew I wanted to go to a place that I haven't been to and that also sold seafood. After some searching around and review reading I was lead to Fish Tag. 

What made you come here as opposed to some place else?

I was looking for a low key, intimate, quiet venue. After doing some research I saw that Fish Tag kept coming up on several lists. Dug a little bit further and decided to take the plunge and bring my talents to Fish Tag. Seafood, never been before, AND I got to take someone who's very special to me. Triple win if you ask me. 

Did all your research pay off?

I'd say it did. The venue was everything I was looking for and expecting. Quiet, visually appealing (exposed brick!...can't go wrong with that), pleasant wait staff, and above everything else I thought the food was pretty good too. 

You say you thought it was good...what about your date?

She enjoyed the food but definitely not as much as I did. Something to keep in mind about this place is that their seafood items are VERY FRESH (which can be a good thing...at least to me it is)! Meaning, if you're not into fishy taste and textures you may wanna avoid here and go to a more generic seafood restaurant. 

Got it...so what did you all get?

To start the Grilled Prawn and Spicy Chilies Bruschetta. VERY TASTY! For entrees we got the: 

- Grilled Striped Bass (she) - fresh bass with a layer of crispy skin on the top, sitting on a bed of rapini, oyster mushrooms, tomatoes confit, and garlic puree 

- and the Grilled Swordfish and Greek Sausage (me) - plump swordfish with 2 strips of Greek sausage, loukaniko, grilled kale, middle eastern spiced bulgur salad

And everything was washed down with 2 glasses of red wine. Overall, a very satisfying meal.

Anything else I should know about? 

Surprisingly they have a huge list of wine and beers. All separated by taste to help those who may not necessarily be fluent in the languages of wine and beer. Lastly, the portions are not that big which may actually be a good thing. However, if you're someone with a rather large appetite you may wanna grab a quick snack before coming here.

Fish Tag

222 West 79th Street

(212) 362-7470(212) 362-7470

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0 Just looking for a good time...

We understand that Valentine's Day is usually celebrated by couples, but let's not forget about the true meaning of the day...LOVE! What better way to spend this day or evening then with number one person you should be loving the most...YOURSELF!

Not to be forgotten, we have a little something for all you folks who feel like Valentine's Day is just a regular Friday...

3 B-A-C-O-N!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen!
I have been to the promise land! I have seen the glory! And let me tell you...it's filled with mounds and mounds of thick, juicy, flavorful...BACON!

What the hell are you blabbering about?
Bacon! Bar Bacon to be more specific. Imagine a place where bacon is LITERALLY apart of every single item on the menu. Sandwiches...with bacon. Pasta...with bacon. Drinks...with bacon. Bacon...WITH BACON! And on top of all that bacon you can wash it down with a nice ice cold brew!

Bacon on top of bacon accompanied by more bacon! I like it...what did you end up getting?
As I'm sure you can imagine it was extremely difficult to not order everything on the menu. So after much consideration and strategic planning, my friend and I decided to order the following items:
- bacon grilled cheese with a side of tomato soup - because who doesn't love that
- bacon lobster roll - because lobster rolls are amazing and can only be enhanced by the bacon
- sausage and bacon roll - pure gluttony
- bacon and lobster mac n cheese - this should speak for itself

That. Sounds. AMAZING! How was it all and what did you enjoy the most?
Overall, the experience was great. Nice ambiance, great company, and bellies full of bacon. I'd say our mission was accomplished. I'm going to have to give the dish of the afternoon award to the grilled cheese and soup. The sandwich was could have easily stood alone but that tomato soup (which was used for excessive dipping) really took things to the next level. Hands down the favorite between the two of us.

Nice! How was everything else?
Not gonna lie, I did have a few issues. Like...
- with the bacon lobster roll and the sausage and bacon roll, though it was packed with TONS of meat, the bread was a little disappointing. Seemed like it the contents were just thrown on a piece of untoasted bread and folded to keep everything in it
- it almost hurts me to say this but the bacon and lobster mac and cheese was very disappointing. There was barely any cheese in it! And outside of the bacon and lobster there was little flavor. Towards the end it just wasn't worth it to finish it all (after all the bacon and lobster was eaten of course)
- all the dishes were kinda warm in temperature like they had been sitting around for a while before getting to our table

DAMN! Talk about a let down. Here I am thinking everything was going to be amazing and you didn't like anything damn near.
I wouldn't say that. All items, with the exception of the bacon lobster mac, I enjoyed and would definitely order again. Just wanted to put those things out there so that no one would go and make the same mistakes I did.

Got it...anything else we should know about this place?
The hostess is a FOX!!! Our waitress was amazing (I wish I got her name because I would definitely recommend her to you all)! The food is really good and there are tons of other items on the menu to order outside of what we had. If you do go try to make it there fairly early because they will and do fill up quickly!

Until we meet again Bar Bacon!

 Bar BACON

836 9th Avenue

New York, NY

646-362-0622646-362-0622

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0 Vday Suggestion Number Four...

So, we've given you Italian, Mexican, and Steakhouse options for your Valentine's Day.  However, we're going a little bit outside the norm here with this next one.

BBQ

Not very Romantic, but, the atmosphere still makes for a fun date.  It's a little bit more relaxed, you don't have to get all dressed up, and not to mention the food is straight amazing!!  So check out our suggestions for you....

0 VDay Suggestion Number Three

Perhaps you're looking to have a classy evening. Nothing too crazy. Soft music, dim lighting, maybe a glass or two of wine, and some STEAK! Not usually known for being places of intimacy, but Steakhouses can be very romantic.

Feeling like a good cut of beef and some nice wine? Maybe a Steakhouse is the route you should look towards. Here are three Steakhouses that we like...

2 VDay Suggestion Numero Due

Ok...so spicy food isn't your thing. Messes your stomach up, gives ya gas, whatever. Let's go a little less exotic. Perhaps Italian?

Fresh ingredients, homely hospitality, ridiculously large portions...you really can't go wrong.

If you're looking to venture over to the Italian side of things, here are a few places we enjoy: